3:45 PM, 22 April, 1989.
Location: Central City, Goldie White's Apartment.
"What the hell is going on with my life?" Goldie asked, despairing. She found a bottle of bourbon and has been drinking her troubles away. "These stupid powers, that psycho, the stalker and now you?"
"The world is a messed up place, most people don't see it from their normal lives, but those of us with powers? We get dragged into events that are abnormal far more often than just about anyone else." I shrug. "It's like the universe is watching us and likes to throw obstacles in our way for it's amusement. The things you thought you knew are often completely wrong, just to further mock you. The deeper you get, the weirder it gets."
"How? What could possibly be stranger than..." She began. I cut her off.
"One of my friends is an orphaned alien. From outer space. I also have a sorceress living in my home. I fought and killed a vampire last month, then a giant blob of living toxic waste." I replied.
"Oh God." She groaned into her cup.
"He's real, but he's less forgiving and more fire and brimstone than the liberal preachers suggest. Oh yes, Hell is real and occasionally the occupants like to invade us. Lucifer is cool though, he's retired." I nodded to myself. "But then so are most religions. Ancient Greek gods? Zeus is still around fathering bastard demi-gods when his wife isn't looking."
A crack of thunder echoed overhead. From what was supposed to be a clear sky.
"Yeah, fuck you too! Inconsiderate philanderer! Like I'm scared of your prissy lightning!" I loudly replied to the thunder. "Eavesdropper too, apparently."
"Does… that happen a lot?" She asked meekly.
"Zeus eavesdropping? I dunno. He's a voyeur, that's certain. Arrogant bastard too. Never willing to admit his own failings." I shrug.
"No, I mean all of this insanity?" She gestured.
"You get used to it. I know more super powered people than regular, so I'm a bit skewed. But with the way the world is going, this is going to be more commonplace." I leaned back into a comfy couch. "Unfortunately you're part of it now. Just like Zsasz was. Or do serial killers randomly appear more commonly than I thought?"
"Ugh… I still remember him grabbing me by the throat and waving the knife around like..." She sobbed softly for a moment. "I could see he meant to kill me from how he just changed into someone else… but now I realise I never knew his real face, did I?"
"No… Zsasz hasn't been killing for long, you might even be his first real victim that wasn't spur of the moment." I offered. "But who can tell with a psycho like that? He's probably proud of his acts, but I'm not going to ask."
"What's going to happen to him?" She asked, weakly.
"I'm going to pull some strings and send him to an asylum." I replied, lying.
"I… good. Good. He'd only hurt people." She agreed. "And what was the deal with that SHADE business?"
"It seems someone saw you had powers and spread rumours… which reached some shady government types who wanted to 'test' and 'observe' you. All completely illegal, too. The stalker was one of their agents trying to provoke you into using your powers, so they had cause to press-gang you into their organisation as an expendable asset. They'd blackmail you until you gave in." I handed her my business card. "Call me if you need anything. I'm on holiday for another couple of weeks but if you need help I can be here in under an hour."
She looked at the card. Then me. She took it. "Thank you, you've been very kind."
I nodded, internally wincing at my own manipulative nature.
"If you don't feel safe, if you have difficulties keeping a job or need to use your powers to help people I can offer you paid work, doing just that. Helping people with your powers and being paid for it. I don't mean killing or even hurting them, except as a last resort. Your powers would be hugely useful in controlled demolition and mining, for example. Imagine saving people buried in rubble, by destroying the wall crushing them. Or walking through bullets to disarm criminals. Your power can do all of these things, easily. In the mean time, I'll alert my friend in the city that you are here and arrange a time, so that you can meet and learn the ropes." I offered.
"I don't know..." She began.
"Flash is a great guy, has a childish streak a mile wide but he means well. He's been helping people in this city for a while. He'd love to help you. And considering you have so much to learn about your powers, he can help. As I understand it, he can probably do the vibration thing too. Just not as well as you." She seemed dubious, but relented.
"Good. Just a warning, he likes to just pop out of nowhere. He's that fast, so don't be too surprised." I informed her, just in case his first move was to tap her on the shoulder… yeah, I'd better warn him not to do that. He'll lose a hand.
I said my goodbyes, urging her to quietly prepare a costume to hide her face and identity. It seemed I would be playing go between, for the pair. Could be fun. This will be good for her. Not that I'm shipping them. But she needs a teacher.
The corrupt SHADE guys are waiting, but I blow them off.
I don't have any reason to give them the time of day or excuses. But I'll be checking on their story. The local police bought their story about Zsasz, but I trust Fleur to know the players in the Cold War spy organisations. I don't trust SHADE as far as I can throw them.
Besides I'm busy.
At midnight I find the hospital room that Zsasz is locked in, floating up the glass window. I'm looking for the needles still embedded in his arms.
He wakes, to the feeling of the needles pulling from his arms. I wave from the window as he looks around for the reason. As he begins to shout, the electric cables that connect to a power outlet burst out, copper wires digging through the plastic covering. The following second they dive into his mouth, giving him the electrocution he so richly deserves but the law would never give.
I make it look like he did this with his teeth, a suicide.
This time I don't feel that pitiful wretchedness I had from killing Brain and Mallah. Zsasz is an irredeemable monster. This was the only thing I could do to truly end the threat to ordinary people he presented.
I returned to my hotel room and slept like a baby.