### **Chapter 2: Powers Unknown**
Jordan had barely caught his breath before chaos erupted again. The ground trembled beneath him as the hulking robot—now missing an arm—smashed its way through the streets. Each step sent ripples of force through the city, and the high-pitched whine of its charging weapons pierced the air.
From the makeshift safety of the crumbling building, Jordan turned to Captain America and Tony Stark, who were both gearing up for another round of battle.
"You're just going back out there?" Jordan asked, his voice breaking.
Tony, still half-suited in his Iron Man armor, gave a tight-lipped smirk. "That's the gig, kid. Someone's gotta keep T-1000 over there from leveling the entire block."
"But what am I supposed to do?" Jordan blurted, throwing up his hands. "I'm not a superhero! I don't even know how to use these—" He paused, gesturing at himself. "—powers or whatever this is!"
Tony stopped, his smirk softening into something closer to curiosity. "You seemed to handle yourself just fine back there. Blew an arm clean off without breaking a sweat."
"I didn't *mean* to!" Jordan snapped. "It just happened!"
"Then figure out how to make it happen again," Captain America said, strapping his shield onto his arm. "Right now, we need all the help we can get."
Jordan stared at him, dumbfounded. "You don't even know who I am. What if I mess everything up?"
Cap stepped closer, his voice calm but firm. "Then we fix it. But standing on the sidelines won't save lives."
The weight of Cap's words sank in, and Jordan felt a knot tighten in his stomach. He didn't ask for this—he didn't *want* this—but the truth was staring him in the face. People were dying out there, and he was one of the few who could actually do something about it.
"Fine," Jordan said, swallowing hard. "I'll try."
Tony clapped him on the shoulder. "Attaboy. Just don't zap *me* with those laser eyes of yours."
Jordan scowled. "They're not lasers—"
A sudden explosion cut him off, the building shaking violently as debris rained down around them. The robot had reached their block, its glowing eyes scanning for targets.
"Let's move!" Cap barked, charging out of the building.
Tony's suit clicked into place, the faceplate sliding down with a hiss. "Stick close, rookie," he said, before blasting off into the air.
Jordan stood frozen for a moment, the world around him a blur of sound and motion. Then, something inside him stirred—a flicker of energy, raw and untamed.
"Okay," he muttered to himself. "Time to see what I can do."
---
**The First Battle**
The moment Jordan stepped out onto the street, he felt the heat of the battle. The robot loomed above, its massive form blotting out the sun. Cap's shield ricocheted off its chest, doing little more than irritating the mechanical behemoth. Tony's repulsor blasts peppered its remaining arm, but the robot didn't slow.
Jordan took a deep breath, his hands curling into fists. He could feel the power bubbling beneath the surface, waiting to be unleashed.
"Focus," he muttered.
The robot turned its attention to him, its glowing eyes locking on. For a split second, fear gripped him, but then something clicked. The heat in his chest surged, and before he knew it, his vision blurred with a crimson glow.
A beam of energy shot from his eyes, slicing through the air with a deafening *whoosh*. The blast hit the robot square in the torso, melting through its armor like a hot knife through butter.
"Holy—!" Jordan stumbled back, cutting off the beam.
The robot let out a guttural roar, its chest smoking as it staggered. Cap and Tony didn't waste a second, pressing the attack.
"Nice work, kid!" Tony called out, soaring past Jordan to deliver a repulsor-powered punch to the robot's head.
Jordan barely had time to react before the robot retaliated, swinging its massive arm in a wide arc. The blow sent Cap flying into a nearby car, the metal crumpling beneath him.
"Cap!" Jordan shouted, panic rising in his chest.
"I'm fine!" Cap called back, though his voice was strained. "Stay on it!"
Jordan's jaw clenched. He could feel the power building again, stronger this time. The energy surged through his body, making his muscles feel like they were on fire. He didn't know how to control it, but he didn't have time to figure it out.
He charged.
The world seemed to slow as he closed the distance between himself and the robot. It swung at him, but Jordan moved faster than he thought possible, ducking under the massive arm and slamming his fist into its knee.
The impact was explosive. The robot's leg crumpled, sparks flying as it collapsed to one side. Jordan stumbled back, his hand throbbing but otherwise unscathed.
"Okay," he muttered, his breathing heavy. "That was cool."
But the fight wasn't over. The robot's eyes flared, and its remaining arm began to glow.
"Kid, MOVE!" Tony shouted.
Jordan didn't have time to think. He acted on instinct, leaping into the air just as the robot fired. To his surprise, his jump carried him higher than any human should've been able to go. He soared above the battlefield, the wind rushing past him as he tried to process what was happening.
"What the—?!"
His confusion was short-lived. Gravity took over, and he plummeted back toward the ground. But instead of panicking, he focused. He didn't know how he knew what to do—it was like the knowledge was just *there*—but he angled himself toward the robot, fists clenched.
The impact was devastating. Jordan slammed into the robot with the force of a meteor, driving it into the ground. The street cracked beneath them, the shockwave knocking over nearby cars.
When the dust settled, the robot was nothing more than a smoking pile of scrap metal.
---
**The Aftermath**
Jordan stumbled back, his body trembling with adrenaline. His clothes were singed, and his skin was covered in soot, but he felt… alive. More alive than he'd ever felt before.
Cap approached him, his shield slung over his back. "You okay?"
Jordan nodded, though he wasn't sure if it was true. "Yeah. I think so."
Tony landed beside them, his suit battered but functional. "Not bad, rookie. Not bad at all."
Jordan looked down at his hands, the faint glow of energy still visible beneath his skin. "What's happening to me?" he asked quietly.
Cap and Tony exchanged a look, the unspoken question hanging between them.
"We'll figure it out," Cap said finally. "But for now, you've got a choice to make."
"A choice?" Jordan frowned.
Tony grinned. "You can stick with us and learn how to control those powers of yours. Or you can keep running and hope the next giant murder-bot doesn't turn you into a pancake."
Jordan hesitated. Part of him wanted to run—to find a way back to his old life, whatever that was. But deep down, he knew there was no going back.
"Alright," he said, his voice steady. "I'm in."
Tony clapped him on the back. "Welcome to the team, Superman."
"It's Jordan," he said with a scowl.
Tony smirked. "Sure it is."
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