AM I SUPERMAN?

Chapter 69: CHAPTER 69



"What have you done?"

Sheriff Lance's voice echoed across the chaotic scene inside the Star City Police Department. All eyes were on the criminal who had just snapped the necks of two officers with his bare hands. The air was thick with tension, disbelief, and horror.

"Bastard!" Lance shouted, his instincts taking over. He drew his service pistol, aiming directly at the masked assailant, and fired three consecutive shots.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Each bullet hit its mark, striking the criminal in the chest and shoulders. But instead of dropping him, the bullets barely penetrated. They felt as though they'd struck solid concrete, leaving the criminal unfazed and even angrier. His enhanced physiology absorbed the damage with ease, fueling his fury.

"Roar!" the criminal bellowed, his primal scream reverberating through the station. He lunged forward, closing the distance between himself and Lance in an instant. With one devastating punch, he knocked the sheriff to the ground and snatched the gun from his hand.

"Sheriff Lance!" an officer shouted as the rest of the precinct opened fire. Bullets ricocheted off walls and desks, many missing the moving target. The criminal weaved through the chaos, retaliating with the stolen gun, shooting at the officers with deadly precision.

The firefight was brutal. Despite their best efforts, the officers' weapons were ineffective against the Mirakuru-enhanced strength of the assailant. It took dozens of rounds—and a well-placed headshot—to finally bring him down. By then, the Star City Police Department had suffered heavy casualties.

"Sheriff Lance, are you okay?" Deputy Chief Weston ran to his fallen superior, helping him to his feet.

Lance, clutching his ribs, nodded weakly. "I'll live. But what in God's name was that thing?"

Weston glanced at the lifeless body of the criminal, his mask still partially intact. "Whatever it was, it wasn't human. And if there are more like him out there, we're in deep trouble."

Lance gritted his teeth. "No matter what they are, they're destroying our city, and we need to stop them. Call the Armed Guard!"

Weston hesitated. "The Armed Guard? Only the mayor can authorize their deployment, and we haven't elected a new one since… since Moira Queen stepped down."

Lance rubbed his temples, frustration mounting. "In emergencies, the chief of police can authorize it."

"Sir…" A nearby officer stepped forward, his face pale. "The chief… he was attacked earlier today. He didn't make it."

Lance's shoulders sagged. The weight of the day's events was taking its toll. But he steadied himself, pushing through the despair. "If we can't call in the Armed Guard, then we'll use another option. We need someone who can fight these monsters on their level."

Weston frowned. "You mean the vigilantes?"

Lance gave a sharp nod. "Not vigilantes. Heroes. Call the Arrow."

Meanwhile, on the Streets of Star City

"Diana, Sara, we've got three fortified attackers at the intersection of Second and Kingsley," Felicity's voice crackled through their comms. "There are still a lot of civilians in the area. You need to move fast."

"Understood," Diana replied, her tone resolute. She perched on the back of Sara's motorcycle as they sped through the chaotic streets. Ahead, the fortified criminals loomed, wreaking havoc among the panicked civilians.

"I see them," Diana said as the targets came into view. Without hesitation, she leaped from the motorcycle, soaring thirty meters through the air. She landed with a thunderous impact, her boots cracking the pavement beneath her.

The fortified attackers turned to face her, their expressions filled with a mix of surprise and amusement. But Diana's gaze was fixed on the injured and terrified civilians around her. The sight of their suffering ignited her anger.

In her mind, even the worst villains she'd faced—Ares included—had a twisted code. They didn't target innocent, defenseless people. These men, however, had no such restraint.

"I won't let you hurt anyone else!" Diana declared, her voice ringing with righteous fury.

The fortified men sneered, one stepping forward. "You think you can stop us?"

Diana didn't reply with words. Instead, she raised her arms, her golden bracelets gleaming in the sunlight. She struck them together, releasing a shockwave that sent the attackers reeling.

Diana's voice rang with authority as she rushed forward. In an instant, she closed the distance to one of the Mirakuru-enhanced attackers. With a swift, devastating punch to his abdomen, the sound of ribs cracking echoed through the street. The force of her blow sent the man hurtling backward, crashing through a wall with a thunderous impact.

The civilians nearby, who had been paralyzed with fear, began to feel a glimmer of hope as Diana stood tall, her presence commanding and reassuring. The two remaining enhanced attackers, however, weren't deterred. Raising their submachine guns, they opened fire on her position.

Bullets flew in a dense barrage, but Diana didn't flinch. She raised her arms, the silver bracelets on her wrists flashing as they deflected the incoming rounds with precision. Moving with blinding speed, she rushed one of the attackers.

"Hyah!" she yelled, her voice fierce and resolute.

To the civilians watching, she was a blur of motion. In mere seconds, Diana incapacitated the two attackers with a series of rapid, punishing strikes. Her movements were fluid and precise, each punch and kick landing with calculated force. The enhanced attackers, formidable as they were, stood no chance against her Amazonian strength and training.

As the dust settled, Sara Lance approached, helping evacuate the remaining civilians. She glanced at the unconscious attackers strewn across the ground. "Diana," Sara called out, her voice steady, "Felicity just contacted S.T.A.R. Labs. They're sending the Mirakuru antidote to Star City. Diggle and Roy are already on their way to retrieve it."

Diana nodded, but her expression remained grim as she surveyed the destruction caused by the enhanced men. "These people… they're no longer human. They've become inhuman monsters," she said, her voice laced with anger. Her mind flashed back to the chaos and bloodshed these attackers had caused, targeting defenseless civilians.

Sara hesitated, glancing down at one of the subdued men. "I don't think they're human anymore either," she admitted, pulling out a dagger. "Should we… finish them?"

Diana took the dagger from Sara's hand, her grip firm. Her eyes narrowed as she said, "I'll do it."

Sara smirked, placing a hand under Diana's chin and giving her a playful wink. "Good girl," she teased before stepping back.

Meanwhile, across Star City, chaos reigned. News stations covered the attacks in real-time, broadcasting the destruction and carnage caused by the enhanced attackers. Reporters on the ground streamed live footage of the masked men wreaking havoc on the streets.

At the Star City Police Department, Sheriff Quentin Lance was focused on keeping order amidst the chaos. He had brought his eldest daughter, Laurel, back to the station, reasoning that it was safer there than anywhere else in the city.

"Sheriff Lance, come look at this!" one of the officers called out, pointing to a live news broadcast on the wall.

Quentin approached, watching intently as a reporter on-screen described the situation.

"…This is Jane Porter reporting live. We've received confirmation that an armed military unit has arrived on the outskirts of Star City. Their stated mission is to restore order and protect civilians. Citizens should remain calm; these terrorists will face justice."

Quentin exhaled a breath of relief. "Finally. The Armed Forces are here."

But Deputy Chief Weston, standing nearby, shook his head. "Maybe," he said cautiously.

Quentin frowned, turning to his deputy. "Maybe? What do you mean?"

Weston gestured to the screen. "Look closer. They're not entering the city. They're securing the bridges and tunnels."

Realization dawned on Quentin. "They're not coming in… They're sealing us in. But why? Aren't they military?"

The deputy's expression darkened. "That's the thing, Sheriff. A buddy of mine in military intelligence told me the nearest base is over 300 miles away. There's no way they could have mobilized and arrived this quickly."

Quentin's brow furrowed. "If they're not from the military, then who the hell are they? Can we identify their unit?"

Weston shook his head. "No, sir. Their markings aren't standard issue, and even the chief wouldn't have the clearance to pull military records on this kind of operation."

Quentin slammed a hand on his desk, frustration boiling over. "Whoever they are, they're not here to help. Get me every officer we've got. If they won't help Star City, we'll handle this ourselves."

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