DC: Zoom

The rhythmic tap of Jason's boots echoed against the cold brick walls as he approached the motionless bodies scattered across the ground. The dim light from a flickering streetlamp cast long, twisted shadows over the alley.

He crouched beside one of the men, studying the grime-streaked face before delivering a sharp slap. The man's eyes shot open, pupils blown wide with panic. His body jerked, a shiver rolling through him as he took in the scene.

"P-please," he stammered, his breath ragged. "Don't kill me! I'll do anything!"

Jason smirked, tilting his head slightly. "Now that's the kind of attitude I like." His voice was almost playful, but there was a cold edge beneath it. He leaned in, silver eyes gleaming under the dim light. "But here's the thing—I lied. I don't care about the drug trade. Your bosses? I'll probably make them pay royalties later." He let the words hang in the air before his smirk faded. "The real reason I'm here? I heard you and your friends dabble in human trafficking."

The man's breath hitched, his body going rigid.

Jason exhaled slowly, as if bored. "Now, realistically? I wouldn't give a damn. Sell all the poison you want—drugs, guns, let people rip each other apart. That's not my problem." His expression darkened, his voice dropping into something far more lethal. "But I made a promise to someone. A promise to keep this city safe. And that means I can't have sick bastards like you running around."

He stood to his full height, looking down at the man like he was nothing more than an insect. "So here's the deal—you tell your bosses exactly what I said, and I let you walk away. Sounds fair?"

The man nodded so hard Jason thought his neck might snap.

A satisfied grin spread across Jason's face. "Good, good." He turned his gaze toward the others, still slumped unconscious on the ground. His smile faded. "As for them…" His fingers flexed, muscles tightening. "They like putting their dicks where they don't belong." He cracked his knuckles, the sharp pop echoing through the alley. "So I think it's about time they burn."

The distant wail of sirens pierced the night air. Jason barely spared them a glance as he moved swiftly, gathering the unconscious bodies into a pile. The acrid scent of gasoline filled his lungs as he doused them without hesitation. His hand dipped into his pocket, retrieving a lighter. The tiny flame flickered to life, casting an orange glow against his face.

With a flick of his wrist, he tossed it.

The fire roared to life instantly, flames twisting and curling around the bodies like hungry beasts. Jason watched for a moment, expression unreadable. He could have made it slower. Could have made it hurt. But he didn't care enough to waste the effort.

Pedophiles didn't deserve mercy.

A surge of blue lightning crackled across his body, electricity dancing along his limbs. Then, in the blink of an eye, he was gone—nothing but a blur against the night as he sped toward his base of operations.

Hidden beneath an unassuming coffee shop, the underground lair buzzed with quiet activity. The hum of machinery filled the space, monitors casting a neon glow over the scattered tools and half-finished projects.

At the center of it all, Andrés was hunched over a workbench, meticulously adjusting a piece of tech.

Jason stepped inside, the scent of burnt ozone still clinging to him. His silver eyes flicked toward Andrés, who was hunched over a workbench, tools scattered around him.

"Tell me you've got something useful."

Andrés didn't look up. "Nah, this one's for a client. He wants something that can freeze things solid—said that red guy with powers like yours has been causing trouble. So, I'm making a weapon." He finally glanced at Jason and smirked. "Oh, almost forgot—your shit arrived. All black, lightning bolt in the middle." He gestured toward the case in the corner. "Doesn't exactly scream hero, that's for sure."

Jason walked past him, stopping at the case. A slow smile tugged at his lips. In a blur of movement, he unlatched it, slipping into the suit in the blink of an eye. The fabric clung to him like a second skin, the lightning emblem catching the dim light.

He turned to Andrés. "How do I look?"

Andrés leaned back, eyeing him. "Like a demon."

Jason's grin widened. "Good."

Andrés moved toward the monitors, his hands resting on the table as he scanned the city layout. "So, what's the next move? We've been running this coffee shop for a while now."

"Zolomon Industries," Jason replied, his voice steady. "My sister's been studying biology, and I want the focus to be on that. I've already started working on an AI that will help us take the next step in that direction."

"AI, huh? Well, color me impressed," Andrés said, his tone laced with curiosity. "So that's what you've been working on."

Their conversation deepened, but time was slipping away. With a glance at the clock, Jason stood up, already slipping into his suit. In a blur, he was gone. Blue lightning crackled through the air as he sped across the city, the world a blur around him.

Jason stormed into the warehouse, his body vibrating with the force of his speed, his presence like an unstoppable storm. Lightning danced off him, crackling in the air, making him seem more like a force of nature than a man.

He stood at the center, all eyes fixed on him. His gaze scanned the group, settling on the a muscular men at the forefront—around 6'4", their white t-shirts clinging to their chiseled frames, tattoos snaking across their arms.

"Boss, that's him," one of the men stammered, his voice quivering as he pointed at the figure cloaked in blue. His hand shook, terror seeping into his words. "The lightning guy…"

The big man sneered, tightening his grip on the gun. He growled, his voice thick with disdain. "We'll see how tough he really is."

Gunfire erupted, but Jason was already moving. He blurred through the air, every bullet frozen in time as his hands snatched them from the air with ease. The air around him hummed with static, crackling as if the world itself feared him. His eyes glinted with cold fury, the rage inside him turning every movement into a violent streak of power.

The big man swung his fists forward, his hands turning to stone, but Jason didn't even flinch. He moved faster than a thought, his hands vibrating through the stone and right into the man's chest. In a heartbeat, the man's life was snuffed out, his body crumpling to the floor like a discarded rag.

Jason's voice cut through the stillness, cold and menacing. "Seems your power can't protect your heart."

The remaining men stood frozen, fear paralyzing them as they watched their boss fall. One of them stammered, his voice cracking. "H-how did you find this place?"

Jason smirked, the lightning crackling louder around him. "A little tracking device," he said, his tone dark. Without another word, he was gone in a flash, appearing right next to the man he'd let go earlier. The man didn't even have time to scream.

With a crack of blue lightning, Jason pulled a small device from his jacket, slamming it into the man's face. "I told you I'd let you live," his voice hissed, sharp and cutting, like a blade through the air. "But your boss didn't get the message, did he?"

He stepped back, his eyes flashing with cold fury as he surveyed the trembling group. "Listen up," Jason growled. "You can call me Zoom. This city? It's mine now. Cross me, and I'll find you. And when I do, you'll be dead before you even know it."

In a blur of blue, Jason vanished, leaving only the crackle of fading electricity and the biting smell of ozone hanging in the air—a lingering reminder of his power. His words hung like a dark omen, echoing in their ears long after he disappeared.

One by one, the men crumpled to the ground, their lives snuffed out in an instant. The last man stood frozen, shaking uncontrollably, his body betraying him as he pissed himself, paralyzed by the terror that consumed him.