Chapter 72: The People
The Man:
Bursting through the door, running into the crowded caboose, I look around at all the people and insurgent members. Slade, Todd, Cold, and anyone else with a ranged attack are already preparing for a fight in the air.
"Does anyone know how to drive a steam locomotive," I ask. I ran into the caboose with crossed fingers but when I see nothing but question marks above everyone's heads, I roll my eyes.
"Seriously? No one here knows anything about steam locomotives?"
"Why would any of us know anything about steam locomotives," Cold asks. "I think most of us were born this century."
Again, I roll my eyes. Looking around again, my eyes land on Harleen.
"You'll do," I say. I push my way through the crowd and grab Harleen. Pulling her back through the crowd and into the cab. Throwing her into the seat, I point at the control.
"This lever is for speed! This one is the brakes! You steer using these two levers! Any questions?"
"Uhhh," Harleen starts, "Why me?"
"You were the least annoying person in that caboose. Well, minus Oliver but he's still hurt. Whether or not he wants to admit it. And Iris isn't here. Also, something tells me Kara doesn't have a driver's license. Or a learner's permit. Or even sat in a car once since coming to Earth."
Harleen turns and looks at me but I point ahead.
"Eyes on the tracks," I yell. Harleen turns her head while I run to the space between the cab and the caboose. Jumping and grabbing the ledge, I pull myself up and onto the caboose's roof. Carefully walking to the side, I grab the ledge again and peek my head down.
"No one fire," I yell over the roaring wind. "We don't want a fight! There are civilians here!"
I point at the civilians. Seeing them, seeing their scared faces, everyone lowers their weapons.
"So what's the plan," Beetle asks.
"Easy," I reply. "We're getting out of here!"
Pushing myself back onto my feet, I stand on the top of the train. Pulling the teleporter from my pocket, I throw it into the air. It hovers in the air before me. With the teleporter before me, I spread my feet and put my two fingers up. I take a deep breath, close my eyes, and remind myself of what Iroh once told me.
"Lightning is a pure expression of fire without aggression. It requires peace of mind. There is energy all around us: yin and yang. When separated, the two create an imbalance. The energy wants to restore balance and in that one moment, the energy comes crashing back together. In that moment, you provide release and guidance."
My eyes snapping open, I draw a circle in the air. As I draw the circle, I watch pure energy gather in my fingertips. Drawing one circle, and then a second, I shoot out my hand, releasing and guiding the energy into my teleporter.
Super-charging the teleporter, I swing my hand and throw it far ahead of the Solar Streak train. A massive portal opens ahead and the Solar Streak disappears through it. Turning around as I enter the portal, I see Batman stopping in mid-air. I can't be sure because of the distance, but I think I can see hints of a smile on Batman's face, just a second before the portal closes and the teleporter flies back into my hand.
Walking back to the cab, I push Harleen out of the driver's seat and take over.
"Aw man," she cries as she gets up. "I was just getting the hang of it."
"Yeah, well, don't annoy me too much and maybe I'll let you drive her again. For now, get back to the caboose."
Hearing the caboose's door closing as I sit back down, I lean out the window and see the city below. Adjusting the levers so the Solar Steak turns around, I lower her before eventually stopping. Steam shoots out from the wheels as the train stops. Grabbing the chain, I pull down on it and let out a whistle.
"We're here," I shout, getting up. "Everyone off!"
Firestorm splitting up back into Jason and the Professor, the three of us enter the caboose. Grabbing and pushing open the door, I start leading everyone out of the train. The first people to greet me as I leave the train are the Old Gotham people.
"Welcome to...," I start, searching my brain for an answer. "Uhh...hmm. It just dawned on me. I never gave this city a name. Oh well. I came up with one later. Anyone, Jump City people. Meet Old Gotham people. Old Gotham people. Jump City people. Let's try and get along. Shall we?"
Though slow and hesitant at first, the people from Jump City begin to come outside. Especially since the people from Old Gotham welcome them with open arms.
"Welcome," a tall man says, spreading out his arms. "I don't know what happened to all of you but don't worry. It won't happen here. After all, we have them looking out for them."
The man, along with all the Old Gotham people turn to us. The Jump City people follow and turn to us as well, before one of them, another man, hugs the tall man. One by one, the people of the two cities start hugging and shaking hands with each other. A few Old Gotham people even had food with them and gave them to the Jump City people.
"There are still a few empty rooms in the apartment buildings," I say, everyone turning to me. "Please show these people those rooms, and everything else."
Most of the Old Gotham people nod their heads and start leading most of the Jump City people away. However, some of the people from both cities stay. They stay and look at me.
"I know we should be thankful," a woman starts, "And we are."
Looking down, I see a little girl with long hair hugging the woman's leg.
"We can't thank you enough for all you have done; saving us, taking us to this beautiful city, protecting us. We can't thank you enough for all of it but--but--"
"You're not staying," I say. I look past the woman's head and at everyone else staying behind her. "None of you are staying. You want to go somewhere else."
"We have some families in Central City," the woman states. "We can stay with them."
"And I have a brother in Star City," some guy goes on.
"My uncle and aunt lived in Hub City!"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," I say, chopping the air with my hands. "Shut up and get onboard. Jason. Professor. Fuse together and start shoveling."
While half of us stay in the city, the other half of us Insurgents climb back into the Solar Streak. We start taking people outside the city and to their families in various cities. It takes some time but finally, pulling the lever back, we stop about a mile outside of Central City. The mother and daughter from before stop and smile when they see it. The mother turns to me.
"I--I---I can't thank you enough," the mother says on the verge of tears.
"No need to thank me," I say. "Just go and live your life. Be happy. And get out."
Nuding my head toward the door, the mother starts leaving, but when she tries to push her daughter out the door, her daughter turns around and runs toward me. Before anyone can do anything, the little girl hugs me.
"Thank you, mister," the girl says.
Looking at her and then at everyone else, I slowly and gently pat the girl.
"Like I said, no need to thank me."
With that said and done, the daughter returns to her mother, and the two of them start their walk to Central City. We all watch the mother and daughter walk for a while before closing the door.
"Time to go," I say, opening the cab's door. "You're all going back to the city."
"We're all going back," Harleen repeats. "What, you're not coming back with us?"
"There's something I need to do first."
Sitting down in the driver's seat and pushing the levers, the Solar Streak shoots into the air. While steering the train, I pull out my phone and call Cyborg.