Living in New York City is often viewed as a dream come true for countless individuals. For many, the allure of the Big Apple lies in its promise of grand opportunities, diverse cultures, and exhilarating experiences. However, beneath the shimmering glamour and bright lights, life in this bustling metropolis comes with its fair share of challenges.
In 2008, New York State experienced a notable surge in crime rates, marking the first annual increase since the early 1990s. The city's overall violent crime rate climbed to 454.5 offenses per 100,000 residents, a concerning statistic for both locals and visitors. This rise in crime encompassed a range of offenses, including aggravated assaults, larceny, vehicle theft, robberies, murder, and rape.
These crimes are not isolated incidents; they occur daily, affecting the lives of numerous individuals and leaving lasting scars on victims and communities. The consequences of such injustices extend far beyond the immediate aftermath, as many residents grapple with fear, trauma, and the need for safety in an urban landscape that can sometimes feel dangerously unpredictable.
••o••o••o••
It was the dead of night in New York City, where a shroud of darkness enveloped the streets that rarely rested. The vibrant pulse of the metropolis continued its heartbeat; taxis whizzed by, sirens wailed in the distance, and late-night wanderers meandered through the shadows, oblivious to the murky hours that cloaked the city.
In a secluded alleyway, far removed from the warmth of streetlights, two men clad in dark clothing loomed ominously over a smaller figure. Their hooded faces were barely visible, but the menace in their posture was unmistakable. They unleashed a flurry of punches onto a man who appeared to be in his thirties, dressed in a cheap, ill-fitting suit that did little to protect him from the cold night air—or the brutality of his assailants.
Austin stumbled back against the damp brick wall of the alley, grunting in pain as he attempted to shield his face from the relentless barrage of blows. Each strike reverberated through his body, and a sharp pain shot through his lip as it split open, warm blood trickling down to stain his collar. Desperation flickered in his eyes as he sank to the ground, trying to gather his thoughts amidst the chaos.
"Fuck man… this bum only has a hundred on him," One of the attackers, Chris, grumbled and tossed the now empty wallet on Austin's head. "I told you we should have gone for the other guy. He had designer shoes on."
"Whatever, man. Let's grab his shoes and watch so we can bounce." The other criminal, Mack, said.
"No… not the watch. It was my father's." Austin wheezed out and gripped his watch close to his chest. "Please."
"Yeah, yeah. Like I haven't heard that before," Mack mocked as he and Chris approached Austin. "Look, just give us the watch, or we'll knock all your teeth out."
Suddenly, a protective barrier made of energy surrounded Austin. To their right, footsteps could be heard echoing down the alleyway, causing Chris and Mack to take a step back.
"What the Hell? Who is that?" Chris said and pulled out a pistol. "Show yourself!"
Emerging from the darkness, a figure clad in a striking red and white suit stepped into the dim light of the alley. The gleam of his polished helmet reflected the flickering streetlights, casting an almost ethereal glow. His flowing white cape billowed dramatically behind him, creating an imposing silhouette that momentarily bewildered Chris and Mack. Their eyes widened in disbelief, caught off guard by the sudden presence of this unexpected person dressed in vibrant colors.
"Give up now, and no one has to get hurt," Atomic said, his posture tall and steady.
"Fuck this!" Chris growled and pulled the trigger. Only to blink in bewilderment as his Glock 19 was now a childishly green toy gun that released a burst of bubbles. "W-what is this?" Before he knew it, a metallic thud echoed behind him. Spinning on his heel, Chris found that his partner's clothes had been turned into blocks of iron. "Mack!"
"I-I can't move! Chris! Help me!" Mack yelled in surprise as he struggled to move his limbs. Unfortunately, he was only able to move his hands, feet, and head uselessly. "Witchcraft! This shit is witchcraft!"
"Not really. I just transmuted your clothes's atomic makeup into iron. Not a big deal," Atomic said and sent out a glowing fist the size of a basketball crashing into Chris's stomach. The man quickly crumpled into the ground, holding his stomach. Another flash burst around Chris and Mack, leaving them both trapped in rope. "Now sit tight for NYPD's finest to come pick you up."
After dismissing the protective barrier around Austin, Atomic crouched down and helped the man to his feet. Noticing the bruises covering Austin's body, Atomic closed his eyes and focused.
Although Atomic couldn't manipulate or affect living sentient life forms directly, he still possessed the remarkable ability to perceive their atomic structure just as he could with inanimate objects. This heightened perception enabled him to perform what was essentially a rapid MRI scan, allowing him to assess the internal condition of an individuals body.
To further refine his anatomical skills and to deepen his understanding of the human anatomy, Atomic had immersed himself in a variety of medical textbooks meant for those training to get into the medical field. These resources provided him with a comprehensive grasp of human anatomy, physiology, and common ailments, enhancing his ability to correctly identify any injuries and health issues within any person.
Good, no internal injuries or broken bones. Atomic thought and deactivated his scan.
"Your injuries are only surface level. Once the ambulance gets here, they'll treat your surface wounds. You'll be fine," Atomic said as he helped Austin sit down the wooden chair he created with a flick of a finger.
Austin wasn't sure what to say. Atomic's bright suit and sudden appearance was throwing him off. Not to mention the pounding pain he felt from the beating he received. "Ah, ok. T-Thank you. For helping me."
"Don't mention it. It's what I do," Atomic said.
"Hey, you! Wannabe Power Ranger? Let us go you fucker! Let me go-" Mack and Chris's yells were quickly silenced as Atomic slapped duct tape over their mouths. "Mm! Hmph!"
"That's better." Atomic's nodded. In the distance, police sirens could be heard. "Don't worry about these guys. They can't hurt you anymore."
Just as Atomic was about to fly off, Austin spoke up.
Austin was an ambitious new stockbroker eager to make a name for himself. However, due to his inexperience and low financial standing, he faced mistreatment at his company. Determined to advance his career, he devoted himself to his work and absorbed as much knowledge as he could to climb the corporate ladder. This intense focus left him unaware of significant events unfolding in New York, including the emergence of Iron Man, the Harlem attack, and Atomic's debut during that incident.
"Who… who are you?" Austin asked.
"A friend," Atomic said and shot up into the night sky. Leaving Austin, Mack, and Chris to watch him leave a trail of light from the ground.
••o••o••o••
Atomic let out a weary sigh, his shoulders tired as he willed his large, glowing hand construct to dissipate into nothingness. The moment the radiant energy faded, the three car thieves he caught earlier tumbled unceremoniously to the pavement, landing in awkward heaps just in front of a bustling police station in the heart of Manhattan. Their wrists and ankles were tightly bound with shimmering energy restraints, effectively halting any attempt to flee.
At the sight of the crashing would be thieves, two officers came out of the station. Their surprised expressions watched as Atomic floated in the air. A thin layer of red energy glowed around his body. After giving the officers a brief salute, he blasted off into the sky.
As he flew over the city, Atomic couldn't help but reflect on how he no longer needed the thrusters beneath his feet and hands to fly.
Throughout the two months he spent training, Atomic had experimented on several methods on how to improve his flight capabilities. His battle with the Abomination had shown him that the way he flew wasn't optimal for quick changes in direction and using his constructs.
He knew it was possible. Atom Eve herself could do it easily in Invincible. But as he was, Atomic couldn't. No matter what he did, he couldn't perfect that style of flight.
This left him to explore other methods and possible techniques to fly. Several of which had ended up in failure, and with him covered in bruises, but after countless hours of hard work, he found the perfect method to fly that suited him best.
Atomic's new method that enabled his new aerial mobility without having to rely on his limbs for propulsion like before was achieved through surrounding himself with a unique energy field. This energy field operated by generating a constant thrust at a subatomic level in all directions, manipulating particles smaller than atoms to propel him through the air.
At the same time, he also decreased the air density within a two-inch radius around himself, effectively creating a localized environment that minimizes any air resistance around his body. This combination of thrust generation and reduced air density enabled Atomic to navigate effortlessly along the horizontal (X) and vertical (Y) axes, as well as the rotational (Z) axis.
Of course, Atomic had realized that this new method of flight was significantly more complicated than his previous version, but it was what worked for him at his current.
Not only that, but after he perfected his new method of flight, Atomic's mind ended up thinking of another possible technique he could theoretically create.
In his fight with Abomination, Atomic had increased the density of the air around the gamma powered man to keep him in locked in place. Similar to how Atom Eve held Conquest in place during the Viltrumites invasion of Earth in the Invincible universe. Conquest, being a vastly stronger opponent who was capable of destroying entire cities in seconds with ease, meant that Atomic had no trouble keeping the Abomination, a being nowhere near as strong as Conquest, frozen in place.
With this in mind, Atomic couldn't help but wonder if he could somehow recreate Gojo Satoru's Infinity technique himself.
It wouldn't be precisely the same, but if he could somehow recreate the technique close enough to where he could have a protective layer around him at all times, Atomic would be nigh untouchable to all physical attacks.
With this new possible technique in mind, Atomic had tried everything he could think of on how to create it. But in the end, no matter how many hours or ways he tried to develop the technique, it always resulted in failure.
Regardless of his shortcomings at creating his own version of the Infinity technique thus far, Atomic was sure he could one day succeed in developing it.
["We have a call on a 10-34 coming from West 56th Street in Hells Kitchen. Requesting-"]
Atomic let out a deep sigh as the static crackle of the built-in police radio in his helmet pierced through his thoughts, alerting him to yet another reported crime. In a sprawling metropolis like New York City, the relentless tide of lawlessness seemed never-ending. And after seven hours of patrol, the weight of his fatigue tugged at him, his muscles ached and the city lights began to blur together in his peripheral vision. Regardless of his tired state, Atomic moved without hesitation. He spun around and burst through the sky toward the vibrant yet treacherous streets of Hell's Kitchen.
As the night went on, Atomic flew all throughout the city to help as needed.
8:35 PM: In a secluded corner of Central Park, a group of men surrounded a lone late-night jogger. Atomic arrived at the scene just in time, a glowing shield forming before him and the jogger. As the assailants approached, he materialized a shimmering barrier, causing their fists to rebound harmlessly off it. With a wave of his hand, the air crackled, and the attackers found their shoes glued to the ground. Grateful, the jogger sprinted away as Atomic ensured the men remained stuck until the authorities arrived.
10:43 PM: At a street corner in the upper West side, a car careened into a crosswalk straight for two college students. Atomic was there in a flash. His palms raised as he conjured a protective wall of energy that halted the vehicle inches from its intended target. The driver bewildered and drunk, stumbled from the car while the students escaped unscathed, their faces reflecting shock and then relief. They turned to Atomic, giving their thanks as he faded back into the night.
12:12 AM: On the rooftops, a desperate chase played out as a woman fled from a relentless pursuer. Atomic had been observing from a distance, and with a burst of energy, he flew onto the scene, blocking the thug's path with a glowing barrier. At the next moment, he sent a surge of shimmering energy that knocked the man off his feet and crashed into a wall.
Atomic continued his work as New York's newest hero through the night. In order to keep up, he made sure to take small breaks to rest and eat when he had time, but otherwise, he was flying and stepping in when needed. Each new interaction helping improve his control over his powers and increasing his experience.
As dawn began to break over New York City, the horizon glimmered with the promise of a new day. Atomic rested on the edge of the Empire State Building and watched the sunrise.
"I never noticed before, but is that the Baxter building?" Atomic muttered between bites of his chicken sandwich.