Thunder City. A small boy crouched in the darkness. He couldn't see a thing, but every time he tried to stand, he hit his head on something. So he knew not to stand.
He sat. Still and silent.
He squeezed his mother's hand again, which was gripped in his own. She squeezed back, but faintly. She no longer had the energy to talk. A large chunk of concrete lay across her back. She could no longer feel her legs.
The two had been trapped here, in the remains of their small apartment, ever since the earthquake that had crushed their building.
Suddenly, the boy heard a voice inside his head.
"...hello? Is anybody there?..."
"Hello?" The boy replied, softly and nervously.
"What's your name?"
"...Jake..."
"I know this probably seems a little strange. Don't worry. My name is Daniel. I'm a member of the message board league. Are you okay?"
"...Yes.. I'm hungry..."
"Is anyone else in there with you?"
"My Mom..."
"Is she okay?"
"I don't know... she's not talking..."
"I'm going to try lifting the rocks off you. Just wait a second."
The voice suddenly left Jake's head, leaving him confused.
A rumbling sound suddenly came from above Jake. The rubble was shifting. A crack of light shot through the concrete and illuminated his face. He blinked, and covered his eyes.
Slowly, one by one, the rocks were cleared. The concrete was lifted from Jake's mother's back. The two trapped people began to float out of the wreckage. Jake panicked, having never floated in mid-air before.
"It's okay, Jake... you're safe," The voice in his head, Daniel Page of the MBL, said to him, reassuringly. The boy and his mother were delivered to the waiting paramedics.
Daniel stood at the side of the wreckage.
"Thanks, Daniel. We probably wouldn't have gotten to them in time ourselves..."
Daniel turned around. A fireman stood behind him, with his hand outstretched. The two shook hands.
"All in a day's work..." Daniel replied.
"So, what do we call you?" The fireman asked.
"...Daniel..." Daniel replied.
"Yeah, but that's your real name."
"...and?"
"But... you're a superhero! You need a codename. 'Brainwave' or something."
"...let's just stick with 'Daniel' for now..."
"Fine. Anyway, see you later."
Daniel waved goodbye to the fireman. All of a sudden, he remembered Gooz.
He had received Gooz's telepathic message several hours ago. It had seemed urgent.
But Gooz and the rest of the team could handle it for a few hours. There were people here, innocent people, trapped by the earthquake. Daniel couldn't abandon them.
After hours of work, he had finally reached the last building. He had telepathically scanned all the collapsed buildings for trapped people, and used his telekinesis to free them from the rubble.
He was exhausted, but now the MBL needed him...
He launched himself into the air, and began to fly towards MBL headquarters. He sent a telepathic message as he flew.
"Gooz... it's Daniel. I'm-a-comin'!"
