Chapitre 23: No More Shazam!
Rebecca's Frustration at The Bugle
The office buzzed with the familiar sounds of keyboards clattering, phones ringing, and the occasional bark from J. Jonah Jameson as he stormed from his desk, his booming voice cutting through the noise. Rebecca Martinez sat at her desk, glaring at the latest front-page headline:
"SHAZAM: HERO OR MENACE?"
She rubbed her temples in frustration, the tension building behind her eyes. This wasn't the article she had submitted. Hers was a balanced piece, outlining how Shazam had risked everything to save people at the carnival. She'd tried to show him for who he really was—someone figuring things out, just like anyone else. But Jameson had decided otherwise.
The article that got printed was full of speculation, pointing fingers at Shazam for the collateral damage during his first fight with Kain. Twisting facts, Jameson framed the young hero as reckless and dangerous—fueling the public's growing suspicion. And it stung.
Rebecca wasn't just frustrated. She was angry. And underneath that anger, she was worried.
Her boyfriend, James Carter—goofy, kind, and absolutely lost in the sea of his newfound powers—didn't deserve this. No one knew Shazam's identity, and Rebecca wanted to keep it that way, especially now, with public sentiment turning against him. But seeing Jameson tear down everything James had fought for was personal. She loved James with all her heart, and the fact that she couldn't protect him from this storm gnawed at her.
She exhaled, drumming her fingers on the desk before shoving her notebook into her bag. Enough work for one day. No use fighting Jameson—he'd never listen. She needed to see James, to make sure he was okay.
---
At Tech Haven
The familiar chime of the doorbell echoed through Tech Haven as Marcus leaned lazily over the counter, tapping away on his phone. James sat cross-legged on a stool, fiddling with a piece of tech, but his mind was miles away.
"So, you gonna apply for the Stark internship or not?" Marcus asked, nudging James with his elbow.
James shrugged. "I don't know, man. Stark's... a lot."
"Yeah, a lot of money. A lot of influence. A lot of cool tech," Marcus grinned. "We get in, we're set. Besides, Tony Stark's kind of my hero. Dude built a freaking battle suit in a cave with, like, nothing. You think he's gonna turn down two geniuses like us?"
James gave a half-smile, appreciating Marcus's optimism, even if his own heart wasn't fully in it. The truth was, James wanted to move on from all the superhero madness. After the fight with Kain, everything felt... heavy.
Marcus leaned back, trying to read James's expression. "You okay, man?"
"Yeah. Just..." James trailed off. "I don't want to be that guy again. Shazam."
Marcus didn't say anything for a moment, fiddling with his phone. Then, with a casual grin, he said, "Dude, you're not that bad at it. I mean, sure, you almost destroyed a block one time, but you did save the carnival."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence," James deadpanned, though a smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
Marcus shrugged. "Look, man, I know you hate this whole power thing. But it's not like you asked for it. If you ever do wanna talk about it, I'm here. And if not, I'm still here—to laugh at you."
James chuckled. "Thanks, man."
Then Marcus's tone shifted, more serious now. "So... any word from that monk lady?"
James shook his head. "Haven't seen Elaria since the carnival. Not that I want to."
"You sure about that?" Marcus raised an eyebrow. "I mean, if anyone knows how to deal with this power stuff, it's her, right?"
"I don't care," James muttered, leaning forward on the counter. "I don't want to meet her. I just... I just want to live a normal life."
Marcus opened his mouth to respond, but the doorbell chimed again, and both of them turned to see Rebecca walk in.
---
A Welcome Distraction
James's face lit up the moment he saw her, and Rebecca smiled as she walked over, slinging her bag off her shoulder. Without a word, she leaned in and kissed him.
Marcus groaned theatrically. "Ugh, get a room."
Rebecca shot him a look. "You sound jealous, Marcus."
Marcus grinned. "Nah, I'm just nauseous. PDA levels are off the charts."
James rolled his eyes but couldn't help the goofy smile on his face. "Hey, it's good to see you."
"You too," Rebecca said softly, brushing a stray curl from his forehead.
Marcus clapped his hands together. "Alright, lovebirds, I'll leave you to it. I got memes to scroll through."
James and Rebecca shared a laugh before she took his hand. "Come on. Walk me home?"
"Yeah, sure." James grabbed his jacket, and they stepped out into the cool evening air.
---
On the Walk Home
The streets were quiet, the sounds of the city humming in the background as James and Rebecca strolled side by side.
Rebecca broke the silence first. "I'm sorry about what the Bugle's been printing about you. I tried, James, I really did. But you know how Jameson is."
"It's okay," James said, squeezing her hand. "I don't care what people say about Shazam."
Rebecca glanced at him, her brow furrowed. "You really mean that?"
James nodded. "Yeah. I mean... I'm never gonna be that guy again. It's not worth it."
Rebecca stopped walking, turning to face him. "Whatever you decide, I'm with you. You know that, right?"
James looked into her eyes, the weight of everything—his powers, his mistakes, his fears—hanging between them. "Even if I screw it all up?"
Rebecca smiled gently. "Even then."
He felt a knot in his chest loosen, and before he could think, he leaned in and kissed her.
The moment was perfect. Until the blast.
---
Chaos Erupts
The explosion echoed down the street, and both of them turned to see thick smoke billowing from a nearby building. Flames licked the sky as people began to gather, shouting in panic.
James clenched his fists, his jaw tight as he stared at the blaze.
Rebecca noticed, slipping her hand into his. "James—"
The sound of sirens cut through the air as the fire brigade arrived, quickly moving to contain the blaze. Firefighters rushed in, pulling people from the building.
But then someone shouted, "There's still someone in there!"
Rebecca felt James's hand tremble in hers.
"James," she whispered, "you don't have to—"
Before she could finish, James let go of her hand and bolted toward the nearest alley.
Rebecca ran after him but stopped at the mouth of the alley, watching as he came to a halt.
James clenched his fists, took a deep breath, and shouted, "SHAZAM!"
A bolt of lightning struck him, and in an instant, the boy she loved was gone—replaced by the towering figure of Shazam.
Without a word, he shot into the air, streaking toward the burning building.
---
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