Super Reporters

Busy Billy

Glancing at the wall of clocks, Captain Marvel realised that hours had flown by.

"Thanks for everything, Diana," he hugged the Amazon, still feeling weird that she insisted on calling him, her big bro. Nothing he said could convince her otherwise.

Yet he liked it. For the first time in years, he felt like he had family.

The sky's rosy hues greeted him when he stepped out of the teleporter. It's hidden behind the boarded walls of an abandoned warehouse so no one would see him.

As Captain Marvel he's perfectly fine, but he could feel phantom fingers crushing his throat. Absently, he ran his hand over his throat where the finger marks on his Billy body would be. Phantom pain throbbed the back of his head, in memory of the blow Billy received. Rubbing away the imagined pain, Cap knew what to do.

As Billy, he was concussed with a crushed throat. Ricky would have killed him had he not transformed. When he changes back, would his Billy body continue dying? He shuddered.

The school bullies have graduated to potential murderers. Cap had let them off after he caught them beating up another kid. They'd promised to change but had only gotten worse.

Billy's injuries could lead to death.

If some other kid had been targeted, that kid would have died.

Evidence of Billy's injuries with Mr. Morris's backing would get the authorities to treat this seriously.

Mr. Morris would also be able to get Billy medical help in time to save his life.

That's a plan.

Landing outside Mr Morris's window, Captain Marvel braced himself for the onslaught of pain that Billy would face. "Shazam," he whispered.

Thunder roared.

Lightning struck, stripping away his power, shrinking the Captain back to plain old Billy Batson. He waited for the overwhelming pain, but there wasn't any. All the injuries Billy sustained had vanished. The transformation healed him.

Good to know.

He should be ecstatic but disappointment seeped in. He hadn't any evidence to stop the bullies from actually killing someone.

The window creaked open.

"Billy, what are you doing out there?" Mr. Morris frowned. "Come in. It's chilly."

"Hiya Mr. Morris," Billy waved, feeling pretty awkward.

Sighing, Mr. Morris helped the boy through the window into his office. "I need to have a word with your dad. I don't care how he raised you but it's irresponsible to drop you off on the window ledge."

"It's okay, Mr. Morris," Billy rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm in no danger."

"Even then," Mr. Morris handed Billy a mug of hot chocolate. "You're not your dad."

Sipping his cocoa, Billy made his way to the studio. His viewers would be thrilled with the interview he had snagged with Wonder Woman while he was in the Watchtower as Cap. It'll be a nice change from the selfies and monologues he did as the Captain.

*

"Great job, Billy," Mr. Morris ruffled his star reporter's hair as he dragged his feet out of the studio. It's been a long day. Memorable. Productive but exhausting. Thankfully it's the school holidays so he could sleep in tomorrow.

"Thank you, Mr. Morris," Billy grinned as he made his way out the door.

Although exhausted, he still couldn't head home yet. Slipping into a deserted alley, he threw back his head and cried, "Shazam."

Lightning filled Billy with power as his body grew and mind expanded, transforming him into Captain Marvel.

The exhaustion melted away. Wide awake, fully recharged, the Captain flew just below the clouds, circling Fawcett as her protector, patrolling the city.

"Stop! Thief!" A woman's scream caught his attention. Following the yells, he found a young man running with a lady's purse. A woman in her twenties huffed and puffed, chasing him.

Cap landed in front of the youth, who ran smack into his chest, knocking himself out.

Picking up the purse he walked over to the lady. "Yours ma'am," he handed it to her.

"Thank you." Lips pursed like a duck, the woman stretched out her arms to embrace the Captain. The speed of Mercury came to Billy's rescue. He ducked out of her reach and shot up into the clouds. Much as he loved helping people, this was the part of the job nine-year-old Billy detested.

The rest of the night was quiet. Other than a scared cat stuck in a tree, no one else needed Captain Marvel's services.

He landed in the quiet alley beside his apartment. Something moved in the shadows. He didn't have Superman's super-vision and couldn't see in the dark. Listening with his keen hearing, he heard rustling in the rubbish bins and the squeaking of rats. No humans around.

"Shazam," he whispered. Thunder roared, lightning struck Captain Marvel once more, draining away his power, returning him to his nine-year-old form.

Exhaustion.

He could barely drag himself to his apartment when a furry hand covered his mouth.

"Shmmmph," Billy tried to say his word.

"No, you don't," rumbled a deep, animalistic voice.

Billy blacked out.