It was a big event to celebrate your first year as a hero. A big dinner and award ceremony done by Mayor Frank Berkowitz (It is an election year). The mayor was just wrapping up his big speech, calling you up to accept a plaque. Whoops, the audience is clapping it must be time for you to get up there and speak.

Woah, always awkward, speaking to the public.  Levi was actually fairly good at it, by now, but it still felt like such a huge thing.  Why her?  (She knew the answer, of course.)  But she still was so unsure...

She stood up, and walked to the podium.

"Thank you all so much for this honor!  I'm very, very touched..."

She went on a bit, giving the usual speech things.  She touched a bit on environmental issues in passing, though.  She always tried to.

The audience claps for you, you can spot several prominent figures there. Dr. Emil Hamilton, head of STAR labs; Morgan Edge, owner of several media companies; Lois Lane, the major reporter for the Daily Planet and it's new website and even Lex Luthor, his face not betraying the hatred he has for you.

Well, this was an awkward gathering, wasn't it?  Why did Lex even show up?  Okay, that was PR, surely.  Fine.  She'd smile and shake hands and whatever, and not even give him the crushing grip he deserved.  She gave Lois a warmer smile, and, well, she'd see what everyone had to say.  She put the plaque to one side and sat down to eat.

Food was soon brought out. It was some sustainable raised maple salmon, a nice seaweed salad and a shrimp cocktail. They even had some expensive wine. The mayor sat with you and began to chat about you giving him your support in the upcoming election.

"Oh, I'm sorry," said Levi.  "I try not to get too involved with politics in the public eye, beyond environmental concerns and human rights.  I'm here for everyone, and I don't want people thinking that I'm only here to help certain people."

That made her a leftist in a lot of eyes, but whatever.  She just didn't really want to get too tied to anyone she didn't really back 100%.

"Ah, right," the mayor said, as dessert was being brought out. A rather luxurious chocolate cake of some kind. You're not sure what it'd be called, but it is tasty.

Levi was all appetite, and she tucked into the cake hungrily.

Soon enough the cake was eaten and the people approached you. Lex Luthor was first and he gave you a warm smile and an outstretched hand.

Well, Levi wasn't going to make a public fuss.  He might have some kind of sinister plan, but there wasn't a good way she could dodge it, so she shook his hand.

"Isn't it good to put things behind us, Ms. McNaught?" Luthor asked as you shook his hand.

"Oh, I agree, Mr. Luthor," said Levi.  She kept the handshake brief.  She honestly didn't believe a word he said, but there was no point in making a fuss in public.  He could spin that all kinds of ways.

"We have to look to the future."

"Indeed," Luthor said, giving you a bigger smile before leaving.

Ominous.  Well, Levi moved on to the next guest, after checking her hand and discretely wiping it off.

"Hello, Ms. McNaught, you do still owe me an interview," Lois said.

"I do indeed, Ms. Lane," said Levi.  "So, should we go somewhere less crowded?"

"Certainly," Lois said.

Levi considered.

"How nearby do you need to be?" she asked.  "Are we avoiding Mr. Edge...?"

"No, he's certainly not a reporter and he sold controlling interest in the planet a while ago," Lois said.

"So do you want to do the interview somewhere around her, or out at my lab?" asked Levi.  "I don't know if you've ever seen it..."

It wasn't secret, but its location wasn't very press-friendly.

"The roof of city hall would be fine," Lois said.

"Then let's go!"

Levi took the simple route, picking Lois up and jumping.

You made it up there with ease.

"It's insane how easy you make it look," Lois said.

Levi laughed awkwardly.

"Well, I get practice," she said.  "So.  Um.  Interview.  What did you want to ask me about?  What do your viewers want to know?"

"Let's start with the new 'super heroes' that have been appearing since you became the first active super hero since the Justice Society," Lois said. "Particularly the so called 'Bat-Man' in Gotham."

"Well, the thing about the Bat-Man is that there are so many rumors and urban legends, I just don't think that a lot of what you hear is true," said Levi.  "Does he have powers?  Is he a vampire?  A ninja?  Five different karate masters?  A crime boss?  A skinny kid in powered armor?  Does he kill people?  Save orphans?  I've never met him, and I've never really investigated him, so I'm just not sure what to believe.  So I don't have a strong opinion right now."

"How about one more in your wheelhouse? There's an 'Aquaman' operating in Boston." Lois said.

"Aqua... oh, Art?" said Levi, laughing.  "Sure, I know Art!  He's a pretty cool guy.  I think he's dealing with a lot of family politics and stuff, though, which sometimes is a lot of work for him.  He's great for helping with the zoology side of research, honestly.  I had to cite him in the last two papers I wrote.  It's good that he's out there, too.  I mean, I don't know if your viewers know this, but it's really hard to enforce law in international waters, but a lot of pirates operate there, plus smugglers, illegal dumping, hunting of endangered species... Art's a really good, stand-up kind of guy, but he's also taking on some really big jobs.  I try to help him out when I can."

"Any experience with any of the others? I've heard there's one that says he's a Martian," Lois asked.

"I did kind of meet that one, I think?" said Levi.  "He's a telepath, and we talked telepathically, but I'm not sure if I actually met him in the flesh.  Oh, but I also met Wonder Woman, and she's great, too!  So beautiful, so confident, and just incredibly skilled. I mean, seriously, everybody falls at least a little bit in love with her when they meet her. And I bumped into Green Lantern once, but we didn't really have time to talk."

"What do you think about the resurgence of superheroes in general? It's been almost seventy years since the House on Unamerican Activities shut down the JSA," Lois asked.

"Well, it's really hard to be sure," said Levi.  "I know why I have powers, but it's a unique, special thing.  The Princess-- uh, Wonder Woman-- and Art have powers because of their heritage.  Um, the Martian does to, I guess, if he's really a Martian.  But I don't think that's true of everyone else, and it's kind of an odd coincidence that we're all doing this now, mostly for our own reasons.  I don't really have a scientifically valid answer.  But if we leave science and math out of it... maybe now is the time that we have to."

"Aaaand I think that's good. Thanks for the help," Lois said.

"Sure thing!" said Levi, cheerfully.  "Let me give you a hand down, all right?"

She went to pick Lois up again, with the intent of taking her back down to the ground.

You manage to jump down safely.

"And here you go!" said Levi.  "...sometime, if you want, I should show you the sea lab that I work in."

"That would be great! Not just from a professional perspective, it would still be pretty amazing," Lois said.

"Great!  Just let me know when," said Levi.  "Uh, do you have my contact information?"

"I do," Lois said as your cell phone is beeping.

"Great!" said Levi.  "So, um, I was wondering-- Uh, hold on, sorry.  Got a call."

"This is Leviathan," she said, touching her headset.  "What's going on?"

"Where are you currently?" the police chief's voice asked.

"City Hall," said Levi.  "What's going on?"

"You're also tearing up downtown right now," the police chief said.

"On my way," said Levi.

"Uh, sorry, Ms. Lane, but I've just been told that I'm attacking downtown right now, this very minute, so I'd better get over there and stop me."

She donned her rocket belt and took off for downtown at once!  At least a trail of destruction like hers ought to stand out...