Chapter 2: The Day Superman Knocked on My Door

A Cashier's Life Ain't Easy. Being a cashier wasn't exactly the dream job of a man who could transform into literal gods. But Alex Bayley? He had long accepted that ambition was too much work.

He liked his small, predictable life. Working the register, scanning groceries, and engaging in the occasional verbal warfare with the Karen who somehow made his shifts more entertaining.

"$15.72," Alex said lazily, scanning the last of her items.

The woman, Margaret, a middle-aged menace with the confidence of a queen, scoffed as she adjusted her overpriced sunglasses. "Are you sure you scanned that right? Last time, it was $15.50."

Alex gave her a deadpan look. "Yeah, and last time, inflation wasn't throat-punching the economy."

Margaret smirked. "Hmph. You're getting slower with those comebacks, cashier boy. Losing your touch?"

Alex shrugged. "Maybe I just like letting you win sometimes."

She rolled her eyes but smirked, taking her bag. "See you tomorrow, smart mouth."

"You know you love me," Alex called after her as she left.

"Keep dreaming, cashier."

It was their routine. She gave him hell, he dished it back, and somehow, over time, they had developed an odd mutual respect. Most people despised dealing with Karens—Alex? He admired how Margaret never backed down.

He wasn't sure if that meant he had terrible taste in people, but it made his shifts less dull.

As he started scanning the next customer's items, the bell above the store door chimed, and someone stepped in.

Superman.

Wait… What?

Alex blinked. Then blinked again.

Superman, the Superman, stood at the entrance, looking around like a regular customer.

A few people gasped. Some started whispering. One teenager immediately took out his phone.

Alex, however, felt cold sweat forming on his back.

Did he find out?!

Had someone seen him use his powers before? Had Batman done that creepy detective thing and somehow figured out that a cashier in his twenties had thrown an Amazo drone into the sun ten years ago?

If Batman knew, then—

Oh god.

Did Batman know?!

Superman, meanwhile, just walked up to the counter and gave Alex a polite nod.

"Good afternoon," he said, voice as warm and friendly as ever. "Do you sell the latest issue of the Daily Planet here?"

Alex stared for a solid three seconds before his brain caught up. "Oh. Uh. Yeah."

He turned, grabbed the latest newspaper from the rack behind him, and handed it over. "That'll be two dollars."

Superman reached into his pocket—his actual pocket—and pulled out cash like a regular dude, handing it over. Alex gave him the change, and that was that.

No weird questions. No accusations.

Just a customer buying a newspaper.

Alex let out a breath of relief.

Superman nodded his thanks, grabbed a coffee from the machine nearby, and—

sat down.

At a table.

Reading.

Like a normal guy.

What the hell?

The entire store was stunned. People took pictures, whispering, and even Alex had to admit—this was surreal.

And that's how the next twenty minutes passed.

Alex continued checking out customers while Superman just read his paper and drank his coffee, completely unbothered by the growing crowd taking photos.

It was almost normal.

Until, of course—

Disaster struck.

A sonic boom shook the street outside.

Then—explosions.

Screams.

Alex immediately knew something was wrong.

Superman's head snapped up. His coffee forgotten, he rushed out the door at blinding speed, and Alex followed him to the entrance, peeking outside.

His heart sank.

An Amazo unit.

A sleek, chrome-plated android hovered in the air, its eyes glowing red, scanning the area. Amazo. The adaptive AI. The League's nightmare.

And it was here.

"Superman," the android's voice echoed. "Stand down. You are to be detained."

Superman narrowed his eyes. "That's not happening."

Amazo attacked immediately, firing energy beams that Superman barely dodged before rushing in for a counterattack. The fight escalated fast.

Buildings shattered. Cars flipped. People ran screaming.

And Alex? He stayed right inside the store, watching.

Because this was not his problem.

Right?

…Right?

Superman was losing.

Alex saw it immediately.

Amazo was too fast, countering every move, copying Superman's powers in real time. And the longer the fight dragged on, the worse it got.

Superman called for backup, but the League wasn't here yet.

And the more Alex watched, the more that gnawing feeling in his gut grew.

That same hesitation he had ten years ago.

He could do nothing. Stay inside. Wait it out.

Or…

Fuck it.

Alex turned and walked out the back door.

Once he was out of sight, he took a deep breath.

Then—he transformed.

A massive green figure erupted from where Alex had stood.

His body bulged, muscles expanding, veins pulsing. His skin darkened to an unnatural shade of green, his clothes stretching before ripping apart completely, replaced by ragged purple pants.

Power. Pure, unfiltered power surged through his veins.

Alex, now The Hulk, took one massive leap—

And landed in the middle of the street.

BOOM.

The impact shook the entire block, creating a crater. The ground cracked beneath his feet. People gasped, stunned, pointing at him in shock.

Superman, mid-air, froze. His eyes widened.

Amazo turned its head, scanning him.

[New Adaptive Target Identified: Hulk.]

It tried to copy him.

But it couldn't.

Because Hulk wasn't human?

The android hesitated, its systems struggling to process the data. And in that moment—

Alex grabbed it by the face.

And threw it into orbit.

Amazo became a silver speck in the sky, disappearing beyond the atmosphere.

The street was dead silent.

Superman stared at him, still hovering mid-air.

People around them whispered.

"Was that the Hulk?"

"No way, that's… he's from Marvel Comics."

"That's not possible, right?"

Alex didn't stick around.

The moment Amazo was gone, he jumped.

Straight up. Over the skyline.

Out of sight.

By the time he landed—far, far away—he had already transformed back into regular old Alex Bayley.

And as he walked away, hands stuffed in his pockets, he let out a sigh.

"Welp. That's gonna be a problem."

Alex had one rule—stay out of trouble.

But now?

The world knew the 'Hulk' existed.

And soon enough… someone was going to come looking for him.