The DEO locked down the entire street in order to investigate the incident at Axis Environmental. Unmarked SUVs mixed with white and blue police cars as officers and agents swarmed the warehouse overseeing forensics and taking witness statements. The employees of Axis are checked over by paramedics, but Dreamer did a great job of protecting them. Nobody was harmed. Unfortunately, all the masked men who Hank Henshaw brought had escaped, including those incapacitated or zip tied by Dreamer. And with them, all forty-two of the Metallo robots Axis had constructed.
Captain Maggie Sawyer arrived on the scene to oversee the joint operation, joining Director Alex Danvers as they questioned Carl Carlton about the theft. Usually any crime involving extra-terrestrial or extranormal threats was under the jurisdiction of the DEO, but Alex decided it would be fair to give the NCPD access to the crime scene because it links to their investigation into the armed robbery which they confirmed involved one of Axis Enviromental's delivery trucks. The captain and Director shared a nod as their officers questioned the CEO sitting in handcuffs. "Please, I've done nothing wrong" he pleaded looking up at them.
"You were building an army of dangerous military grade weapons in your warehouse, Mr Carlton" Alex chided, her expression furious. "Your company has contracts with the city and the government. You mind telling us how one of those consignments you were oblige to destroy ended up being mass produced in this facility?"
Carlton's gaze dropped to the floor in shame. Alex found the paper trail hours ago confirming the body of Metallo had been sent to Axis for disposal. Until now they'd been a reliable asset in dismantling and melting down foreign machines and weapons of the government. When they told them the robot had been turned to scrap, nobody questioned it. Now it seemed their trust had been misplaced. Captain Sawyer's officers had already started an inventory of the facility and they've already found at least five other consignments that was meant to have been dismantled but instead put into storage and reverse engineered. Axis was looking at a massive investigation and possible criminal charges. At best the company was looking at foreclosure.
"Can you confirm the delivery truck we impounded this morning was one of yours?" Maggie demanded, crossing her arms staring down at the whimpering man. He nodded solemnly. "Where was the truck going?" she asked. He stayed silent. "You were transporting a crate that my associates here say held another one of these superweapons. Where were you taking it?"
"It doesn't matter" Carl said sadly, tears in his eyes as he looked around at his staff and company. "I'm finished. I just wanted to protect the security of my employees. I've already lost so many, I couldn't lose anymore. I was trying to save the company."
"By going into the weapons manufacturing business?" Alex asked.
"No!" he replied, swallowing his sobs. "I took investors. I had to, it was the only way to stay afloat. But one of them had…conditions. They saw value in the stuff we were disposing off. I didn't want to violate the trust of my clients, especially those who stuck with us despite the accusations, but I was desperate. It seemed harmless. They just wanted the tech, circuit boards and energy sources, things we could reproduce that weren't dangerous. I told them I'd only work on stuff that did no harm. But this last consignment, this was no negotiable. They wanted that machine mass produced. They wouldn't tell me why."
"Who?" Maggie asked.
He shrugged. "They never gave names. I know I should've asked questions but I was desperate. The company who invested was Kronos Ltd. I didn't like it but what choice did I have? The company was going bankrupt. A hundred staff was about to lose their jobs. And all because of bad press" he said, practically laughing at the situation. "And instead I ruined us all on my own. It's my own fault."
Alex and Maggie shared a glance. This man wasn't a mastermind. She was just a misguided fool. They nodded to the officer behind the man, who helped him to his feet and led him to a police car. "I'll take him to the station and find out what I can" Maggie said. They agreed due to the nature of the case it'd work best if the NCPD worked on Carlton and his transgressions while the DEO focused on the theft of the Metallo robots. "I'll dig into this Kronos Limited Company who wanted the robot army."
"Appreciate it" Alex nodded. She watched the woman re-join her officers to coordinate the search warrant while the brunette turned back to approach the superheroes waiting by an ambulance.
Dreamer was sitting in the back with an ice pack on her forehead where she'd sustained the head injury that rendered her unconscious. Brainy was standing beside her tapping on his tablet, comforting his girlfriend whilst doing his operational duties simultaneously. Kara paced a few feet away looking agitated. Alex could guess why as she walked up to check on them. "Did he say anything?" Kara asked, stopping to approach her.
"He confessed to reverse engineering Metallo and making an army" she reported. "Apparently one of his investors, Kronos Ltd, put him up to it."
"Have to admire the work" Brainy commented, casting his analytical eye into the warehouse. "From the schematics and craftsmanship of the parts remaining, Axis Environmental have replicated the designs perfectly. It seems they were also using materials left over from other consignments to improve the construction of the bodywork and circuits also."
"Are you saying these robots might be better than the original?" Alex asked in alarm.
"Quite possibly" he nodded.
"So Hank is out there was an army of killer robots better than the original Metallo?" Kara echoed, her agitation increasing. "I have to get out there and find them."
"Before you go" Brainy said, prompting Kara to wait as he signalled to the foreman talking to one of their agents. "I've just had a word with that man, who oversees the whole operation on behalf of Mr Carlton. Cyborg Superman and his militia may have stolen forty-two Metallo units, but none of them are operable."
"That's what you said you heard right?" Dreamer asked Supergirl. "That they couldn't get them to work?"
Kara calmed down enough to think about the conversation her overhead, nodding in agreement. "They were missing the power source."
"The original Metallo was powered by Kryptonite" Alex said, looking at Brainy.
"And they have been unsuccessful in constructing an alternate replacement" he continued. "That delivery truck that was intercepted in the financial district was carrying a finished prototype to their employer, who believed they could solve the dilemma while they finished the rest of the order."
"Carlton was sending one of the robots to Kronos so they could finish the job, make the army operational" Alex summarised. Her gaze suddenly narrowed. "So how did Hank Henshaw find out about it?"
"I don't know" Kara said shaking her head. "But that doesn't matter. All that matters is he has them now. If he finds a way to power them then he'll have an army of dangerous machines. If only we knew what he was planning."
"His usual motivation has been revenge" Alex observed. "Against us, the DEO, John, you…he could be planning to destroy the city just to get to us."
"Then I need to find him first" Supergirl said. "Let me know if you find out anything" she said before leaping into the air to begin patrolling the city, planning to scan every inch of it to find Hank.
The others watched her dash off, remaining grounded and left looking for clues. Alex was particularly disturbed. "Axis Environmental was responsible for the disposal of dozens of alien technologies. God only knows how many of them are still unaccounted for."
"It is troubling" brainy nodded. "I've already accessed the mainframe of the company. I should have a detailed list of their inventory both on and off books by morning."
"Good" she nodded. Turning her attention to the wounded Dreamer. "How are you doing?"
"I'm fine. Mostly my pride that was hurt" she replied.
"From what I heard you took on the entire militia by yourself" Alex commented with amazement. "That's quite impressive."
"Indeed" Brainy concurred, looking at her proudly. "And you saved every one of Carlton's staff. You are becoming quite the fighter."
Nia blushed under their praise. "Thanks. It was fine until I got knocked out by that one guy though."
Alex nodded. This was why she wanted to talk to her. "What can you tell us about him? From what you told the others he seemed…different from the militia."
"I didn't get a good look, it all happened so fast" she explained, instinctively rubbing the spot on her chest where the dart hit her. "I was fighting everyone and them he just came out of nowhere. I didn't see him until I was on the ground. Before I knew it I was tied up, hit with some kind of Taser and then…"
Her description trailed off when her mind recalled the foggy image of the figure standing over her. He was dressed in something dark, blood red covering him. He had two extrusions from his skull that looked like horns. His eyes glowed bright red but his face was in shadow. She couldn't tell if it was a man or woman. But she could recall the weapon he was holding; a staff with three pointed prongs, like a trident or fork. When she pictured it her nightmare flashed into its place, the vision of a red devil hovering over Supergirl covered in blood, the city burning around her. She knew they were connected. It wasn't a fluke, it was one of her premonitions. Whoever attacked her was connected to this.
She raised her eyes back to Alex, who was waiting for the description. "And then something hit me over the head. I never got a good look. I just assumed he was one of the militia."
Alex nodded, sighing with disappointment. She was hoping for something more to go on. "Well I'm glad you're okay" she said, signalling to brainy. "You should go home and get some rest. I think you earned it" she told Nia before walking back into the warehouse to survey the area.
Brainy stayed by Nia's side a moment longer, his eyes fixed on the young heroine monitoring her. After a moment of silence he turned away and followed Alex, leaving Nia in the back of the ambulance. She dropped her gaze to her lap, ashamed about keeping them in the dark about her vision. But she wanted to figure out what it all meant before she told them. Because in her vision she was sure it was Supergirl who was responsible for destroying the city and killing all those people at her feet. She just didn't want to believe it.
Somewhere in the outskirts of the city was a hideout, its walls lined with lead with a bunker dug into the earth. It was the ideal hiding place if one wanted to stay off the radar of both the authorities and Supergirl. This was where Hank Henshaw had decided to hide his militia and the new Metallo army his crew had just liberated.
The large man was still dripping wet from his swim in the bay area. He'd only been momentarily stunned by Supergirl's retaliation before he decided to use the darkness to make his escape. He trusted his men to finish the job while the kryptonian was busy searching for him. He was proved correct. They rendezvoused here at base where he now oversaw the unloading of his army, the metal machines carefully removed from their crates and assembled in the large open floorplan.
But as big as this victory was, he could already see the flaw in their operation. None of these machines had a kryptonite heart to power it. Without it none of these drones would be able to function. Had he wasted all this time and manpower for nothing?
"That was quite a spectacle you made at Axis earlier" a voice called out over the dark interior, echoing over the thick walls. Hank turned his glowing red eye towards the exit where he saw a dark skinned man in glasses standing poised by the entrance. Hank scowls as he marches up to the intruder, his cybernetics grinding indicating he was tensing his muscles. "Now now, I meant no disrespect" the man said confidently, making no move defend himself.
Hank stood in front of him, towering over the middle aged black man staring at his waving grey hair. "How did you find me?" he asked accusingly.
"I have many clients, Mr Henshaw" he answered calmly, wiping the lens of his glasses casually. "They give me many resources to find keep track of my business. Not all my merchandise are sold for money. Many are through trade." He straightened the thick coat over the dark hoodie and jeans he was wearing, the steel cap boots stepping to the side so he could see the metal men being lined up behind Cyborg Superman. "Impressive craftsmanship. I should consider hiring those soon to be ex-employees at Axis Environmental. They do good work."
"What do you want?" Hank asked with a growl in his voice. He didn't have time to deal with this man if he wanted to figure out how to power the Metallo Drones.
The man flashed him a smile. "I think a better question is what do you want? When you hired my services to give you weapons to commit a robbery, I took the liberty of double checking what you were stealing. I must admit, the body of Metallo did take me by surprise. Shame your men boxed that job."
"I don't what I came for" he scoffed. "And you got your money. What more do you want?"
"For a start" he said coldly, "maybe a thank you." he saw the man's expression harden as he glanced back at him, explaining "you're second attempt nearly feel through due to the intervention of those superheroes. They are quite a nuisance, aren't they? Fortunately for you my associate was there to assist" he said, turning to look behind him as a figure cloaked in shadows waited patiently in the entrance.
Hank turned his gaze to the figure, his cybernetic eye picking out the details of the red and black body armour with inbuilt computers and circuitry, the fabric underneath lined with lead filaments preventing x-ray vision from seeing who wore it. The mask was smooth with two horn like extensions on the forehead and two glowing red eyes staring back. Across his back was a trident, metal and retractable with more circuitry. Around his waist was a belt which glowed red powering the suit? For an enforcer, this figure came prepared. But then Hank expected nothing less from the man who called himself The Blacksmith, a master of crafting weapons and armour from alien and human technology. He was a genius, a master craftsman, a legend amongst black market dealers. Hanks had sought him out because he was told he was the best. So far he'd proved the legends were true.
"Thanks to my associate, your men were able to escape with your little tin army" the Blacksmith said. "And might I add, without our assistance my merchandise would still be sitting in evidence lockup" he added disapprovingly.
Hanks glowered staring at the smug older man. "Are you expecting compensation?"
"I'll consider the safe return of my weapons and the drone you were trying to steal as collateral" he replied.
"Fine. I have enough to make up the loss" he said, turning his back on the Blacksmith to look over his army. After losing the weapons due to Supergirl's intervention, Hank opted for the direct approach on Axis Environmental. One way or the other, the operation was a success. "I no longer need your services" he said over his shoulder.
The Blacksmith held his position, calmly beckoning his associate over to join him. The figure in red and black armour walked over carrying a large metal suitcase which he placed on a nearby crate. "Then I suppose you won't be needing any of this?" the black man asked, walking over to the case and unhooking the latches. He waited until Hank looked over his shoulder before opening the box to reveal the contents.
Hank's eyes widened when he was greeted by a familiar green glow coming from crystalline minerals nestled inside the padded metal case. The large man took an inquisitive step forward to stare at the glowing green rocks casting a sickly green light over the walls and ceiling. Hank recognised the minerals at once. Kryptonite.
"Go ahead" the Blacksmith said. "I'm sure your cybernetic scans can determine the purity of the crystals."
Hanks could indeed confirm the mineral was pure, refined Kryptonite. He couldn't believe his eyes or his scans. He was under the impression all the remaining minerals were taken and destroyed by superman or the government. "How?"
"I have sources" he said coyly. "One of Lex Luthor's stockpiles recently fell into my possession. Not a large quantity, but enough." He saw the trepidation as the man reached for the case, prompting him to slam it closed sealing the contents away. Hank froze snapping out of his daze, looking up at the man. "I'm sure you'll agree this little is quite valuable. And more than enough to power your little army over there."
Hanks glanced at his drones, desperately in need of a power source just like this. "How much" he growled.
The Blacksmith smiled. "Usually such a trade would be…expensive. Fortunately for you, I have another offer to make" he said, placing his arms on top of the case as if he was chatting to an old friend. "With the drone currently in my workshop, liberated from the police department, I can reverse engineer the design for my own use. You can imagine how much traction I'll get from the schematics alone. More importantly, I'll be able to engineer a harness to best utilise the power of kryptonite for your machines. Once that's done, I can do the same for your drones."
"And in return?" Hanks asked, understanding the Blacksmith wouldn't do such a task for free.
The man smiles, explaining "As I mentioned, I have other clients with much more complicated requests. As it happens, I find myself in need of people with skills such as you and your crew. If you are willing to do a few…favours we'll call them, I can be persuaded to install your tin men with their little green hearts free of charge. What do you say?"
Hanks examined the man willing to help him power his metal army with enough kryptonite to destroy a city. Considering his options, he would be a fool to turn down such an offer. "What's the job?" Cyborg Superman asked.