(Rated I for Immature)
A man in a Guy Fawkes mask blasted out the window of a skyscraper and fired a harpoon gun hooking a cable down to the rooftop of the building hosting the DEO. Two guys then slid down the cable to the rooftop. They quickly located the fuse box and went to work on the wiring. Attaching a device to the wiring, it shut off power to the entire building including the DEO.
"We're done here," the electrician told his partner.
Col. Haley noticed the electricity go off. "I thought we were immune from the government shutdown," she figured.
A cable then fired through the DEO glass doors with three additional men in Guy Fawkes masks landing on the balcony. They went through the broken glass doors and fired into the ceiling with automatic rifle fire. DEO personnel took out their pistols but were quickly overwhelmed as the three men threw grenades and fired accurate shots. Computers and television screens were shot out. Col. Haley grabbed a shotgun and fired on the three barely missing them as they took cover behind desks.
"You have any idea who you're fucking with?" Col. Haley asked outraged as she fired off a few more shells at them.
One of the men fired his rifle at Col. Haley dropping her. As one guarded Col. Haley, the other two went into the prison hall. They then reached Menagerie's cell. "Close your ears," they warned her. They placed a sonic device on the cell shattering the glass. They then took Menagerie out of the cell.
"You think you're smart, huh?" Col. Haley asked as Menagerie was taken away. Her bulletproof vest had saved her life. "Honor...respect, what do you believe in?"
"I believe...whatever doesn't kill you simply makes you...stranger," the leader said pulling off his Guy Fawkes mask revealing himself to be a smiling Manchester Black.
The Black Knight
At Catco, James was busy at work. Eve dropped in. "Ever going to go home and see Lena?"
"I thought you had to look after your mother," James said annoyed. He then looked at his phone. "Looks like we're staying late."
"I'll get you some coffee, Mr. Olsen," Eve said walking off.
In a parking lot, Russian drug dealers came out with attack dogs to give them protection. American drug dealers arrived on the scene displeased. "The Nuke you sold us made our customers crazy. They're all dead now," the American drug dealers complained.
"I said they would give you a trip. I didn't say where it would lead you," the Russian drug dealer said dismissively.
"You Russian son-of-a-bitch. We're in the business of repeat customers," the American drug dealer spat as he got out a gun.
DEO personnel moved in on both parties with black SUVs. The drug dealers fired on the DEO in a panic. DEO personnel got out and began firing at the drug dealers taking down a few of them. Alex came out with a baton and beat down the Rottweilers and remaining drug dealers still present. The American drug dealers' van then took off. Alex raced after it and used a device to cut into the van's hull.
The driver moved the van close to a pillar knocking Alex off. A red and blue blur suddenly slammed onto the van collapsing its roof and stopping the vehicle. Supergirl then jumped off the van and checked the occupants of the vehicle to see if they were alive. She then threw them out of the van and placed them together.
"Thanks, Supergirl. Too bad, the Russians escaped," Alex said peeved.
"Yeah, too bad," Mara agreed and then flew off.
Alex then received an alarm signal from her phone. The DEO had been attacked.
The next morning, at Edge Industries, Brainiac 5 greeted Mr. Lau of China. "A joint venture with China will make Edge Industries a power-house," Mr. Lau said confidently.
"I think I can speak for the board and Miss Jade when I say we're very excited," Brainiac 5 said dryly as Mara was passed out in her chair.
An hour later, Mara looked out the window of the conference room. "Long night?" Brainiac 5 asked.
"I busted some low-level drug dealers while Manchester Black slaughtered DEO personnel and burned it to the ground," Mara said regretfully.
"You were there to keep Alex safe," Brainiac 5 allowed.
"Maybe Alex is the problem," Mara considered.
"I ran the numbers on Mr. Lau's proposal. The board and the consultants love it," Brainiac 5 said.
"But?" Mara predicted.
"His company is growing at 8% annually like clockwork. His revenue stream must be off the books, maybe even illegal. Now, you've wanted to keep Edge Industries legal and American," Brainiac 5 pointed out.
"You're right. Cancel the deal," Mara ordered.
"You already knew," Brainiac 5 realized. "The student becomes the master."
"And the master becomes the student," Mara bowed to him. "I just wanted to look over their books. The Chinese do not fear me. I want to fix that."
Maggie and Alex sat down at an expensive restaurant. "Took three weeks to get a reservation here. I had to tell them I would bust their ass for hiring illegal immigrants," Maggie said shaking her head dismayed.
"Alex Danvers, fancy that," Mara said strolling up to their table with Bro behind her.
"Yeah, Mara, fancy that," Alex said peeved by her presence.
"Alex, Maggie, this is Bro Lee," Mara introduced.
"Bro Lee, huh? Are you Insane?" Maggie asked Bro.
"Most days," Bro smiled.
"I taught him that joke," Mara said amused by her own wit. "Uh, let's put a few tables together."
"I don't think they'll let us," Maggie said trying desperately to shoo Mara away.
"They should. I own the place," Mara said and then motioned to the waiters to do as she directed.
Mara made small talk with Alex and Maggie while Bro remained mostly silent. "So, you want to have kids together, now? Is this really the city to do that in?" Mara asked skeptically.
"Well, I was raised here, so you can go fuck yourself," Maggie smiled at her.
"Is that slum you were raised in...really in the city limits?" Mara questioned.
"You should know. You're trying to demolish it and put up your own development," Maggie said bitterly.
"I mean, the type of city that worships a vigilante and has a disaster or two every week," Mara said changing the subject.
"Maybe that vigilante should stop 'helping' out so much," Maggie said crossly.
"I agree. We need more heroes like you, Detective Maggie," Alex said adoringly.
"And like you, Agent Danvers," Maggie agreed holding her hand.
"Well, you know what they say, 'You either die a hero or live long enough to become the villain,'" Mara said bitterly.
"That's for sure," Maggie said looking directly at Mara. "We humans must rise up and take charge of our world and not have Supergirl save us all the time."
"Well, I'm sold," Mara said vaguely.
"Wait..what?" Maggie wondered.
"It's settled. I'm going to make you the Sheriff of Metropolis County," Mara said to Maggie.
"I never said...," Maggie said confused.
"That's a great idea," Alex agreed enthusiastically.
"I'm not even a deputy," Maggie said.
"You don't have to be. These elections are all about money and with my friends you won't have to raise a cent," Mara assured her.
"Well...fuck it," Maggie agreed.
An alien support group met in a basement kitchen, so they wouldn't be discovered by Children of Liberty thugs. "The Supreme Court has ruled in favor of Trump ending the amnesty executive order. We are so fucked," an alien leader said.
"We should encourage people to go back to their home-planets. Earth is no longer a welcoming place," another alien leader said miserably.
"What about that march?" an alien leader brought up.
"We got fifty-fifty coverage with Ben Lockwood's rally that was only a tenth the size of us," an alien leader said bitterly.
Manchester Black then entered the meeting and casually sat down. "You're not welcome here," an alien leader sneered at him.
"Good thing I don't give a fuck," Black smiled.
"I want to hear his proposition," an alien leader said of Black.
"Let's wind the clock back a few years. These people wouldn't have dared to cross any of you. I mean, what happened? Did your balls drop off?" Black asked rhetorically.
"I find that offensive," a female alien leader said.
"Look, listen, I know why you like to have your little group-therapy sessions underground. I know why you're afraid to go out at night: Ben Lockwood. See, Lockwood has shown America your true colors, unfortunately. He's shown that you're all bitches," Black said of them.
"What do you propose we do?" an alien leader asked.
"It's simple. We kill the Children of Liberty. We wipe them out. All of them," Black said.
"Enough of this!" the female alien leader said standing up and taking out a laser pistol.
"Let's not blow this out of proportion, lads," Black said opening his jacket revealing a collection of grenades.
"Holy shit!" they said as they saw his jacket.
"Alright, what do you want?" an alien leader asked him.
"I need some good men, guns, ammunition, explosives, and lots of gasoline," Black said to him.
Black then strolled out of the room. As he was leaving, Hank entered the room. "I hope you didn't start without me," he smiled sitting down.
Hong Kong
Soon thereafter, Brainiac 5 met with Mr. Lau in Hong Kong. "Welcome to Hong Kong, Mr. Dox," Mr. Lau greeted as they dined on a balcony of his office building.
"Happy to be here," Brainiac 5 said politely.
"With you here now, we can continue negotiations," Mr. Lau said.
"Yeah, about that, Miss Jade canceled the deal," Brainiac 5 said bluntly.
"I think, Mr. Dox, a phone call would have sufficed," Mr. Lau said annoyed and walked off.
Brainiac 5 smiled amused. He had placed a tracker on Mr. Lau without him noticing.
That night, Supergirl flew straight into the building window shattering it and quickly disabled Lau's guards. Lau and his remaining guards fired on her but their bullets merely bounced off her. She easily dispatched of Lau's remaining guards and then took hold of Lau. The Hong Kong police then came rushing to Lau's aid. Mara flew out of the building taking Lau with her. She then flew him across the ocean and eventually to Metropolis where she dumped him off at the MPD station with a large stack of evidence of his financial crimes.
Maggie strolled into the mayor's office. "You wanted to see me?" she asked annoyed at being called in.
"Yes, I see that you are running for Sheriff and that you have big money behind you," Mayor Anthony Garcia said amused.
"I would hope my record and skills as a detective and police officer would be the deciding factor," Maggie said resentfully.
"The public likes you. That is the only reason this might fly," Garcia said to her.
"Oh really?" Maggie said condescendingly.
"They're all going to be coming after you now, the mob, the aliens, the Children of Liberty, politicians, journalists, cops, and even Supergirl," Garcia warned. "Anyone that is going to have their wallets lighter."
"I'm not intimidated," Maggie said seriously.
"Are you truly up to it?" the mayor asked.
"Sure," Maggie shrugged nonchalantly.
"If they get anything on you, well...," Garcia let it hang. A blond woman in a Supergirl costume suddenly slammed into his window hanging by the neck from a rope. "Jesus!" Garcia shouted backing away.
Maggie ran over to the window and saw that the woman was obviously dead but not the real Supergirl.
Brainiac 5 hung out with Mara at a hall reserved for a fundraiser for Maggie Swayer. "I think your fundraiser will be a success," Brainiac 5 predicted. "What is the real reason you're doing this?"
"Want to corrupt someone? Make them a politician," Mara said simply.
"The odds of Alex and Maggie staying together is lowered if she wins. They will be too busy with their respective roles to spend time with each other," Brainiac 5 considered.
"We're killing their relationship with kindness," Mara confirmed.
"Like old times," Brainiac 5 smiled.
Mara and Brainiac 5 turned to the TV and saw disturbing news footage of a captured blond woman in a Supergirl uniform. She was already beaten pretty badly. "Tell them your name," Black ordered off-camera.
"Briana Douglass," she said meekly.
"And are you the real Supergirl?" Black asked knowing the answer.
"No," she admitted.
"No? Then why do you dress like her?" Black asked.
"Because she's a symbol that we don't have to be afraid of scum like you," she said to the camera.
"Yeah, you do, Brianna. You really do," Black said threateningly and then turned the camera to himself. "If you want order in Metropolis, Supergirl must reveal her secret identity. Or every day that she doesn't people will die starting tonight. I'm a man of my word," Black said and then the camera went wild as Briana screamed. The footage was then abruptly cut off.
"So...will it be white wine or red wine?" Brainiac 5 asked Mara.
"White," Mara ordered.
Alex and Maggie entered the hall filled with snooty rich people. Maggie eyed these people with some trepidation. "I'll be right back," Alex said walking off.
"Some liquid courage, Miss Sawyer?" Brainiac 5 offered her a wine glass.
"Thank you, Barney. I still hate you," Maggie said taking the glass.
"I know," Brainiac 5 replied.
"So, Barney, how many...girlfriends did Alex have after we broke up?" Maggie asked awkwardly.
"You don't want to know," Brainiac 5 smiled.
Mara's helicopter then arrived on the helipad near the hall for all to see. Mara, in a black dress, got out with a suited Bro by her side. "I hope I didn't miss anything," Mara smiled to the crowd as she entered the hall. "Now, where is Maggie?"
Maggie reluctantly stepped out. "Maggie, here, is a young woman, obviously. She's Hispanic and most importantly, she's gay," Mara said of her.
The rich folks all applauded her. "Friends, we can pay our white privilege debt by supporting Maggie Sawyer. I believe in Maggie Sawyer," Mara toasted her.
"Look at this face, this Female Hispanic Lesbian face. This is the face of the future. We better get on board while we still can," Mara joked to the chuckling of the crowd.
"To Maggie Sawyer. Let's hear it for her," Mara said to the applause of the crowd.
After the toast, Mara went outside the hall and tossed the wine out of her glass. Bro went out to see her. "Why so sad?" he asked her.
"I do nothing but compromise myself," Mara said disgustedly. "I have so much already, but I want more. I am never satisfied."
"It is your Insane blood. You are a conqueror," Bro said knowingly.
"What gives you peace?" Mara asked Bro.
"You were raised in the future where everything was so advanced and superior. You see this world as ancient and primitive. I was raised on a savage planet with no cities, no civilization, and with no one else other than my father. Where you see loss, I see wonders," Bro said looking at the city in amazement.
"You can throw a party, Mara. I'll give you that," Maggie complimented. "Thanks again."
"Sure," Mara said dismissively.
Mara then watched Maggie rejoin Alex on the dance floor. "What do you think of that?" Mara asked of Maggie and Alex dancing.
"Well...it's not Insane," Bro replied.
Mara smiled at him and brought him back inside.
"All of this makes you think about things you can't stand to lose...about who you want to spend the rest of your life with," Maggie said seriously.
"We've played this game before, Maggie," Alex reminded her.
"I'm serious, no matter what this time," Maggie said sincerely.
Bro then put Maggie into a headlock and dragged her out of the hall. "What the fuck are you doing?" Alex asked of him.
"Mara's orders," he said simply.
Black's gang then entered the hall. Black fired a shotgun into the ceiling gaining their attention. "Good evening, ladies and gents. We are tonight's entertainment. I only have one question: Where is Maggie Sawyer?" He then antagonized random rich people for an answer.
"Okay, stop," Alex said to him.
"Well, hello, Agent Danvers. Back together with Maggie, huh? Did she promise you a family? I was going to have a family of my own before you bloody Americans took Fiona from me," Black said bitterly.
Alex kicked him in the groin. "You got a little fight in you. I like that," Black smiled.
"Then you're going to love me," Supergirl punched Black off Alex to the floor.
Mara quickly punched down each of Black's gang members. Seeing an opening, Black stabbed Mara with a Kryptonite blade. Mara smacked him to the floor again as she knocked out the last of his gang. Black then took Alex as a hostage with a gun to her head.
"Drop the gun," Mara ordered him.
"Sure, and you tell everyone who you really are," Black smiled at her.
"This is who I am. Everything else is a mask," Mara said to him.
"Yeah, bullshit. If that's the case, just tell me your alias," Black said to her as he fired a gunshot blasting out the window behind them.
"Let her go," Mara ordered him.
"Very poor choice of words," Black laughed as he let Alex go out the window.
Mara flew off after her and caught Alex in midair before she hit the pavement below. Mara slowed down and slammed down on a car totaling it. "Maggie!" Alex said panicked.
"She's safe," Mara assured her.
"You going to do anything about Black?" Alex asked her.
"I suppose," Mara said with little enthusiasm. She rocketed back up and flew back into the hall. Looking around, Black was already gone leaving his injured men behind. That night, the MPD commissioner and a prominent judge were killed by Black.
Mara came into Catco and looked at the cable news. "Mara, can I talk to you?" James asked seriously.
Mara closed the doors behind them as she entered his office. "What is it?" she asked.
"You have to reveal your secret identity. People are dying," James told her.
"Important people are dying, you mean," Mara mocked.
"The whole city is in a panic. This does not look well for you," James said.
"I killed thousands. What's a few more," Mara said bitterly.
"The people are realizing what happened. They're no longer angry at you," James pointed out.
"I don't need their approval," Mara said dismissively.
"You're sacrificing lives to preserve your lavish lifestyle," James accused.
"No one cares if a magazine editor is a masked vigilante at night. They will care if the most powerful alien on Earth is also in charge of a mega-corporation. We're not the same, James. Not even in the same league," Mara said to him.
"Damn, that really hurts," James said dumbfounded.
"Don't go to this parade. It's an obvious target for Black," Mara said to him.
"Tell you what. You reveal your secret identity, and I won't go. How about that?" James offered.
"No deal," Mara replied and walked out.
The MPD had a grand parade to honor their fallen commissioner who Black had poisoned the night before. On a stage were prominent members of the community that included Mara, Lena, James, and Hank representing the alien community. "Thanks for coming out," Garcia said to James.
"Wouldn't miss it," James said sincerely.
Maggie Sawyer looked around in an apartment building that would give a potential shooter a good vantage point. She entered an apartment and found several police officers tied together with gags on their mouths and blindfolded.
"Damn. What happened to you guys?" Maggie asked them.
"Black took our guns, our uniforms," one of them said.
Maggie then made a call to the mayor, but he didn't pick up. "Shit," she realized.
Mayor Garcia made his speech and then the MPD Honor Guard took up their rifles to give the commissioner a gun salute. When it came to shoot, the Honor Guard turned on the mayor.
"Oh, shit!" James realized and shielded the mayor. The bullet hit him in the back and James was down on the stage not moving.
"James!" Lena shrieked.
Hundreds of police officers scattered looking for the shooter. Black and some of his gang disappeared into the crowd. Mara looked around for Black using her vision, but he was disguised as one of the officers. She then looked at James' wound as Lena checked him.
"He'll live," Mara said to her.
Later that day, Maggie Sawyer held a press conference. Mara was there watching to see what she would do. "I'm obviously suspending my campaign for Sheriff while the city grieves for the commissioner, my dear friend. I just want Black and his people to know one thing: I know the identity of Supergirl. Come and get me," Maggie smiled recklessly.
Maggie then exited with a group of police officers. Mara eyed Maggie wondering what she was planning. Maggie received an ovation from the cops as she walked into the station. "I can't believe you're doing this," Alex said to her.
"I trust in my guys, just like you do," Maggie smiled. Maggie and Alex then kissed in front of all the applauding cops. Maggie then entered the van. "Watch my six."
"Absolutely," Alex agreed.
A police convoy went around the city baiting Black to attack them. In the air was a police helicopter. On the streets, a police officer went over to a cargo truck. "You're illegally parked," he told the driver.
The police officer was suddenly killed from a shotgun blast from Black. The police convoy then found themselves blocked by a firetruck on fire. The convoy deviated from their route going underneath the street level. A dump truck then took out the two rear cop cars by ramming them into the opposite lane of traffic. The dump truck then hit the SWAT van Maggie was in.
A cargo truck then rammed a SWAT van into the bay. Black opened the trailer doors and looked for his target. With a machine-gun pistol, he fired at the SWAT van not penetrating its armor. Black then tried a shotgun with no success either. "Yes, that's more like it," Black said as he was handed an RPG.
Black fired a missile destroying a cop car in front of Maggie's SWAT van. Black fired another missile taking out another cop car. Supergirl flew straight for the dump truck and slammed her elbow into its engine block. The dump truck stopped suddenly totaled. "Hmm," Black considered her.
Black took aim at the SWAT van and fired another missile. Mara got in front of the missile and was hit. She sailed over to the opposite lane of traffic, hit a car, and slammed into a wall.
The SWAT van continued on its route entering the open air with the police helicopter watching overhead. Black's gang fired cables across apartments on either side. The helicopter got caught in the cables and crashed to the ground in a fiery explosion.
Black's cargo truck continued pursuit of the SWAT van. The SWAT van then stopped suddenly. Mara dropped down and punched the cargo truck's engine block flipping the entire truck upside down. Black exited the trailer disoriented. With a machine gun, he fired at Mara.
"Come on! I want you to do it!" Black challenged Mara. "Hit me!"
Mara raised her palm at Black to incinerate him. "What are you waiting for, lass?" Black smiled insanely.
Black was suddenly hit to the back of the head with a baton. "We finally got you, you son-of-a-bitch," Alex said revealing herself as the SWAT van driver.
Hank, the SWAT van passenger, placed cuffs on Black. Alex opened the SWAT van and found Maggie unharmed. "Thank God," Alex said embracing her.
"You two go right home. I'll deal with him," Hank said to Alex and Maggie.
"How does it feel to be Metropolis' hero?" a reporter asked Maggie.
"I'm no hero," Maggie shook her head.
"How did you know Supergirl would come?" a reporter asked.
"I didn't, but I'm thankful she saved my ass," Maggie smiled relieved.
Hank walked over to Mara. "I should have killed him," Mara said reflectively.
"Old habits die hard. Killing is as difficult for you as mercy is for me," Hank said to her.
"I've rejected everything my parents stood for: The killing, the drinking, the cursing, the sexual debauchery," Mara said to him.
"It's just a personal preference. It doesn't mean you don't respect them for who they were," Hank told her.
"If I had killed Black earlier, these men wouldn't be dead," Mara said looking at the helicopter crash.
"Well, yeah," Hank agreed.
Mara sighed. "I'll meet you at the station."
Hank entered Black's interrogation room at the MPD. "Good evening, J'onn," Black said cheerfully.
"Maggie Sawyer never made it home," he revealed.
"Of course not," Black smiled.
"What have you done with her?" Hank demanded.
"Me? I was right here," Black said showing his cuffs to him. "Who did you leave her with?"
"Hmm, your people? Assuming, of course, they're still your people. But who are your people, really? I thought you were on our side, J'onn," Black said.
"I'm on the side of truth and justice, and I don't give a fuck whether a criminal is a human or alien. I've killed plenty of both in my time," Hank told him.
"Does it depress you, J'onn, how alone you truly are? I have people in the MPD, the government, overseas. They all want the same thing: Respect, J'onn," Black said.
"Where is she?" Hank demanded.
"What's the time?" Black asked.
"What difference does it make?" Hank asked.
"Well, depending on the time, J'onn, she could be in one place or several," Black chuckled.
"If we're going to play games, I'm going to need a cup of coffee," Hank said taking Black's cuffs off.
"Good cop, bad cop routine, J'onn?" Black mocked.
"Not exactly," Hank replied.
The lights then turned on with Mara slamming Black's face onto the table. "Never start with the head, the victim gets...," Black said and then Mara punched Black to the face. She then pulled him out of his chair and slammed him against the wall. Mara then punched Black breaking his ribs even through his armor.
"You have nothing to threaten me with," Black said spitting out blood.
Mara didn't reply and simply gave Black the beating of his life. Mara fired heat vision into his shoulder and then blasted him with frost. Mara then punched him so hard the frost exploded off him. Black punched her back to defend himself nearly breaking his hand. Mara gave him combinations to the torso devastating him.
Black then fell to the floor barely able to move. "I've trained with Vindicators that had human constitutions. I was able to train myself to hold back my strength to their level. We can do this all night, Black," Mara said to him.
"You mean Black Knight," Black laughed.
Mara punched him to the face nearly breaking his jaw. "Go ahead and torture me, kill me. I don't care," Black said to her.
"You think I don't understand grief? I'm reminded of it every time I put this uniform on," Mara told him.
"It's more than just grief. It's about the revolution. You Yankees know all about that, don't you?" he spat.
"We grew up," Mara told him.
"I've noticed. Fought a bloody civil war with brothers killing each other. I'm going to bring the civil war to the states and then the world," Black said ambitiously.
"You're going to rot in a cell," Mara rebuked.
"Maybe we can share it," Black laughed. "You know, you didn't even ask about the other lovebird."
"Alex?" Mara wondered.
"Not a game to you now, is it?" Black antagonized.
Mara took hold of Black and slammed him against the wall. "Where is she?" she demanded.
"I am going to tell you where they both are, but you have to choose," Black said to her.
"Too easy," Mara said to him.
Mara tore out of the interrogation room. "Which one are you going after?" Hank asked.
"Alex, obviously," Mara said and then flew off.
Hank became J'onn and flew off towards the other address. Mara reached a warehouse only to have it explode on her. "Alex!" Mara shrieked as she was hit by the blast.
J'onn phased through the other warehouse, grabbed the woman as she lay on the floor with oil on her face, and then flew her out of the warehouse. The explosion ignited the oil on the woman's face. "Shit," J'onn realized and burned his hands trying to put it out.
Mara walked into the destroyed warehouse and scanned for any sign of life knowing there wouldn't be any. "I failed you, Alex. I shouldn't have ever come to this time," Mara cried bitterly. She powered up violently blasting debris away from her as static electricity sparked around her.
Mara then saw a broken watch in the ash. Looking it over, Mara felt a sick sense of relief. She flew out of the warehouse and landed at the other address. "Did you get her out?" Mara asked Hank.
"Yeah, I got her out," he frowned.
Mara looked over Alex's severely injured face. "We can fix her," Mara said optimistically.
"Maggie is dead, isn't she?" Hank asked.
"Yes," Mara admitted.
"Can't fix that," Hank shook his head sadly.
At the MPD station, Menagerie was placed in a cell. "I want my phone call, asshole," she demanded a cop.
"Here's my cell," the cop gave her the phone to use.
She dialed a number and then the bomb inside her alien snake exploded blasting the cells apart and making a large hole in the station. Black then casually walked out of the station. "Thanks, love," Black said as he saw the results of his plan. Unbeknownst to Menagerie, he had planted a bomb in her alien snake's mouth.
Black then stole a police car and took off. As he arrived at his hideout, aliens gathered around him and nursed him to health while applauding his efforts.
"These are my kind of people," Black smiled feeling relief from the pain of his beatings.
The next morning, Mara stared out the window of her downtown apartment. Brainiac 5 walked over to her to comfort her. "With the Harun-El, we can make Alex good as new, physically anyway."
"Did I bring this on Maggie?" Mara asked softly.
"You encouraged her to run for Sheriff increasing her profile, a profile she then used to bait Manchester Black, and then she was made Black's highest priority on his kill list. So, yes," Brainiac 5 answered.
"When was Maggie Sawyer supposed to die?" Mara asked.
"I didn't have any files on her," Brainiac 5 admitted.
"I curse everyone that I touch," Mara said sadly.
"All great men do, to their allies and enemies alike," Brainiac 5 told her. "Remember your teachings: The Christ's disciples all died as martyrs except the betrayer who hung himself. Many other followers also died horribly in the persecution."
"Christ was the first to die. You either die a hero or live long enough to be the villain," Mara said bitterly.
"Mara, you are like Job who lost everything but then gained it all back and lived a long life. You will get through this tribulation," Brainiac 5 said to her.
Mara got to her feet. "I am going to murder Black...and then ask for forgiveness."
Hank strolled into Alex's room. A protective face mask was on the left side of her face. She was pumped full of drugs making her barely coherent. "I'm sorry about Maggie," Hank said sympathetically.
"I'm going to make them pay for what they did to me," Alex said bitterly.
"With Harun-El, Lena should have you on your feet good as new soon," Hank said to her.
"Why should I hide what they did to me? I want the whole world to know what they fucking did to me. They took away my love, my happiness, my future. Ben Lockwood was right the whole time," Alex said angrily.
"I think that's the drugs talking," Hank winced.
"Get the fuck out, J'onn," Alex ordered.
Manchester Black looked over blueprints to Metropolis General. "You've crossed the line, Black," the Russian drug dealer said to him.
"However do you mean, comrade?" Black asked him condescendingly.
"Bombing a hospital full of sick patients and children? Those were not your orders," the Russian said to him.
"I don't give a fuck what Moscow wants. I'm here to start an alien revolution, my revolution," Black said to him.
"We paid you a fortune," the Russian protested.
"And you think this gives you power over me?" Black asked rhetorically. Black fired into his knee caps and then unleashed his Rottweilers on the Russian. Black closed his eyes in ecstasy as he heard the Russian's screams.
"Everything burns," Black laughed insanely. He then called CNN. "Hey, this is Manchester Black. Do you have time for an interview?
CNN did a Breaking News alert as Black's phone call was featured. "We have authenticated that this is, indeed, Manchester Black," Wolf Blitzer said seriously.
"Hey, listen up. I'm going to blow up Metropolis General within the hour if someone doesn't kill Mara Jade of Edge Industries," Black said.
"This is a very grave threat," Blitzer replied.
"Yeah, no shit. Start your countdown," Black said hanging up.
"You heard it from us, first. In one hour, Manchester Black will blow up Metropolis General if Mara Jade isn't killed," Wolf Blitzer said and then a countdown was placed on the screen.
Police flooded Mara's office to provide her protection. "You have to come with us, Ma'am," they said to her.
"Fine," Mara said going with them.
As Mara was about to exit the building, a random citizen fired at her. Police instantly took down the shooter. "Get her around the back," the police said as they took Mara with them.
"They're really trying to kill me," Mara realized.
"Maybe Supergirl can save you," a police officer said dryly as she was placed in a police van. Meanwhile, Metropolis General was being evacuated of all patients.
"You don't look good...Berg," Mara remarked as Officer Berg looked freaked out.
"Nah, I'm cool," he said flustered.
"Mind if I have that shotgun?" Mara asked him.
"You're asking because my mother is in the hospital?" Berg asked.
"Yeah," Mara nodded.
Berg lowered his shotgun to Mara's chest. A car then suddenly rammed the police car knocking Berg out. Mara quickly escaped the police car without anyone seeing her change.
At the hospital, Lena took custody of Alex. "I can treat her," Lena said to a cop. She then ordered her people to take Alex away in a van.
A missile went straight for Metropolis General as the countdown reached zero. Supergirl raced after the missile but it hit the hospital before she could get to it. The hospital exploded and then collapsed on itself. Mara dropped down stunned by her failure.
"Was there anyone in there?" Mara asked Hank who was standing outside.
"They all got out" Hank lied to her.
Hank went back to his apartment and meditated on Black's whereabouts. With his powers, he searched for Black's mind. He finally found Black on the east side of the city near the bay. "Meet me at the docks," Hank called Mara.
That night, an alien ferry took off for Canada. They were alien refugees fed up with American intolerance and criminal chaos. The Children of Liberty quickly figured out what they were doing and ordered their own ferry to make sure the aliens got to their destination. As they got far enough into the bay, both ferries unexpectedly had engine failure. The crews of both ferries attempted to radio out but were blocked. On the Liberty ship, a crew member went down to the engine room only to find a hundred barrels of fuel rigged with explosives. The crew member came back up with a package. Inside the package was a detonator.
"Why would they give us the detonator to our own bomb?" the captain wondered. The alien ship also discovered the barrels of fuel and explosives along with the detonator.
"Tonight, you're all going to be part of a social experiment. Through the magic of diesel fuel and ammonium nitrate, I'm ready, right now, to blow you all sky-high. If anyone attempts to get off the boat, you all die. Each of you has a remote to blow up the other boat. At midnight, I blow you all up. If, however, one of you presses the button, I'll let that boat live. So, who's it going to be? The Children of Liberty scumbag collection or the sweet and innocent alien civilians? You choose. Oh, and you might want to decide quickly because the people on the other boat may not be so noble," Black said to both ferries through their intercom system and then mic dropped.
"Let's blow them the fuck up, right now!" a Liberty thug shouted.
"I signed up for beatings, intimidating, and harassing. I didn't sign up for mass murder," another Liberty thug said.
"What difference does it make whether they're dead or in Canada? They're gone," the first Liberty thug said.
"The more we debate this, the more time it gives to those aliens to blow us all up. We have families, American families," a third said.
"If we blow up that ferry, our movement is dead. We will never win over the American people. We'll forever be looked upon as a bunch of cowardly jackasses," another said.
"It's US or Them," the first Liberty thug said and then started a chant. He then took the detonator ready to push the button.
On the alien ferry, there was a sudden panic. "Those Liberty thugs had their chance. No one told them to follow us. They've broken into our homes, terrorized us, and murdered us," an alien woman said.
"If we kill them, we prove them right," another alien argued.
"I'm done with messages and politics. I must protect my family first and foremost. It's Us or Them," the alien woman said to everyone. The alien women took the detonator and considered pushing the button.
Hank and Supergirl flew over to the dock. Closing his eyes in concentration, Hank located Black in the unfinished skyscraper looking over the bay. "I have him," Hank said to Mara.
"I'll handle Black. You use your powers to drop those bombs out of the ship into the water," Mara said to him.
"I don't know if that will be enough depth to protect the ferries," Hank said uncertainly. "We're running out of time. They could both blow each other up at any moment."
"Do you have another suggestion?" Mara asked him.
Supergirl flew straight for the unfinished skyscraper and went inside taking out a Guy Fawkes. With her X-ray vision, she scanned the building seeing a number of Guy Fawkes, hostages, and an MPD SWAT team going up the elevator. She then saw another SWAT team on the roof. Mara then took off the Guy Fawkes mask of the one she took down and noticed he was a hostage. The police were on the verge of shooting all the hostages dead.
Mara took down the SWAT teams while also battling the Guy Fawkes hostages at the same time. With her X-ray vision, she then spotted Black on one of the high floors. The SWAT team reached the floor where the hostages and Guy Fawkes militants were at. Mara used her heat vision to keep the doors closed trapping the SWAT team inside. She then flew up to the floor where Black was.
"You made it after all. I'm so thrilled," Black smiled as Mara approached him.
"Where's the detonator?" Mara asked calmly.
"Go get her," Black ordered his dogs.
As Mara tossed the dogs off her, Black stuck a Kryptonite blade into Mara's gut. Black then thrashed Mara with a pipe continuously. Mara kicked Black away and then beat the dogs down. Black continued to beat on the weakened Mara with the pipe. Black finally tossed Mara through the glass window and then held her down with the pipe to her neck.
"We really should stop this fighting. We'll miss the fireworks," Black smiled.
"Wouldn't want to miss that," Mara said dryly.
"And here we go," Black said excitedly. After the deadline had passed, Black's face fell.
"What were you trying to prove?" Mara asked rhetorically. "That deep down, everyone is as fucked up as you? You're alone."
"You can't rely on anyone these days. You have to do everything yourself," Black said annoyed. "That's okay. I came prepared," Black said taking out his own detonator. To Mara's horror, he triggered it.
The ferries remained even after Black had triggered the bombs. "What the fuck?" Black wondered.
Mara suddenly overpowered Black and then grabbed him by the collar. Mara took Black over the ledge so his feet were dangling over a long drop.
"You won't let me go. This is what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object. You truly are incorruptible, aren't you? You won't kill me out of some misplaced sense of self-righteousness. And I won't kill you, because you're just too damn strong. Maybe, we will do this forever," Black chuckled.
"This city just showed you that the Children of Liberty and Aliens would never kill each other in cold-blood even if their own lives depended upon it," Mara said to him.
"Just wait until their spirits are truly broken," Black said to her. "Hat showed me some real shit. He showed me what the Russians are planning. You didn't think this conflict was just in the West, did you? World War Three is on the horizon, my friend.
"What the fuck are you talking about?" Mara asked.
"I have an ace in the hole, still. Your mother, Kara Zor-El, is still alive and kicking. When she gets here, you're all fucked," Black laughed hysterically.
Mara wasn't sure whether to believe Black. "The Russians took your sweet mother and turned her into their weapon. You'll see. Everything you see here will be gone in a blink of an eye and there's nothing you can do about it. Then, the humans and the aliens will truly turn on each other," Black predicted.
Mara noticed a crowd forming below the unfinished skyscraper. Cameras were zoomed in on Mara holding Black over the ledge. "What you waiting for, huh?" Black asked her.
"Any last words?" Mara asked him.
"My beautiful Fiona: Forgive me," Black said closing his eyes.
Mara dropped Black allowing him to fall to the ground. He laughed maniacally all the way until he hit the pavement close to the crowd. The crowd looked over Black to see that he was truly dead and then looked up at Mara. "She killed him," a man said pointing up at her.
The crowd then began to clap and hoot gratefully for what she had done. "Good job, Supergirl!" one man shouted.
Mara heard the cheering crowd and then turned away. As she did, she morphed into Hank.
The real Supergirl was at the docks with all the gasoline barrels and explosives all gathered together. She had gone through both boats, disconnected the wiring, and then gathered all the barrels out before the deadline. The EOD personnel came to the scene to make sure it was all secure.
"Good thing neither boat triggered these bombs," an EOD officer said to Mara.
"Yeah, good thing they didn't," Mara lied. She walked off away from the EOD and threw two triggered detonators into the bay.
Mara flew into L Corp. tower and found medical personnel clapping for her as she arrived. "Good work, Supergirl," Col. Haley said pleased.
"Where's Alex?" Mara asked Brainiac 5 as he greeted her.
"This way," Brainiac 5 showed her.
Mara looked upon Alex as she slept in a hospital bed alongside James. The left side of her face was still heavily damaged but was slowly regenerating with Lena's treatment. "Her face should be completely healed by morning. Her hair may take a little longer to grow out," Brainiac 5 said to Mara.
"Still, the emotional healing will take even longer," Brainiac 5 figured.
"What have I done, Barney? Despite going back in time, I have failed to make Alex happy. She is still in as much danger as before I came. She's still alone. Can the future truly be changed?" Mara wondered.
"Before we came, we knew very little of her life. Slowly but surely, I am filling in the gaps," Brainiac 5 said.
"I feel like quitting for good," Mara said defeated.
"Consider this," Brainiac 5 said pointing her to CNN on a TV.
"Supergirl is being hailed as a hero for saving Metropolis from the Black menace," an anchorwoman narrated. Mara then saw other videos of pundits and commentators praising her.
"I didn't kill him, though," Mara said confused.
"It doesn't matter. The nation loves you, again," Brainiac 5 told her.
Mara became memorized by the positive press she was receiving, not just from the punditry but from average citizens. "Give your love back to them," Brainiac 5 advised her.
"Maybe tomorrow. Tonight, I'm staying here with Alex," Mara said to Brainiac 5.
"Very good," Brainiac 5 nodded and left her with Alex.