Lena's fingers tapped impatiently. Sam swallowed hard and mustered up the courage to tackle the rotation of aggravated and upset expressions on Lena's face.
"If he's a World Killer, should we really be inviting him here?" she said.
"I've been dealing with him for a while now, if he wanted to hurt me he could have easily done so already," Lena said. Her tone was flat, it sounded like she was trying to hide any real emotion. Her fingers continued to tap at her desk.
"Why hasn't he shown any signs or had any side-effects?" she said. Lena grabbed the book and flicked back to whichever page she had read and pushed it in front of her. The page was a similar lay-out to her own, though it lacked any symbols or sketches. She picked up the book and read.
"Catalyst.
For a long time, I believed there were four World Killers, the beacon had a symbol, name and description for each. However, as I studied into the derivations and universal markers for languages, I kept spotting a recurring theme across all the artefacts that made mention of the these four. Words that roughly translated to "activate" or "trigger" would often be mentioned as well. Despite the lack of clarity and some inconsistencies, the more I find on it the more I am convinced that this catalyst is a fifth entity. The purpose seems to relate largely to lurking beneath the surface, gathering information and finding the other four when the time was right. Gifting them ascension to become the saviors they were meant to be. This is clearly a sign from Krypton. Catalyst is aptly named. A secret and silent prophet to bring forth the Earth's redemption."
The remaining notes commented more on the lack of direct information on this prophet and even contradictions the author had found over the years. She read through it all again.
"What makes you think Spark is this, fifth World Killer?" She said.
"He's a nameless man that lives and breathes information." Lena paused, she was speaking harshly and stopped to hold herself back. "From the very start he's known a suspiciously large amount about the World Killers, I was just too distracted to clock it until now. Also, that beacon's announcement was likely in Kryptonian, which he understood."
"But his purpose is to activate World Killers or something similar doesn't line up. I'd never seen him before I became Reign." Sam said.
"There's a lot that doesn't align. We found another World Killer in Metropolis, he visited her and nothing overtly dangerous seems to have come from it. That's the only reason he's on his way here and I haven't set Supergirl on him," she said. Going through the reasoning was having a calming effect on Lena, she became more measured the longer she spoke.
"Speak of the devil," Spark's voice rang across the office. He was leaning in the doorway, again wearing a plain hoodie. His arms were folded and expression was neutral. Lena's expression hardened again.
"None of the theatrics," Lena said. He gave a small nod. He pulled up a third chair, planting himself on the opposite side of Lena's desk. Sam felt uneasy as he pulled up next to her, he threw a small salute her way.
"Reign," he said, acknowledging her.
"Please don't call me that," she said.
"Probably should have thought of that before showing up at the cult," he said.
"No, you don't get to talk like that, not anymore. You have a hell of a lot to explain and I am rapidly running short of patience," Lena said. Spark looked to the floor before swinging himself round to face Lena.
"I'm sorry, just habit. I should be grateful you're hearing me out at all," he said.
"You're right, you should," she said. He shifted uncomfortably.
"Well, you seem to have figured some of it out. What exactly do you want to know?" He said. She tapped the book.
"Colville's description of this fifth World Killer is too similar to you for coincidence, not to mention your knowledge and language skills. I can only guess this is the real reason you wanted to keep me and Supergirl away from this all," Lena said, he looked like he was about to talk but Lena cut him off with a thoughtful expression. "Why all the games with me, all this time you gradually showed your hand, you must have known I'd find out." His head tilted slightly and a grin rose on his face at Lena's latest line of questioning.
"A mistake on my part, one I told myself I wouldn't make again," he said.
"Revealing your true nature?" Sam cut in. He turned to her and the smile dropped.
"No, making a friend," he said. Lena's eye's narrowed.
"A very touching ay to avoid answering," Lena said. He turned back to her, his speech was slow, almost reminiscent.
"Speak plainly, right. Well Colville's wrong, as are you technically. I'm not some mystery fifth World Killer. I was supposed to be the first. When Superman was just a baby I'd already been on this planet for decades. Long story short, when I first landed the whole "World Killer" programming didn't take. I had my freedom, so I set myself up with a life," He leaned back and rubbed his forehead. Lena was content just to listen intently.
"Wait, so how old are you exactly?" Sam asked.
"Oh, I lose track. Kryptonian calendar doesn't exactly line-up with Earth's. I claimed I was twenty-seven when I first ended up on Earth back in the 1950s,"
"You're in your nineties?" Sam said. Lena still content to listen wordlessly.
"Probably older, but I've never bothered to work it out." He chuckled as he looked at her. "That disbelief you're sporting, it's not new. When I first arrived on Earth, I went and got myself a normal life. I had friends, people I knew, people I loved." He sighed.
"As the years went on it was always the same comments. "How do you stay so energetic?" "I can't keep up with you these days."" His expression slowly dropped. ""You haven't aged a day since I met you." Despite his slow speaking, he took a pause for breath.
"They withered, they greyed. Age started to take hold of them and I stayed the same. Whether it was alterations that had been made to me or whether it was just being Kryptonian, it became obvious that my lifespan was far longer than those around me. That man I was had to die, if I left it much longer they'd all have known something was up. I had to become this. Monarch, Spark, any name that tickled my fancy. A detached drifter who would learn what he needed and move on."
"Why didn't you tell them?" Sam said. He raised an eyebrow at her.
"Not exactly easy to broach the subject, I couldn't just rock up and tell them I was an immortal alien," he said.
"They might have understood," she said. He laughed.
"Things were different then, people didn't think aliens existed. Even when Superman first started flying around people didn't believe it. It's not like today where you see them wondering the streets. That's all beside the point now anyway. The people that knew me have either mourned me and moved on, or have died themselves," he said. The two of them were mildly startled when Lena decided to speak.
"Soon after we first met, you told me you were married to your lifestyle. You were telling the truth, weren't you?" She said. He smiled again.
"Never said it was a happy marriage. I also told you I didn't know who I was, a truth in its own way. It was after I left those people behind, despite my drifting I still kept my ears out, I found out about Kryptonian relics and tech still dropping down to Earth. Along with humans that were collecting them. I could only assume it was related to my initial purpose and the trail led me to National City. When I shifted from a regular guy to what I am today," he said.
"So where do I fit into this. Why not just tell me, you know I would have understood," Lena said.
"You don't get it do you? Immortality, Lena. I had to watch people I cared about slowly die while all I could do was just carry on. I promised myself I wouldn't let it happen again. Then you waltzed along, at first you were like any other. A mark, an asset, whatever you want to call it. Then you suggested we keep meeting. Made sense at first, keeping a useful asset on side. I didn't realize what was happening until it was too late. You could talk to me about your problems openly and for me there was someone who merrily listened to my garbage. I play the fool and test patience so my recurring contacts don't get too close. You saw through that and gave as good as you got…" he adjusted in his seat straightening his posture. He cleared his throat.
"I didn't tell you at first, for obvious reasons. As it became clear the truth would come out, I told myself to detach and move on again. I simply couldn't bring myself to do it. I enjoyed being myself with someone too much to let it go. So I skated by, wondering how to broach this whole World Killer association I have this late in the game. And now here we are, I know that I will have to watch you age and die too. Just another to add to the list of those I've lost. Perhaps no forgiveness from you would make my life easier," he said. Lena was quiet for a moment, processing what had been said. Sam filled the silence again, worried about some of the implications he was making as a World Killer.
"You mentioned alterations and programming, what do you mean?" she said. He was distracted, trying to read Lena's reaction, but obliged her question.
"It's why I wanted you hear actually. World Killers aren't just average Kryptonians. We were genetically designed to react and mutate in specific ways to the yellow sun. I was made to blend in, gather information and pass it on to you when you were to be activated. It's why I appear so human. I have heightened senses and can heal myself like nobody's business, but the strength, flight, laser eyes and all that nonsense must have been too obvious, so that was suppressed when I was tinkered with. I figured the whole immortality thing would make me stick out too much as well. Turned out not to be the case, apparently I was down here for the long game. Which brings me to you." He looked over at Lena again before looking back at her, it was not until now that he had avoided making direct eye contact with her.
"I'm no scientist and only have a very basic grasp on how the genetics of it all works… when all is said and one you're a Kryptonian and I'm guessing your daughter's father is human. The fact your Kryptonian biology would have been suppressed at the time also raises a whole wealth of questions, but my point is…" he stopped himself for a moment, like he was trying to find the right words. She feared she already knew what he was going to say.
"You think I'm going to outlive Ruby." She said, he looked away again, unable to maintain eye contact.
"I've shown no signs of ageing for seventy years. My logical guess is that all World Killers were designed to last far longer than a human lifetime, not just me. You'll stay the same while your daughter ages regularly," he said. She froze, piecing together the implications.
"What do I do?" She said.
"I don't know, if I were any good at dealing with this, I doubt I'd be sitting here right now at Lena's mercy," he said. Her breathing became quiet as she stared off at nothing in-particular.
"You have all this information, you knew the cult. Why did you even seek help?" Lena said, once more taking the two of them by surprise.
"I was sent to this planet before the other four were mostly theory. I assume some sort of programming was meant to update my lack of knowledge over the years. As that didn't take, all I had were vague concepts. A lot of what I know is what I've pieced together myself or learnt from the cult. More learning requires contacts, eyes and ears," he said. Lena's stern gaze held. Neither of them dared disrupt the silence before she made her next decision.
"Go to the D.E.O., Sam and I will follow you shortly. I get the feeling you're going to explain whatever's going on with that beacon and the World Killers in a lot more detail, so you may as well tell everyone at once,"
"I don't think…" He started, Lena cut him off.
"Look, Monarch, I want to believe our friendship is genuine. But I just can't let you keep this up if you're playing me. So it's all hands on deck, regardless of how you may feel about them," she said. He looked like he wanted to respond or retort, but he swallowed his pride and nodded. He put the chair back in place and addressed Sam.
"For what's it's worth. I'm sorry about my first impression. I suspected the DEO would be lazy with your protection and wanted to spook them into looking after you more closely, figured they could use someone who understood Kryptonian on hand as well. Didn't account for CADMUS swooping in and making them so jumpy that they'd throw you in the field," he said. She just nodded at him, there were too many thoughts to deal with. He stood at the desk, a little lost.
"Well I guess I'll be on my way, no escort or failsafe?" He said.
"No. If we get to the D.E.O. and you aren't there. I guess I'll know this was all another elaborate lie and I can move on," she said. He hesitated, as if there was a lot he wanted to say. Instead, a half-smile crept on to his face.
"See you at the D.E.O.," he said. He backed off and left the office, there was no swagger in his step. The door swung shut, Lena slumped back and closed her eyes. She seemed exhausted. After a few moments to herself she sat back up again.
"I can run tests on you and Ruby, find out if his fears have any validity," Lena said.
"I don't think I want that. Not yet. I need to time to get my head around it," she said. Her brain was frozen, it was difficult to even comprehend the ton of bricks that had been dropped on her.
"I wish I could tell you I understood what you're feeling, all I can do is try to make it better," Lena said. Sam had no intention of talking about it further for now, instead she looked over at the closed door.
"You're just trusting him, why?" She asked. Lena looked down at her desk and started to fiddle with a few bits and bobs.
"Because I believe him," Lena said.
"Why, has he done anything to earn this sort of faith?" she said. Lena fidgeted and looked past her.
"I've been in his position. Backed in a corner with no reason for anyone to give him of the benefit of the doubt and a nasty label to drag him down even further. I came out of It stronger because someone took a chance on me despite all reason and logic going the other way," Lena glanced off at nothing and carried on.
"I also used to believe that I couldn't get close to people, it takes its toll, makes you believe the stupidest things like keeping one's burdens to themselves is better for everyone. I was dragged into the light because someone believed in me. I have to pay that forward. Sure, I could lash out. I could blame him for betraying me or come up with some elaborate scheme to pay him back. But one's own pain is never an excuse for a lack of empathy."
"It can't be that simple," Sam said.
"Why not? If anything, how he acts from hear on will show us his intentions. He can't stand the D.E.O., if he turns himself in that's at least a step to knowing his allegiances. Besides, it's not like Supergirl would have any issue dealing with him now we know who he is or once was," she said.
"It's a hell of a risk," she said.
"I'm willing to bet his involvement with World Killers wasn't his choice, same way you didn't choose it and the same way I didn't choose to be a Luthor. I think he's doing the best with what we has," Lena said.
"And if you're wrong?" She said.
"Then I'm wrong. But he's known about that cult before I even met him, he could have easily stepped in and made them far more dangerous." She stood up and straightened out her clothing. "You also said that beacon announced secondary protocols. Call it an educated guess, but I think Catalyst was the primary means of activating it, which he could have easily done by now if he so chose."
She looked out the window with an uneasy expression. Sam joined her, there was logic along with her sentimentality and Lena had a clearer idea of what was going on than she did. Despite this, it was still difficult to understand her faith in this strange man. Though it was hard to think clearly at all, the sheer confusion over the concept of outliving Ruby was like an out of body experience that she could not bring herself back from.