Red Tornado's hands started spinning at a rapid pace, creating little tornados, one for each hand. Supergirl felt the force of the tornados building and coming at her, bouncing back before they could reach her. The robot didn't seem fazed, firing two missiles out of each wrist. The little missiles hit Supergirl in the chest, not even leaving a burn mark. Thinking on her feet (or in this case in the air) Supergirl dived behind the red tin can, head first into the ground. The robot lost sight of her instantly and even though it was built to detect Supergirl, she was protected by the ground she was currently digging through at an inhuman pace. Using her X-ray vision to guide her, once she was under the red beings feet, she burst out of the ground, sending the hideous robot flying to the ground. Red Tornado tried getting on to it's knees only to be met by Supergirl's fist, punching it right in the head over and over and over again. The anger she had been holding back coming out to a point where it was taking over.
Atrocita who had been leaning against the military trucks suddenly stood up straight, Supergirl's anger grabbing her full attention. Well, well, well. Would you looks at that. Looks like the Girl of Steel has some anger hidden under that cape.
In the tent, Red Tornado's creator was overlooking the droids vitals on a tablet. His face turning sour as the screen turns red and high pitched beeping screamed out of it's speakers. "It's experiencing system damage. The test is over pull the plug. Now." Alex reached to the intercom in her ear "Supergirl, You won." But the assault Supergirl was dishing out on the Red Tornado continued. The Red bot reaching up to grab her only for it's arm to be met by her freezing breath which eventually snapped off. It took the Director having to scream through his own headset for her to back down, only till she heard telling her the fight was over did she finally calm down. Breathing heavily, shocked at how much the anger took out of her.
The robot slumped down as it power depleted, only a few seconds later it powered back on taking off into the air, disappearing.
Everyone who was in the tent ran out to join Supergirl, all looking in the air trying to locate the missing robot. Alex put her hand on her sister's arm looking her over "Are you hurt?"
"No, no, but I can't see it."
"She must have triggered it's Self Preservation function. It's gone into stealth mode making it completely undetectable."
"Not completely" said the familiar demonic voice of Atrocita.
Everyone turned to look at the Red Lantern who was back to leaning against the trucks with a smug look on her face.
General Lane looked at her with doubt. "What? you can see it?"
"Well yeah." She said as she swiped her hand upwards, creating a red screen in front of her. "All you have to do is do a scan for disturbances in wind patterns. Since the piece of junk flies in a tornado he's gonna light up like a Christmas tree." She said then swiping away the holographic screen. "Easy…. Well easy for Lantern I guess."
"Well what are you waiting for? Go after it!" the General yelled.
"No can do Pops. You made me sign that contract remember? Now let me think, what did it say again? Oh right, I'm not allowed to interfere in the fight whatsoever, which I didn't. Nor am I aloud to engage in any kind of contact with the Red Tornado. Even ask Agent Danvers she has the paper work and she even watched me sign it." The general's anger was rising by the minute, he got so mad that even his ears went red.
He needed someone to blame and who better than the Girl of Steel. He pointed at the Super hero, accusingly, "This is your fault!"
Supergirl's eyes went wide at the accusation. You've got to be kidding me.
"Wrong again General Grumpy Butt" Atrocita said "While Supergirl was kicking that Trash Can's ass I was doing a little analysis on it.
It has lead in it's dermal covering, so not only was it designed to be undetectable by human eyes but also to Kryptonian's. That's why you wanted to Supergirl to fight it, to see how it would fare against it's real target. You had every intention of using the Red Tornado to kill Kryptonians. So if anyone is to blame Old Man, it's you."
Just beside Atrocita a red cartoon dog that was obviously Scooby Doo appeared "Jeeze Louise Scoob we solved another case" Atrocita mimicked in character of Shaggy from the seventies cartoon, lifting her hand in a high five which the dog met by jumping up and hitting her hand with his paw, panting and waging his tale as Atrocita gave a chuckle.
Once the dog disappeared the Red Lantern made a show of looking at her watch which she didn't have and started walking "Well it's about time I head off, thanks for the show guys, it was heaps of fun."
As she was about to pass Supergirl she spoke under her breath so only the super could hear "Meet me on the cliff a few miles south of here, you can't miss it. I'll help you out." Supergirl met the Lantern's eye only to receive a wink with that cheeky smile of hers at which Kara found herself blushing and her heart racing. "Good Luck finding that heap of junk!" she waved before taking off into the air heading south where she was to meet Supergirl.
An hour later Supergirl managed to finally get away from the DEO but not before witnessing General Lane fire Red Tornado's creator: Dr Morrow.
Supergirl wondered what Atrocita meant when she said she would help her. She made it pretty clear that she didn't want to help find Red Tornado even though at the moment it looks like she is the only one who can. As she made her way south, the Red Lantern Atrocita, consumed her mind, just like CJ did these last few days. But the more she thought about Atrocita the more confused she got. Clark said that the Red Lanterns were known to be monsters! Consumed by their rage and hatred that they can't think of anything else to the point where they become animalistic, Atrocita was nothing like that.
The cliff that Atrocita mentioned was in view and long and behold Kara could start to see a little red figure standing on top at the edge. Standing straight, holding her hands behind her back Atrocita looked out at the world before her as she waited for Supergirl to land, knowing she was near. Hearing the Super's boots meeting the ground she turned with a closed smile. Just as Atrocita was about to speak Supergirl raised her hand for her to wait. "I have something I need to say first." The Lantern nodded for her to continue. "What's your intensions Atrocita? Red Lanterns are monsters who crave for vengeance and blood but when I look at you I see none of that. To me you seem to just want to have fun and that you take nothing seriously. You can literally do anything with that ring and yet you use it to conjure cartoon dogs. I need to know what you get out of helping me or even just hanging around the DEO."
Atrocita gave her an amused look, "Hmph. You're one to talk Supergirl. Everyone one thinks you're this mighty being who could do no wrong, only has the interests of the people at heart and yet you have so much anger bundled up you're ready to explode.
Despite what you think you know of the Red Lanterns you still humour me with friendly conversation. Most beings who know of the Lanterns of Rage flee before me, or show fear through and through, but you, you talk to me like an equal. You're not the only one on this cliff who is confused Kryptonian." Atrocita said as she stared Kara in the eyes, her hands still behind her back, with her long black coat flapping in the wind along with her black hair. "I asked you to meet me here so I can help you. Right now that's all my intentions are. Let me show you how I can help and then I'll fill you in on my origin since you're so intent on knowing." The Lantern offered.
Supergirl put her hands on her hips "Fine. What are you offering to help with?"
Atrocita giggled "Your anger of course! Remember according to you it's the only thing I know." The lantern walked up close to Supergirl, taking her position behind her. "When you were beating the crap out of Red Tornado you lost control.
With the position you hold, you can't afford to do that so I'm going to teach you how to control it." She said easily enough, Atrocita got even closer behind Kara to the point where she could feel the red masked woman's breath on her neck. She pointed in front of Kara, out into the world before them. "Look out there Supergirl. Out there is a world full of good people who look to you for guidance." The lady in red's voice lowered to a calming tone to the point where even the demonic echoes died down. "But along with the good comes the bad. People who see you as a threat to them and who are willing to try anything to drag you down.
Next time you feel anger, tense, mad, anything negative, I want you to take a deep breath" Atrocita placed her hand on Kara's abdomen guiding her slow, calming breaths, the touch alone made Kara melt.
"Take in the air we all breathe on this earth as living beings, each with a soul and think about all the people you love, cherish, lost. And think every time you put on that suit and go out there and do what you do, you do it for them.
So the good people of this world don't have to feel the bad, so they can feel safe and inspired to do good for the ones they love so the cycle can continue. Store the anger for when someone threatens the light that out shines the darkness. We let it out, for the fires of our hate can light the way for those in fear of the dark. You let it out against the foes you struggle to fight, in one massive blast so that they won't have the chance to fight back and hurt the ones you love.
Don't fight the hate Supergirl, feel it through your body so you can recognise it and tame it. It'll take a while to get used to but when you master it, it will become one of your most vital allies." Kara turned her head to look Atrocita in her red eyes, her eyes flickering to her lips every now and then, wondering what they would feel like against her own. Lost in each other's eyes for god knows how long, until a nearby bird squawked breaking them out of their hypnosis, the two stepping away, clearing their throats.
"So is that what you do, is that why you're not like the Red Lanterns I've heard about?" the super asked.
"No. With me it's a little different." The Lantern walked to the edge of the cliff at sat on the edge letting her feet dangle, Kara eventually made her way over to do the same next to her. "I grew up with a monster, they would hurt me and someone I loved. When the monster wasn't a threat anymore the person I loved left me, and so one night I was out after dark and a group of thugs pulled me into an alley way and pinned me down. They started tugging at my clothes and after that, I just remember getting so angry. My whole life I spent in fear of a monster and when that monster's gone, how does life repay me? By taking away the one person I cherished and left me here to be beaten and raped.
There wasn't any fear left in me, just anger. I remember a red light floating in the air and then my vision blurred and I let go. I killed everyman in that alley and I loved it. I loved it so much I hunted for it at night. When I met the leader of the Red Lanterns: Atrocitus he named me Lycos because I hunted thugs like a wolf, and like all the others I didn't have control of my mind I just wanted blood and revenge.
But one day when another group of ass holes lured a young girl into an alley. I did what I always did, I slaughtered them. After it was done I went to see if she was ok and…" The Lantern had tears in her eyes, having to take a deep breath as she relived her memory, "the way she looked at me, her eyes weren't relieved. They were full of fear. The same fear filled eyes I had when I was growing up with that monster, and that broke through to me, I looked at myself in a nearby window and I saw the monster I spent my whole life running from looking back at me.
So every time I felt the hate take over I thought of the monster I didn't want to be. When I went back to the rest of the Red Lanterns I started teaching them how to control the hate. How to use it for good and after a long time of arguing and fighting with Atrocitus he saw I was right too and he named me Atrocita after him. And that's basically it. Ever since then I've tried to redeem myself for all the lives I've taken." The woman sniffled trying to dry her tears. "Think you can trust me now?"
Kara gave her a small nod "yeah, I'm uh sorry I missed judged you."
"Don't worry about it, just try not to judge someone on out dated info, yeah?"
"Yeah, I'll do that." Supergirl replied as she ran her hand threw her blond hair "Don't suppose you have any idea on where Red Tornado is do you?" The Super asked with a shy voice.
Atrocita let out a deep breath "Because you asked, trying looking at that Morrow guy. After you beat his bot's ass up, his anger spiked, it's probably a lot worse since he got fired."
"How'd you know about that?"
"Hatred speaks to us Red Lanterns. It literally runs through our veins. His hatred was singing like a canary!"
"Hmm, ok I'll check it out."
Just as Supergirl was about to take off Atrocita called to her. "Hey Supergirl?"
"Hmm?" she turned to the Lantern to see her patting her stomach.
"Remember deep breaths and think of your loved ones."
At that moment all Kara could think about was how close they got and what it felt like to have Atrocita's hands on her, in turn making her cheeks go red, "I will" she replied in a high pitch squeak, taking off as quickly as possible hoping her flustered face we unnoticed.
