It took until the afternoon before the DEO got an alert on their screens with the location of Hank Henshaw's militia. The agents started mobilising as Alex sprinted into the control centre to call out to Brainy. "What do we have?" she asked.
"The alarm from a privately owned facility in Metropolis was triggered thirty seconds ago" Brainy reported, rapidly tapping his tablet bringing up his screens. The large monitors covering the wall brought up a map of the city and the plant the alarm was coming from. "It's one of the designated sites of the experimental fusion reactor" Brainy confirmed. "Our net of detection was efficient."
"Bring up the security feeds" she ordered.
One of the technicians entered a few commands at their computer and brought up a series of security camera feeds live from the facility. The DEO set up the network with the government bodies organising the reactors so they'd have direct access immediately. All alerts were routed through the HQ so they were signalled the second someone called the alarm. It worked as Alex and her agents watched Hanks Militia storm the facility with assault weaponry while the man himself neutralised the security forces.
"How soon can we mobilise our forces?" she asked.
"Ten minutes" someone replied.
"It'll take us fifteen to get there from here" Brainy warned.
Alex deemed that too long given how efficient this crew was. She pulled down her sleeve and found her signal watch on her wrist, flipping open the face press the red button in the shape of a S.
Across the city, Kara's ears picked up the signal and shot to her feet. She turned and saw both Jimmy Olsen and Nia Nal notice her standing and sat up at their desks. She almost made a break for the exit to rush to her sister's side but she guessed this wasn't about her safety, so instead she pulled out her phone and signalled for Nia to join her in James office.
"How fast can you get there?" Alex told her through her headset after quickly debriefing Kara on the situation.
Kara was standing in Olsen's office with the soundproof doors firmly closed as her allies listened in, Alex's voice coming through the speakerphone. "In less than a minute" she replied, adrenaline starting to pump in her system.
"We're coming with you" Nia said.
"It'll take us too long to cross to Metropolis to be of any assistance" Brainy pointed out.
"I don't care, you're not going alone" James told Kara with conviction. "Not while that other guy might be with him."
"He's right" Nia nodded.
Kara appreciated the concern and the support, but there was no way she could carry both of them in their costumes all the way to Metropolis in time. "Call Jon, tell him to meet me at the facility" she suggested. It wasn't she didn't feel ready to fight Hank again, but she'd be a fool not to take the back-up after the last few attempts.
Nia nodded, already texting Jon. James moved around his desk removing his tie. "We'll join you as soon as we can" he said, determined not to leave this to them alone. Metropolis wasn't as far away from Nation City as everyone thought, but it would still be a trek.
Kara knew it was fruitless arguing with him so she allowed him to rush off with Nia downstairs while she stepped out onto the balcony and whipped into her costume. Seconds later she was leaping into the air and rocketing through the sky towards Metropolis with a second blur following behind her.
Downstairs, Nia and James changed into their costumes and ducked into a private garage where Olsen kept his motorcycle. He was wearing his grey Guardian armour leaving the helmet for last as he climbed onto his ride. Nia hopped on behind him in her blue outfit, taking James offer of a helmet before he put his on. "Are you sure we'll make it in time?" she asked sceptically.
"Trust me" he said, his voice coming out as a growl through the inbuilt modulator as he revved the engine and hit the throttle. The motorcycle peeled into the streets and raced through the traffic as fast as it was able following the Kryptonian's trajectory.
Over in Metropolis, the power plant housing the fusion reactor was in disarray as militia forces forced their way through the armed personal guarding it and into the facility. Hank hovered above the entrance looking out to the police cars racing towards them frantically. With a stern glower he fired an optic beam and cut a gorge bisecting the road kicking up a wall of flames preventing anyone else from getting into the facility. His men were already inside and while it looked like they were trapped Henshaw already had an exit strategy in mind. He dropped to the ground admiring his handiwork until he heard a familiar sonic boom in the distance. He turned his head and was not surprised to find Supergirl coming in to land in the entryway with a thud.
"Hank Henshaw!" she called out, looking much more confident this time as she stood between the cyborg superman and the facility.
Hank chuckled. "I see you have your head on straight this time Supergirl" he observed, noting her posture and controlled arrogance. She was a lot less antagonistic than her last encounter, which was disappointing. She made for a much more worthy opponent when she was angry.
"You won't get away this time" a new voice told him as a second figure landed beside Supergirl. This one was a green skinned alien taller than her dressed in a purple and red armour and cape. His red eyes peered into Hank with a mix of calm and remembrance.
Hank remembered him to, his gaze dropping quickly into a scowl. "Martian" he hissed, rocketing immediately to tackle the Manhunter.
Hank Henshaw and Jon Jones shared a turbulent history, one laced with betrayal, hatred and bloodshed. Hank was one of the first to encounter the Martian when he landed on earth, and since then the alien stole him face and his identity. If it wasn't for Cadmus labs Hank might've died. In reality though, Hank saw all aliens as a threat and abused his position as the director of the DEO to hunt them down, even forcing Kara's foster father Jeremiah to help learn how to combat kryptonians. He hunted Jon for years until Jeramiah sacrificed himself to save the Martian, after which Jon made it his mission to reform the DEO by impersonating Hank. Hank was rescued by Cadmus and altered, his hatred for both Jon and all aliens intensifying.
The cybernetic alterations also made him technically stronger than Supergirl, which she almost forgot about until the man rocketed past her fast than even she could blink and collided with the Martian Manhunter sending them barrelling into a brick wall. The two combatants crashed through a building pummelling each other until Jon phased through the cyborg to escape the grapple. Before the man could get his bearings he was hit with an uppercut sending him into the air. Supergirl followed up Jon's punch with a haymaker that sent the man careening into the sky away from the facility. Hank stabilised himself quickly, glaring at the two of them as they floated side by side.
"Go deal with the militia" Jon ordered Kara. His telepathy told him they were rushing towards the reactor room, which needed defending. "I'll deal with this" he told her.
Kara didn't want to leave Jon to fight Hank alone, but she could hear the same thing Jon was reading, including the deaths of the security fighting to stop the militia. So she reluctantly peeled away from the fight and sped into the facility to intercept the soldiers.
Hank saw Kara leave and smiled. He wanted the Martian to himself. Jon braced for the next attack, only to be met with an optic beam instead. He crossed his arms and blocked it, the laser cutting into his armour making him cry out as the heat burned his flesh. For a moment panic threatened to set in but he pushed it down, controlling his fear long enough to see the cyborg rocketing back towards him. He shot forward to meet the man, their clash creating a loud thunder clap that shook the district.
Now that Kara was thinking much more rationally and a lot less recklessly, she was able to get a better look at the facility these men were robbing. It was a rudimentary power plant supplying energy to the district with several different failsafe procedures in case things went wrong. She used her x-ray vision to map out the maze of corridors before she dash through one of the doors, flying down to her feet and using her speed to race through the maze cutting off the militia moments before they broke through the double doors into the reactor room.
She rounded a corner faster than they could react and shoulder barged into them, slowing her momentum enough so her collision only knocked them unconscious rather than killed them. They hit the wall and collapsed like ragdolls as Kara came to a stop in the middle of the large hallway. She looked up at the rest of the armed men who suddenly stumbled realising she was in their way. She didn't bother with a warning as the men at the front immediately lifted their weapons and started shooting at her, the bullets bouncing off her skin.
She inhaled slowly, calling on the training and years of experience before dashing down the hallway to neutralise the soldiers. She zipped between each man in the blink of an eye, crushing their weapons in her hands before either throwing them against each other or jabbing at their bodies in the right spot to use her enhanced strength to pacify them. One by one they dropped like stones until the bullets stopped firing. Within the space of a few seconds the hallway was littered with groaning or unconscious bodies. Then she exhaled.
She turned to the sound of boots running up to her, whipping her blonde hair from her eyes to see another wave of militia approaching with their weapons raised. She stepped over their fallen comrades and stood in their path, warning them "this doesn't have to get difficult." But then they surprised her when the first two rows parted to the sides and revealed a large man holding a two handled cannon like a minigun. Only this wasn't a minigun as an orb of blue energy glowed from its barrel.
Kara's eyes widened, the memory of the equipment used to rob the Axis truck flashing through her mind before she was hit with the same energy sending her flying backward. This time someone appeared to have improved the output because the blast was much more focused and powerful, launching the woman across the hallway and crashing through the heavy double doors into the reactor room where she landed in a cloud of dust. She rolled onto her heels and skidded to a stop, waving unsteadily on her feet as she looked back up to the militia pouring into the large chamber.
Of course they came prepared for this she thought. If she'd been paying attention at the last power plant she might've noticed if they were using the same equipment to rob that reactor too. She scanned the crew and found the other two weapons, the laser cutter and the gravity field generator carried by two other men. She made sure they wouldn't be used by prioritising the three of them while the rest of the militia ran for the reactor.
The first weapon she disabled was the energy cannon, her super speed bringing her directly in front of the man jamming the weapon with her arm to prevent him from aiming it. She then used her frost breath to freeze its circuitry and inner parts until the whole device was frozen solid. The mask man stared at the weapon as he tried to fire it, the trigger frozen in place leaving him at Supergirl's mercy as she head-butted him knocking him to the ground. She let go of the device and let it crash to the floor shattering in a pile of ice and scrap.
The second target was the gravity field weapon, while almost managed to catch her in its area of effect. Luckily she registered the tingle of energy in the air around her and darted to the side to avoid it. the man saw a blur as the rubble and scrap floated in the air where she was standing, turning his head to the side sensing her presence behind him attempting to bring the weapon around to try again. She grabbed the scruff of his neck and yanked him backwards, the sudden momentum throwing his arms up sending the weapon out of his hands before he crashed into the floor stunned. Kara grabbed the weapon out of the air and crushed it between her palms.
Her third target was the laser cutter, though she wasn't sure how much of a threat it would be to her. But understanding how volatile this reactor could be she didn't want to risk such a weapon damaging the machinery. Fortunately the man couldn't do much with it as she ripped it from his hands pinning his body to a wall using her optic beams to melt it to sludge. The man stared at her silently as she looked at him apologetically before throwing him across the room to tumble into a few more of his friends.
After that it would've been a matter of clean up if she hadn't heard Jon's screams of pain from outside. She froze mid fight to contemplate her options, several militia men still in the reactor room taking cover from her. She could've pacified all of them within moments but Jon sounded like he needed her help. And not one to ignore her friends in trouble she flew out of the window to save him leaving the stragglers to ponder when she'd be coming back for them.
While Kara was dispatching the militia inside, Jon and Hanks fought furiously outside. Jon kept the battle to the air so there wasn't any collateral damage, the ferocity of their combat devastating enough as blows connected with each other high above. Thunder clapped with each punch as they circled and pummelled one another. Hank's attacks were powerful and full of fury, whereas Jon was focused and coordinated, using his intangibility to evade many attacks before increasing his density to knock Hank back to the ground.
They landed in a nearby construction site where the logo of Horizon Pharmaceuticals emblazoned a billboard promoting an upcoming facility before it was burnt down by one of Hank's optic beams. Jon weaved around him in a wide arc until the beam struck the large oil tank stationed nearby, the container erupting in a large fireball that threw the Martian to the floor raining burning oil everywhere. Jon collapsed in the middle of the flames and gasped, his eyes darting around in panic as he found himself surrounded.
Instantly his mind conjured memories of his home burning and the screams of his fellow Martians, the same fear ripping through his mind as he recalled the agony of their deaths and his own grief. He fought to stand up but his body was paralysed, his fear locking his limbs into place until he was unable to move. He couldn't breathe, as if his lungs were filling with smoke.
Hank stepped through the flames and found the Martian petrified, a smug expression on his face as he approached him delivering a metal foot to his jaw. "I forgot you had a thing about fire" he commented, stepping him his chest crushing it beneath his heel. He fired a laser from his eye and cut into the alien's shoulder making him scream in pain, burning through his skin before shutting it off. He was going to enjoy cutting this thing up. "You're going to feel what it's like to have part of you cut apart. Only unlike me, you won't be put back together" he growled.
Just as he was beginning to torture the green Martian the man was interrupted by Supergirl who came in through the fire and kicked him square in the chest sending him tumbling across the construction site. She stopped next to Jon and blow out the fire with her super breath, her lung capacity able to put of the fire entirely. She knelt by Jon and helped him to his feet asking if he was alright. "I'll be fine" he panted, wincing from the burns healing on his shoulder as the fear subsided. He felt very embarrassed about being thwarted in such a manner once again. Kara didn't say anything, even though her concerned expression spoke volumes.
Fortunately Hank wasn't happy about being interrupted as he climbed out of the pile of scaffolding he crashed into. As metal piping fell off him back a voice suddenly chimed in his ear from the cybernetic implants. "The boss thought you might want assistance" it said curtly.
"I didn't need you last time and I don't need you now" he hissed under his breath, climbing to his feet.
"This isn't a discussion" the voice replied. "We got our prototype working and the boss wanted to give it a test run. We didn't think you'd mind."
Hank glowered as he rose up to face the two superheroes approaching him, his mechanical arms grinding as they flexed. "Fine" he said out loud. He was curious to see their prototype in action. If it gave his men more time to get what they came for, all the better.
Supergirl and Jon stood in front of Hank ready and willing to fight while the man waited stoically, his gaze fixed on them both. "We told you you won't get away this time" Supergirl reminded him.
"If you surrender no more of your men need to be harmed" Jon promised.
"My men can take care of themselves" he rebuffed, not interested in surrendering.
"At least tell us why you want the fusion reactors" Supergirl said, moving cautiously towards him with Jon by her side. "We know you have an army of robots, but they aren't compatible with this technology. So why do you want them?"
Hank paused and started laughing. "I have no interest in those bloody reactors" he said. "As for my army, I already have everything I need."
The two of them wondered what that meant when something heavy landed hard on the ground just behind them. They spun in surprise as a dust cloud was kicked up from the powerful impact, the floor shaking almost knocking them off their feet. Kara was the first to be hit as something struck out at her, a fist in the chest sending her summersaulting to the ground gasping for breath. Jon lunged into the cloud to attack whatever it was when he was struck with a metallic backhand across the jaw throwing him into a pile of concrete cylinders. Kara heaved in a breath pushing herself to her hands and knees, her body suddenly feeling very weak as her muscles ached and the underside of her skin burned. For a moment she was worried the figure in red was hear, until she realised what she was feeling was familiar as the veins under her pale skin turned green.
No, it can't be! She thought, lifting her head up to find the dust cloud dissipating as a large bulky robot stepped out into the sunlight, it's chrome chassis reflecting the sun as it's deadpan eyes spun around and fixed onto her, the skull like head grinding with pistons and gears. Kara stumbled backwards as Metallo advanced forwards, its kryptonite heart glowing brightly in the centre of its chest.