The job of Editor in Chief of a newspaper was to determine the look and presentation of the media it prints. They get the final say on what gets published. Under Cat Grant she fostered a need to deliver the truth to their readers, no matter what their political or social beliefs are. It brought her into conflict with many powerful figures over the years, but that truth was the cornerstone of her company. So when James Olsen took over he vowed to uphold those values, no matter what his grievances or ideals meant. He was be truthful in his pursuit, bring the people only the facts without bias or censorship. He had never wavered from those ideals…until this very moment.

James leant over the mock-ups for the cover to today's print, which needed his decision in minutes. The cover story was obvious, it was the biggest news everybody wanted to talk about. His photographers had done their job well, capturing Jake's release from the federal building with his escort and the look of relief on his face. Bold letters captured different headlines: INNOCENT MAN SET FREE; GOVERNMENT APPOLOGETIC OVER REPORTS OF POLICE BRUTALITY; SEARCH FOR BOMBER CONTINUES, SUSPECT BEATEN IN CUSTODY… none of them were false in their statements, no matter how much Olsen wished they were. He wished he could put his own headline in: DANGEROUS MAN GOES FREE, IS OUR CITY STILL UNDER THREAT? But he knew he couldn't back that up, and Cat Grant would come after him if he started sprouting tabloid nonsense without reliable evidence.

You could just refuse to run it a little voice told him. You have the final say.

He sighed as he made his decision, passing the selected mock-up to his team for immediate print. His job was to give the public the truth. For now, Jake is an innocent man. When they get the evidence to prove it, he'll be the first to print it. And when they do, he hoped to have a photograph of that man's face on his cover without that smug expression and taunting smirk.

Kelly arrived after his department leads left, finding her brother slumped in his chair rubbing his temples. She caught a glimpse of the pictures they had laid out, a worried look on her face. "You left so fast this morning I figured you forgot your coffee" she said, bringing him a takeaway cup she got along the way.

He looked up at her and sighed apologetically, accepting the drink and taking a sip. He had forgotten his morning coffee, and breakfast. In fact he'd left the house so quickly he was surprised he had remembered to get his tie on. Kelly walked around the desk and fixed it nonetheless, noting it was crooked. "You didn't have to check up on me" she told her.

"After what you told me yesterday, I think I did" she replied, pulling up a chair to sit by the desk with him.

Olsen groaned. He knew it would probably be a mistake to tell Kelly what happened, but he needed to download to someone. Kelly adopted her professional psychologist attitude and just listened, but he could tell her younger sister became rattled by the time he had finished explaining that the man he told her about, who knew his secret identity and was out for revenge against Supergirl was back in town and just weaselled out of any criminal charges they could've thrown at him. She didn't talk much, except to admit she saw the footage leaked to the news. James hadn't talked about it, but he realised she must've recognised Alex in the video. It was too much to think about, they both just retired for the night. This morning James decided to use work as his distraction. It hadn't helped.

"Have you thought about what I suggested?" Kelly asked after a moment of awkward silence, looking up at her older brother with concern. "About moving back home?"

He sighed again, shaking his head. "I can't leave now" he said.

"That maniac isn't interested in you" she argued. "You told me he's after Supergirl. So if you leave the city, he won't have a reason to come after you."

"I can't just abandon her" he insisted.

"She has friends. She has plenty of people around her. She doesn't need you. But I do" she begged. "James, please just think about it…"

"I have" he snapped, regretting his tone immediately. He groaned in frustration. It's all he's been able to think about. "I know who he is and what he's capable of. I can help" he said.

Kelly shook her head. "And what if you helping makes him turn on you?" she asked. "He knows where you live, where we live! I'm scared that you'll get in the middle of whatever he has planned and use you to get to her. If anything happens to you…" she stood up and wiped her cheeks, pacing the office before whirling on him pleadingly. "I already lost dad, I don't want to lose you too!"

James stood up and put his arms around his younger sister, hugging her tight as she begged him to come home. He squeezed her tight, tears in his eyes. He didn't want to put her or his family in danger, but he couldn't leave his friends. He couldn't let Kara do this by herself. He wouldn't be able to live with himself if he bailed on her now. "I can't" he whispered sadly.

Kelly whimpered, angry and upset. She was mad at him, but more infuriating she was also proud of him. She couldn't expect anything less from her big brother, no matter how much she wanted it. She pried herself out of his arms and looked him in the eyes. "Then I'm staying. And I hope you nail the bastard before I get to say I told you so" she said. He nodded, glad she could be here for him where he could keep her safe. He didn't even bother trying to convince him to go home, she was as stubborn as he was.

Out the corner of his eye she saw Nia walk to her desk and flop down. She looked exhausted. He told Kelly he'll only be a minute before stepping out in the bullpen to talk to her. "Hey, have you seen Kara this morning?" he asked after saying hi.

Nia looked around the room. "She isn't here?" she asked in surprise.

He shook his head. "I haven't heard from her since she took off after Jake's release."

"Neither have I" she replied, looking at her phone. She'd tried to call a few times but she kept getting voicemail. "You don't think something's happened to her do you?" she asked worried.

The man had a gut feeling it wasn't trouble Kara was in, just lost in her own head. But that didn't stop him wondering. "Just let me know if you hear from her" he asked. She nodded, turning back to her desk to send the woman a text just in case.

The text message asked Kara how she was and that Jimmy was looking for her. Kara took a split second to read it before quickly composing a reply, telling the young woman she was okay and was taking a personal day. She knew it wouldn't stop Nia from worrying but hoped it would be enough to quell James's fears for the moment. She switched her mobile to silent so she wouldn't be disturbed by her friends or her sister's compassionate calls. She needed to focus.

Kara was dressed in her civilian clothes today because he felt her costume would draw too much attention. She checked her reflection and put on her lead rimmed glasses, tying her blonde hair back in a ponytail and adjusted the large grey coat she was wearing over her casualwear. She looked like an ordinary human woman in a city full of people, perfect for blending into the crowd. That's exactly what she was hoping for as she heard the rattle of the door opening across the road in her ears. She looked up from the tiny mirror of the market stand she was pretending to browse and watched as the glass entrance to the Empire Hotel opened and her target stepped out into the street. Jake adjusted the collar of his leather jacket and cuffs of his sleeve, casting a casual glance at the city around him before taking a stroll up town. Kara waited to make sure she hadn't been seen before briskly following him.

The streets were packed today, a busy Wednesday morning for National City. It was still early, approaching ten o'clock, so most of the passers-by were going to work. Some went shopping, ducking in and out of shops creating a steady stream of foot-traffic for Jake to get swept up in. Kara matched his pace several metres behind him, crossing the street occasionally to keep him in sight. She was sure to keep far enough back so she could either duck into a stall or blend into the crowd whenever the young man turned his head side to side. She was forced to get a little closer when he stopped at a traffic light, hiding behind a tall man with a top hat a couple of feet behind him as he watched the red light turn green. It was nerve racking, but the reporter was well versed in tailing a story.

She followed him for several blocks until he stepped into a café, joining the cue of customers while tapping at his phone. She slowed to a stop outside, crossing the street so she could conduct surveillance without being seen. She found a handy spot next to a homeless man, tossing a couple of coins into his cup before turning her gaze to the front windows of the café. She lowered her glassed down her nose and used her vision to watch him in line for the counter, tuning out the random conversations from the other civilians to listen to him place an order for "tea, to go. And a bagel." She tried not to think about the last time they had a drink together. It felt like a different life, he was a different man. She shook the confusion away, focusing on the task.

"Hey, you look familiar" the homeless man muttered looking up at her. "Aren't you that Super-chick who's always flying around?"

She supressed a smile as she looked down at him. "I get that a lot" she replied, brushing him off when she found her target moving with his drink in hand. She politely waved the man good day before walking onwards to keep him in sight.

She followed him for a few more blocks, watching him through the crowds and traffic as he finished his drink and pulled out his phone. She listened to him discuss the state of his apartment with his old landlord, who is looking to him for payment of damages as "terror attacks" weren't covered by his insurance. Jake argued with him over the phone and she wondered if he regretted bombing his place up with her sister in it now. He hung up with a huff after a minute and tossed his cup in a dustbin, where he suddenly turned to look back the way he came. Kara quickly ducked behind a pillar on the building beside her, dipping her glasses so she could watch him through the brick wall without poking her head out. She saw him scan the street up and down as the crowd thinned out before suspiciously walking into an alley a few yards ahead of him.

She stepped out into the street to chase after him. she was hoping tailing him would lead to some clue to what he was planning here in the city, and it looked like she was about to get results. She jogged up to the blind alley, slowing down to approach the corner cautiously. She peered down the narrow path between the buildings and stopped. The alley was empty. "what?" she gasped, running a few yards deeper to scan the area, whipping off her glasses to scan the walls and ground for doors or exits, piercing the buildings to try and find him. She let out a curse. It appeared she lost him.

"It's not smart to follow strange men down a blind alley" Jake's voice chuckled from behind her. She froze in surprise before cautiously turning around to find him stepping out of a narrow gap she'd overlooked in her rush to follow him. He stepped into the alley with his hands in his pockets, looking at her with that charming smile he'd won her over with. But his eyes had none of the charm as they fixed onto hers. "Hello Kara Danvers. It's good to see you" he said.

Kara felt her heart race as she fixed her gaze onto him. She didn't show any fear or hesitation as she slowly slipped her hands into her coat pockets, turning back to face him slowly. They stood staring at each other in the alley, silent and waiting to see who blinks first. After a short while it was Kara who broke the silence. "When did you realise I was following you?" she asked.

"I noticed a while back" he answered with a shrug. "You weren't as invisible as you hoped Kara Danvers. Or would you prefer Kara Zor'El, Supergirl?" Kara narrowed her eyes nervously, trying not to give anything away until Jake smirked. "For the record, of course." She reluctantly pulled her hand out of her pocket, shutting off the microphone she had set up in her pocket. He chuckled. "It was a safe guess. I'd have been disappointed if you didn't try."

"Especially after what you did to Alex" she muttered furiously, fixing her glare back onto him.

He laughed, casually wandering the alley while they talked. "She did that all on her own. That camera was just for insurance. I didn't expect Director Danvers to break protocol like that" he confessed, nursing the bandage on his nose. "Just as well she did, made my innocence more convincing."

"Why did you come back?" she asked him curiously. "You were safe in the UK. We couldn't get to you there."

"I noticed" he mused. He'd been expecting at least one visit from one of her friends, if not herself. He heard about the political turmoil that kept the country from extraditing them. But then they didn't have the evidence to warrant it. "You want to know why I came back? For you" he answered.

She narrowed her gaze in doubt. "For me? What do you mean?"

"I think you know" he said with a snarl, a dark look crossing his face as he looked at her. "We've got unfinished business, you and I. I promised you we'd see each other again."

She clenched her fist inside her coat pocket, keeping her temper under control. She remembered when she made that promise, the exact moment he detonated the bomb that nearly killed Alex. "You've killed people" she whispered.

"I'm just getting started" he remarked coldly. "All that from before, that was just information gathering. I wanted to learn as much about you as I could. And I needed to prepare for what's to come."

"So you stole my medical files from the DEO" Kara said, filling in the blanks herself. "You infiltrated Lena's company to steal her kryptonite formula…"

"That was just luck" he chuckled, breaking eye contact with her to shake his head in amazement. "I got a legitimate job at L-Corp to get access to Lex's files of Superman. He'd been dealing with you Kryptonians for a lot longer than I have so I knew anything he had on hand would be valuable. It took me a few weeks to find what I was after. I stayed when I found out what Lena was working on, curious to see if she could pull it off. She is a true genius. That formula proved to be the most important find of the century. Pity she gave it up so easily. She could've made a fortune."

"She's a loyal friend" Kara nodded. "And she is a genius. She found out how you stole it."

"Yeah, I made miscalculation with that one" he admitted. "I realised she must've kept the printer when your friend Agent Dox spelled it out for me. I guess even the best of us overlook the basics. Just as well your sister intervened, I was struggling to think up a way out of that one."

Kara internally screamed. He'd admitted Brainy's planned would've worked. Damnit Alex, why couldn't you have just trusted us she thought. "So you gave the formula to the blacksmith and made your own fortune" she assumed.

"Not exactly" he said. "I gave it to my acquaintance, yes. But I suggested he sell the formula to anyone willing to buy it, not keep it for himself. I understood his reasoning, but I wasn't interested in the profit."

"Then why?"

"Is that obvious? I wanted the formula out there, in the world. I wanted the city flooded with kryptonite" he explained, looking at her walking forward. "Think about it Supergirl. A city full of the one substance in all the universe that could kill you, in the hands of every criminal, on every street, so much of it you can't escape its effects. I was hoping to drown you in the stuff till you couldn't breathe" he told her, closing the distance until his hot breath tickled her face.

She stood her ground, staring back at him silently. But she could see it, his vision, and it horrified her. The vison of the very thing Lena was worried about when she discovered the formula was stolen, what Alex feared whenever kryptonite was found in the city. "But that's not what happened" she remarked.

He stepped back grumbling. "No, he kept the secret to himself so he could make bank through his business. But the results proved the same" he shrugged. "Plenty of it around to keep you on the ropes. Hank Henshaw, the Children of Liberty, the Samaritans…" he paused to laugh. "Jesus, I can't believe that egotist managed to get that pile of junk working. I had to take my design to the Blacksmith before we made it work. That red sun generator was a pain in the ass to miniaturise" he mused. "The tech we…borrowed from those experimental power plants helped stabilise it. Davies had to reply on Luthor tech. it was fun watching Lena and him go toe to toe."

"Until you killed him."

"Well I couldn't let him give the game away just yet, especially after I had to torch my little satellite workshop you stumbled upon. I had to admit, you were a lot closer than I thought you'd get."

Kara couldn't take any more of his casual back and forth, just answering her questions carelessly with the arrogance of a man who'd gotten away with murder. She whirled on him finally asking "and what about us?"

He stopped and looked at her. "What about us?"

"What we had? Was it all just…a ploy to get close to me? To my friends."

He turned back, narrowing his cold gaze on her. "Of course it was. I mean, the idea was to insert myself into your orbit, find out about your social circle, and tie up a few links I was missing from my mood board" he explained. "But if you're talking about what it turned into…no, that wasn't the plan. You practically threw yourself at me. I just…played along, to keep you close."

She felt the fury boil her blood again, her nails digging into her palms. "So it was all a lie?"

His expression faltered a moment, a soft sigh escaping his lips. "Ironically no. I never lied once during our…relationship. That's what made it…" he trailed off, shaking his head to turn away from her. "It doesn't matter now."

"It matters to me" she hissed.

"It shouldn't" he snapped, his own anger filling his eyes. "It shouldn't because it won't change anything. It won't change what happened to Sarah."

The tension between the pair of them stepped up a notch as Jake's glare overpowered Kara, guilt clenching her chest as she looked at him. "I know. I know you were there when it happened."

He nodded stiffly, his nostrils flaring as he inhaled sharply. "Do you know what it's like to lose someone you love? Someone you care for more than anything in the world? To have them ripped from you?" he asked. She couldn't answer. "I was there. I found her buried in the rubble, alive. I tried to save her, pull her out, but she was trapped. Then I saw you, hovering over the monster who tore the building down. I shouted, I screamed for your help! But you turned away. You left her to die. I had to watch her die. I held her hand as she just…"

Tears filled Kara's eyes as she struggled to hold them back. "I didn't know…I didn't…" she tried to explain, but Jake interrupted. "Temporary deafness due to the concussion sustained fighting the alien, I know" he finished. "I read the report. I understand. But I can't forgive" he said sadly.

"I'm sorry" Kara said anyway.

He looked at her, this time with the answer he wanted to give the last time she apologised. "It's too late for apologies" he told her. "Five years too late."

Kara nodded. Now they knew where they stood. They stood as enemies. There was no forgiveness, no talking this out. "So what happens now?" she asked, wiping her face returning to her serious expression. "How does this end?"

He looked at her, silent and foreboding, before leaning in to inform her "when you understand the pain I felt on that day, when you understand the hate I feel for you right now, when you've felt the same heart wrenching horror I've suffered, then it will end. It'll all come to an end. That I promise you" he told her. He looked her in the eyes, giving her a cold, hard stare before turning away to walk towards the exit of the alley.

Kara stood there motionless, her heart pounding in her chest. She wasn't sure how this little talk of theirs was going to go, but she got more than she could've predicted. But she had one last question that needed answering. "And what about my friends?" she queried, drawing Jake to a stop before he entered the street.

He turned back and shrugged. "I have no interest in them. So you can tell James Olsen, Nia Nal, John Jones and Lena Luthor, you can tell your sister, their secrets are safe. You can pass that message to your adoptive mother too" he added, which brought a swell of fear to Kara's gut. "If I wanted to expose any of you, I would've done it months ago when I found out. So they'll be safe, as long as they stay out of my way. This is between you and me."

Kara stopped listening after he listed off the names of everyone close to her. Her temper snapped and she lunged for the young man, grabbing him by the jacket and slamming him against the wall. "If anything happens to any of my family or my friends, you will regret it" she promised, her voice dripping with furious venom. Jake stared at her and laughed as she felt the heat rise up in her, summoning a taste of her heat vision to make her glow so he got the message. Except when she tried, she realised she couldn't.

Jake smirked at her, bringing his hand up to grab her by the wrist. "And how exactly do you plan to do that" he asked her, pulling her hand off him twisting it in his grasp. Kara stared in alarm as he grabbed her by the coat and shoved her off him, throwing her across the alley into a nearby trash bin. She tumbled and landed rough, falling onto the floor gasping for air as she had the wind knocked out of her. She was dazed and confused. Her powers were gone; her strength, her heat vision… Jake walked up and crouched over her prone heaving body, his jacket falling open revealing the glowing red device attached to his belt buckle. She saw it and recognised the same device from his costume; a red sun generator. "You really think I wouldn't come back here unprepared?" he asked her calmly. "Like I said, before it was just information gathering. All those instances we fought, when I had you in my grasp, when I could've killed you…the power plant, the DEO archive…I let you live because that was never the plan. Now we're back together, trust me…there won't be any holding back. When the time comes, we will settle this" he promised.

He rose to his feet, adjusting his jacket rolling his neck before offering her his hand. She refused, remaining on the ground glaring up at him. He shrugged. "until then, Miss Danvers" he said, turning on his heel and walking back into the street, vanishing into the crowd as a handful of passer-by stopped to see Kara on the ground furious with herself.