The streets were alive with activity the rest of the day. People of all races walked with confidence and pride. It was the first time in months since they didn't have a huge world ending threat hanging over their heads. Even the bombing that recently resurged in the news has fallen into memory. The people allowed themselves to relax, unaware the man responsible for the bombing was walking amongst them.
Jake kept his head down as he strolled through the crowds. His recent dealings with the DEO has left his picture pretty much everywhere. He would get recognised in the streets or businesses he visited, either receive compassionate apologies for his treatment or silent stares of suspicion. He stuck it out, knowing within a week they'd forget about him and move on. A little attention now wouldn't disrupt his life too much, not even the team of undercover officers who thought they were being invisible following him would bother him.
He had only one stop left today before he would return to his hotel room. He made his way there slowly, hesitantly. The confident stride he was adopting all day slowly vanished with every step down the street, his eyes falling onto a corner stand selling trinkets and cookies. His shoulders drew heavy as he looked at the vendor, the same man standing behind the cart. He remembered this path he was taking well, the street etched into his mind as he reluctantly looked ahead to his destination, the memories coming flooding back.
"so, where are you right now?" he asked with a big smile on his face as Jake stood at the cart nodding to the vendor, picking out a couple of cookies he hoped the woman he was talking to on the phone would adore.
"Jake, you know I'm at work" Sarah said, her soft voice coming through the phone. It sounded musical whenever she spoke, her tone uplifting the young man.
"Yeah, but what are you doing specifically?" he asked, examining the trinkets wondering if he could splash out for a gift.
He heard her sigh before replying "if you must know, I'm doing some rounds at the wards making sure the older patients are taking it easy."
"Sounds like hard work."
"It is, especially when patients like to get up and take some exercise against doctors' orders" she explained. As much as she was complaining, Jake could picture the big smile on her face. "Why the sudden interest in my job?"
"Maybe I just wanted to hear your voice" he suggested, quieting pointing to a necklace offering to buy it. The vendor nodded and silently put it in a bag. "It's been too long since we've seen each other. I miss you."
"I only transferred here a few months ago. And we video called last week" she said.
"So? I miss you. So I'll ask again, what are you doing right this minute?"
He pictured her standing in the corridor in her nurses uniform, her eyes rolling as she chatted to him during her shift which they both knew could get her in trouble. "Is this supposed to be one of those sexy chats where I tell you what I'm wearing?" she asked quietly.
"It could be" he grinned, accepting the gift bag paying the man, giving him the thumbs up as he stepped back into the street. "I could start if you want."
"You are such a child" she laughed.
"Sometimes" he agreed. "But sometimes I can surprise you. So seriously, what are you doing right now?"
"Ignoring my duties to talk to my fiancé" she answered pointedly. "If you call back in half an hour, I'll be on my lunch break and we can talk all about what I'm wearing or doing, or even thinking about" she said in a sultry tone.
The sound of her voice made Jake's heart skip a beat. "I don't know if I can wait half an hour" he said. "How about ten minutes? Many fifteen?"
He was interrupted by a car horn and a distinct klaxon from a nearby street corner, a performer calling out some sort of advertisement. He covered his ears as he crossed the street, the music blaring. His fiancé must've recognised it because she suddenly asked him "where are you?"
"Nowhere. That doesn't matter" he said quickly, realising his surprise trip was quickly unravelling. "What matters is where I'll be in fifteen minutes" he said.
"Jake, please tell me you didn't fly all the way from the city you swore you'd die in just to take me out to lunch" she said in bewilderment.
He smiled but inside he cursed the performer for soiling his romantic gesture. "Just keep your eyes peeled for the next ten to fifteen minutes" he said. He heard her laughing over the phone and he smiled broadly. "You might get rewarded with biscuits" he promised.
"Oh, well then I'd better see you in ten minutes" she said.
As the two lovebirds began to wrap up their phone call, Jake's thoughts were interrupted when the sky rumbled. He looked up in confusion. There wasn't a cloud up there and the forecast promised no rain. Sarah said something to him but he couldn't hear her as his ears were filled with the rattle of every window in the street shaking around him. What the hell? He asked as he looked up and saw something rocketing through the air a thousand feet above them. People around him pointed up and shouted, stopping to stare at the object tumbling over their heads. Then it crashed into a skyscraper and they started screaming.
"Jake, somethings happening" Sarah's voice called over the chaos. Jake nodded, seeing it for himself as the object barrelled out of the building raining glass and concrete. He wasn't in the raining debris but he saw people scattering in all directions. He felt the street shake again as the object bounced off another rooftop.
This time he looked up and saw two figures colliding with each other, one a huge monster, the other in a red cape. His eyes widened in awe as they spiralled through the air and rocketed towards the ground. His stood frozen following their trajectory, until them landing in the exact place he was walking towards. His breath caught in his throat as the ground shook, his eyes staring straight ahead. "Sarah?" he called into his phone, but the line suddenly went dead. His gut clenched and he dropped the gift bag he'd just bought, sprinting down the street screaming her name into his mobile phone.
When he got there emergency services were already on sight, police cordoning off the entire block. Jake ran to the barricade pushing through the crowds as police and ambulances surrounded the building which was now crumbling before their eyes. He stared in horror as a beam or red energy sliced through the roof of the hospital triggering more of it to collapse in on itself. He heard a roar from inside as the ground shook again, a wall toppling over. People screamed and police officers fought to push the panicking crowd back and evacuate as many people as they can. Jake found a gap and slipped through the barricade running over the rubble. "Sarah!" he shouted, the entrance blocked forcing him to circle around the building climbing over debris. He shouted as loud as he could, unable to hear anything over the sounds of fighting. It came to a stop however when the ground shook one final time, knocking Jake off his feet cutting his eyebrow.
He was dazed for only a few seconds. When he stood back up her heard a faint voice coming from the rubble. "Hello? Where are you!" he called, climbing up into the rubble pushing debris aside. He followed the voice to a small dark alcove were a flickering light blinked on and off, illuminating the shape moving in the shadows. He crawled towards it and found Sarah buried in the rubble. Grasping her hand tightly. "I'm here! It's me, I'm here" he said, looking at the young woman in relief.
But then he saw she was trapped, her arm pinned under a large piece of concrete. There was blood on her uniform and something sticking in her hip. She was struggling to breathe but managed to look up at him, covered in dust and scratches. "Jake? I knew you'd find me" she wheezed.
"Hang on, we'll get you out of here" he promised, examining the debris frantically. He hooked his fingers under the chunk pinning her arm and tried to lift it, but it wouldn't move. He wasn't strong enough. The rubble shook and more dust fell over them both, making Sarah cough sickly. He looked at her again and saw the redness in her uniform growing. "Hey, love, stay awake" he shouted, kneeling down and shaking her shoulders when her eyelids drooped. She was losing blood, that must he assumed. "HELP! WE NEED HELP IN HERE!" he shouted, looking out to the crowd surrounding the hospital.
"Jake" she whispered, her voice shaking as her eyes lost focus. She reached out to him, muttering his name. "Don't leave me" she said.
"I'm not going anywhere" he promised. He looked out into the street, shouting manically. Nobody could hear him over the chaos. He reluctantly crawled away from her and leaned out of the rubble, shouting as loud as he could. "SOMEBODY HELP ME!" he screamed.
He looked around the rubble, sirens blaring and people screaming. He was beginning to lose hope. But then he saw her, the red and blue costume, and the cape billowing in the wind. Supergirl hovering over the hospital, the monster on the ground unconscious. He saw her and felt great relief. "SUPERGIRL!" he called as loud as he could. He knew she could hear him. He'd heard the stories, seen the newspapers about her and her cousin Superman. He knew they could save his fiancé. "OVER HERE! SUPERGIRL, SHE NEEDS HELP! PLEASE HELP US!" but just as he believed his cries would be answered, she lifted her head and suddenly rocketed into the sky, carrying the last of Jake's hope with her. "No…SUPERGIRL! HELP!" he screamed. He screamed until his lungs burned.
"Jake" Sarah's voice called, weaker and quieter. He turned back and returned to her side, clutching her hand tightly as she looked up at him. "I love you" she whispered. It was the last thing she said before her eyes fell shut. He couldn't accept it, didn't want to accept it. So he never said it back, not even after her grip slackened and the life faded from her. He stayed by her side until the rescue teams dug her out, holding her hand weeping. He finally said the words "I love you" but only long after he knew she would never be able to hear them.
It would be months before Jake was able to visit her grave. Her family had brought her home and failed to loop him into the service. He never got to pay his respects at the funeral. He hated them for that. He knew they didn't like him, but he didn't think they'd shut him out like this. When he found the graveyard, he brought her favourite flowers and stood over her gravestone for hours. He knew her as Sarah Kelly. They buried her as Sarah Linwood. He didn't begrudge them that, though he knew she wasn't ready to regain her family title. He made sure the bouquet he brought had a card with her new name, the one she preferred. He knelt in front of the grave, staring at the expensive but beautiful headstone and cried. He couldn't stop crying.
After a while he sensed someone standing behind him, wiping his face looking over his shoulder. His grit clenched when he saw it was her mother, dressed in a black veil and black coat. He tried not to be spiteful when he said "I should've been there, for the funeral."
"I know. It wasn't fair to keep you away" she admitted, hesitantly joining him at her daughter's grave. She placed the flowers down next to him, reading the card he left. "My greatest shame is she was taken from us before we could have made peace" she said sadly.
Jake nodded. He knew how hard they had tried to reconnect with her. Sarah was finally willing to try. She had so much to live for. The wedding. Her career. Her family. It wasn't fair. "It's not fair" he agreed.
"Damn those alien scum" she spat, a tear falling down her face as she wept. Jake offered her a tissue he had in his pocket. He seemed to have a steady stream of them over the last few months. "There's more of them every day. They take my daughter and we're all expected to just accept them? That's not justice." Jake couldn't say he disagreed. She turned to him and reached into her pocket. "They gave us everything that was on her when she…I think this should be yours" she said, holding out her hand to the young man.
Jake reached over and took the engagement ring from her gloved palm. It was the ring he gave her when he asked for her hand in marriage. One of a pair which she also gave him at the same time, asking for his hand. He looked at the engraving: to my love I give my heart. It was one half of a line, the other half on his ring. They'd both visited the same jeweller, picked out the same set, unwittingly bought the matching rings. It was like fate proclaiming they were meant to be together. "I'm sorry I couldn't save her" he said.
Mrs Linwood could've alleviated some of his guilt by telling him it wasn't his fault, that she doesn't blame him, that he wasn't responsible. But she didn't. She said nothing as she turned away from the young man and walked silently back to her car, leaving the grieving man to wallow in despair.
Jake didn't leave the country for a long while. He didn't know where to go. He was stuck in limbo, facial hair growing from his chin as he unkempt clothes smelt. He let all his calls go to voicemail as he went bar to bar, restaurant to restaurant, sitting alone in silence drinking or eating, returning to his hotel room to lie in bed for hours or days at a time. Time became a nebulous thing. Days turned to weeks and months. Nothing seemed to matter to him any longer. He dropped of social media, his friends couldn't find him, and his job became meaningless. He gave up. On more than one occasion he visited the barricaded ruins of the community hospital, spent an hour staring at the gate and the rubble behind it before walking the streets wondering how hard it would be to drink himself to death. On a few occasions he tried, but he couldn't seem to drink enough to die. Then one day he took to an overpass and leaned against the wall, looking over the steep drop through his long dark hair and shaggy beard. It looked high enough. Before he could climb up and over though, he was tapped on the shoulder.
"It's a disgrace isn't it" a young man muttered, looking at his clothes with pity. Jake didn't have time for his pity, but he didn't have the energy to argue. The man held out a flyer, telling him "they've taken too much form us."
"Who?" he asked, his eye still on the ledge as he absently took the flyer.
"The aliens, who else?" the young man said. Jake looked at the dark haired young man. He realised who he was and had mistaken him for one of the many who had become jobless and homeless during the Daxamite Invasion. He looked at the flyer, inviting him to a meeting where the young man before him was going to explain how the aliens were taking humanities world piece by piece. The man took Jake's shoulders, telling him "spread the word. The only way people will listen is if we make them listen." Then he walked on to continue handing out his flyers.
Jake didn't have any intention of going to Ben Lockwood's little rally, but he kept the flyer. He recalled the venom in Mrs Linwood's statement, how aliens took her daughter from her. That thought kept him from climbing onto the ledge. He walked aimlessly into the streets, walked until night fell and the streets became dark. He clenched the flyer in his pocket as the thought bounced around in his head. The aliens have taken everything from us.
He crossed into a neighbourhood he usually avoided. Refugees from other planets lived here, in camps and houses put up by the Alien Amnesty Act. He looked up as he heard shouting up ahead. A group of drunk men were yelling at the camp as a pair of aliens hurried down the street away from them. He ignored them as he walked on, ignored the terrified looks on their faces. He almost ignored the sound of a lighter clicking followed by a bottle smashing. He almost ignored the horrified screams as the scent of smoke suddenly drifted down the street. He looked back and found the camp in flames, another homemade Molotov being thrown by the thugs who watched the fires ignite for a split second before sprinting down the street. Jake watched the aliens camped out there scurry to put the fires out, their frantic voices waking more of them as the fire spread. He watched dispassionately as the flames rose and smoke billowed upwards. He didn't feel anything for these creatures. He didn't feel anything at all.
His attention drifted to a small figure trapped by the fence, cornered by the fire terrified. He stepped closer to see a young girl with whiskers and tan fur along her cheeks and nose huddled in fear looking up with big round eyes. She saw him standing there on the opposite side of the fence and trembled, her eyes pleading and fearful. He looked at her blankly, the flames crawling closer as it caught the fabric of her blanket. She pulled it away and tried to stop it, but in the end it was lost and she kicked it away. It landed by a gap in the fence, one big enough for a child her size to crawl through. He almost ignored it. He almost ignored her. They took my daughter from me Mrs Linwood's voice echoed. They've taken everything from us Lockwood's voice agreed.
Jake looked down at the terrified little alien child again before stepping up to the fence, crouching down to pull the gap open and reach in through the fence offering her hand. The girl looked at him fearfully but nervously accepting it just as the fires closed around her. He helped her escape the fire and pulled her into the street where they both watched silently until her parents found her, tears in their catlike eyes as they thanked him. He didn't offer a response as he turned away and continued walking into the night.
An hour to two later he was at another bar, the flyer in his hands as he sat at the counter. He stared at it silently, thoughts running through his head as he waited for his drink. He was running low on cash so couldn't afford much more. He looked at the flyer wondering why he saved the child she was an alien. She wasn't human. Aliens had taken the love of his life. So why did he save her? He didn't feel compelled to. He didn't feel anything when the aliens thanked him afterwards. He didn't feel anything for them when they were screaming in pain and horror at losing the only home they had. So why did he save her?
A large man playing darts cheered as he hit the bullseye, cleaning out his opponent who slumped off in defeat. The man trudged over to the bar to sip his drink, looking at the flyer in Jake's hands. "Absolute load of garbage if you ask me" he scoffed. Jake looked at him wordlessly, feeling nothing from the interruption of his thoughts. The man pointed to the flyer. "If aliens are taking our jobs, it's because guys like us don't want it. Like hell companies are going to hire an alien to work for them. That not how the world works" he said. He looked at the shaggy haired man at the bar and held out the darts. "Fancy a try? First throw is on the house. Second will cost you a drink."
Jake looked at the darts in the man's hand, turning his gaze to the dart board behind him. It sat next to a wall with printouts of photos and newspaper clippings, things the owner thought would interest his patrons. Nobody cared about pinned up photos or printouts or celebrities or superheroes. Jake looked at the man offering the darts. He didn't know why but he stood up and took one of them. One throw he thought, turning to the dartboard without speaking a word. The man crossed his arms and watched the scruffy man take a stance, stare at the board, raise his hand and take aim. Jake focused on the bullseye. He didn't care if he hit it, he just wanted to throw something. He put some power behind his wrist and flung the dart at the wall. It missed and hit one of the printouts on the wall instead.
The man behind him laughed. "You've got a good arm, but a lousy aim" he said cheerfully.
Jake wasn't listening to the man's comments. His eyes were focused on the dart he threw, walking forward to follow it to the wall and the photograph he'd stuck instead. He narrowed his gaze at the young blonde woman smiling back at him, Supergirl's blue eyes glinting in the sunlight of the image while his dart spear right between them. He stared at the picture intently as something stirred in him for the first time in months. "No" he said, his voice quiet as he felt something rise in his gut. "I think my aim is spot on" he whispered.
He knew why he saved the alien child now. He knew why he didn't go to Lockwood's rally. He knew the feeling growing in his gut. It was anger. It was rage. It was hate. And he knew in that moment what he had to do. He knew at last how he could avenge the love of his life.
For the first time since Sarah's death, Jake found purpose in his life. Purpose that spurred him on. He stopped drinking, stopped wandering aimlessly through the city. He stopped paying for his hotel and instead rented an apartment in National City. This became his base of operations. He got to work. He bought newspapers and magazines, read every article he could find on Supergirl. He cut out these stories and organised them, pinned them onto his wall. He went to the library, took to the internet, and researched as much as he could. He combed through tabloids and delved into old news shows, made notes and cross referenced data. Within weeks patterns started to emerge and he began his investigation, the web beginning with the photograph of Supergirl he took from that bar.
He found cash in hand jobs during his research, enough to keep his hands busy, regain some function. He used the cash to build his base, keeping it all off the record. Nothing on a credit card. Nothing that could be traced back to him. He didn't realise he'd adopted the ghost he had become, using it to his advantage. He was just another man in the city, drifting through people's lives in a blink of an eye, forgotten as soon as he entered. He shaved his beard, cut his head, and cleaned his clothes. He got his motorcycle out of storage, sitting in a unit since he flew overseas to see Sarah. He made sure to keep the payments, bringing it out to make his journeys across the city to where he needed to go.
During his research he learnt about the Cult of Rao, a religion dedicated to Supergirl herself. The idea horrified him, but he investigated out of curiosity. He found Thomas Coville, the ex-lawyer who founded the group at a community centre. Jake bluffed his way into becoming a follower, listening to their stories of being saved. He discovered Coville had somehow gotten his hands on a Kryptonian text, which Jake determined would aid his research. One evening he broke into Coville's home and drugged the man into sleeping through the night. It took a week of planning but gazing at the ancient book he'd found in a kryptonian probe. Smart enough not to steal the text itself, Jake took photos creating a copy, along with the man's notes on the translation. He spent months reading the text, learning about their gods and getting a glimpse into Supergirl's people.
Eventually Jake determined learning wouldn't be enough. Not when the time came. He needed more, so he started traveling. He rode across the country on his bike, crossed the ocean and deserts seeking teachers. He sought to learn how to combat fear, how to harness it into a weapon. He sought lessons on how to kill, with blades and guns. He trained his body to become a weapon, found a man who taught him how to fight and kill and to best any opponent. All the while he studied his opponent, as his teachers taught him. Understand your enemy and you shall defeat them. He sought the enemies of Superman. Those who would talk to him taught him their knowledge. He listened and trained. He trained his skills, put his talents of engineering to work. He built tools, weapons, found teachers to show him how to make the deadliest of weapons.
It was during this period of his training he stumbled upon a man in a marketplace in the Arabian Desert, tinkering with a device meant to generate an electromagnetic field. Jake sat down and spoke to the man, but he refused to teach him. He challenged him by betting he could make the device work more efficiently. The young man lost, humiliated when his device fried to a crisp. The black man laughed. "And what did we learn?" he asked him.
"Not to crosswire the input wire with the regulator" he replied curtly, recognising the mistake he made.
The man was impressed. "I was going to say the lesson was never challenge the Harfiun" he said.
"If we are not challenged, we do not evolve, and we do not learn" Jake replied, echoing something a previous teacher told him.
The Harfiun looked at him with a glint in his eye. "I don't get many challengers" he said. "And few are ready to admit their mistakes."
"Failure is our greatest teacher" he nodded. "I've made many."
"So have we all" the man nodded, rising from his carpet gathering his wares. Jake stood up and nodded to him, turning away defeated. The black man called to him. "Where are you going? You won't learn anything that way" he said, permitting him to follow. Jake smiled, falling into step behind the Craftsman, the man who would also go by The Blacksmith.
Their partnership grew into something akin to master and apprentice, the Blacksmith taking the young engineer under his wing as he taught him about making weapons and gear, tools and materials. Jake learnt much from this man. And unlike previous mentors, he chose to stay with him. He liked working with this man. He enjoyed their work together. He became a father figure to young Jake, who in turn became the son he never knew he wanted. Their joint enterprise expanded across the world as their creations grew bolder and bigger, their notoriety growing. Over time Jake shared his story with the man, confiding in him his purpose and reason for all his learning and travelling. The Blacksmith listened without judgement, becoming his confidant and in turn trusting him with his close secrets.
One night after working late into the evening, covered in grease and oil and dirt, the Blacksmith asked the young man "so will you do when your purpose is fulfilled?"
Jake looked at him oddly. "I don't understand?"
"After. After you avenge your dear Sarah's death? What will you do then?"
Jake looked down at the engagement ring on his finger. He hadn't considered that. "Then it will all be over" he said vaguely.
The man didn't push. He had assumed this purpose had become his obsession. He hoped in time the boy would allow himself to think beyond his obsession and find the will to truly live again. Until then, he was content to help the young man in his journey. "I've been thinking it's time we expand into the United States once again" he suggested. "Any ideas where we should set up shop?" he asked his apprentice. Jake recognising the offer he was making and accepting it.
Their business came to National City, a market ripe for their merchandise and opportunities to expand their own network. They found a treasure trove of alien salvage to adapt into their designs while Jake continued his investigations into Supergirl, who had grown in popularity since he was away. He sought out more refined sources of information, targeting the Luthor family given their connections to the Kryptonians. Jake infiltrated L-Corp seeking anything Lex Luthor might've left behind, inadvertently stumbling upon the very formula that gave the Blacksmith his new fame. Jake brought it back and the craftsman rejoiced at the possibilities this opened up. While the plan to spread kryptonite into the world grew, so did their network as they expanded their client base to supervillains and the newly formed Children of Liberty. Jake started to construct his own identity at this time, joining TITAN Industries to develop their technology into his machinations. He returned to his apartment and felt his vision start to take shape. But there was still much he needed before the time came.
Fortunately for him, opportunity came knocking on his door one day when he returned to their workshop that afternoon. His mentor was making a sale to a potential client across the city, entrusting the place to the young man. That left him alone when his surprise visitor arrived. "What a quaint little hideout you have here" the man's voice mused, catching Jake off guard. He turned around to find a bald man in a three-piece suit walking around their tool station examining the stuff upon them. Jake hide his surprise as adoration as the notorious Lex Luthor turned his intense gaze onto him. "A bit dank for my tastes" he remarked.
"It serves our purpose" he replied politely. He'd been trying to get an audience with the elusive man for some time, even when he was in prison. The opportunity to pick the brilliant mind of Lex Luthor was something he couldn't pass up. Last he heard he was in Russia. He wasn't the least bit surprised he found their workshop. "How can I help you Mr Luthor?"
He smiled, acknowledging the respect the young man gave him. "I was curious. I had heard about your little operation over hear. Mr Iron's enterprise has a very acceptable reputation, but I was surprise to find it had branched into make weapons out of kryptonite. I thought I had kept track of all the known stockpiles around the world" he said, fixing his gaze on him. "Then I found your name in my company records. You worked for my sister at the same time she discovered how to manufacture the substance. It's not difficult to make the correlation."
Jake shrugged. He didn't bother denying it. "If you're in the market for the blueprints, we'll be happy to make a deal with someone as influential as you. Personally, I'd be honoured to just give you the formula" he confessed.
Lex chuckled. "That won't be necessary. I'm not here to buy anything. I'm perfectly capable of making my own. No, what I'm here for is more simple" he said, bringing his left hand from behind his back to reveal the green gauntlet he was wearing, a segment from his Lex Suit. Jake's posture stiffened as the man brought it around and pointed the energy weapon mounted on it at his torso. "I'd want to say this isn't personal, but it kind of is. I know why you're here, I know who it is you're after. Usually I'd be happy to let you take out Supergirl, it would save me the hassle. But you stole from my family's company and that…that I cannot permit" he said.
Jake should've expected the brother of Lena Luthor taking offence at stealing from his company. He deduced any compromise of working together would fall on deaf ears. And it made sense why he would come after him and not the Blacksmith. Jake stole the formula, and the Blacksmith is too well connected. Any move against him would disrupt his client's business and they would not be happy. Lex was being smart as well as pragmatic. He clenched his fist and fired his energy cannon intending to kill the young man.
Only the weapon didn't fire. Lex looked at his gauntlet in confusion. "Hold on a second" he said, adjusting it with his other hand. Jake shrugged, standing patiently as the man fiddled with the unresponsive piece of weaponry. "Well that's inconvenient" he huffed, bashing his interface.
Jake looked at the weapon calmly. "It looks like the electronics in the device are being disrupted by some kind of…distortion field? Or something" he said, putting his hands on his waist pulling his jacket open to show the blinking device hooked to his belt. "I'll be honest, it's a prototype. I'm amazed it worked" he confessed.
Lex looked down at the device and nodded. "That is impressive" he admitted, removing the useless gauntlet and tossing it aside. "Fortunately I bring a backup" he said, reaching into the back of his waistband to pull out the handgun.
Jake was moving before the man could pull the chamber back, ducking behind a pillar as bullets started firing in his direction. Lex gave chase through the workshop, stalking the young man between tables and shelves. He lost sight of him as he rounded a corner, peering through the dimly lit room cautiously. It didn't make a difference as Jake sprung out of cover and grabbed the gun, efficiently dismantling and disarming it. Lex attacked with his fists, but Jake easily dodged and spun him against the wall, demonstrating that without his equipment Lex was just an ordinary mortal with a vast intelligence. Jake, meanwhile, had spent years training to fight and could overcome the defenceless man without effort. And as an added bout of showboating, he raised his right fist where a blade sprung out of a hidden armband beneath his sleeve.
Lex froze, pinned against the wall with the sharp blade pointed at his face. He cocked his head curiously, his eyes examining the weapon. Jake's device should've shorted out all electronics in the room. He looked closer and realised it was purely mechanical, spring loaded, no electronics required. "Clever" he said, holding up his hands in defeat. "Elegant work."
"Thank you. That means a lot coming from you" Jake smiled, holding him in place while they talked. "I'm sorry for breaking into your sister's company" he said.
Lex laughed, waving it off. "I guess I could let that slide this one time."
"I'm still willing to give you the formula back" he offered.
Lex shook his head. "Keep it. It'll be interesting to see how you and your partner use it. But I am curious about something, if you'll humour me" he asked. "Why are you so invested in the kryptonian?" Jake lowered his gaze, his eyes drifting to the ring on his finger. Lex saw it and nodded. "What was her name?" he asked.
"Sarah" he answered, retracting the blade and stepping away from him.
Lex fixed his suit and adjusted his cuffs. "So this is about revenge? I can respect that" he said. "You'll understand if I don't bring you in. what I've got planned has too many moving parts as it is."
"I understand" Jake nodded.
Lex looked at him silently, a moment of inspiration and generosity overcoming him as he pulled out a pen and grabbed a sheet of paper from a nearby table. "I think this should help in your endeavours. You have impressed me, Mr White. I'll be curious to see what you do with it" he said, folding the piece of paper up and passing it to him. "Just stay out of my way while I bring the Kryptonian to her knees. With luck, you won't need to lift a finger to get your revenge. Give my regards to your associate" he said, walking out of the workshop with a confident swagger.
Jake allowed him to leave, understand the man had no interest in their enterprise. He opened the piece of paper, reading the note Lex had given him. His eyes widened and he looked back in disbelief. The Machiavellian had been generous.
Later that evening the Blacksmith arrived and found Jake tinkering with the gauntlet Lex had left behind, her first look at a piece of Lex Luthor's technology. The young man detailed the man's visit, which the tall man found curious and a concern. He suggested they accept his terms and stay out of the man's way. Jake determined that as fine, holding up the note he had been given which would give him much to think about. "I suppose we cross our fingers and hope Mr Luthor doesn't change his mind" he said. "What are you going to do with that?" he asked, nodding to the paper.
Jake cradled it in his hands. On the paper was a name. The name he'd been looking for since he started his investigations. And now that Lex had given it to him, he would need to start from scratch. He gave Lex the time he needed to carry out his schemes. And in that time he used it to plan, to watch, to learn everything he could about Kara Danvers.
It was the present day now. Lex Luthor had failed, dead and gone. But the gift he gave Jake had changed everything. It allowed him to bring his vision into being, his vengeance taking shape. He owed much to Lex Luthor, but he was not who he had come to honour.
He stood in front of the Memorial Hospital, the building rebuilt and renamed following the destruction of the previous building. In front of him stood the wall of names, all fourteen men and women who died that day. He crouched down to gaze at the name at the bottom; Sarah Linwood. On the pedestal in front of her name were the flowers left by family and friends, people who missed them. He was glad to see her ring remained, exactly where he placed it the day of the opening, paying his respects as the wall was unveiled. It hurt him to listen to the mayor praise Supergirl for saving the day when she failed all these people. He would never forgive her for letting the woman he loved die.
He looked down at the ring on his finger, removing it for the first time in five years. He brought it up and examined the engraving on the inside: may it beat for all eternity. With reluctant hesitation he placed it next to its matching partner, their words becoming one. To my love I give my heart. May it beat for all eternity.
"It won't be long now my love" he said, holding back the emotion threatening to break him into tears. "It'll all be over soon" he promised, rising up to his feet putting a hand on the plaque. "I love you" he said, five years too late but nonetheless true. He turned around and walked back the way he came, leaving the rings behind where he hoped they would remain together for the rest of eternity.