It didn't take long for Kara to hear about what happened, and even less time for her to fly back to the city. She came rocketing into National City airspace and immediately visited the crime scene. She hovered overhead and examined the crash site, the transport van cordoned off with officers and forensic teams from the FBI going over everything. She used her x-ray vision and senses and quickly determined the vehicle had been disabled by some type of engine malfunction, overhearing a tech theorise was caused by an EMP. She saw the scorch marks on the door indicating a controlled explosion to destroy the lock mechanism, possible planted inside the door. She scanned the area, following the cones the officers laid out that highlighted the escape path into the underpass. She dropped to the ground and quickly searched the old homeless shelters. Officers were already talking to the handful of residents looking for witnesses. They all said the same; the saw a black man in a suit handcuffed run through the area with a police officer following after him. But the statements from the first responders claimed no other officers were in the vicinity. So either the police were lying or the witnesses were mistaken.
Kara followed the trail to the end, finding tracks for a car leading away from the underpass. She had no idea what the car looked like so she quickly darted into a tent to change into her civilian clothes. Putting her glasses on her walked up to one of the witnesses and asked some questions as a reporter.
They repeated their stories, their heart rate and posture indicating it was the truth. The black man ran by, there was gunshots, and moments later a man dressed in swat gear came running after him. They figured the police were chasing a criminal. Kara took the statement and found a police officer to ask about the swat teams on site, but they insisted no members of swat had arrived yet. Another witness claimed they saw a police car parked in the underpass before the incident, but again that didn't match what the police officers reported.
Getting a feeling in her gut, Kara found Captain Sawyer's number in her phone and called her, relaying her suspicion to the woman before flying back into the sky to search the area.
They all reconvened at the DEO an hour later, both superheroes and civilians. Maggie was led up with Alex, who ordinarily shouldn't be allowed back up here. The acting director made and exception given the circumstances. Brainy stood at the head of the war room as Supergirl, Dreamer, J'onn, Lena, Alex and Maggie all gathered to discuss the attack on the prisoner transport and Olsen's disappearance. "It's been two hours since the incident and there has been no sign of Mr Olsen" Brainy started. "The FBI are officially considering him a fugitive and starting a citywide manhunt. They've locked down all routes in and out and set up patrols coordinating with local law enforcement. We've been asked to assist if and when needed, but this isn't considered DEO jurisdiction."
"There's no way this is an escape attempt" Alex said shaking her head. "It can't be."
"Olsen wouldn't do something this reckless" Kara agreed, feeling worried. She glanced at her sister, who averted her eyes briefly. She had been told about Alex's intention to break Olsen out of prison herself. For a moment she wondered if she had helped. But J'onn was sure she hadn't done this. He read her thoughts. She was innocent in this.
But someone had helped him. "The officers in the van with him are going to survive. One of them was able to tell us they found some kind of device on Olsen's person before the crash" Maggie told them.
"How? He was meant to be searched at the courthouse" J'onn said.
"My people are talking to the staff and they swear he was checked over after your visit. He was clean when he left. He didn't have an opportunity to interact with anyone."
"So the device was planted?" Lena mused. She lifted her head pondering it. "Do we know what it was?"
"According to the statements made, it seemed to interfere with the officer's hearing aid before detonating in his hand. The reports and the evidence match the symptoms of a flash grenade."
She tilted her head thoughtfully. "A weapon to disorientate the guards so the prisoner can escape. Sounds like something Lex would've cooked up."
"It's also something the DEO has" Alex admitted. "Charges on the door, and EMP in the wheel well…somebody who knows what they are doing helped Olsen escape."
"They came prepared" Maggie agreed. She nodded to Supergirl, telling her "your hunch was right. There was a police car parked in that underpass and the officers confirmed someone dressed in a swat uniform assaulted them. We have no record of any uniform in the area, but a vehicle was found missing from our impound lot. The guys on duty didn't notice with the attention on the courthouse until I asked for a tally."
"They attacked a police transport dressed as a policeman?" Lena laughed.
"And then drove away in the confusion knowing we wouldn't think to check our own vehicles" Maggie nodded begrudgingly. "I've already put the call out and notified the FBI. They are checking every police cruiser and vehicle they find and I've recalled all of them. This is the exact bureaucratic mess I hate" she snapped.
Lena shook her head. She could hear her brother praising the audacity of this plan. "It takes a certain type of lunatic to walk amongst the police disguised as them. They must've planted the bombs at the courthouse, right under everyone's noses."
"We should check the CCTV" Alex suggested to Maggie. She nodded, already having requested the footage. "So who do we know who's skilled enough and crazy enough to pull something like this off?" she asked rhetorically.
"Which brings us to our prime suspect" J'onn said, looking up at the surveillance phot of Jake on the screens behind them. They all looked up at him, the picture taken outside the courthouse after Olsen's hearing. "Do we know where he went after the bail hearing?" he asked.
"We haven't been able to track his movements" Brainy told him. "He disappeared into the crowd and surveillance lost sight. Unfortunately our monitoring privileges are limited since Olsen was arrested."
"But it doesn't make sense" Kara said. "Why help James escape? I thought he wanted him in prison?"
"We don't know for sure Jake is behind this" J'onn reminded her cautiously.
"It was him" Dreamer said with certainty. Everyone else turned to ask, asking how she was sure. She was dressed in her new costume, the one the Blacksmith made for her gifted by Jake, the one she saved Kara in. she almost defaulted to her original costume, but after her talk with Kara accepting she preferred the advantages this one brought, she decided she should start making this her default costume. Nobody battered an eye at it when she walked in so she didn't address it. "I know it's him. I can feel it."
"Because of your dream?" Kara asked her.
She nodded. "It was so clear. I could feel the urgency. I still can" she replied. She glanced to Lena. She wanted to talk about her experience at the courthouse, but doing so would tip the business woman off to her identity as Nia Nal. She looked to the others, her eyes conveying she'll discuss it later. "In the dream I saw Jake. He was standing over you in the same nightmare I've been having" she explained to Supergirl. "He was gloating, telling me it was too late to stop what's coming."
"You believe this vision you've been having is coming to pass" Brainy said. Nia had already shared this concern with him, and it made logical sense.
Alex and Kara both bristled with worry. They'd been fearing what might be in their future for months. If it was set to come true soon, they had less time than they had hoped for. "Has the nightmare changed at all?" J'onn asked optimistically.
Nia shrugged. "Not much. The city is still on fire. There are still bodies. Kara is…she's still covered in blood and crying. But this time I saw Jake clearly, not just heard him. He was laughing. It was…disturbing. But there was something else" she said, biting her lip in fear. "I saw Jimmy in the dream. He was dressed in the reckoning suit. He told me it was too late for him and apologised before…before being engulfed in fire."
She trailed off, but the horror in her voice translated to the others expressions. "Oh god" Lena whispered, stepping back to sink into a chair.
"Could…could it just be a metaphor?" Alex asked. "I mean you keep telling us these dreams are abstract, they don't always mean what we see."
"It's possible" J'onn nodded. "But figuring out the meaning could take time. Olsen is out there now. It's imperative we find him."
Alex nodded, turning to Maggie. "How's Kelly taking the situation" she asked. She knew the woman was with the captain before they came here to get an update.
Maggie shrugged. "Her brother is missing. She's beside herself. I was able to convince her to go home in case he tries to get in touch, advising her to call if he does."
"You really think she'd turn him in if he did" Alex scoffed.
"I gave her my personal cell" Maggie clarified. "If he shows up, I'll know." She looked at the red haired woman and sighed. "If you're really worried why don't you go over there and ask her yourself?" That idea made Alex turn pale. Despite how well their last conversation went she still felt weird around her. Things just kept getting complicated. Maggie read it in her face, nodding her head pulling the young woman to the side. Once they were in a private spot she quietly asked her "do you still have feelings for her?"
"What? Why…where's this coming from?" she asked.
Maggie raised an eyebrow. "Alex, let's be honest. These last few months have been great. It's been good for both of us. But what are we doing? Are we waiting to see if we get back together?"
Alex turned read as she suddenly became uncomfortable, glancing around the room before letting her eyes fall back onto the attractive young woman. "I haven't really thought about it" she confessed. Things were so busy since they started working together again. The thought had crossed her mind a few times, but it never felt like the right time.
Maggie sighed. "Well I have. And I think we both know we're better off as friends. I mean…you never even told me who you work for until now. You didn't tell me about your sister, which I understand perfectly" she said, interrupting her before she could protest. She gave the woman a smile as she stroked her cheek. "You are an amazing woman Alex Danvers, but we were never going to work. We tried, but I don't want us to make the same mistake again" she said sadly. She looked into her eyes, adding objectively "especially since you're in love with someone else." Alex's eyes widened as she stared at her. She opened her mouth to insist that wasn't true. But then her voice got stuck in her throat and she looked down in shame. Maggie lifted her chin back up, smiling softly. She could see it, even if Alex couldn't. She leant forward and kissed her on the cheek, the last kiss she would ever give her. "I'll be in touch if I get any leads" she promised. "You should go check on Kelly Olsen" she advised, giving the woman an encouraging nod before turning away and walking down the hall.
Alex watched the police captain exit the room, releasing an exhale as she slumped against the wall. It felt like she'd just been broken up with, even though they were never together again. But what she said rang true, lifting a weight and cementing something she hadn't allowed herself to think about. She sighed, turning around and seeing Kara standing nearby. "How much of that did you overhear" she asked with rosy cheeks.
Kara laughed, not dignifying it with a response. She walked forward and put her arms around her sister. "She has a point" she whispered to her.
Alex nodded, feeling very embarrassed. "I know it's not the time, but…"
"Go" she said, interrupting whatever excuse Alex was about to cook up. "We'll call you. And is James is out there, he might try to get home. He'll need you there" she told her. Alex smiled, hugging her sister before racing off towards the exit.
Kara released a breath before turning around and returning to the war room. J'onn looked up with an inquisitive brow, but her silent nod told him what he needed to know. He nodded back, returning to the conversation with Brainy. "So if rescuing Olsen from prison was part of his plan, why? What advantage could Olsen bring to him?"
"Could Olsen be used as leverage?" Kara asked, the fear of him being used as bait of as part of this plot racing through her mind.
"It's possible" Brainy conceded. "I'm failing to see any advantage having Mr Olsen captive could hold other than to lure us into a potential trap. He hold no other strategic value."
"Not even to gain access to somewhere?" Lena asked. "Like Cacto? Or the DEO."
"What if it isn't about having he captive?" J'onn wondered. "What if the goal was simply to keep him out of prison?"
"Why?" Kara asked. "To have another superhero on the streets? If Olsen is out he'll want to help us bring Jake down. He's just adding complications to his plan."
"Unless…" Dreamer said, a worrying thought crossing her mind. The others saw the fear in her expression and looked at her as she stepped forward. "What if it's not Guardian he wants in the streets? The city thinks Olsen is the Reckoning. As long as he was locked up, he couldn't do anything to disprove that. That's why he came to me about Bloodsport" she whispered.
Kara's eyes widened as she looked up at the image of her ex on the screen, another picture of the Reckoning materialising next to him. What Nia was saying made alarming sense. The FBI were hunting for Olsen because of the charade Jake made. As far as they were concerned, as long as Olsen was unaccounted for, so was the Reckoning. "You're right" she realised. "Jake didn't do this to help James. He did this because whatever he has planned is big enough to need him to be seen."
Brainy looked at the screens pondering the question. "What would be big enough to warrant requiring his dangerous persona?"
Dreamer gulped as she shared a look with Supergirl, the same thought passing through their heads when you consider the dreams she's been having. "An attack on the city" they answered.