The Blue S
Chapter 1
Jimmy Olsen snapped photo after photo of the avenging destroyer in red, hoping she wouldn't notice him. Another car went hurtling toward the crime lord's mansion, ignited by her heat vision, to smash into the general conflagration. Bullets had long since stopped flying, being of no more use against her than so many gnats.
Already dubbed Supergirl because of her logo—the only touch of blue on her—she was no simple copy of Superman. Her short skirt had a scandalous slit; a halter top left shoulders and midriff bare; wrist-to-armpit sleeves complemented red knee boots; a shag of blonde hair topped a swirling cape.
As usual, she rocketed skyward before authorities or Superman could arrive. Distant sirens began to converge on the disaster scene, and Jimmy hurriedly packed away his gear. Let Lois eat cake—this time he'd get the scoop!
The question in everyone's mind was twofold: why had she waited so long to appear, and why was she so different from Superman? Jimmy had come close to going for the gold and asking for an interview. It hadn't seemed a smart move at the time, so he contented himself with the praise sure to come from Perry White. Heck, even Clark would be impressed!
He raced back to the Planet and developed the proofs. Spectacular! Perry's problem would be deciding which ones to use. Only then did Jimmy hightail it up to the penthouse. He didn't even bother to knock on Perry's door.
"Chief, Chief! Check out the pix!"
Perry rose in a huff. "Olsen, why didn't you stay on scene! Lois and Clark are out there competing with every reported in town for access to witnesses!"
"But I'm a witness."
"So you are," Perry admitted. "I'll include you on the banner. Did you at least get some good stills?" He took the stack and rifled through them. "Not bad. Not bad at all." He lingered on a closeup. "Hm. Quite the exotic beauty, isn't she, to be so mean. Hypnotic eyes, sensual Cupid's bow on the lips. I wonder if she breathes fire."
"I wouldn't be surprised." Jimmy was anxious to get his piece in the can before Clark and Lois came back. "I'm gonna go write up my edit copy, Chief."
"Don't call me chief! And don't use any of that teenage slang I have to edit out!"
"Sure thing, Chief." Jimmy ducked out before Perry decided to throw something. Putting his shoulder to the wheel, he had his copy ready for the noon edition. Clark added a line inviting Supergirl to meet with Superman. The headline read: Supergirl Continues Vendetta Against the Chiller, that being the name of the crime lord. Perry had the idea of challenging Superman to do something, which Clark seemed opposed to, insisting the two weren't at odds.
Clark perched a thigh on the desk and pushed at his glasses, organizing his thoughts.
"I'm sure she's as curious about Superman as he is about her. I predict she'll come here."
"Good," Jimmy said. "Thanks to her, we're selling a boatload of papers." He decided against broaching the subject of who'd do the interview.
Lois had casually secured a pad and pencil for that purpose. "Clark, why didn't you think it was a good idea to invite Inspector Henderson here?"
"Because she might see it as provocative, like we're making a veiled threat."
Perry's chair creaked as he settled back. "She has to know about you being able to contact Superman, Kent. How will she know you're here, and not out on a story?"
"Very simple, Chief. All she has to do is lurk somewhere nearby and watch the office with her X-ray vision." All four looked at each other with that realization, and Clark knew there'd also be the matter of her super hearing. Supergirl didn't disappoint. Unlike the way Superman slammed to Earth, she floated in and slowly settled to her feet.
Perry jumped up at the intrusion. "Great Caesar's ghost!"
She deigned to regard him. "Who might you be?"
"I might be the editor in chief of this newspaper!"
"You aren't sure?" Without waiting for a reply, she looked at Clark's chest for some reason. "We should talk."
Clark looked like someone had walked on his grave. "Indeed. My office?" He held the door for her.
Since Jimmy stood rooted like a dolt, Supergirl did a slow stiff-arm to brush him out of her way. She and Clark went out.
"Rude," Lois said, scowling.
Jimmy shrugged. "Who's gonna tell her she can't be?"
Leaning against his desk, palms planted behind him, Clark regarded the enigmatic visitor seated on the office sofa. She'd obviously seen his Superman outfit with her X-ray vision. There were so many questions, he didn't know where to begin.
She went first. "You don't approve of my methods, Kal-El."
Stranger and stranger. "You know me, miss?"
"I'm your cousin Kara."
His brow creased. There seemed to be a little time problem here.
"If we left Krypton at the same time," he said, "why are you younger than I? We were both infants."
"We survived for some time on a chunk of the planet. Due to dwindling supplies, I was placed in a cryo chamber. My father at last had the escape ship ready."
Clark digested that. "Might we be on a level playing field? I don't know who you are behind the scenes."
"Linda Danvers, a local college student still living with her foster parents."
"You're fortunate to still have them," Clark said with a sage nod. "As to your methods, let me ask—why?"
"Because the Chiller is sly enough to elude the law. But he can't elude me."
How to phrase this . . . "I'm a visitor here, so I observe the laws. It gives people a sense of security knowing that I restrain myself. Otherwise I'd be hated and feared." He let that sink in.
Her mouth went a little pinched in thought. "What do you suggest?"
"Get evidence the police can use, but do it legally, so it can be used in court."
She made a mysterious little smile. "I have an idea already."
"Well and good," Clark said, crossing arms. "Tell me—where have you been all this time?"
"Mostly abroad on various assignments."
CIA? Clark ventured tentatively, "Have you killed?"
"I have, but not in this costume, or in this country."
That was troubling as it was a line Clark had crossed only once, by accident. He'd thrown a lead-wrapped piece of kryptonite skyward to burn it up with friction. It became a fiery comet that distracted the getaway car of the very men who had used the kryptonite against him. They'd gone over a cliff.
"And you?" she asked.
"Not on purpose. I have to believe, if it happens again, that they bring it on themselves."
Supergirl crossed her legs. "Have these people made it a criminal offense to own kryptonite?"
"Well, no . . ."
"Then we're on our own."
Clark came to a decision. "We need for Superman and Supergirl to appear together. Surely you see the position this puts me in." She nodded agreement. "Good. I'll arrange it, then get word back to you sometime tomorrow." He showed her out, to the storeroom window he often jumped out of.
Back in Perry's office, Clark was assailed with questions. He held up his hands. "Hold on. She wants to meet Superman. I'll have details in this evening's edition."
"Gosh darn," Jimmy groused. "I was hoping to do the interview myself."
Clark grinned. "Somehow I don't think she'd have been as forthcoming with you, Jim."
Lois tapped a pencil on her cheek. "You say she wants to meet Superman?"
Still grinning, Clark said, "Relax. She's his cousin."
"Oh." Lois actually exhaled in relief.
Perry thumped his desk. "Let's end this convention and put out a newspaper!"
On the way out, Lois looked back. "Have you ever noticed, Chief, how you end every sentence with an exclamation point?"
"I do no such thing!"
End chapter one