At Odds Again
Chapter 2 of The Blue S
Heavy promotion assured a sizable turnout at the city's Carver Park. An equally large police presence guarded against the underworld shooting up the place for spite. All of the crime bosses were feeling the heat directed at public enemy number one, the Chiller.
The bringer of that heat, a blonde bearing a blue S on her red costume, focused her attention on a park custodian pushing his cart nervously in her direction. Superman had already moved twenty yards away in preparation for a joint demonstration. An announcer prepared the crowd for the coming event, urging folks to make plenty of room. That left Supergirl momentarily alone beside a mammoth boulder six feet in diameter. Still she continued to watch the groundskeeper. He pushed his cart close to the Daily Planet delegation and began to move away. No one paid any attention to a puff of smoke wafting away from the wheeled barrel, which was of her own doing.
Supergirl flew a short distance to head the man off. He was literally petrified, sweat coating his dark face as people began to murmur uneasily.
"It's sleep gas, miss! They made me do it, said they'd kill my family!"
"Actually, it's a bomb," she said. "I severed its leads with my heat vision." She beckoned to Inspector Henderson, who began making his way through the onlookers.
The groundskeeper looked ready to faint, maybe felt obliged to offer thanks. "Beggin' your pardon, miss, but you're just about the prettiest thing I ever did see."
"Just about?" She pressed fingers lightly to his chest. "Well, thanks. You've made my day. Talk to the inspector. He won't hold you accountable." The police hustled both evidence and witness away, leaving spectators nervous but not unduly alarmed.
"We have a slight delay, folks," the announcer said on his bullhorn. "Patience, please." Supergirl had floated elegantly back to the boulder.
Having joined the Planet reporters, Superman remarked, "That was very alert of Supergirl, disabling the bomb with her heat vision. You all might have been killed."
Perry White shook his head in disapproval. "You see what she's stirred up, Superman? No one is safe as long as she wants to be a one-woman army!"
Having a different take, Lois jotted down notes for her article. "Why did she touch the guy like that? Did she bewitch him?"
"Why bother?" Jimmy Olsen quipped. "Most guys are in love with her already." He knew that would rile Lois.
"Ahem," Superman put in. "Supergirl is waiting." He strode back to his position, the crowd falling back expectantly. If this gathering of super heroes was meant to reassure them, it seemed to be working. A quiet descended, a mixture of bird calls and the subtle roar of city traffic. The announcer raised his horn again.
"We're ready when you are, Supergirl!"
A gathering swell of voices arose as Supergirl easily picked up the giant stone. She tossed it on a long arc, where Superman caught it overhead. Things grew even more exciting when he lifted it higher with his super breath. After a few seconds, he blew it toward Supergirl, who also caught it overhead. She set it spinning about a finger, then let it drop with a ground-shaking impact that rattled everyone's ankle bones. Applause erupted.
"Don't be disappointed, folks," the crier announced. "We told you it would be brief. Superman and his cousin have a lot of catching up to do." Groans greeted this, but the park goers broke up into groups to discuss and speculate on events.
Supergirl flitted toward the Planet group, touched down lightly. "I have a prime suspect for the bomb."
"Let the police handle it," Superman admonished.
Lois had pencil poised. "What changes to criminal law would you make, Supergirl?"
"I'd make it illegal to own kryptonite, and charge anyone with attempted murder who shot at Superman, even though bullets can't harm him."
"Golly gee!" Jimmy enthused. "She oughta be on city council!"
Superman seemed burdened. "Excuse us for a moment. I need a word with her." Once the others had moved away, he confided an addition to his earlier account about accidentally killing some gangsters. "I just recalled another incident. A mobster and his gun moll found out I was Clark Kent. They wouldn't tell me where they'd hidden the film, so I flew them to a snowy mountaintop. I justified it as giving them a fighting chance, but deep down I knew they'd die of exposure. As it turned out, they died in a fall while trying to climb down. Because I was careless."
"You executed them by proxy," Supergirl said, then to soften it, "They knew what they were getting into—just like the Chiller with this bomb stunt."
"Nonetheless," he countered, "you may end up killing him by accident or otherwise. Once you see the sky doesn't fall, it will be easier next time."
He was genuinely concerned about becoming a menace versus a champion. "That's hard to judge, Kal. If the Chiller was dead, he couldn't have almost killed a lot of people here."
Kal became inscrutable. "Promise me you'll leave the Chiller to the law."
"I'll do my best," Supergirl said. After he'd flown away: "But my best isn't good enough." Could they really come to blows over this? Presumably he was stronger, as it was for mortal men and women. She didn't want to find out.
Jimmy trotted over ahead of Lois. "If we're nosy, call us reporters. What was that all about?"
Supergirl changed tack. "How would you like to help me nail the Chiller?" Both their faces showed it was no contest.
"Would we ever!" Lois exclaimed. "But Clark would be mortified. He doesn't like us going undercover. I can't count the number of times Superman has had to rescue us."
Supergirl used her blandest expression. "I'll be there. I don't need to reveal myself unless anyone starts shooting. I'll just be another cub reporter on an internship."
Before the two could comment, Inspector Henderson approached. "We got nowhere with the custodian. He said the men who threatened him wore gloves and masks."
"Typical," Jimmy said. "That Chiller is one oily eel."
Henderson tipped his hat back. "It gets better. We just got a call from him, Supergirl. He's invited you to a meet. I don't like it—he could have kryptonite."
"I hope he does." With an impish smile, Supergirl leapt into the sky.
"What did she mean by that?" Jimmy queried.
Henderson watched her vanishing form, shading his eyes. "Well, that's all we need—a super-powered vigilante who defies Superman."
"Gosh," Jimmy said. "Do you really think she and Superman could get into it?"
"Let's hope not, Jimmy. Two Goliaths going at it in a modern city? They'd level the place."
Lois put her notes away. "It won't happen anytime soon. I think she'll meet with Jimmy and me tomorrow about getting into the Chiller's lair."
Sometime later, high atop a lakeside radio tower, Supergirl scanned the Chiller's villa, which overlooked a marina. A man with a portable radio waited outside the door to inform of her arrival. Her X-ray vision located a room where several men milled about. The Chiller sat at a corner desk. She sharpened the focus. Sure enough, sitting in a desk drawer was a lead-lined box. What would Kal do? Knowing him, he'd walk right into the trap. Well then, so would she.
Supergirl leapt into space and began the long glide to the hilltop. She halted about four feet above the ground to stare at the radio man. He spoke into his unit and rushed inside.
"Here I come," she said. "Ready or not."
End chapter 2