THE MAID OF STEEL # 34

From the bay window of the apartment, Linda Danvers folded her arms tightly, a scowl twisting her lips as an abnormally warm late Fall day unfolded outside. Halloween was in two weeks, but the normal chill that filled the air of Midway City this time of year was nowhere to be found.

“You look positively livid luv.”

“Don’t call me that!” Linda shouted, spinning around.

“Tsk. Tsk.” Dick Malverne said, wagging his finger at her. “That’s no way to talk to your beloved.”

“You’re not my beloved Buzz.” Linda stressed the name. “You have merely possessed him. Now… get out of his body.”

Dick chuckled, although the voice was all Buzz.

Linda looked at the slight red tinge to Dick’s blue eyes—the reddish hue that told her Buzz was in charge. As he had been for the past month—since Linda’s landlord Gideon Didio had attempted to use Dick Malverne as a vessel host for an Earth-Bound Demon. As Supergirl, she’d thwarted those plans, but not quickly enough to keep Buzz from escaping Hell and taking root in Dick’s body. Linda hadn’t heard from Dick since. Gideon had given Dick a powerful magical sedative to repress his consciousness, and until Dick woke up to cast Buzz off, he wasn’t going anywhere.

Linda hadn’t heard from Dick since. Part of her feared that his soul had been destroyed, and all that remained was Buzz.

“Oh Linda. Hun. Dick and I are one now. And since you love Dick, it means that you love me.” Buzz’s English accent made Linda want to pummel him. But, of course, pummeling him meant pummeling Dick.

After the dust had cleared from her landlord’s attempt to give Dick’s body to the Earth-Bound demon, Linda had discovered that Gideon Didio had left his apartment building to Dick---part of the agreement with the demon for the wealth and power he was giving Gideon in exchange for helping him escape from Hell. Now Dick owned the Genoa Park apartment building. At least she was getting free rent out of this nightmare.

“Go away, Buzz. Please. I want Dick back.”

“You know it’s not that easy luv. Even if I leave this body, you know that Dick is still knocked out. If he wakes up, I get cast out. That’s how it works.” Buzz’s twisted smile warped Dick’s lips.

“Maybe I can find an exorcist.” Linda mumbled.

Buzz chuckled, “Again, not that easy. Dick and I are merged as one. Much like you and your Earth-Bound Angel.”

“Un-bond.” Linda pleased. “I can help you find a new host. There are plenty of evil people out there you can take root in. Perhaps we can find someone in a persistent vegetative state.”

“Ah, but Lin.. Supergirlie…. Much like the Angel binds to those with a touch of darkness—which you had before your redemption, and Earth-Bound Demon needs someone with a touch of light to properly take root. It’s how balance works.”

“But, if being merged with the angel brought me redemption… it can only bring Dick corruption.” Linda shook her head.

“Bingo! Give that girl a kewpie doll!” Buzz laughed, “it’s balance luv. You are redeeming someone the forces of Hell marked as an agent. I am corrupting someone marked by the Heavens as an agent. Balance.”

“You need to leave him.” Linda’s eyes blazed alive with dancing flames.

“Or what?” Buzz asked, cold black light exploding from his eyes in jagged lightning bolts.

“I don’t know. But, I will find something. And make you pay.” Linda spat at him, her fiery wings igniting behind her.

“Are we done?” Buzz laughed, dark black wings of ice sprouted from his back. “Or do we have a good old fashion stand off?”

“You know that I won’t hurt Dick.” Linda said finally.

“Good.” Buzz laughed, the blackness around his eyes dying out and the black ice wings melting into thin air. “You need to get down to the TV station and I need to get Dickie to school so he can graduate. Dick being a productive member of society with a college degree is all part of the plan.”

Linda glared at him. Angel fire dancing from her eyes and back.

“By the way, luv. Notice you didn’t change into Supergirl to exert your angel form? Interesting, ain’t it?”

Linda did not reply; she merely watched him go. Once he was gone the angel fire died out; Linda buried her face in her hands—crying only after she was sure Buzz was long gone.

Gayle realized the man wanted to go—get on with his day. But, she was on a call with her campaign manager. It was a call that she would not rush just because Jacobs was sitting here, waiting for her.

Finally after several minutes, Gayle ended the call.

“Sorry to keep you waiting Jacobs. You have news?” Gayle was going to keep this to the point. More and more lately she was wondering why she was allied with this man. This odd man who had sought her out nearly a year ago and convinced her that her ticket to getting elected was taking advantage of people’s fears of meta-humans and push for stronger regulations and penalties. She had merely wanted to keep Supergirl in check, since Supergirl would be responsible for unleashing Decay if she continued as she currently was.

Somehow, and Gayle wasn’t sure how, Lt. Jacobs had charmed her. And now that she was aware, whatever magic he had used didn’t quite work.

“It took too long.” Jacobs stammered.

“Sorry, Damian. I can’t drop everything every time you show up unannounced. And besides, you’re coming by more and more often. More than anyone else. People are starting to notice. And comment.” Gayle watched Jacobs carefully. Her primary powers were telekinetic. She had some extra-sensory powers of telepathy and mind-reading. She had the ability to exert some minor control over people’s emotions and thoughts—she often resorted to reigning Lt. Jacobs in. Very basic powers, but often unreliable and inconsistent since she’d been resurrected by the gene bomb during the Invasion. But, sometimes Jacobs seemed to have some sort of shielding that created a bubble around his thoughts.

There was definitely more to him than met the eye. Was he a meta? Did his hatred of meta-humans come from self-hatred?

“I just wanted you to be aware that our friend Dynamic is going to put in an appearance at this church fund-raiser taking place in the Red Zone tonight.” Lt. Jacobs said.

“Excuse me?” Gayle drew a sharp breath.

“Dynamic is going to attack the fund-raiser tonight and claim it’s retribution against Supergirl.”

Gayle Marsh did not reply. She took a deep breath and swallowed the rage that had come bubbling up. Rage was dangerous. Very dangerous. The last time she’d felt rage she’d destroyed a city block.

Although crushing Lt. Jacobs’ head might solve a few things…

He’s in my office. We don’t use our psychic powers to kill people in our own office. It’s bad form. Gayle told herself trying to calm her anger.

“That is an incredibly stupid idea.” Gayle sighed, releasing as much of the anger as she could. “Of course, I’m assuming it’s too late to stop it. Isn’t it?”

“Indeed, Senator.” Jacobs smiled his predatory grin. There was no mistaking his patronizing tone.

“In the future, Lieutenant, do not send super-villains to places that I’m going to be. It’s bad. Very bad.” Gayle could feel a headache explode full blown in her head. A side effect of suppressing the mental energies her rage was producing.

“Understood.” His tone did not indicate that he really did.

“Now get out of my office. I have work to do.” Gayle snapped at him.

Jacobs nodded without a word.

Once he was out of the office, a wide grin covered his face.

“Soon Senator. Soon.” He whispered as he made his way out of the highly desirable down-town office building Gayle Marsh’s offices were in.

When the Channel 8 mobile news van pulled to a stop in front of the Holy Queen of Heaven Church, the sun had already began to sink---casting heavy gold and orange shadows across Midway City.

The van’s side door opened and Linda Danvers stepped out with her director Peter Barton and cameraman Stu McMahon. Peter was still wearing a cast on his right arm from getting knocked around during Skeleta’s attack on the east-side last month.

Linda frowned remembering. After throwing down in the bombed remains of Qurac, Supergirl had shunted back to Midway City to help survivors of Skeleta’s attack. When she’d returned to Qurac a few hours later, Skeleta had somehow escaped the wastelands of Qurac. It troubled Linda because Skeleta couldn’t fly and didn’t have teleportation powers, as far as anyone knew. Which meant someone had intervened to help Skeleta escape Qurac.

“How long are we going to be at this shin-dig?” Linda tugged at the straps of the uncomfortable blue cocktail dress wardrobe had stuck her in. It seemed a bit revealing for a church fundraiser, but the wardrobe girl Becky had assured her that it was be far more conservative than what most of the socialites and faux-celebrities would be wearing.

“All night for Peter and I.” The cameraman said. “You’re going to do some segments, a couple of interviews during the early part of the evening, and then you’re done. Two to three hours tops.”

“Cool.” Linda said, “My Mom and Dad are going to be here, and I want to spend some time with them.”

Since Buzz had possessed Dick, Linda had been precious spare time. Baby-sitting Buzz and working at Supergirl Enterprises and crime fighting took up most of her time. She’d seen so little of her parents, Cutter and Mattie, and Craig Morris.

Craig…

As Linda and her crew entered the newly refurbished church in the Red Zone, her thoughts turned to Craig Morris.

Craig was her friend and former co-worker. And, he also knew that she was Supergirl now, thanks to Phillip Decker. He’d been sort of odd since. When they’d been co-workers, before the Time Trapper had returned Dick to her, there had been a spark between them. And Craig had apparently nursed a serious crush on Supergirl for some time. Now that he knew they were one and the same he was always calling her to hang out. Usually on semi-romantic events and never including Dick.

Not that she could bring Dick along right now anyway.

“Ready Linda?” Peter asked as they entered the church. They signed into the guest list, taking their press passes.

“Ready as I’ll ever be.” Linda said, as they began looking for an area to set up the camera for interviews.

The King of Koulvera watched with a grim expression as the battered star-ship entered the sky above the capitol city.

<”Our sensors detect no life-forms aboard your highness.”>* The Prime Minister of Defense Le Alor said, wringing his hands.

*translated from Koulverian.

<”It looks like Father Death’s face.”> King Je Zoa said grimly, staring at Brainiac 2.5’s ship.

<”I have a bad feeling about this father.”> Princess Ti Zoa hugged herself tightly, a cool breeze drifting into the throne room sending shivers through her whole body as it cut thru the thin shimmering material of her gown.

<”Please go to the secret room with your mother and brother.”> The King said gravely. He turned to his daughter’s chief royal guard. <”Make sure to follow escape protocol if the alarm sounds.”>

Royal Guard Vu Uelle nodded, leading the Princess from the room. As they left the throne room, Princess Ti Zoa turned and looked at her father, <”I love you Da.”>

<”I love you too Ti.”> The King smiled before the throne room doors slid shut behind her.

<”Our scout ship is getting no response to it’s hail to the ship.”> The Prime Minister of Defense said gravelly. The King and his assembled council of advisors and heads of state watched the small scout ship approaching the large star-ship.

A red laser ray shot from the star-ship’s skull-like visage vaporing the scout ship.

<”Our visitor just declared war.”> The King said, his voice cold and filled with regret. <”Order a full attack immediately.>

Brains drummed her red lacquered nails against her desk, her platinum blonde hair shimmering in the warm light cascading from the desk lamp. Outside the city was coming alive with the sounds of a Fall evening as the sinking sun set the sky ablaze with hues of orange and gold and red.

“So, how much longer?” Ellen Dalton asked.

Brains tried to keep the grimace from her face. In the subtle lighting of her office (which Brains had gone to great lengths to tastefully decorate down to making sure the light was at the right levels and right angles to be always flattering) Ellen Dalton still looked like gutter trash. The woman (even though she was barely twenty-five, Brains couldn’t think of her as a girl… a rough life had left her looking rough) had shown up here, contrary to all previous instructions and wanted to talk about being the Silver Scorpion and the attack they were planning on Supergirl.

Brains wanted to tear into this dumb wench, but realized that the wounded pride that would cause would cause Ellen to turn on her and the Silver Scorpion plan was too close to fruition to have to find someone else to wear the suit. Ellen had the right amount of hunger and drive for wealth and success… both attributes needed to do something as stupid as putting on a costume and playing super-villain against Supergirl. The stupidity of the girl helped a lot. Ellen actually thought she could beat Supegirl. Supergirl. Ha.

“A week or two. Maybe.” Brains said coolly, rewarding Ellen with a bright smile. The girl was too dumb to realize she was being patronized.

“I’m ready Brains. Really ready.”

“Brianna.” Brains said quietly. “When I’m dressed like this and we are in this office, it’s Brianna.”

“Whatever.” Ellen shook her head, her badly permed bleached blonde hair not moving with the motion. Her hair looked like uncooked Ramen Noodles, which reminded Brains of her teen years, when her good for nothing mother had been too drunk and high to cook and left Brianna to her own devices. “If you don’t think I’m ready, then you’re wrong. I’m totally ready. It’s been a couple months since Jolene wore the Silver Scorpion costume and I don’t know if anyone even remembers her!”

“I’m sure people do.” Brains said. Did this dummy really not see what was going on? It wasn’t too hard to see where all of this was going? Did she really not see that she was being set up?

Brains smiled at her, confident that Ellen Dalton didn’t get it at all.

“Two weeks tops.” Brains said finally. “Now run along. We’re still footing the bill for your motel room and we’re still covering all your expenses. I’ll call you when it’s time.”

Ellen scowled, but she got up and left, without saying a word.

Once she was gone, Brains picked up the phone dialing her weapons man.

“Chester! Brains! How the hell are you?” Brains beamed brightly even though her eyes didn’t show even the vaguest twinkle of a smile. “That’s awesome! How are Debbie and the kids? Awesome. Just awesome. So, I wanted to know, where are we with that proto-bomb? I sent all those files and tech from LexCorp weeks ago. And, I’m ready to move.”

Brains waited several minutes as Chester went over his progress.

“Sounds great.” She said finally. “When you think it will be ready? Really? Next week? That’s excellent. Get it to me by Monday morning and you’re get a fifty thousand dollar bonus for this month.”

Brains smiled as the man cried out in surprise and joy.

“Thanks Chester. I’ll talk to you soon.”

Brains hung up the phone. Her smile fading. Everything was progressing. If all of this worked out, she would be getting the next seat on the Council. She stood slowly. She had no doubt that Chester would have the proto-bomb ready in time for her. Money was the great motivator. She had a lot to get into place if their plans were going to go off without a hitch.

Dialing her personal assistant, Brains barked into the phone, “Jamie, get me Kevin Yates of the Meta-Research Development Group. Tell him I’d love to confirm for his fund raiser next Wednesday night and that I’ll be making a sizeable donation on behalf of Brains, Inc. Tell him I’ll have a date with me.”

“Gotcha, Brianna.” Jaime said.

Brains hung up the phone. That was one less thing. Time to get everything else into place.

“I’m Linda Danvers, signing off at the Holy Queen of Heaven Church in Midway City’s Reddington District.” Linda smiled brightly, glad she hadn’t slipped and referred to it as the Red Zone. Which is of course what everyone called the crime-plagued Reddington District. Even Johnny Drew and Joan Raymond were off camera they referred to it as the Red Zone. As Supergirl she referred to it as the Red Zone.

“And clear!” Peter Barton said. “You were great Linda!”

“Thanks Peter!” Linda smiled, “Do you need anything else? If not I’m going to go and find my parents.”

“I think we’re good. We’re going to get a few shots and walk around and do some interviews, but we don’t need you for those. If anything comes up we’ll find you.” Peter said, “Go. Have fun.”

“Thanks Peter!” Linda gave him a quick peck on the check and a hug before rushing off to find her mom and dad.

It didn’t take long as Sylvia and Fred Danvers were chatting with the Archbishop of Midway City John Szabo.

“Oh, Archbishop!” Sylvia beamed brightly, “This is our daughter Linda. She’s covering this event for Channel 8.”

“Nice to meet you.” The Archbishop extended his hand. Linda took it and shook it, trying not to look as uncomfortable as she felt. Since taking on the role of an Earth-Bound Angel, she found it difficult to interact with religious leaders. She wasn’t sure why it made her uncomfortable, it just did.

“Nice to meet you as well.” Linda smiled at him.

The Archbishop released her hand, “I’m glad you could make it in your professional capacity. This church needs as much good publicity as it can get. This part of town is looked down upon by the rest of Midway City. We need to get the word out that there are people who care about what goes on here and that we’re trying to make things better.”

Linda smiled, liking the passion that entered the Archbishop’s voice. “Well, originally, Channel 8 wasn’t going to send anyone out. But, after Mom mentioned that this was happening, I petitioned to cover the night. I’m personally tired of hearing about the Reddington District only when there is some horrible crime or gang fight or murder. And I hate that people call this the Red Zone. It makes it sound like some sort of ebola-infected area.”

“I see you have your mother’s good heart and your father’s sense of honor.” The Archbishop smiled. “Do you attend services here?”

Linda shifted uncomfortably, then smiled weakly. “I don’t. I’m not actually a practicing Catholic.”

“Oh.” The Archbishop looked at Sylvia, who shrugged, her cheeks turning red with embarrassment.

“I hope it doesn’t offend you.” Linda said quickly, not wanting her mother to feel any shame. “I don’t have any dissatisfaction with the church or anything like that. I just don’t subscribe to any one religion. I think all of them have kernels of the truth, but personally I choice not to be any one of them.”

The Archibishop smiled, “Well, it’s not my preference Linda. But I respect your candor and honesty.”

Sylvia breathed a sigh of relief.

“If you’ll excuse me, I need to check in with Deacon Tate about something.” The Archbishop smiled, walking off.

“Sorry Mom.” Linda shrugged, “I didn’t want to lie to him…”

“It’s OK.” Sylvia smiled, giving her daughter a hug. “I’m proud of you for telling him the truth too. It reminds me that despite some rough patches for a while there, your father and I did raise you right.” She gave her daughter a quick peck on the cheek. “Now, I need to go and see Mrs. Campbell about the raffle.”

Sylvia walked off, moving briskly through the crowds.

“Is she mad at me?” Linda asked her father. “She said she was OK, but her expression…”

“She’s not mad.” Lt. Fred Danvers smiled. “I just think she’s disappointed sometimes that you and I aren’t as into this church stuff as she is. She knows we believe… We just don’t feel the need to belong to the local church.”

“I wish I did.” Linda replied. After all that she’d seen as an Earth-Bound Angel, she had a hard time believing all of the trappings of an actual institution were good for religion.

“She’ll be fine. We both know that when your mother is feeling weak about her struggle with alcohol, she throws herself into church work. Things have been especially tough on her lately. She’s got guilt that Time Trapper person rescued us from Leesburg’s destruction. She’s feeling the after-effects of that jerk Phillip Decker’s kidnapping all of us. And, she’s still smarting for allowing herself hope about your brother Jan and getting taken by that charlatan Selena Moonstone.”

“She finally told you about that?” Linda asked. Her mother had sworn her to secrecy about going on Selena Moonstone’s show “The Other Side” to try and contact Linda’s dead brother Jan. During the show, Selena had turned out to be a mind-reader and powerful telepath who had attacked Linda—causing Linda to fight back with her TK blasts. The battle had left Selena Moonstone paralyzed after a massive brain hemorrhage and still struggling to regain usage of most of her body and the ability to speak.

“Yeah.” Fred shook his head. “She has never properly grieved your brother. I guess in some ways none of us have. You ended up falling in with Buzz and his lot because of your mother and I pulling away from each other and our family. Her struggle with alcohol kept her numb to dealing with it when she wasn’t throwing herself into church activities and volunteering. I threw myself into my work and an affair or two…”

“I sometimes fantasize about catching the guy who did it and burning him to ash.” Linda replied quietly. “As an Earth-Bound Angel I’ve been given the ability to pass judgment on those who commit grievous sins.”

“You and I both know you couldn’t deal with the guilt of taking a life. Even if it was the monster who killed your brother.” Fred shook his head, “I’ve had the same fantasies before. They aren’t helpful.”

“We’re all a mess aren’t we.” Linda said ruefully.

“A bit.” Fred replied, “However, your mom and I were talking about maybe us all going to family therapy…”

“That’s a great idea.” Linda smiled, “I’m in.”

Fred smiled back, “That makes me happy. Do you think you could find someone in your community? Since some of our issues are S-Shield related.”

“I can make inquiries.” Linda nodded, “I’m sure there is someone Superman or Power Girl can recommend.”

“That is great.” Fred sighed, “I only wish—“

Fred Danvers was interrupted by a crashing sound and a loud commotion.

Both Fred and Linda spun toward the sound of the noise.

A guy wearing a purple and silver suit and a visor came walking into the main banquet room off the side of the church’s main wing.

“Oh crap. Why tonight? Of all nights?” Linda groaned.

“Who is that clown?” Fred asked.

“He calls himself Dynamic. He’s the one who destroyed that abandoned tenement over on Byrne Street a few weeks back.” Linda groaned. “He wasn’t very powerful. Truthfully. But, he can do a lot of damage with energy blasts he shoots from either his eyes or that visor.”

“I guess you should go and change.” Fred told his daughter.

“I guess so.” Linda grinned at him lopsided, “This looks like a job for Supergirl!”

“Don’t ever do that again.” Fred said.

Linda giggled as she disappeared into the crowd, making her way down a hallway that connected the banquet room to the empty classrooms attached to the church.

Part of the plan in doing this fundraiser was to make improvements to the abandoned section of the church that had once been a school to offer adult education classes for the people of the Red Zone.

Ducking into a dark classroom, Linda transformed from Linda Danvers into Supergirl.

Flying out of the room, she headed to the massive banquet room to stop Dynamic.

“Supergirl!” Dynamic exclaimed, grinning her way. “So nice to see you again!”

“I wish I could say the same.” Supergirl said, increasing her speed. She grabbed Dynamic by the shoulders, plucking him from the ground and dragging him out of the banquet room at super-speed.

“HEY!” Dynamic squealed as he struggled not to lose his lunch. “How are we going to have the big fight for all the people to see if we’re out here?”

“We’re not having a big fight.” Supergirl told him, hovering above the street. Below them people were pointing at them, shouting. She noticed that Peter Barton and her cameraman were out in the street filming them. “Why would you attack a church?”

“I want to destroy you! And destroy the Red Zone!” Dynamic said, although it lacked conviction.

“Are you reading lines?” Supergirl asked. “That sounded like you’ve been rehearsing it.”

“Shut up!” Dynamic snapped.

“Struck a nerve?” Supergirl asked with a raised eyebrow.

A bolt of energy shot from Dynamic’s visor, slamming into her face.

Supergirl screamed as pain exploded through her head.

Without thinking she let go of Dynamic, instinctively covering her face with her hands, closing her eyes against the sudden stinging pain. It wasn’t death pain, but it was sharper than most pain she experienced these days as with her near invulnerability.

Dynamic fell toward the street below, screams came from the crowds. Turning himself at a favorable angle, Dynamic landed on both feet, bouncing up in a single bound, landing on his feet on a building across the street from the Holy Queen of Heaven Church.

“Feel the wrath of Dynamic!” He shouted. “You people will pay for what Supergirl has done to me! When you pick the dead from the ruins of that church, know that this is Supergirl’s fault for opposing me so often!”

“I don’t even know you!” Supergirl screamed at him, opening her eyes. The pain was fading and her vision cleared. “We’ve fought once when you destroyed that building!”

“I am trying to clean up the Red Zone! The only way you can clean this toxic dump of a neighborhood! By razing it!” Dynamic shouted. “And not even my arch-nemesis Supergirl can stop me!”

“You are not my arch-nemesis!” Supergirl called, flying toward him.

When she was about to grab him, he back-handed her—swatting her aside with previously unrevealed super-strenght.

As she hurtled toward the street, where she slammed with a massive impact that caused the asphalt to buckle and crack, Supergirl thought, “Since when did he get super-strength?”

Pulling herself to her feet, Supergirl watched in horror as an energy blast from his visor slammed into the church.

The massive stained glass cross with image of Mary shattered, and the top of the building was sheared off.

“MADMAN!” Supergirl screamed at him. Then at super-speed she set about whisking away debris and glass even as people below scurried away, screaming as they erupted into pandemonium.

It did not take long for Supergirl to catch all the debris at super-speed. And no one appeared to be suffering any real injuries. There were several cuts and bruises and someone had broken their ankle in their mad attempt to escape the debris Dynamic’s attack on the church had wrought. But, no one was dead and no one had injuries that came even close to bringing that about.

While Supergirl had stopped the debris and glass, Dynamic had escaped.

“The destruction at Holy Queen of Heaven is catastrophic.” Joan Raymond intoned on the Channel 8 News at Eleven. “Archbishop John Szabo says that the structural damage may be too severe to rebuild the church located on Siegel Street.”

“Eye-witnesses on the scene state the super-villain responsible—Dynamic stated that his attack on the church was to settle a score between himself and Supergirl.” Johnny Drew said, taking over from Joan. “Dynamic is the same super-villain who destroyed a building on Byrne Street several weeks ago. Supergirl also opposed him that time. While he claims that there is a standing rivalry between himself and Supergirl, there are no other records that Channel 8 can find supporting this claim. However, Kevin Yates of the Meta-Research Development Group, who was attending the fundraiser tonight at Holy Queen of Heaven had this to say---“

The scene cut to a handsome man in his forties with hair graying at his temples, “This is just another instance of meta-humans’ personal grudges endangering those of us not gifting with super-powers or a meta-gene. We’re seeing an increase in these crimes since Supergirl moved to Midway City almost a full year ago. And, I predict that we will see more of these crimes as she continues to receive support of Mayor Weisinger and Police Commissioner Shuster.”

The scene then cut to an attractive dark haired woman as Joan Raymond’s voice over identified her as Senator Gayle Marsh.

Senator Marsh was ravishing and her piercing pale blue eyes seemed to trap the viewing audience within them.

“This is just another instance of meta-humans endangering the common man. Which is why the legislation I’m trying to get passed which prohibits any display of meta-human powers within any city in our great state is important. With newly developing technologies the Meta-Research Development Group is working on we could even block all meta-human abilities within certain areas—preventing tragedies like this from happening ever again.”

“Please stay with Channel 8 as we continue to bring you developments from the scene of this tragedy in the Redding District.” Joan Raymond smiled compassionately into the camera as it faded to commercial advertising Sparky’s sports restaurants.

“This is an unmitigated disaster.” Linda groaned, sitting on the couch with her parents.

“It’s not your fault.” Fred said gravely, “Despite what that Dynamic character says, we know that you and him don’t have any history.”

“It’ll blow over Linda.” Sylvia said, patting her daughter on the back. “You’ll see. People will remember all of the good that Supergirl has done for this city and the world.”

Linda did not reply. She knew despite what her parents were saying this was bad news all around.

In her lush penthouse suite in downtown’s posh Vickery District, Senator Gayle Marsh looked out the windows toward the Red Zone. She could still see flashing lights even at this distance as the police and ambulances and city workers continued to clean up and clear debris. Supergirl had tried to help, but Police Commissioner Shuster had made her leave—saying that it was better that she leave with the crowd being so angry at her.

Gayle wanted to smile. But, she couldn’t. She felt bad about this. Supergirl did so much good for the city. It was just unfortunate that Supergirl would be the vessel that would allow Decay to escape into this world and bring about it’s destruction.

The answering machine blinked, with Lt. Damian Jacobs’ message. It had been coded, but he was quite pleased with himself over tonight’s success.

Despite her initial reservations about having his hired thug Dynamic attack the fund raiser at the Holy Queen of Heaven, Gayle had to admit it worked. Public sentiment was turning against the Girl of Steel. Which would make Gayle’s job that much easier come the election in May when her Meta-Regulation Bill went up for public vote.

With a heavy sigh, Gayle turned away from the plate window overlooking the city and went to bed.

Lt. Damian Jacobs was smiling as he watched the destruction cleared away from the ruins of the church. It was all working. Everything was falling into place. Soon it would be time to reveal his true identity… to Senator Gayle Marsh. But only after all the pieces were in place. And after Gayle Marsh realized exactly what she’d been party to, he was going to settle his other debts.

“Soon. Very soon.” He whispered. “And the Danvers family won’t know what hit them.”

THE END

NEXT ISSUE: Brains and the Council continue their private war against Supergirl, continuing the campaign to turn public sentiment against Supergirl in “The Silver Scorpion Strikes Back”!

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