Chapter 3: The Alien Threat and a Curious Encounter
The hum of the CatCo office was a strange kind of symphony, a cacophony of keyboard clicks, hushed phone calls, and the perpetual, low thrum of Cat Grant's demanding presence. Adam had settled into his role as the "tech-savvy administrative wizard" with unnerving ease. His meta-knowledge, a constant, low-level buzz in his brain, made every task ridiculously simple. He knew which files were corrupted before they even crashed, anticipated Cat's irrational demands before she voiced them, and even managed to subtly optimize the office Wi-Fi, earning him silent nods of approval from the perpetually online staff.
Kara, however, was his main focus. He observed her, not in a creepy, stalker-ish way, but with the detached fascination of a fan watching their favorite show unfold. He saw the subtle shifts in her demeanor, the way her eyes would dart to the news ticker when an alien attack was reported, the almost imperceptible tension in her shoulders when she heard a distant siren. She was still finding her footing, still figuring out how to be Supergirl while juggling coffee runs and Cat's scathing critiques.
Then came the news of Vartox. The headlines screamed about a "mysterious alien wielding a power axe," and the local news channels played grainy footage of Supergirl struggling against him. Adam felt a familiar surge of meta-knowledge, a data packet downloading directly into his consciousness: Vartox, Fort Rozz escapee, energy axe, vulnerable to power surge.
He found Winn Schott hunched over his computer in his makeshift "tech lair" (which was really just a cubicle overflowing with gadgets and action figures). Winn, with his boundless enthusiasm and pop-culture references, was the closest thing Adam had to a kindred spirit in this new world.
"Rough day for our resident flying hero, huh?" Adam commented, leaning against the cubicle wall, holding a mug of coffee he'd expertly brewed. "This Vartox guy seems like a real piece of work. That axe of his looks… problematic."
Winn sighed, running a hand through his already messy hair. "Tell me about it. Alex just called. The D.E.O. is having a nightmare trying to track him. And that axe? It's draining Supergirl's power. She can barely get close." He gestured frantically at his monitor, which displayed a complex series of energy readings. "It's like it's got its own power source, but we can't figure out how to disrupt it."
Adam took a sip of his coffee, feigning deep thought. "Hmm. Energy axe, you say?" He tapped his chin. "You know, I was watching this old movie the other day – total B-movie, you wouldn't know it – but there was this villain, right? Had this super-powered weapon, too. And the hero, get this, figured out that the weapon was actually too reliant on its own energy core. Like, if you could overload it, or cause a power surge, it would just… short circuit. Total plot convenience, I know, but hey, sometimes the dumb ideas are the best ones, right?"
Winn paused, his fingers hovering over the keyboard. His eyes, usually bright with playful mischief, narrowed in concentration. "A power surge? An overload?" He mumbled, his gaze drifting back to the energy readings. "But how would you even… unless… if it's drawing power, maybe it has a feedback loop vulnerability?" He started typing furiously, a spark of inspiration igniting in his eyes. "Adam, that's… that's actually not a bad hunch! It's a long shot, but if we could somehow reverse the energy flow, or hit it with a concentrated burst…"
Adam just shrugged, a picture of nonchalance. "Hey, I just watch the movies. You're the genius who makes the gadgets. Just saying, sometimes the villains are so proud of their tech, they forget the basic rules of engineering. Like, 'don't build a giant death ray that can be defeated by a well-placed rock.' Or, in this case, a power surge."
Winn was already lost in his calculations, muttering to himself about "energy signatures" and "harmonic frequencies." Adam smiled, a quiet satisfaction spreading through him. "Subtle. Very subtle. Just a "hunch" from a "movie." Perfect."
Later that day, news reports confirmed Vartox's defeat. Supergirl, looking a little battered but triumphant, had managed to disarm him by causing his axe to short-circuit, leaving him vulnerable. The D.E.O. had taken him into custody.
Kara, looking exhausted but relieved, walked past Adam's desk. "Hey, Adam," she said, her voice a little hoarse. "Rough one today."
"Tell me about it," Adam replied, leaning back in his chair. "I almost spilled my coffee watching the news. Glad you guys handled it. That Vartox guy looked like he skipped leg day."
Kara chuckled, a tired but genuine sound. "He was… persistent. But Winn actually had a breakthrough. Said he got an idea from some random guy talking about a movie plot. Something about energy cores and feedback loops." She looked at him, a flicker of curiosity in her eyes. "Sounds a little like something you'd say."
Adam widened his eyes innocently. "Me? Nah. I'm more of a 'punch the bad guy until he stops being bad' kind of guy. Though, I do have a vast and encyclopedic knowledge of obscure B-movies. Maybe Winn was listening in on my lunch break ramblings." He winked.
Kara just shook her head, a small smile playing on her lips. "Right. Well, whatever it was, it helped. Thanks for… being here." Her gaze lingered for a moment, a hint of something more than casual curiosity in her eyes, before she moved on.
Adam watched her go, a quiet sense of triumph settling in his chest. "She's noticing. Good. Phase one: establish helpful, quirky presence. Check." He then glanced at Winn's cubicle. The guy was still furiously typing, probably already designing a new gadget. Adam reached into his desk drawer, pulled out a sticky note, and a marker. He drew a crude, stick-figure alien with an axe, then wrote: "Vartox Fan Club - Membership perks: guaranteed front-row seats to destruction!" He carefully placed it on Winn's monitor, just above his keyboard.
"Let the games begin," he thought, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Or, you know, just another Tuesday in National City."