Chapter 6: Livewire and a Spark of Connection
The fluorescent lights of CatCo flickered ominously, casting long, dancing shadows across the usually pristine office. A low hum, like a giant, angry transformer, vibrated through the floor. Adam, who had just been attempting to explain the intricacies of a "meme" to a baffled Cat Grant, felt a familiar prickle of meta-knowledge. Ah, Livewire. Time for some shocking developments.
Leslie Willis, Cat Grant's former assistant, now a walking, talking electrical hazard, was on a rampage. Her voice, amplified and distorted by crackling electricity, echoed through the building's PA system, a chilling promise of vengeance. "Cat Grant! You can run, but you can't hide from the truth! Or from me!"
Cat, surprisingly calm amidst the escalating chaos, merely sniffed. "Honestly, the dramatics. One would think she'd learned a little subtlety from me. And her outfit? So last season."
Adam suppressed a grin. Even facing a super-powered psychopath, Cat Grant was peak Cat Grant. He subtly leaned closer to one of Cat's security detail, a burly man named Dave who looked perpetually confused by the goings-on at CatCo. "Hey, Dave," Adam whispered, "just a hunch, but you might want to tell the guys to watch out for power surges. And maybe, like, really specific evacuation routes. I've seen this play out in a documentary. Villains with electrical powers? They love to hit the main power grid first. Classic move."
Dave, already sweating, nodded frantically. "Power surges? Got it, Mr. Stiels!" He barked into his comms, relaying Adam's "hunch."
Adam then turned his attention to the general evacuation. People were scrambling, a chaotic flood of terrified employees. He spotted Kara, already looking for an excuse to slip away, her eyes darting towards the sound of crackling electricity.
"Kara!" Adam called out, catching her eye. "You heading for the emergency stairs? Smart move. Just, uh, watch out for any… unexpected sparks. And maybe avoid the server room. I hear it's a real shock to the system." He winked, hoping she'd get the subtle hint about Livewire's likely targets.
Kara gave him a quick, grateful nod, a flicker of understanding in her eyes, before disappearing into the throng.
Adam, meanwhile, was doing his best impression of a calm, collected civilian, guiding people towards the exits. "Alright, folks, single file! No pushing! This isn't Black Friday, it's a supervillain attack! Let's maintain some decorum!"
Suddenly, a blinding flash of blue light erupted from a nearby corridor. Livewire, a terrifying vision of crackling energy, stood there, her eyes blazing. She let out a guttural scream, and a wide electrical surge, like a wave of pure lightning, shot down the corridor, aiming for the fleeing crowd.
"Oh, for crying out loud," Adam muttered, seeing a mother and child directly in the path of the blast. He didn't even think. He just moved.
He lunged, throwing himself in front of the mother and child, shielding them with his body. The world seemed to slow down. He felt the raw, untamed power of Livewire's attack rushing towards him, a terrifying, beautiful blue.
[ADAPT SYSTEM: Host in danger. Threat: Electrical discharge (Livewire). Adaptation: Doubled electrical resistance and energy absorption.]
A strange sensation washed over him. It wasn't pain, not exactly. More like a massive, full-body static shock, amplified a thousand times. He visibly braced, his muscles tensing, but instead of being incinerated or electrocuted, he felt the energy wash through him. His skin glowed faintly, a soft, ethereal blue, as if he were a human battery absorbing the charge. The air around him crackled, and a faint smell of ozone filled his nostrils. The mother and child behind him were safe, shielded by his momentarily impervious form.
The electrical surge passed, leaving him standing, a little disoriented, but perfectly fine. He shook his head, a faint buzzing in his ears. "Well, that was shocking," he quipped, looking at a bewildered bystander who had witnessed the impossible. "Good thing I'm grounded. Literally, apparently."
The bystander just stared, jaw agape.
Supergirl, who had just arrived on the scene, skidded to a halt, her eyes wide with disbelief. She had seen him take the full force of Livewire's blast, had seen the strange glow, had seen him absorb it. Her mind raced. He's just human. How did he...?
Livewire, momentarily stunned by the lack of effect, shrieked in frustration. "What?! Who are you?!"
Adam just waved a hand dismissively. "Just a guy trying to get to lunch. And honestly, looks like someone needs to learn about proper wiring. You're going to blow a fuse, lady. And not in the fun, rock-and-roll way."
Livewire, enraged, launched another, more concentrated bolt of lightning. But this time, Supergirl was ready. She intercepted the blast, deflecting it with her own heat vision, sending Livewire reeling.
Later, after Livewire was contained (thanks in part to Winn's quick thinking, no doubt fueled by Adam's "hunches"), Kara found Adam in the now-quieted office, helping to right an overturned plant.
"Adam," she said, her voice softer than usual, a hint of awe in her tone. "What was that? With Livewire? You… you took her blast."
Adam straightened up, adjusting his tie. "Oh, that? Just a lucky break. You know, sometimes you just get lucky. Right place, right time, a little bit of… static electricity. Happens all the time." He tried for nonchalance, but he knew she wasn't buying it.
Kara stepped closer, her gaze intense. "No, Adam. I saw it. You glowed. The electricity… it just went through you. You should have been… gone."
Adam sighed. He knew he couldn't completely deny it anymore. Not to her. He lowered his voice. "Look, Kara. It's… complicated. Let's just say I have a very unique… immune system. It tends to adapt. To… things. When I'm in danger." He gave her a wry smile. "It's my own little secret superpower. Don't tell anyone, okay? I don't want to end up in a lab, being poked and prodded by the D.E.O. No offense to Alex, but I prefer my personal space."
Kara stared at him, a myriad of emotions crossing her face: surprise, confusion, and a deep, growing intrigue. "You… you have powers?" she whispered. "Like… like me?"
"Not like you," Adam quickly corrected. "Yours are constant. Mine are… reactive. And temporary. Think of it like a really fancy, very specific, very dramatic adrenaline rush. Only instead of punching harder, I absorb lightning. Or get super strong. Or… you know. Whatever the universe throws at me." He shrugged. "It's a work in progress. And honestly, it's mostly just there to keep me from dying. Which, as you saw, it's pretty good at."
Kara was silent for a moment, processing. Her mind, usually so logical, was trying to reconcile this impossible revelation. But then, a smile, slow and genuine, spread across her face. "You… you're amazing, Adam."
Adam felt a blush creep up his neck. "Just trying to survive, Kara. In a world full of flying aliens and electrical villains, a guy needs a hobby. Or a very good defense mechanism."
Kara laughed, a bright, unburdened sound. She found herself actively seeking out his company more and more. His presence, his humor, his strange insights, and now, his baffling resilience, were becoming a comforting constant in her chaotic life. He was an enigma, but a safe one. A secret she was beginning to cherish.
"He's always there," she thought, looking at him, a warmth spreading through her chest. "Always ready with a joke, or a surprisingly insightful comment. And now… he's got secrets too. Secrets he's sharing with me." The thought made her feel a little less alone in the world.