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Chapter 12 - Chapter 12: Childish Things and a Flash of Insight

Chapter 12: Childish Things and a Flash of Insight

The news was a bizarre blend of tragic and absurd: "Toyman Escapes Prison, National City Under Siege by Giant Jack-in-the-Box!" Adam almost choked on his coffee. Of course. Winslow Schott Senior. Because what's an alien invasion without a little bit of deranged, toy-themed supervillainy?

He found Winn in his cubicle, looking paler than usual, his usual jovial demeanor replaced by a haunted, distant look. He was staring at the news report, his hands clenched into fists.

"Winn?" Adam asked, his voice gentle. "You okay, buddy? You look like you just saw a clown car full of your worst nightmares."

Winn flinched, then slowly turned. "It's… it's my dad, Adam. He escaped. He's… he's Toyman." His voice was barely a whisper, filled with a raw mix of shame and fear.

Adam pulled up a chair. "Yeah, I figured. Look, Winn. This isn't on you. You don't get to choose your family. And you certainly don't get to choose if your dad decides to become a homicidal toy enthusiast. You're nothing like him. You're a good guy, Winn. A really good guy. And you're helping Supergirl save the world, while he's… well, he's building killer teddy bears. There's a clear difference there."

Winn managed a weak, watery smile. "Thanks, Adam. It's just… he always tried to pull me into his world. Make me like him."

"And you didn't," Adam said firmly. "That's what matters. You chose your own path. And it's a path that involves saving people, not terrorizing them with weaponized puppets. So, chin up, buddy. Let's go stop your dad from turning National City into a giant, deadly playpen."

Later, as the D.E.O. struggled to track Toyman's erratic movements and disable his increasingly dangerous toys, Adam approached Winn, who was furiously trying to hack into Toyman's network.

"He's good, Adam," Winn groaned, running a hand through his hair. "His tech is old-school, but it's brilliant. I can't find a consistent weakness in his control systems."

Adam leaned over the console, pointing at a schematic of one of Toyman's robot dolls. "You know, I was watching this old cartoon – don't ask – but there was this villain, total mad scientist type, who built these amazing robots. But his fatal flaw? He always had a central control unit. Like, one master switch that controlled everything. Or maybe a specific frequency that could jam all his remote signals. It's like, he was so proud of his individual creations, he forgot to diversify his control system. Total rookie mistake."

Winn stared at the schematic, then at Adam. His eyes widened. "A central control unit? Or a specific frequency? But that's… that's too simple for him. He's always so complex."

"Sometimes the simplest solutions are the hardest to see," Adam said with a shrug. "Especially when you're looking for something complicated. Think about it. He's a showman, right? He wants to control the whole spectacle. What's the easiest way to do that? One big remote. Or one big frequency. It's like, he's a genius, but he's also a narcissist. He wants to be the puppeteer, and every puppeteer needs a string."

Winn was already typing, his fingers flying across the keyboard, a spark of renewed hope in his eyes. "Adam, you're… you're incredible. You always see things no one else does."

"Just a knack for spotting patterns in chaos," Adam said, waving a dismissive hand. "And a deep, abiding love for cartoons. Now go get 'em, tiger. And try not to let your dad give you too many childhood traumas. You've got enough already."

After the ordeal, with Toyman safely back in custody and National City no longer a giant toy box of death, Adam found a moment to sneak a small, cheap plastic trophy onto Winn's desk. It was gold-colored, with a tiny, generic figure on top, and a sticker on the base that read: "World's Best Son." Underneath, Adam had scrawled a note: "You earned it, buddy. Even if your dad's a psycho. Proud of you. – A."

Winn found it later, and Adam saw him pick it up, a genuine, soft smile on his face. Their bond had deepened significantly. Adam had proven to be a loyal and understanding friend, someone who didn't judge him for his family, but supported him through the darkness.

"He's got my back," Winn thought, clutching the ridiculous trophy. "Always. Even when my own family is trying to blow me up."

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