Chapter 7: How Does She Do It? And a Deeper Bond
The CatCo office was a whirlwind of activity, but today, the usual buzz was amplified by the presence of a small, surprisingly well-behaved human tornado: Carter Grant, Cat's son. Kara, bless her earnest heart, was attempting to juggle her duties as Cat's assistant with her new role as "super-babysitter." Adam watched with a mixture of amusement and sympathy. Poor kid. And poor Kara. Babysitting is harder than fighting aliens, sometimes.
"So, mini-Cat, huh?" Adam commented, leaning over Kara's desk, where Carter was meticulously drawing a picture of Supergirl fighting a giant, vaguely rectangular monster. "He's got his mom's eye for detail. And probably her penchant for demanding lattes."
Kara sighed, pushing her glasses up her nose. "He's actually really sweet. Just… a lot. And with these bombings happening…" She gestured to the news ticker, which was flashing updates on a series of seemingly random explosions plaguing National City. Reactron, Adam knew. The guy just couldn't take a hint.
"Bombings, huh?" Adam mused, tapping his chin. "You know, it's funny. I was just thinking about Reactron. He's got a pattern, doesn't he? Like, last time, he was all about power sources. Energy grids, power plants… he's like a really angry, very destructive energy vampire." He paused, then leaned in conspiratorially. "Just a thought, but maybe these new bombings aren't random. Maybe he's hitting places that are… connected. Like, maybe not obvious power sources, but places that use a lot of power. Or places that would cause a massive ripple effect if they went down. Like, say, a major data center. Or a really big shopping mall on Black Friday. Just spitballing here, of course."
Kara looked at him, her brow furrowed in thought. "A pattern… not random… but connected to power?" She pulled out a notepad, scribbling furiously. "Adam, that's… that's actually a really good point. We've been looking for obvious targets, but what if he's going for something more subtle?"
"Hey, I just watch too many true-crime documentaries," Adam said with a shrug. "Criminals, even super-powered ones, tend to stick to their M.O. It's like a brand. You gotta be consistent."
Later, Adam found Winn in his cubicle, looking at a map of National City with red pins marking the bombing sites. He looked like he was about to pull his hair out.
"It makes no sense!" Winn exclaimed, throwing his hands up. "The D.E.O. can't find a pattern. They're just… random!"
"Are they, though?" Adam asked, casually strolling over. He pointed to a cluster of pins. "See, here, here, and here. On the surface, they look random. But what if they're not about the immediate target, but the ripple effect? Like, this one's near a major fiber optic hub. This one, near a water treatment plant that relies heavily on electrical pumps. And this one," he pointed to a pin near a seemingly innocuous office building, "isn't that where that massive server farm is? The one that handles all the city's traffic light systems?"
Winn stared at the map, then at Adam, then back at the map. His eyes widened. "The traffic light systems? The water plant? You're saying he's trying to cripple the city's infrastructure, not just blow things up?"
"Well, if you're an energy vampire, and you want to cause maximum chaos and get a good meal, you don't just hit a single power station, do you?" Adam said, leaning in. "You hit the arteries. The things that keep the city running. It's like a really twisted game of SimCity, but with real explosions. And you're playing against a guy who clearly skipped the 'urban planning for supervillains' class."
Winn was already typing furiously, cross-referencing data, his frustration replaced by a surge of renewed energy. "Adam, this is brilliant! We can predict his next move! We can set up a perimeter!" He looked up, a manic grin on his face. "You're a genius!"
"Just a guy who pays attention," Adam said, waving a dismissive hand. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go teach Cat's son the proper way to fake a sneeze. It's a crucial life skill."
He found Kara in Cat's office, attempting to distract Carter with a story about a flying dog. Carter, however, looked bored.
"Hey, little dude," Adam said, crouching down to Carter's level. "You know what's cooler than flying dogs? Secret handshakes. Want me to teach you one? It's super secret. Don't tell your mom, she'll think I'm crazy."
Carter's eyes lit up. "Really?"
"Absolutely," Adam said, then proceeded to teach him a ridiculously complicated handshake that involved finger wiggles, elbow bumps, and a final, dramatic explosion gesture. Carter giggled, utterly captivated.
While Kara was distracted by the D.E.O. updates on her phone, Adam leaned closer to Carter. "Psst," he whispered, pointing subtly at a large, leafy office plant in the corner. "See that plant? Don't tell anyone, but it's a secret alien spy. It's listening to everything. That's why your mom talks to it sometimes. She's giving it orders."
Carter's eyes widened, then he giggled, covering his mouth. "No way!"
"Way!" Adam insisted, nodding gravely. "But you gotta keep it a secret. Super secret. Or it'll tell your mom you ate all the cookies."
Kara, meanwhile, was getting updates from Alex. "Winn found a pattern in the bombings," she told Adam later, her voice filled with relief. "He said it was your idea. Something about Reactron targeting infrastructure, not just power plants. It helped us narrow down his next target. You really have a knack for this, Adam."
Adam just smiled. "I told you, I'm just good at spotting patterns. Like, the pattern of Cat Grant's coffee orders. Or the pattern of my impending doom if I don't get this paperwork done."
Their conversations were becoming more frequent, more personal. Kara found herself seeking him out, not just for his uncanny insights, but for his easy humor and quiet understanding. He was a stable, comforting presence in her increasingly chaotic life. He didn't judge her struggles, he just offered a different perspective, a moment of levity, or a surprisingly astute piece of advice.
"He just… gets it," Kara thought, watching him playfully tease Carter, who was now attempting to teach the "alien spy plant" the secret handshake. "He's so different from anyone else I know. And he makes me feel… normal. Even when everything else is anything but."
Adam, for his part, felt the bond between them deepening. He wasn't just a fanboy anymore; he was a friend. A confidant. And that felt pretty good. Even if he did have to occasionally lie about the source of his genius. Small price to pay for not ending up on an alien autopsy table.