Chapter Text
CEO: Lionel Luthor
Division Head: Lex Luthor
Head of Sales and Trading: Cat Grant
Head Trader: John Corben
Chief Legal Officer: Winn Schott
Chief Risk Management: Lillian Luthor
Head of Risk Management: James Olsen
Risk Analyst: Kara Danvers
Risk Analyst: Lena Luthor
Supergirl and Lena
Kara Danvers worked at Luthor Corp in National City as a risk management analyst. Her job was to calculate risk assessments for all of Luthor Corp's holdings and assets, which were global and extensive. Her fellow risk analyst co-worker was Lena Luthor, a relatively new hire in the office and obviously hired for her family connections. She was quite capable but not at the same level as Kara's analytical skills. Kara and Lena worked for James Olsen, the Head of Risk Management, and his boss was the Chief of Risk Management, Lillian Luthor, the wife of the CEO of the firm.
On this particular day, Luthor Corp was engaged in some serious layoffs. An army of HR guys came onto the floor and began pulling people aside for their severance and separation. Kara and Lena were suddenly apprehensive that they might get fired. "Have you guys ever been through this before?" John Corben, Head Trader, asked them.
"No," Kara admitted.
"Best to ignore it, keep your heads down, and get back to work," John advised.
John was not in Kara and Lena's chain of command, but they often worked and socialized together. Kara decided to take his advice and listened to music to calm herself down as she continued her work. An HR woman tried to get her attention. "James Olsen?" she asked Kara.
"Oh, that's not me. That's my boss," Kara said absent-mindedly.
"Right..., where is he?" the HR lady pressed.
"Down the hall," Kara pointed out. Lena and Kara gave each other knowing looks, wondering if James was going to get the ax today.
James was busy with a serious risk assessment that could threaten the existence of the company, the country, and the planet in that order. He was suddenly interrupted by the HR lady and pulled aside to their office for a chat. Lillian came down to the bottom floor to fire him, personally. "I wish I were sorry that we're here today, but these are trying times," Lillian said, barely holding back her glee.
"I run risk management. I hardly see the sense in cutting jobs in my department," James said, disgruntled.
"This isn't personal. The majority of the floor is getting laid off today. Don't think you're special," Lillian told him off.
"Well, that sounds like bullshit. Is it because I'm black?" James asked cynically.
"You will be given a generous severance package of salary and health benefits. If you choose to be an ass and try to appeal over my head, I'll revoke all of it. You have until the end of the working day to hand over your security key, email, and all of your work equipment," Lillian said. "Do you understand?"
"I'm in the middle of something big...," James protested.
"We're moving on. Please contact me if you need any assistance in your transition in life," Lillian said dismissively.
"Okay...fuck it...fuck it all," James said, dismayed.
James then walked out, looked over the floor of survivors, and everything he had accomplished with the firm up to that point. "Good luck, kid," he said, handing Kara a sensitive flash drive with all of his data. "Be careful."
John went to visit his boss, Cat Grant, the only one who seemed to have a conscience in management. She looked grieved as she looked out the window. "Is it going to get worse?" John asked her.
"Much worse," Cat told him.
"I need a cigarette, or I'm going to kill someone," John said, distressed as he lounged on her couch. "You, alright, Cat?"
"My cat is dying," Cat said sadly.
"Damn," John said sympathetically.
"Fucking tumor on her liver. I'm spending the weekly salary of one of these layoffs a day just to keep her alive, and I don't have a fucking clue as to what to do about it," Cat said mournfully.
"Well, what are we going to do about the fact that we lost most of our traders?" John asked apprehensively.
"How many do we have left?" Cat asked, getting back to business.
"About thirty-three," John replied.
"Make sure they're all out there. I want to make an inspiring speech to them," Cat ordered.
"They are ready for you now," John told her.
Cat addressed the survivors on the floor. "Well, you survived. Eighty percent are gone forever, but you're still here, which means your work gets quadrupled...with no pay raise," Cat told them all. "This is your opportunity to promote yourself, backstab your co-workers, and take your boss's job that is now open. I've been in this business for the last thirty-four years...fuck, I'm old. And I'm telling you now, this isn't the last time you're going to go through this, and laying off people is how this company has grown stronger. Keep your heads high, but don't get high if you know what I mean. Get back to work."
The survivors clapped as Cat headed to the elevator back to her office.
Late that night, everyone was about to leave the office, including Lena. "Want to go to the bar with me and get wasted?" Lena asked.
"I'm good. You go," Kara said as she continued working.
"Just call me if you change your mind," Lena invited.
"I'll call you when I'm done," Kara said uncommittedly.
"Be glad you're still alive," Lena said and walked out.
"As if they would fire me," Kara rolled her eyes and then went back to listening to doom metal in her headphones.
A few hours later, Kara used James' flash drive to decrypt an alien signal from space, collected from Luthor Corp satellites. "A beacon from an ancient scoutship has been triggered. Proceed to investigate," the message said in Kryptonian text.
Kara immediately called Lena, who was getting drunk as fuck in the club. "Hello," Lena said with noisy club music in the background.
"Is John with you?" Kara asked.
"John Corben? Yeah," Lena said, looking around.
"I need you and him to come back to the office," Kara said urgently.
"Why?" Lena asked.
"Just trust me," Kara pressed.
A half-hour later, John and Lena came back to the office less than sober. "Why didn't you come out with us? The layoffs are over. You're hawt and smart. You don't need to kiss my ass by staying late," John said to her. "I don't even know what you guys even do, honestly."
"I need you two to look at this," Kara said seriously.
"What's going on?" Lena asked curiously.
"James gave me his files before he left. He found an alien signal he couldn't figure out. So, I decrypted it and translated it...and this is not good, John," Kara said anxiously.
"What isn't good?" John asked, confused.
"A Kryptonian insurrectionist named General Zod survived Krypton's destruction on a World Engine. He detected a Kryptonian scout ship's beacon, and he's on his way here. When they do, they'll have all of the same powers as Superman. They also have a World Engine that can terraform planets. From a risk assessment standpoint, this level of volatility falls way outside our standard VAR model," Kara said wide-eyed.
"When did he detect the signal?" Lena asked, also realizing the danger.
"Tuesday, Monday, last Friday...two Fridays ago," Kara said as she looked over the timeline.
"Okay, I get it," John realized.
"This is fucking huge. If National City is attacked, the losses to the country could exceed market value," Lena warned.
"Projected losses," Kara clarified.
"Where the fuck is James Olsen?" John demanded.
"He's left, and we cut off his phone. I also think he hates us," Kara replied.
"Fucking savage," John said, dismayed. "Are you sure he's right?"
"I'm looking at the same data, and I know he's right," Kara said confidently.
"Yeah, well, the higher-ups are going to want to hear it from him rather than you because you're a young blond ditz," John said. "Go get James at his house. Drag his black ass back here. Do whatever you have to. I'm going to call Cat."
"Well, fuck me," Kara said, feeling disrespected.
Kara and Lena drove around National City to go find James. "Look at these people. They have no idea what is about to happen," Kara remarked.
"I try not to let crazy shit like alien invasions and doomsday weapons get to me," Lena said. "I just leave it at the office."
"I've noticed," Kara said condescendingly.
"Look, we're in our twenties, the prime of our lives. I made a quarter of a million dollars last year, pushing buttons on a computer screen. Crack addicts take my data and make bets all around the world. Someone wins, someone loses," Lena said.
"It's a little more complicated than that," Kara rolled her eyes.
Cat came back to the office a bit pissed off, wanting to be with her sick cat instead. "Take a look at this shit," John said to her. Cat eyed the decrypted data and the Kryptonian language.
"Just tell me what it says in fucking English," she said impatiently.
"Kara Danvers, this kid, gets all inspired by your speech, and she nailed it. She figured out what James was missing. And, it's not good, Cat. We got an alien spaceship headed our way with super-powered villains who want to conquer and terraform the planet. It exceeds our historic volatility index limits, which, of course, our entire trading model relies on pretty fucking heavily. This could get ugly in a hurry," John said.
"How close is the ship to Earth?" Cat asked.
"Beyond close," John said vaguely. "We detected the signal from the spaceship with our satellites two weeks ago. If we're on the wrong side of an alien invasion...we're fucked."
"Where is James Olsen?" Cat asked concernedly.
"I don't know. We shut his phone off. I called his sister. She says he's not at home," John said.
"He's probably getting wasted at some bar," Cat figured. "Where's the kid that worked this out?"
"Out looking for James," John replied.
"Fuck James, the kid figured it out. Bring her back," Cat ordered.
Kara and Lena abandoned the search for James after going to several bars. They both ended up in a strippers' bar. It was mostly empty as it was past midnight. "How much do you think these girls make in a night?" Lena asked conversationally.
"Two grand," Kara said matter-of-factly.
"How do you know that?" Lena asked, surprised.
"My sister is in the FBI, and she conducts raids on strip clubs like these every so often," Kara said.
"Should we even be here then?" Lena asked, spooked.
"You suggested it," Kara reminded her.
"But I'm drunk," Lena pointed out. "Why did you agree?"
"Since you're the daughter of the CEO, it behooves me to do whatever you ask of me, regardless of your company rank," Kara said resentfully.
"So, you're not enjoying yourself at all, right now?" Lena figured.
"I enjoy myself when I'm at work, listening to my music, on my computer," Kara said honestly.
"No hobbies, no boyfriend, no social life to speak of," Lena said disdainfully.
"It's how I survived the last layoff," Kara said defensively.
"They'll never fire you. Especially after I told Daddy you're my bestie," Lena smiled drunkenly.
"That's the farthest thing from the truth," Kara corrected.
"But you are willing to do all of my work, so, in return, I sing your praises. And, objectively speaking, you are the best risk analyst in the world," Lena complimented.
Kara got a phone call from John. "We have to go back."
On the way back, Kara and Lena discussed money. "How much do you think John made last year?" Lena asked.
"Don't know, don't care," Kara said honestly.
"Two in a half million," Lena said knowingly. "What do you think about that?"
"Completely indifferent," Kara shrugged.
"Really? Don't you think it's a little fucked up?" Lena questioned.
"It's money in cash or in stocks. It only has value because humanity gives it value. The moment the trust and confidence in that value disappear, it becomes worthless. I'd rather have raw materials, fuel, and physical goods," Kara said.
"Then, why don't you focus on the risk assessment of those assets in the company?" Lena tested.
"It's not about what I value, it's what your father values," Kara replied.
Kara and Lena eventually made their way back to Luthor Corp Tower, where they met up with Cat and John in an elevator to a higher floor. "What's happening?" Kara asked, confused.
"We're getting a second opinion on your work, kid," Cat replied.
The four exited the elevator and entered a conference room with Lex Luthor, Lillian Luthor, and Winn Schott. "Where is James Olsen?" Lex demanded.
"He was let go today," Cat replied, still dismayed by the decision.
Lex gave a surprised look but quickly recovered. "Who is left in your risk department?"
"That would be your sister, Lena, and Kara Danvers," John pointed out.
"Really?" Lex said, underwhelmed, and then looked at Kara's draft.
"James Olsen found an encrypted signal from a Kryptonian spaceship from our satellites, but he couldn't figure out how to decrypt it. Kara managed to find a way, and that is why we're here," Cat summarized.
"Is this your work?" Lillian asked Kara, about to pounce.
"Most of it is Olsen's," Kara downplayed.
"But this is your draft," Lillian asked, almost accusingly.
"It is," Kara confirmed.
"What's your background?" Lillian questioned.
"I've been with the firm for two and a half years, working with James the entire time, but my primary education is in engineering, with a specialty in ion propulsion, friction ratios affecting steering outcomes in warp engines under various gravity loads," Kara said, referring to her schooling on Krypton. "I also hold a journalism bachelor's degree from Metropolis University."
"So, you're a rocket scientist," Lex said, impressed.
"I was," Kara said vaguely.
"How did you end up here?" Lex asked curiously.
"Business and engineering are all just numbers, really, and honestly, the money is more attractive here," Kara said bluntly.
"I'm guessing by your silence the math checks out," Lex asked Lillian and Winn after an awkward pause.
"Look, this Kryptonian spaceship may not even land on Earth. Even if it does, it doesn't necessarily mean it will be a threat to our company assets. We need more time to look over this," Lillian stalled. "But, it seems like Miss Danvers knows what she's doing, so it would appear we have a problem."
Lex noticed Lillian was stalling, deflecting, and putting all the blame on Kara if the projections didn't pan out. Lex turned to Cat. "Under normal business operations, how long would it take to clear all of our real estate holdings in National City from our books?"
"What the fuck?" Cat wondered.
"All of it," Lex clarified.
"I don't know, weeks," Cat shrugged. "But we're in the business of buying and selling. Word gets out that we're dumping all of our properties here, everything is going to be fucked sidewise really quick."
"I understand," Lex said unconcernedly.
"Do you?" Cat asked condescendingly.
"Yes, how many traders do you have left on your floor?" Lex asked.
"I don't know, sixty," Cat guessed.
"I'd like to look at these numbers more closely. It's these Kryptonians that are setting these VAR numbers off," Winn interjected.
"Well, no shit," Lillian said scornfully.
"It's only a matter of time before other companies detect the same signals from this ship and come up with the same result," Winn warned.
"Understood," Lex said, the wheels in his brain turning.
"If I may be so bold...not likely," Kara said boldly.
"What's the value on these holdings if we fail to sell them off?" Lex asked Lillian.
"Why wouldn't we be able to sell them?" Lillian asked, confused.
"Because no one wants to buy them during a fucking alien invasion," Cat said, obviously.
"Cat, please," Lex said irritably. "Give me a fucking break here."
"It would take weeks or months to come up with an accurate value on them. I just fired nearly my whole department," Lillian said exasperatedly.
"Anyone else seen this?" Lex asked.
"Only I can decipher and translate the data," Kara replied.
"We meet again in 45 minutes," Lex ordered.
"So...what are you going to do? Call Daddy?" Cat asked.
"I already have," Lex replied.
A helicopter from Metropolis landed on the Luthor Corp Tower carrying the legendary Lionel Luthor. Lex, Cat, and Lillian discussed the situation as Lionel landed. "This is bizarre. Like a dream," Lex mused.
"I don't know. We've been through weirder shit than this," Cat said dismissively.
"That girl is legit. She killed it. All of corporate capitalism is worthless," Lillian said, depressed.
"What does that mean?" Lex asked.
"It's worthless. The whole system. Hundreds of trillions of dollars in paper money will be up in smoke when this invasion happens," Lillian said.
"So, we do what? Hoard gold? To sell to people who can't afford it or need it. Do we stockpile grain?" Lex asked incredulously.
"I don't want to hear this family drama," Cat said, exiting the room.
"I called father," Lex admitted.
"Well, we are quite exposed here, aren't we?" Lillian allowed.
"To Lionel or the market?" Lex asked thoughtfully.
"Both," Lillian admitted.
The whole group assembled in the conference room. "Be honest, tell the truth, no sugar-coating, he can detect bullshit a mile away, and he's smarter than all of us," Lex warned everyone. "Including the rocket scientist."
Kara doubted that but kept her mouth shut. Eve Tesschmacher escorted the group to the conference call and then took a seat next to where Lionel would be sitting as his personal assistant. "Welcome, everyone. From what I have been told, this matter needs to be dealt with urgently, apparently, weeks ago. So, what is actually going on here?" Lionel asked the group. "Actually, I'd like to speak to the woman who put this draft together, Miss Danvers, isn't it?"
"Yes, Sir," Lex said, pointing her out.
"Oh, so she's here. Good morning. Now, Miss Danvers, speak to me as if I were a young child. It wasn't brains that got me here but balls of steel," Lionel told her.
"Well, as you know, Sir, the firm for the last 36-40 months has been acquiring properties and real estate all over National City and renting them out. This has been enormously profitable, as I imagine you noticed," Kara began.
"I have," Lionel nodded.
"The problem, which is why we are all here tonight, is that a Kryptonian World Engine is on its way here with an insurrectionist general. I have decrypted the ship's communications, and they intend to land the World Engine in National City and a corresponding World Engine in the Indian Ocean. When these two World Engines are linked, they will begin terraforming the planet. When this process begins, it will eventually destroy all of National City. The likely course of action for the US military is to nuke the city. So, one way or another, our holdings in National City are in grave risk from a risk management assessment standpoint," Kara said.
"Why is National City targeted specifically?" Lionel asked.
"It has symbolic importance to Superman. They will use the city as leverage to gain his cooperation," Kara replied.
"And can Superman defeat them?" Lionel asked.
"Not likely, even with help from the US military. Even if he is successful, the collateral damage in National City will still be enormous," Kara replied. "And, if our property holdings in National City decrease by even twenty-five percent, it will be more than the current market value of the company. In a fight between these Kryptonians and the US military, that's very likely."
"Do you care to know, Miss Danvers, how I came to be in this chair, earning the big bucks, making all the decisions?" Lionel asked rhetorically.
"No...," Kara said honestly.
Lionel stood up and faced the window. "I'm here to guess what the market might do, a week, a month, a year from now. That's it. Nothing more. And standing here tonight, I'm afraid I have no idea." He then sat back down. "Lex, what do you have for us?"
"Sell all of our properties in National City today," Lex said quickly.
"Is that even possible, Cat?" Lionel wondered.
"Yes, but at what cost?" Cat replied. "If we sell everything we have right before an alien invasion, it will look like we have insider knowledge, which we do. This is going to come back to bite us."
"Cat, I don't think you understand what your super...girl just said. If this city gets hit, we're fucked," Lionel pointed out. "How could we do this?"
"Well, you bring in all the traders, and you be honest with them because they're going to know it's the end of the world one way or another. We'll have to sell everything by lunchtime because word will get out, and within the next few hours, assuming the city still exists, we'll have to sell at a discount price, and the Feds will be up your ass, trying to slow you down."
"Winn?" Lionel asked.
"They're your properties to sell. They can slow you down, but they can't stop you," Winn replied.
"Even if we pull this off, who are we selling these properties to?" Cat asked.
"To all those we have been selling properties to for the last two decades and whoever else is willing to buy," Lionel said simply.
"But, Lionel, if you do this, the market will be dead for years. It will be over. And you know these properties are going to be destroyed in the battle," Cat protested.
"We're selling properties at fair market price," Lionel refuted. "So that we may survive."
"Every firm but us will be bankrupt. We will have no one to buy from us ever again," Cat pointed out. "Do you realize the situation here?"
"Do you?" Lionel challenged. "I understand your reputation as the greatest saleswoman of all time will take a hit, but this is it!" Lionel then turned to Lex. "You have an hour to draft me a plan and get me James Olsen here."
After the meeting, Lionel met with his wife, Lillian, for a tense review in her office. "So, we're going to do this thing?" Lionel asked rhetorically.
"Okay," Lillian said loyally.
"It's going to be tight," Lionel said. "I need a head to feed to the traders on the floor and the board. It's you."
"Of course, I caught you having numerous affairs behind my back and said nothing until now...," Lillian threatened.
"I really don't think that's the best path for you to be taking right now at this point," Lionel stared her down. "You have always been well taken care of. Obviously, it's a bit complicated."
"You told me in no uncertain terms that this was a family-owned firm," Lillian reminded him.
"It was shades of gray," Lionel corrected.
"Actually, it was made very clear at the time of our marriage," Lillian shot back.
"I really prefer it if you don't fight me on this," Lionel repeated. "We all fucked this one up pretty big, putting so many assets in one place."
"Yes," Lillian agreed.
"But you contributed to that mess by firing James Olsen, the one man who was onto something big. If I were him, I would have deleted all of my work. But, instead, he handed it off to his subordinates, and they finished the job. You let personal animosity for the man overrule your judgment, and it could have cost us the entire company, the company I have been building for the last several decades, ever since I left the communist utopia that was East Germany," Lionel said angrily.
"You're selling all of your property assets in National City on this hunch. Some would call that extremely reckless and irrational," Lillian countered. "If nothing comes of this, our position in National City will be greatly weakened. We will be finished here, forced to retreat to Metropolis. And all the years you spent building up Luthor Corp here in National City go up in smoke," Lillian countered.
"You know it was Lex who hired Kara Danvers, personally. He trusts her, and I trust him," Lionel said.
"He's sentimental for a pretty face," Lillian rolled her eyes.
"No...he sees you in her, the intelligence, the ruthlessness, the hard work ethic," Lionel said. "But, unlike you, Miss Danvers doesn't appear to let grudges get in the way of good business. Now, after all this has settled, I'm going back to Metropolis and leaving Lex here to pick up the pieces. James Olsen is going to take your job, and Kara Danvers will take his job. And as for you, you're going back to head the Luthor Foundation," Lionel ordered.
Lillian sank into her chair and simply nodded. "Good luck," Lionel said and then coldly exited the room.
John and Lena came by James' townhome, hoping he might still be there. "Nice house," Lena remarked.
"He just bought it. Hopefully, that gives us the leverage we need," John sighed.
The two scouted the neighborhood and found James walking the sidewalk, less than sober. "What are you doing here?"
"Kara finished decrypting the signal you were working on. It caused a shit-storm," John said.
"I bet it did," James said knowingly.
"Do you think she's right?" John tested.
"I know she's right," James said confidently.
"Fuck," John muttered. "Lex called all the senior partners in last night and based on your findings, they've decided to liquidate all of the real estate positions in the city today."
"I wish I gave a shit," James said honestly.
"They are worried about you being out here...in the hood...holding company secrets...looking for a new job with a competitor...and they want me to bring you back dead or alive," John said.
"Fuck that and fuck you," James replied.
"They'll pay you. And, if you don't come back, they're going to take away your severance package with some legal technicality. They got Winn working on it," John said.
"Fuck me," James realized. "You know, my father built a bridge once."
"No shit?" John said, not at all interested.
"He was an engineer by trade. It goes from one side of the river to the other in Calvintown. It spans 912 feet, with a steel through arch design. About 12,100 people a day use the thing. It cut out 35 miles each way of extra driving to get from one side of the town to the other. That's a combined 847,000 miles of driving a day... and 25,410,000 miles a month and 304,920,000 miles a year saved. He completed that project in 1986. Over the life of that one bridge, that's 6 billion... 708 million... 240 thousand miles that haven't had to be driven. At let's say... 50 miles an hour, that's 134,164,800 hours... or 559,020 days... so that one little bridge has saved the people of Calvintown a combined 1531 years of their lives not wasted in the car... give or take," James mused.
There was a long, awkward silence between them. "So...what the fuck are we talking about here?" John wondered.
"I want to actually create something, be a hero, like my father," James said finally.
"Look, come back in, take the money, and you'll be back by 5," John pressed. "Be smart."
"Alright...fuck it," James relented.
Just outside Luthor Corp Tower, Cat smoked a cigarette, deep in thought. "Good morning," Kara said pleasantly.
"Kara. You want one?" she offered.
"I don't smoke," Kara said gently.
"I don't either. It's just...a special day," Cat said bitterly.
"You're tired," Kara noticed.
"From what? I don't work as hard as you do," Cat said dismissively. Kara said nothing to that. "You don't have to stand out here for me."
"I know. I just don't want to go back inside just yet," Kara admitted.
"I understand that," Cat allowed.
"I think I know your son, Adam Foster," Kara brought up.
"Really?" Cat said, surprised.
"Not well, we dated a few times. He always seemed like a nice person," Kara said politely.
"He is a nice person," Cat agreed.
"Have you told him what's about to happen?" Kara asked.
"No, I hadn't even thought to," Cat muttered.
"Have you ever done anything like this?" Kara asked curiously.
"No, nothing like this," Cat said.
"Do you think this is the right thing to do?" Kara asked.
"Well, what do you think?" Cat asked.
"I think competition wastes resources. It creates an oversaturation of the market, too many people making the same thing, forced to waste money on advertising, and slashing innovation to keep prices low. The low profit margins create instability as firms rise and fall rapidly. It also takes one bad quarter for some large firms to go bankrupt. And then there's the psychological toll it has on human beings," Kara remarked.
"What do you suggest? Monopolies?" Cat scoffed.
"Not just monopolies, a monopoly," Kara replied, referring to Luthor Corp.
"If you mean Luthor Corp, you'll go far with that kind of loyalty," Cat smiled sadly.
"Loyalty to Luthor Corp means loyalty to all those who work for it," Kara said, bowing her head to Cat, and then walking off.
After some "gentle" persuasion by Lionel and Lex, Cat got on board with the mass sell. She met with her traders in the morning to tell them the news and the plan going forward. Lex was there to make sure she said the right things.
"I know yesterday was a shitshow. I wish I could say that today is going to be less so, but no. Now, I'm supposed to read this corporate statement, but fuck that. I have spent the night here meeting with the executive committee, and the decision has been made to begin to unwind a considerable portion of the firm's real estate holdings in several key asset classes. The crux of it is that we're about to be under attack. As a result, the firm has decided to liquidate the majority of its real estate position. If you meet your targets, you'll receive a bonus," Cat began to the stunned traders.
"From what we know, the attack will happen tomorrow afternoon. This is obviously not the way any of us would like for this to be going down, but the ground is shifting below our feet, literally, and there appears to be no other way out. Obviously... this is a very unique situation... if we are successful today, we will have been successful in destroying our own jobs. I can not promise that each of you will be repositioned within the firm, but I can tell you that I am very proud of the work we have done together here. I know from experience, people are going to shit-talk what we have done here, and what you have devoted a portion of your life to. Your talents have served the common good. You're all heroes," Cat said with false sincerity.
"Excuse me while I hurl," Cat said, escaping the room quickly.
"Alright, great speech. Let's get to work," Lex said.
By the end of the business day, Luthor Corp had freed its real estate assets in National City. Lex then fired all the traders to close all loose ends, except for Cat. Outraged, Cat met with Lionel at the company restaurant. He was alone, eating a steak with a glass of wine. "Cat, your traders did a hell of a job, and I thank you for it," Lionel said, pleased. "Come, sit."
"I want out. I'm done. I want my bonus, and I want out," Cat said, pissed off.
"You'll get your bonus, but I need you to stay for a couple more months. After the city is practically demolished, I'm going to need you to buy up everything again at a seriously discounted rate," Lionel said.
"We should be warning the government, the world, as to what is about to happen," Cat said.
"And reveal how our satellites came by the Kryptonian signal? Reveal our secrets?" Lionel rejected. "You think the Feds will thank us for the heads up? No, they will be up our ass searching every department for every file."
"Thousands are going to die," Cat said.
"And we will weep for them...in the press, set up a scholarship for all the orphans," Lionel said.
"Fuck you, I'm being serious," Cat said scornfully.
"We have an opportunity, after this city is leveled, to rebuild it back up. Make it our own. And we'll be on a hiring spree for new talent after all this, like Miss Danvers," Lionel said.
"And what if she's wrong and the Kryptonians don't attack, or they do attack, but it's a different city?" Cat asked.
"Then, Miss Danvers gets fired, of course, blacklisted from the industry. But I trust my gut on this one," Lionel said confidently.
"I'll stay on, but not because of your little speech. The truth is, I need the money," Cat admitted.
"It's all hands on deck, Cat. There's a lot of money to be made after this mess is over," Lionel said.
"Assuming any of us survives tomorrow," Cat said darkly.
The next morning, as predicted, the two World Engines fell out of orbit and went straight for National City and the South Indian Ocean. The one headed to National City hovered over downtown. Lex supervised the "war-room," so to speak, as James, Kara, and Lena studied the data coming from Luthor Corp satellites.
"We need to give the evacuation order. The World Engine is almost here," James said to Lex.
"Not until it's within visual range or else everyone will know we knew about it," Lex replied. Within minutes, the World Engine came into view. "Fuck me," he said, realizing Kara was right. "Evacuate all Luthor Corp personnel from the city," he ordered.
General Zod activated the Phantom Drive and sent a pulse down on the city. The pulse devastated anyone near the beam with its intense sound. Nearby helicopters crashed as the beam created a gravitational distortion. Objects like cars, people, and anything not planted down rose into the air and then slammed back down. All the buildings near the beam immediately shattered and crumbled in a huge dust cloud. Thousands were killed within the city block instantly as skyscrapers were torn apart. At the same time, the World Engine in the Indian Ocean was doing the same thing, albeit with no human casualties. The US Air Force moved against the World Engine in National City while Superman raced toward the Indian Ocean.
US fighter jets fired missiles at the World Engine, only for the missiles to drop into the gravity pulse and get flung out in random directions, hitting downtown buildings. As the fighter jets got closer to fire a cleaner shot, they went haywire and crashed into the buildings themselves. At this point, several dozen skyscrapers were crumbling, on fire, and collapsing from the gravity pulse, killing hundreds of thousands of people.
James, Kara, and Lena exited the Luthor Corp tower as a fighter jet crashed nearby, nearly hitting them. A skyscraper began to fall over, threatening to overtake them. "Run!" James shouted to Lena and Kara as the skyscraper crashed around them. As the dust settled, James was dumbfounded by the destruction. "Help me, I'm stuck!" Lena shrieked, covered in heavy concrete debris.
"Don't worry. We'll get you out of there," James assured her. "Sit tight."
The beam became progressively stronger, about to crush all three of them. Nearby cars imploded from the extreme gravity of the pulses. Kara looked at the World Engine, back to James, and then Lena. With no other choice, she went to the pile of debris and began tossing concrete like they were pillows. "What the hell?" James wondered as Kara used her super-strength to free Lena.
"Let's go," Kara said urgently.
The National City World Engine abruptly shut down as the Indian Ocean World Engine was destroyed by Superman. With the World Engine pulses disabled, the US Air Force made its move to attack. Gen. Zod used the Kryptonian ancient scoutship to fire upon the US Air Force bomber and its escort. Superman intercepted the scoutship by tearing through it and fighting Zod inside. At the same time, Lieutenant Faora entered the bomber and made her way to the cockpit, killing any airman that got in her way. The bomber intentionally flew into the World Engine and detonated with Superman's Kryptonian ship aboard. The Phantom Drive of Superman's ship collided with the Phantom Drive on the World Engine. Immediately, the World Engine collapsed into a mini-black hole.
The Kryptonian scoutship lost control and hit a few skyscrapers as it fell to the ground. Kara, Lena, and James watched silently as the mini-black hole began to absorb all non-rooted material toward the doomed World Engine. The World Engine then disappeared into the Phantom Zone, and debris rained down on the city. Where downtown used to be, there was now an open field of dust. As predicted, the city was in ruins.
"Are they gone?" Lena asked hopefully.
"I think so," James said, looking around.
"He saved us," Lena said, referring to Superman.
Kara eyed her cousin in the middle of the field. He wore an ancient Kryptonian suit of red and blue, different from the black uniforms she was accustomed to. Gen. Zod then emerged from the crashed scoutship and confronted Superman.
"It's not over yet," Kara said to Lena and James. "We need to go...now."
Superman and Zod took their fight into the skyscrapers, tearing them apart from the inside with heat vision beams and impacts. Their fight inside the Luthor Corp tower caused the entire skyscraper to collapse. Superman skidded through a parking lot, collapsing its foundations. An explosion of a Luthor Corp tanker truck further demolished the parking complex. Zod and Superman continued to fight in the middle of the city, tearing apart buildings as they did. Zod then escalated the fight further by learning how to fly. The two took their fight into the air, bursting through several skyscrapers as they did. Just as it seemed like Superman had taken the battle into space, Zod took it back down to National City for further fighting. The two demolished the train station where civilians scurried to get out of the city. Not too long afterward, the battle was over with Zod dead and Superman victorious.
Kara discreetly entered the Kryptonian scoutship, using her hand to access the doors. She saw that the birthing pods were wrecked and the ship's controls were totaled. The ship would require considerable repair work to fly again. Kara noticed a thumb drive in the computer with Zod's crest on it. She removed the thumb drive and then placed her own House of El thumb drive into the computer. "Computer, access files," she ordered in Kryptonian.
A hologram of Alura then appeared before her. "What do you wish to know, my daughter?" she asked.
Kara simply smiled as she saw her deceased mother again. In the halls of the ship, Kara looked over several ancient suits, one of which was female. Kara looked over the old-fashioned design, tall red boots, red skirt, blue skintight armor, the House of El crest seal, and red cape. She then emerged from the ship in her new uniform, looking barely recognizable. Supergirl felt the power within her surge as an anti-gravity field flowed around her frame. She then shot up into the air and headed toward the sun.