## Saturday Evening - 7:47 PM
The waiting was always the worst part.
Karan stood on the rooftop of a building approximately two miles from both the mall and the industrial district where the convoy would be passing through, his armor manifested in its full configuration but powered down to minimal radiance to avoid drawing attention from ground-level observation. The evening air was cool, carrying the familiar urban sounds of Saturday night in Central City—traffic, distant music, the general hum of people living their lives without any awareness that a sophisticated criminal operation was about to unfold around them.
His communication system crackled with Barry's voice, barely audible over the ambient noise of Central City Mall where his partner was positioned near the service corridors. "I'm in position. Security codes worked perfectly—I've got clear access to every entrance and exit. How are you doing?"
"Fine. Nervous, but fine." Karan scanned the city with his enhanced vision, picking out the distinctive energy signatures of other enhanced individuals. There were dozens scattered across Central City—some he recognized from previous patrols, others that were new. But none of them seemed to be moving toward either target location. Yet. "Any sign of Snart's distraction team?"
"Negative. Though I've got eyes on roughly forty civilians in the main entrance area where they're expected to take hostages. If this goes according to plan, I'll have them evacuated before anyone realizes what's happening."
"And if it doesn't go according to plan?"
"Then we improvise. Like we always do." Barry's voice carried false confidence that suggested he was just as nervous as Karan. "How's Kendra?"
Karan checked a different communication channel, this one connected to the earpiece they'd provided for Kendra. "Hawkgirl, status report?"
"I'm at altitude above the convoy route," Kendra's voice came through clearly, though slightly distorted by wind interference. "Approximately three thousand feet, far enough up that ground-level observation won't spot me but close enough that I can engage within seconds if necessary. The convoy hasn't entered the area yet."
"Keep your eyes open for the EMP deployment," Karan instructed. "That's going to be your signal that Snart's team is committing to the operation."
"Understood. Though I have to say, sitting up here invisible to everyone below while waiting for criminals to make their move... this is surreal."
"Welcome to superhero work," Barry said with dark humor. "Ninety percent waiting, ten percent terror, zero percent glory."
"You forgot the part where civilians thank us afterward," Karan added.
"Right, my mistake. Ninety percent waiting, nine percent terror, one percent awkward gratitude from people who aren't sure whether to be grateful or frightened."
Despite the tension, Karan found himself smiling at the exchange. This was what partnership meant—the ability to make dark jokes while preparing for dangerous operations, the shared understanding that humor was sometimes the only thing that kept anxiety from becoming paralyzing fear.
His enhanced hearing picked up a new sound pattern—multiple vehicles moving in coordination through the industrial district. The convoy, right on schedule.
"Convoy's entering the target zone," he reported. "Barry, any movement at the mall?"
"Negative. Still just normal Saturday evening crowd. Lots of families, some teenagers, couple of elderly people getting their mall-walking exercise in."
The minutes stretched out, each one feeling longer than the last. Karan found himself counting his heartbeats, using the rhythm to maintain focus and prevent his mind from spiraling into worst-case scenarios about everything that could go wrong.
Then, at exactly 8:25 PM, Barry's voice came through with sharp urgency. "I've got movement. Five individuals, all armed, entering through the main entrance. They're positioning themselves to—oh no. Karan, they're going for the crowds near the food court. That's way more than twenty hostages."
"How many?" Karan demanded, his armor's radiance intensifying as adrenaline sharpened his enhanced senses.
"I'm counting at least forty, maybe fifty civilians in the immediate area," Barry replied, his voice tight with stress. "The suspects are spreading out to cover multiple exits. This is more sophisticated than Wells predicted."
Karan's mind raced through tactical adjustments. Fifty hostages instead of twenty meant Barry would need significantly more time for evacuation, which meant more opportunity for things to go wrong. "Can you still handle it?"
"I can handle it. Just... it's going to take longer than we planned. Maybe fifteen seconds instead of eight."
"Fifteen seconds is an eternity when people are holding guns," Karan said grimly. "Barry, I need you to be absolutely certain you can do this without anyone getting hurt."
"I'm certain. But Karan, there's something else." Barry's voice dropped lower, as if he was trying to avoid being overheard despite being effectively invisible to normal human perception. "One of the suspects... I recognize him. Marcus Webb, former Army Ranger, dishonorably discharged. If Snart hired him, these aren't just professional criminals. These are people with actual military training."
"Which means they'll be disciplined, coordinated, and dangerous," Karan concluded. "Barry, if this feels wrong—if you think the risk to civilians is too high—we abort and call in CCPD tactical teams."
"No. If we abort, the civilians are stuck as hostages until negotiations resolve the situation. That could take hours, could end badly if someone panics." Barry's voice steadied, carrying the determination that Karan had learned to associate with his friend making the hard choices. "I can do this. I just need you to be ready to provide backup if something goes wrong."
"I'm two miles away, Barry. Even at my flight speeds, that's at least sixty seconds response time."
"Then let's make sure nothing goes wrong."
Through the communication channel, Karan could hear the sounds of the mall—normal Saturday evening noise suddenly interrupted by shouting and the unmistakable sound of weapons being brandished. Screaming. Panic. The particular acoustic signature of dozens of people trying to process the fact that their casual shopping trip had just become a hostage situation.
"EVERYONE ON THE GROUND!" a voice shouted, authority and threat perfectly balanced. "HANDS VISIBLE! ANYONE TRIES TO BE A HERO, PEOPLE START DYING!"
"They're moving the hostages into a tighter group," Barry reported, his voice barely above a whisper. "Three suspects covering them with weapons, two more positioning themselves to watch the exits. Classic hostage containment pattern."
"Wait for them to commit," Karan instructed, forcing himself to trust Barry's judgment despite every instinct screaming at him to abandon his position and provide immediate backup. "If you move too early and they scatter, we lose the advantage of surprise."
"I know. I'm just... watching people terrified and knowing I could end this right now..."
"You could end it right now but potentially create crossfire situations where civilians get hurt," Karan said firmly. "Patience, Barry. Let them think they're in control."
The next ninety seconds felt like hours. Karan monitored multiple communication channels simultaneously—Barry's observations from the mall, Kendra's reports from her aerial position above the convoy route, and Cisco's technical monitoring from S.T.A.R. Labs showing emergency services being alerted to the mall situation.
Then, at 8:27 PM, everything started happening at once.
"Convoy's entering the target intersection," Kendra reported, her voice carrying focused intensity. "I can see the suspect vehicles positioning themselves. They're using construction equipment as cover—this is more elaborate than the intelligence suggested."
"Hold position until they deploy the EMP," Karan instructed. "We need to let them commit before you engage."
"Karan," Barry's voice cut in, "the suspects at the mall just announced they have demands. They're asking for a helicopter and safe passage out of the city. CCPD is being notified now."
"Which means the clock is running on how long before this becomes an official police situation," Karan said. "Barry, you need to move within the next sixty seconds or we're going to have tactical teams arriving who could complicate the evacuation."
"Copy that. I'm moving into position now."
Through his enhanced hearing, Karan picked up the change in Barry's breathing pattern—the shift from nervous observation to focused preparation. His friend was getting ready to move at speeds that would make him effectively invisible to human perception, to evacuate fifty terrified people while simultaneously disarming five armed suspects.
*Please let this work,* Karan thought, his hands clenching unconsciously. *Please let him be fast enough, precise enough, lucky enough that no one gets hurt.*
"Wait," Kendra's voice came through with sudden urgency. "The convoy—something's wrong. There's a sixth vehicle that wasn't in our intelligence. Unmarked, heavy armor, definitely not part of the standard security detail."
Karan felt his stomach drop. "Describe it."
"Black armored van, no visible markings, moving in formation with the convoy but maintaining separation. It could be additional security, or..." Kendra's voice trailed off as she processed implications. "Or it could be Snart adding variables we didn't account for."
"Can you see inside it?"
"Negative. Whatever it's made of, my enhanced vision can't penetrate it. Which suggests either advanced materials or some kind of counter-surveillance technology."
Before Karan could respond, Cisco's voice cut into the channel with barely controlled panic. "Guys, we have a problem. I'm picking up energy signatures from that sixth vehicle that match—oh no. Karan, that's not just a vehicle. That's a mobile weapons platform. Snart isn't just planning to steal the convoy. He's planning to destroy any pursuit."
"How sophisticated are we talking?" Karan demanded.
"Very. I'm reading directed energy weapons, possibly the cold gun we knew about, but also what looks like incendiary systems and concussive force generators. Kendra, if you engage that vehicle, you're going to be facing military-grade opposition."
"Can we abort?" Kendra asked, though her tone suggested she already knew the answer.
"Not unless we want Snart to escape with forty million dollars in weapons technology," Karan replied grimly. "But we need to adjust tactics. Kendra, ignore the sixth vehicle entirely. Focus on preventing the convoy theft. I'll handle Snart's mobile weapons platform."
"Karan, you can't take on a weapons platform alone," Barry protested.
"I can if I'm not trying to prevent theft simultaneously," Karan countered. "Barry, how close are you to moving on the hostages?"
"Thirty seconds. I'm waiting for one more suspect to shift position so I have clear movement paths for evacuation."
"You've got thirty seconds. After that, I'm leaving my position to intercept the weapons platform, and you'll be handling the mall situation alone."
"Understood. I'm—wait. Karan, we have another problem."
"What now?"
"There's someone else at the mall. Someone who just appeared on the upper level overlooking the hostage situation." Barry's voice carried recognition mixed with concern. "It's Supergirl. And she's getting ready to intervene."
Of course. Because why would anything go according to plan when you could have every possible complication simultaneously?
"Barry, can you signal her somehow? Let her know you're about to move so she doesn't accidentally interfere with your evacuation?"
"I can try. But Karan, if she sees me moving at super speed, she's going to recognize the Flash. Our identities are going to be compromised."
"Deal with that after everyone's safe," Karan said firmly. "Right now, we have approximately twenty seconds before multiple situations become unmanageable. Barry, move on the hostages. Kendra, prepare to engage the convoy robbery. I'm heading to intercept Snart's weapons platform."
"Karan," Kendra's voice carried warning, "the EMP just deployed. Convoy communications are down. Snart's team is moving to intercept."
"Then it's time," Karan said, launching himself into the air with enough acceleration to create a sonic boom that would definitely alert people to superhero presence. "Everyone execute. We'll sort out complications after we stop this operation."
As he accelerated toward the industrial district, Karan's enhanced hearing picked up the sounds of Barry moving at impossible speeds—the distinctive high-frequency vibration of the Speed Force being channeled through human movement. Hostages being relocated faster than their minds could process. Weapons being disarmed with precision that suggested countless hours of practice.
And then, cutting through everything else, a new sound: Supergirl's voice, amplified to carry over the chaos.
"Everyone stay calm! You're safe now!"
*She intervened,* Karan realized. *While Barry was evacuating people, Kara decided to make a dramatic entrance.*
"Barry, status!" he demanded into the communication channel.
"Hostages are clear. All of them. I got them out before Supergirl made her entrance." Barry's voice carried relief mixed with stress. "But the suspects are now facing a Kryptonian, which means they're about to do something desperate or stupid."
"Let Supergirl handle them. You need to get clear before anyone puts together that the Flash and Barry Allen are the same person."
"Already moving. But Karan, she's looking around like she's trying to figure out who evacuated the hostages. I think she knows someone else was involved."
"Worry about that later. Kendra, what's your status?"
"Engaging now," Kendra replied, and through the communication channel Karan could hear the distinctive sound of her wings cutting through air at high velocity. "Three suspects visible, all armed. They're using some kind of electromagnetic pulse device to disable the convoy's systems. I'm coming in from altitude—they haven't seen me yet."
"Remember the rules of engagement," Karan said as he approached the industrial district, the convoy's location becoming visible to his enhanced vision. "Minimum necessary force. You're there to prevent theft, not to kill criminals."
"Understood. Engaging in three... two... one..."
The next thirty seconds were chaos filtered through multiple communication channels and Karan's own enhanced perception as he approached the sixth vehicle that was positioning itself behind the convoy.
Kendra's engagement was immediately effective. She came out of the sky like divine retribution, her wings spread wide, her Egyptian mace manifesting in a burst of golden light. The suspects had approximately half a second to register her presence before she struck.
The first suspect went down from a wing strike that looked brutal but was carefully calibrated to knock him unconscious without causing permanent damage. The second tried to bring his weapon to bear and found himself disarmed by feathers that moved like throwing knives, cutting through the gun's mechanisms without touching the person holding it.
The third suspect was the one with the cold gun.
"Kendra, incoming!" Karan shouted as he saw the man raise the distinctive weapon and fire.
The cryogenic pulse hit Kendra's wing as she banked to avoid it, and ice spread across the golden feathers with terrifying speed. For a moment, Karan's heart stopped as he imagined her falling from the sky, frozen and helpless.
But Kendra's warrior instincts saved her. She immediately retracted the affected wing, shifting her weight to compensate for the sudden aerodynamic imbalance, and used her remaining wing to execute a controlled descent that became a devastating strike. The mace connected with the suspect's chest—carefully aimed at the center mass where body armor would absorb most of the impact—and he went down hard.
"Cold gun neutralized," Kendra reported, her voice tight with pain and adrenaline. "But my left wing is compromised. I can fly but not as effectively."
"Can you still prevent the theft?"
"Working on it. The convoy's cargo is being transferred to a panel truck. If I can disable that vehicle—"
She was interrupted by the sound of gunfire, and Karan's enhanced hearing picked up the distinctive acoustic signature of military-grade automatic weapons being discharged. The remaining suspects from Snart's team were engaging Kendra with everything they had.
"Taking fire!" Kendra reported, her voice carrying combat focus rather than panic. "They're using armor-piercing rounds. My wings are absorbing most of it but I can't maintain this position much longer."
"Hold on, I'm almost there," Karan said, though he was still thirty seconds out from the convoy's position. "Kendra, if you need to disengage—"
"Negative. I can see Snart. He's in the panel truck, and he's about to escape with the cargo."
Karan pushed his flight systems to maximum output, his armor drawing on solar energy reserves with such intensity that he was leaving a visible trail of golden light across the sky. Twenty seconds. Fifteen.
Then the sixth vehicle—the mobile weapons platform that had been Snart's backup plan—deployed its systems directly toward him.
The first indication was a targeting laser that painted his chest with red light. The second was the distinctive hum of energy weapons charging to fire. The third was Cisco's voice screaming through the communication channel.
"KARAN, EVASIVE MANEUVERS! THAT PLATFORM HAS ANTI-AIRCRAFT CAPABILITIES!"
Karan banked hard left just as a directed energy pulse cut through the space where he'd been flying. The beam was powerful enough that he felt the heat wash over his armor even from a glancing distance, powerful enough that a direct hit would have probably overwhelmed his divine protection.
"I'm under fire from Snart's weapons platform," he reported, already analyzing the vehicle's positioning and capabilities. "Cisco, can you hack it remotely? Disable its targeting systems?"
"Trying, but it's running on closed systems that don't have network access. You're going to have to disable it manually."
Which meant getting close enough to create light constructs that could penetrate its armor and disrupt its internal systems. Which meant flying directly toward weapons that could potentially kill him.
*One crisis at a time,* Karan reminded himself grimly, manifesting his bow and drawing back an arrow made of concentrated solar energy. *Stop the weapons platform, then help Hawkgirl with the convoy.*
He released the arrow at maximum power, aiming not for the platform's armored exterior but for its wheels—specifically the rear axle that would make the vehicle uncontrollable if damaged. The golden projectile struck with precision that surprised even him, and the platform lurched violently as its rear wheels locked up.
But the weapons systems didn't stop. They just recalibrated, tracking his new position with mechanical efficiency that suggested sophisticated AI control.
"Flash," Karan said into the communication channel, "I need you at the industrial district now. Hawkgirl's handling the convoy theft but I'm pinned down by Snart's weapons platform."
"On my way. ETA ninety seconds."
"Hawkgirl, status on the cargo?"
"Snart's escaping with it," Kendra replied, her voice carrying frustration and pain. "I disabled two of his team members but the others provided enough cover for him to get the panel truck moving. I'm in pursuit but my damaged wing is limiting my speed."
"Let him go."
"What?" Kendra's shock was evident even through the communication system's distortion.
"Let him go," Karan repeated, watching as another energy pulse from the weapons platform barely missed him. "Cisco planted tracking devices in the convoy cargo. We know where Snart's taking it, and we can roll him up later when he's not expecting pursuit. Right now, I need you to help me disable this weapons platform before it kills me."
There was a moment of hesitation—Kendra's warrior instincts warring with tactical necessity—before she responded. "Copy that. Coming to your position."
The next sixty seconds were a master class in coordinated superhero combat.
Kendra approached from one direction, her remaining functional wing allowing for rapid but somewhat erratic flight as she drew the weapons platform's attention. Her mace strikes against the vehicle's armor didn't penetrate but created enough impact force to disorient whoever was controlling the systems from inside.
Karan came from the opposite direction, using the distraction to get close enough to create light constructs—not weapons this time, but tools. Golden energy formed into precise shapes that flowed into the vehicle's weapon ports, gumming up the mechanisms that allowed the directed energy pulses to fire.
The platform's defensive systems recognized the threat and shifted tactics. Instead of energy weapons, it deployed concussive charges designed to create shockwaves that would disable anyone in close proximity.
The explosion caught both Karan and Kendra, throwing them back with force that would have killed normal humans. Karan's armor absorbed most of the impact, his enhanced physiology dealing with what remained. Kendra wasn't as fortunate—her damaged wing couldn't provide the same level of protection, and she hit the ground hard, her combat instincts forcing her to roll with the impact but unable to prevent injury entirely.
"Hawkgirl!" Karan dove toward where she'd fallen, his enhanced hearing picking up her labored breathing and accelerated heartbeat that suggested she was hurt but conscious.
"I'm okay," she said, though her voice suggested otherwise. "Wing's more damaged than I thought. I can't fly effectively anymore."
"Then get clear. Barry's almost here, and between the two of us we can handle the platform."
"Not leaving you to face this alone."
"That's not up for debate—"
He was interrupted by the distinctive sound of the Flash arriving at impossible speeds, followed immediately by Barry's voice cutting through the communication channel.
"I'm here. What do you need me to do?"
"The weapons platform has backup power and defensive systems," Karan reported, positioning himself between the vehicle and Kendra. "We need to either disable it completely or force whoever's inside to surrender."
"On it."
What followed was a demonstration of why the Flash was considered one of the most dangerous heroes alive when properly motivated. Barry moved around the weapons platform at speeds that created localized wind patterns, using his kinetic energy to destabilize the vehicle's positioning. He targeted specific components—external sensors, weapon targeting systems, the reinforced door that presumably protected whoever was controlling everything from inside.
Within thirty seconds, the platform was effectively neutered. Its weapons were offline, its mobility was compromised, and its defensive systems had been overwhelmed by sheer speed and precision.
"Platform's neutralized," Barry reported. "But Karna, we have a problem. CCPD units are converging on this location. We've got maybe two minutes before we're surrounded by law enforcement who are going to want statements and explanations."
"And we have wounded," Caitlin's voice added through the communication system, her medical monitoring having picked up Kendra's injury. "Hawkgirl needs medical attention. Her left wing sustained significant structural damage, and she's showing signs of internal bruising from that concussive blast."
Karan looked at Kendra, who was struggling to stand despite obvious pain, her warrior pride refusing to show weakness even when she was clearly hurt. Her left wing was half-manifested, the golden feathers visibly damaged where the cold gun had frozen them and subsequent combat had shattered the ice.
"We need to extract," Karan said, making the tactical decision despite hating every aspect of it. "Flash, can you get Hawkgirl back to S.T.A.R. Labs for medical treatment?"
"Already planning on it. But Karna, what about you? You're staying to deal with CCPD?"
"Someone has to explain what happened here. And someone has to make sure that weapons platform gets properly secured before Snart tries to reclaim it."
"That someone doesn't have to be you taking all the heat alone."
"Yes, it does." Karan manifested his bow, using it as a visual symbol of authority rather than as an actual weapon. "You get Kendra to safety and medical treatment. I'll coordinate with CCPD and make sure this operation gets documented properly."
Barry hesitated, clearly torn between his instinct to provide backup and his recognition that Kendra genuinely needed immediate medical attention. Finally, he nodded.
"Okay. But Karna, be careful. This operation didn't go the way we planned, and CCPD is going to have a lot of questions about why superhero intervention was necessary for what they probably thought was a straightforward hostage situation."
"I'll handle it. Just get Hawkgirl somewhere safe."
Barry moved to Kendra's side, and Karan could see her protesting despite her obvious pain. But Barry said something too quietly for even Karan's enhanced hearing to pick up, and Kendra reluctantly allowed him to support her weight.
"Don't die while I'm gone," Kendra said to Karan, her attempt at levity undermined by the strain in her voice. "We have a date scheduled, and I'd really prefer not to postpone it due to your tragic heroic sacrifice."
"No dying," Karan promised. "Scout's honor."
"You were never a Scout."
"Details."
Then Barry and Kendra were gone, disappearing in a blur of red and gold that left only disturbed air and the fading sound of supersonic movement.
Karan stood alone in the industrial district, surrounded by the evidence of their operation—disabled suspects, a weapons platform that looked like it had been through a war, and the convoy vehicles sitting immobile where the EMP had shut down their systems.
In the distance, he could hear sirens approaching. Multiple units, converging from different directions. Within two minutes, maybe less, he would be surrounded by CCPD officers who would want explanations he wasn't sure he could provide without compromising operational security.
His communication channel crackled with Cisco's voice. "Karna, heads up. I'm picking up another enhanced individual approaching your position from the south. Energy signature matches—oh. It's Supergirl."
"Of course it is," Karan muttered, watching as a figure in blue and red descended from the sky, her blonde hair catching the evening light, her expression serious as she assessed the situation.
Kara—Supergirl—landed approximately fifty feet from his position, her body language suggesting caution rather than immediate threat. She studied him with obvious curiosity, taking in his golden armor and the evidence of combat around them.
"Karna," she said, her voice carrying across the distance between them. "We need to talk about what just happened here."
"I imagine we do," Karan replied, trying to sound professional despite the complicated awareness that he was talking to someone he'd had dinner with less than forty-eight hours ago while both of them were pretending to be normal civilians. "Though maybe we should save the comprehensive debrief until after CCPD arrives and we explain why there's a disabled weapons platform in the middle of the industrial district."
"Fair point." Supergirl moved closer, her super-hearing presumably picking up the same approaching sirens that Karan could detect. "But after we deal with the immediate situation, you and I are going to have a conversation about coordination protocols. Because whatever operation you just ran, it was sophisticated enough that you should have requested backup from established heroes rather than trying to handle it alone."
"I wasn't alone. I had my team."
"Your team that includes a speedster who evacuated fifty hostages while I was preparing to intervene, and someone with wings who engaged armed criminals despite having minimal field experience." Supergirl's expression was serious but not accusatory. "You're building something here in Central City, Karna. Something that could be genuinely effective for protecting people. But you need to understand that operating without coordination with the broader hero community creates risks that extend beyond just your team."
"Noted," Karan said, recognizing that she had a point even if he wasn't ready to acknowledge how complicated the coordination would actually be. "Can we continue this conversation after we've dealt with CCPD?"
"Absolutely. Though one more thing—" Supergirl paused, her expression shifting to something that looked almost amused. "Your teammate with the wings. Tell her she's impressive. The combat efficiency I observed before she got injured suggested either extensive training or access to skills that most people don't naturally possess."
"I'll pass along the compliment."
The first CCPD units arrived then, and Karan found himself shifting into a different role—not hero as combat operative, but hero as liaison between law enforcement and superhuman capabilities. Captain Singh emerged from one of the vehicles, his expression carrying the particular mixture of relief and exasperation that suggested he was grateful the situation had been resolved but exhausted by the complications of coordinating with enhanced individuals.
"Karna," Singh said, approaching with the kind of cautious respect that came from previous positive interactions. "Would you mind explaining why I have reports of a sophisticated heist operation, a hostage situation at the mall, and what appears to be a military weapons platform sitting disabled in my industrial district?"
"I'd be happy to provide a comprehensive briefing, Captain," Karan replied, his voice carrying the formal tone that seemed appropriate for official law enforcement coordination. "Though you might want to secure this area first. The individuals responsible for tonight's operations are still at large, and the technology in that weapons platform is probably valuable enough that someone might try to recover it."
"Already calling in tactical teams and bomb disposal," Singh confirmed. "And Karna? Thank you. For stopping this before it became something worse than property crime and hostage situation."
As CCPD began processing the scene, Karan found himself standing beside Supergirl, both of them watching law enforcement do what they did best while enhanced individuals stood awkwardly at the margins, powerful enough to stop crimes but not integrated enough into society to participate in the normal processes that followed.
"This part never gets easier," Supergirl said quietly, her voice carrying the weariness of someone who'd done this hundreds of times. "The aftermath, I mean. Watching normal people process what we can do while trying to figure out how to interact with us."
"You'd think after years of Superman operating publicly, people would be more comfortable with enhanced individuals."
"You'd think. But Superman operates in Metropolis, where the hero-civilian integration has had years to develop. Central City is still figuring out how to feel about having its own enhanced protectors." Supergirl glanced at him, her blue eyes carrying curiosity mixed with something else—assessment, maybe, or calculation about how honest to be. "Which brings me back to my earlier point about coordination. You're building something here that could be genuinely valuable. But you're doing it in ways that create complications for everyone involved."
"What kind of complications?"
"The kind where established heroes like me have to decide whether to respect your independence or provide unsolicited guidance that might seem like interference." Supergirl's voice was careful, diplomatic. "The kind where law enforcement has to figure out whether to trust your judgment or insist on protocols that might not work with superhuman capabilities. The kind where you're making it up as you go along and hoping nothing catastrophic happens before you figure out what you're doing."
"That's... surprisingly accurate," Karan admitted.
"I've been there. Made those mistakes. Learned those lessons." Supergirl turned to face him directly, her expression serious but not unkind. "So here's my unsolicited advice, hero to hero: accept help when it's offered. Build relationships with people who've navigated these challenges before you. And don't try to protect your independence so fiercely that you isolate yourself from the resources that could make you more effective."
Before Karan could respond, his communication channel crackled with Cisco's voice carrying urgency that immediately set off alarm bells.
"Karan, we've got a massive problem. Snart just dumped the convoy cargo at a pre-arranged location and the tracking devices stopped transmitting. He's in the wind with complete knowledge that we were monitoring him."
"What does that mean?"
"It means he knows more about our capabilities than we thought he did. It means this whole operation might have been a test to gather intelligence about how we respond to sophisticated threats." Cisco's voice was grim. "And it means we're dealing with someone significantly more dangerous than a simple criminal mastermind."
Karan felt cold dread settle in his stomach as implications clicked into place. Snart had known they would track the cargo. Had known they would try to follow him back to his base. Had deliberately created a situation that would reveal their capabilities while giving away nothing about his own operation beyond what he wanted them to know.
They hadn't stopped him. They'd given him exactly what he wanted—comprehensive data about Central City's hero community, their tactics, their coordination, their strengths and their limitations.
"Captain Singh," Karan said, turning to the CCPD commander with new urgency, "we need to talk about the individual who orchestrated tonight's operations. Because I don't think we've seen the last of Leonard Snart."
As Singh moved to join him for what would be a very long and complicated debriefing, Karan caught Supergirl's expression—understanding mixed with sympathy that suggested she recognized exactly what he was feeling.
They'd won the battle. Protected the hostages. Prevented immediate casualties. Stopped the weapons platform from causing catastrophic damage.
But they'd lost the war.
And somewhere in Central City, Leonard Snart was analyzing everything he'd learned tonight and planning his next move.
*One crisis at a time,* Karan reminded himself grimly.
*First survive the CCPD debriefing. Then figure out how Snart knew about the tracking devices. Then deal with Eobard Thawne's inevitable reaction to tonight's operation.*
*And then—maybe—finally get some sleep before the next crisis started.*
If they were lucky.
Though Karan was rapidly losing faith in the concept of luck when it came to superhero work in Central City.
---
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