The Agent

Jay combed through the brief sequence of events after diving into the temporal gateway—the grimy metal tunnels, the hostile aliens, and the colossal creature resembling a meld of octopus and jellyfish. Accompanying him through these uncanny experiences on this alien planet was a striking blonde Kryptonian girl.

Well, when put that way, it didn't sound all too terrible.

Minutes after their victory over the tentacled behemoth, they stumbled upon what seemed like the end of the endless passageways—an exit sealed by a fan-shaped metal slab with leaf-patterned gaps letting light seep through.

"I thought we'd walk these halls for a lifetime," Kara exclaimed with relief, reaching to pry open the metal barrier, only to be halted by Jay.

"Wait," he cautioned.

Seconds later, a shadow slammed against the outlet. Astoundingly, it appeared to be a person—a real human, and a black man at that. His clothes were worn and tattered, holes punctuating the denim fabric. Panic etched onto his gaunt face, he clawed desperately at the sturdy metal, glancing back in terror. Jay surmised he was fleeing from some unspeakable menace, seeking refuge within the very tunnel they currently occupied, but the barrier proved too robust for him.

A faint blue laser beam whizzed through the air, striking the man squarely in the back. A pained groan escaped him as he crumpled to the ground, smoke rising from the charred hole in his shirt.

Kara nearly cried out as if she herself had been hit. Instinctively, she wanted to burst through the barrier but Jay's firm grip held her back.

The man struggled to crawl forward, his eyes burning with a fierce will to live, an image indelibly marked in Jay's memory. But his efforts faltered, and his desperate struggle proved futile. He was soon surrounded by white-skinned aliens—the same species Jay and Kara had encountered at the scrapyard.

A notably distinct alien emerged from their ranks, his bearing suggesting command. The others respectfully stepped aside, as Jay deduced this individual was likely a leader.

"You waste your energy in vain," the leader spoke gravely. "Conserve it for the arena, where it may grant you a few moments more of life."

Defiant to the end, the black man lifted his head and hurled a profanity at the grotesque figure. With a disdainful snort, the leader issued commands, and one of his subordinates hoisted the man onto his shoulder, presumably to transport him back to captivity.

Jay recognized this as a prime opportunity—the man was likely an escapee from where the Earth hostages were held. Following these aliens could lead them straight to the other captives, perhaps even to Jay's father.

But before he could act on his strategy, Kara's patience apparently ran thin. With a forceful kick, she sent the barrier spinning like a frisbee, knocking down an alien and propelling herself into their midst with blur-like speed. Before the aliens could react, several of them were sent flying by her fierce onslaught.

Jay sighed, following her lead out the tunnel. He recalled how fans often criticized Kryptonians for not being the most cerebral heroes, and it seemed there was merit to the critique, even as he found himself a part of their ranks.

The alien leader cried out—likely commanding his troops to focus on these unexpected intruders. Kara, swift as a phantom, appeared before him, her fist connecting with his open mouth and sending him tumbling back. Another alien brandished a blue laser blade, but Kara dodged and delivered a back kick that sent him soaring.

Jay blocked another alien's laser blade with his forearm, the pain searing into his senses. Gritting his teeth, he shoved the blade aside, seized the alien's head, and slammed it onto a protruding spike of a box-like object, leaving the creature seeing stars.

Glancing sideways, Jay caught sight of two more aliens aiming at his back. He spun around, releasing twin beams from his eyes that swept across their weapons, resulting in a fiery explosion that flung the attackers to the ground.

At merely half their Earthly strength, Jay and Kara were still more than a match for these alien grunts. With the threat neutralized, they turned to the black man, now slumped and gasping for air at death's doorstep.

Kara knelt before him, her voice soft, "Hey, can you hear me?"

He opened his eyes laboriously, fixating on her "S" shield, "Super...girl?"

"Yes, it's me."

His fading gaze shifted to Jay, the images blurring, "And Superman?"

Caught off guard, Jay hesitated.

"He is," Kara assured for him, leaving Jay uncomfortably donning a mantle he hardly felt worthy of, even if to comfort a dying man.

The man managed a bright, incongruous smile, "Knew you'd come back... never leave us behind."

"There, you're safe now," Kara whispered. "We're here to save you, and I promise we'll take you home to Earth, okay?"

"Thank you," he murmured, shaking his head, knowing the end was near, "But I'm done for... Save the others—they're in there."

His eyes blazed with indignation as he spoke of Earthlings being captured, transformed into monsters for alien amusement in combat arenas. He revealed that the recent Metropolis mall calamity was no accident, but the doing of one such altered human.

The revelation sent a chill down their spines. Jay interjected, "You mean these aliens are modifying humans? Why would one appear in Metropolis?"

The man drew a ragged breath, "Collaborators... some humans are working with them, providing bases on Earth. I was an FBI agent... I saw things I shouldn't have, dug too deep—ended up here."

Their eyes met in understanding, "Kord Creative Technologies."

As life slipped away from him, he clung to Kara's cape, beseeching, "Please... save the others, they're in—"

His last words went unsaid, but his parting gaze directed them to a colossal oval stadium—a structure reminiscent of Earth's sporting venues.

Gently, Kara laid his body down, closing his eyes in a final gesture of peace.

Silence engulfed the two heroes until Jay broke it, "Let's go. We still have lives to save."