After receiving a set of photos completed in collaboration with Bruce, Kara bid farewell to Gotham City and set off back to Metropolis.
As for Jennifer, Kara hoped she would take care of herself and handle her situation well. There shouldn't be any problems.
That evening, Kara arrived home, and before she could even rest, Perry called, warning her to come into work the next day. Kara quickly agreed, mentioning she had photos of Batman and would prepare tomorrow's article overnight. Satisfied with that, Perry let her off the hook.
After the call, Kara contacted Clark to check on how things were going at school and whether everything was running smoothly. She suggested having dinner together that evening. However, to her surprise, Clark turned down her invitation. Her own brother, rejecting her dinner offer?
It turned out that since Clark had started college, he had made friends with a boy named Lex Luthor, who lived in the same dorm. Since the people of Metropolis weren't aware of Clark's childhood oddities, and now that he could control his powers, Jonathan no longer stopped him from interacting with others. So, Clark finally had his first real friend.
Kara was happy for him when she heard the news, but after she hung up the phone, something felt off. Lex Luthor? Seriously? One of Superman's future arch-nemeses?
Kara was speechless. She had never imagined that Clark's first friend would be the man who would one day become his greatest enemy. But for now, Lex wasn't Clark's enemy. He wasn't even a bad guy. According to Clark, Lex was a good person with big ideals.
Kara wasn't about to judge someone simply because of their name. She decided to hold back and watch how things unfolded between Clark and Lex. Who knew what kind of relationship they might develop?
But what about Lois?
The next day, Kara first retrieved Jennifer's car, which she'd been borrowing. Since Jennifer was still in Gotham City, Kara would be using the car for a while. In fact, Jennifer's car was better than Kara's, so she felt she was coming out ahead.
When Kara drove to the familiar Daily Planet building, she couldn't help but feel a bit dazed. It felt like she hadn't been to work in forever, and, truth be told, she was happy to be back. Some of her coworkers were surprised to see her return, as if they had expected her to be fired for her extended absence. Honestly, most people in her position would have been let go already.
However, Kara held a special status at the Daily Planet. Before she had taken her vacation, she had prepared plenty of material in advance, ensuring that her column continued uninterrupted. In fact, it was only these last two days where she had really fallen behind. But when Kara handed Perry the article she'd written and the valuable photos of Batman—especially the new suit she captured in the photos—Perry was thrilled.
"Nice job," Perry said, clearly impressed. "You saved yourself."
Kara smirked. "So, you're not going to fire me?"
Perry scoffed. "I never said I was going to fire you. By the way, I hired an assistant while you were away. You should meet her."
Perry cleverly changed the subject, calling a blonde woman over to introduce her to Kara.
"Kara, this is Kate. Kate Grant. Grant, this is Kara, the columnist you'll be working with. If you have any questions, ask her."
Without waiting for a response, Perry threw Kate at Kara and walked off, already checking the article Kara had handed in, ensuring it was flawless.
Kara rolled her eyes at Perry's retreating form. Did he really expect her to train a newbie?
She turned back to the young woman standing in front of her, who looked nervous, her hands clasped together and her head down. Kara was more or less a celebrity at the Daily Planet, so it made sense the newcomer would be anxious.
Kara didn't hold it against Perry, though. She looked Kate up and down—she had a pretty face and carried herself with confidence. If she wanted, Kate could easily marry into a wealthy family, but instead, she had chosen to pursue a career at the Daily Planet. This girl had ambition.
"Alright," Kara said, nodding. "Since Perry wants you to follow me, you'll be my assistant for now."
Perry, overhearing this, shouted from across the room, "She's still my assistant! You're just training her until she's ready to run her own column!"
Kara grumbled under her breath but didn't push the matter. She turned back to Kate and said, "Let's get started."
Perry pretended not to hear her.
In truth, Perry gave Kara a lot of leeway. He wouldn't grant such privileges to just anyone. A month-long paid vacation? Unthinkable for most. But as long as Kara did her job and produced results, Perry was content.
And results were something Kara never failed to deliver.
Kara took Kate under her wing, teaching her the ins and outs of running a column. She didn't hold back or act superior—she genuinely mentored Kate, offering advice and guidance. She even treated Kate to drinks after work on more than one occasion.
The two developed a friendly rapport rather quickly. There was only one awkward moment when Kate, marveling at how young Kara looked, showered her with compliments. Then, an old colleague passed by and casually mentioned that Kara was actually 28 years old, despite looking much younger.
Kara was furious. "Did you really have to say that out loud?"
The reason Kara looked so young was thanks to her Kryptonian physiology. Her body aged much more slowly than a normal human's, which kept her youthful appearance.
Then, one day, a news story caught Kara's attention. A group of criminals wearing masks similar to the Joker's had robbed a bank.
The Joker?
This couldn't be good.