Haruka stood before Lena Luthor, the tense atmosphere palpable in the room. Despite Lena's relaxed demeanor, Haruka remained cautious, unsure of her intentions.
"Haruka, can I offer you a drink?" Lena asked, gesturing towards a decanter of amber liquid on the table beside her.
"No, thank you," Haruka replied, his voice even. "I'd prefer to keep a clear head."
Lena's lips curled into a faint smile. "Suit yourself." She moved around the desk, taking a seat on the edge as she studied Haruka intently. "So, tell me, how are things going for you these days? I hear you've been quite busy, both at work and as a certain masked hero."
Haruka held her gaze, unwilling to give anything away. "I'm not sure what you're implying, Lena."
"Oh, come now, Haruka," Lena said, her tone laced with amusement. "We both know you're Kamen Rider. I've seen the footage, and I must say, I'm impressed."
Haruka remained silent, his expression guarded.
Lena chuckled. "You know, I have to admit, I was quite surprised when I realized it was you. I never would have expected the son of Matsu Kojima to be the armored vigilante of National City."
Haruka tensed, his mind racing as Lena's words sank in. "What are you getting at, Lena?"
Lena leaned back, a knowing smile playing on her lips. "Oh, I think you know exactly what I'm getting at." She paused, her gaze piercing. "I know where Supergirl and Astra are, Haruka. But if you don't cooperate, well..." She shrugged, letting the implication hang in the air.
Haruka's heart pounded in his chest. Kara's safety was at stake, and he couldn't risk anything happening to her. "What do you want?" he asked, his voice low.
"One of your armors," Lena said bluntly. "The technology in your armors is fascinating, and I want to study it."
Haruka shook his head. "That's not possible. The armors are connected to me. Even if you take them, they'll just return to me."
Lena considered this, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "Well, then how about this - you let me study the armors, and in exchange, I'll tell you where Supergirl and Astra are."
Haruka hesitated, weighing his options. He couldn't afford to lose any more time in finding Kara and Astra, but the thought of Lena examining his Kamen Rider tech made him uneasy. Still, he knew he had to act quickly.
"Fine," he relented, "but I'm not giving you the armors. You can study them, but they stay with me."
Lena's eyes gleamed with triumph. "Excellent. I knew you'd see it my way." She gestured towards the door. "Shall we?"
Haruka followed Lena, his mind racing. Even if Lena studied the armors, he knew their origins were different, and the technology couldn't be easily replicated. He would have to be vigilant, but for now, his priority was finding Kara and Astra.
Lena led Haruka to a control room deep within the Lex Corp tower. Displays flickered to life, revealing the layout of an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of National City.
"There they are," Lena said, pointing to two blinking dots on the screen. "Supergirl and Astra, holed up in that warehouse."
Lena handed Haruka a small, sleek device. "This should help break Supergirl free from Astra's mind control," she said. "It was originally designed to disrupt Kryptonian physiology, but I believe it can rattle her brain enough to snap her out of it."
Haruka eyed the device warily. "And you're just giving this to me? What's the catch?"
Lena shrugged. "No catch. I want Supergirl back on her feet as much as you do. Now, go save your friend."
Haruka studied the map, his mind racing. "Thank you, Lena," he said cautiously.
Just as Haruka turned to leave, Lena raised a hand. "Not so fast, Haruka. You're going to need backup for this."
Haruka tensed, his suspicions rising. "What do you mean?"
Lena smiled enigmatically. "I have the perfect person for the job." She pressed a button, and the doors slid open, revealing a familiar figure.
"Superboy," Haruka acknowledged, keeping his expression neutral.
Superboy strode into the room, a confident grin on his face. "Kamen Rider. Lena told me you'd be needing my help."
Haruka glanced between Lena and Superboy, the pieces falling into place. "I had a feeling you two were working together."
Lena chuckled. "Clever boy. I have to say, I'm impressed you figured it out."
Superboy crossed his arms, his brow furrowing. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Haruka held up a hand. "It means I had my suspicions about your involvement with Lena. After all, you just happened to show up and save her from Reactron at the Lex Corp party. And the only person who could plant a bug on me is you."
Lena nodded approvingly. "Very perceptive, Haruka. Yes, Superboy has been working with me to monitor the activities of you and Supergirl. I hope that won't be a problem when you work together."
Haruka eyed Superboy warily. "It won't be a problem, but I want to ask. What's in it for you, Superboy? Why are you helping Lena?"
Superboy shrugged. "Let's just say I have my reasons. And Lena's been pretty generous with her resources." He flashed a confident grin. "Besides, I'm curious to see how you and Supergirl work together."
Haruka considered his options. He knew he couldn't trust Superboy, but the chance to rescue Kara and Astra was too important to pass up. "Fine," he relented. "Let's go."
As Haruka and Superboy headed towards the warehouse, Lena watched them go, a triumphant smile on her face. "This should be interesting," she murmured to herself.
Haruka gripped the handlebars of the Auto Vajin as he raced towards the warehouse, the powerful engine roaring beneath him. Superboy soared overhead, keeping pace with the Kamen Rider's motorcycle.
Haruka quickly dialed Director Chase's number, informing her that he had located Supergirl and Astra. "How did you find them so fast?" Chase's voice crackled through the speaker, "My agents haven't been able to pinpoint their location yet."
Haruka hesitated for a moment, glancing up at Superboy. "I made a deal with someone who could help," he replied cautiously.
Chase was silent for a beat. "Alright, Kamen Rider. I'm already dispatching a team to your location. Be careful out there."
"Thanks, Director," Haruka said, ending the call. He only hoped they weren't too late to save Kara.
"Just hang on, Kara. I'm coming to save you."
///
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