Déjà vu

by DKGWrites

When a Luthor Corp mech is loose in National City, Maggie and others injured and pinned down, Alex goes to Lena, the only person possibly capable of disarming the mech, for help. Lena gets in over her head with a voice from her past and gets confronted with what her choices could mean for her future.

1. 1-A Life Hangs in Imbalance

Lena sat in her office typing up an email to the board about an upcoming project. She leaned back in her chair, her white linen suit, the red satin lining on the jacket showing where it fell open over the white camisole on one side by design. This project was groundbreaking, but losing control of it to the board could be a tactical disaster. Lena needed to create some anticipation without raising too many expectations to have them push for early results. In her role of CEO of L-Corp, it had all become a balancing act. As she searched for the perfect point to pick between puckering and actually kissing ass, a commotion from outside her office door caught her attention and then Jess' voice became clearer.

"You don't have an appointment," Jess said. "You can't go in there!"

The door nearly burst open. "I need you to come with me right now!"

Slowly, Lena rose to her feet, her mind needing a moment to register the person standing before her. "Agent Danvers?"

"Now, Luthor, now!" In black tactical gear, at least four weapons strapped to her body, and her every muscle tensed, Alex Danvers strode across the office and grabbed Lena's wrist. "Let's go!"

Grabbing her one hand with her other one, Lena pulled back suddenly and broke the agent's grip…possibly to both of their surprises. "Are you out of your mind? This suit is linen. You wrinkled the sleeve. I have two more business meetings today."

"No, you don't. Your meetings are canceled. You're coming with me. It's a matter of life and death."

Lena tensed. "Wait, is this about that weapon cache of Lex's my mother had found? Is she…Is my mother on her way for me?"

"Yes and no," Alex replied, grabbing Lena by the wrist again. "We found the weapon cache. Your mother doesn't have it again."

"Then why…? Let go of me! Honest to God, Agent Danvers, you are going to get yourself drown in lawsuits if you don't stop right…Wait. Is this about Kara? Is Kara all right?"

"I…" Eyes closed, Alex took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Jesus, Luthor, I can't go into this right now. Look, Kara is…Kara is not the problem. It's Maggie."

Eyes narrowed, Lena asked, "The officer who arrested me?"

"Right, right, yeah. Look, some cops were following a tip about some alien tech. It was Maggie and a few others. She got down there, saw what the tech was, and realized it was out of their league. She was just calling me, telling me they needed backup when there was screaming and cursing, and then the line went dead. So I—"

"Let go of my arm."

"Will you just let me—"

"Let go of my arm," Lena demanded with a bit more force.

"Fine!" With a tossing motion, Alex pushed Lena's arm back toward the CEO. "Look, when we got there, we found this!"

Alex pulled out her cellphone. She opened it bringing up a video. At first, all one could clearly make out was the line of black vehicles that obviously were owned by some federal division or another and the agents, all dressed like Alex, huddled behind them. Then, as the camera view was raised and zoomed in, the image changed. Drones zoomed through the air and not the little ones children used as toys. These were easily the size of a kitchen table. They seemed to be creating some kind of perimeter around a warehouse of sorts. Then, lumbering into view, it came. It was a mech, and although it was a bit hard to judge size given the perspective, it looked to stand somewhere between twelve and fifteen feet tall if not taller. Where it wasn't a silvery-gray, it was green and purple. In place of a hand on one side, it had a machine gun. On the other side, it had two large cylinders that looked to fire shells. It had no head, instead just an area on top where cubes that fired missiles sat. It walked on feet with three toes, two in front splayed out and one in the back, but on the top of each foot sat a tread making it look as if it could switch to a different mode of movement. In the middle of its torso were a big black L with slightly smaller purple C within it.

Pointing at the screen, Lena said, "That symbol, is that…?"

"Luthor Corp," Alex confirmed. "Like I said, we found your brother's weapon cache. I need you to come with me now."

Nodding, Lena grabbed her cellphone, shoving it into her jacket pocket. "Is that thing headed this way?"

Walking toward the doorway, Alex replied, "No. I need you to come with me to the warehouse where that thing is. My agents can't get near it. I called my best tech who's out of the country, and he suggested I get you and…" Alex looked around, realizing she was alone at the doorway.

Turning back showed Lena standing by the desk, arms crossed. The CEO leaned back almost sitting on the horizontal surface as she crossed her legs. She smoothed her pencil skirt before recrossing her legs, one of her four-inch heels tapping out her irritation. One eyebrow raised, Lena's face was impassive as she remained immobile.

Stomping back into the office, Alex said, "What the fuck is it now!?"

"Oh, I'm not going to that thing. My mother only raised one maniac, and he's serving thirty-seven consecutive life sentences. If it's down there, I'll be staying here, thank you."

"What part of agents pinned down and cops in trouble didn't you understand, Luthor!?"

"So, call Supergirl," Lena said with a shrug. "Surely the Girl of Steel—"

"She went! It took her down!"

There were several moments of stunned silence between them.

Quietly, Lena clarified, "It…hurt Supergirl?"

"The mech is armed with Kryptonite. Supergirl's…hurt." Agent Danvers looked down and away, her voice breaking on the final word as she pulled in a deep, steady breath.

"Will she be—?"

"Yes, she'll be fine. She'll be fine," Alex said, though it sounded like she was speaking to both of them. She nodded meeting the CEO's eyes then, waiting for Lena to nod back before continuing. "Look, my boss is… He's…out of the country too. I'm in charge, and I don't have any backup that can help with this thing right now. We've got someone over at the prison trying to get some answers from your brother, but that isn't going well. My tech said to get you because the thing is Luthor Corp tech, so I'm coming for you. I need your help. Those cops locked in the warehouse need your help. Come with me."

Lena shrugged. "I don't know anything about Luthor Corp tech." When Alex opened her mouth, Lena spoke hurriedly. "Really, Agent Danvers, I had nothing to do with my family's business before Lex was arrested and I moved it to National City. I was working out of a garage, trying to cure cancer, while Lex was building weapons of mass destruction and trying to murder aliens. The closest I've ever been to his technology is when it was trying to kill me. I'm not eager for a repeat performance."

"You have to at least try." Alex's voice pleaded and she ran a hand through her hair. Holding that hand out to the CEO she said, "Please, people's lives are at stake. Maggie's life is at stake. You have to at least try."

Lena opened her mouth, but instead of replying immediately, she nodded at first. "Of course. Of course, I do. I don't know how I can help, but I'll try. I'll try."

Eyes closed, Alex sighed heavily. It looked like a great weight had shifted, not lifted, but shifted on her shoulders, and she whispered, "Thank you." When she opened her eyes moments later, the strength and determination had returned, that moment of…not weakness, that moment of vulnerability she had allowed to be seen was hidden away again and the shell of the agent was fully back in place. Turning on her heel again, Alex headed to the door, talking as she walked. "We don't have much time. The Kryptonite bomb your head-case of a brother built in there is set to go off in…and, you're not with me anymore, are you?" At the door again, Alex turned to prove she was right, Lena was stopped halfway in the room. "What the hell is it now?! Bomb, was it the word bomb?!"

"It was the word bomb."

Hands covering her face, Alex took several breaths before dropping them and nearly shouting at the CEO, "Have you not been listening to me? People are going to die!"

"People near the bomb."

"Well yes, but—"

"And you want me to go near the bomb," Lena further clarified.

Hands in fists that she tightened and loosened, Alex gritted out between her teeth, "Yes."

"So, you see why I might be hesitant. Am I currently in the bomb's blast radius?"

"Well no, but—"

With a quick nod, Lena turned back to her desk. "I see. Well, that decision's made. I decline. I'd suggest you begin evacuation procedures. I, however, shall decline to go within the blast radius."

"God damn it, lady! I don't have time for this crap!" With a growl, Alex walked up behind Lena, grabbing the CEO by the wrist and spinning her around. She bent over, not letting go of Lena's wrist, and looping her arm between the CEO's legs, partially hiking up the woman's skirt in the process. She took the arm that was between Lena's legs and used that hand to grab Lena's front wrist as she stood, the CEO over her shoulders in a fireman's carry.

"What the…!? Put me down!" Lena shrieked as she struggled, kicking as best she could with one leg, though it wasn't very much, and pounding on Agent Danvers' back to only be met with unyielding Kevlar.

Turning again, Alex strode toward the door, giving a little hiking motion to tuck Lena more snuggly in place, the air whooshing out of the CEO at the sudden movement. "Lady, when I was a little kid, my parents were big into choice. At bedtime, they used to tell me I had to go upstairs to bed, but I had two choices: walk or get carried. I gave you the walking choice, and you declined, so this is how we're doing things." As they neared the doorway, Alex twisted so Lena would go out headfirst, spinning at the last moment and catching the woman's heel on the doorframe, cracking the stiletto.

"Did you just…!? Son of a bitch! That was a Lois Vuitton! Do you know how much these shoes cost me!?"

"Don't know. Don't care," Alex replied as she strode past Lena's secretary's desk.

"Miss Luthor!" Jess grabbed the phone from the desk. "Who do you want me to call? "Should I call—?"

"Call security! Call my lawyers! Call the police! Call the President of the United States if you can; just call someone!"

Alex stopped by the elevator, pushing the down button, then grabbed her cellphone from her pocket. "Facetime Olivia Marsdin."

The phone rang several times before it was answered, the face of President Marsdin coming into view. "Agent Danvers, do you have a status update for me on the…?" The President twisted her head to the side and leaned in slightly. "Is that Lena Luthor?"

"Yes, Madam President," Alex replied.

"Is she…upside down?"

Alex looked to her right where the rather red and definitely furious face of Lena Luthor stared back at her, tight-lipped, before returning to look at her phone again. "Um, somewhat, yes, Madam President."

"Agent Danvers, this better be good. Update me."

"Of course, Madam President." Readjusting the weight on her back again, and trying to not grimace at the grunt it caused her passenger, Alex said, "The mech and drones are all armed with Kryptonite. Supergirl is down. We have medical staff on site and are removing the projectiles from her there. We have just over an hour and a half until the bomb detonates. Even if we could reach J'onn, he and Superman are in a location where they couldn't make it back in time. Negotiations at the prison are going nowhere. Our best tech suggested I get Miss Luthor."

"So you kidnapped her?" The President asked.

Alex opened her mouth to respond, but Lena said, "Thank you Madam—" She grunted again, the air whooshing out when she was suddenly readjusted again.

The elevator opened, and Alex stepped inside, ignoring the yell of the secretary as they disappeared within. Alex pressed the button for the lobby, pointing at one of the weapons on her side when Jess rushed her. It was enough to stop the woman's advance so that the doors closed and the elevator lurched into motion.

"Madam President," Alex began, looking at her phone again. "We don't know exactly how big the explosion will be, but we're estimating the loss of life to be in the thousands. There are two hospitals in the blast radius from what our agents have been able to get out of Lex. People are going to die. A lot of people are going to die. Some will die even if we move them. What choice do we have here?"

The President nodded. "How long will it take you to get Miss Luthor out of the blast radius?"

"I have a helicopter on the way to a field that's a five-minute drive from there. She drives out of there, and she's clear of the place within eight minutes tops."

"Fine," the President said.

"Fine!?" Lena yelled.

"She leaves twenty minutes prior to detonation," Olivia Marsdin clarified.

"But, Madam President, if we had—"

"This is not a negotiation, Agent Danvers. This is an order. Do try and take this one better than the last one. Your badge would fit just as well in someone else's pocket. Your family has earned only so much goodwill with us. Understood?"

"Understood, ma'am."

"Miss Luthor," the President's gaze locked with Lena's. "The people of National City thank you for your service. You're a true patriot."

"I…I'm being kidnapped," Lena protested.

"Patriotically," the President replied with a wink. Her hand obscured the screen before it went black.

Lena was quiet for several moments while Alex slid the phone back into a pocket. Finally, she muttered, "I can't believe I voted for that woman."

"Well, you can change that come her re-election." Alex shifted Lena again, though this time a bit more tenderly. "I can't believe you voted Democrat."

"Every year since I've been old enough to vote. It's really pissed off my mother."

A slight chuckle escaped the agent. Reaching up with her free hand, she patted Lena's leg. "Good for you kid. I guess Kara's right about you."

"Agent Danvers." Lena inhaled, letting out a cleansing breath. "That's my ass."

"Oh, uh…Well, it's really—"

"Move your hand…away!"

"Sorry," Alex said sheepishly. "So this elevator is kind of slow. Why is it so slow?"

"Security."

"What?"

"When you kidnap the CEO, they slow down the elevator she's in while they ready security on the ground floor. It's so they can shoot you, Agent Danvers. They also watch while you cop a feel." Lena pointed awkwardly above and behind her at the silver half-circle on the ceiling.

Alex nodded, pulling out her ID and holding it up to the camera in the ceiling. "My name is Agent Alex Danvers of the FBI. By order of the President of the United States, Miss Luthor is assisting us with an incident downtown and will be coming with me."

Lena snorted. "Sure, that will work."

"You heard the president." Not receiving agreement, Alex repeated, "You heard her. Miss Luthor?"

"Yes, yes, I heard her. I'm a fucking patriot."

Alex nodded. "Make sure your security knows it too."

"You can put me down now."

"Oh, that is not going to happen."

"Where am I going to go?" Lena asked. "Seriously, we're in a fucking elevator. We're in an seven-foot by seven-foot room. What am I going to do, escape through the ceiling?"

"I could," Alex replied attempting to shrug, only managing to disrupt her passenger and needing to hoist her back into place.

"Feel free. No one's stopping you. Much like airplanes, I prefer riding inside elevators."

The silence stretched between them, Alex tapping her toe. "You know, for elevator music, this isn't—"

"Stop talking. We're not talking. I'm not talking to you."

"Whatever."

Finally, they reached the ground floor. As the doors opened, Alex spun, so her back with Lena on it was toward the opening door. She held her badge up over her shoulder. "Agent Alex Danvers, FBI. By order of the President of the United States, I am authorized to take Miss Lena Luthor with me. Please stand aside."

"Re…really!? Are you really using me as a shield!?" Lena tried to shift around, spinning her head enough that she could look at her security squad, guns drawn and pointed at her location. "Well, don't shoot!"

"Miss Luthor, please tell your men to stand down," Alex asked.

With a sigh of disgust, Lena said, "Stand down. Move aside and let us go."

The security officers hesitated, and one of them spoke. "Miss Luthor, we're not authorized to allow your—"

"Oh, it's not a kidnapping," Lena assured them. "She really is a federal agent, and the President…and I will vote Green Party before I vote for her again, the President really did authorize this train wreck. Stand down, code: Oganesson, Boron, Mercury."

"Just a moment, Miss Luthor." The officer spoke quietly for a moment, hand at his ear when he nodded his response. "Code authorized. Everyone, stand down! Status is returned to green! I repeat, code authorized, stand down!"

As people moved aside, Alex turned and stepped through the door. There was a cracking sound and she froze, turning to stare into Lena's eyes.

"Did you just break my other…?"

With an eye roll, Alex said, "Sorry. Well, at least now you have a matching pair." Security still followed while the duo made their way to the door. When they reached it, Alex said, "Would someone mind getting that for me? The automatic doors don't seem to be working. Another security protocol?"

"Hmmm."

One of the security officers pulled out a badge, swiping it and turning a light green before he pushed a door open and stepped outside ahead of them, holding the door open.

Alex's car sat just feet away on the sidewalk, directly in front of the door. The light inside marking it as some kind of police vehicle was already flashing. In the street members of the NCPD had already arrived. Two police cars sat in the street, lights flashing, and officers were in place with guns drawn as they leaned over the hoods of their vehicles and peered around open doors.

"This is the NCPD. Do not…Agent Danvers?"

"Oh, hey Toni." Alex waved, badge still in her hand. "This is official FBI business. We're good here."

The cop stood, lowering her gun and tilting her head. "Uh, Agent Danvers, we received a call from L-Corp that Miss Luthor was being kidnapped and you're…well, you're…Agent Danvers?"

"It's not a kidnapping." Slipping her badge in her pocket, Alex pulled out her keys and pushed the button on the fob, making it beep twice and unlocking the door. She shoved the keys back in her pocket. "Miss Luthor broke her heels, so I'm carrying her to the car. She has a meeting to get to, right Miss Luthor?" Alex reached up, patting Lena again.

"Still my ass!"

"Sorry," Alex said, withdrawing her hand quickly as she opened the car door. "Miss Luthor, would you please confirm for the NCPD that you're coming with me voluntarily?"

"Voluntarily?" Lips pressed together, Lena's jaw moved back and forth though she didn't make a sound.

As the police tensed, weapons, trained on her, Alex turned to meet Lena's glare. "Miss Luthor…please. There are two hospitals in the zone. We won't get everyone out." She felt the change in Lena's body, saw the younger woman's face shift to a defeated concern.

Lena nodded. "Fine. It's fine! I'm going with Agent Danvers' voluntarily! Please let us go."

"Thank you." It wasn't much more than a whisper as Alex turned and knelt, her free hand on Lena's head, making sure it didn't collide with the car. She placed the other woman in the vehicle, closing the door and hurrying around into the driver's side. As she started it, Alex put on her seatbelt and said, "Buckle up."

"How are you going to get into the street? I don't see any…Jesus Christ!" As the car lurched forward, careening down the sidewalk, Lena fumbled with her seatbelt locking it in place. "Are you insane!? What am I saying? Clearly, you're insane. You just kidnapped me from my office, and now you're driving down the sidewalk toward an explosive device guarded by some giant robot my brother created. You know, your sister is a lovely, normal woman, but you, Agent Danvers, are a maniac."

Alex gave Lena several quick, sideways glances out of the corner of her eye.

"What?"

"Nothing," Alex replied with a headshake. Suddenly she made a sharp left, turning the car between two open parking spots and skipping it off the sidewalk and back into the road, narrowly missing the parked vehicles and setting off blaring horns from the vehicles around her.

"Oh dear Lord in heaven." Lena wrapped an arm around her seatbelt, grabbing the 'oh shit' handle over the door with her other hand. "Well, at this rate, neither the bomb nor robot will kill me because your driving will do it. I suppose that's something."

"Heh. At least you're an optimist." Seeing the line of vehicles up ahead of her, Alex hit her siren and pulled left to the open lane.

"Yellow line, Agent Danvers, yellow line! Do you know what the yellow line means?"

Alex shrugged. "Oh, don't be so American." As she neared the intersection, she gave a quick glance in either direction and floored it.

"Do you know what a red light means!?"

As they cleared the intersection amid more blasts of horns, Alex replied, "Go very, very fast?"

"Son of a bitch," Lena grumbled. "You ruined my outfit. My skirt is in a shambles. You broke both my heels. Four inch Lois Vuitton stilettos trashed. My jacket, my beautiful Akris linen jacket, totally ruined."

"Ugh, stop bitching about your clothes, already. I'll buy you a new jacket, okay?"

Smirking, Lena asked, "This jacket, you'll buy me another one of these jackets, Agent Danvers?"

"Yeah, sure, fine, whatever. Just send me the bill, okay? I'll replace it so long as you stop bitching."

With a chuckle, Lena said, "Oh, that will be fine. This jacket cost $3,600.00. To where should I send the bill, your home or the FBI?"

Head turning sharply to the right, the car veered, and Alex had to snap back into her lane as she looked where she was going again. "You're God damn suit cost over three grand!? Are you fucking kidding me!?"

"My suit?" With a dry laugh, Lena replied, "Oh no, I was talking about just the jacket. It's an Akris designed by Albert Kriemler. Would you care to know how much the skirt cost? How about the shoes you so carelessly broke in your manhandling of me. As I said, they're Lois Vuitton. For the record, they cost more than the jacket."

Licking her lips to try to get some moisture back to her mouth, Alex replied, "It's not manhandling. I'm a woman."

Eyes toward the ceiling, Lena shook her head. "Well, forgive me for accusing you of being sexist while you were kidnapping me."

Alex took the next right much too sharply, making it clear she was part of the TWA, 'Two Wheel Association'. The CEO just held on for dear life, muttering a combination of prayers and curses almost under her breath. Very quickly they were on the highway heading north-west. This time of day traffic was light which meant Alex was able to go above 100 miles per hour.

"I hate flying," Lena said.

"Well, then be glad we're driving."

"Not at the speed we're going."

Alex grunted. "Do you ever do anything but bitch, lady?"

"When I've been forcibly removed from my place of business and am being dragged into a bomb's radius to help someone save their…save their...their..."

"Girlfriend."

Lena shrugged, "All right. I wasn't certain what term would be appropriate. Kara told me about the proposal, about how that went. I wasn't sure what you two were since..."

"Just because she said no doesn't mean we broke up. She's still my girlfriend. We just need more time."

"Right. Of course." Lena nodded. "So, is your girlfriend still considering that job in Gotham?"

Alex glared. "What the hell are you and Kara talking about?"

"Things. She tells me what's on her mind. We're friends. We talk about things."

Alex grumbled. "I'll talk to Kara. I'm not things. Hold on. We're coming up on our exit." Grabbing her radio, Alex said, "This is Agent Danvers. I have Lena Luthor, and I'm coming in fast. Clear the way."

A detour marked the exit up ahead, but it was open, and they were waved through. The car skipped and bounced as they took it at harrowing speeds that had marked the entire ride. They moved along several more side streets, but no other moving vehicles were in the way this time. It was obvious the way had already been evacuated as best it could. Though this time of day wasn't rush hour, there was always a steady flow of traffic in these parts. They turned left on the road and passed another group of agents that waved them through a fence into an industrial area. Warehouses speckled the complex, and they continued straight for about half a minute before flashing lights noted the vehicles making a wide circle around one warehouse in particular. They were clones of the one Alex was driving, a few SUVs of the same monochromatic government make, and two ambulances. However, that was not what drew Lena's attention.

Much like she'd seen on the video Alex had shown her earlier, drones filled the air flitting about the warehouse and scanning for movement. They were maybe three feet in diameter, each with a rather dangerous weapon on top trained toward the cars. More interestingly, the mech stalked back and forth its torso rotated ninety degrees toward the line of cars. As it reached the end of its march, it turned and marched back, the torso rotating 180 degrees so it could continue to point an array of deadly weapons at the agents.

Alex pulled up to the end of the line of vehicles, her side of the car facing the mech. "When you get out stay down. That thing shoots at anyone who peeks their head up. Any questions?"

"Somehow I'm supposed to help disarm a bomb while getting by a robot at which I can't look?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

"Fabulous." Lena unbuckled and popped open her door, stopping to fumbling with her shoes.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Removing my now useless footwear," Lena replied with a huff of breath, unstrapping one and dropping it to the passenger floor as she began on the other. "Someone was kind enough to render them pointless through her haphazard mistreatment of me."

"Lady, shoes like that are always pointless."

Turning on Alex, one stiletto heel in hand and flopping as she gestured, Lena replied, "Agent Danvers, my uniform is as necessary as yours. You wear your armor. I wear mine. Trust that heels like this have helped close varied and sundry types of deals. They're as an important part of my arsenal as all of your…" Her gaze running over the weapons strapped to Alex, Lena lifted a brow. "Oh, my. That is a lot of guns."

"Ugh, men. I suppose they're easily distracted by—"

"Men?" Lena smiled sharply. "Please, Agent Danvers. You, better than anyone, should know not to limit your thought process like that."

"Oh, I…" As the CEO slid out of the car and onto the ground, Alex followed after her, a hand out to stop the closing door. She landed in a squat next to the younger woman saying, "I can't exactly use my door. I'd be fodder."

"Of course, and I'd miss your company terribly."

In a crouched run, a new woman joined their position. Her hair was dark and short, and she was dressed the same as Alex. "Ma'am. Miss Luthor, thank you for coming to assist us."

Lena opened her mouth to respond but closed it with only a small sigh.

"Vasquez, update me," Alex ordered.

"Yes, ma'am. We've managed to hold this position as you ordered. Technical support still hasn't been able to access any of the systems of the drones or the mechs, but they are communicating with each other. Occasionally, the drones enter the warehouse where we've been able to confirm the NCPD members are pinned down but only for a few minutes each. We believe they're rearming themselves in there. We do know they're rearming the mech."

"Mother fucker," Alex grumbled. She pointed to a burnt out shell of a vehicle at the other end of the line. "What happened there?"

"We took down one of the drones trying to slow down the rearmament process. The mech called and then raised things on us."

"Did anyone…?"

Vasquez shook her head. "Injured but not killed, ma'am. So far no fatalities."

"How's Supergirl?" Alex swallowed hard, eyes pleading.

"Bullets removed and under the mobile sunlamps. She's been asking about you. Do you want to go see her?"

"I…" Alex's gaze shifted to Lena, lingering, then back to Vasquez.

The other agent also eyed the CEO strangely before returning her gaze to her superior.

Brows furrowed, Lena looked back and forth uncertainly between the other two women, obviously missing something.

Clapping Agent Vasquez on the shoulder, Alex said, "I need to stay here with Miss Luthor. Please go check on Supergirl for me. Let her know I'm here. I'm fine. I'm going to keep an eye on Miss Luthor, and she and I will handle things out here. Supergirl should just sit the rest of this one out."

Eyebrows shooting up near her hairline, Vasquez grabbed Alex's wrist. "You want me to tell Supergirl that you and Miss Luthor are going to take care of the robot that shot her out of the sky?"

Alex nodded. "Consider it an order."

"I need a raise," Vasquez muttered. "Yes, ma'am. Right away ma'am." Hands clasping her superior's shoulders, she leaned in suddenly. "You owe me, Alex." Nodding toward Lena, she added, "Miss Luthor."

As she watched Vasquez do a crouch-run away, Lena asked, "That seemed strange. Was that strange?"

"Ah…so, any ideas on how to get past that thing?"

"You tell me, Agent 006.9," Lena said sitting on the ground, her back against the car. "This is my first rogue robot attack. Well, if you don't count college."

"You had robots in college?"

"You didn't?"

Shaking her head, Alex replied, "I'm a bio-engineer."

"Ah, no bio in my engineering. Well, outside of shooting people, what else do we know about this thing?"

"I'll show you. Don't stand up." Alex stood, waiting the two seconds it took for the mech to focus in on her.

"Unauthorized personnel. Terminate."

Alex ducked just as bullets riddled her vehicle.

"It seems it likes you just slightly more than I do, Agent Danvers."

"Hysterical." Alex crouched back into position again. "That's what happens every time it catches sight of someone. It calls out and then opens fire."

"There seemed to be a slight delay. Do you mind if I…?" She pointed up.

"You want to take a look?"

"No. I want to sit in my office and work on a rather lucrative contract until my next meeting, but that option is lost. Since I'm here, let's see if I can't make myself useful, all right?"

Alex nodded. "Don't get yourself killed. If anything happened to you, Kara would never forgive me."

"That almost makes dying here worth it, but still I'll try and avoid death." Lena peeked over the hood of the car, waiting for some reaction but getting none. She popped up and down quickly but didn't get any real information. Nodding to herself, she stood to get a real look at the mech.

"Be careful!" Alex said, grabbing Lena by the jacket and pulling the CEO back down with a ripping noise.

As she landing on the ground of the parking lot, Lena's head whipped to the side and she stared daggers at Alex.

"You need to be careful, Miss Luthor. That thing—"

"I need to be careful!?" Unbuttoning her jacket, Lena peeled it off until she was only wearing her pencil skirt and the red silk camisole she'd been wearing underneath. She pulled the jacket around holding it out in her hands so that the tear in the back was clearly visible. "Look at this. Look at what you did. Do you see this?" Lena fairly hissed.

Alex blinked several times, but her attention wasn't on the jacket. It was on the camisole or more accurately what lie beneath.

"I can't believe you," Lena continue, not looking at the agent's lack of attention, or attention, and continuing her rant. "You're a walking disaster area. Just stay away from me." Pulling her cellphone out of the pocket of her jacket, Lena balled up the article of clothing and tossed it into Alex's face, snapping the agent back into full attention. "Now, I'm going to get a look at that damn robot out there. As soon as it moves in my direction or says anything, I'll be back behind the car. I'm not suicidal. You try and keep your hands off me. I'm running out of articles of clothing, and I'd appreciate it if you don't tear my shirt off, all right?"

"O…okay," Alex stammered out as she nodded and dropped the jacket on the ground.

Lena nodded once in return before turning her back to the vehicle to ready herself. Inhaling deeply, she nodded to herself and stood, looking around at the robot, the drones, the warehouse, allowing her quick mind to take it all in within her two-second window. She was most of the way back to her crouch when the mech's voice fully registered.

"Authorized personnel recognized: Lena Luthor."

Frozen, just the top of her head sticking up over the car, Lena grunted loudly. "Oh, Lex, what did you do?"

As Lena's gaze fell on hers, Alex asked, "It knows you?"

"Apparently," Lena replied, her voice holding none of the excitement that she saw reflected in the agent's face. "Lex…he…I have no idea what the fuck this is."

"But it knows you. It didn't shoot." Alex swallowed hard. "Can you order it?"

Lena shrugged. "I can try. What do I say?"

"Tell it to stand down."

Slowly rising to her full height again, Lena said, "Stand down." She cleared her throat, projecting, "Stand down!"

"Did it work?"

Again, Lena shrugged.

"Let me try." Shuffling down to the other end of the car, Alex stood and took one step out.

"Unauthorized personnel. Terminate."

"Fuck!" Alex dove back behind the car, landing at Lena's feet.

"Hmmm. Doesn't seem like anyone likes you today, Agent Danvers."

"Whatever. What the fuck good are you if this thing doesn't listen to you!?" Alex snapped.

"Well, don't yell at me. I didn't volunteer to come down here. If you'd prefer I leave—"

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Alex rubbed at her face with one hand. "It's just Maggie, and the bomb…people are going to die if we can't stop this thing. I'm in charge and my…Supergirl is…" Alex looked down in surprise when a hand gently touched her other one.

"Is Kara out of the blast radius?"

"Uh…Kara won't get stuck in this, I promise."

"Good," Lena replied, standing again.

"Authorized personnel recognized: Lena Luthor."

As Lena walked down toward the far end of the car, Alex scuttled after her. "What are you doing?"

"Well, none of these things seem interested in shooting me thanks to Lex's programming them before he decided I was the biggest threat next to the Supers. You have people and a bomb in that warehouse. Maybe I can walk right in there."

Alex shook her head, Grabbing for Lena's hand. "That's an awful idea."

"You have a better one?" Lena asked, yanking her hand back.

"My sister will kill me," Alex replied, making a grab for Lena's ankle as the CEO rounded the tail of the vehicle. "Miss Luthor. Miss Luthor. Lena!" Settling back against the vehicle, Alex covered her face with both hands. "Damn, please don't get killed out there. If you do, Kara won't have a chance to get to me. I'll probably do myself in."

Ignoring the grabbing hands and calls of the agent, Lena strode in the general direction of the large purple and green robot. One of the drones came close, hovering just in front of her for a moment before flying away again. This caused a slight uptick in CEO's already pounding heart, but she soldiered onward. Lives were on the line, hundreds perhaps thousands of lives. As Lena got closer to the mech, its size became apparent. It stood about twenty feet tall, maybe six of that torso not counting the missiles that sat above it ready for launch. It's 'heels' were about a third of the way up its legs, kind of like a cat's. It moved as she moved, rotating slightly to keep her in view.

Drawing closer, Lena took a sharp left that would move her away from the mech and through an open area to the warehouse. At first, this seemed like it would work. Robot and drones alike just watched. All at once, the mech turned and moved toward her even as four drones moved to intercept. The fliers formed a line on Lena's left side leading right, back toward the mech. When she turned and tried to move away, they merely moved in the way again. Eventually, they surrounded her, only leaving her one open path…toward the mech.

"Agent Danvers?!" Lena yelled to make herself heard back to the cars.

"Miss Luthor?!"

"I don't seem to be given any options here! The drones are moving me toward the robot!"

"Are you…?!" Alex glanced over the trunk of the car for a split second then ducked down again. "Are you in any danger?!"

"Not yet! I mean, I don't seem to be! It's pretty obvious where they want me to go, though! I can't even go back the way I came!"

"Well, what do you want—?!"

"I'm going to the robot!" Lena announced.

"Are you sure?!"

"My other option is to stand out here until the bomb goes off, so right now the robot seems more desirable, yes! I'm just trying to keep you updated!"

"All right!" Alex agreed. "Just be careful!"

Moving forward again, Lena chuckled but without humor. "Oh, I think we left caution behind us as soon as you started driving! Do they really teach that in Quantico?!"

"It's a defensive driving course, yes!" Alex agreed.

"Offensive driving?!" The smile Lena had plastered onto her face came through her voice. "The next time rush hour traffic is being problematic; I'm calling you, Agent Danvers!"

"I tell you what; get us all through this alive, and you've got yourself a deal, Miss Luthor!"

Lena continued until she reached the robot, her head going further and further back to take in the size of the thing. When she was about six feet away it moved and she stilled in response, her breath catching and her body tensing even further. Its legs folded under it, allowing the mech to get much lower to the ground until the torso nearly touched. With a hydraulic hiss, two panels in the front swung open toward Lena. The first was clear and hinged open like a conventional door. The second folded down toward the ground and had three step-like indentations leading to a cockpit interior.

Arms folded over herself, Lena shook her head and said, "Uh-uh. Uh-uh."

"Miss Luthor, what were those sounds?!" Alex called out from the relative safety of her vehicle.

"It…" Lena paused in an obvious search for the best descriptor of this moment. "It wants me to get in!"

"What do you mean, 'Get in'?!"

"I mean Get! In!" Even though no one but Lex's killing machines could see her, Lena gestured up and into the mech with her hands.

Still no closer to understanding, Alex tried twice to glance over the back of the car before standing and gasping, immediately dropping back to the ground before anything there took her measure. "Miss Luthor, do not, I repeat, do not get in that thing!"

"Oh, I'm not eager to do so, Agent Danvers! Lex made this! In my recent experience, everything my brother's made tries to kill me! Honestly, right now I'm still rather amazed I'm alive! Clearly, this speaks of one of his earlier creations, a kinder, gentler Lex!"

"A kinder, gentler Lex?" Alex rolled her eyes. "Miss Luthor, does the mech seem active right now?!"

"I'm not certain! It's definitely powered up if that's what you're asking! I can see lights inside it, and I can hear the energy running through it! It looks like it's waiting, though! I imagine it's waiting for me!"

"Good! Just stay right there!" Alex instructed. "Alpha and Gama team, you're on me! We're going to try and breach the perimeter! Primary objective is diffusing the bomb! Secondary objective is recusing the officers down inside! Beta and Omega teams, provide cover fire!"

"Wait, are you coming out here?" Lena asked turning left and right, a drone blocking her no matter which way she turned.

"It will be fine, Miss Luthor!" Alex nodded to her team leaders. "Remember, we have a friendly out there! All right, move out!"

The DEO agents had gotten a few feet on either side of the vehicles when the mech raised its arms. Drones reacted, flying in from all over. Only the ones around Lena held steady.

"Unauthorized personnel. Terminate."

The drones and mech all opened fire. Bullets flew over Lena's head. DEO agents ran back behind cover, some struck by fire and then dragged back by their fellows. Though the whole thing lasted less than thirty seconds, it was a spectacular failure. All they'd managed to do was add a half-dozen agents to those already with the few in the ambulances.

"Miss Luthor?!" Alex called out. "Miss Luthor!?" Letting her head fall back and bang into the car, Alex closed her eyes. "Miss Luthor, please if you can hear me—!"

"What the fuck was that, Agent Danvers!?" Lena replied as she uncurled from the protective ball she had created out of her body on the ground and stood. She wiped at her suit for about two seconds before shaking her head in disgust and giving up completely. "Perhaps your definition of 'It will be fine.' And mine differ, but that was certainly not fine!"

"You're okay!"

"Oh, no, I'm not okay! I'm fuming!"

"Look, Miss Luthor, I know you're scared, but—!"

"Oh, no, this isn't what I sound like when I'm scared!" Lena snapped back. "This is what I sound like when I'm planning a hostile takeover! You, Agent Danvers, everything between us is hostile!"

There was a dull thud, hollow and concerning. Not able to place it, Alex asked, "What's that noise?! Miss Luthor, are you doing something?!"

"Why yes, I'm getting into the robot my brother was kind enough to supply me!"

"What!? No! Miss Luthor, do not get into that thing. We have no idea what will happen to you if you do. Do not get in there, do you hear me!?"

Stopped with one foot on the top step and one in the cockpit, Lena replied, "Agent Danvers, so far the only thing here that's been a threat to me is you! Right now I think the safest place for me might be inside the robot! Anyway, it's also the best chance we have of finding out what's going on and diffusing the bomb! Wish me luck!"

"Miss Luthor, no! Miss Luthor!" There was another hydraulic hiss and a dull thud followed by a clang. Alex glanced through her car windows just long enough to see the now-closed mech, with Lena Luthor inside, rising to its full height again. Sliding to a sitting position on the ground again, Alex banged her head against the car three times. "Fuck. J'onn goes to The Fortress of Solitude for one day with Superman, leaves me in charge, Supergirl gets shot down by Luthor Tech, and now a Luthor is loose in National City in a giant mech. Even if we do somehow survive this, I'll be busted so low my job will be scrubbing toilets on a remote surveillance post in Antarctica…barefoot."

As the doors closed behind her, they shut out most of the light, and Lena found herself inside a mech that wasn't well lit, her eyes trying to adjust to the dim lighting. There was a small viewing hatch that allowed a tiny bit of daylight to stream through, but most of the light was supplied by track light along the interior and around the controls and buttons. After being outside, it wasn't easy to see. The fresh air was leaving quickly, and the smells of plastic and an electric burn were taking over quickly. It took her mind back to robotics club in college. She shuffled forward, her movements echoing in the tiny interior.

Lena sat down in what didn't look too unlike a very comfy gaming chair, closing the four-point harness in place for safety. There were pedals at the base of the chair, though they were obviously set for Lex's much longer legs. As she sat, they shortened up for her length. On the right armrest was a joystick with a trigger and several buttons, but moving it didn't do anything. On the left side was a throttle stick with a large button on the interior. She moved the stick front and back, tempted to but not pressing the button until she knew more.

Above her, Lena grabbed the periscope setup, but tugging on it didn't move it so much as a centimeter. On her left was a flatscreen that didn't seem to have any way for Lena to input data to it. On her right was a smaller screen with a keyboard underneath. When she grabbed it, she was able to swivel the whole setup, so it moved in front of her and locked into place. She explored two indents on the far right, one deep and circular and one smaller and rectangular toward the front, with her fingers.

Peering into each she said, "Huh, a spot for a cellphone and a drink holder. Really, a drink holder? Exactly what did you expect people to be doing in here, Lex?" Shrugging, she stuck her cellphone into place, noticing it fit securely, receiving power and a strong signal. As Lena explored the interior with her eyes, the mech suddenly shifted.

"Unauthorized personnel. Terminate." This time when the voice spoke, it was in quieter tones.

The mech's weapons raised and fired. The CEO found the soundproofing inside was excellent. Though she could hear the weapons being fired, it wasn't unpleasant. The vibrations weren't even bad. Though the mech was an awful combination of colors on the outside, it seemed to be built for comfort. She looked up just in time to see an agent dive back behind the car she had been hiding behind earlier, assuming it was Agent Danvers once again testing boundaries.

Lena tried several of the controls inside, but the only thing that responded to her was the keyboard. Her keystrokes lit up the small screen in front of her, and she quickly began to travel into the system. As she did so, her eyes were drawn to the clock counting down until the bomb exploded. Grabbing the phone from her pocket, she unlocked it. Placing it on the side, Lena hit Kara's number while she continued to type. When it went to voicemail, the CEO frowned deeply, but a smile returned at the blonde's bubbly voice.

"Hey, you've reached the voicemail of Kara Danvers because, well, I'm not available. If I were available, I'd totally answer your call, of course. I'd never let your call go to voicemail on purpose, not even if you were a telemarketer. I mean, that's a hard job. People must be super rude to telemarketers, and that's not fair. If I were a telemarketer, I wouldn't want someone to be rude to me. So if you are a telemarketer—"

Alex's voice broke through the babble. "Kara, just tell them to leave a message, and you'll call them back."

"Oh, okay. Um, please leave a message, and I'll call you back." Then Kara whispered, "Even if you're a telemarketer." Beep!

Despite the situation, Lena was smiling broadly. She kept typing as she spoke. "Hello, I'm calling to see if you might want to change your cell phone plan." Lena laughed. "Seriously, though, Kara, this is Lena. I was hoping to catch you, but maybe this is better. Don't erase this message, okay, at least not until you see me in person either tonight or tomorrow. I'm just…I'm with your sister, and we're in the middle of something. It could be a bit, at least half an hour, but I expect there will be some paperwork and…The important part is I wanted you to know I'm thinking of you. Right now, at this moment, you're my best friend, and I'm thinking of you. No matter what, I want you to live your life to the fullest and be happy. You're an incredible person, and you deserve that. I feel lucky to have had you in my life. Take care."

Lena disconnected the call, going back to her busy typing. It took a few minutes of searching, but Lena found a program with her name embedded in it. It had familiar looking subroutines, things she had helped Lex program when they were kids. She shook her head, worming her way in further and trying not to enjoy herself too much even though this brought her back. Finally, feeling like she was on the right trail, she launched the program, startling when the larger screen to her left lit up, and a familiar face and voice filled the area.

"Hey, Lee, long time no see. If you're watching this, then I didn't save the world from the alien scourge. Won't Mom be mad." Lex Luthor's face leaned closer to the screen, pouting before he leaned back with his ever familiar and charming grin. "I guess it's your turn now, but you have to earn it. Let's play a game like we did when we were kids. Guess what we get to play? You have three guesses, and the first two don't count."

"L…Lex?" Lena gasped, swallowing hard. "Oh, my God, Lex?"

"That's right, chess!" Lex laughed. "You always were the smart one, Lee. I wonder what you're doing now. Did you cure cancer yet? More money in treating it if you ask me, and we Luthors are in the business of making money. With me gone, someone's got to take over Luthor Corp and Mom would be a disaster. I hope they put you in charge. You've got my vote. Oh, except I'm dead. Oops." Lex laughed again.

"It's a recording." Lena nodded to herself. "I knew that. You're just a re—"

When Lena's phone rang back, a facetime request from Kara, the CEO jerked at the sound. Rather distracted, Lena accepted the call, her attention still split between the smaller screen ahead of her and her brother's now frozen grinning face.

"Kara, darling, so nice to hear from—"

"Did you just try and shoot me!?"

"Kara?" Slowly, Lena turned her head. The angry face of Agent Danvers was staring back at her. "Oh, of course. It's you."

"Did you?"

"It wasn't me. It was the suit robot thing," Lena said, most of her attention now returned to her typing.

"You're in the suit robot thing!"

"Both of these things can be true." As she pressed a key, the Lex recording began to move again. "Agent Danvers now is a bad time. I'm trying to run a program Lex has left for me, and he's been telling me that—"

"Wait, is Lex talking to you?"

Shooting Alex the stink eye, Lena picked up the phone and pointed it at the screen showing Alex the recording of Lex.

"And then…and then there was the time we made that fire retardant gel, covered your hand it in, set your hand on fire, and yelled for help until the nanny came running in!" Lex was laughing so loudly he was crying. "You were what, six? Oh God! Oh God!" He rubbed at the tears on his face. "She went screaming out of the room, looking for a fire extinguisher, and then Mother came in. Mother just looked at us, shook her head, and said, 'Do you know how hard it is to find a good nanny? No dessert tonight for either of you. Lex, put your sister out.' Then she strolled out of the room." Screeching with laughter, he yelled, "Classic!"

When Lena turned the phone to face her again, placing it back where it had been sitting earlier, an obviously horrified Alex Danvers asked, "Did Lex really set you on fire and…did you really…I…?"

Lena shrugged, beginning to type again. "I was six. He was my big brother, and he was fifteen. It was a science experiment. It was completely safe. We used all of the proper protocols." When neither of them seemed convinced, Lena added, "Perhaps I should have realized something was wrong with Lex sooner but—"

"You were six," Alex said.

Lena nodded, looking over at the recording of Lex, who was still babbling about something else from their childhood, for just a moment before returning to her keyboard. "Anyway, Agent Danvers, I didn't try to shoot you. I can't control this thing, at least not yet. So far all I've been able to do is bring up this recording of Lex, and he wants me to play a game of chess with him."

"Why?"

"You're going to love this."

"That's sarcasm," Alex noted.

"That keen intellect is why you're in the FBI. Lex says it's my turn to save the world from the alien scourge. My hope is—"

"That if you win, you get all of his toys?"

Lena shrugged. "That would be nice."

"Can you beat Lex in chess?"

With a grin as she typed, Lena replied, "In my sleep. The time limit is the thing. I'm hoping this is a timed game."

"Chess is timed?"

With a sideways glare, Lena reached out to the phone. "Goodbye, Agent Danvers." Stopping just short of disconnect, she asked, "Wait, how did you get Kara's phone? I thought you said she was clear of the blast radius."

"Oh yeah uh…she must have dropped her phone in my car earlier. I heard it ringing, saw it was you, and realized I had a way to communicate with you. Lucky thing."

"Indeed. Goodbye, Agent Danvers." This time Lena did disconnect, returning her full attention to her typing as she searched out something having to do with chess. She didn't expect to find chess. That was too simple. This was the first leg of his game. She searched, looking for any number of well-known moves and even some of the more abstract ones. Suddenly, a word jumped out at her, and her fingers fairly flew along the keyboard.

Chaturanga was the precursor of chess in northern India in the sixth century during the Gupta Empire. The word translated into 'four divisions (of the military)'. It referenced the infantry, cavalry, elephantry, and chariotry. As soon as she saw chaturanga, Lena knew she had found what she needed.

"Excellent, Lena!" Lex Luthor laughed again, but his face had shifted to a new recording. "Now it's time to play our game. Are you as excited as I am? I bet you are. I bet you're thinking you're going to beat your old brother, Lex. You always were such a good chess player, Lena. It was like you had a supercomputer for a brain. I've always loved you, Lee, always been proud of you, but when you're thirteen, and you teach a four-year-old to play chess, she isn't supposed to win. You know, there were times I actually wondered if you were human."

Something changed in Lex's face, the smile sliding away and nothing but the madman remaining, and Lena swallowed hard. She pressed her hands against the rigid and inescapable surroundings. The only sound was the thudding of her heart, building, rising, and increasing in tempo. That was the face of the Monster of Metropolis, the man who had taken her brother from her as well as the lives of hundreds of others. He was trapped in a prison of brick and steel now, in a prison of his own mind, and she was trapped in a prison of his design at this moment as surely as she was trapped in the prison of her last name. Her every goodly action perhaps a motion toward her parole.

Suddenly, Lex's grin split his face again. "Okay, Lee, let's play that game of chess."

Lena's breath shuddered out of her body, her first awareness that she'd been holding it. "Yes, let's."

"We're not playing just chess though," Lex said. "We're playing…wait for it…four-player chess!" He laughed. "Exciting, right?"

Lena rolled her eyes. "As if I can't kick your ass at four-player chess. The normal variation or Bughouse?"

"I bet you wonder if we're playing Bughouse?"

Lena nodded.

"Nah! If you're here, there's probably a bomb about to go off. Bughouse can go on forever."

"A moment of sanity? Who expected that? I suppose I shall be grateful for small favors."

The smaller screen changed, and a four-player chessboard appeared. It looked like a normal chessboard except there were an additional three rows, each eight rows in width, extending behind the board on each players side. Four different colored chess pieces appeared at the furthest back places on the board, leaving one empty row in front of them before the normal play board existed.

Lex's talking head burst into action again. "You'll allow me the first move, won't you Lee? After all, you've always been the better chess player. So good. So good. Give your poor brother a leg up here, won't you?" He grinned, the line between charm and madness definitely toggling toward the insane. "Excellent! You've always been such a good sport. Well, here we go. I'll try to keep up, but don't take it easy on me just because I'm dead."

One of the pawns on the screen, a white piece, slid out two spaces and into gameplay.

Lena nodded, a smile ghosting her lips. This she knew. Chess she knew, and she'd been mastering it since the day she was introduced to the game. It was logic, inspiration, outmaneuvering your opponent, a game of war for the civilized woman. It was so much at which Lena Luthor had excelled her whole life, that which she'd been born and raised to do. This game, four-player chess, was only a slightly different variant than the original. It was either played by teams of two or by two people, each controlling the pieces on their opposite side. If by teams it could become quite a challenge if one wasn't allowed to communicate with one's teammate. However, if you were communicating with the other part of your team and you two could strategize properly, or in this case, if you controlled both sets of pieces, it just meant you had more pieces at your disposal. This variant allowed for a few changes in that if one side is in checkmate the game is not over, their pieces are merely frozen. Their partner may seek to free them from the checkmate. You don't lose until both sets of your pieces are in checkmate. Of course, pawns do not travel in such a way that they can reach the side of the board, so it will be up to the larger pieces, as it usually is, to resolve the game.

Fingers linked together, Lena stretched her arms out releasing some tension from fingertip all the way up to her neck. "All right. Let's do this, Lex. You know, I didn't think I'd ever have the pleasure of trouncing you at chess again. If I survive this, I'll have to find a way to thank you. Heh. Maybe this time I'll send a drone to visit you."

Lena type in the command, naming first the pawn and then the square. She watched, satisfied, as her red pawn slid forward. Next, it was Lex's turn, and he moved a black pawn, advancing it onto the playing field. Lena typed in turn, her brow furrowing when nothing happened. However, seconds later, a different green pawn did shuffle forward one space.

"What… What the hell?"

As one of Lex's white pieces began to move, signifying the beginning of the second turn, the screen with his face launched into action again and he spoke. "Hey, Lee, so at this point, you may have noticed something you don't like. Yeah, you're smart like that. You're too good at chess, way too good, so I've given you a teensy little handicap." Hand held up to the screen, Lex held his thumb and forefinger perhaps a half inch apart before dropping his hand again, his impish face returning front and center. "The AI will be controlling your other set of pieces. I programmed it myself, though I have to admit, it isn't my finest programming. Though, hey, didn't you say you could beat me at chess with your eyes closed. Now's your chance to prove it." Lex chuckled.

"Oh, you son of a bitch. No, really, Mom's a total bitch, an insane bitch, and you're her son." Head leaning back, Lena looked up at the ceiling about a foot away. "Fuck!"

Lex's voice pulled her back to the game. "It's your move, Lee."

"Oh, God."

Sitting forward again, Lena's studied the screen for just a moment before her fingers danced over the keyboard once again. She watched Lex's black piece move then grumbled at the choice the AI made for her green piece. When it was the turn for Lex's white piece again, his move wasn't unexpected. This was the process, understanding and predicting the moves of the other players and planning several moves ahead for them. This is where Lena excelled, and she could do this, she could even learn to do this for the AI playing her green pieces. She just needed time. The question was, did she have that time.

It was over twenty minutes later, and Lena was getting a good handle on the game. Several pieces had been claimed on both sides, and the CEO felt like she was maneuvering things on the right direction toward victory. Time was her biggest challenge right now. The AI playing on her side had been checkmated once, and she'd been tempted to leave it there where its ham-fisted playing couldn't cause any problems. However, that gave Lex two turns to her one, so she'd freed the thing and returned the number of plays to two-to-two. When her phone rang again, another facetime request from Kara, Lena smiled briefly but then frowned upon realizing it was the older, not the younger Danvers sister calling.

Finger hesitating before responding, Lena finally pushed the button to answer the call. "What!?"

"You okay?" Alex asked.

"Are you fucking serious!?"

"Okay, that was a stupid question," Alex admitted. "I just meant, the way you answered the phone didn't seem like you."

"Agent Danvers, you know nothing about me."

"Your move, Lee," Lex said. "Hey, remember the time you brought home that kitten, Mom found out, and I tried to convince her it was part of some kind of science experiment so you could keep it? Whatever happened to that kitten?"

Looking up from the chessboard, Lena met Lex's smiling face as she somberly replied, "I had to give it away. Mother said she'd already taken in one little orphan. She wasn't taking in another."

"I'm sorry, Miss Luthor, was that to me? I didn't hear all of that," Alex said.

"No, Agent Danvers, I was speaking to my…" Hand partially outstretched in the tight space, Lena pointed at screen showing Lex's face. She dropped her hand to her lap with a slight head shake. "Agent Danvers, was there something you wanted, or did you just run out of people out there to annoy?"

"Well, it's a time check, Miss Luthor."

"Time check?"

Alex nodded. "I have my orders. We need to get you out of there."

Lena chuckled, mostly returning her attention to the game. "That would be lovely. Do you have any suggestions on how we go about that?"

"Well, isn't there some way you can…?"

When Alex didn't finish her thought, Lena looked over at the phone again. "I can what? Do you think I have some giant eject button or a hatch release lever in here or something? Agent Danvers, in case you don't watch the news, my brother is madder than a March Hare. No, the game is pretty simple. I play a game of chess, with his poorly programmed AI for a partner. I win and supposedly all of this, the right to be his successor and kill aliens in the Luthor name, is mine. I lose, and I'm trapped here until the bomb goes off."

"Poorly programmed AI?"

With a sigh, Lena lifted the phone and turned it toward the screen with the chess board. "Lex controls the black and white pieces. I'm red, and the AI plays green which are also on my side, though they're playing poorly." She returned the phone to its resting place. "If Lex were playing fair, I'd be able to control the green pieces, and I'd be out of here by now. He decided I could use a handicap since he knows I can kick his ass in any and all chess variants. So, he programmed an AI to play on my side, and it's sloppy. I'm ahead now and moving forward. Time is a factor, as you've said. I'm running out of time. I don't know if I can beat him in the…" Lena glanced at the clock. "Fuck, twenty-three minutes remaining. Well, at least I won't have to go to another board meeting. There's always a silver lining."

"Miss Luthor, I have my orders to get you out of there."

"Well, feel free. Grab a crowbar and run out here. Do mind the bullets from the drones and this thing I'm in, but I won't try and stop you. No heroes here." Lena typed again, making her next move.

"Haha!" Lex laughed loudly. "Nice one, Lee. You took my bishop. I should have seen that coming. You've always been the sneakiest Luthor, though. The rest of us, we're heavy-handed, but you're subtle. It makes you the most dangerous. I guess I'm glad you're the one that's left. You'll play it differently than I did. You'll lull the Supers into a false sense of security, befriend them, gain their trust, get to know them intimately, and that will be their downfall. I may have been charming, but everyone always described you as seductive. It was kind of a creepy word for my little sister, even an adoptive sister, but I can see the use for it now. Make us proud."

Lena glanced over at the phone, waiting to see if that got a reaction from the Agent, but Alex either didn't hear or care. Clearing her throat, Lena said, "Agent Danvers, I need you to do something for me."

"Anything, just ask," Alex replied immediately.

"It's about Kara."

"Fuck…Kara." Alex hung her head. "I promised Kara I'd get you out of here. We need to get you out of here."

"You spoke to Kara?"

Looking at Lena again, Alex replied, "I did, and she's very worried about you so—"

"How? You have her phone." Lena typed again, setting up her next move, a little smile in the corner of her mouth as Lex did the expected.

"Oh well…fuck. Look, I'll explain when we get you out of here. I think we owe you a nice, long conversation. Kara will probably appreciate getting this off her chest. Anyway, I promised Kara I'd get you out of here. She'll never forgive me for dragging you into this if anything happens to you."

A rush of air escape Lena in a half laugh. "I was just thinking something similar."

"Look, you have every right to blame me, Miss Luthor," Alex agreed.

"That's not what I mean." Lena made her next move.

"Sneaky, Lee, sneaky," Lex said, his grin widening as he waggled his finger at her. "That reminds me of the time you were ten, and I snuck you out of the house and took you to my university to help me program our entry into the Robotics Initiative. I still remember the looks on my teammates' faces when they came in and found us in the dorm. You and me sitting on the floor together, me drinking screwdrivers and you drinking orange juice, both of us laughing and working together. I said, 'Gentlemen and Ladies, allow me to introduce you to the greatest engineering mind this world will ever know, my little sister, Lena Luthor!' Oh, those were good times. You stayed and watched us trounce the other entrants, hung out for the after party, and I drove you home at the end of the weekend. Mother never did call the police because you were missing, did she?" Lex giggled. "Oh, Mother, you odd duck. She was usually so strict with you Lee, and then sometimes she acted like she just didn't care if you lived or died. Oh, well."

Lena sparred Lex a glance, then went back to studying the chessboard while she spoke to Alex. "Agent Danvers, I need you to gather up your agents, take Supergirl, and all leave."

"I'm sorry, what?"

"You heard me. None of you can do anything to help with this situation. If I beat Lex's game, then I'll call you. If I don't…" Looking at Alex, Lena shrugged. "Well, if I don't, I assume the explosion will be your confirmation of my failure. Either way, people hanging around out there aren't helping the situation any, so please leave."

"You just wait a minute! If you think for one moment that I'm going to—!"

"What I think is that your sister needs you, Agent Danvers!" Lena stared into the phone, gaze locked with Alex's. "Kara has already lost her whole family once. She doesn't talk about it much, and maybe that's more telling than if she did. It hurts. She's in pain, and she can't afford to lose any more of her family. Kara needs you, so get yourself out of the blast radius of this bomb."

Lena moved, and Lex said, "What are you up to now, Lee? Hmmm. I suppose I'll have to make my moves to find out. Care to give me a clue? No? Hey, Lee, do I have a nice tombstone? Do people recognize me as a hero? Do they understand what I was trying to do for them? Do you visit me, bring me flowers? You understand, right? That's why you're here. We're going to be a team again, Lee. We're going to be together again. Even in death, I won't abandon you."

Eyes closed, Lena willed the tears back. When she opened them, she was back in control. "Trust me, Agent Danvers, losing a sibling, even one not related by blood…as far as you know, is devastating. Kara needs you. Be a good big sister, and take care of her. Do the right thing and leave."

Without a moment's hesitation, Alex replied, "Kara needs you too."

"Perhaps, but I think it's I that needs Kara more. Kara has many people in her life if something happens to me. Make sure you're one of them. Goodbye, Agent Danvers."

"Miss Luthor, don't—"

Disconnecting the phone, Lena returned her full attention to the game at hand. It was several minutes before movement outside caught her attention. Fist the one remaining ambulance and then cars began to pull away. Smiling slightly, the young Luthor returned to her game. She could count the minutes left in the teens now. Those were either minutes toward victory or minutes left in her life. She pushed either thought out of her mind and only focused on the game, on several moves in advance. That was the path toward victory.

Finally, with eleven minutes left, she managed to lockdown Lex's black king. "Checkmate," Lena said with a grin.

"Checkmate!" Lex echoed. "Well done, Lee. "Now, can you get my white king before I free my black king?"

"Oh, please do try and free your black king, Lex. I'm rather counting on it." Lena continued to play for another three minutes, maneuvering things exactly as she wanted, until her phone rang. Seeing it was Alex Danvers, calling under Kara's name, she answered. "Is everyone out safely?"

"Pretty much."

"Pretty much? What does that mean?" Lena looked out the window of the mech, seeing one vehicle sitting alone on the hardtop. "Is that you!?" A hand popped up from inside the vehicle, waving, then disappeared again. "Son of a bitch!" Grabbing the phone, Lena looked at what was clearly the face of a supine Alex Danvers. "What the hell are you thinking!?"

Alex shrugged. "I'm thinking you shouldn't be stuck in there with only the insane ramblings of your brother's recordings. I thought I'd just hang out."

"I told you that Kara—!"

"Kara agreed with me. She wasn't happy, but I convinced her to leave, and she—"

"Kara was here!?"

Alex winced. "Yes. Like I said, I'll explain it all when you get out of here. Kara agreed that you shouldn't be alone, and since she was in no shape to stay, I am."

Placing the phone back on the mech, Lena gently asked, "Kara's hurt?"

"She'll be okay. I promise."

"But she's hurt."

"Yes, but it isn't anything that you need to worry about. I'm not worried about her. I'm worried about you, but not Kara. I swear."

Typing her next move, Lena squinted at Alex. "Agent Danvers, I think we've already established that you're a liar. Your promises don't mean much to me."

Nodding, Alex said, "That's fair. If I thought my little sister wasn't going to make it, I wouldn't be this calm. I'm not that good a liar. No one is."

"Oh, Lee, I didn't see that move coming. Have you gotten better at chess, or have I gotten worse?" On screen, Lex Luthor rubbed a hand over his head, lips tight before he smiled again. "Lee, you're going to be amazing. You're going to make this world a better place for humanity. Mom's going to be so proud. She's going to love you so much, Lee, so much." Reaching up, he put his fingertips against the screen.

Mirroring the action, Lena placed her fingertips against the screen, finding only coldness, hard and unforgiving plastic. It was an interesting metaphor for her relationship with Lex now. It was cold, hard, and unforgiving, a screen between what lay beneath the surface and made it tick.

Dropping her hand, Lena said, "Yes, I suppose no one's that good a liar. So, what is it you want now, Agent Danvers? I'm a little busy at the moment, but I have an opening in my schedule in about fifteen minutes and could probably squeeze you in then."

Alex barked out a laugh. "Good one. I just want to keep you company. You know, be here. I'll be quiet so you can concentrate, but if you want to talk, you tell me, okay?"

"Plus this way you can be near your girlfriend."

"Yes, but that's not the only reason I'm here," Alex assured the CEO. "I'm here for you, Miss Luthor. You're not alone. I'm not going anywhere. You won't be alone."

Meeting Alex gaze, Lena nodded. "Noted, and thank you, Agent Danvers."

"No problem. Now, I'm just going to relax, earn my fat government paycheck, and wait here for you to save a whole lot of people. Let me know if you need anything."

"Sure, no pressure," Lena smirked.

Typing again, she moved another piece, chasing Lex's queen into a precarious position. It could take her out, but it would be lost. However, he had time on his side. The next few moves were fast and furious, Lena's mind working overtime as she moved closer to her goal. She barely stifled her chortle of joy when Lex was forced to sacrifice his white queen to save his king. She glanced at the time, wiping at her brow but feeling more confident that she'd win the game within the allotted time span. She only worried that there was another part, maybe a diffusion of a bomb, that was also part of this whole countdown process.

"Lena Luthor."

At an odd voice, Lena turned to look at the screen that showed Lex's face. However, Lex was gone. In his place was the face of a woman, alien in nature. Her skin was blue, and her features fine. Black hair hung down past her shoulders, and her eyes glowed with a faint golden hue. She wore a golden headdress with a ruby stone in the center, gold loop earrings, and several loops of gold necklace. Her purple and blue hooded robe was trimmed in gold.

Staring into the face on the screen, Lena said, "Annnnd I'm fucked. Okay, Lex, what insane head trip are you planning on taking me on for the last…" She glanced at the timer on the other screen before returning to the game. "…Four minutes and thirty-eight seconds of my life? Well, at least I won't have to suffer with whatever the fuck this is for too long."

"Lena Luthor," the face on the screen repeated, "I am the goddess Rama Kushna. I am the mistress of the city of Nanda Parbat, and I rule over the scales of balance and karma. I believe you to be out of balance."

"Uh-huh. And I rule over L-Corp and believe you to be a fantastic part of my brother's insanity plea." Tapping at the keys for her next move, Lena's eyes widened, and her breath came faster when nothing happened. "No. No, no, no! What the fuck, Lex! You've shut me out! You fucking cheater! You God damn fucking cheater, no!"

"Lena Luthor, this is not your brother's doing. One of my many gifts is time manipulation. I have merely stopped time for all other beings on this planet so that you and I may converse freely."

Checking the time on the countdown again, Lena saw it was still showing four minutes and thirty-eight seconds. Slowly she turned to the face of the blue woman on the screen. "Are you a recording?"

"No."

Head jerking back, Lean didn't respond. Instead, she fumbled for her phone. "Agent Danvers. Agent Danvers. God damn it, answer—" Peering more closely showed Alex Danvers unmoving, unchanged, not even seeming to breathe. In a bit of a panic, Lena tried to calm herself as she put the phone back and leaned forward, trying to see as far out the window of the mech as she could. None of the drones moved, but they weren't hovering. They were merely frozen in place. Even more convincing were the few birds in the sky in the same situation. "…oh my God," Lena muttered.

"Goddess," Rama Kushna corrected.

"Uh-uh-uh," Lena's breath stuttered out before she regained full control. "Goddess, yes, of course. Well, goddess, what can I do for you?"

"Lena Luthor, it is what I can do for you. At this moment, you are at a crossroads, and I am here to show you what your future will be like if you do not defeat your brother's game."

"My future?" Lena quirked an eyebrow. "I won't have a future if I don't beat this insane game my brother has set up for me. Apparently, you're not aware, but there's a bomb set to go off and take out God…uh…goddess knows how many city blocks if we don't diffuse it. So I either win or die."

"Incorrect."

"Incorrect?"

Rama Kushna nodded.

"Fucking Alex Danvers," Lena grumbled.

"Alexandra Danvers communicated to you what she believed to be true and accurate. Unfortunately, she was working with the limited information she was able to gain from the viewing device the DEO was able to use to access the warehouse housing the bomb and from your brother himself. Your brother lied."

"Shocking. So there is no bomb?"

Continuing, Rama Kushna said, "There is a bomb, but the explosion is set to create a force that will not destroy property and kill people for several city blocks in any direction. The explosion will be smaller, controlled, merely killing those within the warehouse. You and Agent Danvers won't be harmed. The explosion is merely a dispersal agent for the Kryptonite."

"Oh." Lena nodded. "That sounds like Lex. So how far will—?

"Given this location, low levels of Kryptonite radiation will contaminate most of National City, Paradise Hill, Lincoln Park, Mountain View, and parts of Barrio Logan and Encato. It will be thousands of years before these areas are habitable by Kryptonians again."

It took several moments of open-mouthed staring before Lena replied, "Supergirl. Supergirl will—"

"Move. She'll move to San Diego initially so she can stay close to friends and family, but heavy winds will bring with it sickness which will force her to move further away. Eventually, she settles in Los Angeles. It's still close enough to family that they can visit, you can all visit, but her health won't be threatened by the proximity of your brother's…gift."

"I can visit? I don't think Supergirl and I are exactly that close."

With a slow nod, Rama Kushna said, "You will be."

"Wait a moment; you said DEO before. Who's the DEO?"

"The Department of Extranormal Operations. That is where Agent Danvers works."

"She works for the FBI." When the blue-faced woman didn't respond, Lena said, "Right she lies a lot. What was I thinking? Well, thank you for this little…whatever this was, but I'd really like to stop my brother from contaminating several cities on the west coast with Kryptonite and killing the people in that warehouse. So, if you don't mind, could you please give me back control of my system? I'm three moves from double-checkmate here."

"No."

"Of course not." Lena sighed, resting her cheek on her hand. "Look, goddess, Rama Kushna. Do you mind if I call you Rama Kushna?"

The goddess shook her head slightly.

"Rama Kushna, this is all very impressive. I mean, time control. Wow. Do you have any idea what I could do with time control? Do you know how productive I would be? I might actually get a weekend off before I retire. That would be…hmmm. I have no idea what that would be like. What do people do on weekends off?"

The goddess shrugged.

"Right, I'm asking the wrong deity. Anyway, this has been interesting, but I have some lives to save and a bomb to stop, so please go back to your city and your worshipers. I'm not interested in whatever it is you're peddling."

"You're not even curious?"

"Of course I'm curious. I'm human. We're all curious. I'm also a Luthor which makes me entirely untrustworthy. You shouldn't talk to me. You definitely shouldn't deal with me. Lead me not into temptation. I'll find my own way there." Lena waved the back of her hands at the screen, shooing the goddess away.

"Well, my course of action is clear then."

"I'm glad we can agree that—"

The face and one shoulder of the goddess leaned out of the screen, her hand reaching toward Lena. "Lena Luthor, I will show you your future should you fail to stop the bomb."

"Fuck! Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!" Feet scrapping and hands desperately grabbing for purchase, Lena tried to escape the hand in the limited space. Right before it touched she closed her eyes, and then darkness took her.