Author's Note: As I was writing this, I noticed I unconsciously incorporated a few concepts from lots of different books. I initially wanted this to be a fic where Alex could be the BAMF that she is on an intergalactic stage (so naturally, there had to be a lot of action and her kicking butt) but then things got a bit out of hand and this beast was born. Hats to those who can spot a few!
I haven't yet decided if I'm going to make this a completely Max/Alex ship fic yet, but please read, review and put in your own two cents! This is unfortunately unbeta'd so please feel free to point out any errors and I'll do my best to fix them. I do hope you enjoy!
No copyright infringement intended.
The Tournament - Chapter 1
"Agent Danvers, a word?" Director Henshaw called out to Alex as she walked towards her lab. Changing course, she met with him in an out of the way office with a curious expression.
"Yes, Sir?"
"We've received an invitation," he explained. Alex opened her mouth to ask the obvious question then snapped it shut when she saw what Hank held in his hand: A smooth, silver, stone-looking object. The blood drained from her face.
"Again?" she asked in a quiet voice. Hank nodded.
"You don't have to run again," he said firmly. "Anyone here would be willing to take that role."
Alex was shaking her head before he'd even finished and Hank sighed, knowing what her answer would be.
"I have to do it - I did it last year, I have the experience. And I wouldn't want anyone else to have to experience that," she finished softly.
Hank watched as Alex withdrew into her own mind, remembering the events of the last Tournament. He had witnessed the aftermath of previous Tournaments- the fear, the hollowness, the exhaustion, the blood and near death that characterised the most violent intergalactic game currently existing. This would be the third time Earth participated and the second time Alex Danvers would step up to the line once again. He rested a hand briefly on her shoulder and handed her the stone.
"Take the rest of the day. Study the information included for this Tournament and make your decisions. You've holding the reins on this one, Alex. I can't help you."
"I know," came the reply as Alex stared down at the stone. Given that J'onn J'onzz was not native to the planet, he was forbidden from participating in the Tournament, at any level.
Alex wandered towards her lab, already deep in thought and memory. Slipping through the door, she placed the stone on her desk and sat down in the chair. Reluctantly, she reached forward and triggered the device. A hologram of a human interface appeared and smiled widely.
"Greetings and felicitations, Earth!" came the jovial voice, speaking English. "You have been selected to participate in the Tournament, an extraordinary opportunity to showcase your planet's most capable specimens! The Tournament is a time-honoured tradition, and you are, of course, able to refuse such a prestigious invitation, if you so wish. However, please allow me to advise that doing so will result in your planet automatically forfeiting the right to compete and as such you will receive a score of the lowest magnitude. This may be detrimental to the health of your planet." Alex snorted at the understatement - a low score meant war. The recording continued in such a fashion until it came to the instructions.
"This Tournament will include teams of seven: a runner and six other people to support the runner. The following list are those specimens that must be included or, regretfully, you forfeit: Alex Danvers, Bronwyn Green, Mark Hernandez, Margaret Howard, Maxwell Lord."
"WHAT?" Alex yelped in surprise. The recording continued, unperturbed.
"You are, of course, to choose the last two members of the team yourself. Further instructions on transport will be conveyed in three day's time. Good luck!"
"Maxwell Lord. This has got to be a cruel joke," Alex muttered to herself. Replaying the message, she jotted down the names of the other three people and set about gathering information. She forwarded their names to the psychology department, requesting a psych profile and any other information that may be of import to their participation in the Tournament. Looking their names up on the Defense internal network, she noted that Mark Hernandez already had a security clearance and had previous experience with alien biology. A knock at her office interrupted her.
"Ma'am? Director Henshaw said you wanted to see us?" Alex looked up and saw a man and woman in standard black hovering in her doorway. Two of the best security members under her command. Alex looked out her window to see Hank looking in her direction. He gave her a nod and turned away. She sighed in relief.
"Come in," she said to the two. "Take a seat." They did. "We've got a new mission. It's completely voluntary and believe me when I say I understand if you say no."
"What, is it a mission to save the planet?" the man joked. Alex remained silent and looked at them calmly. Both of the people before her raised an eyebrow and leaned forward, interested. Instead of words, she played the recording for the third time. Once it finished, the two security forces' members looked at each other.
"Sounds dangerous," he commented.
"Mmhmm," said the woman.
"Could be that we wouldn't return," the man pointed out.
"Could be," the woman agreed. They eyed one another then turned to Alex.
"We're in."
Alex smiled with relief. Hope began to unfurl within her - small, tiny and as weak as a new kitten, but there. After giving them a vague rundown on what to expect from a security standpoint, she dismissed them to start figuring out what they needed to do and equipment they may want to take.
"That's seven," she uttered to an empty office. Her thoughts kept returning to the last name on the list though and, despite her personal feelings for the man, she could see how he could be useful. She could see it all too well and as she contemplated the role she wanted him to fulfil Agent Danvers hardened herself to what the coming event would entail. Resolve firm, she stood, pocketed the stone and strode out of the DEO to confront the man in question.
Alex stood as Max walked into his office. As was her usual practice, she had let herself in and waited. Max's usual smug smirk graced his lips as he moved to sit behind his desk.
"Agent Danvers, are you here to unlawfully arrest and detain me again?" he asked, leaning back and linking his fingers behind his head. In reply, Alex brought out the silver stone. Max glanced at it.
"Pretty," he commented.
"It's an interstellar communicator," Alex explained, setting it on the desk. Max leaned forward, interested despite himself.
"It's also an invitation," Alex said, activating the stone by placing her finger in the centre to activate it again. Once more, the interface smiled widely and began speaking. Alex muted the voice but allowed the hologram to stay on.
"Interesting tech but, like I said, our days of partnering up are over, Agent Danvers." Max said, turning to his computer. "You can see yourself out."
"I can't, actually." Alex said, shutting off the device. "I can't leave this office without you or the planet will be placed in danger."
"Well, colour me intrigued."
Alex contemplated the man before her, his head cocked to the side as he studied her in return. Eventually, Alex stood and began pacing the room as she sorted her thoughts.
"Three years ago the DEO was contacted by a group of aliens who represented a coalition of planets. We were invited to participate in a tournament." She pause. "Well, strong-armed, really. Essentially, if we didn't participate, our planet would be seen as easy pickings. If we lost or didn't put on a good show, we would be given a ranking that indicated we were weak - subtly stating that no one would protest the invasion of our planet."
"Since humanity is still killing each other and not an invading alien race, I assume the invitation was accepted," Max stated.
"Yes, "Alex said curtly. "The agent who ran in the first Tournament was killed in the second last test but he put in a good enough performance that we gained a decent rating and the subsequent relative safety. I ran in the last tournament. I'm running again in this one." Alex nodded to the stone resting on the desk. "The instructions for this run is contained within the message, along with a list of participants that must be included in the team sent by Earth."
Max stood and picked up the stone, turning it over. "Let me guess: my name is one of those listed."
Alex nodded, reluctantly.
"And the part about not leaving this office without me?"
Alex started pacing again. "There are two ways teams are selected: by force and by choice. This time, it's a combination of both. The organisers of the tournament have stipulated five people from each planet that must be included in the team, with a maximum of 7. Non-participation of one of those listed is also grounds for forfeit."
"So, if I refuse…"
"I'll knock you out, drag your body to the departure point and bring you along as an unwilling participant."
"I have a feeling you'd prefer that option," Max mused. Alex just smiled.
"If you really are genuine about protecting humanity this is how you can live up to the reputation you want to build," Alex pointed out. "Without the illegal and abhorrent experiments you've conducted in the past."
He conteplated the offer while Alex watched him, her shoulders becoming tenser the longer he prevaricated.
"I'll need to get a few things in order before we leave," Max finally answered.
"Of course," Alex said. She moved over to the couch and sat down, letting her head fall back and getting comfortable. Max raised an eyebrow.
"Some of those things are private."
"No doubt." Alex said, closing her eyes. "I, however, will not leave. I won't forfeit the safety of this planet for your privacy. It's also been a long week so I'm taking the opportunity to rest where I can keep an eye on you."
Max smirked. "If you wanted to sleep near me, all you had to do was ask, Agent Danvers."
Alex didn't dignify the question with an answer. After a moment, Max started making phone calls and tapping away at his computer.
Two hours later, Max touched Alex on the shoulder. She jerked upright and Max took a step back with his hands raised. Alex sat up and rubbed her face.
"Ready?" she asked.
"To save the planet? Absolutely," Max responded with his customary arrogance.
"You're actually part of the support team," she enjoyed informing him as she walked away with a satisfied smile. Max paused for a moment.
"You're relegating me to tech support?" he asked in disbelief. Alex didn't answer as she kept walking to the car waiting at the front of the building. "That is a gross misallocation of resources, Agent Danvers."
He caught up to her and slid into the backseat of one of the black SUVs he had come to expect from the DEO. Alex shrugged.
"Not my decision. There is only, ever, one runner. Now be quiet, it's my turn to get some things sorted." She settled a laptop on her knees and proceeded to ignore the man beside her for the duration of the trip to DEO Headquarters.
When they approached the gate forty-five minutes later, Alex shut the laptop and looked out the window with a small frown.
"Problem?" Max asked, eyes sharp.
"Maybe," Alex said absently. Max was silent as they were waved through the gate. He noticed each man saluting the car and glanced at the woman next to him. She barely registered the honorific.
"It's nice to see the place without a bag over my head," Max commented. "It could use a splash of paint, though."
"It's a facility that houses the most secret unit of the government. We'd prefer to remain inconspicuous," Alex said, rolling her eyes and climbing out of the car as it came to a stop.
"So, no sea foam green with aubergine feature walls?"
Alex paused and stared at him as he came to stand beside her.
"What?" he said. "Too much clash?"
"No, I just never would have guessed you even knew the word aubergine."
Max smirked. "I'm just full of surprises, Agent Danvers."
Alex's face darkened as she was reminded of Max's past actions.
"Of that I am well aware," she said curtly. She turned back to the door and punched in a code. The heavy bunker door swung open revealing a sparse interior. A single desk with a well-armed man in camouflage sitting behind it occupied a space halfway down and directly in the middle. Alex strode towards it without hesitation.
"You know," Max mused. "If you wanted to convince people that there was nothing untoward going on, you'd use this as an actual workspace. Honestly, this just screams 'look at me, I'm the entrance to a secret base'."
"There is nothing untoward going on at the DEO," Alex rebutted. She nodded to the man guarding the desk and gestured for Max to follow her forward.
"Except the unlawful incarceration of a citizen of this fine country."
"You deserved it," Alex shot back. "What you did to those girls was inhumane! And you tried to kill my sister and you threatened my mother!"
Max scoffed. "That was an empty threat, Alex. I wanted to stir up Supergirl. I have no quarrel with your mother."
"But you do want to kill my sister!"
Max shrugged, his attention focused on the space in front of where they had stopped walking. His head was slightly cocked to the side as he studied the air in front of them. There was a slight shimmer to it, the faintest ripple that was not a natural phenomenon. Curious, Max reached out to touch it. Alex quickly snatched at his wrist.
"Don't," she warned. "Watch."
The space before them looked like the rest of a hangar for a second more then it disappeared and the two were left standing looking at a solid metal wall containing a single door and a very complicated security system.
"Agent Danvers, you've been holding out on me," Max finally quipped. Alex didn't answer but her smug look conveyed a thousand words. Stepping forward, she allowed her handprint and eye to scan before entering a long series of digits. The door swung open and Alex waved Max inside.
"Welcome to the DEO – again."
Thanks for reading! Next up will be transport to the Tournament and meeting the other members of the team. Please feel free to review and leave any suggestions! I'm quite rusty in the writing department so concrit is appreciated and valued :)
