Alex and Hank part 21: Myriad
We left the fifth motel by the next week. It had been two weeks since we had been declared fugitives. Two weeks that we had been on the run. I grabbed my outfit which was a lot fluffier then I really liked but it wasn't like I had much of a choice.
"So who are we today?" I asked J'onn who was closing his laptop. We were heading to Mum's it was about the only safe place at the moment. She was going to have a fit when she finds out that I married.
He looked at me before shifting turning into a small boy whom had the exact same colour hair as the wig. I saw him and felt sick.
"Hey, I don't like this much either." Came a small high pitched voice I looked down and burst out laughing
"Sorry J'onn, But…I was in no way expecting you to pretend to be my son." I was laughing full on
"If you tell anyone about this, you will be thinking that General Lane is a nice fluffy kitten." He growled
"Fair enough. Come on lets go." I grabbed the bags and took J'onn by the hand and lead him down to reception
"Thank you." I said handing over the money and walking over to the bus mall. We had enough money to buy a bus fare to Midvale. I sat waiting for the bus to come I couldn't help grinning at J'onn as he sat there as a small boy leaning sleepily against my arm.
"What are you grinning at?" He asked looking up
"Don't talk to your mother like that!" I pretended to act shocked at his attitude
He looked at me and I swear if looks could kill I would be being catered of to the morgue by now. I grinned at him. When the bus finally turned up we hoped on and we had a strangely smooth ride at one point J'onn fell asleep on my shoulder.
Suddenly the bus stopped and I saw some official people getting on, J'onn woke up and gripped my arm worriedly. I slid my sunglasses on to make me look less like Alex.
"Remain seated. We're on the lookout for a pair of fugitives, wanted in connection to some very serious crimes." She showed a picture of us and I felt J'onn grip even tighter onto my arm
"These two are considered to be extremely dangerous. If you have any information, please speak up." She walked down looking at everyone and when she approached me I looked her straight in the eye. I prayed that we wouldn't be caught out.
She stopped at me and looked at me closer before obviously deciding that I wasn't Alex.
"This bus is clear. Let's get out of here." She got off and J'onn turned to me and I allowed a small smile to appear on my lips. His eyes glimmered red for a moment before turning an unfamiliar blue. He drew closer to me and before anything else happened he fell asleep in my arms.
After a long ride we finally stopped in Midvale. I woke up J'onn whom seemed to be embarrassed that he fell asleep.
"Come on, let's go to Grandma's." I said to him as we got off the bus with a load of other passengers
He nodded mutely. I took his hand and we walked to my childhood home. It felt like forever I was scared that we would be found, that they would take J'onn away from me again. I gripped his hand tightly as I thought of what could happen.
We approached my home and I got out my keys and opened the door, it was the middle of the night so I couldn't really just knock in the door. I was trying to be quiet but I had forgotten about that floorboard that always creaked.
My parents had always kept there so they would know if I was trying to sneak out.
"Who are you? What do you want?" Came Mum's frightened voice her light shone onto me and I saw her not recognise me. I put down my bag and went up to her trying to explain.
"Mom! No, no, it's me. It's Alex." She then saw me and relief flashed over her face, she ran up to me and to my surprise she gave me a huge hug.
"Alex! Oh, my God!" She gasped luckily she still hadn't noticed J'onn
"I needed that." I gasped feeling all my worries leave me at contact
"Are you all right? What is going on?" She asked and then I saw her eyes drift down to J'onn
"Well…" I started before she walked to my side looking at a nervously twitching J'onn
"And who's this?" She looked at J'onn then me
"Oh, uh, yes, that's a little harder to explain." I started feeling all hell was going to break lose
"I don't understand, sweetie." Suddenly it hit me she probably thought J'onn was my son going by the way he was gripping my arm
"Dr. Danvers, you might want to step back." J'onn spoke up his high pitched voice I was still trying to get used to. Suddenly I saw him shift from a little boy back into Hank Henshaw. It was probably better than an eight foot tall Martian now that would freak Mum even more then she was right now.
"What the hell?" I saw her retaliate screaming and J'onn looked uncomfortable I tried to calm Mum down.
"No, no, no. It's okay." I tried to reach out to Mum to stop her from doing something stupid
"No, whatever that is, that killed your father!" She screamed accusingly pointing at J'onn
"No, he didn't." I said so strongly and forcefully Mum actually looked over at me
"What?" She was really confused
"The real Hank Henshaw blackmailed Dad into joining the DEO. This is who tried to save him." I placed my hand onto his arm, letting Mum know that I trusted him.
"His name is J'onn. He's a shape-shifter from Mars. He's also my husband…" I gulped knowing that Mum wasn't going to be too happy
"Is it true?" I noticed she hadn't heard my last comment looking at J'onn
"What's true is your husband was one of the best people I've ever known. He saved my life." J'onn's eyes went soft at the mention of my father
"And J'onn has saved mine…more than once. You can trust him."
"Mom, we don't have much time. J'onn and I… are on the run." I knew that she was going to want a lot of explanations.
"We just stopped by to supply up." I moved away from her and J'onn followed me
"Wait. "On the run"? How did you even get out of the city?" I looked at J'onn in confusion
"What are you talking about?"
"You don't know what's happening in National City? There's something you have to see." I looked at J'onn scared of what could have happened there were so many possibilities. I nodded and Mum went and turned on the news and J'onn and I looked at it in shock.
"National City has been effectively quarantined. Until this threat is neutralized no one can come in." General Lane's voice sounded through the hallway and the house as J'onn had I looked at it in fear.
"J'onn…" I whispered gear for what could have happened to Kara he pulled closer
"Kara's strong, she'll be okay. I promise." I looked at him but I could see fear in his eyes to he planted a small kiss on my forehead trying to calm me down.
"I'm going to see if I can reach Kara." I said walking into my room my heart beating scared that something bad could have happened to her.
-00-
I watched as Alex went to see if she could contact Kara. I spotted pictures of Alex as a young girl and her family. I went over and picked up a picture of Alex hugging her father. This picture reminded me of my family. Of my two girls. I felt Eliza looking at me curiously as I looked at the picture.
"It's a nice photograph. Beautiful family." I felt my voice tremble a bit, I put it back down pulling myself out of my memories
"We were. So, Alex said Jeremiah saved your life. Were you with him? Were you with him at the end?" Her voice seemed to tremble as she thought of her husband dying
"His only thought was for you and the girls." It was the best reassurance I could give her
"I made him a promise. And I've been trying to keep that promise every day since." I thought of Alex and felt sick, I hadn't kept her exactly "safe"
"Thank you." She sat down quietly I looked over to where Alex had gone waiting for her to come back out.
"So, Mars." I heard Eliza's voice rise up and when she said those words I looked up to where she was looking at me in interest.
"I have to ask, underneath it all, are you a little green man?" I looked at her in amusement she was a Doctor of Science. I grinned and went over to sit down across from her.
"I'm a big green man, actually." Thinking of the size difference between me and Alex
"Ha! And how are you able to change form? Is it an enzyme or some other chemical catalyst your body secretes that allows you to reorganize your DNA? And how do you adjust for the change in body density?" She was asking questions rapid fire and I started to grin thinking of Alex and all her questions that she had bombarded me with when we first got close.
"How does your respiratory system process the increased oxygen and nitrogen present in our air that." She looked up and saw me grinning widely trying not to laugh
"What? What is so funny?" She was looking at me oddly like she actually saw someone different for the first time
"Like mother, like daughter." I simply put in and I saw Eliza smile a proper smile for the first time, Suddenly Alex came through and I saw her holding the landline phone.
"Kara? Are you all right?" Alex looked scared looking at me and I couldn't give her any reassurance.
"I'm fine." Kara's voice sounded through the phone but she had an obvious tremble I her voice.
"You're lying." Alex accused
"Yes. Did you reach Cadmus? Did you and Hank find your dad?" She was more worried about Alex it seemed then herself
"We were on our way there until we heard about all this."
"Where are you now?"
"At Mom's."
"Stay there. If you come to National City, Myriad will take over you too." Kara sounded defeated I wondered what had happened
"There's no way I'm leaving you there by yourself." Oh great Alex wanted to go back where her mind would be mind controlled, great just great.
"I'm not alone. I'm, uh I'm with Ms. Grant." That sure surprised everyone in the room
"Why wasn't Cat affected?"
"Maxwell Lord protected her and… himself." Alex rolled her eyes when she heard that
"Ofcourse he did."
"Kara, we never know when we can trust him." I knew what she was talking about I couldn't stand him myself.
"You know what? I don't really have a choice right now. You don't know what it's like here. It's my only option."
"I love you, Alex."
"Kara, listen. Kara?" Suddenly Kara was gone and I saw Alex give it a death glare before turning her attention back to me
"She's working with Max to stop Non." We both knew that she needed protection from Maxwell Lord and there was no way I was going to leave her.
"I'm going back." I started to walk away
"I don't think you can." Eliza sounded worried and I couldn't help but melt a little at the affection she seemed to be suddenly showing me.
"I'm not human. Myriad won't affect me."
"I'm going with you." Alex looked at me and I saw determination in her eyes but there was no way I was going to take her to a death trap
"No, you're not. You're staying here where this evil can't touch you." I spun around facing her hoping that for once she would listen to me. When I saw her about to argue I cut her off.
"It's what your sister wants. It's what your father would want." I knew that it might just stop Alex I started to move towards her.
"I still need you, Alex." I paused to kiss her before walking away to go and organise a few things and I saw Alex and Eliza looking towards where I had just been.
I had gotten a few things sorted so if anything happened to me out there Alex would be alright, Eliza came up to me as I went back down to the lounge getting ready to say goodbye to both of them.
"You really do love her." I heard Eliza's voice sound behind me, I looked at her in confusion wondering how Eliza would know this. She had only known me for a few hours.
"I saw the way you looked at her, the way you would gladly protect her even at the risk of your own life. I know, I saw the news about how you raced to protect her." Eliza explained seeing my slightly surprised face
"Yes, I would give anything to keep her safe." I looked at her hoping that she wouldn't be mad
"Thank you." She whispered we started to walk out of the room into the side room where Alex would be waiting for me.
"Alex said you were both on the run. Are you in some kind of trouble with the DEO?" I was about to reply when I saw Alex loading her gun and I sensed her determination much like my own.
"Alex, we've been through this." I saw Eliza look at her daughter in worry
"If you expect me to just watch you fly away, you're out of your mind." She walked past me pushing her gun into her belt and going towards the door.
"This is not up for discussion." I saw her stall turning around at me stern voice
"Alex, I know how brave you are, but you cannot fight this." Eliza was worried sick that she would lose two daughters tonight.
"Yes. Yes, we can." I gulped knowing that she had something that would change my mind I knew that voice well.
"I remember the last time I watched my father walk out that door. It was the worst day of my life." I shuffled my feet Alex knew that she could play the father card just as well as I could.
"Not finding out whether or not he was coming back, but watching him go. Knowing that whatever happened next, I had no say." She was on the verge of crying
"I am not letting that happen to my father and then my husband!" She practically shouts looking at me
"There's nothing you can do." My voice cracked
"Yes, there is. If you help me. You can protect me." She came nearer to me
"You can use your telepathy to guard my mind." I weighed the options and decided it would be safer if I took Alex then having her run after me without protection. I looked at Eliza and she seemed to understand the situation.
"All right." I nodded and walked to the foyer wondering what sort of danger I was putting Alex through.
"Promise you'll come home." Eliza was hugging Alex not wanting to let go
"I promise. I will try."
"Very, very hard." Alex pulled out still facing her mother
"Mom, there's something that you should know about Dad…" I cut in Eliza couldn't have more stress and worry right now.
"Alex, we should go." I cut her off and hoped that she wouldn't keep going
"What is it?" Eliza looked between me and Alex and Alex was looking rather guilty but obviously agreed with what I was saying.
"I'll tell you when we get back."
She came to my side and I shifted to the astoundment of Eliza. Alex came closer to my side looking at me with a small grin. She got onto her tiptoes and planted a small kiss on my cheek, I blushed once again since Eliza was watching in amazement.
"We'll see you soon, Doctor." I nodded towards her it was a promise that I would bring Alex back. I opened the door and Alex and I walked out into the pitch black night.
I connected Alex's and my mind up the moment we were outside it was relatively easy since we already had a permanent bond. All I had to do was strengthen that bond. Suddenly it snapped into place and I knew that she wouldn't be hurt by Myriad. As long as I was there.
I looked towards the skies for a moment and spotted Mars and I sent a small prayer to help me keep Alex safe. I slid my arm around Alex's waist and took off into the night. I felt her holding onto me for dear life. I tightened my grip reassuring her that I wouldn't drop her.
"Do you think we'll get there in time?" I heard Alex's voice sound above the screaming wind
"I'll make us get there in time." I answered and I paced up my flying my cape shooting out in the running wind wrapping itself around Alex.
We stayed in silence for the rest of the flight both of us praying that we'll be able to protect ourselves. Suddenly I spotted the city and I remembered an old deserted dock that would be sufficient to land.
I crashed onto the land gently letting go of Alex she slid away slowly from my grip and walked a few careful steps getting used to being on the ground again. Suddenly my mental link was feeling strained and I gave out a grunt adjusting myself to the power of Myriad. It was quite painful actually but I wasn't letting Alex know that. But even though I tried to make myself look like nothing was wrong Alex still caught on.
"What is it? Are you okay?" She came over putting a hand on my shoulder helping steady me
"This Myriad signal is really strong." I groaned putting a hand to my head to press down on the pressure points.
"It's taking up a lot of my mental energy shielding your mind from it." I saw her look at me it was like she had the telepathy since she seemed to know exactly what was going on with me
"If you have to sacrifice me." She started
"That's not going happen." I growled it was the end of this discussion I saw her looking at me worriedly I saw her about to say something else
"I wouldn't sacrifice you for the world."
I came up closer to her and even in this dire moment I felt us being drawn together I slid my hand cupping her neck and I saw her eyes look at me the starts from the sky above as sparkling in her eyes reflecting their light onto her.
Suddenly I felt her being ripped away from me and to my horror I saw Alex lying not ten meters away from me and Indigo standing there. I could still feel our link I knew she wasn't dead but Indigo could kill her within seconds.
On instinct I pulled out my gun and fired they all landed on Indigo but didn't seem to penetrate her skin. I ran out of bullets and I saw to my shock all the bullets I had fired at her come out of her hand and she dropped them onto the ground.
"Nice try." She slurred looking towards me my eyes were locked into hers I was watching her making sure she didn't try any tricks.
"You didn't even see me coming." She was walking forward to me normally I wouldn't let her come close but as long as the distance between her and Alex widened I didn't care for my safety.
"There was only a 25.6% chance that you would turn up. Once again defying the odds." She was starting to really annoy me with all those figures.
"Just like that time your people perished and you alone survived." I felt a low growl erupt from the back of my throat.How dare she mention my planet, my family.
"Impressive." She exhaled seeming to study me as if I were an experiment.
"But the humans might call that lucky." She looked at me a winning grin past onto her face, suddenly a huge burst of anger came out from me. I shifted through her and slammed my fist into her back startling her.
"It has nothing to do with luck." I growled as she fell
I lifted her up and swung her around letting my strength crush her in my hands. I threw her into a building which to my knowledge contained some highly destructive chemicals. Suddenly a huge explosion erupt and the flames went up into the sky lighting up like a light.
I turned away the fire was the worst thing to me. I felt some of my strength seep out and I had to turn away it reminded me too much of the war I had been in.
Suddenly I saw Indigo stand up the flames framing her figure making her look like a God. Before I could move I felt something hit me in chest. I was flung back against the truck that was there. For a moment I struggled feeling the blade inside me making a severe wound.
I couldn't move the fire was making me weak and the blade still was there and I saw Indigo advance on me as I helplessly struggled. Suddenly the blade was removed but it had been so penetrated in me it pulled my off the wall.
I fell against the side of the truck trying to keep myself upright. I clutched the wound the heat and pain came off in waves. I was trying to stop the blood flow. But then I saw Indigo grab Alex and pull her up to where she could see me.
Alex can't see me like this, she can't see me this helpless. I staggered forward wanting to rip her out of Indigo's claws. Seeing me make my way forward Indigo started to shout.
"Stand down!" She shouted and I saw her bring a claw up to Alex's head. I was trying to stop the wound from giving out blood but I felt so, so much pain. I could hardly move.
"Or I scrape her brain from her skull."
I gave out a gasp and fell to my knee's feeling the weakness spread. I had to stay up, I had to save Alex.
"J'onn, don't listen to her. Just go find Supergirl. Save the city." I heard her pleading her voice breaking tears slid down her face.
I looked up as I fell forward again and I looked into her eyes. Seeing the fear frame her eyes like never before.
"Alex." I gasped our eyes locked for a second I saw the stars reflect off from her eyes I saw Mars. Suddenly my eyes roll back into my head and I fell onto the ground I couldn't stop it, I felt the pain like never before.
"No! No!" I heard Alex screaming as I fell.
"J'ONN!" I heard her scream as called out my name vainly not being able to help me.
It was the last thing I heard.
-00-
"J'ONN!" I screamed as I saw him fall to the ground clutching his wound. I stared at him I couldn't see him breathe. Tears were already running down my face but they sped up when I saw him lying there.
"Endangered. Now extinct." She stated
I fell forward and for some reason Indigo didn't stop me. I crawled to J'onn's body and I went to his face and my tears dripped onto his face.
"No, no, no." I whispered touching hid cheek
"I do love wiping out a species." I didn't take my eyes off J'onn's face even when Indigo pulled me up roughly twisting my shoulder awkwardly and painfully.
"And you're next, human." I didn't even turn my face I just kept looking at J'onn's motionless body even when she knocked me over the head making me fall into unconsciousness.
"Wakey-wakey." I had been in darkness and then suddenly I heard Indigo's voice pull me back into reality. I was confused shouldn't I be with J'onn?
"Where am I?" I stepped away and to my horror I saw Non standing there across from me
"At the heart of our operation." Suddenly everything came back to me, the battle, and I remembered J'onn lying there and I felt a chocking darkness overwhelm my head. J'onn could be very well be dying right now.
"This is where you and Astra have been hiding all these years?" I asked my voice cracking a little even though I was doing my best to stay strong. I owed that much to J'onn.
"Yes. This was our prison. Our home." He said slowly like I was a five year old
"Until you killed her with a Kryptonite sword." He snarled at me his eyes filling up with anger
"I wanted you wide awake, so I could see the pain and fear in your eyes as you died." He snarled coming towards me I didn't back down. This was the person whom had allowed my husband to die alone as he tried to defend me.
"I may have told him you did the deed. Sorry." Indigo whispered slurring obviously lying about being sorry.
"You can't hurt me anymore then you already have." I had trouble from stopping myself from shouting at Indigo, I had to maintain my self-control.
"Astra didn't want this. After you used the black mercy on Supergirl, she came to me, told me how to save her. She didn't kill me when she had the chance." I turned to Non whom seemed very surprised at this
"I'm sure she loved you, but what you're doing to National City, what you're planning to do to Earth, she lost her taste for it. Hear her now." It was the best I had
"She and your niece consider themselves sisters. Family." Indigo stepped forward to Non looking at me grinning maniacally
"Your point?" Non looked up and I knew this couldn't be good. Not at all
"You want to hurt them both? I know how." She was smirking at me
I gulped knowing that this wasn't good. Suddenly I felt a powerful force in my head it was taking over my body and I couldn't do anything as I saw myself put on kryptonite amour.
I was trying to stop myself I was screaming but I couldn't open my mouth. I was crying but no tears came out of my eyes. And I knew I couldn't stop this.
But it didn't mean I wouldn't stop trying or fighting this.
I owed that to J'onn.
-00-
I woke up feeling pain in my stomach that was like nothing I ever knew. I was confused at where I was. What was I doing here? Suddenly everything came back to me the fight. Indigo.
Alex.
I thought of her and I vainly tried to reach out to her mind but I already knew that she was overtaken by Myriad. I pulled myself up I had to get help. Who could help me get Alex back and wouldn't try to kill me.
Eliza.
She was Alex's mother I had to get back to her. I tried to fly and I crashed the first few times trying to adjust to my wound which to my horror was still bleeding. I let out a yowl of frustration the third time I crashed.
I had to get to Eliza. I finally flew I did crash land every once in a while but I had to keep going, I had to get Alex back. I finally reached her house after what felt like hours.
When I landed I fell again to my knees my wound had been wrenched open again in flight I was bleeding all over the lawn. I fainted I tried to stop myself but I couldn't.
I woke up in Eliza's house and the first thing I saw was Eliza watching over me worriedly.
"Alex!" I tried to jump up remembering why I had come
"No, you are not getting up. That wound is very severe. How did you hurt yourself like this?" Eliza sounded suspiciously like me when I was telling Alex to go to the med bay. But for once I didn't do as I would tell anyone else to do.
I pushed myself up slowly wincing as the wound pulled on me.
"I have to go back. Alex…" I murmured as Eliza
"J'onn what happened? I heard something so I went out to see who was there and I saw you lying on the front lawn bleeding out tons of blood." She sounded a bit horrified at the recollection
"Indigo turned up. She stabbed me, there was fire everywhere. She had Alex."
"I have to go back. I need to get Alex back." I pulled myself up and I staggered as I felt the pain wrench at me
"Not alone. I'm coming with you." Eliza helped me stand up
"You need help." I knew she was right I could barely stand up by myself, I knew I needed Eliza with me
I nodded and she helped me out of the door.
"How do me get there?" She asked looking around
"I'll fly us there." Before Eliza could find some reason not to I grabbed her and took off into the air putting all my energy into flying as best as I could and not crashing anywhere.
"Don't drop me." Came a high pitched voice of Eliza
I just kept flying over National City trying to find Alex.
"She's down there." Eliza called out from the air and to my horror I saw her fighting Kara.
She was under Myriads control.