Atlantic City: A Supergirl Fan-Fiction
by: Sam Lincoln
Disclaimer: All the characters contained in this story are the property of DC Comics, and Warner Brothers. No infringement is intended.
Summary: Everything dies baby that's a fact, but maybe everything that dies somedays come back. Put your make up on, fix your hair up pretty, and meet me tonight in Atlantic City.
Spoilers: This takes place directly after the Crisis on Earth-X crossover.
Chapter Two: Two Tickets on That Coast City Bus
—xxx—xxx—xxx—xxx—xxx—
Alex took a step backwards to allow Maggie and Kate into her apartment. "What do you mean help, and who's your friend?" She pointed at Kate.
Maggie made a beeline to the bottle of Scotch Alex had sitting on a countertop and poured herself a drink. "This is my friend Kate Kane from Gotham." She nodded towards Kate who was still standing in the apartment's doorway.
"You never said anything about having a friend who lived in Gotham," Alex said to Maggie.
"That's because I'm not the sort of friend you mention to a new fiancee," Kate said as she stepped into the apartment. Her eyes narrowed when she saw the still moving drapes of the window Kara flew out of. "Are we alone in here?"
Alex closed the door then faced Kate. "Of course we're alone. Does its look like anyone else is in the apartment?" Kate frowned as she looked at the sofa, but did not press the matter further. Instead she sat down in one the chairs that ringed Alex's dining room table. Alex rolled her eyes and returned her attention to Maggie. "What's going on Maggie?"
"They blew up the Chicken Man," Kate said. She stood up from her chair and walked over to Maggie and poured herself a glass of Scotch.
"And that's supposed to mean something to me?" Alex said.
"George 'Chicken Man' Rizetti was a low level mob guy who had ties to all the major East Coast families: the Falcones, the Marconis…"
"Intergang," Kate said.
Maggie nodded her head. "Intergang too. He also, once a very long time ago, worked with me as an informant. Kate and I were working on case against Bruno Mannheim and George was going to be the star witness."
Alex looked at Kate. "So you're police too?"
Kate smiled. "Not exactly, but stopping crime is important to me, so I helped Mags out."
Alex looked back and forth between Maggie and Kate. "Mags huh? Okay so you had a star witness against one of the most ruthless mobsters in the country. What went wrong?"
Maggie sighed. "The case fell apart before we were even able to make an arrest. The DA tanked the case because…"
"Because it's Bruno Mannheim and that's how it goes," Kate said, cutting Maggie off.
"Precisely, we kept George safe by never naming him in any of our paperwork, and after the case ended we burned everything. Then I got fed up with life on the East Coast and moved out here."
"So why is he dead now?" Alex asked. "Did Mannheim find out what he did?"
"He died because he tried to warn us about something new," Kate said. "An arms deal, a big one, happening soon. And since it involves Intergang the weapons being sold are certainly going to be alien."
Alex rubbed her chin. "Illegal alien weapon deals are definitely a big deal."
"Especially this one. Corto Maltese is looking to beef up its armed forces and Intergang is angling to be their lone supplier."
Alex held up her hands. "You don't have to say anything else. I still have a few, well a lot of question, but you don't have to sell me on the scope of the problem, and I see why you came to me."
"I'm glad you do, because I still don't," Kate said. "Mags has been less than forthcoming about that information."
"Can I trust her Maggie?" Alex asked.
"Kate can keep a secret if that's what you're asking," Maggie said.
"I work for the DEO," Alex said. "Alien contraband is my speciality."
Kate took a step away from Alex then started to head for the door. "Oh no, no, Mags how could you even think I'd be willing to work with the DEO after all the crap Bones put me through."
Maggie ran over to stop Kate. "I didn't say work with the DEO, I said we need to work with Alex. Trust me on this. Alex is one of the good guys. You can work with her."
Alex set her hands on her hips. "What's your problem with the DEO?"
"I had the unfortunate honor of being 'recruited' by your Director Bones. Let's just say I wasn't a fan of his methods."
"Director Bones was a rogue, out of control, agent who we dealt with," Alex said. "He doesn't represent what the DEO is these days."
"You'll have to pardon me if I don't take your word for it," Kate said. "Forget this, there's no way." She placed her hand on the doorknob to leave.
"Kate, you came to me with this," Maggie said. "And I am telling you, Alex is exactly the person we need to stop Intergang. They don't know Alex. She'll be perfect for the job and she already has experience with alien weapons."
"Wait, hold up, what do you mean by they don't know me? I thought you were telling me all this so I could bring it to the DEO, not run off and play vigilante," Alex said. "You know how good my team is Maggie. We could wrap this up in no time flat."
"No deal Ms. DEO," Kate said. "I'm not working with your snake pit of an organization ever again."
"That's fine by me because I'm not even sure why you're here in the first place," Alex said.
"This is as personal to Kate as it is to me," Maggie said. "This isn't about police work Alex. This is about our friend, and making sure the people who killed him face justice."
"Which the DEO can deliver," Alex said.
"Hey, when Cadmus had your dad did I suggest we go to the NCPD and get a SWAT team to take them into custody? You owe me one Danvers, and I'm calling it in now."
Alex sighed. "When you put it that way I don't have much choice do I?"
Maggie shook her head. "No, you really don't. If it make you feel better, I hate that I'm putting you on the spot like this, but you are our best hope of stopping Intergang from destabilizing a sensitive part of the world. Not to mention getting justice for the brutal murder of a good man."
Alex shook her head. "You just had to bring up the time I went after Cadmus to rescue my dad didn't you?"
Maggie smirked. "You know me Danvers, no mercy."
"So you're in?" Kate asked.
Alex sighed. "Against my better judgement yes, I'm in."
"And so we're clear, I don't want to see any of your DEO friends," Kate said. "You're helping us, your team isn't."
"Can I bring my secret weapon along?" Alex asked.
"It would be impossible to make you leave it behind," Maggie said. "But only as a last resort."
Kate narrowed her eyes. "Secret weapon, what's that?"
"Don't worry about it. If we're lucky we won't need it, and if we do we'll be lucky we have it," Maggie said.
"You know my opinion on surprises," Kate said.
"No, I was completely unaware of how much you dislike being surprised," Maggie said. "Trust me Kate, this is fine and won't cause problems."
Kate sighed. "Fine, she can keep her secret, for now."
Alex pulled out one of the chairs at her dining room table and tapped on the back of it. "Come here, sit down and let's talk over whatever your plan for this operation is."
Kate waited for Maggie to sit down at the table fore she brushed past Alex and also sat down. Alex rolled her eyes and took a seat at the head of the table.
"We know the weapons buy exists and roughy where and when it's going to happen," Maggie said. "But we don't know any of the specific details."
"And of course we also lost our only source of intel from inside Intergang," Kate said.
"I can help with that," Alex said. "Just say the word and I can get you the time and place the buy is taking place."
Kate leaned forward on the table. "That was my idea as well, but now I'm curious how you were going to do it."
"That's, that's top secret," Alex said. "As I'm sure you can imagine the DEO has some of the best intelligence gathering technology in the world."
"That you can task with no questions asked?" Kate raised an eyebrow at Alex. "Like I said before we're doing this my way."
"What are you thoughts on going undercover?" Maggie asked Alex.
"I think going undercover with Intergang is a suicidal idea," Alex said. "A lot of good agents have died trying to do just that."
"So you know the risks, good," Kate said. "What I'll provide you with is a new identity and you'll go to work for Intergang as their newest muscle. They're always hiring mercenaries to supplement their security details. You can fight I hope."
Alex stiffened in her chair. "I can put you on your ass that's for sure."
"You're welcome to try," Kate said. The pair locked eyes and glared at each other until Maggie waved her hands between them.
"Ladies, you can posture after the job's done. Yes Kate, Alex is good in a fight, I can vouch for that personally."
"Good enough for Intergang?"
Maggie rolled her eyes. "I said she was the right woman for the job didn't I? She's fought off Daxamites, cyborgs."
"And Nazis," Alex said.
"Nazis, really?"
"It's…an extremely long story."
"I'd like to hear it some time. Like Kate said, the plan is to set you up with a new identity and you go to work for Intergang. You'll find the location of the arms deal and then we'll break it up and call the cops on our way out. Easy peasy."
"You say that now, but I would feel a lot more comfortable if I could bring in a few select members of my team at the DEO. I understand that Kate doesn't like us, but three people against Intergang is lousy odds anyway you slice it."
"Don't worry about the odds. I have a few secret weapons of my own," Kate said. She smiled at Alex. "And no, I won't tell you what they are."
Alex shrugged. "Fair is fair I suppose."
"It's true this is a risky, and probably ill-thought out, plan," Maggie said.
"But I did storm that Cadmus facility all by myself so I can hardly talk," Alex said. She held up her hands and leaned back in her chair. "Say no more, I get it. I'll stop complaining now." She lowered her hands. "But I do have questions."
Kate nodded her head. "Of course."
"You said you don't know the exact time and place of this arms deal. Do you know in more general terms?"
"Yes, soon and Atlantic City," Kate replied.
"Do we have to leave now or can you wait until tomorrow so I can tell my boss I need to take a few days off?"
Maggie put a hand out to keep Kate from replying. "I'm sure Kate is flying out as soon as we're done here, but you can take the time you need to let the DEO know you need to take a vacation. In fact it would be for the best if you did. We wouldn't want them, or your reporter sister, looking for you."
"We certainly do not, Kara can be a real bulldog about getting other bottom of a mystery," Alex said.
"Fine, I get it, talk to your boss at the DEO. There will be a ticket to Atlantic City waiting for you at the airport tomorrow. We can go over any other questions you have after you get there." Kate pushed herself away from the table then stood up. "Welcome to the team Alex."
"I hope you survive the experience," Maggie said.
—xxx—xxx—xxx—xxx—xxx—
"So let me see if I have this right," J'onn said to Alex the next day in the DEO. They stood in a side corridor off from the main command center. "You want to take an unspecified number of days off to do something you're not willing to tell me about, and you expect me to be okay with that?"
Alex bowed her head. "I understand that I'm asking for a lot of you with this sir."
"This is a little more than asking a lot Agent Danvers. Give me one good reason why I should let you come and go as you please?"
"I can't go into details sir, I made a promise, but it's important and worthwhile."
J'onn set his hands on his hips. "Help me out here Alex. I want to say yes, but if you don't give me a reason then my hands are tied."
Alex took a deep breath, but before she could speak Kara walked up to the pair. "Hey Alex, what did Maggie and her mystery friend want last night?"
J'onn looked down at Alex and raised an eyebrow. "Maggie huh?"
Alex waved her hands. "It's not what you think sir."
J'onn cocked his head to one side. "Maggie and a mystery friend visit you last night and now you want to go off on some off the book mission, what exactly should I think?"
Alex's shoulders sagged under the combined weight of J'onn and Kara's combined glare. "Maggie needs my help and that's all I can say without violating the confidence given to me."
Kara took a step closer to her sister. "Alex, if you need help let me know and I'll do whatever you need me to."
Alex patted Kara on the arm. "I know Kara, but you'll have to trust me and give me space."
Kara nodded her head. "I do trust you." She hugged Alex. "Be safe and come back in one piece."
J'onn sighed. "Fine, consider your request approved, and don't be afraid to call if you need any help."
"Thank-you J'onn," Alex said.
"I don't like this," J'onn said. "But I trust you Alex, don't make me feel like that trust was misplaced." J'onn turned and walked away from the Danvers sisters.
"So where are we going?" Kara asked Alex.
"We are not going anywhere. You are staying here while I go help Maggie," Alex said. "And I mean it Kara, no snooping around after me."
"If you do find yourself in over your head just remember I'm a phone call away," Kara said.
Alex rolled her eyes. "Yes, of course I will."
Kara pulled Alex in for another hug. "I still think this is a terrible idea. Why would you even agree to these terms? I thought you'd made your peace with the break up?"
"I have, and this has nothing to do with the breakup. Maggie is still my friend and she needs my help."
"Just be sure not to be too proud to ask for help if you need it," Kara said. She poked Alex in the chest then walked away.
Alex looked around and saw Winn sitting at his computer terminal then walked over to where he sat. Alex rested a hand on the back of Winn's chair. "Hey Winn."
Winn looked up. "Hey Alex, what's up?"
"Winn, at some point in the next few days I might be calling you asking for help. I'll need you to do whatever I ask you to, and don't tell anyone, especially J'onn or Kara."
Winn looked around the room. "You, uh, want me to do what now?"
"I don't know yet, but if I do call I need to know that you'll help, and keep it quiet."
"And what if I don't?"
Alex spun Winn's chair around. "Winn you are going to help me, and keep it a secret because I said so." She leaned in closer. "And you aren't going to complain about it, do I make myself clear?"
Winn sucked in a deep breath then held up his hands in surrender. "Okay, okay whatever you need, just ease up on the glowering okay?"
Alex smiled and patted Winn on the head. "Thanks Winn, you're the best."
"And what do you want me to say if J'onn or Kara ask me what I'm doing?"
Alex straightened and stepped away from Winn. "I'm sure you can think of something. I have a plane to catch." She spun on her heels and walked out of the DEO.
-To Be Continued-
