Unshackled Light (10 AM)
It seemed to be a theme of the morning, this two by two which brought some rather peculiar glances back and forth and a round robin at the Luthor's home supplied by a delivered gourmet that covered everyone's favorites including buttermilk and chocolate chip pancakes, sating both the young Arias and Kara that could keep up with each other at the same speed with their bottomless pit stomachs.
"That is almost sickening." Lucy commented looking over to see her fork sticking out the detective's mouth whom was grinning. "That...is my french toast." Maggie pulled the fork out munching to swallow.
"Correction...that was your french toast. It's not like I was scarfing up every bite." Lane snatched the chocolate filled crescent from her plate taking a rather large bite. Sawyer glared. "This means war."
"Can't help if the filling is good." Sam and Alex chuckled. Lucy glanced over at both women. "So was that the sound of iron tapping the wall or is there construction going on somewhere in this penthouse I wasn't aware of." Both women turned bright red to look away. She held out her fist as Maggie bumped it. "Should we have given you room service?"
"I…" Danvers attempted as Ruby shook the thought away but smiled too as her aunt looked from Lucy to her Alex and her mom clueless. Lena however was snickering while enjoying her vegetarian omelette. Danvers heard her phone go off snatching it up to answer. "Yeah? Oh. Yes Colonel Haley? Sorry Ma'am." Alex got up to walk out of the room. "Did I what? What paperwork?" Everyone's attention was on the conversation all of them wished they could hear.
"I know I shouldn't use this term...but I really hate that bitch." Sam turned her head to her daughter. "Sorry Mom."
"Can you hear it Little Arias?" Maggie asked. Ruby nodded. "Dare I ask?" She was about to answer just as Alex reentered the room grumbling.
"I cannot stand that bitch."
"...and I wonder where my daughter gets her colorful language from."
"Hmm hmm you better give up that dream of censorship Arias. Alex lets them fly like she's got em loaded and ready." The Director glared at her ex. "Just sayin'!" Ruby leaned over as Maggie fist bumped her. Sam rubbed her forehead just shaking her head.
"I give up." She sighed as their heads shot up only to see the young kryptonian fly out of the room to where the cries were coming from.
"GET THE FUCK OUTTA THIS BABY'S ROOM!" Everyone pushed away from the table to run out of the dining room heading around the corner to the other room all stopping once in the doorway unsure of what Ruby was seeing. "Get...OUT!" She snarled holding little Rose protectively.
"Zheh Tulzi Rrofihsh." A ghoulish demonic kryptonian of Juru hissed at the young Arias. Something about this creature had Ruby on edge and without meaning to her eyes began to glow starting out yellow then orange and darkening still until they were blood red. "Cheh Rrip." This demon smiled at her and instantly Ruby's eyes quit glowing with her orbs trembling along with the rest of her body. Just as the creature appeared it let out a sinister laugh fading from sight.
"Ruby?" Kara approached slowly noticing the fear in her niece's eyes. "Ruby." She called again as both of them looked down to notice the soft loving eyes of her daughter. "Little One." Ruby gently turned over whom she had guarded with her life only to learn it wasn't Rose whom the ghoul called to. It was her..
"Rubes?" Sam was next to approach as she caught Kara's eyes of concern to look back at her daughter whom looked far too troubled. "Ruby?"
"It's me." Ruby spoke just loud enough for both kryptonians to hear. "Cheh Khap." Both women looked at each other confused. "Never mind. Can I have the other french toast Mom?" She grinned as her mother sighed nodding. "Yes!" She dashed out and passed everyone as Alex's phone rung again.
"Is anyone else confused?" Lucy pondered out loud with everyone nodding to all head back to the dining hall only to hear a loud Arias.
"Expresssso!"
"Oh shit…ohhhh shit." Sam realized her mistake and Maggie smirked to quickly hold up her hand motioning the funds over. Arias glared. "Fuck...ohhh shit." Sawyer kept laughing motioning for more. That had them all laughing except Kara whom had stayed back for a moment as did her sister.
"What is it." Danvers walked over offering to hold her niece. "Hi Little One. Aren't you all smiles and hmm hmm a yawn." Alex noticed Rose drifting off again rocking her softly approaching Kara whom was looking out the window. "What's up sis."
"Something is coming." The blonde spoke firmly turning her head to look in her sister's eyes. "There is...something coming Alex. I can feel it." Kara turned back to the crisp blue sky as the sun shined down over the city...
"I am gonna finish and shower then go to the balcony and…"
"Sunbathe?" Kara nodded. "I'll keep an eye on her. Besides...it's the perfect excuse to get out of the BS at the DEO."
"GI Jane being a pain?" Kara smirked looking at Alex again whom was shaking her head. It was then she noticed the grim look on her sister's face.
"On top of the President. He's apparently coming for a visit next Monday to make sure the tax dollars and government funds are being used properly." Alex rolled her eyes. "I like being the Director but I hate it too. It's bad enough she's asked me to make sure you are following orders." Kara's eyes grew bigger. "Yeah. Me. I'm supposed to keep you under wraps until you are necessary for the field. I tried to explain you just assist but she said since you are on the books.."
"J'onn kept me off the books."
"Apparently for some things you were on them. No it gets better. So now you are to either report to me or directly to her if I'm not there." Her jaw dropped. "I know right?"
"Is it that bad? What happened that she…"
"She and her boss at the White House didn't approve that an Alien was the Director and because he didn't disclose that when he was sworn in they view him as a liar and a traitor. I explained to her that J'onn has been like a father to both you and I...you as Kara not Supergirl."
"Could it get any worse?"
"Unfortunately yes." Alex sighed as both walked back into the dining room where everyone was frozen in place as all eyes remained on the sisters. One look over and she knew Ruby had been filling them all in. She looked back at a troubled Super. "Unless it's Supergirl, whom has to report to myself or GI Jane...thank you Lena for that, but...unless it's you with the cape, as a reporter you aka Kara Danvers are not permitted on the premises. Furthermore you are to sign documents that you will never disclose any of what you know and if you are caught doing so or using any part of the DEO in your journalism, you will be immediately detained and held at a base of her choosing along with your wages garnished."
"WHAT?!" A few shouted. Alex felt Ruby approach seeing the teen's eyes filled with upset so she handed her niece over for the young Arias to tend to as well as calm down herself as she flew out. Something told Danvers Ruby had gone to a different floor.
"Are you fucking kidding me?!" Maggie was fuming. "Let me guess..I need to fill out an affidavit too. I'm a fucking detective of the NCPD! Hell I'm with the SPD! How DARE she!" Alex sighed with her fists clenched all riled up now pissed off to high hell like the rest of them.
"What's my punishment." Lena spoke up knowing what it no doubt would be, since not everyone believed there was such a thing as a good Luthor gene. However she wasn't even one of them really except from her Father's second last name.
"You either go on the books or you sign the same damn papers as Kara then never be allowed at the DEO. Then if you have a situation that needs our assistance she nor the president will approve of it. Then...no it gets better.." Lena was now beyond furious. "..if you use anything that isn't a government issued weapon with a permit to use it, you will be arrested by a local police department and she will personally see to suing you."
"Excuse me?"
"She will try to take every penny you own where it will be garnished to the equipment and the presidential agency where they no one will ever know that the money came from a Luthor. Her words exactly."
"Can I kill the bitch? Really Danvers. Please tell me of one of those hidden bases. I will go to home depot stock up and we can all take turns using the power tools." Sawyer growled.
"Dare I ask what she had to say about Ruby and I?" Sam feared this as everyone looked her way. Alex walked over and cupped her face with her hands so their eyes met fiercely. "What is it Alex."
"She wants you detained if you show any form of kryptonian power at all. Same with Ruby. Not even if you help someone. She wants you two not only detained but handed over to her so she can bring you to an off site base I wasn't even aware of. It's a prison for any and all kryptonians. They have every ounce of kryptonite the DEO seized." Sam's eyes shook with an absolute horrified expression. "I didn't know. Hell the DEO didn't even know it had been removed from our building."
"They don't want anyone that isn't human and under their thumb gone. This is total bullshit." Lucy slammed her fist against the wall then groaned. "Shit…" She felt her hand throbbing pulling back attempting to get her fingers open again. "What the hell are these walls made of?"
"Don't ask." Lena walked over after snatching an ice pack from the cabinet squeezing it as it popped to wrap it in a towel handing it over to Lane. "Here."
"Lena?"
"Hmmm?"
"You know how you mentioned you uh...taking over all funding for the um.." Lena motioned for her to give it up. "What?"
"Pull up the calculator on your phone and type in the amount your salary is." Alex rose an eyebrow but did so as curious eyes peeked over her shoulder.
"Yessss?" She looked to her left then right shaking her head punching in the number handing it to Lena. She took the device clearing the number punching in her own handing it back over to her. Danvers felt herself nearly falling over twitching. Lena just smirked when they all looked up at her. She wasn't done though, by a long shot..
"Do me a favor and type in the amount your agents generally make a year. Ballpark it." Alex still felt that shock seeing the number but cleared it to put the general salary per hour handing it over. Lena looked at her confused. "Is this hourly?"
"Yeah. Oh shit...let me add the.."
"Generally three hundred and sixty five days a year right?"
"Last time I checked."
"Let's put it to four hundred which you and I know will actually be three sixty five." Lena stated adding a number to multiply it by four hundred handing Alex back her phone. "There you go. Also, I want them to know health insurance and dental can be added. They can also invest in 401k. Oh...and family medical plans. I have built three hospitals. I also have two children's hospitals. Also I can supply for the disabled. I have no problem doing that. I know you guys get injured frequently and not all injuries are physical. You guys don't need that discriminatory bastard funding the DEO. Tell each of them to destroy all coms and computers. I want all GPS signals shut off and I'll supply trackers that I'll give you the tools and microchips for. They are easier to implant and untraceable to all other monitors and trackers. I will supply you the funds to get everyone off their payroll for three weeks of evaluations from some of the finest doctors, also on my payroll, then cards to swipe in for when they start their shifts and sign out. All meals are on the clock unless it requires them to leave the lot. Is that sufficient enough?"
"Sign me up." They all saw whom entered smiling.
"I need some supplies. Danvers won't let me double up." Alex glared.
"I will take your keurig."
"What model do you have." Lena was curious now. Amelia widened her grin.
"You now have Agent Hamilton active for duty."
"Co Director Vasquez needs some grub. Ooooo muffins!" Alex facepalmed. Then she noticed whom was absent besides Ruby and Rose. Scanning the room she didn't see her sister until she heard Sam.
"Kara?" Arias asked with everyone looking out the window. Sure enough Kara was out there in her suit just staying in one place looking down and over the city. "She's crying." Sam felt that pain. All of the good Supergirl had done especially protecting her daughter, hell her and every single person on Earth, had been cast aside by political poll struck ridicule. She knew exactly how she felt. What they'd been informed about was down to a simple sickening choice. Either you conform to their wishes or you get out and leave never to be who you are again. How could they do that to her. How could they do that to anyone? Was this what the world was coming to now?"
"It is Mom. But we just need to remember El Mayarah. With that we can overcome all obstacles." Sam nodded listening to her daughter's words seeing Kara nod as well as she flew down to aid the citizens of National City. Arias worried though as did Danvers. She didn't have her armor on. They had tried to convince her to wear it from now on. Guess she forgot or so that's what both women hoped. They hoped..