Previously:
Max Lord held up a thick dull black leather collar with a shiny silver Lord Technology sigil on the front. He then stepped over to where Kara knelt resisting a smile of triumph at the sight of Supergirl on her knees at his order. Keep the mask on just a little longer. He would take time to savor his victory later. In private. Slowly, deliberately, he pulled the hair away from her neck and fastened the collar around it. There was no lock and only one setting. Tight. The cameras didn't catch the very small sharp studs lining the inside of the collar which now were now digging uncomfortably into Kara's neck. The irritants were unable to penetrate the Kryptonian's skin yet served their intended purpose as a not so subtle reminder of her predicament.
"You'll observe there is no lock. Supergirl can take it off any time she wishes. She can take it off now if she wants. Do you want to take off the collar, Supergirl?" Max looked at her with an air of paternal concern.
Kara shook her head.
"I'm sorry, Supergirl, could you give your answer out loud for our visually impaired audience?"
"I will keep the collar on."
Max then withdrew something from the inside of his coat jacket. Bent down and attached it to the collar. He stood next to Supergirl, still kneeling, with the other end of the leather lead in his hand. "There you have it, folks. Your city is safe. Supergirl is on a leash."
The room exploded a cacophony of camera flashes and reporters yelling questions.
Max Lord addressed the blond alien. "Stand up. Time to get started. You have a city to protect." He then walked off the stage with Supergirl tethered behind him.
Aftermath:
Kara followed Max off the stage the reporter's questions ringing in her ears. She felt humiliated and embarrassed. And angry.
"Just what the hell was that?!" Kara grabbed the leash from Max's hand surprised he made no attempt to hold onto it.
Max turned to her, his face tight with anger, "That was a show. I thought you understood that. This is real. Ms. Marek?"
The aide handed her boss a tablet. Max tapped a couple times and the sound of Carter Grant screaming in agony filled the small soundproofed room. Max turned the screen in Kara's direction. "You will never assert yourself over me again. We went over the rules. I thought you understood them. Carter pays for your indiscretions. You've earned him five minutes of this. I hope you're happy."
On the screen she could see Carter thrashing in pain. His face contorted in agony. Cat was standing over him trying to comfort him. Kara could see the tears falling from Cat's eyes as she pleaded with the two doctors to help her son. "Do something! Help him! Carter, I'm here. Mom's here. I love you, baby. Where does it hurt? Can you tell me?"
Kara watched as the doctors appeared to work over Carter. Nothing they did alleviated the screams of pain coming from him. Her eyes glanced at the closed door. I've got to get him out of here and to a hospital. I have to get him away from Max.
Max saw Kara's eyes flit to the door. He took a step closer to her, invading her personal space. Its make or break it time. He spoke in a low voice, "Let me remind you, all it takes is a press of a button and Carter has less than two very painful weeks to live. You can explain it to Cat. You either keep your end of the agreement or Carter pays. Your choice."
"I'll keep my end of the bargain. I will. Just stop hurting him. Please! I'm sorry. Punish me – he didn't do anything wrong." Kara felt boxed in.
Max shook his head sadly. "You did this. If I was to stop it you will never learn. You know, I thought working for Cat Grant had taught you the difference between perception and reality. What we did at the press conference was for show. Your lack of control afterward? Unacceptable. Either you learn to curb your behavior or Carter Grant is going to have a very rough life. Time to put on your big girl pants, Supergirl. Grow up. No one here is asking you to do the impossible. Just do your job. Be Supergirl. Help the people of National City. The stunt in front of the press was a demonstration to those whose trust you betrayed that things will be better - you can be trusted to control yourself and your powers. Nothing more. And now you come with the attitude? It. Does. Not. Work. That. Way."
Carter's screams punctuated Max's lecture. Kara barely tore her eyes away from the screen to look at Max. She felt defeated. He was right. She let her pride and anger win. Carter paid the price. Was still paying the price.
"Please. I understand what you said. I'll do much better. I won't let it ever happen again. Please. Is there anything I can do to make it stop?"
"This was your decision. Actions have consequences. Enjoy what you have done to that boy and his mother." Max turned to his assistant, "Take her back to her room when this is done. I don't have the stomach for this."
"Yes Mr. Lord." Ms. Marek responded.
Kara wanted to curl up on the ground with her hands over her ears. Instead she forced herself to watch Carter and Cat's suffering. She vowed he would never suffer again like that by her hand. At the end of the longest five minutes of Kara's life, Carter's screams abruptly stopped. Kara watched as Carter appeared to slump into an unconscious state. Cat. Oh Cat. She was shattered. Kara had never seen her look lost, frightened, defeated. Cat, I'm so sorry. I promise you. It won't happen again. Ever. I'll be good.
"Come this way," Ms. Marek's prim voice sounded. She led Kara back to her room. "I told you before to watch your behavior. I certainly didn't enjoy what just happened. That poor child. I hope I'm never around if you do that again. It was horrible. Maybe, because you're an alien, you don't feel the same way we humans do." She shook her head as she pointed to the wall where Kara was expected to stand when humans entered or left her room.
Kara meekly walked over and faced the wall. She didn't notice the leash still attached to her collar until she heard Ms. Marek say, "You can take off that silly leash. Mr. Lord says you can take the collar off too, when you are in your room. Just put it on before you go out in public. Please, Supergirl, just obey his rules. I don't want to see that child hurt again."
Kara heard the door close and turned to face empty the room. The wall monitor was on. A picture, no sound, of Carter's room. It appeared a live feed. Cat didn't look much different then she had a few minutes ago. Broken. One of the doctors, a woman, spoke with Cat. Carter looked impossibly pale as he lay in bed. An IV was in his arm and monitoring equipment took up almost all of one side of his bed.
She slowly sat on her bed, watching the video feed, then realized her hands were still fiddling with that stupid leash. She reached behind her neck and unbuckled unclipped the leash. She left the collar on. It was tight and uncomfortable. She would use the sharp studs digging into her neck to reminded her of what would happen to Carter if she wasn't compliant. Didn't obey. Escape could come later – the important thing right now was to keep Max Lord happy. Keep Carter safe. Help Cat. She could take discomfort. She was strong. She would sacrifice herself for him. He was just a kid.
Max Lord chuckled as he watched Supergirl sitting on the bed, leash in hand, but collar still cinched around her neck. His collar. He loved it when he was right, which was, admittedly, most of the time. Working with Supergirl and talking with her friends/coworkers had given him a pretty good understanding of her psychological make up. Smith's profile report only strengthened his belief he could manipulate her into subservience. He knew she would be angry and humiliated after forcing her to kneel in that press conference, in front of all the reporters and cameras, then putting on a collar and leash. Hell, who wouldn't be. He anticipated her outburst pleasantly surprised it wasn't more physical. While he didn't enjoy putting Carter through the wringer, the satisfaction of watching the great Cat Grant totally lose it was worth the price of admission. The kid, well, he was just collateral damage. If Supergirl was adept at learning lessons he shouldn't have to worry about feeling any pain for a long time to come, if ever. The collar still around her neck told Max she was using it to keep her focus, keep grounded, in her new life. A life of obedience to humans under the direction of Max Lord.
