A/N: Some of the stuff in this chapter is a bit heavy to handle. Please read it carefully and be sure to self-protect! Please feel free to review, love the support I've been getting already.
As always, I don't own any of the characters or such.
Alex entered the DEO, trying to contain her rage as she stormed into the main control room, hunting down General Lane. Seeing her, agent Vasquez got up from her control panel and immediately went to Alex. "Careful ma'am," Vasquez began to whisper, "Lane's men are completely loyal to him and there's no telling what he might do to you if her thought you might be a rogue agent."
"Thanks, Vasquez," Alex whispered back, "where is he, and where is Supergirl?" Vasquez looked around the room cautiously eyeing the soldiers to make sure they weren't suspicious of her, "He's in the cell where they are holding Director Henshaw, questioning him about how you got him to let that interview occur. The General seems to think that there's more to this than meets the eye, he's very vary of the Director for some reason."
Alex knew why, Hank was a Martian, but was it possible that somehow the General had found that out? No, if he did know he'd have arrested him for being an alien. Maybe forcing Hank to allow the interview was about to backfire on her, Hank and even Supergirl. Her mind raced trying to get a grasp on what to do next. It was too late to linger in the past, wondering what other tactic she might've used on the Director to get him to relent about the interview, the very interview that hopefully was going to save Kara's life. She left Vasquez and went in search of the General in another area of the compound.
Lucy sat fidgeting outside the judges' chambers. What could possibly be taking so long for them to let her in to see the judge? She had told the secretary of the urgency in speaking with him, what could possibly be so important? Calm down Lane, Lucy said to herself, take some deep breaths, get a grip, stay focused on your argument, time is crucial and you don't want to waste it in fruitless law talk with the judge.
Suddenly Lucy's attention was directed to the tv screen in the waiting room outside the judges' chambers. It was a video of Kara being tortured with the kryptonite emitters! "Turn up the volume please," Lucy shouted at the secretary, "I need to hear this, it's relevant to the case I'm about to take before the judge."
As the volume is increased, the sound of Kara's tortured screams flood the room, jarring everyone sitting there, drawing their undivided attention onto what they were witnessing. Gasps, followed my several "Oh my God's", some began to cry audibly as they listened and watched their fallen hero cry out in such horrific agony!
One person stood to his feet and exclaimed, "Someone has to put a stop to this and rescue her, she doesn't deserve to be tortured for what she did! Who is that animal making this happen to her? Why doesn't someone do something?"
At the moment, the judge opened the door to his chambers, hearing the noise from his waiting room, only to be confronted by the television screen and several angry people, all demanding that as a judge he do something about what was happening to Supergirl. Lucy seized the opportunity to step up to the judge and tell him that what was happening to Supergirl was the reason she was here, she needed a court order making General Lane stop what he was doing, and she needed it right now!
"Come into my chambers," the judge instructed Lucy, "I need to make a few calls in order to put an end to this right now." Picking up the phone he buzzed for his secretary. "I need you to call the White House…yes, you heard me correctly, tell the switch board that Judge Carter is calling for the President and it cannot wait. When you get through, let me know."
"Major Lane," the judge began, "I have no jurisdiction in military matters, you know full well that you need to take this to a JAG judge, but fortunately for you and Supergirl, I do have the right connection to by-pass all that and get some help right now."
"Thank you, your honour," replied Lucy, "I was in such a rush to help Supergirl that I didn't even think clearly about the JAG, sorry about that." The judge just smiled, "Think of it as fate sending you here, I'm likely the one who can get through to the President and make this end the quickest."
The judges' phone buzzed, "Sir, I have the President on line one for you." "Thank you," the judge picked up the phone, "Diana…have you been watching the news?...good, so what are you going to do about this?...right…yes…I agree fully…I'll let Major Lane know, she's sitting with me in my chambers as we speak…yes, madam President, I will let her know that too…thank you for your help…it was good to hear your voice too ma'am…bye." Hanging up the phone he looks at the clearly stunned lawyer seated in front of him.
"So," Judge Carter begins, "the President has seen the video and is disgusted with the behaviour of General Lane. She has ordered that effectively immediately he be removed from his command and arrested for the torture of a prisoner, which goes against military law. Furthermore, she has issued a permanent order, ending the use of kryptonite against Supergirl while she is in DEO custody as long as Supergirl continues to be cooperative and not try to escape or harm anyone until her case is settled. The President asked me to let you know that the charges against Director are being dropped and he is being reinstated as the Director of the DEO. And…wait for it…she has ordered a full scale investigation by the FBI in to Maxwell Lord's involvement in the Red Kryptonite incident."
Lucy can feel her mouth drop open as she listens to the news from the President! "So now what do I do, how do I get a copy of those orders to take to the DEO? General Lanes' men are very loyal to him."
"It's coming in via fax to my office as we speak," Judge Carter replied as he got up and motioned Lucy to the waiting room where the fax was located, "take this to the DEO and follow the Presidents' orders completely Major." "With pleasure your honour!" Lucy smiled as she took hold of Kara's freedom papers and ran out of his office…the sounds of the cheers from those in the waiting room spurring her on even quicker.
"Agent Vasquez," General Lane's tone was authoritative and threatening, "where are the syringes with the kryptonite that we used on the alien, Astra?" "Sir?" Vasquez was feigning ignorance as she turned to look at the General who was standing behind her. "You know exactly what I'm talking about agent, where are they?" General Lane was clearly getting upset with the feeble stalling tactics of the agent before him. It really didn't matter, his soldiers were tearing the place apart to find them, it was just a matter of time until they did. The General would certainly remember the name of the agent who had tried to interfere with his duty, he had a long memory. "Never mind, we'll find them without your help." Well I'm certainly not going to give them to you, you sicko, Vasquez thought to herself.
While Lucy was away trying to get help for Kara, Alex had entered the DEO and was trying to get to Kara. Six heavily armed soldiers stood guard outside the room where her sister was being tortured with that horrible kryptonite, but that didn't dissuade her from trying to get inside.
"Step aside boys," Alex said as she approached them, "I'm going in that room, the question is whether or not you'll be still standing when I do." The guards looked at her tiny frame and just laughed at her, "No one is allowed in here, General Lane has given us direct orders," the biggest of the soldiers uttered. "But feel free to try to get past us if you want to."
Without hesitating Alex went after the biggest of the bunch, she knew if she could take him out the others might hesitate, she'd have the advantage then. With one deft move she dropped down and swept the legs right out from underneath the large soldier. Before he knew it she was on top of him, punching him so hard in the face that he winced before losing consciousness. Feeling please with the results, Alex did a perfect roll over the sleeping giant she'd just slain, grabbing his weapon as she did so, and coming up right underneath the next closest soldier, jamming the butt end of the weapon right under his chin. He landed on the ground with a thud that told her he too was taking a little nap.
The four remaining soldiers didn't hesitate to jump into the fight and before she knew it, she was over powered, lying face down on the floor with three guys holding her down while the fourth pointed his weapon at her face. "Don't you move, or I'll blow your head off!" The armed soldier shouted at Alex…how could she move…she had three very large soldiers restraining her on the ground…she'd failed…but she did manage to take out two before the rest overcame her…Not bad Danvers, not too bad at all. This was the last thought that raced through her mind before she was out cold.
Alex awoke in a cell, handcuffed and shackled to the wall. Her head was pounding, she smiled and wondered how the two she dispensed with were feeling. Just what had she been thinking when she thought she could take on six large soldiers…idiot…you're not Supergirl…oh my God…Kara…she'd failed to get to Kara! Her mind raced trying to regain her composure, afraid not for herself but for her little sister when the door opened and in strode General Lane.
God, how she was growing to hate the sight of that man! The General smiled as he came and stood just out of the reach of Alex' legs (he surmised that she wasn't above a swift kick to his groin if she got the chance)…Just come a wee bit closer…coward…probably doesn't have any balls to kick anyways, she smiled at that little idea.
"So glad you're feeling amused at your predicament agent Danvers," General Lane grinned at her, "seeing as you're having so much fun let's see if we can't have a wee bit more." Alex just stared at him with a small smirk on her mouth, "Unchain me and you'll find out just how much fun I can be," Alex challenged. "No," the General replied as he sauntered across the room and sat down, "the kind of fun we're going to have involves you telling me how you got Director Henshaw to let that interview with Cat Grant happen, obviously you have something on him, and I want to know what it is."
"You're going to have to do better than that," Alex laughed, "I'm not that easy to break." General Lane reclined in his seat, "Good, I like a challenge, let's see just how tough you really are, shall we?" Pausing to let the serious nature of her predicament sink into the agent, General Lane just stared at her. "So," he finally broke his silence, "here's how this is going to work…I know you're a trained and skilled agent and not likely to break not matter what I do to you…but I'm not so sure you'll be able to stand watching me hurt Supergirl while you keep silent."
Alex felt the blood drain from her face. She knew he meant what he said, but she also knew she couldn't give J'onn up to this monster. She just remained silent.
"Fine, as you wish," General Lane rose from his seat, "take her in the room where Supergirls' cell is, and make sure she's got front row seats to the event."
"General, you don't want to do this!" Alex shouted after him as he left the room. "What kind of a monster are you anyway? This is right and you know it!"
Helpless to resist, Alex was dragged into sickly green room where Kara lay in her cell, still unconscious from the large amount of kryptonite being used on her. Alex let out a mild yell when she saw the ashen look on Kara's face, she was terrified Kara was going to die in there. General Lane entered the room and stood in front of Alex who was being held firmly by his men. "So," the General mildly asked, "are we really going to have to do this, or are you going to tell me what I want to know?"
Alex just stared at him, eyes filled with anger and terror all at the same time. "Ok then," the General moved toward the control panel, "let's begin." He slowly lowered the amount of kryptonite being emitted into the room until Supergirl began to waken. She let out a long moan of pain as she regained consciousness; Alex' legs lost all their strength at the sound, the soldiers had to hold her up.
Supergirl opened her eyes wide and saw Alex being restrained by the soldiers, terrified and defiant. "Alex, what's going on?" Supergirl strained to speak. General Lane just stood by the control panel ready to amp it up again once Supergirl recovered a bit more. "Is this really the way you want it to go agent?" The General snarled at her stubbornness. "I take no delight in doing this, but I need answers, so what's it going to be…do I turn this up again or do you tell me what I want to know?'
Alex was defeated, she just hung her head, beginning to cry she said, "Don't, please don't, if you turn the emitters off, I'll tell you what you want to know." "Alex, no," Supergirl pleaded with her, "whatever it is he wants don't give it to him." Alex looked at her sister, eyes filled with tears, "If I don't he's going to torture until either I do or you die. I can't bear to watch you suffer!" "Alex," Supergirl pleaded, "he can only turn them up so high and then I pass out from the pain, he can't make it last for forever. Don't give into him!"
Right then the door opened and in strode a soldier with the case filled with the syringes with the kryptonite. "Found them, sir." "Good work, now go stand guard outside the door." The General took the case over to Alex, opened it to show her six large needles filled with a sickly green kryptonite liquid. Alex felt her stomach wretch at the prospect of what he was going to do to Kara with them.
As the General moved toward the opening cell door, he paused and looked back at Alex, "Are you sure you're not going to tell me what I want to know, or do I really have to do this?"
Supergirl looked at the syringes with terror in her eyes and face. She remembered the horrible screams her aunt Astra had made when the General had used one of them on her, she shuddered at the memory, and trembled at what was about to happen.
Before the General could do anything else, the door to the room opened with Major Lane marching in with two dozen armed soldiers at her heels and a piece of paper firmly in her grasp. "Turn off the emitters right now!" She ordered and it was done. "Get your hands off of agent Danvers and remove the handcuffs immediately! I have written orders from the President removing General Lane from command. Arrest him and his soldiers and escort them to the army base just outside National City."
"Lucy," her father demanded, "just what do you think you're doing?" "Exactly what I just said," Lucy replied, "Director Henshaw is to be released and he is reinstated as the Director." One of her soldiers rushed out of the room to carry out that part of the orders. "Furthermore, by order of the President, absolutely no kryptonite is to be used against Supergirl while she is in our custody awaiting the outcome of her case, and as long as she abides by her word to not try to escape or harm anyone."
As soon as the cuffs were off her, Alex rushed past Lucy and the General and she fell on the floor, holding her sister tightly. Both were sobbing heavily as this part of their ordeal was plainly over. Slowly but surely, Supergirl began to feel her strength returning, but she knew she'd been severely injured by the amount of exposure she'd endured in cell.
Alex looked up at Lucy, "She needs to get to her solar bed so that her cells can properly recharge, can I please take her to it?" Lucy looked at Supergirl with grave concern for her, "Can you walk Supergirl, or should I get a gurney for you?" Kara smiled and tried to stand, but her legs gave out from beneath her. "A gurney it is," Lucy said as she directed a soldier to go get one.
"General Lane," Lucy straightened as she began to address her father, "by order of the President, you are under arrest for your actions here. I have MP's waiting to handcuff you and they will escort you to the army base outside National City." The MP's approached the stunned General, placed him in handcuffs with no resistance, and quietly escorted him out of the room and off the base.
"He's gone Supergirl," Alex whispered in the ear of her sister as she lay on her lap with her eyes closed waiting for the gurney. Kara let out a long slow sigh, opened her eyes and looked up at the smiling face of her hero…her sister. "Thanks, Alex" was all she could muster the strength to say before she slipped into unconsciousness.
