"Supergirl," Max says looking up from his drink. "I'd say what a surprise, but that would be a lie. I've been expecting you," he replies smugly holding up his glass as if to toast her arrival.
"I'm confused Max, what is it exactly that you want from me? You've tested me, you've tried to destroy me, then you ask me for help, now you're stalking me... so what is it, are you obsessed with me now?" She asks sarcastically, hoping to provoke him, because now that's she's in front of him, she's unsure what to say. If she mentions Cat and Carter first, he'll know that they are her priority which is the last thing she wants him to focus on.
"You are beautiful, but unlike Cat Grant, I don't have an alien kink," he replies flippantly. "That is what you are to her, right?" Max asks standing up to cross in front of her.
She steels her resolve to not react to his words and instead she draws up to her full size in front of him. "It is not any of your business what Cat Grant likes or doesn't like," she replies angrily. "But I want to know what the hell you are up to Mr Lord?"
"I'm just a scientist trying to understand my world, Supergirl. A world with aliens and meta humans ... it's often difficult to understand which ones can be trusted," he remarks.
"I didn't think that you were struggling yesterday when you asked the alien for help to capture the meta human," Supergirl points out.
Max shrugs. "Everyone knows that Supergirl doesn't kill, so calling you means Martine is still alive...somewhere," he adds.
"I see, so that was really just another one of your tests," Kara snaps angrily, suddenly realizing that every interaction with him is just another way for him to test and understand her.
"You give me too much credit," he remarks. "But it is interesting how you were unaffected by Martine's telepathic abilities. Yet, someone like Maxima was able to manipulate you easily," Max adds.
"And I find it interesting that your assistant didn't manipulate you Mr Lord," Kara remarks, hoping to deflect his comment, the last thing she needs is for him to know about Maxima's pheromones affecting her.
"I've taken precautions which make me immune to telepathy," he brags.
"Of course, you have," she replies. "Mr Lord, let me remind you that you are out of DEO custody by my authority and that could change at a moment's notice, should I decide that you are a threat to anyone in National City," Supergirl says striding confidently across the room before drawing up to her full size again and striking her most powerful pose.
"Leave me, my friends and everyone of the employees of CATCO alone or I'll have you back in a DEO containment cell so fast, that you won't know what hit you," she says firmly.
"All of the employees of CATCO?" Max questions. "Nice try, but I know that it's Cat Grant and her son who you are really here to protect..." he adds smugly.
"Back. Off." Supergirl repeats. "You don't want to see me angry, Mr Lord."
"I'm sure that it's quite a sight," he replies calmly.
"I never should have released him from DEO custody!" Kara says angrily pacing across the lab, while Alex and Lucy watch her nervously.
"Well, as much as I wanted to, we couldn't detain him indefinitely, though I do wish that someone would expose him for what he really is," Alex remarks glancing over at Lucy who wasn't aware that Max was illegally detained at the DEO.
"Maybe that's it. Alex. Cat and I are working on an expose of Prometheus labs, there's a pattern of government contracts and patents that goes all the way back to his first contract. Her legal department is vetting it now, but I've been scared for her to publish it," Kara explains.
"She shouldn't publish it yet, but maybe she should turn over the evidence to another government agency who could launch their own investigation," Lucy replies. "The patents would be considered profiteering, which violates his government contracts, you're sure that your research is solid?" She asks.
"Yes, Cat double checked it and sent it to legal to vet the source documents," Kara answers.
"Let me review the research," Lucy replies eagerly. "And I'll send it to a few friends, I'm sure that I get the government to begin investigating him and then Cat can publish the story and get all the credit," she adds.
The next morning Max is going over some lab reports when General Lane shows up.
"Good morning General Lane, did we have a meeting?" Max asks curiously.
"No. I just stopped by to officially pull the plug on the meta human project," he replies firmly.
"It's no longer a joint venture General and you don't have a say in my private enterprises," Max points out.
"Mr Lord, if you think I'm going to stand by and let you assemble an army of uncontrollable meta humans..." he begins, before Lord cuts him off.
"You'll what? Tell your superiors that you were helping me create an army of meta humans but got cold feet?" Max asks. "Yeah, somehow I don't think that you'll do that, in fact, I think you'll pretend not to know anything about this because otherwise you'll jeopardise your 35 year military career," he adds smugly.
After General Lane leaves the office, Max heads down to the IT department.
"The student medical files at St Edmunds school are quite interesting Mr Lord," the IT guy says printing out the requested file and handing it to his boss.
"I'll be the judge of that," Max says snatching the file out of the man's hand and taking it back to his own office to review.
Cat's blood type is O and her son's is B, which is the same as Max's, but the father's blood type isn't disclosed, so this doesn't prove anything. What he really needs is the kid's DNA, then he could run a paternity test and find out once and for all if Cat's been lying to him.
Kara is standing at Emily's desk trying not to be obvious about watching the two women meeting in the office in front of her. Lucy and Cat have been talking for over an hour now and Kara promised not to eavesdrop, but it's killing her to not know what they're talking about now that the files are closed on the table in front of them.
Cat looks up and for a moment maintains eye contact with Kara, then she turns away from the glass.
"Ms Lane, there is another matter that I need to discuss with you, but this isn't the right place or time. Perhaps we could meet later this week for lunch?" Cat asks.
"I'll schedule something with your assistant, but are you sure this is something that you should discuss with me?" Lucy asks noticing Kara in the bullpen.
"I need some advice on a sensitive matter and since you're an attorney anything we discuss will be protected by attorney/client privilege," Cat points out.
"Except that you're not my client," Lucy points out.
"Check that folder again, Ms Lane. I think that you'll find an envelope with a check and a contract that outlines everything that I need from you in this secondary matter," Cat counters.
"I see that you've thought of everything," Lucy replies picking up the folder. "I'll review this and let you know if I can accept your terms."
"You are in a unique position to advise me on this matter. I think that you'll find my offer more than generous, Ms Lane," Cat replies standing up to see her out.
"I'll be in touch," Lucy remarks, curious now, but not wanting to commit to anything yet.
"How did your meeting go with Cat Grant?" Alex asks Lucy that evening.
"It was very interesting. Kara's case against Prometheus is really good. Her research is solid, I'm sending it to a friend of mine in Homeland Security," Lucy replies with just a slight hesitation.
"But there's something else," Alex says studying her girlfriend carefully.
"Cat wants to retain me as private council. She gave me a retainer check and a contract for service," Lucy answers.
"Did she tell you what it's about?" Alex asks.
"No, she just said that I am in a unique position to advise her on the matter," Lucy replies.
"Are you going to do it?" Alex inquires.
"She seemed really sincere about needing my help and the retainer amount is ridiculous," Lucy points out.
"How ridiculous?" Alex asks.
Lucy shows her the check and Alex pushes away from the table. "Oh god, I think I know what this is about," Alex blurts out.
"How would you know?" Lucy asks confused.
"When I met with Cat she confessed that she'd had sex with Max Lord. Yesterday, Max showed up in the park across the street from Cat's building and ran into Kara and Carter in the park. Kara is really freaked out about it and worried that Max is stalking her or up planning to do something to Carter. Lucy, what if Cat's been lying to everyone and Max is really Carter's father?" Alex questions.
"Alex, that's quite a leap. Did Cat tell you that she slept with Max before she was pregnant?" Lucy asks.
"No, she said she'd slept with him, she didn't provide a timeline," Alex admits.
"So sometime in her past, she slept with Maxwell Lord and you immediately jump to him being the father of her child?" Lucy questions.
"Yes, because Cat doesn't hide many things, but she that's something that she would hide. She'd do anything to protect her son," Alex points out.
"Kara?" Emily hesitates as she enters the small office.
"What's up?" Kara asks glancing up at Cat's assistant.
"Um, the school called and Carter seems to be missing," Emily says nervously.
"Oh god, where's Cat? Why did they call here?" Kara blurts out, grabbing her phone and unlocking it to check for messages.
"She's at lunch and she forwarded her phone to the office," Emily explains.
"SHE WHAT?" Kara yells. "So we can't contact her? Why would she do that?"
"She didn't want to be disturbed," Emily replies.
"Okay, so where's she having lunch?" Kara asks.
"I don't know. And before you ask, she didn't tell me who she was meeting with either," the girl adds.
"Okay, I'm heading to the school. When Ms Grant checks in, you tell her to contact me," Kara replies.
"He's not at the school. His class had a field trip today, he's at the Science Museum," Emily reminds her.
"Got it. Look, don't tell anyone about this until you talk to Ms Grant," Kara says grabbing her jacket and moving towards the door.
"I hope that you find him before she calls," Emily says hopefully.
"Me too," Kara admits.
Carter knows that Kara told him not to trust this man, but his curiosity got the best of him when he offered to show him a real alien. "How do you know that it's a real alien?" The boy asks.
"We ran tests and compared him to other known aliens," Max answers.
"Known aliens? Like Supergirl and Superman?" Carter asks.
"Yes, but there are aliens from other planets besides just the ones from Krypton," Max explains crossing the room to turn on the light. Flipping another switch, the wall comes to life showing the solar system and Lord's voice booms out of speaker.
"Whether you call them aliens, extra-terrestrials or intergalactical guests, they all have one thing in common, they have come to Earth because their planet was destroyed or can no longer sustain life. This exhibit is going to explore how these other life forms are depleting resources and overcrowding Earth..."
"Uh, I don't think that I should have left my class Mr Lord," Carter says nervously as he glances around the laboratory. The boy knows enough about the galaxy to know that this exhibit is dangerous, which probably means the man is too.
"It's fine, I'm sure that they won't notice that you're gone and this is a special part of the museum that very few people get to see yet," Max says hoping to reassure the boy.
Now, I promised you an alien, so let's go into the next lab," Max says crossing the room and placing his chin in place to trigger the retinal scanner.
Carter notices the security measure and realizes that he's made a seriously dangerous move by going with this man. "Uh, Mr Lord. I changed my mind. I think it's time for me to go join my class now," then boy stammers before backing out of the room and racing down the hall.
Damn it, Max swears under his breath, he was really just trying to steal some time to get to know the boy with the added benefit of scaring Cat Grant, but now he's worried that the boy won't be able to find his way back to the tour group. Taking his phone out he makes a call. "Scott? Max Lord. I was just leaving my lab and I think that I saw a kid from that tour group in the hallway. He headed for the stairs," Max says sounding just the right amount of annoyed and concerned.
"Go over it with me again, when did you first notice that he wasn't with the group?" Kara is talking to the parents and teachers who were helping chaperone the field trip.
"Where is Ms Grant? I can't believe that her kid is missing and she sends her assistant?" One of the parents whispers behind Kara's back.
"Ms Grant doesn't know her son is missing, she's in a very important meeting," Kara snaps turning around to glare at them.
"He was talking to that man," one of the boys says pointing to an advertisement on the wall touting the new Maxwell Lord Alien exhibit that is coming in the Fall.
"Maxwell Lord is here in the museum?" Kara asks the child pointing to the ad on the wall.
"Mr Lord just called, he said that there's a boy in the hallway upstairs near his lab," the security guard replies hanging up the phone. But when he turns back, the woman he was talking to is gone.
At the restaurant, Cat and Lucy are finishing up their meeting, when Lucy's phone buzzes. It's a 911 from Kara asking her to send a team to the Science Museum to help locate Carter Grant, who was last seen with Maxwell Lord.
Lucy's face goes pale when she reads the message and Cat looks at her.
"What's happening?" She asks alarmed.
"Uh, have you checked your phone?" Lucy asks.
"No, I forwarded it to the office so I wouldn't be disturbed. Ms Lane, tell me what's going on?" Cat says pulling her phone out and turning it back on.
"We'll go together. I'll drive," Lucy says rushing her out of the restaurant.
"Where are we going and why?" Cat asks stopping in her tracks.
"The Science Museum. Your son is missing," Lucy replies.
A/N: The next one picks up right where this one leaves off. It should be posted by Sunday!
