"Alex?" Hank said when he saw her staring at a screen. "What are you still doing here?"
"Just trying to find a lead."
"Getting anywhere?" Hank asked walking over to her.
"No." Alex said frustrated.
"In that case you should go home and rest."
"I'd prefer to get to the bottom of this."
"You sure that's all it is?"
"How do you mean?"
"I just want to make sure you aren't hiding from your sister again."
"She is at a CatCo event tonight." Alex said.
"And you have nothing better to do than stay here?"
"This seems more important."
"In that case we should probably talk." Hank replied sitting opposite her.
"Have you found something?"
"I have spent the last two weeks reviewing the information about your abduction and it doesn't add up." Hank said.
"How do you mean?"
"You assumed that you were the focus of the revenge, but we have found nothing to support that. As in there is no one in your past that stands out."
"You think it was a misdirection?"
"No, a misplaced assumption."
"How do you mean?"
"Whenever your captor talked about the target of the revenge he referred to Dr Danvers."
"Yeah."
"I don't think he was referring to Dr Alex Danvers." Hank said sitting back.
"Kara was the only other Danvers in the room and he didn't know she was there." Alex said confused. "Plus she doesn't have a doctorate."
"After what you said about Lord's past I reviewed the accident that killed his parents. It was big news back then, so big in fact that the government hired an independent expert to review the findings. The expert found that all necessary steps were taken and their deaths were tragic accidents." Hank said seemingly changing subjects. "That independent expert was Dr Eliza Danvers."
"Mom? Wait, you think Lord holds mom responsible and targeted me because of her?"
"To start with I thought it was a stretch, but then I read some newspaper articles published at the time. After your mother's report was published one young reporter put the blame on Lord's parents. That reporter, Cat Grant." He let the news sink in before saying. "I should add that I can find no evidence other than coincidental that Maxwell Lord was connected to your abduction. But I don't believe for a second he isn't guilty of something."
"But, if mom was the target, why not take Kara as well?"
"Maybe he intended to, only with Supergirl already there Webb couldn't find her." Hank suggested. "Alternatively he differentiated between the two of you. After all you are her natural daughter and Kara is her foster daughter." Seeing Alex was about to argue he held up a hand and pointed out. "To most people that makes a difference."
For a minute Alex sat and digested the news before asking. "So you think this entire thing was Lord seeking revenge for his parents?"
"Could be, add to that he actively dislikes Supergirl and has had run ins with Cat Grant before, it looks possible. You have doubts?"
"Maybe. Is it possible that this is an elaborate set up?" Alex asked.
"How do you mean?"
"What if Lord's connection to this is a coincidence, and the real culprit wants us to focus on Lord?"
"It's possible, but to what end?" Hank said, but his doubt was obvious.
"A competitor wanting to derail him or someone who is planning a city wide attack and wants to keep their plans hidden? We've been spending a lot of time looking into Lord, maybe we are missing something else." Alex suggested before shrugging and saying. "I don't know, it is just that Lord is too smart to leave such an obvious trail, something isn't sitting right."
"That I agree with." Hank said sitting back and saying. "However, at least one of you weren't meant to make it out alive. If you hadn't escaped it is possible we would have never known who took you and not have any link to Lord. But, if you are right, whoever it is would have needed access to the original robot or at least the plans. Seeing it was a military project that rules out most of his competitors. Add to that the fact that whoever was behind this had knowledge of and access to Kryptonite the pool of suspects is kind of small."
"But?" Alex probed guessing he was holding something back.
"But, there is one obvious subject at the top of the list, who hates Kryptonians, paid for the first robot and knows all about Kryptonite."
"You think General Lane was behind this?" Alex asked as her eyes widened.
"No." He replied after a pause. "I still think Lord was behind this, but if I am wrong Lane is number two on my list."
"Can't you use the whole mind reading thing on them?" Alex asked.
"I have already tried with Lord. Unfortunately in order to get what I need I would need to be more invasive and that would give the game away."
"And even if you did get something we couldn't exactly use it without explaining where the intel came from." Alex said before asking. "So what now?"
"We keep digging. Lord called me and asked for your assistance."
"He did? When?" Alex questioned wondering why this is the first she was hearing about it.
"About ten minutes ago. I have arranged a meeting for you. But before I send you in I want to tie up some loose ends."
"Such as?"
"Your mother's involvement in this. I need you to speak to your mother and find out if she remembers writing the report and if she had any contact with Lord or Grant."
"Me?"
"She's your mother. Besides, I don't think she'd take kindly to me asking, after all she blames me for your father's death."
"But that wasn't you." Alex said stressing the 'you'.
"A fact she does not and can not know." Hank pointed out.
"There may be a problem, she's in Madrid at the moment on a conference. I'd prefer to speak to her in person."
"In which case let's focus on Cat Grant. Let's find out why she failed to mention her connection to your mother and Lord." Hank said as Alex's phone rang.
"Sorry, it's Kara." Alex said answering the call.
"Hey."
"Where are you?" Kara asked sounding agitated.
"At Work. Everything okay?"
"Yeah, no, you weren't at your apartment and I got worried." Kara replied.
"Were we meant to be meeting?" Alex asked confused. "I thought you were out at the CatCo party."
"I was, it ended."
"Everything okay?" Alex repeated wondering why Kara was at her place.
"I'm just being paranoid, Maxwell Lord was at the party."
"Did he do something?" Alex asked, the look on her face causing Hank to grow concerned.
"No. I didn't even speak to him."
"But?"
"But as soon as I saw him I started ...it doesn't matter. I just wanted to make sure you're okay."
"I'm fine." Alex promised her.
"Okay then. Good night." With that Kara abruptly hung up.
"Everything okay?" Hank asked.
"I'm not sure. I need to go."
"No arguments from me." Hank smiled. "Go look after your sister. We'll pick this up tomorrow."
-00-
Breaking every speed limit Alex was at Kara's apartment in record time and jogged up the stairs ignoring the ache in her gut caused by the arrow scar. As she reached the door she took a moment to get her breath back before knocking. Seconds later the door opened revealing Kara.
"What are you doing here?" Kara asked confused but relieved.
"I was worried about you." Alex said entering the apartment. "You sounded a little spooked on the phone."
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make to worry." Kara said breaking off eye contact.
"You going to tell me what's bothering you?" Alex pressed on.
"Nothing, I'm fine. I was just being silly."
"I'm sure you weren't." Alex said. "Tell me what happened this evening."
"When she saw Lord had turned up Ms Grant let me leave the party early. So I came back here and tried to sleep." Kara explained as she sat on the couch. "Only I had a nightmare. It seemed so real. When I woke I wasn't sure if it had been a dream so I went to see you and you weren't there and I worried it hadn't been a dream."
"What happened in the nightmare?" Alex asked.
"You died." Kara said so quietly Alex had to strain to make out the words.
"Hey," Alex said moving to her sister's side and engulfing her in a hug. "I'm fine and I have no intention of dying."
"Alex?" Kara asked as she relaxed in her sister's embrace.
"Yeah?"
"I lied to you."
"When?"
"A couple of months ago."
"A couple of months ago?" Alex questioned, not getting the answer she was expecting. "About what?"
"I told you I wasn't a scared little girl anymore. I'm still scared."
"I know. But there is nothing wrong with being scared." Alex replied, hugging Kara tighter. "I'm scared every time you put on that cape and fight criminals and aliens. But no matter how scared you get, I will always be here for you."
"I know. Does that mean you'll stay tonight? I don't want to be alone."
"I'm not going anywhere." Alex assured her.
"I'm not tired."
"I guessed." Alex replied. "You want to watch something?"
"My choice?"
"It's always your choice." Alex pointed out dryly.
"So you won't complain?" Kara asked as she rushed off and put a DVD in.
"Not The Sound of Music." Alex groaned.
"You said it was my choice." Kara pointed out. "And it always cheers me up."
"Fine."
"So, you'll still stay?" Kara asked.
"Only as long as you promise not to sing or hum or whistle to any of the songs." Alex said.
TBC