"You hit it out of the park!" Lucy congratulated Prosecutor Dawn Butler after the news conference. "Even Cat Grant looked impressed. That's not an easy accomplishment."
"Thanks," Butler grinned. "I appreciate all the hard work you put in too. The notes you prepared really helped when those reporters were asking their questions. Did you ask your sister to come to the press conference? I was surprised to see her."
"Not as surprised as I was. I didn't know she was even in town." Lucy quickly added, "Before you ask, no, I haven't talked about the case to her at all. I don't intend to either. She doesn't know my involvement in the case and I'm not going to enlighten her. She's like a dog with a bone when she's working a story. I'm more than willing to let you handle her."
"Well, I must say, she did ask most of the intelligent questions from the press corp. I don't know if Cat Grant is too thrilled with your sister covering the case. Everyone knows those two have no love lost for each other."
Lucy shook her head and smiled, "My sister's very good at what she does, even Cat Grant knows that. I'm happy The Daily Planet sent out their best reporter. Sets the tone for the other media agencies as to the importance of what you had to say."
"That's a good point. Listen, I have to get back to the office," a pleased Dawn Butler said gathering her notes. "I'll give you a call tomorrow."
/
"It's been almost a week. Your leg still hurts?" Alex asked as she led Kara back into the lab.
"Like you have a knife sticking in it. You didn't accidentally leave anything like a scalpel in there did you?" Kara asked only half joking.
"No," Alex sighed as she led Kara to a chair. "Mom?"
Eliza turned away from the computer screen she was studying and faced her daughters.
"Nothing in any of the notes. Your friend Winn and his partner, Agent Vasquez, have literally been working around the clock for days specifically looking for anything related to the bomb and its contents. They've sent me anything they believe is remotely tied to the bomb," Eliza rubbed at her eyes. "I'm sorry, Kara. Max must have been working on this a long time. It'll take us a while to figure out how to cure it."
"He probably developed it before Non initiated Myriad. He was looking for ways to combat Non's army." Kara was rubbing her left thigh.
"Your leg still bothering you?" Eliza asked.
"Yeah. It hasn't stopped. It still feels as bad as it did last week. I don't understand why. My other leg feels much better."
"I was hoping I was wrong," Eliza began. "This fits right in with my theory."
"What do you mean, Mom?" Alex asked then gasped as the realization dawned on her. "She won't heal unless we open up the area we cut and leave it exposed for light to burn away the infected cells."
"Kara? Does your skin still feel different?" Eliza asked already knowing the answer.
"You mean the places where you said my skin was darker? That would be a yes. It always burns but not anything like my leg."
"I'm sorry I didn't realize the ramifications of the biopsy before we started, Kara," Eliza apologized again. "I'm afraid Alex is right. The infected cells in your leg will continue to cause you pain unless we expose them to the air and light. Unfortunately, we can't do that."
"Sure you can. I'll sit here nice and quiet and let Alex do her thing," Kara injected false cheer into her voice. "I mean, it'll hurt but at least it will get better, right?"
Alex ran her hand through her hair, "I can't do it, Kara. I can't cut you open like that again. Don't you understand? Unless I make the cut precisely where I did before, including depth, all I'll be doing is spreading infected cells even further into your leg. There's no way I can do that. If I'm a millimeter off I spread the infection further."
"Oh," Kara wasn't happy. "Okay, guess I'll be called gimpy for a while until you guys figure out some kind of antidote. On the plus side, I think I can hear stuff from my right ear a little."
"Really? Kara that's great! When did you first notice?" Alex grabbed her sister by the shoulders. "I'll call Dr. Hamilton. See if she can run some tests."
"Hey, hey, hey. Slow down," Kara grinned. "I said I think I can hear a little out of that ear. Not anywhere as good as the left ear."
"Yes, well, you couldn't hear anything out of it before. Maybe your Kryptonian body is slowly healing itself." Alex said.
"Maybe," Kara agreed. "Do you think … do you think my eyes will get better too?"
"We'll have to wait and see on that, sweetie," Eliza interjected shaking her head at Alex.
"It's different, isn't it? My ear, that side of my face doesn't burn but my eyes do. My eyes were infected, weren't they? Kara asked.
"Yes. Your eyes are definitely within the discolored area so chances are you had them open when the bomb went off. Once we figure out how to rid you of the infected cells your eyesight may return," Eliza tried to end on a positive note. She gently stroked Kara's face, "Trust me. There is an antidote and we will figure it out. I promise you that."
"Thanks. I know you're working hard. Don't worry, I'll be fine, really," Kara looked in Eliza's general direction.
"Let's get you down to medical and have Dr. Hamilton take a look," Alex suggested grasping Kara's arm. She was surprised Kara remained seated. "Kara?"
"Let me do it, Alex, you've been shuttling me around the DEO all week. I can figure out how to get there from here," Kara insisted.
"Let her go, Alex," Eliza advised.
Alex watched as Kara gracefully stood, walked over to the door, and slipped outside. She turned to her mother, "I'll give her ten minutes then go find her."
"Better check medical first – that's where I'll be!" Kara's voice sassed back from down the hallway.
"Smart ass," Alex replied smiling. She picked up the phone to give Dr. Hamilton a heads up.
/
"This is highly irregular, Dr. Danvers," Prosecutor Butler said as she and Eliza walked down the administrative hallway of the National City Jail where Max Lord and his cohorts were lodged.
"It's been two weeks and I'm still no closer to finding a cure. At least not one that involves roasting Supergirl. He has to see that it's over. I mean, between all of the evidence you have and some of his employees taking plea bargains in return for lighter sentences, even he must realize he can't win. The best he can do is help us help Supergirl … maybe the judge will lighten his sentence or something."
"I seriously doubt that would happen," Butler said. "Then again, his image has taken such a terrible beating in those articles Lane wrote that he may give you the answer just to generate some positive press for himself. Give Supergirl back to National City type of thing. It could work but, personally, I doubt he'll do it."
/
Eliza Danvers was not a woman who gave into violence. She was a scientist and believed in rational calm reasoning. She had no frame of reference for the man sitting in front of her. A man who was a genius, claimed he was a scientist, but perverted his knowledge, used violence, to achieve his goals. She studied his bruised face. His jaw was wired shut.
"You've no reason to continue this, Mr. Lord. There is no endgame left to win. The rational step is to cut your losses and redeem at least a little of your public image by giving National City back its hero," Eliza reasoned as she had for the past hour.
"I tell you what, Dr. Danvers," Max smirked then tapped his forehead with his forefinger. "I'll give you the cure. It's all up here. Providing you persuade the authorities to drop all charges and give me immunity. Surely having a superhero flying about saving the day is worth more than keeping me in jail."
"You know that's out of my hands, Mr. Lord, and I wouldn't even if I could. There were a lot of innocent people who died and got hurt because of your … charade. You have to take responsibility for what you did," Eliza was getting frustrated. "Even if you sincerely believed you were acting with the best intentions for National City – you hurt people and you are responsible for that. Don't let that be your legacy."
"Dr. Danvers, the only thing I am concerned about is my freedom. If I can't have it, Supergirl can't either," Max snapped. Then added, "Well, there is a way, as I'm sure you found out. If my calculations were correct, it would only take forty-six sunny extremely painful days to burn off the infected cells. Or, maybe it was one hundred and forty-six. I can't seem to remember right now."
Eliza stood up. Her time was better spent researching a cure than trying to reason with this pathetic man.
"I'm sorry for taking up so much of your valuable time, Mr. Lord. I sincerely hope you reconsider," Eliza turned and began walking out of the room.
"Hey! Tell your daughter she missed out on a good time! I would have fucked her brains out. Alex would have loved it!"
Eliza continued out of the room without looking back. He wasn't worth the effort to turn around much less respond to. She vowed to figure out the cure on her own. I'll figure this out, Maxwell Lord. My daughters beat you and so will I. You will learn not to mess with the Danvers women!
/
"Hey Winn," Susan smiled as she walked over to where he was working. "Anything?"
"No," he sounded discouraged. "This is the last of it, too. There's nothing left to check. I guess he really does have it all in his brain. I mean, there's nothing in the databases that even suggest making the bomb or what Lord put in it. You know … one thing we haven't thought of?"
/
"I think this is the last of the treatments," Dr. Hamilton said as she turned off the sun lamp at the right side of Kara's head. She then carefully removed the protective layers shielding Kara's skin from the lamp's rays. "Are you ready for a test on that ear or would you like to come back later. It's up to you."
"Let's get it over with now," Kara said in an uncharacteristically petulant voice.
"Sure, let me set up some equipment. Give me five or ten minutes. Okay?" Supergirl's attitude was not lost on Dr. Hamilton who noticed the deterioration day after day. She was going to talk to Director Henshaw about it. If Supergirl continued this downward spiral they may end up putting her in a cell for her own protection.
Kara sat on the examining table waiting for the Doctor to finish setting up the equipment. She should have prepared to do the tests as soon as the treatment was complete. Ms. Grant wouldn't have stood for this incompetence. Rao, I miss my job … my real life. I miss breathing fresh air, smelling the salt from the ocean, the birds in the sky. I can't believe he took it all away from me. Now all I can do is slog around like a worm. I'm just a worm, hah.
"Listen, I don't have time for this," Kara said abruptly. "We'll do the damn tests another time. You know, when you're actually prepared to run them."
Kara hopped off the examining table, cocked her head slightly then unerringly limped to the door without waiting for a response from the doctor. Now, with the super hearing in her right ear returning, she was able to use both ears like sonar to detect the placement of walls, doors, and equipment. With the layout of the DEO firmly committed to memory, Kara was able to go wherever she wanted without waiting for someone to lead her. Most of the time she spent alone, in the room with Alura's hologram. At first she told herself she was searching the database for a possible cure. Slowly she came to realize she was lying to herself. She was scared and wanted comfort. What if she was trapped down here forever? There was no way she would ever willingly go out in the sunlight anymore. Her thigh, where Alex cut, hurt as bad as it did weeks ago. It was a constant reminder how Max took her life from her. She listened to her mother's voice sooth her as she talked of a Krypton long dead. On a whim Kara asked about a lullaby she remembered as a child. The hologram of Alura sang it to her with the same inflections her real mother used. Kara curled up into a ball and silently wept.
/
"Mom, have you seen Kara?" Alex asked as she rounded the corner into her lab. "Hank wants to see her."
Eliza looked up briefly and Alex was startled to see how old and tired her mother looked. Twenty hour days, with little time spent on anything else but research, had taken their toll.
"I'm sorry, Alex. I haven't seen her all day," Eliza said as she went back to studying her notes.
"Mom? Mom! Come on. Let's take a break. Enough for a while. The research will be there tomorrow. Take the day off and recuperate a bit. It can wait another day."
"No. It's not fair to her. He took enough away from her; I won't let him take the sun from her as well. You go on. Check the hologram room. She's spending a lot of time in there. I can't blame her – she might as well get comfort from her real mother until I can find a cure," Eliza picked up a pencil and crossed out a chemical formula she was working on.
"Mom? You know that's not her real mother, right? It's just a hologram. I don't think it's healthy Kara's spending so much time in there. She just got out of one weird reality. She doesn't need to slip into another one," Alex said concerned for both Kara and her mother now.
"Let her be where she is happy. If I can't figure this out –"
"Come on, mom," Alex took her mother by the arm and dragged her up. "We are going to take a break. You are going to get at least eight hours of sleep then we are going to have a family meeting. Like we used to have at home – remember?"
"Yes, honey, I remember. That was a long time ago … before your father … left," Eliza smiled at the memory of sitting around a campfire roasting marshmallows during a family meeting. Jeremiah always called family meetings when he felt someone in the family needed cheering up or the comfort of loved ones. She missed him. Alex was right, it was time for a family meeting.
/
"There you go. I'll let you know if it's burning," Alex said as she speared the marshmallow on Kara's stick and brought the stick to rest above the flames.
Kara smiled listening to the crackle of the fire and smelling the desert night air. She wished she could see the stars but settled for imagining them in her head. The night, still as it seemed, was full of life and she soaked it in. She could hear various night animals in the distance. A slight breeze caressed her face and she took a deep breath and immediately started coughing as smoke from the fire shifted her way.
"Hey, no fair fanning the smoke in my direction!" Kara protested when she could talk again. She realized what that slight rustling sound was before she ate smoke. "Of course I could do it too and I wouldn't need anything to help me do it either."
Kara took a deep breath in and started to gently blow out aiming toward where she heard Alex last. She stopped when she heard her sister coughing.
"I think we're even now," Alex said between coughs. "Truce?"
"Truce," Kara agreed smiling at where she thought her sister was.
Eliza sat back and watched as the two bantered back and forth about the merits of slightly toasted versus totally toasted marshmallows. This was Kara's first Danvers style family meeting. They hadn't had one once Kara arrived. Time passed so quickly, there were so many other things that needed attention, then Jeremiah was gone. After that, the ache in her heart, the loss, kept her at arms distance from any of Jeremiah's endearing made up customs.
Several hours and four marshmallow bags later Alex doused the fire and Kara used her freeze breath to ensure no sparks were left.
"Thanks," Kara said looking in the general direction of Eliza and Alex, "for sharing this with me. I …I sort of felt I didn't belong again, like I was a burden no one needed."
Eliza glanced at Alex and they both embraced Kara in a tight hug. They remained embracing, teary eyed, for a few minutes. Until Kara broke away.
"I guess I've got some fences to mend, inside," Kara was thinking of her rude behavior toward Dr. Hamilton among others. "Give me a hand here with the door. Hank will kill me if I damage another one."
"I don't think he mentioned anything about killing you but he did say something about your paycheck being substantially lighter," Alex said as she opened the door's intricate lock and led Kara inside.
Eliza took one more look around the desert landscape then up at the stars before following her daughters into the shaft.
/
Cat turned off the computer after logging off the Skype link. Perry was right. The world needed to see Supergirl, hear from her, to help bolster Lois' stories and sink Max's credibility even further. The absence of the superhero led credence to Max's claim Supergirl left National City because she was ashamed of her actions. Was afraid to face the people she hurt. The anti-alien faction was fanning his claims with everything they could muster.
A simple speech should do it. Explain where she's been and why. I'll have to clear everything through Butler first. Don't want to compromise the court proceedings. Also can't let on she's crippled or National City will become a haven for thieves and criminals like Gotham is. I'll call Lucy now and start things in motion. Perry's crew will have to do the filming too. I guess Lois will win a Pulitzer Prize after all. She's certainly taken the story and run with it. Almost like she has a personal stake in seeing Supergirl exonerated.
/
"I can't believe it! How could I have missed this?" Eliza asked as she once again checked her notes against the copies of paper doodles confiscated from Max Lord's secondary office.
Winn grinned, "You think they have something to do with Kara's problem? Really?"
"You are a godsend, Winn Schott," Eliza looked up from the papers. "This is exactly what I needed. What Kara needs. I should be able to backward engineer a cure from this without too much trouble."
Winn was elated. He made an actual tangible contribution to help Kara – finally.
"Hey, what did science lady say?" Vasquez greeted him as he left the lab. "Were you right?"
"I think it'll make the difference," Winn was pumped up. "Actually Dr. Danvers believes she should be able to cure Supergirl with the papers we found."
"You found. Looking through that stuff was totally your idea. I never would have done it," Susan corrected. "You want to go tell Alex?"
"Nah, I'll let her mom do it after she figures out the cure. I mean, she still has a lot of work to do yet," Winn said then paused, "I would, however, like to treat you to a celebratory ice cream sundae in the mess."
"A celebratory ice cream sundae? I think I could manage that," Susan smiled as she and Winn walked toward the mess hall.
/
Eliza checked her calculations a third time.
This is going to work. I never would have thought of adding … wait. This can't be right – no, thank goodness I rechecked it. That man is an absolute nightmare. This would have permanently damaged her … but…yes, if I switch these two around …
Eliza continued to work long into the night. She was still in the lab when Alex found her the next morning.
"Mom? Didn't you go to bed? You have to stop doing this. I thought we agreed –"
"It's done," Eliza broke in looking happier than Alex had seen her in a long time. "I'm sure of it. Go ahead. Recheck my work. I'm going to get some sleep. Only …. don't tell Kara yet. Not until I'm able to synthesize enough of the compound for a test trial."
"That's great! Kara's going to be thrilled! I didn't even know you were that close to a cure!" Alex hugged her mother hard.
"Ease up, okay? These old bones will break if you squeeze any harder," Eliza joked clearly enjoying her daughter's embrace. "I wasn't that close until your friend Winn came by with some papers taken during the raid on Max's business. They were sort of coded, made to look like he was doodling, when it really was the schematics and composition of the bomb. I guess he didn't trust the security of his own computer system. Anyway, it's done. I need some sleep. I really do want you to recheck my work … I've gone over it four or five times but a pair of fresh eyes would be good."
"I'll check it over, mom," Alex assured as she continued to hug her mother, both women savoring the moment. "Come on, let's get you to bed first. Then I'll grab a coffee and come right back. Okay?"
The two walked arm and arm out of Alex's lab. I can't believe it! I did it! I've finally been able to help Kara. I didn't let her down. She's gone through so much, given so much, and now she can have her freedom.
/
"James, why didn't you tell me about this sooner?" Cat asked from behind her office desk. "I had to hear about it from one of our corporate lawyers during a board meeting. You do know he filed the lawsuit against you and Catco, right. Because his attorney contends you were working for us at the time of Max's unfortunate ass beating. Nice job, by the way, I hear they had to wire his jaw shut."
"Not something I'm proud of, Ms. Grant," James said. "I wasn't able to help Supergirl. She's still messed up. Winn told me a couple weeks ago about the stuff in the bomb. I wish I'd known then."
"Really? Is that why you've been moping around here for a month? You would have let those children die to save Supergirl? I don't think so," Cat's arched an eyebrow. "You made the right decision and you know that. The consequences aren't what you expected but you made the right choice. Now, Alex told me you haven't even asked to see Supergirl. Not even one visit. I assume this is because of some misplaced guilt and not the 'overwhelming workload' excuse you gave her?"
"Yeah, I guess," James ducked his head.
"Well, you know what you need to do after work."
"I'll get right on it."
"Now about the lawsuit, have you hired an attorney yet?"
"There's a guy my friend knows who –"
"Stop," Cat interrupted. "This is a lawsuit involving Catco and your actions while working for Catco. We will provide you with a suitable attorney as well as take care of all legal expenses. I'm sure once the factual nature is exposed, the judge will throw the suit out. You were, after all, apprehending a dangerous felon."
"Thank you, Ms. Grant," James was relieved. At least he wouldn't have to tackle this lawsuit alone.
"Yes, well, take these layouts back to your office and fix them if you really want to thank me," Cat said already turning to another project.
James took the layouts from her desk and walked out of the office with a new resolve. It's time I go see Kara.
/
"I don't know how this is going to react with your skin. Pain wise, I mean, so we're only going to use only a small portion of your arm to start with. Then we'll expose that portion to the sunlamp, okay?" Eliza asked as she rubbed Kara's arm. "I need you to tell me, honestly, what's happening."
"Let's get started," Kara's enthusiastic voice replied. "This is so great!"
"Calm down and stop squirming," Alex admonished though Kara could hear the smile in her voice. "You're acting like a puppy out for its first walk. This is serious science here. No room for smiles and laughter." Alex kidded her sister.
"Okay, we're going to start with this little patch on your right forearm. Ready? I'm putting on the solution now. How does that feel?" Eliza asked.
"It feels like you put an ice cube there, really cold. How long before we test it under the sun lamp?"
"We're going to do it right now. The reaction was supposed to be instantaneous. Are you ready?"
Kara nodded and bit her lip. Please, oh Rao, please let this work.
Eliza directed the lamp beam over to the unprotected part of Kara's forearm.
"Well?"
"My arm's warming up. Like normal, I mean. It doesn't burn at all."
"Look, mom, the discoloration is gone," Alex exclaimed. "Her skin tone is the same as the uninfected skin."
"Everything is looking great so far," Eliza informed Kara. "We're going to give it an hour or so, under the lamp. If there are no adverse effects, we'll continue with the treatment."
"This is so great! Thank you, Eliza, thank you," Kara squirmed under the protective wrap.
Eliza, realizing what Kara wanted, reached under the wrap and held her hand.
Kara was going to be free.