A/N – Thank you to those of you that are still following along with this story. I know that it has been a long haul as we're coming up on the one-year mark (!) shortly. Therefore, in an effort to finish this story, my plan is to post short chapters every night this week, at which point the story should be finished. Wish me luck!

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Chapter 26 – Where Valkyrie Makes an Appearance

"Why did I agree to do this again?" Kara grumbled as she sat bouncing J.P. and giving the evil eye to the woman from Mrs. Granderson's entourage who was currently leaning over Danny and giving him a rather direct view down the front of her gaping shirt. Fortunately for his lifespan, Danny had the decency to close his eyes rather quickly.

Sarah giggled. "Because you don't want to piss off your best friend's mother four months before the wedding?"

"The woman is worse than a drill sergeant. No wonder Alisha sailed through the Academy," Kara muttered. "It was probably like a vacation after life with Amy."

"She's not that bad," Sarah countered.

Kara gave her friend an even glance. "Do you see what I look like? She made me take down my hair because she said it was too severe. I'm wearing more make-up than a Las Vegas prostitute and my feet are stuffed into three inch heels that are a half size too small so that Danny won't 'tower over me.' Oh, and now the make-up person is plucking Danny's eyebrows because she thought they looked too bushy in the pictures."

Sarah giggled again as she glanced over at Danny, who was pursuing his lips like he had just eaten a lemon. "They were rather out of control."

Kara turned to the other woman, narrowing her eyes. "If she's this bad now, just imagine what she'll be like at the wedding."

Sarah gave a slight shudder, and then shrugged. "She can change the venue, redo the décor, and invite whoever the hell she wants. All I care about is that she shows up."

Kara reached over to touch Sarah's arm. "She'll be there. She loves Alisha even if she's having trouble accepting that she's marrying a woman."

That, and there was no way Amy Granderson would ruin her public image by skipping her only daughter's wedding. Not when her daughter-in-law to be was related to a United States senator, a man who could certainly be an asset to Amy during her upcoming run for a seat in the House of Representatives. Kara didn't want to be cynical, but she did suspect that it was the possibility of negative press rather than the risk of alienating her daughter, which was responsible for Amy's somewhat reluctant agreement to both attend the wedding and to walk Alisha down the aisle. Amy's offer to provide and pay for the wedding photographer seemed to confirm Kara's suspicions, and she strongly suspected that pictures from the wedding would be leaked to the press during strategic moments in Mrs. Granderson's campaign.

"Mrs. Green? We're ready for you." The photographer's assistant cooed at J.P. as Kara stood up, continuing to jiggle the infant. "How old is your son?"

"Three months," Kara replied.

"He's small," the woman responded, sounding surprised.

"He was early."

"Ah. A preemie." The woman nodded knowingly. "That explains why your husband was so worried about germs. Well, we'll try to get the pictures done quickly so your friend can take him home before anyone else arrives."

"Thank you."

Fifty mind-numbing minutes later, Sarah and J.P. were on their way and Kara was ready to collapse. The photographer must have taken a thousand pictures – Kara and Danny, Danny and J.P., Kara and J.P., sitting, standing, standing on their heads, the list went on and on – and they still had interviews to get through. Despite her exhaustion and aching feet, Kara felt her spirits lift when Thomas Chandler, who was as punctual as always, entered the room with Rachel, Dahab and Jean.

"Danny!"

The two-year old tore across the space and grabbed onto Danny's leg, talking excitedly about… something (despite having seen the child several times since he and his father were released from isolation, Kara still had difficulty understanding Jean), as the photographer continued to snap pictures. "Hey buddy!"

"Jean!" Dahab continued speaking and, although Kara couldn't comprehend the words, she got the gist. Jean was being scolded. Looking downcast, Jean turned to Kara. "Hello, Mrs. Danny."

"Hello Jean," Kara replied, smiling at the little boy, finding it impossible to picture this rambunctious toddler sick to the point of death. "Give me five."

Jean squealed as he leaned forward. "High five!"

"If that was staged for my benefit it didn't work."

Even before Mrs. Granderson's top minion rushed across the room, Kara knew exactly who was standing in the doorway.

Valkyrie

Still, the woman was something of a surprise. Being female made Valkyrie an oddity among hackers, but what stood out to Kara was how young this woman was. She looked no older than twenty-five. That was very young to have done everything that Valkyrie was accused of doing – hacking in to the Pentagon and the CDC, tracking the spread of the Red Flu from its inception, creating a website that caught the attention of Jacob Barnes and then the world. She also looked nothing like what Kara had pictured, coming across more as a hipster with her orange dreads and converse shoes than a social outcast who dedicated her life to trolling around the dark web. Had she seen this woman on the street, Kara would have pegged her as a graduate student at an Ivy League school.

"Ms. Raymond." One of Granderson's token lawyers – Kara thought his name was Todd – began corralling the group back through the door. "If you could just follow me, the interviews will take place down the hall."

Before Todd could get the group moving, however, Jacob Barnes pushed his way through the door, drawing an instant scowl from Danny. He had been less than pleased when Valkyrie insisted on including Barnes in a group immunity deal, although Kara rather admired the woman's loyalty. "I was expecting to be present during the photo shoots."

"The only pictures taken before your arrival were of Joshua Green. Due to his age and fragile medical condition, his parents requested that his exposure to strangers be limited," Todd said smoothly, much more smoothly than Kara would have expected given how anxious the man appeared. "As agreed, you'll be provided with copies of all pictures taken, as well as be present for all interviews."

The older gentleman following Valkyrie frowned as he took in the room. "That was not discussed during our negotiations."

"It was a condition of my participation in this … process," Danny replied in a deceptively pleasant tone, one that Kara knew meant he was grinding his teeth.

"One that was apparently not disclosed to us," the older man began, only to be cut off by Valkyrie.

"Come on Dad, give it a rest. Nobody wants to listen to some kid screaming through an interview anyway."

Dad? The woman was being represented by her father? Maybe she was a graduate student.

Valkyrie tossed her hair. "Besides, these can't be the people we're here to meet. They all look like models. You, lady, what's your name?"

Kara realized with some amusement that Valkyrie was speaking to her. "Lieutenant Kara Green."

Valkyrie gave her the once over. "You're the one that got knocked up in the Arctic? You certainly don't look like you just had a baby. Shouldn't you still be fat?"

Despite the outrage on Danny's face, Kara found herself amused by Valkyrie's bluntness. "Lieutenant Green and I had a professional relationship until after the Nathan James returned from our mission to the Arctic. And as for my figure, I'm going to choose to take that as a compliment. So thank you."

"Uh-huh. Professional relationship? But you had a baby eight months later? I can count."

"Our son was born prematurely," Danny interjected.

"Whatever." Valkyrie rolled her eyes. She shifted her attention to Rachel. "You're supposed to be Rachel Scott? I want to talk to you first."

Rachel crossed her arms over her chest. "Before I say a single word, I want to know who at the CDC leaked the information about my research."

"Ms. Scott…." Mr. Raymond began.

"Doctor Scott," Rachel interrupted, eyes flashing. Kara had only seen this woman furious a few times, but today was definitely one of those times.

"Doctor Scott," the man began again, "the arrangement we reached with the United States Government states that you will provide us with your full cooperative in advance of us having to provide the source of our information."

Rachel didn't respond, staring directly at Valkyrie. A minute passed, and then two, with the two women locked in a silent struggle.

Finally Valkyrie shrugged. "Whatever. It's not like you are going to be straight with me anyway."

"Val…"

Valkyrie cut her father off again. "It was a research assistant named Niels Sorenson. He told me all about your plan to add a human gene to the virus. I'm no virologist, but I understood enough to realize that your plan would have killed billions. And I'm going to expose it."