I enter Catco later that evening after being called back to fix my final edit that apparently has an error to find it. I notice something strange. It's eerily quiet with only the sounds of breathing and typing. Everyone is glued to their computers. Completely unresponsive. I was nursing a small headache. Honestly it's unresponsiveness to pain killers has been worrying me and seeing my fellow co-workers now I had a feeling I was right to be concerned. I hear Cats voice and run towards her office.
"Kara!" I yell as I come into view and see her staring down Ms. Grant who seems to only just notice the state of her employees. I also notice Kara is in Supergirl mode and am thankful Cat is too busy with her phone to notice my slip. Why aren't the three of us being affected? This is so strange. This must be Non.
"Ms. Grant, listen to me. Everyone in the city is affected by this alien signal. They're acting like automatons. Haven't you noticed?" Supergirl asks.
"Hmm, well, yes, they are a bit more quiet than usual. Maybe my reign of terror has finally reached its peak effectiveness." She responds.
Kara's cell chimes and she looks at it quickly.
"Ah, you do have a cell phone? Can I get that number, please?" Cat asks.
"It's Superman." Kara says
"Oh, can I get his number as well?" Cat pushes.
"He's coming to help." Kara says smiling finally.
"He is?" Cat asks astonished as we move to the outside terrace.
"Where is he?" Kara asks as we stare into the sky.
"Oh, my God." Cat says noticing the people below us marching like drones.
"What's happening to everyone?" I question as we watch.
"There he is! There he is." Kara calls out suddenly pointing to a spot too far for Cat or I to see.
"Who? Superman? Where? What? What?" Cat questions scanning the horizon.
"Oh, God." I gasp as we watch him suddenly plummet to the ground.
"No. What is it?" Cats asks confused.
"Myriad. It's affecting my cousin too." Kara answers.
"Myriad? Wait a minute, if it's affecting Superman, then are any of us safe?" Cat asks looking to Kara for answers I know she doesn't have.
"Well, I may not be Superman, but I do have my moments." We all three whip around at the voice behind us.
"Do Kryptonians gloat? Because I'll bet wherever he is, ol' Uncle Non is feeling pretty good about himself." says after we move back into Cat's office.
"Why am I not surprised that your brain is intact, Max? What is it they say? Only cockroaches will survive the apocalypse." Cat says sarcastically and I mentally thank her for the jibe.
"Happy to see you too, Cat. You look lovely, considering the end is nigh." He tells her in reply.
Cat asks, "Why weren't you affected?"
"Ion blockers. I realized the Kryptonians were using my LTE interface system. That's why they broke into my lab over Christmas. They're using my satellites to send neural signals directly into the minds of everyone in National City. These scramble the signal before they reach my brain." Max explains indicating the Tech on his head.
"If you invented technology that blocks Myriad, why didn't you give it to the DEO?" Kara demands.
"Once Henshaw and his Trusted Girl Friday stepped down, I had no one at the DEO to trust." Max tells her simply and I can't help but agree with that logic even if I think he still should have shared the tech to protect them.
"Well, clearly, not everybody needs this ear-wig thingy, because I don't have one and my brain is perfectly intact. Aria is fine too," Cat points out.
"I see you got the earrings I sent you last night." He indicates and I roll my eyes.
Cat clicks her tongue, "Oh, I get it. Ion blockers in the diamonds?"
"Mmm-hmm." Max hums.
"Oh, so many karats and yet so functional." Cat jokes.
Max chuckles, "Didn't seem right for the world to lose Cat Grant's mind."
"Speaking of, where is your faithful assistant? Out marching with the masses?" Max taunts and spares a look to Kara who glares at him.
"Don't be glib, Max. Probably should be worried about her." Cat says surprisingly.
"Aria is safe because of the implants in her ear. It makes her her brain process things differently. So essentially built in ion blockers" he elaborates with a wink at me and I cross my arms with a glare.
"I have a headache" I inform him and he considers it for a moment.
"Like I said it processes differently so while you can't be controlled it still is effecting you." He gives in answer.
"If it only targets humans, why was my cousin affected?" Kara says bringing the conversation back to important matters.
"Nature versus nurture. He may be an alien, but your cousin grew up on Earth. Seems like environmental factors, being raised by ordinary people, made his brain more human. The Man of Steel brought to his knees all because he went to kindergarten and watched Sesame Street." Max explains with unnecessary exaggerations.
"You think this is funny?" Kara snaps at him over this conversation.
"Everything I have feared has come to pass. I couldn't be more serious." Max tells her and I'm itching to hit him.
"We have to stop them. They're using your satellites. Can't you reprogram them and destroy Myriad from the inside?" I ask interrupting them.
"I tried. There's some pretty epic force fields around those satellites at the moment." He answers.
"You're always 10 steps ahead, Max. I know you have a plan." Cat says sagely.
"Of course I do. We kill them all." He states like it's the most obvious thing ever.
Cat scoffs, "Max, how exactly do you plan on killing an army of Supermans?"
"I'll tell you the plan when I know you're both on board. Can't have muscles over here trying to stop me." Max declares indicating Kara.
"Killing is never the solution." Kara tells him.
"Except we're way past villains-of-the-week and kittens stuck in trees. We're at war. And the only way to win a war is to kill the enemy before they kill us. So, time to grow up and put on the big girl cape." Max replies to her staring her down.
"Oh, looks like someone made it through security." Cat says quietly staring behind Max.
"The son of Jor-El has already knelt before me. Soon you will too. I don't want to fight you, child." Non says to Kara as he approaches us. Max slowly inches closer to me and honestly facing Non I am happy for the shield.
"Afraid I'll win?" Kara taunts.
"You've already lost. Accept it and the glorious fulfillment of Astra's vision. In the end, she defeated you." he informs her.
"This doesn't look like victory to me. And all you're doing is betraying her. I was with Astra in her final moments. We forgave each other, we paid respect to our blood bonds. She didn't want this." Kara tries to explain.
"Of course she did. It's what everyone wants, is it not? Peace on Earth. Goodwill towards man."
"It's a lot less like Christmas out there and more like Dawn of the Dead." Cat states sarcastically and I curse her for bringing attention to us.
"The human race finally has a chance to live. Or it would suffer the same fate as Krypton. And the same thing is happening on Earth, with a populace more interested in reality stars and political circuses than working together to solve the world's problems." Non says like a politician.
"So, mind control is the answer to global warming? Why didn't I think of that?" Max questions and I seriously consider punching him to shut him up.
"Thanks to Myriad, there are no more racial divisions, no Republicans, no Democrats. Only one people, working with one purpose towards one goal. To save the world." Non states.
"Except you haven't saved them, you've enslaved them."Cat tells him.
"Humanity is better than this. If you really want this planet to avoid the fate of Krypton, then work with us." Kara pleads.
"With these people? These three are the best of your world and all they do is help the populace amuse themselves to death. If anything, they laid the groundwork for me." Non declares.
"You've already turned us into drones." Winn monotones suddenly and I stare in horror.
"Winn! Winn, can you hear me?" Kara asks rushing to him.
"Your inventions have drowned out sense and turned it into nonsense. But now everyone is united, everyone's creativity and thought dedicated to eradicating famine, disease, climate change." Winn continues.
"You're harvesting the brain power of everyone in the city to solve the world's problems? National City is a giant think tank?" Max says suddenly.
"This is not the way to solve the world's problems." Kara says.
"Your heroics have done nothing to save the planet." Winn continues.
"This is the inevitability of Myriad." James says approaching.
"Non, stop this!" Kara demands.
"These are your friends, aren't they?" he taunts.
"Let them go." Kara begs.
"I have lived with loss. Allow me to return the favor." Non says.
"Kelly?" I ask as another co-worker stands moving under Myriads command. Max puts out an arm to stop me from moving though.
"What are you doing to them?" Cat asks.
"Non has ended crime in National City in one day. One second." Winn says robotically as the three begin walking different directions.
"Winn. Winn, stop!" Kara begs.
"Which is more than the four of you have ever done." James speaks next.
"James?" Kara asks but nothing gets through.
"Kelly. Oh, my God." I say as I watch her step outside onto the patio and begin to climb the rail.
"No, no, no, no, no, no!" Kara cries.
"What's happening? What's happening?" Cat asks.
"Catch." James says at same time they all free fall.
"No! Oh, my God." I scream as we rush to see.
Max grabs me as we get to the rail to see and I cry out as I see Kara standing off against Non with Winn and James unharmed but obviously still mind controlled while Kelly's body lays broken. Cat is silent beside me and I know she is in shock at the events as well. She once fell from this same rail when Kara was under the red kryptonite. Much like the headache is a flashback for me watching Kelly fall and die would be for her too. Max guides me away from the rail and back inside. I pull away from him and sit on the couch outside Cats office slowly. Cat is on the phone with who knows in her office now and I am too shocked to speak. Max sits on the opposite side of the couch and I'm sure he wants to say something to me but luckily thinks better of it. Kara flies back up a few minutes later and I can see the devastated look on her face. I share the look but I know we don't have time to mourn now. We need to stop Non before anyone else dies.
"Are you finally ready to do what needs to be done?" Max snaps at her standing from the couch.
Kara sighs and looks away for a second, "What's your plan?
"Before you and I sang Kumbaya and decided to be friends, I was working on a weapon to use against the Kryptonians. All Kryptonians." he begins.
"What kind of weapon?" I ask wanting to know all the details of any plan.
"A bomb. Filled with Kryptonite dust. It'll irradiate the entire city. Choke them all. No more Myriad." Max says.
"Um, Anderson, do you think you could hold on for just a skosh?" Cat then moves the phone away from her face and addresses Max, "Forgive me, but won't that kill Supergirl and Superman?"
"Not if she flies up and detonates it over the city then she and he skedaddle. She won't be able to come back to National City for roughly 50 years" he says causing Cat has to laugh sarcastically but he ignores her, "But that's a small price to pay to save the world, right?"
"What about the human beings? Will they be affected at all?" Kara asks.
"The concussive force to properly displace the Kryptonite dust will result in some losses." Max says obviously trying to not focus on that part.
"Hmm, Anderson, I'm gonna have to call you back. What exactly are we talking about, Max? Losses." Cat questions staring at him incredulously after hanging up the phone.
"8% of the population." he says like its nothing.
"8% of the population." I snap.
"8% of four million people? That is over 300,000 people, Max." Cat informs him.
"Versus the seven billion people on the planet that Non wants to turn into zombies." He argues back.
"Are you seriously considering this?" Cat asks Kara.
"She is. Because she knows it's our only chance. If this spreads from National City, it won't be long before every man, woman and child, including your children, will be on their knees. I won't let that happen. I swore to save this world. That's exactly what I'm going to do." Max says staring at Kara and I look too and I see the truth in his words on her face.
"What if we tell Non we have this weapon? Force him to see reason." Kara asks.
Max scoffs, "Tell that to Kelly, the office skydiver."
"Please, have you no shame?" Cat snaps as I flinch at his words.
"No. Not anymore. All I have is my mind. And for how much longer I'm not sure. What I know is that, for every second we don't act, we risk the end of humanity. Time to save the world, Supergirl. Are you with me?" Max tells her seriously.
Max calls General Lane and tells him the plan and we wait to hear if the president approves the bomb. I can barely keep a straight train of thought as the minutes tick by. How has it come to this? Having to choose who lives. Its time for Max to video conference the General back and I sit across from Kara on Cats couches listening.
"Did you get an answer?" Max asks and I brace myself for the response.
"I've spoken with the president directly. She agrees with your assessment. You have her authorization to proceed with your plan" General Lane says.
"Thank you General"
"May God have mercy on our souls" The General tells him.
"If there was a god, General. I'm sure she wouldn't have put us in this mess in the first place" Max replies before closing his laptop and looking to Kara.
"How did you become like this?" Kara asks him and I can see she's at her wits end.
"Did I ever tell you how my parents died?" He asks and I bite my lip to keep from gasping at the question. I know this story.
"Alex told me they were exposed to a fatal virus when the government gave them faulty hazmat suits." Kara says and I wonder when Max would have told Alex this story.
"What I didn't tell your dear old sis was that I warned them about those suits. I knew they wouldn't hold up. I begged them and the CDC to scrap them, but," He scoffs, "No one would listen to me. The know-it-all. I swore from that moment on, that if I could protect people, if I could save them, I wouldn't wait for permission. I would act. Just like you do every time you jump out the window and save the day. We act, you and I. We're more alike than you think." he concludes and I can't help the thoughts that run through my mind.
All the things he's done since I met him that he believes were helping the greater good.
"I hope not." Kara answers his last comment.
"I'll be at my facility getting the bomb ready." Max tells her and spares me one last glance before leaving.
"I will go with him," I tell Kara as I stand from the couch.
"Aria you don't-" She begins.
"No Kara. I need to help somehow and if keeping an eye out for anything nefarious with Max is something I can do then I will. There's not much else I am good for," I tell her.
"Stay safe," She says hugging me quick.
"You too" I say squeezing her tight then rushing off to follow Max.
I get to the elevator to find him holding it open.
"Eavesdropping?" I question as I enter.
"No. Hoped and assumed correctly you would volunteer to babysit me," he smirks and I want to slap it off him.
We get to Lord Tech and I follow Max as he gathers what he needs before heading to his office. I watch as he begins working and pace around his desk.
"Would you please sit down?" Max asks as he stops working to look at me.
"The world is about to end or were going to kill thousands of people to save the world so no I don't really feel like sitting just now" I snap at him.
He must think better of speaking any further on the topic as he sighs and continues tinkering. I watch him closely eyeing the bomb and all its parts. I'm no brainiac but I have enough schooling and common sense to make out the workings of the bomb. I freeze suddenly as I pace to his shelves by his tv and see a sketch from my book framed. Specifically the sketch I drew of him what feels like years ago but was barely a couple of months. I stare wondering how he snuck it out of my book that day in my apartment when he was babysitting me.
He must notice my staring. "I figured since it's my face I had a right to it before you had the chance to burn it or rip it up in one of those break up anger bouts" he tells me.
I snort at the thought. "It had been a week since then but honestly I forgot about it until now."
He doesn't reply and I hear as he goes back to tinkering and I continue pacing and watching him. I get bored of the wait and sit at a chair across from Max to get a closer look. He begins explaining components to me as a way to fill the silence as he works. Max is currently working on the activation switch that Kara will need to flip if she uses this plan. I turn at the sound of Kara and Cat entering Max's office. I wait for them to speak hoping something has changed.
"Good. You changed your mind. I was starting to regret saving it in the first place. For the record, I seriously thought the two of us would be having a lot more fun during Armageddon." Max smarts off.
"Oh, Max, we're not here to talk about your bomb. Supergirl has a plan." Cat informs him.
He chuckles in reply, "Which means Cat browbeat you."
"Inspired is closer to the truth. I'm a muse, Max. To the world." Cat tells him.
Max clicks his tongue and stares them both down, "So, what's your plan? Hope. You know what? I'm gonna go with the plan that has the bomb and kills the bad guys instead."
"No bomb. No one dies." Kara tells him firmly.
"You think I wanna do this? It's the only way to win." He argues to Kara making me scoff.
"What? What are we winning? Causing more chaos? More destruction? More lives lost? You hated me for months, because you thought I'd use my power indiscriminately, kill people with no regard for their lives. That is exactly the choice you're making with this bomb." Kara counters.
I think back to how close her words come to my earlier thoughts about him. How he did the things he did these past months because he thought Kara was a greater evil waiting to happen. Honestly he probably thought he was protecting me because him killing her would hurt less than her betraying me and the rest of the city... the rest of the world by going evil. I shake my head to clear these thoughts as now is not the time to feel sympathy over Max and I's issues because of his actions.
"Please tell me you've had enough analysis to know that she's right?" Cat asks him.
"You were afraid of me. Now you're afraid of Non. I understand that fear. But we cannot let it drive our actions. Make another choice that honors your parents. And mine."
Even I can hear the deep inhale Max takes at her words, "I'm listening" he tells her.
"Will any of this equipment work?" Kara asks as we enter the old TV station.
"Well! No reason why it shouldn't." Cat answers optimistically.
"So, you brought us to your very first, very out of the way TV station so we can what? Dust off your Daytime Emmy?" Max asks as he begins to look over the equipment.
"No, Max. Actually we are here to inspire. We are going to show them a symbol. One of optimism, love, and, yes, hope. A sight so undeniable, that people will recognize it even under this spell." Cat explains.
"Where do we start?" Max asks.
"Do you think you can do it?" Kara asks as Max continues to power up machines and make adjustments.
"We can't stop Myriad's signal, but we can piggyback off of it. We're lucky. This TV station is old." Max begins explaining.
"Not that old." Cat mumbles.
"Not old-old. But old enough that it uses broadcast technology instead of digital. We can transmit a signal by calibrating it to Myriad's frequency, without leaving any online fingerprints." Max informs us as he begins messing with more equipment.
"Take that, Indigo." I say smiling.
"It'll ride the wave without anybody knowing a thing." Max replies smiling at me.
"I have one question for you, Max." Cat says suddenly.
"Shoot."
"The earrings, how did you know I would wear them?"
"I didn't. I guess I just had hope." he answers her.
We're interrupted by a loud bang from outside that makes me jump.
"Stay here." Kara orders leaving quickly.
I move towards Max as he continues working and watch for a moment.
"I can help" I tell him and he pauses to look at me.
"What do you know about broadcasting equipment?" He asks seriously but I can tell he is intrigued.
"Aria helped run her college station" Cat says and I almost get whiplash turning to look at her behind me.
"I'm shocked you looked that closely at my resume" I tell her honestly.
"I always pay attention to those with a future" she smiles at me. I sober quickly as I realize we don't have time for me to bask in the praise of Cat Grant.
"I also spent some time in a station in Denmark helping out a friend when I was traveling. I spent 2 months learning the ropes of the equipment and a lot of it was older like this" I tell him.
"A friend?" he questions and I roll my eyes. "All right help me get this routed to there so we can latch onto the Myriad signal" He directs me and I set to work getting all the equipment set up.
We work quickly moving around each other like one being as we try and get the old tech working. This has to work because otherwise were setting off a bomb and killing people to stop mass genocide. No matter which way I think about it I don't think any number of lives is acceptable. I know that sometimes hard decisions like this have to be made though. I know thats why the president has given General Lane permission to let Max and Kara detonate a bomb. Minimal casualties compared to total annihilation is the better odds. I believe in Cat Grants plan that Supergirl is enough to stop this. That we can stop anymore casualties besides Kelly. We have to.
As we continue working I wonder what is keeping Kara and only hope she is successful and back soon. For if she falls now we have no hope left. We won't survive or have a way to ignite the bomb ourselves. We need Supergirl. I need my best friend. I need Kara.
