Chapter Forty-Six:
Eliza Danvers stepped out into the parking lot to her car, after being in a conference for the past six hours. Being in Washington reminded Eliza of the fact that her two youngest daughters, Kara and Alex, had been in the middle of something very dangerous, that being this incident with this mysterious woman who claimed to be the savior of Earth.
The Danvers woman clucked her tongue, if it's not one thing ,it's another with Kara and Alex. Eliza just thanked her lucky stars that Carol, the oldest of the three sisters, had been not been involved in anything. Although with Carol involved in a mission with the Green Lantern Corps in space, Eliza would be lying if she said there was no anxiety there.
Still, Carol could take care of herself, and always returned home. Eliza smiled, with having three headstrong daughters, the best thing would be to allow them to have a lot of space. Just be there for them when they needed to be and to help reign them in when they needed a bit of a reality check.
Stubborn, and in a good way, something that Eliza could not help but think that Carol and Alex got from her. And Kara showed how stubborn she was as well at times, although Kara would have to be to stand up with Alex and Carol.
Eliza reached into her purse to pull out the car keys. After Eliza returned to the hotel room, she planned to check up on Kara and Alex to see if they were doing well. While, Alex claimed that Kara's injuries were not severe, Eliza could not help but be worried.
And as a mother, Eliza intended to give Alex the third degree and get the information that was needed for her daughter.
Something caused Eliza to stop. Something that hovered on the right side of Eliza Danvers, and almost hissed into her ear. Eliza turned ever so slightly, to see the woman who attacked at Wonder Woman's appearnce just a few days ago.
This Galatea noticed Eliza noticed her and swooped down to grab the older woman.
"You're coming with me," Galatea said. "I don't want to hurt you."
"You're upset about something," Eliza said. "Just take a deep breath, and talk about it."
Galatea did not seem intend to talk, rather she grabbed Eliza around the wrists. Firmly, but not overtly roughly. Eliza broke out into a soft cry, as Galatea lifted the woman up off of the ground.
"I need your help," Galatea said.
"I'd be able to help you more if you don't lift me up off of the ground.
Galatea did not get too far, before Supergirl flew in front of her. Supergirl hestitated, the last thing the Girl of Steel wanted was to agitate Galatea, so she would drop Eliza on the pavement.
"Let her go," Supergirl said. "It's me you want."
"Good, I don't have to do this," Galatea said.
Out of instinct, Galatea let Eliza drop to the ground. Instantly, Galatea and Supergirl both had matched looks of horror on their face.
Eliza's entire world almost stopped, until someone swooped down and prevented the woman from dropping down.
"Alright, Doctor Danvers?"
Wonder Woman saved Eliza and Eliza had to feel just a tiny bit giddy inside. Despite the fact that Eliza did not flaunt her appreciation for Wonder Woman nearly as much as Kara did, it still did the woman's heart good to be saved by such a brilliant woman.
"I'm fine," Eliza said.
Like a flaming inferno, Galatea punched into Supergirl's chest and sent her crashing down to the ground. The Girl of Steel crumpled like a piece of paper. Galatea lifted up Supergirl and heaved her into the side of the building, knocking the wind of of the Kryptonian survivor.
"Look, I know that you're…."
"You're weak, and you're not a true Kryptonian," Galatea said.
"More than you, given about half of yours comes from a human woman," Supergirl said.
Kara said this, not because of any superiority complex over humans, but the fact that the golden-haired heroine knew that it would trigger Galatea. Galatea gave a howl and launched Supergirl off into the side of a nearby building. Supergirl put the breaks on.
"Warren's using you as a tool!" Supergirl yelled. "He's using you as a puppet."
"LIES!" Galatea yelled when blasting heat vision out.
Supergirl fired back, and the two heat beams crossed together in mid-air.
The two surrounded each other in the air, with Galatea's heat vision overpowering Supergirl's and smashing her directly into the side of the building. Supergirl sucked out several deep breaths, with Galatea whipping around the Girl of Steel by her cape, with thunderous explosions.
"Not finished with you yet," Supergirl managed. "Come on."
"Oh, you don't get it now, do you little girl?" Galatea asked.
Wonder Woman came up and secured Galatea around the neck. The two struggled with Galatea bouncing off of the side of the building and then going behind Wonder Woman, to fold the woman's arm behind her back. Wonder Woman wrestled her onto the rooftop.
Supergirl and Wonder Woman landed side by side. Galatea took a deep breath and launched a gale force wind.
Several of the buildings shattered, and glass began flying towards the hapless civilians. Wonder Woman and Supergirl, without even communicating, launched themselves off of the side of the building, in an attempt to protect the civilians.
X-X-X
Alex escorted an unharmed, but shaken up Eliza into the back of the DEO transport van. Eliza needed to regain her bearings, but there was a couple of questions that Eliza just needed to split out.
The doors opened up and Lena Luthor bent over a vial.
"Are you alright, Doctor Danvers?" Lena asked.
"Fine," Eliza said. "Can any of you two tell me what's going on here?"
"She, Galatea, is created from Kara's DNA," Alex said.
"And she's stablized with a sample of my DNA," Lena said.
"So, she's your…."
"Daughter," Lena commented in agreement. "Based off of one of my brother's old projects...given that he wanted to combined his and Kal-El's DNA into some super powered Kryptonian-Human hybrid."
Lena honestly offered no further commentary about Lex's obsession with Kal-El because this was neither the time nor the place.
"She said she needed help," Eliza said. "She's not...she's not trying to take me out of malice. She's trying to reach out to me."
"We don't...we don't know what she's thinking," Alex said.
"I'd like to think I know a plea from one of my daughters when I hear one," Eliza told Alex gently. "Or granddaughter...as the case might be...who was the one behind this…."
"Miles Warren," Lena grimly said. "You've heard of him."
Oh, Eliza's heard of Warren alright, and just the mere mention of some of the rumors surrounding this man made Eliza's skin crawl. Eliza almost rose up to go outside, but Alex stopped her from leaving.
"It's not a good idea, Mom," Alex said. "She's….unstable."
"She's reaching out for help!" Eliza argued. "Alexandra Danvers, don't hold me back…."
"Doctor Danvers, with all due respect, she's not exactly well," Lena said. "We need to...find a way to work with her, to make sure Warren didn't leave something behind."
"She's confused and terrified, and she has a God Complex," Eliza said. "And a sick man like Warren's not doing her any favors, he's feeding in the worst parts."
"You're right, which….we don't know what she might have done if Kara hadn't cut in," Alex said.
Eliza frowned, Alex was not there, she did not see the fear in Galatea's eyes. The fear when Galatea inadvertantly caused harm to Eliza. The fear that Kara had in her eyes when Kara feared losing control, and Eliza remembered trying to assure Kara countless times everyone's going to be okay.
"She's my daughter," Lena said. "I want her safe….Kara does...Alex does...we all do...you're not the only one concerned."
Lena squeezed Eliza's shoulder and Eliza swallowed, understanding everything. Not liking just how helpless she felt, but understanding everything that they did.
"We have a plan," Alex said. "There's one place where Galatea might go...it's a loose end that Warren might want to have tied up...and…just hope this works, for our sake."
"We won't let anything happen to her," Lena said.
X-X-X
After the civilians had been saved, Wonder Woman and Supergirl tracked down Galatea. Just as predicted, Galatea walked down the lab where Lillian Luthor had been taken. Supergirl hoped the inhibitor collar that Gwen fashioned would keep Galatea out of her mind, while Supergirl was able to get an insight.
Galatea busted open the doors leading into the basement with sparks flying everywhere. Wonder Woman bent at her knees about ready to spring in for the attack. Supergirl grabbed the Amazon's hand and gave Diana an imploring stare.
"Wait," Kara whispered.
"Right," Diana said.
Unaware, she was being followed, Galatea traveled down the hallway. The Girl Scout's emotions threatened to ruin Galatea's directive. Oh, how Galatea wanted to strangle Supergirl several times over. Human emotions always caused people to go down the road to ruin and disappoitment.
Galatea stopped and stared at the body of Lillian Luthor, inside of a tank. The readings pointed out to one very obvious thing, and Galatea just frowned even deeper.
"Still a vegetable," Galatea said. "Why take any chances though?"
Galatea disabled the security and opened up the tank. Lillian would die in a matter of moments without the life support, organs inflamed due to Osborn's formula. It did not react too nicely to the woman, and Galatea could not think of a nicer fate to a more wicked woman. Memories spilled into Galatea's mind of cruelty, when Lillian experiemeted on her feral older sisters.
Who had long since been exterminated.
"Why even bother leaving a loose end like you around," Galatea murmured.
Galatea paused, something was up, and Galatea hated it. The eyes of Lillian opened up, looking very alert, and glowing a bright purple color.
"You!" Galatea yelled.
Several cables shot out of tank. Galatea blasted many of them with heat vision.
Just at the last second, Galatea caught Supergirl's uppecut. And then punched Supergirl multiple times in the stomach, whipping her down to the ground.
"You're almost too….."
A stun blast sailed over the side of Galatea's ear. She came face to with with Diana, who withdrew the sword.
"You can't hurt me without hurting your little friend," Galatea said.
"Maybe the collar protects her," Diana said.
Kara grimly nodded at Diana to take the shot. However, the moment of hesitation caused Galatea to disarm Diana of her blade. Said blade clattered down to the ground and Galatea swooped up. Multiple punches blocked with Diana grabbing Galatea.
Galatea found herself struggling against the combined forces of Diana, Indigo, and Supergirl. The plan had been stopped, and Galatea would have to abort it.
The clone rose up into the air. Supergirl followed to yank Galatea back down. They flew through three floors and landed on one of the conference rooms above.
Galatea punched Supergirl through the windows and caused the Girl of Steel to land into the hallway. A curb stomp almost came down to smash Supergirl's face. Supergirl kipped up and punched Galatea several more times in the face.
Wonder Woman came up, with Supergirl making an attempt to pin Galatea down. Indigo joined them, with a glowing crystal.
Before, Indigo could take the plunge, Galatea collapsed down onto the ground. Galatea shook and went into a mad seizure.
"What did…."
"I didn't touch her," Indigo said. "She's going through stage one clone degeneration!"
Kara punched the wall in frustration Diana restrained Kara, pulling her into an embrace from behind.
"We have to save her!" Kara yelled.
"I know, and we...we will," Diana said gently while rubbing the back of Kara's neck to calm her down.
Having a younger sister who tended to get highly emotional under stress, well Diana was glad for that. She calmed down Kara about as well as could be expected.
Despite the collar blocking Galatea's thoughts, and Kara's ability to feel what she felt, Kara did not feel any better just looking at Galatea.
Helpless, absolutely helpless.
To Be Continued.