"The answers are in the numbers." Lena said walking into the DEO control room.
"Have you got any sleep recently?" Kara asked noticing Lena looked tired and less together than normal.
"No. This has been bugging me, but the answer , it turns out, was obvious."
"And is?" Alex prompted.
"Sloane Syndicate." Lena said triumphantly only for both sisters to look lost. Taking a breath she explained. "They have ten geothermal plants in this State alone. But you look at their annual accounts and they don't produce anywhere near enough power."
"So they are deliberately running below capacity? It wouldn't be the first time." Alex said, still not sure where Lena was going. "Or they could just be nearing end of life. You know as well as I do they get a lot less efficient with age."
"True, but the finances don't make sense. The plants they own they purchased over the last two years. Trading power plants isn't that normal and these ones are odd as they were loss making to start with, because as you said they were getting less efficient with time. Yet they paid over the market rate." Lena said. "There was a rumour that they had a patent that would increase efficiency allowing them to turn a profit. However, the power coming out of the plant for the last year has remained low."
"So their idea failed?" Alex asked.
"Or it worked and the power is being used for something else. Geothermal power plants need deep underground networks and they generate power. It is the perfect place to hide a portal or a factory."
"So you think Sloane Syndicate is behind Kai?" Alex asked.
"I think it is possible."
"Why would a big company support gangs?" Supergirl asked.
"Increase crime rates lead to lower property prices, good if you are looking to buy up an area." Alex said. "Or they could be making money off selling drugs." She then looked at Lena and asked. "Do they have any technology companies capable of making the contacts or the AR game."
"They do, but I caveat that with I have found no evidence of their involvement in that."
"There is something else." Harris said as he furiously typed at his workstation.
"What?" Alex asked.
"Have a look at the traffic going into and out of the geothermal plants. In general you'd expect a few trucks for maintenance. But the traffic is through the roof."
"Pull up as much information on Sloane Syndicate as possible." Alex asked. "Let's see if we can get see a way to get someone in there."
"Ma'am. Agent Aptil is here." Rose announced.
"Clear the screens." Alex said, still unsure about whether to trust Aptil. Once there was no information showing she ordered. "Show him through."
"We have a problem." Aptil said as he approached Alex. "Agent Conway is dead."
"How?"
"Killed last night at his apartment. He was shot three times in the head."
"By who?" Alex asked.
"That's where it gets weird or weirder. The killer was Libby Jensen, seventeen. Up until last week she was a stable teenager. But a week ago she disappeared. No sign of her until last night when she killed Conway. So far we can find no connection between her and Conway. Where it gets strange and even more tragic is, she committed suicide straight after killing him by jumping from his apartment balcony. She was wearing these." He said opening a box containing contact lenses. "According to our tech guys they are the same as what Fraser tried giving your daughter. Well fake daughter."
"So the shooter was ordered to kill Conway then ordered to jump?" Alex asked. "Why not just fry the brain?"
"Actually we think the jumping Jensen chose to do. We have CCTV footage of her going to the balcony and jumping. She looked distraught. We can't tell for sure but our guess is the contacts got her to kill Conway and she couldn't cope with what she did and jumped. Conway's autopsy is later today if you want to send someone over. There isn't much of his brain left so I have no idea if it will be possible to tell if he was a meta. But if you have anyone with expertise they are welcome to observe the autopsy."
"I'll send someone over." Alex said.
"What about Jensen?"
"We are talking to her parents. But she had no criminal background, got into no more trouble than a normal teenager and as far as her parents knew didn't even know how to fire a gun." Aptil said. "And there's one more complication. We have been summoned to go in front of the Senate Select Committee."
"I've not received that invite." Alex said.
"I am the invite. Sorry." He said. "But I have a feeling it will be my hide they are after not yours."
"Where and When?"
"The Bureau in an hour. I was told to bring you back with me."
"Give me a few minutes." Alex said walking off.
"You okay?" Kara asked catching up with her..
"The last thing I need right now is committee hearing." Alex complained.
"Want me to come?"
"Not sure that would help." Alex pointed out entering her office and going to her filing cabinet. "And Aptil is right, he is the one who will carry the blame. But I am likely to clash with James."
"I could help with that." Kara pointed out. "I could run interference or play peacemaker."
"You can't be in the hearing, but there is nothing stopping you being at the building entrance. You can grab James before we have a chance to clash after the hearing."
-00-
"James!" Kara said happily before hugging him on the steps of the Bureau building.
"Hey." James said surprised he was getting such a warm welcome. "How are you?"
"I'm good."
"Sorry for not seeing you before. I thought it would be better to stay away." James apologised.
"Why?"
"I didn't think you'd want to see me."
"Why?"
"I'm not exactly popular with your family."
"Are you talking about what Kara said to you?"
"She told you?"
"She did."
"I never meant to criticise Alex, but I...after Kelly died I wanted to make up for all the times I wasn't there for her. I thought I could do that by being the best uncle. But them I started to tell Alex how to raise her kids and we got into an argument and my guilt over flowed and I said things I shouldn't have done. If I had known Kara could hear us I would have never spoken. But's it's not just that. Every time I see Alex we argue."
"She mentioned that." Kara said. "But MJ definitely misses you." Kara added. "I think he thinks there are too many females in his life."
"I miss him too. And Kara and Alex. But I don't want to cause Alex any more stress."
"Have you tried not criticising her?" Kara asked.
"I've tried to apologise to Alex and Kara." James said not really answering the question.
"By actually talking to them?"
"No. I normally end up turning the car round when I approach their house or hanging up the phone. I didn't want to make things worse."
"Well seeing you are in the city why don't you drop by?"
"I'll try." James said as his assistant approached. "Sorry, I have to go."
-00-
"Do we still have jobs?" Vasquez asked as Alex and Supergirl returned to the DEO.
"We do. Aptil took the brunt of their wrath. But we have been ordered to lend more assistance while simultaneously not interfere." Alex said.
"Got to love committees and all the different voices." Vasquez commented.
"So where are we on Sloane Syndicate and the power plants?" Alex asked.
"We've been following the trucks after they leave the power plants." Rose said. "On the face of it, ignoring the sheer number, it looks normal, they all go off to different hubs. Once at those hubs we assume they unload. But we can't see exactly what they are doing. However, the day after the trucks arrive at those hubs, several vehicles leave the hubs and head to different parts of the city." Rose went on displaying various images as they did so.
"Are those ice cream trucks?" Supergirl asked.
"Looks like it."
"They are using ice cream trucks for nefarious purposes?" Supergirl questioned.
"Possibly."
"They have really crossed a line." Supergirl commented.
"That's your line in the sand?" Alex asked.
"That sounded a little judgmental." Supergirl said.
"I was going for a lot judgemental." Alex countered before looking at Rose. "Let's pull one of those ice cream trucks over for an abducted child search and see what they are carrying." She then looked round and said. "But make sure we don't officially find anything. Instead place a bug on board we'll watch them for a bit and see what they do."
"Yes Ma'am."
"And make sure we are the only ones who know what is happening." Alex said.
"Yes Ma'am." Rose repeated as Harris approached Alex.
"Senator Olsen is here." He stated.
"Why?" Alex asked.
"He wants to see you."
"Show him to the briefing room. I'll be there shortly." Alex said.
"Want some backup?" Supergirl asked.
"No, I've got this. Besides weren't you meant to be meeting Alex?"
"Yes."
"Then go."
-00-
"Alex." James greeted.
"James. What are you doing here?"
"I wanted to talk to you. I know you are working and I shouldn't be here, but I didn't want to overstep and say this in front of the kids."
"What?" Alex asked worried.
"It's not bad." James said. "I just didn't want you to feel cornered into saying yes. The thing is I have tickets for the game tonight. I was hoping I could take everyone."
"I can't tonight." Alex said. "I have to work. But I'm sure MJ would love that. I'm a due break, why don't we go back to the house and you can ask the kids."
-00-
"James!" MJ greeted happily when he saw his uncle.
"MJ. Wow you have grown." James replied. "I hear you are an excellent point guard."
"Backup point guard." MJ shrugged.
"Well I have tickets for the Eagles game tonight. Do you want to come with me?"
"Can I?" MJ asked his mother.
"Sure." Alex said.
"I actually have enough tickets for everyone." James said looking at the teenage Kara.
"I can't. I have a report due."
"Okay." James said.
"Seeing it's not a school night why don't we go out for a pizza after the game?" Alex suggested. The comment getting a silent glare from her daughter.
"That sounds great." James smiled.
"I'm sure Kara and Alex would love to come as well." Alex added thinking backup would be a good idea. "Why don't we meet at Luigi's at 10?"
"Sure." James said before looking at MJ and asking. "You ready?"