Ten minutes before somewhere in the harbour area
When they arrived at the meeting point Lena parked the car and reached for the handle.
James said "I can only guess what's going on with you but there's a serious chance this becoming a blood bath because of you coming with me"
"I am used to not being welcome or trusted", Lena replied coldly and left the vehicle.
As they waited next to the car Lena's phone buzzed and the display showed an unknown number. Unsure whether to pick up or not she took the call to James' annoyance.
"Hello Lena", Lillian greeted.
"Mother, what an unexpected surprise … I hope the phone you use wasn't smuggled in an orifice", Lena replied
"Oh Lena, thank you for your concern … however I called to hear how you are"
Lena sensed a trap but couldn't help herself and asked "What do you mean?"
"Well, your reporter friend Kara Danvers was killed… it's so hard to find people you can trust and good employees are really hard to find either… and I heard that the world is one Kryptonian short… even good for your business … will give your media toy lots to publish"
"I appreciate your call but I'm heading to an important appointment"
"I just wanted to check if you are okay. I feel released that you can't be fooled anymore. Don't cry too much for your reporter friend she wasn't worth your trust. When she didn't pretend to be the truth seeking reporter she was flying around self-…"
"You've known … How long have you ", Lena asked in disbelief and anger.
"Quite a while. But I was sure you wouldn't have wanted to hear it from me … and you've been fooled by all your so called friends around…but that's only a side aspect of my call"
Lena's face was frozen and James watched her carefully.
"What's the purpose of your call if not to enjoy me being betrayed by my so called friends?"
"To warn you and to guide you to the right allegiances"
"Is that you behind all of this?" Lena asked
"No, but whoever it is, is coming for us, too. Probably for you too, Lena. Someone is turning our people against us and I haven't heard from Lex … I assume the worst"
"And now you want my help?"
"No, I want you to be careful. It pains me to say but even if your so called friends hide the truth from you I'm pretty sure they're your best chance to stay safe… enemy of your enemy…what's going on here…I love you Lena…" the call ended abruptly with the sound of turmoil and the phone hitting the ground. The last thing Lena heard before the line was disconnected was Lillian's scream.
Brainy needed twenty seconds to come over his shock but then he began tipping. Now he set the facial recognition program for the Harrow brothers and redefined his research for suspicious financial transactions. It didn't take him long to find the link to Sinclair however he got stressed when saw that there was a pattern, Sinclair hadn't been the only one.
"Alex, I've got news. Sinclair hasn't been acting alone", Brainy immediately said as he answered the phone.
"You got proof? But we have to leave it till later. Sinclair was captured by a bunch of aliens who want to beat the truth out of him on a live stream while being interviewed by James", she informed him "You need to a send a strike team immediately and try to find a way to give us a visual", Alex ordered.
"I'll do. You should know that his sponsors are from the future … and they managed to kill Lex and Lilian in prison", he added after reading a news popping of on his screen.
"Are you kidding me? You bring a Luthor here? What do you want congratulating your pal here?" Blue shouted at James and then Lena.
"He is not my pal. He attacked my employees, killed Supergirl and one of my friends. … I wanna now why and look him in the eyes", Lena replied coldly.
"Lena?" Sinclair asked "You are still siding with them?"
"I'm here to ask why you attacked my employees"
"I had protected my own business. Your employees, Supergirl and the Martian – or do they work for you as well? – walked uninvited into my factory and so the security system went off"
"What kind of security system blows the whole building up?" she asked angrily and tried to stare him down.
"Has your family not taught you to think big?" he asked
"You are not defending yourself?" Blue asked ticked "What about your slaves that would have burned to death in there after the explosion"
"It was a necessary precaution. Protecting business secrets … Maybe CatCo will pay for the damage as they broke into my building?"
"What is your business?" James tried to cool the air and come into interview mode.
"I thought you'd known by now – good looking affordable clothes and technically advanced weapons"
"Produced by alien slaves", Blue cut in.
"I saw them more as interns", Sinclair said.
Blue was about to lose his temper "Big fun, isn't it?" and hit him in the face. Sinclair smiled and was about to make a remark when a voice behind them said
"Glad to see you've found our suspect", Alex said as she appeared on the display.
"And who are you to crash our interview?" Blue asked furious.
"I'm in charge of a federal agency who is investigating this crime"
"So you gonna slap his fingers for enslaving and killing aliens"
"He will go down for everything he did but he isn't smart enough for planning this", Alex explained.
"Of course I am", Sinclair protested.
"No you don't", Lena said "Your sister was creative and skilled. You are only average"
"You were beyond broke after you sister had vanished. You had a sponsor" Alex said "Someone who knew your secret wishes"
"Being a rich business man and taking revenge on the people you blamed for your sister's disappearance" Lena finished
"Now you sound like a Luthor" he tried to distract them but his face showed that they got to the truth.
"If I was a real Luthor I would shot you right here for killing Lilian and Lex", Lena replied coldly.
"What?" he paled.
"Comm'on. You did order that, didn't you, great genius?", she asked.
"No Lena. I'm sorry … that wasn't me. … They said they would change some things in the business world but… look you're right they brought me back in the game. … It was part of my contract to have this facility stocked with kryptonite and to lure Supergirl there to have her out of the way. … Killing Kara Danvers in the process was the cherry on the cake", he replied.
Blue offered a baseball bat to Lena and said "Do you want to start for your family and friends?"
"No. Like I said he hasn't got the smarts for that. But my friends" she swung the bat but aimed above his head "wouldn't want me to do this either … as tempting as it is"
"I'm not so sure about my friends", Blue said and took the bat out of her hands.
"Stop! Give him to my agents. If you kill him, we will never learn who was behind this", Alex reasoned with Blue.
"You believe his lies?" Blue shook his head.
"I haven't said that. … But there is evidence that he didn't do it alone… Maybe he wasn't the mastermind behind this. But I want everybody who is responsible for this. …My friend J'onn was severely hurt in this warehouse …Supergirl was killed in this horrible place … my little sister lost her life in there …by this fire … by this malicious trap. You can't imagine my will to find everyone who has been involved in this and to make them pay"
"Then you can't be sorry for him!" Blue shouted furious.
"No, I'm not. But dead he is not of any use. And people like Children of liberty will see you as murderous aliens"
"He and his goons held us like slaves and didn't care if we lived or died there … why should I care about them?"
"You have to care about yourself. You won't find relief in killing him", she paused.
"I've seen you run back in this terrible place … you came back there to help rescue Supergirl"
"But it didn't do any good, did it?" he replied and shook his head.
"Yes it did. She had the chance to make her peace … to say goodbye… to be not alone … when…" Alex trailed off but got herself together "It was so brave of you … and even if she couldn't be saved …that doesn't change a thing about your good intention. Stick to that. Help us, help me to catch this people… who did this to your friends, to my sister … to Supergirl please"
Blue held in. His face showed a glimpse of recognition of Alex' little slip.
"We are really short on heroes at the moment. You can be one. Hand him in and help us", Alex reasoned with him.
The alien didn't move. His friends looked at him.
"I don't want to be a hero", he stammered "but everyone responsible should pay"
"That is all what I want, too", Alex responded.
He made a movement towards his friends to leave. They watched him.
"My friends are leaving before your agents enter. I will hand him over and go on your nerves till everybody is found. If I disappear or have a strange accident they won't be as peaceful as today"
"Sounds like a deal", Alex said.
When the aliens had left Sinclair smiled at Alex and said "You know that you can't use any of that in court as I was forced to say it"
"The evidence that we've gained is enough to remain you in custody", Alex said coolly and watched him being taken away by the DEO-agents. She turned away, led her breath out and closed her eyes.
"You did great honey", her mother said and touched her by the shoulder.
"I learned from the best. Kara knew how to get people do the right thing … besides I want them all go down for this", Alex said. "I hope I don't forget it when I face him"
A/N: Well, now the end is clearly near. Most of the last chapter is written and I'm working on adding a little bit more hope. When I'm finished I change the description as I was not able to write it that short and dark as I had planned. Could it be called grey in the end?