"One plain Americano." Alex said putting the coffee in front of Maggie in NooNan's.
"Thanks." Maggie said sounding distracted as Kara and Alex sat at the table.
"What's wrong?" Alex asked when she noticed Maggie frowning. Not getting a response she pressed. "Mags?"
"Sorry what?" Maggie asked.
"What's wrong?" Alex asked.
"Sorry, I'm just struggling with something. You know when you've heard a riddle and you know there is an answer but you can't think of it and then your brain just won't let it go?" Maggie asked.
"Seeing I am not from Gotham, no." Alex said.
"Cute." Maggie replied, clearly not happy with Alex's response.
"What's the riddle?" Alex asked.
"That's part of the problem. I can't fully remember. But it is really bugging me." Maggie said still frowning.
"Well what can you remember?" Kara asked.
"Something to do with having a mouth but not being able to talk, having no ears, but being able to listen." As she spoke Kara picked up her own coffee and drunk it very slowly, making sure to avoid eye contact.
"Easy, invertebrates." Alex said unaware of the true cause.
"What?" Maggie asked confused.
"Invertebrates don't have ears, but they still hear. Spiders and Cockroaches use the hairs on their legs. Caterpillars use the hair on their bodies. But maybe the answer is snake, I mean they have no ears, but can pick up vibrations and probably hear low frequency sounds. But their hiss won't be detectable so isn't for communicating with each other. Or a worm, again they feel vibrations and their mouth is just for eating." Alex listed.
"Hmm, I feel like snake might be the right answer." Maggie said.
"It's not a snake." Kara said suddenly. "Snakes are evil and like Alex said make a sound."
"Do you know what riddle she is talking about?" Alex asked.
"Ummm, no." Kara said.
"Then why do you think it isn't a snake?" Alex asked before guessing what Maggie was talking about and why Kara was so defensive about it. Looking back at Maggie she asked. "When did you first hear this riddle?"
"I don't know. Recently."
"Before your night out with Landon?" Alex asked.
"Seriously? You are suggesting that Landon gave me a riddle to solve so I would go crazy?" Maggie asked.
"Umm, no. But that is actually not a bad suggestion." Alex said. "I just wanted to know when you first heard it so we can figure out what the riddle was."
"Sorry." Maggie said. "I don't know, it was around that night. I don't remember hearing it before, but then again I don't remember hearing it at all."
"So you could have been drunk when you heard that?" Alex asked.
"I don't know. Maybe. But I don't think Landon is behind it."
"Let's not rule anything out." Alex said.
"I can not believe you have turned this into a Landon conspiracy." Maggie complained.
"Technically it was you who brought Landon into this." Kara said.
"You're right." Maggie said before quickly correcting herself. "I mean that's right. I did bring this on myself. At least reflecting on that mistake will take my mind off the riddle. Anyway, I better get back to work. I'll see you later." She said kissing Alex goodbye.
"Do you still want to tell me that Maggie didn't speak to Simon?" Alex asked once Maggie was gone.
"Yes, I do want to tell you that." Kara said, but as Alex stared at her she added. "But I can't."
"When?"
"When she turned up drunk and you went to get coffee. She asked to speak through him so I got him. She passed out shortly afterwards."
"What were you thinking?" Alex asked.
"That Simon could help. And he did. Things are so much better now. Or are you crediting Landon for that?" Kara asked.
"Of course I'm not crediting Landon."
"There you go then." Kara said. "We should go, the session starts soon."
-00-
"Good afternoon." Landon said.
"Hi." Kara said as she and Alex sat down. Before Landon could say anything Alex said.
"So I have a question."
"Sure." Landon said, a feeling of doom washing over him.
"Do you like riddles?"
"I guess." He said feeling that the conversations was not going to go well, but not seeing how it would go wrong.
"Ever set one as part of therapy?" Alex asked.
"Not really."
"Hmm, well what do you think of this one. Having a mouth but not being able to talk, having no ears, but being able to listen."
"A snake?" Landon guessed.
"It's not a snake." Kara said.
"A worm then or a caterpillar?" Landon tried.
"Snake was your first answer though." Alex said. "And it is the first answer that is important like the Rorschach test."
"Excuse me?" Landion asked.
"A question with many possible answers. None of which are wrong or right. The answer you jump to first reveals a lot about your personality. You went straight for snake, showing an insight into your subconscious self. Whereas Kara is adamant it isn't a snake. Refusing to accept it can be anything that evil, showing how kind she is."
"Yes, Carl Jung used word association to reveal internal conflicts and past trauma. But it is not as simple as saying a word and listening to the response. You have to monitor the physical and emotional responses." Landon argued.
"Like heart beat. Interesting that you won't let Kara use her powers in here, hence you stop her monitoring your physical response."
"I'm not the one on trial here." Landon said.
"So you admit that you treat us like prisoners on trial?" Alex asked.
"That's not what I said." Landon replied. "These sessions are about you, not me. If you want to try a word association test, I am happy to do it, but personally I think it will be a waste of time. Jung recognised it doesn't work on people who resist it and don't take it seriously."
"So you should give up on people who don't take therapy seriously?" Alex asked sensing a win.
"I never give up on a patient." Landon said.
"If one of your patients was relentlessly following a lost cause what would you tell them?" Alex asked.
"I'd tell them nothing. I'd explore with them the reasons for their pursuit. Remembering that there are two types of lost causes. Ones that everybody believe are lost causes but yet you manage to prove aren't. For example when Myriad was used. Kara, you flew Fort Rozz into space on a suicide mission, but Alex you refused to give up and rescued her. Then there are the ones that truly are lost causes. For example unrequited love, or supporting a team with no chance of winning. Those in pursuit of the first first are obsessed with achieving a goal. Where as those striving for the second it is as much as the highs you'll experience on the ride as the final goal."
"So you won't criticise following a lost cause?" Alex asked.
"It depends on the reasons."
"Can you really judge those?" Kara asked flexing her new knowledge once more. "I mean take the work by Duckworth. She said geniuses and catastrophic failures share many of the same characteristics, including determination, intense concentration, passion, and a disregard for conventional wisdom. And both are willing to persist when everyone else thinks it's a ridiculously low-probability idea. You telling someone to stop is the same as calling them a crank."
"You are bringing up some excellent points. Which I feel we should discuss." Landon said. "The important thing is to understand what fuels a passion. For example do you know what fuels alcoholics and gamblers? It is self destruction."
"Is there a point to that statement?" Alex asked.
"It is merely an observation. Why? Did you feel it wasn't?" Landon asked.
"I was just wondering if you were trying to reveal something about yourself." Alex asked. "I mean I hear you have been drinking a lot recently. Which is not a good example to set. And while we are talking about bad examples, should we talk about inappropriate social contact with patients? Something I am sure Pam would be interested in hearing about."
"I think Pam has more important things to worry about than what I do off duty."
"We'll see." Alex said.
"Indeed, but until then, lets get back to discussing lost causes." Landon said.
"Yes, you were about to justify why you see yourself as a genius, unless you are admitting to being a catastrophic failure?"
-00-
"So what did you discuss today? Inappropriate social contact? Drinking issues?" Lena asked.
"Yes, but mainly lost causes." Kara said.
"Who was pursuing a lost cause?" Lena asked.
"Landon, in trying to make us take therapy seriously." Alex said.
"Not you for being convinced that Landon is some sort of sinister double agent?" Maggie asked.
"As Kara pointed out, when we are proved right we will be shown to be geniuses. And the non believers the cranks." Alex said.
"Did you just call Maggie a crank?" Lena asked.
"She meant catastrophic failure." Kara said.
"That's not what I meant." Alex said.
"Of course." Lena said, not sounding like she believed her words.
"The good news is Landon feels following lost causes is good. So we'll actually be following Landon's advice while we investigate him and prove he is a double agent."
"How is that good news?" Maggie asked.
"We'll be following your and J'onn's wishes of listening to Landon."
"That's not exactly our wish." Maggie pointed out.
"Seeing your wish for them to take therapy seriously will never come true, just take this as a win." Lena suggested."