"Thinking outside the box here, but you two could actually take the session seriously today." Maggie said as the trio had lunch.
"We do." Alex said. "We take unmasking Landon very seriously."
"That's not what I meant." Maggie pointed out before asking. "Are you actually going to make it to the venue viewing appointment this evening?"
"Absolutely." Alex said.
"I'll fly her myself." Kara offered.
"Well, if you don't show up it is kale salad for dinner."
"Do you want me to get you another muffin?" Kara offered her sister believing that Alex would be having salad for dinner.
"No." Alex replied. "Because I will make it."
"Uh-huh." Maggie said standing. "I'll see you later."
"So muffin?" Kara asked once she was gone.
"Let's get one to go, just in case." Alex said.
-00-
As Maggie finished talking to a witness she started to walk back to her car when she heard a strangled cry. Cautiously she approached the alley way and as she came round the corner she saw a man bent over a body.
"Put your hands up slowly." Maggie instructed as she aimed her gun. Seeing a glint she added. "Drop the knife."
As the man turned round she saw the all too familiar face of Landon.
"You have to be kidding me." Maggie said.
-00-
"Alex, Kara, my office." J'onn instructed.
"Does this mean no therapy?" Alex asked hopefully.
"Yes." J'onn said.
"What's going on?"
"I just got a call from NCPD-"
"Is Maggie okay?" Alex asked.
"She's fine." J'onn said. "Although she is connected to what I am about to tell you."
"What's going on?" Alex asked frowning.
"This afternoon Maggie stumbled across a murder. She found someone standing over the body holding a knife. That person was Landon."
"As in the vic or the perp?" Kara asked.
"Landon is the suspect."
"Told you." Alex said.
"He's been arrested and NCPD want to charge him with murder. But he claims his innocence."
"Of course he does. They all do." Alex said. "But why are you telling us?"
"I want you to get to the bottom of this."
"What?"
"He is one of ours and he says he is innocent. So we are going to get to the truth." J'onn said. "Let me know when you have found something."
-00-
"Where do we start?" Kara asked.
"What?" Alex asked distractedly.
"With the investigation."
"Let NCPD handle it." Alex said.
"They think he's guilty." Kara reminded her.
"Works for me."
"Except if he is innocent that means there is still a murderer out there. Do you want to risk them killing again?"
"No." Alex agreed.
"Good. Then let's go."
-00-
"I am so sorry." Alex said as she and her sister entered Kara's apartment where Maggie was waiting with Lena. "It's Landon's fault."
"I'd expect nothing less." Lena commented.
Ignoring Lena Alex looked at Maggie and pointed out. "You were the one who arrested him."
"He was standing over a body with a knife. I had no choice."
"Told you he was guilty." Alex said to Kara.
"What has any of this got to do with you not turning up to the viewing?" Maggie asked.
"I was investigating the case. Which brings me to my next question. Can you share your files?"
"No." Maggie said.
"But-"
"It's not my case." Maggie said. "Homicide took over. Ask them."
"We did. We were hoping you'd be more open." Alex said.
"No."
"So just to get this straight, Landon has been arrested by Maggie and Alex wants to get him off, but Maggie doesn't?" Lena asked amused.
"No. I do not want to get him off. But I want to make sure that he actually committed this crime." Alex said.
"So you don't trust the police to do their job?" Lena asked.
"That's not what I said." Alex countered.
"Then why do you want to investigate?"
"J'onn ordered me to." Alex tried. "And Kara guilted me into it." She explained before looking at Maggie and saying. "But if you don't want to help me that's fine."
"You're not Kara, don't try to pout." Maggie said. "It's out of my hands. I can't help you."
"Fine." Alex said. "I'll do it the normal way."
"What does that mean?" Maggie asked suspiciously.
"Nothing." Alex said.
"Do you think Landon is behind the framing, so he can get you on side, you know win the sympathy vote?" Lena asked.
"How paranoid do you think I am?" Alex questioned.
"Do you want me to answer that?" Lena asked.
"Please can you not put ideas in her head?" Maggie asked.
"Because Landon is already doing that?" Lena questioned.
Ignoring the conversation Alex looked at Kara and said. "Actually this could work."
"What could?" Her sister asked confused.
"J'onn has authorised me, in fact ordered me to investigate this. I can't do that without properly investigating Landon. And seeing the NCPD won't share intel I am going to have to dig up everything. This might be the opportunity I needed. Let's go." She said leaving with Kara.
"So if she is going to start investigating, what exactly has she and Kara been up to until now?" Lena asked.
"Stalking." Maggie suggested.
"And if what they have been doing doesn't count as investigating, what on Earth are they about to do?" Lena asked ignoring Maggie.
-00-
"Alex." J'onn said walking past the lab. "What's all this."
"Information about the case. Like you asked I am going through everything."
"That's good." J'onn said entering the room. "Have you found anything yet?"
"Still early days." Alex said.
"These all seem to be files on Landon not the victim."
"You wanted me to prove it wasn't Landon." Alex said.
"I want you to solve the murder." J'onn corrected taking the file off Alex. "Prove Landon's innocence then work on his guilt."
"You know you can't prove a negative?" Alex said.
"Just work the case." J'onn added walking off.
"Wouldn't it be easier to read his mind?"
"Yes, but NCPD are convinced he did it. Mind reading won't convince them otherwise." J'onn reminded her.
-00-
"How's it going?" Kara asked entering Alex's lab.
"Badly. J'onn took Landon's files away."
"Well I have something and you aren't going to like it."
"What?" Alex asked.
"Look at the photos." Kara said.
"Where did you get these?"
"Winn."
"What am I looking at?" Alex asked.
"Do you see how much blood there is?"
"Well yeah, the guy was stabbed twenty three times."
"Now look at these." Kara said showing the photos of Landon after his arrest. "There's no blood on his clothes. Or skin, apart from his palm where he picked up the knife."
"Doesn't mean he didn't do it." Alex said.
"Now look at this." Kara said pulling up a video. "It is CCTV footage from the traffic lights on 3rd. Right here look at this car." Kara said pointed before zooming in on the driver who had blood all over his face."
"That is Frank Sinclair, he is the husband of Judy Sinclair, who based on credit card receipts has been having an affair with the victim."
"Have you told J'onn?"
"No. I think you should."
"Why?"
"Because things between Maggie and I are good. But seeing she had a thing about me doing cops' jobs for them I don't really want to upset her."
"That wasn't Maggie's issue." Alex said. "But fine I'll hide your involvement. Might as well have Maggie being mad at just one of us."
"Why is she mad at you?"
"More mad at the DEO for taking over the investigation, not respecting boundaries and not following protocol."
"But that wasn't your choice. In fact you were happy to let Landon rot in jail."
"Maggie didn't appreciate that defence." Alex said. "There is another option. Maybe you could go detain the bad guy and we forget to tell NCPD. Then everyone is safe."
"That would be illegal." Kara said.
"So?" Alex said. But as Kara stared at her she added. "Fine, I'll tell J'onn."
"Tell me what?" The DEO director asked walking into the lab.
"Solved it. Landon is innocent of this crime." Alex said unenthusiastically.
"How did you solve it?" J'onn asked.
"Detective work." Alex said as she showed him all the evidence Kara had found.
"Good work you two. I'll let you talk to NCPD." J'onn said leaving.
"You okay?" Kara asked.
"No. I feel sick, or like I need a shower." Alex complained.
-00-
"Danvers come in." The Captain said. As Alex walked in she was immediately aware of very hostile eyes on her.
"Believe me I want to be here doing this less than anyone on the planet." Alex said looking round. "I wish he were guilty more than any one and proving someone else did this pains me."
"What do you have?" The Captain asked.
"Like I said on the phone we have discovered new evidence."
"Planted to protect your guy?" A detective asked.
"No, missed by you guys." Alex said. Earning more glares and a reprimanding cough from Maggie.
"And we are meant to believe that?" A detective asked.
"No, feel free to check. Although that would involve you doing more work than you've done over the last day or so." Alex said getting more glares and another cough from Maggie.
"Everything we have is in there." She said passing the Captain the file.
"You not going to steam roller over there and make the arrest?" Another detective asked.
"No." Alex said. "We thought you'd prefer to do the arrest."
"That's very kind of you." The detective said sarcastically.
"You can either do your job and act on the evidence or eat doughnuts and let it get to court and be laughed out of there for ignoring evidence. I don't care." Alex said leaving, avoiding eye contact with Maggie.
-00-
"Hi Alex, what are you doing here?" Lena asked when she saw Alex outside her front door.
"I need a drink. I tried showering and that didn't work, so I need a drink and you have the best whiskey in the city. Well, the best free to me whiskey in the city."
"Thank you, I think." Lena said letting Alex into her penthouse before heading to the drinks.
"I take it this is not a celebratory drink?" She asked pouring Alex a double.
"No."
"So you proved NCPD were wrong and saved Landon?" Lena asked.
"Also translated as ticked off my fiancé and freed a fraud." Alex said drinking the whiskey.
"Surely Maggie is happy that justice prevailed?"
"Yes, but less happy that the DEO took over the investigation. And even less happy that when I was handing over evidence one of her colleagues ticked me off and I pointed out they hadn't done their job in the first place."
"Wow, when you upset people you really do go all the way." Lena said pouring another glass as she passed it to Alex she asked. "Where's Kara?"
"Playing peacemaker. I hope."
"And Landon?"
"Probably off gloating somewhere."
"On the bright side he owes you."
"Unless he planned all this." Alex said. "It is the second time I've saved his ass."
"Didn't you say- You know never mind." Lena said pouring Alex another drink.
-00-
"Have you seen Alex?" Maggie asked Kara.
"She's drowning her sorrows." Kara explained.
"She caught the guy."
"She caught a bad guy and freed another." Kara corrected.
"There is no proof that Landon is bad."
"There kind of is." Kara said.
"Opinion is not fact." Maggie said.
"I agree. But just because we have not found any concrete proof doesn't mean it doesn't exist."
"Doesn't mean it does either." Maggie pointed out as Kara's phone buzzed.
"Is that Alex?" Maggie asked.
"No, Lena. She's with Alex and wants to know if we want her back."
"Is she holding her hostage?" Maggie questioned.
"No, more like Alex is holding Lena's whiskey hostage. I should go rescue her."
"When you say her, are you referring to Alex, Lena or the whiskey?" Maggie asked.
"I'll be back in a minute." Kara said getting to the window before stopping and asking. "You want to come?"
"I'll take my bike." Maggie said still not keen on flying.
"It'll be quicker if we fly." Kara said picking up Maggie and flying her to Lena's apartment.
-00-
"Hi." Lena said when she saw Maggie and Supergirl land on her balcony.
"Hi." Kara smiled. "Where is she?"
"There." Lena said pointing to the couch moments before Alex's head appeared over the top of it.
"Hey it's Mags and supercop." Alex said, her voice slurred. "You need a badge." She said to Kara before looking at Maggie and saying. "You should get her badge. She wants a badge."
"First we should get you home." Kara said.
"Why?"
"You're drunk." Kara pointed out.
"No I'm not." Alex said.
"At least you have a topic for your next session with Landon, self awareness, well lack of." Lena commented.
"This is your fault." Alex said looking at Kara.
"How is it Kara's fault?" Maggie asked.
"She proved he was innocent." Alex slurred. "Well proved Sinclair was guilty."
"I thought that was you." Maggie said.
"No. Kara. Ohhh, I wasn't meant to say that." Alex said looking at Kara. "Sorry. Actually no I'm not. You shouldn't have to hide what you did. You should be proud."
"Hide from who?" Maggie asked lost.
"You. She didn't want you to be mad at her, neither do I."
"Why would I- let's just get you home." Maggie said.
"But the good whiskey is here." Alex complained.
"All the more reason to get you home." Maggie countered before looking at Kara. "Can you take her? A freezing flight might sober her up."
"Doesn't normally." Kara said before lifting her sister up. "Do you want me to take you too?"
"No." Maggie said quickly. "Worry about Alex, I'll make my own way back."
"I'll have my driver take you." Lena said. Seeing Maggie's reluctance she added. "Unless you want to fly?"
"No."
-00-
"How do you do it?" Alex asked as Kara deposited on the bed.
"Do what?"
"The right thing. It sucks."
"What?" Kara asked confused.
"You always do the right thing, but it sucks."
"Only sometimes." Kara said.
"Like tonight. Should have left him in jail." Alex complained.
"No we shouldn't. He didn't do it."
"Well he did something." Alex added. "Now he is probably enjoying my suffering."
"Well if you sleep you won't suffer."
"Kar?"
"Yes."
"Sorry I told Maggie you solved it." Alex said before passing out, just as Maggie walked into the room.
"Why didn't you want me to know?" Maggie asked causing Kara to turn and face her.
"Because you have a thing about me not doing other people's jobs for them."
"That's not my issue. If cops or anyone do a bad job, pull them up on it. But as Supergirl sometimes you don't let cops even try." Maggie said. "And it's not just that, say you just fly in there, what if you get hurt? I know you think you are invincible, but you're not. When you were missing on that moon place, Alex was … I have never seen her like that. If you aren't okay she's not okay. If you get hurt or worse it will break her. You don't see it because when you are back Alex has pulled herself together, almost. All I am asking is for Alex's sake please be careful."
"I will." Kara said.
"Thank you." Maggie replied. "And Kara, nice work today."
"Thanks." Kara said walking to the door.
"Kara?" Maggie called.
"Yes." Kara said looking back.
"If you want you stay. We could order pizza, watch a movie, actually talk."
"I'd like that." Kara smiled.