Five Years Ago...
At the DEO, Hank barked out orders quickly. "I want birds in the air now," he ordered.
"Ready to go, Sir," Alex said eagerly.
"You're staying here," Hank told her.
"Why?" Alex demanded.
"You're not ready for this kind of threat. Monitor the situation from here," Hank ordered.
Hank and his men then got into five helicopters and took off towards Doomsday. The first helicopter hovered around the Metropolis Memorial observing Superman getting his ass kicked by Doomsday. Grabbing him by his boots, Doomsday threw Superman through his own statue and into the Catco building. Doomsday then leaped up tearing through the DEO helicopter killing all aboard in an explosion and landed on the Lex Corp tower.
"What the hell is it?" President Obama asked Hank via radio.
"I don't know," Hank admitted.
The four remaining helicopters aimed their weapons at Doomsday as he stood on Lex Corp tower. "Let him have it!" Hank ordered.
The four Apache helicopters open fired on Doomsday firing 30mm machine guns. They then switched to missiles blasting the Lex Corp tower's antenna. Doomsday roared in irritation and threw a piece of debris from the tower at a helicopter with enough force to cause it to explode in the air. The three surviving helicopters fired missiles and machine-gun fire continuously on Doomsday. Hank watched as the creature seemed to absorb the kinetic energy of his weapons fire. Doomsday let loose an energy discharge that blasted off the tallest floor of Lex Corp tower and damaged several surrounding buildings.
"Well...shit," Hank realized as his helicopters were incinerated in the blast. A smoking Hank fell towards the ground and then phased through the pavement.
Alex stared at the main DEO screen stunned. Their five helicopters and two dozen men were all dead within a few minutes. She realized with the grim reality that she could have been on one of those helicopters. Superman then suddenly hit Doomsday taking him off the tower and into the upper atmosphere.
"It looks like Superman is taking it into space," Alex reported looking at a screen.
"We can go straight to Key Red, Mr. President," Gen. Sam Lane said.
"That's crazy as fuck," Alex objected.
"They're high enough that we will have zero casualties," Gen. Lane argued.
"One casualty, Mr. President, Superman," Alex pointed out.
"Let me clear...don't get it twisted...I want you to nuke the bastard," President Obama ordered.
A singular nuke went straight for Superman and Doomsday as they fought in the air. "What the...?" Superman wondered as they both got hit. The nuke ignited the upper atmosphere creating a giant fireball above Metropolis. Cat and Winn looked out the window in wonder at the glowing clouds. Doomsday then came back down like a meteorite impacting on Strikers Island.
"Projectile one has landed on Strikers Island, Mr. President," Alex reported. "It's uninhabited. Projectile two...no...apparent reentry."
"Projectile two?" President Obama asked.
"Superman," Alex said somberly.
A pissed-off Doomsday only became stronger from the blast shedding its skin and erupting sharp horns all over its body. It then let loose an energy pulse that leveled the island and sending an energy beam into space. The Batwing swooped in and fired its machine guns at Doomsday to lure it away from the island. Doomsday fired heat vision at Batman nearly taking it out. Doomsday then leaped towards Gotham after the Batwing. Instead of picking up his Kryptonite spear and then going back to Strikers Island, Batman made the questionable decision to bring Doomsday to Gotham.
Doomsday fired on the Batwing blasting off its wings and forcing a crash landing. Doomsday then landed near the docks and fired point-blank at Batman. "Oh, shit," he realized.
Wonder Woman dropped in just in time absorbing the blast with her wristguards. Diana then fired back at Doomsday forcing him back a few steps. Superman, healed by solar rays in space, hit Doomsday at supersonic speed erupting several large oil drums creating a massive gas explosion.
"Why did you bring him back to the city?" Diana asked Batman.
"The port has been abandoned. There's a weapon here that can kill it," Batman replied.
"Why not take the spear to Strikers Island?" Superman asked as he landed.
"This place is a lot cooler," Batman replied.
"You're risking millions of lives," Diana chided.
"In truth, I actually hate this city. I hope this thing burns it down," Batman said honestly.
"Did you at least find the spear?" Superman asked annoyed.
"I've been busy," Batman said defensively.
"This thing, this creature seems to feed on energy," Diana realized.
"Yeah, probably nuking it wasn't such a good idea," Superman said dryly. "This thing is from another world, my world."
"I've killed things from other worlds before," Diana said fiercely as she took out her sword.
"Well, okay then," Superman allowed. "She with you?" he asked Batman.
"I thought she was with you," Batman replied.
"Dick, you say that after we went to a party and a museum together and traded information," Diana said offended.
"I'm just trying to protect my secret identity," Batman excused.
"I already know he's Bruce Wayne," Superman said.
"But she doesn't know that," Batman pointed out.
"I got this, boys," Diana said ready to strike.
Doomsday let off an energy discharge that overwhelmed all three of them. Batman barely got cover before he was incinerated. Diana and Superman were dragged back as the energy discharge blasted apart the old buildings around them. Diana's shield was red hot from the intensity of the blast. Superman and Diana went for a coordinated attack on Doomsday with Diana going for his legs while Superman went for his chest and head. Doomsday managed to fend off their physical attacks with ease. Doomsday and Superman fired heat vision against each other. After a brief struggle, Doomsday blasted Superman back.
Superman then noticed Lois was in trouble and took off. Batman and Diana scrambled around just trying to survive as Doomsday tried to take them both out. Working together, Lois and Superman got Batman's Kryptonite spear. Diana managed to cut off Doomsday arm only to get blasted back with heat vision. Doomsday extended a horn blade from the stump that was his arm.
"I love you," Superman said to Lois realizing death could be a real possibility.
"No, Clark, you can't," Lois told him.
"This is my world. You are my world," Superman told her.
He took up the Kryptonite spear and flew straight at Doomsday. As Doomsday was ready to let loose another energy discharge, Diana placed her lasso around his arms pinning them to his sides. A Kryptonite grenade from Batman suddenly exploded in Doomsday face further weakening it. Superman then slammed the Kryptonite spear into Doomsday chest. Pissed-off, Doomsday got out of Diana's lasso and sliced through Superman's chest with his bladed arm. Superman's heart was sliced through by the blade and immediately he went unconscious. Doomsday took the Kryptonite spear out of its chest and threw it into the bay. It then whipped Superman off its bladed arm in annoyance. Superman landed on the ground dead.
"Well...shit," Batman realized.
A blond-haired woman wearing an all-black outfit suddenly landed next to Superman's body. Doomsday roared at her pushing Kara's hair back. Kara cocked her right arm back and then punched a basketball-sized hole in its gut. Doomsday took a few steps away from her devastated by the hit.
"What in Zeus' name?" Diana wondered.
Doomsday powered up to its maximum power-level and fired heat vision at her. Kara met the beam with her own heat vision. Kara quickly overpowered Doomsday and incinerated it on the spot. Kara then turned back to Superman's body.
"I was sent here to protect you. I've failed you, Kal-El," Kara said wiping away a tear. "Why did you have to be weak as fuck?"
Dead Superman had no reply to her burn. "Don't worry. I'll make sure you get credit for the kill," Kara assured him.
Kara sighed. "Who knows? Maybe they'll find a convoluted way to bring you back."
Kara then walked past a spooked Diana and Batman. "Don't let this happen again," she told them and then disappeared in a flash.
Kara sped inside the Kryptonian ship and found Lex at a control panel communing with a demonic-looking being known as Steppenwolf, an exiled general of Darkseid. Kara fired on the control panel ending the transmission. Lex stepped back from it as it exploded. Steppenwolf's hologram faded to nothing.
"Kara Zor-El, the prodigal daughter returns to save the Earth. I take it Doomsday is destroyed," Lex assumed.
"You killed my cousin and a lot of good men," Kara said angrily.
"Why so blue, Kara? You won my little game," Lex said bitterly. "Or have you?"
"What have you done?" Kara demanded.
"I just sent a signal to the other side of the galaxy to a being called Darkseid. You might have heard of him. There's so much about the universe that you decided not to tell me about," Lex said.
"You sent a request that he come here? Are you out of your fucking mind?" Kara asked incredulously.
"You are the strongest being in the universe by far. We can't go to them, so we'll bring them to us. And when they do, you, Kara, will defeat them bringing peace to the galaxy and ending Darkseid's reign of terror," Lex said enthusiastically.
"Thousands could die in the crossfire," Kara said to him.
"Try millions," Lex corrected. "But it's a small price to pay for galactic peace, no?"
"How does killing my cousin fit into this plan?" Kara asked, furious with him.
"We don't need those other heroes, these gods. All that is needed is the two of us. We can't let these weak but popular heroes take credit for our work, can we?" Lex asked rhetorically.
"I never cared about taking credit," Kara told him.
"I know, but I do," Lex smiled.
"They're going to put you in a cell," Kara told him.
"Then you have a decision to make, Kara. You can either join me or let me be captured. You need me, Kara. A house divided cannot stand," Lex said to her.
"We were never a house. You saw to that," Kara glared at him. "We could have been the greatest power-couple this world had ever seen. We could have done great things together but you threw me away. And for what? Was it xenophobia, jealousy, pride? What was so damn important that it was worth more than me?" Kara asked him tearfully.
"Kara...I," Lex said flustered.
"Why did you go after my cousin? Was it because you knew you couldn't defeat me? Was it because deep down you really do love me? Tell me why," Kara demanded of him.
"Superman was a symbol and you're not," Lex replied coldly. "No one knows who you are. There would be no glory in killing you."
Kara closed her eyes as tears freely flowed. "What the fuck happened to you, Lex?" Kara asked him as she put her hands around his neck.
"You won't kill me, Kara. I'm not like the others, am I?" Lex antagonized.
Kara tightened her grip on him. "I never wanted your money, your power, or your fame. I just wanted your love but I see none in your eyes."
"Kill me then," Lex said to her.
Kara heard a faint noise as DEO personnel entered the ship looking for Lex. "I will always remember the man you once were, not this monster you have become."
Kara then turned away from him and then disappeared as she sped away. "I am a man! You...you are the monster, Kara!" he shouted after her.
A few minutes later, DEO troops surrounded Lex putting their lasers on his chest. Alex came up to Lex and slapped handcuffs on him. "Long time no see, asshole," Alex said to him.
"Don't worry. I won't tell them your secret," Lex smirked at her.
"After a few days in jail, you won't remember much of anything," Alex threatened him. "Let's go," she said taking him away.
Present Day
Lena casually walked over to a medical helicopter. Peering inside, she found her brother, Lex Luthor, strapped down on a medical stretcher with a ventilator on his mouth. He was bald, without facial hair, and dangerously thin. "Holy shit. You weren't kidding," Lena said shocked. "Bring him inside," she said to the medical professionals.
Inside the mansion, Lex was handcuffed to a wheelchair as he was given an IV. "They call this a mercy furlough," Lex muttered.
"Thank you, officer. That will be all," Lena shooed them away.
"They never let me out of their sight. Like I would run away like a dog without his leash. But why would I run? I'm innocent," Lex said.
"Yeah, bullshit," Lena shook her head.
"Maybe I would run," Lex considered looking around. "But I can't. I'm too sick."
Lena injected Lex with medicine. "I'm dying, sis," Lex said pathetically.
"I know," Lena said unconcernedly.
"That's it...you know? I expected more emotion," Lex chided.
"You've said the same thing at the beginning and end of every phone call for the last six weeks," Lena reminded him.
"It's not your fault, it's the director," Lex allowed.
"Fuck you, Lex. Some people don't show their emotions so flamboyantly like you," Lena scolded.
"Well...they should!" Lex shouted. "I'm not used to needing help. Being so weak," he said calming himself down.
"Your white-blood-cell count has stabilized. You're not going to die today," Lena told him.
"What the fuck does that have to do with my stroke?" Lex wondered. "Finish the Harun-El serum."
"I'm not going to kill you, Lex," Lena said to him.
"Yes," Lex nodded.
"But I don't have to save you. During this medical furlough, I am going to make you my guinea pig. I'm going to watch as you suffer all in the name of science," Lena said to him.
"Now we're talking, sis," Lex smiled impressed.
Eve then interrupted the conversation. "What is it, Eve?" Lena asked.
"It's James. He's getting worse," Eve told her.
Lena went to her own family-owned hospital. Mara, Brainiac 5, and Nia were already there. "What's going on?" Lena asked Mara.
"He appears to be going into shock from the bullet lodged in his spine," Mara said.
"I'm going to go see him," Lena said walking past them.
Mara turned to Brainiac 5 once she was gone. "You're gambling with his life to force Lena to use the Harun-El."
"I am a betting man, after all," Brainiac 5 reminded her.
"That's terrible. You're all terrible people," Nia chided.
"We're heroes, Nia," Mara corrected her. "If he goes into cardiac arrest, you fix him immediately," Mara ordered Brainiac 5.
"As you wish, my dear," Brainiac 5 said kissing Mara's hand.
Hank then entered the building and joined the group. "This has to be Manchester Black."
"I know. I was there," Mara recalled.
"Good thing he's dead, courtesy of Supergirl," Hank smiled.
"I thought Supergirl didn't kill," Nia said confused.
"It's complicated," Mara told her.
"You killed him while impersonating Supergirl. That's why I dreamed you with Black," Nia realized.
"You're one smart cookie," Hank said condescendingly.
"Supergirl is going to be so pissed. She may even beat you up," Nia warned him.
"Nah, more like chewed out. I've been chewed out before," Hank said dismissively while looking at Mara. "James is going to need his friends with him to get through this. So, with that said, I'm leaving," Hank said walking off.
"Such an asshole," Nia shook her head dismayed.
Col. Haley entered Alex's hospital room. Alex was sitting up staring off into space. The left side of her face was still burned and half her hair was gone. The burn was healing slowly. "How are you feeling today?" Col. Haley asked.
"Like shit," Alex replied. "But at least I can drink like normal again," Alex said drinking water through a straw.
"I'm sorry about Maggie Sawyer. I know you two were close," Col. Haley said sincerely.
Alex eyed Col. Haley with her good eye. "This isn't the time to be sorry. We should round up every alien that helped Black."
"We're working on that right now," Col. Haley assured her.
"These aliens come here asking for asylum form their shit-hole planets. And then they ally with Black killing scores of human lives. They must pay for their betrayal," Alex glared angrily.
"They will," Col. Haley agreed.
"Supergirl could have stopped Black at any time. I won't invite her back to the DEO ever again," Alex promised.
"It was Supergirl that killed Black," Col. Haley informed her.
"Bullshit. It must have been Hank. He can take anyone's appearance," Alex said skeptically.
"We'll look into it," Col. Haley said gently. "Get some rest, director." Once she was out of sight of Alex, Col. Haley morphed into Hank.
Lena went back to the mansion and found Lex staring at his mother's portrait. "Do you ever notice that her eyes seem to follow you everywhere?" Lex asked.
"Lex, it's worse than I thought. If we don't help James, he's going to die," Lena said to him.
"You mean Jimmy? I thought my men shot him in the head," Lex recalled.
"He got better," Lena told him.
"Did you ever tell mother you were dating a black man? How controversial," Lex mocked.
"What is this? The 70s?" Lena rolled her eyes.
"You want me to help you save the best friend of my sworn enemy?" Lex asked incredulously.
"If I fix the Harun-El, I can save you both. It's all or nothing," Lena said to him. "I haven't been able to heal anyone without giving them weird-ass super-powers."
"You trust me?" Lex asked touched.
"Fuck no," Lena replied. "I need you and that's enough."
Nia cried as she sat in the visitor's lounge. "My dreams are failing me," she said to Brainiac 5.
"Yes," Brainiac 5 agreed.
"What good is it being a hero if I cannot protect the people I love?" Nia wondered.
"You love James?" Brainiac 5 asked curiously.
"Not all love is sexual, Barney," she glared at him.
Brainiac 5 took a knee in front of her. "Wipe away those tears, Nia. Boys don't cry, remember?"
"Fuck you, Barney," she said trying not to laugh at his insensitivity.
"There it is," Brainiac 5 pointed out.
"You're trying to end my sadness by pissing me off? You are quite the psychological manipulator," Nia said impressed.
"Yes," Brainiac 5 agreed.
"Thanks, Barney," Nia said appreciatively.
"Backlash always follows political movements of this nature. During the Civil Rights march, White Southerners burned down churches with people inside, police used dogs on unarmed civilians, and people were hung from trees for no good reason. During the Gay Right's movement, a baker refused to make a gay couple a cake," Brainiac 5 pointed out.
"I don't think...those two are equivalent," Nia said to him.
"If you say so," Brainiac 5 said doubtfully.
"What's your point?" Nia wondered.
"There is no point," Brainiac 5 replied.
A doctor approached Brainiac 5 and Nia. "We removed a shit-load of shrapnel from his spine, but I have never seen a bullet cause this much damage. We've placed him in a medically induced coma. They're going to be some tough decisions to make. Who is next of kin?" the doctor asked.
"Kelly Olsen," Brainiac 5 answered. "And here she is."
"I would like to see James right away," Kelly said to the doctor.
"Right this way," the doctor said leading her away.
At the mansion, Lex looked over the Harun-El with a magnifying glass. "Truly remarkable," he said.
"We started with mice," Lena said.
"Sure, it's like you're running a lab out of a Wikipedia handbook," Lex criticized.
"Are you going to talk shit the whole time?" Lena asked impatiently.
"This is how we've worked together ever since we were kids," Lex reminded her.
"Maybe that was the problem," Lena smiled condescendingly.
"I'm brilliant and a genius. You are defiant. You always needed someone to defy," Lex told her.
"Wait, are you taking credit for my success?" Lena asked offended.
"Yeah," Lex said nonchalantly. He then began to cough uncontrollably and spat out blood. "Oh, that's not good."
"Can you get me some water," Lena called to the officer on guard.
The officer brought her a glass and then let it slip on the floor breaking. "Oops," he said and then walked off.
"How dare you? You know how important I am? This is expensive wood flooring," Lena said outraged.
"You tell him, sis," Lex chimed in.
"Shut the fuck up," Lena said angrily at him. "I made this shit. Not you."
"Actually, it was handed to you on a silver platter by Supergirl's friends," Lex corrected. "Let's get back to work, shall we?"
The next morning, Lena got off the phone with the hospital. "Just because his sister showed up, doesn't mean I can't have full access to him. I don't care that we're not legally married. I own the hospital. I own the building. I own you," Lena said to the doctor.
Eve then walked up to Lena. "I know you want to save your dying brother no matter what, and I know how much you love James Olsen."
"Yeah," Lena said wondering if there was a point.
"We should give Lex full access to your research," Eve suggested.
"Thanks, Eve. I will," Lena assured her.
Lena went inside and found Lex drooling blood on her wood floors. "My floors," Lena said shocked.
"I know, right," the police guard smirked.
"He knows not what he does. He's on a government salary, after all," Lex joked.
"Give me the keys," Lena demanded of the officer.
"Err...no," he replied.
"Well...shit," Lena realized.
Kelly entered Jame's medical room and found Alex in bed nearby. "You, too," Kelly said shocked.
"I'm sorry. Have we met?" Alex wondered.
"I'm Kelly. James' sister," she introduced.
"Funny, he never mentioned you one...single...time in three years," Alex remarked.
"I'm kind of the black sheep of the family," Kelly admitted. "I figured your sister would be here."
"What sister?" Alex asked confused.
"Kara Danvers, your adopted sister who worked with James at Catco for three years," Kelly said obviously.
"I've never had a sister. I never met Kara Danvers. Just heard of her. She's missing like hundreds of others from the Metropolis battle with Reign," Alex said.
Kelly gave Alex an odd look. "Well, okay then."
James started seizing up, ending their awkward conversation. Doctors rushed in to stabilize him. Moments later, the doctor talked with Kelly.
"Your brother is bleeding internally. Surgery poses a great risk to his spinal cord, but if we don't operate, he'll continue to bleed out," the doctor said.
"He might die?" Kelly asked stunned.
"Correct," the doctor confirmed.
"Yeah, let's do the surgery," Kelly agreed.
"We'll prep him, right away," the doctor told her. "However, I must say, Lena could heal him completely using the Harun-El."
"The what now?" Kelly wondered.
"It's a miracle rock that heals people. It's complicated. Basically, it will save his life and allow him to walk again," the doctor said.
"Why does this sound too good to be true?" Kelly asked suspiciously.
"It will also give him superpowers," the doctor added.
"Nice. Let's do it," Kelly said eagerly.
"You have to convince Lena Luthor to allow us to use it," the doctor said.
"Are there any risks?" Kelly asked.
"Absolutely. The Harun-El could kill him or turn him into a zombie," the doctor told her. "We can operate on his back to save his life and then you can decide to use the Harun-El on him."
"Alright then," Kelly agreed.
At the mansion, Lena and Lex were playing around with a human heart. "Injecting now," Lena said as a machine injected Harun-El into the living heart.
"Pull back a tad," Lex advised.
"We did that the last time, and it didn't work," Lena objected.
"You pulled back a touch that last time," Lex pointed out.
"What the fuck is the difference?" Lena asked him and then randomly pulled back the injection.
"We've almost got it!" both of them said at once as the heart's tumors began to disappear.
"Jinx," Lex smiled immaturely.
At the hospital, Alex called up her mother. "Yeah, I'm still recovering," Alex told her.
"I'm so sorry about what happened to Maggie. When I heard you guys were back together, I was so happy for you two. It's been a real roller coaster ride for me," Eliza said.
"Yeah, me too," Alex shook her head dismayed.
"So, what's up?" Eliza asked.
"Did I ever have an adopted sister?" Alex asked.
"You were our only child," Eliza dodged.
"So, Kara Danvers was never my adopted sister?" Alex pressed.
"Kara was the adopted sister of your uncle, remember?" Eliza lied. "How's Carol by the way?"
"She's fine," Alex replied vaguely. "I have no memory of her, but she worked at Catco and was friends with James."
"There are many people that work at Catco and our friends of James that you don't know," Eliza pointed out.
"Like James' sister," Alex considered.
"Yeah, sure," Eliza agreed.
"Thanks, mom," Alex said hanging up.
At the mansion, Lex followed Lena around in his wheelchair. "We are so close. It's ninety-nine percent non-lethal now," she said.
"Well, I am one hundred percent with cancer," Lex pointed out.
"Doesn't matter now. James is in surgery," Lena said tearfully.
"It kind of matters to me," Lex reminded her.
"I can't lose him," Lena said to him.
"Before you came to us, I had this dog named Ignatius. We had to put him down," Lex recalled.
There was a long awkward pause between them. "Are you...comparing my boyfriend and love of my life to your dog?" Lena wondered incredulously.
"My point is that I wanted to be there for the procedure when he was put down," Lex said.
"You sick fuck," Lena observed.
"But...mother insisted I go on a business trip with father. She thought I was being too sentimental. On this particular trip, father brought a young woman with him. She went wherever he went. I even saw them coupling," Lex told her.
"Is there a point to this story?" Lena wondered.
"I wanted to hate this woman for taking father away, for taking me away from my soon-to-be-dead dog. But then...I saw your conception...and it was beautiful," Lex recalled.
"What the fuck?" Lena mouthed.
"When they put Ignatius down, she comforted me. She sang me this sweet Irish lullaby. By the end of the trip, I wished she was my mother," Lex sad heartfelt.
"This is really weird and uncomfortable for me," Lena said to him.
"I wanted you to know that little detail," Lex said. "Jimmy needs you now."
"It's James," Lena corrected.
"You're doing this...now?" Lex asked amazed.
"Sit tight," Lena said to him as she took off.
Hank was meditating in his office about all the people he had killed and planned to kill in the near future. He then saw Kara come down his stairs. "You're dead. Are you a zombie?" Hank wondered.
"I wish. That would be fucking awesome," Kara smiled.
"What the fuck is this?" Hank wondered.
"Hank, you fucked up. You got me killed by my own daughter, no less. You couldn't have found Selena a little faster?" Kara asked.
"Yeah, man, the fuck's wrong with you?" Mon agreed, joining her.
"It isn't that easy, alright," Hank said to them.
"You know what I think? I think you wanted the kids all to yourself," Kara accused.
"Fuck you, Kara. I did my best. You held back against Reign. You could have slaughtered her a dozen times in a row, and she would have simply resurrected herself," Hank said to her.
"Or...Reign could have released her right before I killed her and then what, asshole?" Kara asked.
"Orbit the planet and reverse time," Hank said obviously.
"You know what? I don't have to take this. I'm in Heaven now, and I've already rescued Mon's ass from the hell he so deserved," Kara said.
"I kicked Satan's ass. I don't know what people are complaining about. Hell is a bitch," Mon said.
"You two in heaven? I call bullshit on that," Hank said skeptically.
"Enjoy your powers while you have them. In the afterlife, they're all gone. There's nothing I can do to help you now," Kara said.
"Like you were such a great help before," Hank rolled his eyes.
"Fuck you, Hank. You know how many brownie points I got when I got to heaven? A shit-load for saving the world. I'm so high in rank, right now," Kara said.
"I'm the one that is high," Hank realized.
"J'onn!" Mara yelled at him.
Hank snapped out of it. "Where am I? Who are you?" he wondered.
"Are you getting high again?" Mara accused.
"I'm no longer at the DEO. I'm a private citizen. I can get high as much as I want now," Hank said defensively.
"Well, okay then," Mara allowed.
"Mara, when will I ever experience peace again?" he asked her as he embraced her.
"You don't want peace, J'onn. Peace is boring," Mara told him.
"You're right, Mara," Hank agreed.
"I need you to kill people I can't," Mara said to him.
"You know, this whole no-killing pledge but allowing your allies to kill thing is bullshit," Hank told her.
"You want to kill everyone, and I don't want to kill anyone. We balance each other out," Mara told him.
"I suppose," Hank agreed.
"You are the Martian Manhunter. Not Martian Man-lover," Mara told him.
"God damn," Hank smiled embracing her and kissing her forehead.
Alex checked herself out of her room and got back into civilian clothes. Her hair was gone on half her scalp, and her face was still discolored. She saw Kelly sitting quietly by herself. "You want some jello?" Alex offered.
"Sure," Kelly said thankfully. "You know, jello is like trauma. You shake it and it wobbles but it keeps its form. You dig too deep, and it never comes back the same way."
"You don't seem too bent out of shape over James. You military, psychiatry?" Alex guessed.
"A psychologist," Kelly nodded. "I have pretty much seen it all," she said sadly. "Plus, this would be the twelfth time I've visited James in the hospital."
"Wow," Alex said softly.
"You know my brother. He's always diving into something dangerous. It's his way of measuring up to his idol, Superman," Kelly said.
"So, how come he never mentioned you one single time?" Alex asked.
"My family and I had a falling out. My parents wanted me to get married to a man, and I didn't," Kelly said.
"You're shitting me?" Alex asked stunned.
"Afraid not. I came out in college and have spent my life counseling LGBT youth," Kelly smiled.
"That's great," Alex said impressed.
"What's wrong?" Kelly asked her, seeing her sad expression.
"I...lost a woman that was very close to me. We were actually engaged, then broke it off, gave each other the silent treatment for a year, and then tried again. I thought I would have my happy ending and then Manchester Black and his gang took her from me," Alex said sadly.
Kelly noticed Alex's wounded face. "I'm so sorry."
"It's not your burden," Alex said to her.
"Black shot my brother in the back. We're connected," Kelly said touching Alex's hand.
Mara and Hank interrupted their chat. "Nice to see you healing well," Mara said acting the part.
"You here to get me back to work?" Alex asked annoyed.
"No pressure there. With Col. Haley and you both recovering, I have taken the liberty of cleaning up the DEO and making its floor plan more efficient," Mara said.
Alex walked up to Mara with a cold expression. "You're a consultant. Nothing more."
"Fine. Do it your way, director," Mara replied. "But as long as you remain here, you're not in the DEO."
"I have had enough of your shit, Jade. When I get back, there will be some changes, alright," Alex said and then walked off in a huff.
"So...do you like jello?" Kelly asked Hank willing to share.
"What do I look like? Bill Cosby?" Hank scoffed.
Brainiac 5 went up to a vending machine, placed a fake card in the swipe, and then electronically connected himself to the vending machine hacking it. A snack then fell for him to take. "Are you poor or something?" Nia asked him.
"On the contrary. I'm richer than God," Brainiac 5 replied.
"So...why?" Nia wondered.
"To test their security. I feel this compulsion to crack whatever I come across," Brainiac 5 said and then handed Nia the stolen snack.
"Thanks," Nia said gratefully and then unexpectedly kissed Brainiac 5 on the lips. "I don't know why I did that," she said stunned.
"It's Naltorian breeding season," Brainiac 5 explained.
"Oh my God, this is why I wanted to be a real girl," Nia said freaking out. "The mating impulse has been so intense recently."
"It will only last a month," Brainiac 5 told her.
"I know. I keep telling myself this will be the year I get a full sex-change," Nia said freaking out.
"I should have anticipated this. You're going to need practice before you seal the deal with Alex, so to speak," Brainiac 5 said to her.
"How are you going to do that?" Nia asked skeptically.
Brainiac 5 changed his hologram to a female version of himself. "Like this," she said obviously.
"Oh my God, you're so hawt," Nia said kissing Brainiac 5 furiously.
The lights in the hospital then started to fluctuate and the alarm system went off. "A power surge?" Mara wondered.
Hank sensed someone at the dam. "There's someone there I have never sensed before. If the dam is knocked out, it could threaten the city's power supply."
"Let's go," Mara said taking off with James.
At the same time, James was on the operating table. "Where are the backup generators?" the doctor asked his nurse team as he entered.
"They should come on a few minutes," a nurse told him.
"We can't wait that long. He will bleed out," the doctor said.
Supergirl and Hank arrived at the dam's power generators only to find three Guardians chilling. "I'm sorry, who the fuck are you guys?" Hank asked.
"We're the Guardians," Khan said taking out his blades. Ursus transformed himself into a half-bear/half-man while carrying a Gatling gun.
Mara fired her heat vision on Khan. He deflected her heat vision with his blade blasting a hole in the ceiling and compromising the dam.
"Oops," Khan mocked.
"It will flood the city," Mara realized stunned.
"You take care of the dam. I'll deal with them," Hank said to her.
Mara went outside and used her frost breath on the water to freeze it blocking the water flow. Hank took out a pistol and fired on Khan. With lightning-fast reflexes, Khan deflected the bullets. Ursus fired on Hank with his Gatling gun. Hank dropped underneath the floor before he could be hit.
Hank then came back up and punched Ursus to the floor. Khan then swiped at Hank going right through him. "Stop this madness. You will kill thousands of people," Hank said to them.
Ler wrapped his whip around Hank electrifying him. Ursus got back up and smacked Hank hard to the face. Khan then stabbed Hank through with his blade. Mara dropped back in and blasted the three off of Hank with her aura.
Khan put his blades away on his back and then took out a Kryptonite blade. Khan and Mara then sped around the dam facility faster than the eye could track. Mara had to actually work hard to avoid Khan and his blade. She finally kicked the blade out of his hands. Ursus then slammed Mara into the wall with his shoulder. Mara punched Ursus off of her and fired heat vision at Ler. He uprooted solid rock from the ground to shield himself.
Mara charged up and fired an energy blast from her right palm blasting Ler's rock shield sending Ler to the floor. "She's as tough as Alina said," Ursus said in Russian.
"Oh, I haven't even warmed up," Mara said increasing her power to Super Insane level two.
Ler clasped his hands together and created an earthquake around the dam. The dam started to crack in several places. "I would take care of that," Ler said to Mara in English.
Mara considered the Guardians and then the dam. Taking the injured Hank, Mara flew out of the facility. Dropping Hank a distance away from the river, Mara walked on the river and was suddenly hit with a wall of water as the dam collapsed. The Guardians watched from afar as Mara was overwhelmed.
Mara's eyes turned red as she powered up. "Reign," she summoned.
The wall of water turned into a waterspout as it shot up into the clouds. As the water kept coming in, the waterspout simply went higher. Reign then super-heated the water into steam. "She's just delaying the inevitable," Khan said to the other two.
Ler nodded and then summoned boulders from the surrounding area and tossed them towards the dam. The boulders slammed into the dam plugging the holes. Ler kept the rocks coming sealing the holes completely. Mara then landed back on the water exhausted.
"Let's go," Ler told the other two.
At the L Corp. tower, Lena barged into the operating room. "We're using the Harun-El serum," she informed the doctors.
"That's like...totally illegal," the doctor reminded her.
"I don't give a shit," she told him off.
Lena then took out a large-ass needle and stabbed James in the heart with it. The bullet wound healed immediately and James suddenly woke up.
"We can take it over from here, Miss Luthor," the doctor said to her.
"Sure," Lena said leaving the room.
The doctor then morphed into Brainiac 5. "Thanks, Barney," James said appreciatively.
"Don't mention it," Brainiac 5 smiled.
The next morning, Lena came back to the mansion all pissed-off. Lex was enjoying a nice cup of Joe. "You know, most bad kids burn ants with a magnifying glass but not you. You would build ant hills out of mud and twigs to scale. It would take you hours, sometimes days. And then you would trick the ants into thinking they were going home and orchestrate them walking into an open flame," Lena recalled.
"Good times," Lex smiled amused.
"You're psychotic, Lex," Lena accused.
"Do you always use three-syllable words for anyone you don't truly understand?" Lex mocked.
"I can do it in two: Asshole," Lena said to him.
"What did I do this time?" Lex asked exasperated.
"The power at the hospital didn't go off because of the attack on the dam. You did that. We have back-up generators in place in case something like this should happen," Lena said.
"How did I shut down the hospital's backup generators from here?" Lex wondered.
"You found a way, didn't you? You shut down the power while James was on the operating table to force my hand. To force me to use the Harun-El on him," Lena accused.
"Damn, you figured it out. Good job, sis," Lex said impressed. "Well, mostly anyway. I gave Black the order to have James shot. What he thought was a heroic gesture was actually him being the primary target," Lex said.
"How did you give Black the order?" Lena asked confused.
"Because you're missing the middle man," Lex smiled. "The Russians."
Lena gave Lex a look of horror. "You see, you needed a little nudge. James was that nudge," Lex said.
"James is going to live, and you're going to rot," Lena said angrily. "Take him away," she said to the police guard.
"I'm disappointed in your reaction but not surprised. Which is why I had someone give me the cure ten minutes ago," Lex revealed. Lex snapped the handcuffs off his wheelchair and then shed his hospital gown revealing a nice black suit.
The police guard then became translucent and then reformed back into Alina. "What the fuck?" Lena realized.
Alina extended her hand and forced Lena's body into the wheelchair. She then calmly placed handcuffs on her wrist tying her to the chair.
"Miss Tesschmacher!" Lex yelled for her.
She came in aiming a revolver at Lena. "That's a little unnecessary, Eve," Lex said to her. "Dial it back a little."
"Okay, Lex. Anything for you, baby," Eve said putting the revolver away in her purse.
"Eve? You betrayed me?" Lena gasped.
"Sorry but not sorry," Eve smiled adorably.
"How long?" Lena asked shocked.
"Since the beginning," Eve told her. "Nothing personal."
"It kind of feels personal," Lena objected.
"We should kill her to end all loose ends," Alina said to Lex.
"You kill her and the deal is off," Lex told her.
"Fine," Alina allowed and made Lena go unconscious in the wheelchair. "Let's move."
"Take care of Lena," Lex ordered Eve as he left with Alina.
Alina opened the doors to the mansion and was met with a dozen armed guards. Alina walked calmly through them as they shot at her. The bullets merely went through her. As she walked past each guard, they fell to the ground dead from a stroke. Other guards then rushed in with guns raised. As soon as they got within range, they all fell to the ground dead.
Alina then got into the helicopter and mastered the controls quickly. Lex slowly moved towards the helicopter thinking he was some kind of bad-ass. "Get your ass moving!" Alina yelled at him over the helicopter blades.
Lex then quickly got in and cloaked the mansion. Alina flew the hospital helicopter off the ground towards the city. Alina then noticed Supergirl approaching. "We have trouble," Alina said seriously.
"Supergirl. So, we finally meet," Lex said glaring at her.
Author's Notes: The Lex backstory has been changed to correspond with Batman V Superman. Kara and Lex's past history is detailed in my prequel fic: Midvale. The scene of Lex being captured is based on a deleted scene from Batman V Superman. In case there is any confusion, the vision of Kara and Mon was merely in Hank's head.