-Waverider, Temporal zone-
Two nights later, Ava washed her face and looked at her reflection on the mirror. She almost expected to see Sara behind her, like had happened before.
She sighed and dried with a towel, leaving it on her face longer than necessary, trying to clear her mind.
The lab was closed and no one was allowed in there until further notice. A camera let them monitor the alien's movements in the meantime.
The Legends were working full time in what each of them did best, crossing paths only at the galley or the halls, exchanging just a few words. The atmosphere was dry, cold and uneasy. Ava couldn't help blaming herself for that too. Maybe she was only a good captain when Sara was captain with her.
-Unknown spaceship-
Sara washed her face and looked at her reflection on the mirror. She remembered that time when Ava almost got a heart attack because of her creeping up behind. She let go a sad smile.
She sighed and dried with a towel, leaving it on her face longer than necessary, trying to clear her mind.
Sara hadn't slept more than four hours that night, and not even in a row. She kept waking up, her mind going over and over the same thoughts.
Today was the day. In just a few more hours they would come for her and take her to the Arena.
-Waverider, Temporal Zone-
Gideon announced an incoming call for the captain, from The Tower. Ava ran through the hallway to the bridge indicating the A.I. to accept the call. She tried sitting down, but immediately got up, uncomfortable and nervous.
"Hello Captain" Said Alex and Jonn at the same time.
Ava greeted them with a simple hello, thanked them for calling back and asked if they had any news on Sara's situation.
"I tried locating her telepathically but I couldn't" Jonn says, visibly sad. "There's no trace of her I can follow, I'm sorry."
Ava's expression shows defeat for a second but then she composes herself with her characteristic clearing-throat cough.
"What about the abnormal alien activity you were looking into?" She asked Alex.
Kara appears in the screen behind her sister and the Martian. "Hi! Oh, sorry for the interruption." She wants to say something but decides to let her sister continue. Ava shows her a sad smile.
"Well about that, we did find abnormal alien activity around the time and place you sent us, but the D.E.O. doesn't keep many of the records from then. We are gathering all the information we can so then Jonn and his memory can help us out."
"Thank you." Ava says.
"I promise we'll get to it ASAP" Alex assured her.
Ava nodded, again showing a sad smile. She strokes her own arms as if she is hugging herself.
"How are you all?" Kara asked softly, stepping forward. Jonn stepped out of sight. "I am Kara, by the way, and you must be Ava." She added. "I've heard a lot about you."
Ava smiled, this time it wasn't a sad smile. Sara had told her about the time when the Paragons were stranded in the place without time, where she almost lost hope but Kara would sit near her sometimes and they would share stories about their loved ones. Sara said that Kara knew Ava pretty well now, and thought she was cute.
"We are holding up." She answered.
-Unknown planet-
Noise, steps, noise again, door, no shield activation. Sara knew it was the same person who came bringing her clothes the other day. The only one who didn't bother activating the shield in the cell. Was it because they didn't fear her? Or because they just forgot? She quickly got up from the bed where she was waiting, uncomfortable and nervous.
"Paragon, it's time to go." The alien said. It was the first time she addressed to Sara.
Sara stood there, waiting for guards to walk her out or something, but nobody else came. The alien turned around and started walking out. Sara followed, confused and alert. Didn't they know she was once a trained assassin? Why were they so sure she wasn't going to kill them and escape?
"You need this to walk outside." The alien said handing her a mask. "Wear it until we get to the Arena."
They were in some sort of huge hangar where many other big ships were parked. The air was freezing and Sara held on to her mask more firmly. She was in a strange planet and she liked it when her lungs were able to keep her alive.
It was hard to see anything more than that, just the hangar and the ships… it was frustrating. She felt more and more vulnerable in that place, insecurities bothering like never before.
Five aliens were waiting for her next to an exit. Sara saw them and couldn't stop her instincts. She ran towards them. She fought against them and she knocked them out. After that she turned around to see if somebody else was behind her, but there was only the alien who walked with her, standing still. So Sara turned on her heels and went through the exit.