Somehow breaking into the pentagon was easier than she expected. Sara was taking the lead, the eighties more likely to be kinder to her than Alex or Kendra.
She forced herself to remain focused on the mission, trying to forget that her mother was walking around somewhere on this Earth.
That she was off saving the world just like her daughter.
They swiped the key off of Leonard without incident and she caught the glance Ray was throwing her way. She shot a soft smile back at him before following Sara and Kendra to the file room.
They were almost free when Kendra decided to go berserk.
Alex sent a swift kick to the chest of the man who was blocking their way forward. A swipe of her fist and a knee to the gut and they should've been home free.
Except Kendra's eyes burned red and her wings expanded.
"Uh, guys." Sara responded over the comms, "We have a problem."
"Kendra!" Alex yelled, grabbing the possessed woman's attention, "Enough!"
The girl soared her way, and Alex caught her foot before it could collide with her face. She twisted, her strength matched by whatever power lay dormant in the half-hawk woman.
Kendra collided to the ground, her anger stirred by the act.
Alex clenched her jaw, ready to meet her adversary again. Unfortunately, she wasn't the target.
Kendra launched herself forward at the guards approaching them. Alex sprinted at an unnatural pace, positioning herself in front of the gathering crowd as a burst of flame spurted out of the now damaged pentagon.
"Kendra, this isn't you!" Alex called. Her words were cut off by the screech that filled her ears. Setting her jaw, Alex pulled up her sleeves and clanged her bracelets together, sending a wave of energy forward, decimating everything in its path and knocking the demi goddess out.
When they got back to the Waverider, Alex braced herself for another lecture.
"Instead of dwelling on what went wrong, let's focus on the positive" Ray spoke up before they got scolded. While she admired his optimism, this was not the time for it.
This time they deserved to be lectured.
"Look, we got the file on Savage," Kendra spoke up, finally recovering from her power trip and Alex's blast.
Martin turned to Jax, his tone disapproving, "despite the problem with the alarm?"
"Oh so now it's my fault?" Jax grew defensive, eager to prove himself to the older scientist.
" You have access to 60 years of knowledge and experience," Stein continued to argue, causing Alex to roll her eyes, "Why not just take advantage of that?"
Jax pressed forward, upset with Stein's new attitude, "Because it's my body on the line out there, not yours."
Sara stepped in to be the mediator and Alex watched the interaction, knowing that she would only make things worse, "Hey, it's not your fault."
The blonde turned toward Kendra, "Everything would have been fine if Big Bird over here hadn't freaked out."
The Egyptian demigoddess scoffed, "Excuse me?"
Sara crossed her arms, "If it wasn't for Alex's magical wave of energy, you would've killed several people."
The two women moved closer to each other, ready to spar at any moment.
"Hey!" Alex called, stepping between the two, "Enough. There is plenty of blame to go around."
"Now, fortunately," Rip finally stepped in to mediate the conversation, "Gideon was able to generate a low-end EMP, which erased all the Pentagon's magnetic media."
Ray crossed his arms, a wary look in his eye, "Like security footage?"
Rip nodded, pressing a few buttons on the main console before facing the rest of the team, "Look, you're just lucky that the Department of Defense likes to keep incidents like this under wraps." He turned toward the front of the ship, "Gideon, any luck with our purloined secret file? Please say yes."
"Yes, Captain." Gideon chimed, her pleasant voice echoing through the ship, "According to the Pentagon, Savage has defected to the Soviet Union."
Alex rolled her eyes before sharing a cautious look with Sara, Stein's musings saying what they were all thinking, "So the most powerful evil the world has ever known has just gone red at the height of the Cold War."
Ray placed his hands on the console, taking a good look at the records Gideon had pulled up, "And now he's gonna help them cook up something that kills the future."
"Gideon," Rip called, settling back into the Captain's chair, "Set a course...for the Soviet Union"
****
Metal clanged through the hallways, grunts and hisses heard as the sticks clanked against each other in the makeshift training room.
"You know using your super strength is cheating right?" Sara heaved, a sly smile on her face as she met Alex's unflinching gaze. The Amazon ducked before spinning on her knees to land a kick to the assassin's calf, barely missing the muscle as Sara's leg swung to meet Alex's bracelet.
"So is using these" Alex smirked, pulling out several knives hidden in the pocket of her pants. She pushed Sara's leg away from her face and went for another blow, meeting Sara's own pair of blades.
"So," Alex gasped, focusing in on the woman's tactics, "What's got you needing to spar?"
Sara pushed her back, annoyance emanating from the usually collected fighter, "Rip wants me to train Kendra." She blocked another incoming kick, "He thinks it'll be good for both of us."
"Of course he does," Alex heaved, thrusting her leg forward, the assassin barely dodging it, "He thinks this can help tame the monster inside both of you."
Sara paused, meeting her friend's stare, "What?" She asked breathlessly. Alex ceased, reaching for a bottle of water before the sound of metal filled the room again.
"I know about the pit Sara," She explained, leaping sideways to avoid the sweeping blade coming her way, "I know about the effects it has. That's why Rip wants you to train Kendra."
Her silver stick touched Sara's neck and she tilted her head victoriously, "I win."
Sara shoved the stick away and they moved toward the bench, "Only because you caught me off guard with that insinuation."
The two women sat there, breathless as they wiped their faces with the towels Gideon had fabricated for them, water cooling their sweaty bodies.
"For the record, I think you should do it." Alex admitted, trying to cheer the girl up, "You've made me a better fighter since meeting you, if anyone can tame the hawk goddess, it's you."
Sara stared off into space, downing water before standing up to meet Alex's gaze, "Fine, I'll do it. But you're helping me."
Alex let a chuckle escape her lips before grasping the blonde's hand, pulling herself up to her full height.
"Heads-up," Sara called to the other girl, tossing her a spare staff. Alex walked in tandem beside her, a smile on her face.
Kendra turned to the both of them, eyebrows creased in confusion, "What the hell is this?"
"Warriors train every day," Alex announced, recalling the old adage her mother used to tell her back on the island.
Kendra scoffed, turning back to the pile of scraps she had been sorting, "Sorry, but I'm not in the mood."
Sara and Alex exchanged a skeptical look before the former moved closer, "Sorry" is not gonna help that guard that you defaced at the Pentagon." she explained.
Kendra whipped back around to face them, "Two months ago, I was a barista." She explained, "I had no idea I had some psycho hawk goddess inside of me, and then I meet Carter, and he convinces me to let her out, and now that he's gone I can't control it," Alex wanted to roll her eyes at the makeshift sob story, "So thanks for the offer, but I won't risk letting that monster out again." She tossed the staff back to Sara, who had a quick retort for the girl.
"That monster inside you is not gonna go away." Alex moved closer, following the woman's lead. "You have to learn how to control her." The Amazon finished.
Kendra sighed, a skeptical look in her eye as she met Sara's gaze again, "And how, exactly, do you expect me to do that?"
Sara and Alex shared another look again before tossing the staff back to Kendra, who caught it with ease, "Let's find out."
Kendra brought her staff to meet the arcing blows of Sara and Alex working in tandem, pushing the hawk goddess back before landing a kick to her chest, sending the untrained woman catapulting back into the hallway, the other two women sending blow after blow, the sound of metal ringing in the nearly empty halls. They continued for several minutes, Kendra barely able to dodge the kicks and punches sent her way.
If she dodged a blow from Alex, Sara would land one and vice versa. She had long abandoned the staff, choosing to try and land blows the old-fashioned way. All that ended up doing was leaving her open to being pinned against the wall.
"Are we done here yet?" Kendra choked out, clearly fatigued from the training. Alex never felt more alive.
"If you want to harness your power, you need to learn to control your fear" She advised, Sara nodding along with her as they continued to launch kicks and punches at the woman. Kendra reeled, coughing from impact.
"Yeah, well, you've been training for half your life to be some cold-blooded assassin and a warrior princess," Kendra shot back, her anger starting to get the best of her, "So I really don't think you understand what it's like."
Alex stepped aside, letting Sara take the lead as she retreated back into the hallway, gesturing for the two women to fight alone.
"Before you can control it," Sara started, pressing forward, Kendra barely dodging the roundhouse Sara sent her way, "You have to accept that it's part of you."
Kendra's back rammed into the steel wall again, a groan of pain escaping her lips.
"Ease up, will you?"
"You've got to channel your anger," Sara said, no sign of stopping.
"Sara, stop." Alex advised, noticing how fatigued Kendra appeared, "I think she gets it."
The blonde refused to listen, her fist colliding with the darker woman's jaw, "Push down your emotions." She implored, "Focus on your opponent." Sara's kick sent Kendra flying, the woman's only saving grace the wings that popped out of her back, catching the air and allowing her to slide gracefully across the floor of the ship, her eyes glowing red as she let out a shriek.
"Kendra?" Sara and Alex whispered at the same time. But the other woman didn't respond.
Instead, her wings carried her forward, sneakers landing squarely in the assassin's chest before sending her flying into the back wall.
"Sara!" Kendra called, her wings retracting as she turned back to normal. Alex ran over to try and help her friend get back on her feet. "Sara, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry-"
Something cold clouded Sara's eyes as she leaped forward, her hands engulfing Kendra's throat in a vice-like grip, no signs of letting go.
"Sara, what are you doing?" Kendra choked out, her words having no effect, "It's me!"
Alex rammed her palms into the shoulders of the blonde, pinning Sara against a wall as she forced the bloodthirsty assassin to confront her demons rather than push them aside.
"Sara!" Alex called, her voice calm as she stared into the cold eyes of the woman before her, "You need to calm down,"
Sara struggled against Alex's superstrength, trying to weasel her way free. Alex moved her leg against the woman's thigh, keeping her pinned against the hallway as Kendra watched in awe.
"I understand what you're going through," Alex implored, heavy breaths filling the air between them, "And you cannot let it consume you. Spar, drink, scream into a pillow, but do not let it take what humanity you have left."
Slowly, the ice drained out of Sara's eyes as her body relaxed under Alex's grip, the girl returning to normal before pushing the Amazon away from her and running toward the bathroom, leaving her partners staring at the empty spot she once stood.
Alex huffed and strode off to her room, ready to sleep off the exhaustion of the day. She hadn't gotten any sleep since the events at Savage's house.
She was too afraid she would see her father again.
That her mother wouldn't be there to save her this time.
The only comfort she had was the fact that everyone on this ship had lost someone, even Mick and Snart. The door to her room hissed open and she was surprised to find someone else already standing in the middle of the barely furnished bedroom.
"Oh hey, Alex!" Ray's bright voice called to her, waving wildly as she treaded carefully into her quarters.
"Hey, Ray," Alex spoke, her tone cautious, "What uh, what are you doing in my room?"
The tall man set down one of the only things she had placed in the room before sticking his hands in his pants pockets and walking over to her, his tux abandoned for his simple polo and khakis.
"Rip, uh sent me here to recruit you for the mission to help Stein." He admitted, a shy look on his face replacing his usual smile, "And I wanted to see if you were okay."
She nodded, biting the inside of her cheek as she pushed past Ray's figure, "I'm doing alright, under the circumstances,"
Ray nodded, "Yeah, I know how you feel," He spoke up, his gaze landing on the untouched bed. "Have you not been sleeping?"
Alex shook her head, trying to shove the shame down into her stomach, "I'm afraid I'm gonna see…"
"Your dad."
She nodded, leaning against the bed frame, her hands gripping the metal like she was holding on for her life. Ray moved forward, a soft smile on his face as he met her nervous gaze.
"If you want, I could see about maybe inventing something that would make sleeping easier, I know I had a hard time after Anna."
Alex's lips twitched upward at the request, something akin to warmth bursting in her chest at Ray's selflessness. "Thank you, Ray," She told him, placing a hand on his shoulder, "But I'll get over this."
She moved to grab her lasso, sword and shield, the metal clanking against the Amazon armor her mother had commissioned for her.
"You know, I think after last time," Ray interjected, "It might be good for you to have some protection. Plus, I think you'd look good in it."
And just like that, the warmth spread through her chest like the smile across her face, eyes flickering downward as she watched Ray's figure retreat from the room. She stole one last glance at the red armor before sighing and giving into the temptation.
She forgot how well it fit.
Sliding the blue jacket over her bare shoulders, she secured the shoulder strap of her sword before buckling her armored boots over her knees.
"Damn," Snart's voice called to her as she joined them in the cargo bay, "You clean up good Girl Scout,"
She smiled sarcastically before landing a playful punch to the shoulder, meeting Ray's awed gaze. He handed her a lab coat, explaining her cover story as she followed Stein outside into Soviet Territory, his eyes never leaving her frame.
"Like what you see Raymond?" Snart's voice entered his ears and pulled him from his stupor.
Ray whipped his head to meet Snart's suggestive gaze, "What?" He scoffed, "No, I don't-I don't, It's not-Shut up."
Snart shot him a sly smile before following Stein and Alex into the night, "Whatever you say boy scout."
Alex strode forward, following Snart and Stein with a commanding presence, her mouth sealed shut as Stein approached the guard, her glare fixed on the man."I'm Dr. Gregor Gavrilov of the State Council of Science, and I'm here to inspect the facility." Stein explained. The guard nodded them forward and Stein's voice was heard through the comms, "I'm in and heading to the basement."
Alex trailed the scientist, her eyes darting back and forth for any sign of trouble. Tossing her lab coat aside, she kept watch while Stein attempted to break into the facility.
"Here's hoping the key that stole off Valentina works." He wondered aloud, a beep filling the air between them before the light shone green and they pushed open the door. Thousands of bodies lay shrouded in white, steam hissing from the giant pipe that lined the entire area. Something in Alex's stomach lurched.
"What the hell?" She mused quietly, dragging her hand over the white shrouds, feeling the atrophied muscle and flesh of failed experiments.
Of human lives lost.
"Oh, my God." Stein mumbled, flipping through a packet left behind on one of the desks, "I know what Vostok is working on." Alex moved to take a glance at the papers, formulas beyond her understanding written out for everyone to see, designs of an eerily familiar human body spread across several pages, "She's trying to build me."
Rip's tinny voice rang through her comm unit, "What do you mean?"
Stein gazed on in horrified wonderment, flipping through the pages once more, "I mean, Savage has spent the last decade trying to level the arms race against our team. Operation Svarog. Slavic God of fire, of course."
Alex turned toward the scientist, creasing her eyebrows in worry, "He and Vostok are building a Soviet Firestorm." She stated, finally understanding the gravity of the situation. The sound of steam hissing drew their attention to the end of the room, where a hexagonal chamber awaited, housing a glowing red ball. Stein let out an incredulous laugh.
"They've already built a thermal core." He announced, reverence filling his tone as he approached the chamber, Alex's hand went to lasso, ready to stop the professor from entering if need be.
"Professor," Rip came to the rescue, "Need I remind you, this is a reconnaissance mission."
But Stein was adamant, "I'm not leaving without it. It's the key to building others just like me."
Alex turned to stop him, but it was too late. Stein had already entered the chamber.
He had already exposed himself to enough radiation to kill him.
But he was alive.
The mission was going by too slowly. Alex had turned her comms off to let Stein and Jax work out what problems they had and it was only when the chamber filled with red that she turned it back on.
"Raymond, what's going on? The core just went back online." Stein commented. Alex sighed and decided to ask the man herself.
"Ray?"
"Sorry, Professor," Ray's voice shook as he answered, "I had to do it."
A commotion shook Alex out of her anger at the young doctor and she pulled her sword free from the strap on her back.
"Guys," She warned, "I think the Soviets have caught on."
She readied her shield, several bullets bouncing off the disc as she slid forward, tearing through the group with ease, the first wave over before anyone could sound the alarm.
"I-I can still remove it," Stein's voice rang through her comms, a determined shake heard in his tone, "I just hope I can absorb the excess power."
"Stein don't!" Alex called, the same time Ray began to admonish the professor,
"No. Do you have any idea the kind of energy that-"
His voice was replaced by silence and another wave of soldiers was heard echoing through the halls of the facility. She steeled herself for another fight as they began to surround the chamber, ready to fire whenever the person in charge told them too.
A bright red glow began to emanate from the chamber, the sound of cocking guns replacing the tense quiet that had surrounded them before.
Alex couldn't help the lump growing in her throat, nor the knot of worry forming in her stomach.
There were too many of them.
Even for her.
The glow disappeared almost as fast as it had appeared and she ducked behind the chamber, shielding herself from arrest. Shame settled over her as she tossed a look upward, a Russian voice interrupting their mission.
"Professor Stein, your comrade here tells me you know quite a bit about this project of mine," Valentina smirked, a gun held at Leonard's neck, "Very good. You and I have much to discuss."
Alex heard the sound of metal against cement and her mind lit up. He had dropped the core.
"Mr. Snart, Miss Prince, can you hear me?" Rip implored, desperation rife in his voice, "Do not let Vostok leave with that thermal core."
The sound of gunshots rang out as red and blue fought against the troops on the upper bridge. Alex pushed herself free of her shelter and used her shield to block the incoming barrage, sliding underneath the attack to grab hold of the metal case that held the core, spinning up on her knees to impale a guard in the chest before shoving another away with her shield. A kick flew into the stomach of another as she dodged several more bullets, using her bracelets to keep as many as she could away from her.
She leaped upward, her boots clanging on the grated bridge before her, slicing her way through the second wave of soldiers, a bright blue light taking out a good number of soviets as she locked eyes with Snart.
"Now might be a good time to send in reinforcements." Leonard remarked into the comms, following Alex back toward the exit, "Mick and Stein just got pinched by the Russkies."
She moved back toward the control room, Snart's hand wrapping itself around her bicep, "What the hell do you think you're doing?"
"I'm getting Ray," She explained, tearing her arm out of his grip, "Something happened to him back there, and I'm going to help him."
Leonard let out a huff of irritation, "Raymond is probably with Mick and Stein right now,"
"All the more reason to go after him,"
"You're gonna have to get out of there right now." The Captain interrupted their argument, making their decision for them. "I'm afraid our only option is retreat."
"A warrior does not retreat," Alex berated him, recalling her mother's words.
"They do when there is a bigger mission at stake," Rip began to argue.
Thankfully Snart was on her side, "What about my partner?" He asked, blasting several more soldiers while covering Alex's escape.
"We don't leave anyone behind!" Alex supported, unable to believe that this was the right course of action.
"Until we devise our next move, Mr. Rory, Dr. Stein, and Dr. Palmer will have to fend for themselves." Rip implored, his tone insensitive and cold, "Remember the mission. If the Soviets get that thermal core back, your partner will not be the only one who dies."
Alex and Leonard shared a nervous look before nodding, the two on the same page as they made a break for it, tearing through the soldiers before exiting the facility in haste, explosions ringing out behind them as the Waverider picked them up, the two unable to reconcile with the fact that they had left their friends behind.
But Alex made herself a promise. She would break them out if it was the last thing she did.