Linda and I finish lunch quickly and head to my shop. Lucky for me, it's only five blocks away. There's no one waiting at the entrance, so there are no customers in need of my attention. I open the door and head to the counter. I go to ask Linda a question to find her already lost in the rows of books.
"Katherine, this is fantastic!" Linda yells from within the maze of bookshelves. I turn on the new television I installed on the wall behind the counter (I stuck the broken TV in the back room with the rusty desk). Right now, the channel is on PGN (Planet Global Network) news. Some blonde is talking about an explosion in Suicide Slums that Superboy stopped. "That's Cat Grant, took over for William McCoy a few years back. I've always liked her nose for news but as a person she's kind of annoying," says Linda who is no longer looking through the books but paying attention to the TV. "Half the time Lois wants to rip Cat a new one. Of course Clark is there to intervene."
"Lois, as in Lois Lane?"
"Mhm, she's Clark's girlfriend. Fiancée now. Runs the digital division there. Pretty much the producer. Clark prefers to work with newspaper division."
"And Clark's your cousin?"
"Yep. He's the cousin I used to visit in Smallville." Linda props her arms on the counter and watches the news with me.
"Here is the footage from earlier today," says Cat. The clip starts off with some girl filming and narrating what's happening.
"I know that voice, that's Lucy," says Linda. All of a sudden, an explosion happens across the street. The camera-girl falters in her run as the force of it pushes her, but she recovers and heads towards the explosion. Just as she hits the sidewalk, another building explodes half a block down the street, then another, then another. The next explosion knocks this Lucy onto the ground. At the edge of my peripheral, I see Linda stare at the screen like she's about to shoot lasers out of her eyes. Her fingers are tightly gripping the counter.
I focus on the screen and see the camera slowly, but surely, rise and continue filming. As soon as it hits the sky a streak of something flies across it. Seconds later, Superboy makes a harsh landing and puts out the fires. When all is said and done, the damage caused by burning (versus concussive force) is minimized. Those in the street are clapping and cheering. Superboy is eating up the attention and gives his patented smirk. In the corner of the screen, a hand moves and then a loud whistle come from behind the camera.
"That's my girl, that's my Lucy," says Linda in awe. The tape goes on like this for a few seconds then cuts to Cat standing in front of the wreckage. I open my mouth to ask Linda about the segment, only to be stopped short when she steps from the counter and calls someone.
"Hello? Oh Lucy, thank the Lord you're okay… Mhm, I just saw it. You were definitely in the right place at the right time… Uh-huh, and Lois got everything? … Fantastic! Is she there? ... Okay, maybe another time then." Linda walks through the books and I'm unable to hear what she's saying. I turn the TV off because it's back to the desk anchors. "Okay, I'll see you then… No really, I think it's a great idea… Uh-huh, and you've really never been to Gotham, not even once out of all you're traveling?... I see, you are right about that but there are a few places you might enjoy… Great, I'll see you then." Linda hangs up and smiles at me.
"What's got you so happy?"
"Lucy. Lois wants her to take a break after what happened today so she's on her way here."
What? "That's great." Not.
"It really is, and you'll like her. Everyone likes Lucy."
"If you like her, I'll like her." I can't help but inwardly frown as another juvenile thought pops in my head.
"Cool." Linda slips her phone in her pocket and leans on the counter again. "So…"
"So…" I'm not sure what Linda expects me to say. To be honest, I'm starting to feel like I'm at a loss for words whenever she is around. Apparently, I'm turning into a loser.
"So… I like the books you have. I would get a few but I'm already so busy with work and the books I still need to read."
"Well, when you're not busy or done them, you know where to find me."
"Yep."
"Oh, I just remembered. Are you going to be busy…?" I trail off because I realize Linda is not listening to me. Instead, she's staring into space. "Linda, are you okay?"
"Huh?"
"I said are you-"
"Hey Kate, I-I've gotta go. I'm sorry but something important just came to mind."
"What, like a story?"
"Something like that. I need to go. Sorry..." Linda is out the door and running down the sidewalk before she can finish her sentence.
"Was it something I said?" I sigh and walk around the counter to see if there's anything I can do in the shelves when my fingers run over a few grooves. I pause and look down at the metal counter. There are small indents that run down the edge of the counter-top. In fact, when I look closely, the indents almost look like part of a hand print.
XXX
I duck in time to avoid getting a baseball bat to the head. Unfortunately, I do get his partner's foot in my back. I fall forward and get a kick to the ribs. As the onslaught of kicks and whacks from the bat keep me down I reach for my special Taser. Just as my fingers wrap around it the assault on me stops. I take that time to get up and prepare for another set of attacks. Instead, I find the men on the ground and a figure standing over them.
"Re-Renee?"
"Hello Batwoman, we need to talk." I try to steady myself so I can greet her but I end up falling down again. Renee rushes forward and supports me. "Looks like you took a few hits too many, Kate. Come on, let's you get you home."
"I've-I've moved since-"
"I know." Of course she knows. She's The Question. She knows everything.
XXX
I don't know how long I've been out but I do know how long I've been awake. Long enough to listen in on Renee's conversation with someone she calls Kara.
"How long are you going to be?... I understand… Yes, that would be difficult to get out of… Fine, I'll watch her as long as I can… Okay, good night, Kara." Renee hangs up. I can feel her move closer to me. I was always good at, knowing when Renee was near.
"You can open your eyes now, you've never been good at pretending to be asleep. I should know." I open my eyes and look at Renee. She's taken The Question mask off but she's still in the hat and masculine clothing. I always preferred her detective's uniform. It was much more form-fitting.
"Who was on the phone?"
"A source and colleague. I asked her to come and watch over you but she was busy."
"Is she your girlfriend?"
Renee shakes her head with a scoff. "No, Kara doesn't swing that way."
"Would she be if she was?"
"Probably not, people with powers always make me uncomfortable."
"She's a superhero?"
"Of course she is, and you know her too."
"I do?"
"Kara is Supergirl. Of course, her full name is Kara Zor-El. She only uses her full name when she's doing work in the diplomatic ring."
"Supergirl? W-Why were you calling Supergirl? And since when does she have a cell phone?"
"It's more or less a communicator for her. The League gave her one a while back. I use it to get in contact with her when need be." I go to sit up but the pain in my ribs is too much. "Don't move, Kate. You've cracked a few ribs. I dressed your wounds the best I could but there is only so much I can do. Supergirl is a scientist and knows a lot about the medical field. She'll be here later tonight to take care of you."
"Fantastic." I raise my arm to cover my eyes but the pain in my ribs makes me hiss and I put it down. Renee is watching—no, studying me as she stands next to my bed. I hate it when she does this. "Stop that, I hate it when you do that." Renee smiles because she knows what I'm talking about.
"You like her, don't you?"
"Who?"
"You know who, Supergirl. You like her, don't you?"
"Of course I do, she's a superhero."
"No Kate. I mean, you really like her." I grind my incisors together. Darn Renee and her stupid Question intuition.
"Maybe I do."
"I wouldn't if I were you. Supergirl isn't on our team and never will be. You'll get hurt in the end if you go there."
"I'm not going anywhere. It's just a stupid crush. It'll go away in no time." I remember a time at West Point, mere weeks before DADT got me kicked out, that another girl who confided in me spoke out her straight girl crushes. She was over them and glad it wasn't an issue for her anymore. There was always a part of me that wondered if that was true. I hadn't dealt with that issue since high school… Yet here I am in my 30s and evidently going through puberty again.
"I know you, Kate. And if you're not careful, you'll fall for her and then where will you be?" Before I can yell at Renee for being stupid her cell phone goes off. "Hello? ... Okay, I'll tell her." Renee hangs up and gives me look.
"What?"
"Guess who's on her way to your apartment and ready to play 'doctor'?" Renee smiles, then backs away from my bed. In less than a minute, she has her featureless mask. She's adjusting her had right as Supergirl lands on my balcony with a bag probably filled with medical supplies.
"Someone called for a doctor?" Renee laughs, and I sink in my bed, hoping to hide the blush creeping up my face.