"Are you sure you're okay? You don't look too well" Jake said as he brought Kara her coffee cup.
The young woman assured him she was okay, dismissing the paleness of her skin as a result of being indoors too long. She sat up straight and smiled, trying to ignore the nausea creeping up her throat threatening to make her sick.
The truth was she felt terrible. Her fight with Parasite had left her drained and dizzy, even after a bath in yellow sunlight. She had to thank Maxwell Davies for his solar lamp waking her up and helping a lot, but the effects of the alien's abilities absorbing her energy still lingered. She recalled from experience it would take a day or two to wear off so Alex suggested she take it easy. With the Samaritan out there protecting the city Kara actually entertained the notion of having a day off.
She returned to Cacto with Jimmy Olsen, changing clothes on the way returning to her Kara Danvers's persona. After apologising for skipping work all the way Jimmy offered her and Nia the rest of the day off to recover. He said he could claim they were out covering the story on the park, but also demanding they have something for them to print tomorrow as soon as they could. Kara figured Nia would need a few days to recover, the girl doesn't have a kryptonian's constitution after all, and promised she'll have a draft for him as soon as she was able. Then she decided she could spend her afternoon recuperating and ended up texting her boyfriend to see if he was available.
She proved to be in luck as Jake had the afternoon free to go on a date with her, inviting her to her usual café for a relaxing cup of coffee. He was there waiting for her when she arrived and she was really happy to see him. She'd started looking forward to their dates with excitement instead of trepidation now, the awkward introductions and misunderstandings long behind them. When she was with Jake she got to pretend she was an ordinary human woman without the burden of saving the world hanging off her shoulders. She could let her hair down and enjoy the moment, and the company.
Jake proved to be even more charming when he found his confidence. He made her laugh every time they were together and his smile warmed her heart. He was sweet, patient, kind and thoughtful. He would ask how her day had been, notice when she had something bothering her, willing to sit and listen to her rants about work or her sister or anything she needed to get off her chest. She couldn't tell him everything though, those walls dividing her personal life with her true identity holding strong. But keeping them up was exhausting, physically taxing almost. So she diverted the conversation away from her personal life as much as possible and asked about his instead. He was just as evasive, but a bit more open now he could talk about his ex-girlfriend. He didn't like to talk about her, never explained how she passed away. But Kara understood the pain that brought and was patient enough to wait for him until he was ready. He kept glancing at the engagement ring on his finger, his last reminder of her.
"I have to admit, I never saw the two of us getting this far" he confessed after a short moment of silence.
"How do you mean?" she asked, running her finger around her empty coffee cup.
"Us. This. A relationship. I thought I'd ballsed things up at our first date and you never want another bar of me."
She turned red from shame. "Yeah, I wasn't our finest moment was it?" she sighed, recalling how badly she overreacted. "I thought I had messed things up. But I appreciate you telling me about her."
"Still can't get my head around the fact your immediate response was to kiss me" he said, still in bewilderment even after several weeks.
She groaned covering her eyes. "I swear, I'm not usually that…spontaneous."
"Could've fooled me" he laughed. "First time we met you invited me into your apartment."
"Stop!" she groaned, feeling like she was going to die of embarrassment if he kept teasing her like this. "I'm not that kind of girl."
"Hey, no judgement. Honestly, I am not complaining" he said.
The broke into laughter thinking back to how turbulent their relationship/friendship had been since they met. They weren't sure what this was going to be exactly so it was Kara's suggestion they take this slow, which Jake called ironic just to mess with her. They went on a few dates and started texting more, but she made it clear visiting each other's apartments again was off limits. He was happy to oblige, appreciating them taking things slow so he could work through his own hang-ups too. She was his first girlfriend since his ex. It was a big move for him.
When they finished laughing Jake looked at their empty drinks and offered to get another round. "No, I'll get this one. And maybe something to eat, I'm starving."
"Won't say no to a free meal" he said, sitting back and letting Kara pick up the empty cups and walk to the counter to order.
But before she could take five paces she stumbled, her head suddenly tilting as a high pitched whine silently rose through her eardrums. She became lightheaded as the nausea returned, her head spinning all of a sudden. She stood still and took a breath until it grew worse, her vision blurring as black spot danced around her, the soft whine now filling her ears making her dizzy. Somewhere through the fog she heard Jake's voice call to her. Then in a blink there was a crash as the cups fell from her hands and she collapsed to her knees. She felt hands gripping her and voices shouting as she became disorientated, her chest heaving in breaths as she fought to stay conscious. The sound pierced her ears as her head pounded, vaguely aware of people surrounding her as she was guided to a chair to sit down. She closed her eyes and groaned, the ringing becoming painful as her head swam around her skull. Some nondescript time passed as she was offered a bottle of water, sluggishly taking hold of it to bring it to her lips and swallow the contents. She grimaced as she resisted to urge to vomit, panting heavily nursing her temples.
"Kara? Kara!" Jake's voice called, the ringing fading away as her mind dragged itself back into place, the world coming into focus. She opened her eyes and found Jake kneeling before her, a dozen staff and customers surrounding her full of concern. She was sitting in a chair by her table, the waitress holding the water bottle for her as she regained her breath. She looked up and winced from the sunlight blinding her, her heightened senses buzzing with discomfort. Her fight with Parasite must've knocked her for six worse than she thought. "Are you okay?" Jake asked her.
"I think so" she replied, taking another sip of the water to keep from vomiting. The dizziness passed and she was able to see clearly again, looking up at the faces watching her. "I'm sorry" she apologised.
"You don't have to be sorry" the waitress told her, rubbing her shoulder. "Do you need and ambulance? We could call a paramedic…"
"No, I'm alright" she said. Calling an ambulance would raise too many red flags for her condition and species.
"Are you sure? Because you don't look well" Jake said. "I could try and call your sister."
"No, I said I'm fine" she insisted. The last thing she wanted was her older sister fussing over her. "I think I just need to rest for a minute" she said, inhaling slowly letting it pass on its own.
When it seemed like she would be okay the café started to disperse. Jake thanked the waitress for her help and let her return to work while he returned to his seat. They sat at the table in silence, waiting for everything to return to normal before Jake offered to walk her home. She wanted to say no, but she felt worse than before. "I'm sorry for ruining our date, again" she said.
"Don't be silly, this isn't your fault" he said, scooting over to take her hand and look at her carefully. "You really don't look well" he observed.
"Stomach bug" she lied, averting her gaze using her apparent illness as a pretence. She hated adding one more lie to their relationship, even if keeping her true name from him was the best option. Right now all she could focus on was the nausea and how sick she felt. Maybe going home was the best option.
They were interrupted before she could say as much as two young woman came bursting into the café looking for her. Kara barely heard them approaching due to her condition, only noticing them when she looked up and found her best friend and her protégé hovering over her. "Are you okay? You look awful" Lena said, dropping into the nearest seat to examine her.
"I'm fine" she insisted as the scientist looked her over. She looked up at them both, asking "what are you doing here?"
"We tried to call you earlier, but you didn't pick up" Nia explained looking just as anxious.
"You did?" she asked, reaching to her pocket for her phone. She found it missing Jake showed he had it, explaining he answered it for her while she was on the verge of passing out so he could tell them what was happening. "You didn't need to come" she said.
"We coming to see you anyway" Lena said, relived Kara was already on the mend. She looked over at her companion, nodding politely. "Thank you for staying with her, Mr…"
"White. Call me Jake" he said, shaking her hand.
Lena narrowed her eyes at him. "Have we met before?"
"He used to work for you" Kara told her, introducing them both. "Lena, this is Jake. The guy I told you about. He used to work at L-Corp. he's an engineer."
"Really?" she said, leaning back in her chair to appraise him. She had been told about a certain new man in Kara's life. But she didn't recall his name on her staff. "I usually remember all my engineers" she noted.
Jake blushed. "Yeah, well, what I failed to mention was I wasn't in your R&D staff when I worked at L-Corp. I was in maintenance. It was the only job I could get quickly."
Lena looked at him again and suddenly clicked her fingers. "I remember you. You're the one who fixed the air-conditioning in my office" she beamed.
"I'm surprised you remember that" he said in surprise. They had indeed crossed paths while he was doing routine repairs in her office. She had little time for small talk but they exchanged pleasantries.
"I usually wouldn't, except you managed to fix that rattle that had been bothering me for months" she chuckled. "I checked into it. You seemed to have a talent."
"Thank you" he replied.
Kara watched them both, suddenly realising this was the first time she'd introduced Jake to her friends since she brought him to Jimmy for his bike. It was a relief to see her best friend already warming to him. She caught Nia's eye and cleared her throat. "And this Nia. She works with me at Cacto."
Jake diverted his attention to the quiet younger woman still standing by the table, rising to his feet to offer his hand. "Jake White. Pleasure to meet you."
She shook his hand politely. "Nice to meet you too." She then turned back to Kara and nervously said "Kara, we really need to talk to you." Kara looked up at her and saw the shifty glances she was giving. This wasn't something they could talk about with Jake around, which meant it was of the private variety.
She cast a glance to Jake, who showed his observation skills and noticed the subtle looks and posture. "You need a private conversation. It get it" he said.
"I'm sorry, it's…work related" Kara lied, that pang of guilt ringing in her stomach again. He didn't seem to take offence as he gathered up his stuff, telling her he might wing by Olsen's place to work on his motorcycle.
Lena stood up to bid goodbye, asking him how long he was in town for. "I don't know yet" he told her, looking down at Kara. "But I might be persuaded to stay for a while" he smirked, making Kara blush.
Lena nodded smiling. "Well, if you decide you are staying, L-Corp is always looking for talent" she said, offering him a card. "Give HR a call. I'm sure we could give you an interview."
He took it graciously, telling her "I appreciate it. I'll keep it in mind." He then leaned down to Kara and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Get some rest. I'll call you later."
"Okay" she whispered back, watching him leave the café waving at her friends. They sat down around the table watching him disappear but their eyes returned to Kara's. She could feel the stares even before she turned back to them. "Well?"
"Well what?" Lena asked, her expression a mask of emotion. Nia's wasn't so stern, her grin nearly bursting from her lips.
"Well, what do you think?" she asked, motioning to her boyfriend know they were dying to give their opinion.
Nia looked out the window trying to catch another glance at him, quietly observing "he's not what I was expecting."
"He's certainly charming" Lena grinned. "And attractive. And smart. Quite the catch considering how you met" she teased.
"Don't start" Kara groaned.
Nia, out of the know, looked at them both asking what she meant. "You don't know?" Lena said, ignoring the look of warning on her best friends face. "the two of them met when Kara, half asleep, walks into the poor man and spills hot coffee all over him" she explained laughing, enjoying the look on Nia's face when she turned to look at a red faced Kara. "It gets better" she then adds, which earns even more begging from the mortified woman. "She then offers to clean it by inviting him up to her apartment."
"No" Nia muttered, stifling a laugh as Kara groaned in humiliation. "I had no idea. They've been dating for weeks and she never said anything."
"Okay, this is the last time I come to you with anything" Kara chided Lena, who was too busy laughing to care. She tried to flip it on her by mentioning "hey, if you want to talk about boys, why don't you tell Nia about the latest guy to ask you out?" That brought a dampener on the mood as Lena's face fell into a scowl. Kara suddenly backpedalled sensing she might've made a mistake. "What's wrong?"
Nia and Lena shared a glance before Nia explained "if you're talking about Maxwell Davies, he's why we're here." Kara sat forward, her attention gripped as they explained "we have reason to believe Maxwell may have orchestrated the Metallo invasion on National City, as a publicity stunt to unveil the Samaritan."
Her eyes widened. "You're joking!" she gasped, her eyes darting between them determining how serious this was. She racked her brain, recalling everything she could about the events leading up to that attack. "That doesn't make sense. Hank Henshaw was the man behind it."
"Yeah, but think about it" Lena told her. "Someone else was manufacturing the army of Metallo drones through a shell company using Axis Environmental."
"Kronos Limited" Kara recalled. But they tried to trace it they hit a dead end, as shell companies do. Unless… "I think Kronos Limited is a shell company for TITAN Industries?"
"Or maybe a private acquisition to Maxwell himself" she shrugged. "You have to admit, the timing of everything does work. The attack gave him the publicity to launch the Samaritan and the fallout kept his profile ongoing."
"But he's helped people. He helped…" she was about to say he saved Supergirl and Dreamer from Parasite. But she had to because how much of their other identities she could talk about right now. But Lena was right, it does fit. "How do you know he's involved?
Nia gave her a silent look indicating she had her own reasons, which Kara would have to ask about later. But Lena came out with it and told her "because I know he's already stolen Lex's suit designs in order to build the Samaritan in the first place. And with all the red tape and legal hoops my lawyers have been forced to jump through trying to prove it I wouldn't be surprised if he had more skeletons hiding in the closet."
Kara sighed thinking it over. Her own journalistic investigations had come up empty when they checked him out for their article. As far as the world was sure he was squeaky clean, save a few scandalous tabloid stories. "If you can't prove it, how are you so sure?" she asked cautiously, looking at her friend.
Lena took a deep breath and lowered her voice, telling her the whole story about how Maxwell charmed his way into her apartment and got access to her laptop. She couldn't prove it, but he as much as admitted it when she confronted him. When she finished Kara stared at her in sympathy and shock. "Maxwell's reputation has only every served him to climb the corporate ladder" Lena told her. "I will not be one of those rungs he steps on."
Kara nodded, her loyalty to Lena overriding her concerns about their motives. "Okay, so what can I do?" she asked.
"Nia already came to me, saying a source is sure he's behind the attacks" Lena explained, which earned a curious look between the reporters. Lena didn't notice guilty glance Nia gave while she explained "we need your help to prove it. You looked into the man for your article, and we both know you have…resources" she said cryptically, keeping things vague for their benefit. "I think if we pool all the information we have we can find a link between Maxwell, TITAN and Kronos Limited, and maybe find the proof we need to expose him."
Kara nodded, the wheels already turning. "He's a public figure now. We'll need irrefutable proof he was behind Hank Henshaw's attack before we go public with it. This could go bad really fast if we're wrong."
"I'll take that risk" she said with a determined glare. She waited until Kara confirmed she was in, pulling out her mobile telling her "I'll order my lawyers to send over everything they have on Maxwell and his company. I'd suggest we return to my office…"
"No" Kara interrupted, suggesting "bring them to Cacto. The bullpen will be empty and we can work through the night privately."
"Good idea" Lena said, redrafting her text message. "I'll have my assistant bring the files over. Just give me ten minutes to arrange It." the excused herself and stepped out of the café and make her calls.
Once she was out of earshot Kara scooted over to Nia and looked at her oddly. "A source?" she asked dubiously.
The woman sighed, looking over her shoulder before explaining "I had a dream. You know that guy who's been attacking you? The one who defeated Hank? In my vision it was Maxwell behind the mask. I think he's the guy we've been after."
Kara stared at her gobsmacked. "When did this dream happen?"
"When I was unconscious, after that creature grabbed me" she replied sheepishly. "It was that vision that woke me up."
"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked, trying not to feel too betrayed that she went to Lena instead of her. She was supposed to be her mentor, her friend. What good was she doing if Nia didn't feel like she could trust her?
"I'm sorry" she replied, feeling just as guilty for keeping her in the dark.
They parked the discussion for another time. If Nia believed Maxwell was this figure dressed in red that's been showing up to battle Supergirl then she believed her. And since Lena was opposed to the Samaritan it made the most sense to enlist her help. "Okay. We should give Brainy a heads up to see what he can get from this Kronos Limited company while we go through Lena's files" Kara said, putting her mind to plotting out this investigation.
"Are you sure you're up to it?" Nia asked, noting how pale Kara still looked.
"I'll be fine. What about you?" she asked, examining her own pale skin and the faint outlines of her veins in her neck. "How are you managing?" she asked with the same concern.
Nia pulled up her collar hiding the noticeable symptoms. "I keep feeling like I want to throw up, and my head keeps pounding, but I'll manage" she admitted. She relented when Put her hand to her forehead and analysed her with her x-ray vision. She didn't have a fever and otherwise the side effects were minimal. She was relived given now bad a state she was in when the ambulance arrived. "The medics suggested I stay in bed for a week" she joked.
"Yeah, Alex said the same to me" Kara agreed. She sat back and sighed. "I guess tonight we're both sticking to our civilian lives for a while."
"Unless something goes wrong" Nia noted sceptically. Kara raised an eyebrow. "Well Lena knows you're Supergirl now, so if we go looking for trouble you don't need to hide."
Kara groaned, confessing "Lena doesn't know that you know about me." Nia narrowed her eyes in confusion. "As far as Lena knows, Nia Nal doesn't know Kara Danvers is Supergirl."
"Why not?"
"Because it wouldn't make sense" she sighed. "And it never came up. And I didn't want her to feel like she was the last to know about me."
Nia looked out the window to Lena and groaned. "I never told her I was Dreamer either. Does that mean…"
"We're going to have to pretend we're not superheroes" Kara sighed. In another scenarios it would almost be funny. But Nia was right to be alarmed. If their investigation did lead them into trouble then to keep the ruse up neither of them could change into their costumes to save the day. Kara was starting to see the downside of secret identities once again. She had hoped she'd moved past that. "I'm sure it'll be fine" Kara said, making an executive decision telling Nia "worst case scenario, I reveal myself to my colleague."
"Really?" she said. It made sense, though Nia didn't fancy her acting skills well enough to fool Lena into being shocked and surprised Kara was Supergirl. She was always a terrible actress.
Kara nodded, willing to do that rather than let Nia give up her identity if she didn't have to. "Okay, before we go, I have to ask…This dream. Was there anything else in it that might help us? Anything I need to know?" she asked her.
Nia looked Kara in the eye, swallowing a gulp as the image of Supergirl weeping on her knees covered in blood came to mind, the city burning around them as the dead watched silently. "No" she lied. "Nothing else to worry about."