"Alex, Maxima knows that I am Supergirl and she just took Cat from CATCO!" Kara exclaims switching on the coms as she takes off after Maxima and Cat.
"Supergirl, you're not prepared to face Maxima alone. Come to headquarters and let me prep," Alex replies.
"No I can't leave Ms Grant alone with her," Kara replies. "She's flying over the warehouse district now, as soon as she lands, I'll tell you our location."
"I'm putting a team in the air now and we're heading your way," Alex says ending the call. Then turning around she sees that Hank is grabbing their go bags. "I need to get something from the lab, wait for me," she calls out watching him rush out the door.
Maxima swoops down low to drop Cat onto the roof of the warehouse, keeping her eyes alert for Supergirl.
"This is your plan? You kidnapped me just to see if Supergirl will trade me for Superman?" Cat questions the villain.
"Stop talking human," Maxima snaps.
"How do you even know that Supergirl is aware that you have kidnapped me?" Cat asks.
"She knows," Maxima says confidently.
Kara overhears Cat's remark and realizes that she's right. Swooping in now will only confirm for Maxima that Kara Danvers is Supergirl.
"Alex, where are you?" she asks turning the coms back on.
"We're approaching the warehouse district now," Alex replies straining to hear over the chopper.
"Look, if I bust in there now, I'm just going to confirm that I'm Supergirl. We need a plan and I should probably call my cousin to find out more about Maxima," Kara says, her voice laced with frustration.
"You're right. Let's regroup and figure out a plan," Alex says nodding to Hank, who leans forward to tell the pilot to turn around.
"She dropped Ms Grant on the roof of a building, which tells me that she hasn't set up a lair yet," Kara says explaining the situation to Kal El over a secure communication line at the DEO.
"I'm sorry that she's involved you, Kara. But I can't show up there, it will only encourage her to use you to reach me," Kal points out.
"I know, I just need you to tell me how to fight her Kal," Kara replies.
"You're stronger than her Kara, you just need to remember that. I don't think that she will hurt Cat Grant, she is just trying to get my attention, so let her think that she has it," he suggests.
"Kal is there a way to remove her teleportation bracelets so that we can contain her?" Kara asks him.
"You have to be really careful getting that close to her Kara," he cautions.
"I'm aware of that Kal, she already kidnapped me last week," she reminds him.
"Kara, now you understand that we're going to project Kal El as a hologram on the roof across from her, then when she rushes to him, you grab Ms Grant and get out of there," Alex says reviewing the plan.
"I just don't see how she's going to fall for a hologram of Kal El," Kara replies confused.
"Trust me this is an exceptional hologram," Hank replies carefully watching Alex's face so that she doesn't betray his secret identity.
Kara doesn't notice the exchanged glances as she contemplates how exactly a hologram will fool Maxima.
"Now stay alert out there Supergirl, I'll be monitoring the mission from base," he says clapping both of them on the shoulder.
"Okay, lead the way Supergirl," Alex says heading out to the helipad with her team.
Kara quickly flies back to the where Maxima is holding Cat and her breath catches at first when she doesn't immediately see or hear Cat. Focusing for a moment, she picks up the sound of Cat singing softly to herself and using her x-ray vision she scans the nearby building until she locates her.
"Ms Grant is alone on the top floor of the empty Aerodyne building, there's no sign of Maxima yet," Kara says into her coms.
"We are two minutes out, Alex replies carefully, aware that Maxima will be intercepting their conversation.
"Well, well looks who's showed up to collect her human after all," Maxima taunts Kara from the roof of a nearby building.
Kara carefully lands on a building across from her, "Ms Grant's assistant informed me that you have taken her and want to trade her for Kal El," Supergirl replies.
"Your identity crisis is tiresome Kara Zor-El, now where is Kal-El?" Maxima questions.
"He's on his way," she replies gasping when she sees him flying in.
Maxima whips around to see him and Kara takes the opportunity to fly over and rescue Ms Grant.
"Supergirl, what took you so long?" Cat asks annoyed.
"Seriously?" Kara replies. "We don't have much time Cat, grab on."
"Grab on?" Cat retorts. "Cat Grant does not grab..."
Kara sighs, wraps her arms around the smaller woman and flies off with her.
"Kal El, there's something different about you," Maxima says watching him carefully.
"Nothing's changed Maxima. I'm still not interested in being your mate, now why don't you just return to Almerac and leave me and my family alone," he booms at her.
Maxima scans the hero's brain and is shocked to find that he's scanning hers. "Martian! You're not Kal El!" she exclaims as the martian transforms out of Superman and into his own skin.
"That message was from Superman, he wants you to go home Maxima!" the Martian says flying at her.
Maxima looks over at the large Aerodyne sign and she sends it flying at the martian.
The martian looks at it and mentally pushes it towards her. "Have you forgotten that we are evenly matched Maxima?" he taunts her, before disappearing and reappearing at her side. Quickly he grabs both of her wrists and wrenches off her bracelets, before putting on a set of specially designed cuffs from the DEO. Then he picks up her bracelets and flies off with them leaving her on the roof of the building for the DEO to pick up..
"Why didn't you tell me that there was another alien asset available to assist me?" Kara asks bursting into the armory where Alex is checking in weapons.
"What? I don't know where he came from? I had that hologram ready to go. I was as surprised as you were, I thought it was Superman," Alex answers.
"I don't believe you," Kara replies angrily. "You knew that only a shapeshifter would be able to fool Maxima long enough for me to rescue Ms Grant. There was no special hologram Alex."
"Look, it worked didn't it? Just let it go Kara," Alex says stepping in close to her sister.
"Fine, but this isn't over," Kara says storming off.
"Do you need anything?" Kara asks stopping by the office to check on Ms Grant.
"I suppose that Maxima just proved your point regarding the importance of your secret identity," Cat admits reluctantly. She is sitting on the couch staring out at her balcony, sipping what is probably not her first glass of scotch.
"Yes," Kara replies sitting down beside her and resting her arm on the back of the couch. "I'm sorry that I wasn't able to prevent her from grabbing you."
"I'm still confused as to how no one was concerned that I was missing for three hours this afternoon, I am the CEO of this damn company," Cat blusters.
"At least we don't have another publicity crisis to deal with," Kara points out.
"Well, I suppose that is a good point. And you saved me in the end. No harm. No foul," Cat replies still trembling a bit at the memory of being snatched from the safety of her balcony on the 38th floor.
"Did you just make a sports reference?" Kara teases.
Cat smiles tightly at her and takes another sip of her drink, her hands still a bit shaky.
Glancing back to make sure the bullpen is empty, Kara drops her arm onto Ms Grant's shoulders and pulls her into arms. "Ms Grant, you are safe now and she is in custody. Maxima won't bother either of us again," Kara whispers into Cat's ear, before releasing her from the embrace.
"Perhaps we should discuss this promotion, I'm thinking you need something slightly less visible," Cat remarks.
"Obviously that's a good idea," Kara agrees, subtly scooting back away from her boss.
Cat reaches out and covers Kara's hand. "Thank you," she says softly. "Kara, you probably won't believe me when I say this but I am terrified of heights," she admits.
"Ms Grant, y-y-you're afraid of heights?" Kara asks incredulously. "But your office is on the 38th floor and you live in the penthouse of a fifty story building, how can you be afraid of heights?"
"It is a daily struggle to keep this fear in check," Cat admits. "Then today, not only did I fly in the arms of a crazed villain, I also flew in the arms of a brave hero; the last flight was much better than the first, by the way," she adds with a smile.
"I'm sorry, is that why you were reluctant to grab on to me?" Kara questions.
"Among other reasons," Cat replies flushing a little and quickly picking up her glass to take another drink.
"Ms Grant," Kara says turning to her and Cat leans in and presses her lips to Kara's.
Sighing, Kara closes her eyes and leans in to return the kiss and is rewarded with Cat's arms flung around her neck pulling her in to deepen the kiss.
Pulling back quickly breaking the contact, Cat jumps up to her feet and crosses the room. "I'm so sorry that was completely inappropriate," she says breathlessly.
Kara stands up, "Ms Grant, I'm sorry. Obviously, you're still shaken up from the day's events, I shouldn't have..."
"If you don't mind, perhaps I could be alone now, Kiera," Cat says walking over to her desk and sitting down.
Kara nods and turns to leave. "Ms Grant, should I call the car for you?" she asks pausing at the door.
"No that's not necessary," Cat replies. "I'll call when I'm ready to leave."
"Good night Ms Grant," Kara says over her shoulder, not wanting her to see her face.
Cat looks up and sees Kara's pained expression reflected in the glass. Not trusting her own voice, Cat simply waves her hand dismissing her silently.