"Does this seem excessive to you?" Lucy asked as she paced the room she and J'onn were waiting in.
"The world was nearly destroyed they need to make sure it doesn't happen again." J'onn said.
"I get that, but it feels like they're stalling." Lucy said. "And I can see you think it too."
"I admit this is the longest debrief here that I have ever had. But a lot has happened and they have more reason than normal to distrust me. I had hoped my unease came from being stuck here for five days with no connection to the outside world." J'onn confessed.
"Can you do your thing and see if they're above board?" Lucy asked.
"My thing?" J'onn questioned.
"The mind reading thing."
"I'm not sure that would help our cause." J'onn pointed out.
"Just answering the same questions again and again doesn't help our cause." Lucy said. "We are being treated like prisoners and I wouldn't mind so much if I believed they were going to actually give you intel on Project Cadmus."
"As the only one of us with a legal background what do you suggest?" J'onn asked.
"Seeing we are both in agreement that this is a waste of time, next time our chaperone returns we'll ask to go. If there is nothing sinister going on there should be no major objections. After all we are here voluntarily."
"And if there is something going on?" J'onn asked.
"Then you do your thing and find out what." Lucy suggested.
Before J'onn could respond the door opened and a young Captain stepped in.
"Sir, Ma'am, the committee is ready for you."
"Tell them it will have to wait." J'onn said. "We have urgent business that requires our immediate return to the DEO."
"Sir?" The Captain asked confused. "Once the debrief starts no one can enter or leave the facility to ensure all accounts are independent and not biased."
"We have answered the same set of questions for five days." Lucy said. "Our accounts have not changed and we have nothing else to say. What we do have though is an urgent need to return to the DEO."
"With all due respect you can't possibly know that." The Captain said. "As per regulations you have had no access to technology since your arrival. It is impossible for you to have communicated with anyone outside this facility."
"Have you forgotten that this is an alien." Lucy said pointing at J'onn. "An alien with telepathic abilities and a short temper. It is in everyone's interests for us to leave."
"I need to inform the Senator." The Captain said quickly leaving the room. Turning Lucy saw J'onn's questioning expression and said.
"I didn't lie. I just let him make a few assumptions."
"You must have been a formidable opponent in the court room." J'onn commented as the door opened again with the Captain returning with another Captain and a Senator.
"Why are you refusing to cooperate with the investigation?" The Senator demanded.
"We're not. We have done everything that has been asked. But we are now needed else where so we can stop the alien invasion that you are so concerned about."
"Are you saying that this planet is in immediate danger?"
"I am."
"From what?"
"I can only discuss that with the President, so either get me a line to her or let us go." J'onn said.
"Do you not trust Agent Danvers to run the DEO in your absence?" The Senator asked.
"I trust her implicitly. However, I made her a promise and I intend to keep it." J'onn said. "I am heading back to the DEO. If you want further answers you can find me there."
"Of course, Captain Smith will escort you back to the main gate. I will inform the committee." The Senator said surprising both J'onn and Lucy.
"Thank you." J'onn replied as he followed the Captain out.
Once J'onn, Lucy and Captain Smith had left the other Captain turned to the Senator.
"Sir, is that wise? We were ordered to keep them here and out of contact with the DEO."
"The situation has changed. CatCo Media has somehow obtained a video of Lane interrogating Supergirl. A video that they decided to publish under inflammatory headlines. It went viral and reached the President who has ordered Lane's arrest. So holding Major Lane and the alien further will get us nothing other than looking complicit. Right now we need to focus on our survival."
-00-
As J'onn and Lucy reached the entrance to the facility a guard took their badges before disappearing seeing Lucy's questioning look J'onn said.
"The Earth is always in danger from something."
"And if the President asks what specifically this time?"
"I'm sure we'll find something. Let's just hope that the fact they are letting us go is good sign. Although it seemed a little too easy." J'onn said as the guard returned and handed them their phones.
"Would you like me to arrange a car for you?" He asked.
"That's fine. We have one." Lucy replied as she powered up her phone. As they walked outside it started buzzing.
"What the-" She started to ask.
"What's wrong?" Hank questioned as he turned his own phone on.
"I have hundreds of emails and texts….Most from James…...Come on load up…..We need to get to the DEO now." Lucy said. "Kara's in trouble."
"You okay flying?" Hank asked. Seeing Lucy's hesitation he added. "It's the fastest way."
"Okay." She said nervously.
-00-
As they approached the DEO they were surprised to see a convoy rolling to a stop. Landing at the front of the convoy J'onn shielded Lucy with his body and waited for one of the troops to jump down from the trucks and approach.
"Director Henshaw, um J'onzz, Major Lane." The soldier greeted trying to remain cool whilst staring at an alien. "I am Major Taylor. My men are at your disposal."
"What's going on?" J'onn asked.
"General Lane has taken control of the facility and is interrogating, well torturing, Supergirl. We have been ordered to assist you in regaining control and rescuing Supergirl." He said passing a letter to J'onn.
"Do you believe General Lane is acting alone?" J'onn asked.
"That is unknown Sir."
"Let's move in. I do not want any casualties." J'onn ordered before looking at Lucy and asking. "You want to sit this out."
"No." She said taking a gun from the other Major.
As J'onn entered the control room he demanded. "Any one not DEO put your weapons down or I will disarm you."
"You have no authority here." One army Captain said defiantly.
"I am the authority here. My orders come from the President, where do yours come from?" J'onn asked.
"General Lane." The Captain said suddenly sounding less sure of himself.
"The President outranks General Lane." J'onn growled. "Where is Agent Danvers?"
"Holding cell three." Vasquez said relieving the Captain of his gun.
"Why?"
"General Lane's orders." The army Captain said.
"And Supergirl?"
"Cell twenty-seven. General Lane is interrogating her." Vasquez explained. "She could really use some help."
"I'll get Supergirl, you take control here and get Alex." Hank said to Lucy. He then looked at the Major Taylor and added. "Come with me."
-00-
"That's enough." J'onn roared as he entered Kara's cell area just in time to see Lane inject Kara again. "You are relieved General Lane."
"You have no right being here." Lane responded over Kara's screams.
"I have every right. This is my DEO." J'onn said stepping up to Lane, only to find several guns pointed at him. However, every soldier who had followed J'onn into the cell mirrored the action and soon most people in the room had a gun pointed at them.
"My orders come from the President." J'onn said calmly, trying to bury the anger building inside him at the sight of Kara writhing in pain. "If you want to take that up with her be my guest. However, you will have to do it from a holding cell as she has also ordered your immediate detainment." He said passing the letter to Lane.
"What did you do? Brainwash her? Use your unnatural alien powers to take over?" Lane demanded.
"J'onn J'onzz has had no contact with the President." Major Taylor said looking at all of Lane's men. "I have. The orders are clear. General Lane is relieved of command. Drop your weapons now or you will also be detained."
Not seeing an immediate rush by Lane's men to drop their weapons Taylor glanced at Supergirl and continued. "You all know this is wrong. This is torture of the person who saved this planet. I know you were following orders but those orders have changed. Lane is no longer in charge."
For a moment J'onn thought the stand off, punctuated by Supergirl's cries, would continue. Then suddenly a Corporal lowered his weapon and left the holding cell followed by another and another. With the immediate threat ended J'onn hurried to Kara.
"Get them out of here. Lock them up." J'onn ordered as he dropped down next to Kara who was screaming in pain on the ground. Taking her into his arms he gently held her and tried to comfort her, ignoring General Lane's threats as the General was dragged from the holding area.
Moments later, ignoring her own pain Alex dropped down beside them and took her crying sister into her arms and tried to comfort her.
"Everyone out." J'onn growled. "Lane, get Hamilton."
-00-
"How is she?" J'onn asked when he entered the small room with the solar bed an hour later.
"Asleep. The pain seems to have worn off." Alex said. "But I have never seen her so frightened, so lost."
"I'm sorry I wasn't here." J'onn said.
"It's not your fault." Alex said. "If you had been here you probably would have been tortured too."
"Hamilton said you haven't let her treat your injuries." J'onn said gently.
"I'm fine and I'm not leaving Kara."
"Alex, I can see that you have two cracked ribs, a broken finger and a hairline fracture in your wrist. From the way you walked earlier I would guess you also have ligament damage in your knee. Kara will need you at full strength. Let Hamilton treat you and I will stay with Kara."
"I don't want to leave her."
"Alex I promise you she won't be alone. The second she wakes I will get someone to find you. Go."
Reluctantly Alex leaned over and kissed Kara's forehead before leaving the room.
When Alex had left J'onn took Kara's hand in his and offered her a Martian prayer before silently waiting for her to wake. The silence was eventually broken by Lucy entering the room.
"Director, the facility is secure. Major Taylor says his men will provide extra support until all other agents have returned to their posts."
"Good work." J'onn said turning to face Lucy before asking "How are you doing?"
"Me? I'm fine. I'm not the one who has been tortured." She said guiltily looking at Kara.
"You are not responsible for his actions." J'onn said.
"I still can't believe my father would do something like that. I really thought after Myriad he had changed his views. But even if he hadn't, how could he do this?"
"Fear drives man to do terrible things. It is all too easy to convince yourself to do the wrong thing for what you believe to be the right reasons."
"No reason could justify this." Lucy said. "We're just lucky that Cat Grant got hold of the story."
"It's the one time I'm grateful for a security breach." J'onn said before noticing Lucy holding a file in her hand.
"More orders from the President?" He guessed.
"No. It's my resignation."
"Lucy, I need you now more than ever." J'onn said. "We need to stand together to get over this."
"I can't stay. Half the base believe I was part of my father's plan."
"I don't believe that." Hank said.
"Neither do I." Alex said as she re-entered Kara's room. "And neither will Kara. J'onn is right we need to work together to get the people behind this."
"Your father did not act alone. We were deliberately kept out of the way." J'onn reminded her. "When we have caught those responsible you can resign, not before then."
-00-
When Kara woke up she instantly remembered the pain. Unable to face it again she tried to escape the others in the room. Scrambling off the bed she landed on the floor with a thud before crawling to the corner of the room.
"Kara." Alex called approaching her sister.
"No more." Kara sobbed.
"Kara." Alex called again. "It's over. You're safe." She said calmly as she painfully knelt in front of her sister. "I need you to open your eyes and look at me." She added as she gently touched Kara's shoulder. The touch immediately causing Kara to jerk backwards whilst opening her eyes. Seeing Alex in front of her she calmed and asked disbelieving.
"Alex?"
"Right here. You're okay, it's over." Alex assured her moments before Kara launched herself at Alex hugging her. Trying to ignore the pressure on her ribcage Alex repeated. "It's okay."
"They took you away." Kara sobbed. "I thought they killed you."
"I'm fine." Alex said. "But I do need to breathe." She added causing Kara to immediately release her hold. Seeing the pained expression on Alex's face Kara cried.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
"It's okay." Alex said using her good hand to hold Kara's. "We are both going to be okay. But I may need a little help getting up." She added looking hopefully at Kara who immediately stood and helped Alex to her feet. As soon as Alex was standing she hugged Kara again adding.
"It's going to be okay."
For two silent minutes Kara clung to Alex before finally speaking.
"I want to go home." Kara said sadly.
"I don't blame you." Alex said. "I'll get Vasquez to drive us back to your place."
"No. I don't mean there. I mean Midvale. I want to get away from here."
TBC...
A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing.