Disclaimer: I do not own Supergirl, Superman, or Valor

Story Title: The Traveler

Chapter 21:

National City

The full moon shone brightly in the midnight sky. Cat Grant left her building, working later than usual. The whole story of Valor's return causing her much consternation. Valor was a cyborg now. What about the burgeoning relationship between the Girl of Steel and the Man of Valor? She sighed, looking up at the moon. "It's a beautiful night," she said to no one.

"It sure is, now hand over your purse," a man said from behind her, holding a gun.

Cat's eyes widened. "Don't you know that crime doesn't pay?"

The man wore a black shirt and pants with a black ski mask to cover his face. "Don't you know that you should shut up when someone holds a loaded gun on you?"

Cat huffed. "Do you know who I am?"

"I know who you are Grant. Why do you think I'm here?"

She handed over her purse. A frown set across her lips. "So, what happens now?"

The man cocked back the hammer on the revolver. "Now, I get to eliminate the witness."

Right before he was going to fire a blast of energy struck the man, sending him through the glass doors of the office building behind him. The gun fell to the ground. Cat bent over to grab the gun, but a dark gray boot stood on the gun. She looked up at the tall man that stood before her. He was taller than Superman. He wore a light gray set of armor with dark gray boots and a black cape that flowed behind him. The symbol of Superman and Supergirl covered the left side of his chest; the symbol was drawn in silver and was a quarter of the size of the symbol that Superman and Supergirl wore. The man had short black hair and dark sunglasses that covered part of his nose and his eyes.

The man looked very familiar to Cat. "Valor?"

The man looked down at her. A frown set across his mouth. "That name holds no meaning for me anymore, Earthling. I am known as the Eradicator."

Before Cat could ask any further questions the gunman stood up, groaning from the injuries he sustained from the energy blast and his crash through the glass doors.

The Eradicator turned toward the gunman. "You have sealed your fate, loathsome creature." He raised his hands; two powerful energy blasts erupted from his closed fists striking the man, encircling him in an energy wave that blasted the gunman, vaporizing the man completely.

Cat gasped. Eradicator just killed a man in front of her. "Why did you kill him?"

Eradicator turned back to look at the Earth woman. "He assaulted you. He tried to relieve you of your belongings. Why do you care what happened to him?"

"He was a human being. You killed him in cold blood. You committed murder in front of me."

Eradicator took off his glasses. Cat's eyes widened at the sight. The man, the being before her had no eyes, just twin orbs of pure energy. "He committed a crime and I gave him his reward, eradication." He flew off into the air, leaving Cat Grant shaken. Was this being Valor? What happened to him? Who was the Cyborg-Valor?

DEO Headquarters

Winn, Alex, and J'onn stood watching the main view screen as a report from Cat Grant herself finished playing.

"Another Valor?" Winn asked.

"Based on that report, this Eradicator acts nothing like Mon-El," J'onn said.

Alex nodded. "It's not like Cyborg-Valor acts like Mon-El either."

"Alex, Cyborg-Valor does not kill purse snatchers in cold blood. He delivers criminals to justice. This Eradicator is judge, jury, and executioner," J'onn replied.

"Could it be that these two are imposters?" Winn questioned.

J'onn sighed. "I'd hope so, but that would mean that Mon-El is truly dead."

"As much as I want Mon-El to walk through the door. We cannot hope for that. These two imposters or whatever have to be dealt with."

"Valor or Cyborg-Valor has done nothing wrong. He's been a perfect citizen, helping people around the world," J'onn said.

Winn frowned. "He can't be Mon-El. Where is the young man that was my roommate? The guy that always failed to understand my jokes. The guy that I could always beat in video games."

Alex rolled her eyes. "What about the guy that was in love with my sister? The guy that was like my little brother." Alex felt the back of her eyes sting.

J'onn put his hand on her shoulder. "Maybe he went through something terrible. Maybe he's a cyborg now, just trying to help the world, to find his place."

Alex wiped a tear away as it slipped down her cheek. "Why does he have to be so far away? Why does he have to be so removed?"

Winn rubbed the back of his neck. "Maybe he doesn't want to be looked at as a freak, like some kind of abomination."

Alex looked at Winn, his words hurting her heart. "We wouldn't treat him that way."

J'onn frowned. "You saw his face. How could he not feel removed?"

Alex sighed. "Was that it; was the Cyborg-Valor really that broken?"

"How could he not be? He went through a traumatic event. He's now more machine than man," J'onn replied. J'onn stepped away from Alex, punching a few keys on the computer keyboard before an image of the new Valor came on the screen, the Cyborg-Valor. "Maybe we need to give him time. Allow him to find his place, to settle in. Then we can find him. Let him know that we care, that he'll always be a part of our family."

Kara's Apartment

Kara sat on her couch, wearing yoga pants and a shirt that she borrowed from Mon-El. Mon-El, that name still hurt to think about. Now, here he was saving lives around the world, as a cyborg.

A sonic boom shook her building just as Superman landed on her balcony. Her doors were open, Kal-El just walked in, dressed as the Man of Steel. "Kara," he said before he noticed his cousin sitting on the couch.

"Clark, what are you doing here?"

"I came to get you. You need to leave this apartment."

"I took off from work. I don't feel well."

Clark rolled his eyes. "You don't get sick Kara. You need to stop moping around."

"I'm not moping."

"Really, are the three empty tubs of ice cream there just for show?" He pointed at the empty containers on the coffee table.

Kara sighed. "I don't want to talk about it."

"What don't you want to talk about? That my brother has returned as a cyborg. That the man that you love is still alive."

Kara stood up, her hands on her hips. "Can you call what he is now as alive? He doesn't remember us."

Clark frowned, walking toward his cousin before he pulled her into a hug. Kara wrapped her arms around him before she began to cry. He rubbed her back soothingly. "Hey, it's okay, Kara."

Kara pulled out of the hug. "It's not okay. Mon-El is gone. He's there, but he's not."

Clark felt his own tears trying to flow. "Maybe he's not the same, but he's alive Kara. The brother that I thought was dead is alive."

"Wouldn't he be better off to be dead?"

Clark stared at her in shock. "You don't mean that."

Kara shook her head. "I don't know. All I see is the parts of him that remain and the new mechanical parts that are so terrifying. I want to hug him, but part of me wants to run away at the sight of him."

Clark had felt some of that when he first met his reformed brother. "We need to get over that. He needs us, Kara. He can't be happy being alone. Who else can relate to him?"

Kara nodded. She wiped the tears from her face. "Give me a second," she said before she raced off into her bedroom, returning soon after in her Supergirl uniform. "Let's go find him." The two ran to the balcony before jumping into the air and flying off in search of the new Valor.

Washington, DC – The Whitehouse

President Marsdin stood at a podium looking over a crowd of reporters and dignitaries as they all sat in an area near the White House's rose garden.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you for coming this afternoon on such a beautiful day as we gather to celebrate the return of the hero, Valor. He saved National City and countless other cities with his defeat of Doomsday and he has been instrumental in saving the lives of thousands of people around the world. Therefore, I am proud to bestow upon him today our nation's greatest civilian honor; the Medal of Freedom."

Just as she finished speaking Valor landed before them. He was dressed in his normal uniform; his alien metal parts were shined to perfection. He approached the podium, shaking the President's hand with his organic one. He bent his head down as the President placed the medal around his neck. He stepped to the podium, looking out at the crowd. "I wish to thank the President and the people of the United States of America for bestowing upon me this honor. My duty is to preserve life in all its forms, but the most precious are those of children. Therefore, I pledge myself today to save the children of this world from suffering, from abuse, and from hunger. I look to all of you here to help me with this mission. The most vulnerable among us must be protected. Today, I also ask that the Justice League assist with this effort. From their Watchtower in the sky, they see many things and can do many things to help the children of the world. I ask for their pledge and in doing so we can make our future a better one, thank you."

The crowd erupted in applause. Valor shook the President's hand one last time before he flew off into the sky.

Kara and Kal-El floated in the air above the White House watching the proceedings and listening to Valor speak.

"He does sound like Valor," Clark said.

Kara nodded. "He always had a soft spot for kids."

"Do you think he's going to the Watchtower?"

Kara nodded. "We should go."

"Superman to Watchtower."

"Superman, this is Green Lantern."

"GL, two to beam up to the Tower."

"Affirmative, transport now."

A light surrounded Kara and Kal-El before they disappeared, reappearing soon after on the Watchtower.

Wonder Woman was there to greet them. She gave Kara a hug before she kissed her boyfriend, which earned a smile from Kara.

"What are you smiling at?" Clark asked.

"Just happy that you grew a pair like Mon-El said."

Wonder Woman chuckled. "Yeah, I still owe Mon-El for that."

Just as they finished laughing at Clark's expense, they heard tapping on the large window that looked down upon the Earth. It was Valor, floating in space before them. Clark touched a control on a panel near the wall, a light engulfed the cyborg before he disappeared and then reappeared before them a moment later.

"Valor," Diana greeted. Clark and Kara were very quiet.

"Wonder Woman," Valor replied. He looked at Superman and Supergirl. "I hope I'm not intruding."

Clark shook his head. "No, of course not, you're welcome here."

Valor nodded. "It is good to see you again Supergirl. I am glad that you have recovered from your fight with Metallo."

"Yes, thanks to you J'onn and I are alive."

"I was happy to help," Valor replied. He looked at the three before he straightened up his posture. "I have come with a proposal. A request actually."

"Yes, Supergirl and I did hear your speech at the White House," Clark said.

"Good, so what do you say?"

Clark smiled before he extended his hand. "I will need to confer with the remainder of the League, but you have my support."

Valor nodded, taking Superman's hand and shaking it firmly. "Good, so let's confer with the others. We have a lot of work to do."

Beneath the Fortress of Solitude

The cavernous room was dark, only the flicker of light from the medical monitors illuminated the room. Kelex entered the room, reading the monitors, confirming that the patient was all right.

A soft groan from the medical chamber alerted the robot that the patient was waking up. "Where…. am I?"

Kelex moved closer to the patient. "You were injured. I am helping you."

"Who am I?"

"Do not worry about that now. Your memories will return in time."

"Who are you?"

"I am known as Kelex, Kelex Two, actually."

"You're a machine."

"I am the protector of this place. I was created to fulfill the duties necessary to see that the legacy of Krypton survives."

"Krypton?"

"Relax; sleep and I will explain more when you awake."

"Sleep," the patient repeated before he fell into a deep slumber.

"Yes, child of my mistress, sleep and recover. I am afraid that this world will need you soon."

AN: So, along came the Eradicator … stay locked on target.