AN: Thanks to stick_fight3, Devilbunny, and Peonywinx for reviewing.

Chapter 9: Two in One

Brainiac Five had gathered what had happened. Cosmic Boy had Saturn Girl read his mind. She immediately went to work to see what was going on with Dani. However, instead of breaking the connection, she sent a message to Bouncing Boy, Cosmic Boy, and Triplicate Girl. She told them she was making an opening. During that opening, Cosmic Boy had to force her one way for Triplicate Girl to wrap the cable Brainiac Five had made and for Bouncing Boy to, oddly, get some of his blood on the mark on her stomach.

Lightning Lad had been left out of the loop as they'd discover that 'opening' was making herself a target for Dani for her to be manipulated where to go. Brainiac Five had been left out as he might have questioned this rather odd plan and there wasn't enough time. Not to mention Dani would have been expecting him to come at her with the capable, so it mixed things up. He had willingly given the cable to Triplicate Girl and that's all that had mattered.

The plan had worked. The question was why the plan was like that.

It was two days later before either girl woke up. Brainiac Five thought it was lucky it was Saturn Girl. One, it would calm down Lightning Lad. Two, Dani's mental reading never dropped, even if she remained absolutely still.

Brainiac Five gave an hour to everyone to visit her to see she was all right. Then another hour between her and Lightning Lad.

Really, he wasn't blind to emotions that he didn't see what was going on with them.

"I really do need to talk to her," Brainiac Five said at Lightning Lad's protest at being asked to leave.

"But-" Lightning Lad started only to be interrupted by Saturn Girl.

"It'll just be for a little while," she said, giving him a reassuring smile.

"...fine," Lightning Lad said after a few moments and finally left.

Saturn Girl looked at Brainiac Five. "How is she?" She asked, looking a bit worried.

"Still unconscious," Brainiac Five replied, sitting down.

"How long have I been out?" Saturn Girl said, looking more worried.

"Two days."

She was silent a few moments and nodded. "At least it hasn't been longer than the last time," she murmured.

"Last time? Something you saw from Danielle's mind?" He pulled a data pad, ready to take nnotes.

She nodded. "Yes. She said it was likely going to be three days before she awoke."

"So she knew this would happen?"

"Yes."

"Can you explain what you saw exactly?"

"Of course. You were right, Brainy. She was being controlled. It was easy to get information. She was shouting it as soon as she felt another mind. It was odd, there was no real resistance to read her thoughts." Saturn Girl said, closing her eyes in thought. "She said he would be stopped if human blood was put on the scar on her stomach. She also added she'd be out for three days."

"He? So the possessor was male?" He was still pondering what 'no resistance' meant to ask the appropriate question.

"Yes, but..." she paused then, looking almost disturbed now. "But it wasn't an outside force."

Brainiac Five paused at that, looking up at Saturn Girl questioningly. "It wasn't?"

She shook her head. "No. Whoever he was...he was already inside her head. There was no connection to anything outside. Maybe if it was a technological possession..."

"No. I already scanned her. Every scan I could think of. Aside from her....odd biology and the mental activity, she's been normal."

"Maybe I should take a look?"

"I was going to suggest that, but first...the attack you were hit with...?"

"You thought it was sonic, but it wasn't acting that way. Or like a normal psychic attack. Right?"

He nodded.

"That's because it wasn't. The sound it made...what it was...." She paused and shivered, wrapping her arms around herself. "It wasn't normal. It felt...dead...and it just drained everything away...when it hit."

"Drained?"

She nodded. "It drained away my energy. It just...sapped around everything. Even when I tried to do mental blocks, it just drained that away and just made my head hurt. It was like the more energy I used...the more it hurt. And whatever part of my brain I used for that specific power I tried to use, it hit there the hardest."

Brainiac Five thought this over. From how she was describing it... "Perhaps it works on machines?" He murmured.

"Machines?"

"She got out of her cell. When I looked at the projectors, they had...well, exploded. From an sudden and dramatic power flux. It was too damaged to tell anything more than that. It couldn't have easily been an overload or a severe drain."

Saturn Girl was silent a few moments. "Maybe I should look at her?"

"Are you up to it right now?"

"Yes. I can do it. As long as she's unconscious, I don't think she or he can attack me mentally, like they couldn't resist," Saturn Girl said.

Brainiac Five was silent for several moments before he nodded. "All right, but if anything starts to go wrong, you stop, understand?"

Saturn Girl nodded and stood up, walking over to where Dani was restrained. They never removed the cables, making sure she was trapped on the bed. "Can I see the readings?" Brainiac Five called up the readings on the screen beside her. She studied them for a few moments before she nodded. "Let's see if we can find out what's going on," she murmured, her eyes starting to glow pink.

Brainiac Five watched her silently. For a minute, things seemed fine.

Then Saturn Girl jerked. Once. Twice. Three times. And didn't stop.

"Saturn Girl! Pull out!" Brainiac Five shouted, grabbing her shoulders, shaking her to try and snap her out of it.

For ten terrifying seconds, she didn't stop, her body trembling like mad. He'd been about to get a sedative, put her under so she couldn't keep the connection, when she gasped, pitching forward and leaning against him, closing her eyes. "There..."

And then Dani gasped, her eyes snapping open.