"Why am I here?"
"Because you were summoned," her father reminded.
Alex sat there on the expensive overstuffed furniture in the waiting area nervously, her hands up to her face, hunched over, tapping her toes against the glossy tile beneath her feet, and feeling like her lungs were twisting inside of her. "I hate being summoned…" She didn't want to be there and she hadn't wanted her parents to come with her, but now...now she was glad that she had their support. There had been so much over the last two weeks and she had found herself really leaning on them, finding a balance and realizing how much she could have used her dad in all of those lost years.
Everytime she looked at her father...she remembered that Max had given him back to her.
"Ms. Danvers?" someone spoke up.
Alex looked over and then got to her feet. There was a neatly dressed assistant standing a few feet away. "Yes? I'm sorry, I don't even know why I'm here…"
"The reading of Mr. Lord's will, Ma'am," the secretary stated. "You and your parents can follow me…"
Alex and her parents were escorted to a rather large conference room, it seemed like they were the last ones to be brought there. At the end of the table was the lawyer with files and papers in front of him. She settled into a chair and her parents stood along the edges of the room. It was packed and Alex just wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. Lord Technologies just reminded her of Max. Everything...it reminded her of Max. It was like a knife to her heart.
"Now that everyone is present, I will begin with the reading of Mr. Lord's will," the lawyer spoke up as he slid his glasses into place.
As he spoke, Alex listened. She spun the simple ring on her finger. She stared down at the smooth surface of the conference table. It was so sad in her mind that Maxwell Lord's legacy came down to this reading… These people that didn't know who he was. Alex was certain that none of the people at the table had been a true friend to him, none of them knew him, and that they were all there just for the money.
"Alexandra Danvers."
Her head shot up. Alex didn't know when Max would have added her to his will, he'd never said anything, but she was fairly certain that it was shortly after they'd been rescued from the White Martian. It had to be. It was the only time in her mind that made sense.
"You receive all of Mr. Lord's shares in Lord Technologies and he has appointed you CEO," the lawyer announced. "Which, of course, will also be dependent on you meeting with the board...it is Mr. Lord's wish, but-"
"CEO?" Alex blurted out confused, blinking and trying to take in what was being told to her. She had a job. She worked with the DEO. Max knew that. He'd always thought that they clicked so well when it came to science, but running Lord Technologies wasn't what Alex wanted. She wanted to get out there and take down Trigon. She wanted to avenge Max's death. She couldn't do that from a boardroom.
"I can go over it more with you at the end," the lawyer said gently.
Alex just nodded. It was a lot to take in. Max had given her his company? She glanced over at her parents briefly and forced herself to remember to breathe. She didn't know if she could even bring herself to have such a large piece of Max… It wasn't that she wanted to forget him, that was so far from the truth, but she didn't know if she could really have such a large reminder of all of the pain that she was still feeling.
Legacy.
Max had always wanted to leave behind a legacy.
He'd left behind Lord Technologies.
In the right hands, it could be a legacy...it could pass on the message that Max had always wanted all along. It could be a beacon of good in the world. It could be something more than a company that was about profit. It could be a betterment of humanity. Alex just stared down at her ring and wondered how he could put this weight on her shoulders.
All she wanted was him back.
She wasn't his legacy.
How could she?
She was damaged.
She was broken.
She couldn't do this.
But how could she deny his wishes?
That thought stuck with her. Alex just sat there thinking about that thought throughout the entire rest of the reading of the will. Even after nearly everyone had left, Alex just sat there and thought over that very question.
It was all too much and as much as she wanted to just go home and lay in bed, she knew that there was too much to do back at the DEO. Sure, J'onn had given her the day off, but she wouldn't be able to actually sleep or lay in bed without thinking of all of the things she could be doing...what she should be doing… Her parents, however, refused to let her go alone. Maybe she would regret them both having clearance to her place of work.
"What are you going to do about Lord Technologies?" her father asked as they drove.
"I don't know," Alex mumbled. She was trying not to think about it. "I'm not exactly CEO material…"
"You don't have to do it alone, you know," her father reminded. "You have support."
"I'm not leaving the DEO," Alex pointed out. "And Max knew that."
"We could help you," her mother put out there.
"Not that we know anything about running a company," Jeremiah stated. "But we know science…"
"I don't think Max ever really wanted his company to be so detached from the science," Alex admitted. As good as Max seemed at everything else, including the politics, of his own company...she knew that that wasn't what he wanted deep down. "He just didn't want his name forgotten…"
"So far, CatCo Media seems to be headlining him as a hero," Eliza said.
Which was a start.
There just seemed like there was so much more that needed to be said about Max. Like the world didn't know the real him. Sometimes Alex hadn't even thought he knew who the real Maxwell Lord was...and he was Maxwell Lord. He'd done a lot of things that were bad...that were bad choices...but that wasn't who he was...that wasn't the Max that Alex knew was deep down inside of him wanting to be seen by all. He'd just been so alone for so long…
"Alex?"
"Sorry," she mumbled. "Was thinking…" It was enough thinking, though, she thought as they pulled up to the DEO complex. Her mother was right, though, at least there was that…
"Is that Cisco?"
"What's a Cisco?" her mother questioned.
Adler was almost immediately handing out donuts. "You know you had the day off, right?"
"Yep," Alex said before taking a bite of her donut. "What is Cisco doing and did he bring friends?"
"He's here to fix The Pipeline," Adler commented. "Didn't think he'd show up so quickly, but you know how the boss gets...especially when he uses his growly voice…"
Suddenly Benanti was there, as if she'd just popped up from the other side of the donut box. She was going through the donuts in her wife's possession almost immediately. "He sounds like the beast when Belle refuses to go to dinner…" Lara grabbed a brightly sprinkled donut and beamed at the lovely treasure in her possession. "Then you can starve," she said in her best 'beast' voice.
Alex just blinked for a moment. She actually knew that voice. J'onn used that voice a lot when he was really grumpy. He also just didn't like people there that weren't DEO agents. "How many people are there?"
"Don't we know the one?" Lara questioned as they all looked in the direction of the room they were all sitting in. "The one with the fantastic hair?"
"Maybe?"
"Yeah, well...since you're here," Adler said. "I hereby put you in charge of them…"
Alex sighed.
Before she could complain, Adler was already defending her choice. "You're a scientist...they're scientists...I think...if I'm left in charge, I'm likely to shoot one of them...or all of them…" she said dead serious. "Also, that zoom-y guy is here."
"Zoom-y guy?" Alex questioned as Adler and Benanti started to walk away.
"That one that helped Kara after we were all trapped in here...he zooms around and wears that red suit?" Adler put out there before disappearing with the box of donuts.
"The Flash?"
"Does she always have donuts with her?" her mother questioned.
"That's sort of her thing...if she doesn't have a pink box with donuts...I worry," Alex admitted with a shrug. She looked towards where Cisco and his team were, let out a sigh and placed her hands on her hips before looking around for J'onn. She needed to touch base with him before going in and talking to them.
"Looking for J'onn?"
"Yeah-"
"He's behind you," her mother said with a smile. "We'll let you two talk."
Alex turned and found him standing there, looking a tad amused, which was surprising after what she'd just heard from Adler and Benanti. "You're not so grumpy looking," she commented lightly.
"Adler and Benanti?" he questioned.
"Well, they're the only ones I've talked to so far," Alex said.
He put his hands on his hips and looked around before looking back at her. "Did Benanti do her beast impression?"
"Maybe…"
"What are you doing here, Alex?"
"I couldn't just stay home," Alex told him. "And Max…" She pushed out a breath and looked down for a moment before looking back to him. Her voice lowered and she tried to keep her words from breaking the best that she could. "Max left me his company."
"Lord Technologies is yours?"
"Something like that," Alex said with a shrug. "I don't want to run his company," she continued in frustration. "I want to work here...at the DEO...chasing aliens...working with Kara...working with you…" She shook her head. "And Max knew that…"
"You're brilliant in your scientific field, Alex," he reminded gently.
"Could you really see me there?"
"No."
"Well-"
"But you didn't turn it down?"
"No," Alex said in a huff. "I mean, Max wanted me to have it...and it's his legacy...and I'm one of the few people who actually knows who he was...what he did for everyone...what he sacrificed…"
"He loved you."
She didn't need to be reminded of that, she knew that. It wasn't a comfort, but a weight that she carried. Alex was still wearing the wedding band on her finger and every night she'd go to bed with the blue journal tucked under her pillow. "I just can't stay home, I need to be here...I need to be helping...to do something…"
The DEO had to be rebuilt.
"Adler gave me charge of the scientists already," Alex added as she nodded in the direction of Cisco and his team.
"Well, we sort of know them all," J'onn said. "Apparently."
"Apparently?"
"Cisco Ramon."
"Yep, remember him," Alex said as she looked down.
"Curtis Holt from Palmer Technologies."
Her hand immediately went up to the locket that she and Kara both wore that she'd tucked into her shirt. Alex pressed against it through the material of her clothing. "Okay."
"Felicity Smoak from Palmer Technologies, Doctor Caitlin Snow from STAR Labs, and Barry Allen...who's better known as The Flash," J'onn told her.
She looked up and him and then over at the group. "So, at least we don't have to be super cautious around them…"
"No, Kara's already been in there...as Kara… She and Barry were hugging and giggling a lot…"
"He's not good enough for her," Alex mumbled.
She caught a smirk out of the corner of her eye before she turned back to J'onn. "They never are." They were both quiet for a long moment. "Apparently Smoak and Holt also work with the Green Arrow...so we've got all of these scientists who are used to being part of a superhero team."
"Just as long as they fix The Pipeline, so we can go after Trigon."
His expression changed to a sadder one all of the sudden. "It can't be rushed, Alex."
"I know," she whispered sadly. That didn't mean that she didn't want it done quickly. Cisco had dropped it in quick enough. Of course, there had been problems when they'd first put prisoners in there, but it had been quickly fixed.
"Are you sure you want to be in charge of them? I could have Harewood or Benanti-"
"No," Alex said. "It'll be fine… Adler made a good point anyways. I'm a scientist and they're scientists, so who better to keep an eye on them and basically act as the go between?"
"You've been through-"
"You know I'm not just going to sit in the control room with Vasquez or stay home," she said gently and almost desperately. "I just can't do that… I have to be here. I have to be helping. I have to be doing something."
"Just know that if you decide you can't do it anymore that I'll have someone else keep an eye on them," J'onn let her know. "I don't want you to feel like you have no way out of this assignment."
"Understood."
"I mean it, Alex."
She didn't want to stick with this subject and pressed to change it. "I can't believe that you made Adler babysit...you know how much she hates that."
"She thought she was babysitting Benanti all those years before...now they're married," J'onn reminded with a smile. Everyone knew that story. It was a good tale to tell agents so they knew that Lara Benanti had more than one side, it wasn't just the sunny bright crazy side...but the kickass warrior side too.
"I should go get the scientists going…"
"What about the other scientists you've let loose on my base?"
"Huh?"
"Your parents."
Alex smiled at that. "I figured that they wouldn't hurt anything...and they insisted…"
Alex entered the room to a conversation already in progress. They knew that other heroes existed beyond National City, but really...this was the first time since Kara had come out as Supergirl that they'd really called on them and needed the help. And it wasn't just the city, the people, or Kara that needed the help...it was the DEO… Asking for help really wasn't something that the DEO did, especially because normally that meant that they would need to ask the army for help and they just didn't like dealing with General Lane if they could avoid it (and they did, like the plague).
The players that she hadn't previously met had already been identified for her by Vasquez right before she'd stepped into the room. Felicity Smoak was a blonde tech hacker genius with glasses that didn't hide her beauty. Curtis Holt was a big man with possibly the most amazing hair that Alex had ever seen, he worked with Smoak and was also a tech genius...he was also part of the maker of the lockets. Cisco Ramon they already knew, he was wearing a Pac-Man shirt today, so Alex was guessing that games might be the theme of his shirts for the week. Caitlin Snow was beautiful and had a haunting past, but also a brilliant doctor. Then there was Barry Allen...The Flash...he was a superhero made because of the particle accelerator burst in Central City but he was also a forensic scientist. So, really...everyone in that room had a reason to be there, even if Alex couldn't piece the actual individual tasks just yet.
"I didn't bring my superhero with me," Felicity stated. "I figured it would get a little crowded around here if we were all bringing our entire entourage…"
"Probably better that he stayed home, Kara being shot in the back with an arrow...that's not exactly the best first impression," Barry put out there.
"He doesn't always...do that," Felicity said awkwardly. She pushed her glasses up and then looked around as she crossed her arms over her chest. And then it was like they'd suddenly realized Alex was there. "So! We're here about the DEO's Pipeline."
She gave a nod and then sat at the end of the table, everyone turning their attentions to her. "You are," Alex confirmed. "So many of you-"
"I hope that's okay," Cisco blurted out. "I mean...Felicity and Curtis can help with the tech...troubleshooting-"
"Fixing your errors," Felicity jabbed.
There was a quick exchange of glares.
"We also thought you'd maybe like Cisco supervised," Caitlin added in there. "Though, I'm actually here for the stasis systems...and Barry, well...he's fast…"
"That's fine," Alex said, trying to push forward a smile. It was a fake one, but it was all she could muster in that moment. "Obviously, we want to try to repair The Pipeline as soon as possible. I understand that a lot is going to have to be replaced and upgraded, but we still need a timeline and to know what will need to be brought in."
"I actually already have been told that most of the materials I requested are already here," Cisco said as he motioned around with his hand. "The agent that was teasing me with a box of donuts said that it had arrived."
"Oh," Alex said. "She would be right then-"
"Is there a reason she passed us off?"
Alex shrugged. "Adler really doesn't do well with babysitting...especially babysitting scientists." It was the honest truth. "I think you are all safer in my hands."
Felicity opened her mouth as she tapped her pen against a pad of paper on the desk. "And name-"
"She's Agent Alex Danvers," Cisco filled in.
"She's also Kara's older sister," Barry beamed.
"You really don't know how to keep any secrets, do you?" Felicity asked Barry, but it came out as a scold. Barry just shrugged in return.
Alex covered her face and took a breath for a moment. Maybe this was too much. As much as she needed to do something, maybe this wasn't it. She uncovered her face and looked at them. "Have you had your plans approved by Henshaw yet?"
"I mean, I've sent him the basics...but I haven't worked up the final draft," Cisco said.
"You said you had it all figured out," Caitlin scolded this time.
Cisco tapped his temple. "Yeah, it's all up here."
There was a collective sigh. "Well, that's going to be your goal first," Alex said evenly. "All of you together, get the final draft plan done so that the boss can approve it and this can all get done."
Caitlin raised her hand, as if she were still in school and waiting to be called on. "I was wondering if I could work with your doctors and look at the alien DNA, so that I can better look over the stasis cell-"
"Of course," Alex said before letting her finish. She got to her feet and motioned for Doctor Snow to come with her. "An hour...we'll meet back here...all of us...and hopefully there's something more final." No one argued and the brunette doctor moved silently with her as she left the room.
"Sorry about all of that, we all thought Cisco had already finalized the plans," Caitlin apologized. "I mean, the specifications for stasis will likely have to be individually personalized to each species...there are other factors, of course...but everything else...it should have been done."
Alex just walked quietly towards med bay. "I think we're just all on edge."
"Understandably so."
When she got to med bay, she found her parents both there. She sighed. "Mom? Dad?" she questioned.
"We're not being in the way, I promise," her mother spoke up first. "Doctor Hernandez asked if we'd help with a few things…"
Alex noticed how her mother seemed to be waiting for something, likely for her to introduce them to the person that they hadn't met yet. She turned and motioned to Caitlin and then to her parents. "Doctor Caitlin Snow, my parents...Doctors Eliza and Jeremiah Danvers." Her parents moved forward and shook Caitlin's hand in turn. "Caitlin's here from STAR Labs in Central City to try to help us get The Pipeline fixed and upgraded."
"I'm going to be working on the specifications for the stasis chamber," Caitlin explained.
"Really?" both of her parents questioned.
It seemed like her parents were more than okay with not only helping Doctor Hernandez, but it seemed like helping Doctor Snow on her project as well. At least they wouldn't be in the way or in any trouble. "Oh-kay...I'm going to go...track Adler down…"
"For another donut?" her mother asked.
"To spar," Alex corrected.
Really at this point, she would spar with anyone at the DEO. She just thought that maybe it would help focus her and work out some of the anger that she still had. Alex might not be able to go back and change what had happened, but she knew that she could get herself into the right headspace in order to make the future a better one.
"Just be careful, Sweetie."
Alex just sighed and waved a hand as she left.
TBC…