"Well that could have gone better." Maggie said as she and Alex left Jen's mother's house without any new information.
"And we've wasted an hour." Alex said climbing into the SUV.
"You can't blame her for being scared." Maggie reminded her.
"I know. But it is still frustrating that she wouldn't talk." Alex said.
"To us." Maggie said before clarifying. "She has no reason to trust us. I know you won't like it, but we should send Kara to talk to them. I mean it is kind of understandable that Jen doesn't trust anyone right now."
"What if she is still part of the cult? Or an actual Cadmus operative? What if she is bait to get Kara out in the open?" Alex asked.
"I didn't say send Kara alone." Maggie pointed out.
"It's still too risky." Alex said. "Especially with Kara like this. I have never seen her so broken."
"What are you going to tell her?" Maggie asked. "Because if you tell her Jen wouldn't talk to us because she didn't trust us, something tells me Kara is going to come out here regardless of your opinion."
"You're right. If she thinks there's a chance that Jen will talk to her she'll leave the DEO." Alex said. "Which is why I'll tell her that Jen doesn't want to get involved."
"Are you sure lying to Kara is the best option?" Maggie asked.
"No. It normally ends badly, but for now it is the only way to keep her safe."
-00-
"Did she say anything?" Kara asked as soon as Alex and Maggie entered the DEO.
"No. She didn't want to talk." Alex said, keeping her answer short so she didn't have to tell an outright lie. "How are you getting on here?"
"The initial cult building where Kara was taken has been cleaned out. There are no signs of anyone having been there. They've even wiped all the prints."
"What about the financial trail?" Maggie asked.
"It is owned by a shell company, more than that we haven't been able to find anything useful." Winn said. "But we have a list of people who have been arrested for attacks on aliens and Kara is looking through all the records to see if she recognises anyone. I mean if you want to build an army to fight aliens you may as well start with people who fight aliens, right?"
"And do you recognise anyone?" Alex asked Kara.
"No, but I'm not very far through yet. Not having powers makes it really slow. But I should be done in a few hours."
"You should be resting." Eliza said gently.
"I'm okay." Kara said as she kept looking through the files Winn had found. The comment causing Eliza to throw a pleading glance to Alex.
"You know I can see the faces you are all pulling from the reflection in the screen?" Kara pointed out. "I'm okay."
"We're just worried about you." Eliza said. "Until you're powers are back you shouldn't be overdoing it."
"I'm just sitting in front of a computer." Kara said.
"Well you maybe okay, but I'm not." Alex said. "I'm starving and you owe me like twenty dinners so you can buy me some food for a change."
"Does that mean I can leave?" Kara asked.
"No. It means I'm going to bring back pizza." Maggie said.
"And potstickers." Alex added.
-00-
"How are you doing really?" Alex asked as she and Kara sat in the rec room eating the pizza an hour later.
"I don't understand how can you even be in the same room as me?" Kara asked. "Twice I could have saved Jeremiah and twice I failed."
"Kara, there is no way that Cadmus would have released dad." Alex said. "And even if they did do you really think any of us would have wanted you to pay that price?"
"It's only fair. He was taken from you because of me." Kara said.
"And his friendship with your cousin." Alex reminded her. "Even if you hadn't come into our lives, his knowledge of your cousin made him a valuable target." When Kara shrugged non-committally Alex went on. "Kara I know the Narth made you see things that has caused you to start second guessing, but there's no point. If you hadn't come into our lives maybe dad would still be with us, but maybe he wouldn't. And without you who would have saved me when my board knocked me unconscious and I nearly drowned? You can question every event and every decision, but all it will do is drive you crazy. There are very few things we can be sure of, but I for one am sure I want you as a sister. And although you may not be sure that this is where you want to be, there is no where else I want you to be. I know you think you've lost me but you haven't. And when this is over we are going to have a long talk. But right now you look tired. You should get some sleep."
"I still have all the records to go through." Kara pointed out.
"That can wait. You are more important."
-00-
"What's wrong?" Alex as she entered the lab where her mother was sitting in front of a computer.
"I'm just worried about Kara and what they did to her. Did she talk to you?"
"Not really. Just enough to get across her guilt." Alex said. "But I did persuade her to get some rest."
"If only someone could do the same for you." Eliza said.
"I'm okay." Alex smiled wearily. "Besides the same could be said about you."
"Well you and Kara seem rather focused on causing me to worry." Eliza said causing Alex to hug her.
"I'm sorry I don't mean to."
"I know. But I'm your mother, I will always worry about you." Eliza smiled as she pulled back.
"So what's keeping you up tonight?" Alex asked.
"Cadmus are organised and efficient. I know I haven't spent as long as you tracking them down, but they don't seem to act randomly. Everything they do is for a purpose. Last time they took Kara they made her solar flare to take her blood to gain access to the Fortress of Solitude. So what was there end game this time?"
"You think there is more to it than just long term effects of solar flaring?" Alex asked.
"Assuming Kara is telling us everything, which she may not be, we know they took blood samples and injected her with something. So they must be looking for something or testing something. And why solar flare by using her heat vision into the helmet?" Eliza asked.
"You think they are harnessing it somehow?"
"I don't know. Maybe I am just being paranoid. I hope I am but I just feel like we are missing something."
"All the more reason to hunt Cadmus down." Alex said
"Please don't do anything that puts you in danger." Eliza said. "I am not sure how much more I can take"
"I'll be careful." Alex promised.
"Alex." J'onn said entering the room. "We have a possible location."
"I'll be right there." Alex said leaving the lab as Eliza quietly pleaded.
"Stay safe."
-00-
"That was a complete waste of time." Alex complained as she returned to the DEO control room early the next morning. "Next time we need a better verification of leads." She added just before she noticed Winn's strange expression.
"What?" She asked.
"Alex." Eliza said when she saw her eldest. "Thank god you're back."
"What's wrong?" Alex asked immediately growing concerned
"It's Kara. She's gone." Eliza explained.
"What do you mean gone?" Alex asked eyes wide.
"She left the DEO." J'onn said walking up behind Eliza.
"Why?" Alex asked before asking. "But we can track her right?"
"No we can't. She left her necklace with a note for you." J'onn said handing Alex the envelope.
"Kara doesn't go anywhere without that necklace, unless….that stupid alien." She said frustrated.
"What?" Eliza asked.
"Last time she left her necklace was when she went off to fight Non during Myriad and she didn't think she would make it back."
"You're saying she thinks she is going on a suicide mission?" Eliza asked as Alex opened the envelope. "But she doesn't have her powers. What did she say?"
"Nothing that helps us find her." Alex said reading the letter, before putting it in her pocket.
TBC...
A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing.
