"Any more sign of the Lieutenants?" Alex asked entering the control room a few days later.
"One more trigger this morning, but when the team got there, there was no sign. Again." Harris said. "Other than that we have no evidence the Lieutenants are on Earth at all."
"Unfortunately we are pretty certain they are here." Alex reminded him. "What about the captured Lieutenants?"
"That's where it gets a little more interesting." Rose said. "They are still not talking to us or giving us anything useful, but according to the shrink some of them are displaying changing behaviour, indicating they may be about to talk. Sibley has suggested some environmental changes we might want to implement to speed the process up."
"What type of changes?" Alex asked.
"Moving a couple to a better area. Make the others think they have turned."
"Do it." Alex said, feeling they had nothing to lose. She then asked. "How are the released prisoners doing?"
"So far no signs of anything unusual. They have all integrated back into their lives. They are all attending the regular checks. Eighty percent are undergoing therapy, which was expected."
"The fleet?" Alex asked.
"The fleet, seems to be completely broken up. There are sixteen sub groups now, all heading in different directions."
"Anything unusual on long range scans?"
"No ma'am. It is looking really quiet."
"And the game?"
"No more servers have come online. The Feds can't connect it to the Kai at the moment, well not in a way that would lead to successful prosecutions. But they are still pursuing. But right now there is no immediate threat."
"So we are winning." Supergirl said.
"Or it is the calm before the storm." Alex said.
"I need to get to CatCo. Let me know if anything happens." Supergirl said flying off.
-00-
"You didn't call." Kara said when she entered Alex's lounge that evening.
"Because nothing happened." Alex said. "It was the quietest day in ages."
"And let me guess, you are seeing that as proof that the end is nigh." Kara said.
"No, but it is reason to be on high alert." Alex countered.
"Do you ever see reason to not be on high alert?" Kara asked.
"Not right now." Alex said.
"So, have you thought about Argo?" Kara asked changing subjects.
"What about it?"
"Letting MJ and Kara go."
"Have they put you up to this?"
"No, I am just trying to plan." Kara said but as Alex stared at her she added. "But they may have mentioned it."
"I'm not sure, I'm still worried about unleashing them on Argo." Alex said.
"And the real issue?"
"I'll miss them." Alex confessed.
"You could come too."
"I have too much to do here." Alex pointed out.
"Which could be put off so you could see Argo?"
"No it can't. Besides I've seen Argo." Alex replied.
"When?" Kara asked not remembering her sister having gone.
"After you disappeared. I went over and spent some time with your mom."
"You did?"
"I did. She was very tolerant. She helped me a lot."
"I never knew." Kara said.
"Why would you?" Alex shrugged. "The point is I have actually spent a lot of time on Argo."
"And they still offered you help?"
"Cute." Alex said rolling her eyes at her sister.
"If Argo coped with you, the kids will be fine." Kara said.
"They do really want to go." Alex said.
"I know. They mention it at least five times a day. I think they are more excited than Alex." Kara smiled.
"The break may do them good, especially after everything they have gone through. But are you sure you are okay looking after them? I mean you won't have powers."
"I don't need them."
"I love your optimism."
"It will be fine." Kara said.
"You sure?"
"I'm sure. Besides if they are they there with Alex, I will have more time to search the records for information on the lanterns and Lobo."
"Okay." Alex agreed, albeit with some reluctance.
"So we can go?" MJ asked from the doorway.
"Do you guys not believe in privacy?" Alex asked unimpressed.
"Says the stalker." The teenage Kara countered from behind her brother.
"Can we go?" MJ pressed.
"Fine." Alex conceded earning a hug from both her kids.
-00-
"Anything turning up from the sensor alerts?" Supergirl asked as she entered the DEO control room.
"The ANN did uncover a pattern. We had to use a MDRNN and we ran it through a BPTT. Having done that we did a PMI and POS and are looking at a BLEU." Harris listed.
"Sorry what?" Supergirl asked.
"There is a pattern." Alex translated. "But whether that is a real pattern or a random pattern is unclear."
"Right. I knew that." Supergirl said still looking lost.
"It's a lead, but it may turn out to be nothing." Alex clarified before looking at Rose. "Have you correlated it with any other system alerts?"
"Trying to. But so far I am not finding anything. Well I am, we actually get several spurious alerts every day. It will take a while to figure out if they are random or not." Rose said. "But I will keep looking." They added just as red light started flashing.
"What's that?" Alex asked.
"Um, it's a newsfeed alert." Rose said. "There's a bank robbery."
"On it." Supergirl said flying off.
"Why are we directing Supergirl on civil cases?" Alex asked.
"We aren't. We are tracking Supergirl …. in case we need her help." Rose explained as a suited man was escorted into the control room.
"Director Danvers." He greeted.
"Agent Aptil." Alex nodded.
"We need to talk." He said.
-00-
"What's going on?" Alex asked as they entered a meeting room.
"I thought you'd appreciate an update."
"Always. But I thought you were trying to distance yourself from us."
"The Section Chief doesn't want me talking to you." Aptil said as he sat down. "However, this would be easier with help. But that involves you knowing what is going on."
"You okay breaking rank?"
"Not really, but the end result is what matters. Plus something tells me you will get all the intel regardless of whether or not I tell you." Aptil explained before sliding a data drive across the table to Alex. "Everything is on there but the key point is the original leader of the Kai has been found, dead. They have been dead for approximately a year. The thing is no one is really clear on who the new leader is. People won't be loyal to a faceless entity. I mean the more senior members will need something tangible. We were assuming that was money. But we aren't sure. What worries us is the change. Back when the Kai started they were ruthless thugs. Don't get me wrong, they still are. But something changed that allowed them to become top dog. Money will do that up to a point, but it needs more than that. Whoever is pulling the strings knows what they are doing, but we have no idea who they are. However, we have gathered enough intel to get warrants for raids and starting next week we will be raiding all Kai locations. I am aware that you guys follow different processes to us." Aptil said. "I was, unofficially, hoping you might use that. When we carry out the raids it could cause a backlash, or it might force Kai to change their plans. Worst case scenario is that stupid game comes back and family members get hurt. I need to make sure that doesn't happen."
"We both want the same thing." Alex said. "We will assist any way we can."
"Thank you. I will send you details of the raids." Aptil said standing.
-00-
"You two could at least pretend you are going to miss me." Alex complained as her kids excitedly packed for the trip to Argo.
"We'll miss you." MJ said. "We are just looking forward to Argo more."
"That's great." Alex said sarcastically as she headed back to the lounge where her sister was waiting.
"You going to be okay?" The adult Kara asked her sister.
"I'll be fine." Alex said. "Besides the timing works out well."
"It does?"
"The FBI are stepping up their raids on Kai next week. There is a chance that might spark the game's revival. Kara and MJ not being here will keep them safe."
"Who is going to keep you safe?" Kara asked frowning.
"We've discussed this. J'onn will be here, pretending to be you. He will have my back." Alex reminded her before adding. "Plus I won't go out into the field." Seeing the doubtful look Kara was giving her she said. "I won't. I will stay behind my desk. Stop worrying. I will be fine. You need to go to Argo."
"You sure?"
"I'm sure. I've raised two kids, I can take care of myself." Alex argued.
"Aren't you convinced those kids are about to spark a war on Argo?" Kara asked.
"Kara, I will be fine. Stop worrying about me."
"That's not happening." Kara said. "But I will stop going on about it."