"J'onn talked to you?" The teenage Kara guessed as entered the lounge where her mother was pacing.
"He did." Alex confirmed. "MJ, can you give us a minute?"
"Sure, I'll be at Alex's." He said, throwing a sympathetic glance at his sister before leaving. Once he was gone Alex asked.
"What were you thinking?"
"That I wanted to make it better."
"By sneaking out and asking for a very dangerous procedure."
"It's my choice."
"No it's not." Alex said. "Besides, I thought you couldn't remember the accident?"
"Yeah, but the doctor's said there was no physical reason for that. So J'onn should be able to extract the memories."
"If your brain is blocking you recalling the memories and you force the issue it could cause you major trauma." Alex warned.
"Or it may help." The teenager said optimistically.
"Unlikely." Alex said. "Even if it didn't, the process of extracting the information could cost you all your memories or put you in a coma."
"I know. But I still want to do it. It's my head."
"The answer is no."
"You can't stop me forever."
"True. But I can now." Alex said.
"Why do you never trust me?"
"This has nothing to do with trust." Alex argued. "This is to do with keeping you safe. And I will always do that."
"By controlling me?" Kara asked before storming out of the house.
-00-
"How did it go?" The adult Kara asked as she entered her sister's house.
"There was door slamming and now Kara has run off. Hopefully to your place." The adult Alex said.
"She's not there." The older Kara said.
"Then where is she?" Alex asked sitting up.
"I'll go look for her. In the mean time you see if MJ or Alex know." Kara said leaving the house.
-00-
"Your mom is worried about you." The adult Kara said to her niece as she approached her at Kelly's graveside. When her niece said nothing she added. "You don't need to force this. When you are ready you will remember."
"And until then I just watch mom blame herself?"
"What happens if J'onn does read your mind and discovers the chip was hacked? Are you going to blame your mom?"
"Of course not."
"But she will." The adult Kara argued. "Your mom has always had a big guilt complex. Some of that, a lot of that, is probably my fault. But I have always talked her round and I'm sure we can this time too."
"If it had been you in the accident and you couldn't remember, would you ask J'onn to read your mind?" The teenager asked.
"No."
"You're lying." The teenager accused before carefully looking at her aunt and conceding. "You're not lying."
"I'm not lying." The adult Kara confirmed.
"Is that because J'onn can't read your mind?" The teenager asked. Seeing her aunt's expression change she said. "That is such a cop out. So if there was someone who could read your mind, would you want them to?"
"J'onn's powers are amazing, but they are also dangerous. Changing people's memories changes people."
"It's not changing. It's releasing my own memories." The teenager argued. "And you haven't answered my question."
"Why haven't you asked J'onn to do this before?" The adult Kara asked, still not answering her niece's question.
"I was scared."
"Of what?"
"What if I was responsible and that is why I can't remember?"
"How would you be responsible?"
"What if we were fighting? What if I distracted her?"
"That wouldn't make it your fault." The adult Kara said. "In the same way if some one had hacked the chip, it wouldn't be your mom's fault. Both you and your mom are assuming a lot of responsibility for what happened. The truth is we may never know exactly what happened, but what I do know is neither of you are to blame." The adult Kara said before hugging her niece.
"How can you be so sure?"
"I just know. In the same way I know your mom is going to be really angry that you ran off and ditched your DEO guard, while at the same time being a little proud that you managed to ditch him. But I didn't tell you that." The adult Kara before silently holding her niece. After a few minutes the adult Kara asked.
"Is that the only thing that is bothering you?"
"How did you do it?" The teenager eventually asked.
"Do what?" The adult Kara asked confused.
"Fit in."
"I never fitted in. Not really. Your mom was the only person who really made the Earth feel like a home." The adult Kara explained, not sure where the question had come from. "While I was out there, stranded light years from here, I figured out that no one ever really fits in. We are all too individual for that." The adult Kara said. When her niece didn't say anything she asked. "Is there something specific that's causing you problems?"
"It doesn't matter." The teenager said, her tone making it clear there was no point asking further questions.
"Well, if you do want to talk I'm here." The adult Kara offered as she stood. "That is assuming your mother hasn't killed you."
-00-
"Where have you been?" Alex asked when her daughter was brought into the house my her namesake.
When the teenager didn't respond Alex looked to her sister who said.
"The cemetery." The answer cutting off Alex's rant. Instead Alex's tone softened slightly and she said.
"You can't run off like that. Not when there is still danger out there."
"I'll give you some space." The adult Kara said.
"Alex is upstairs." Her sister replied causing Kara to head upstairs.
-00-
"What are you guys up to?" Kara asked entering MJ's room.
"Beating MJ." Alex said, not taking her eyes off the screen until she had confirmation of victory.
"How? Powers shouldn't even help." MJ complained.
"Skill." The teenage Alex said.
"Be nice to your cousin." Kara warned.
"He was the one garbage speaking." Alex protested.
"Trash talking." MJ corrected.
"What's the difference?" Alex asked.
"Using one lets you be normal, using the other gets you put inside a locker for being a freak." He explained before asking his aunt. "Did you find Kara?"
"Yes."
"Is she grounded?"
"Don't know. They're talking."
"You sure? Because it seems really quiet. Normally by now they are yelling." MJ said as Kara's phone rang. Recognising the number as the CatCo switchboard she quickly answered.
"Kara Danvers speaking … I'll be right there." She then ended the call and looked at her daughter. "I've got to go, but I'll be back as soon as I can." With that she turned and jogged down the stairs, the two teens following behind.
"I have to go to CatCo, Cat has a visitor." Kara said walking into the lounge.
"I'm coming with you." Alex said before glancing back at her daughter. She then went to a safe and typed in the code before taking out a gun. She then faced all the teens and said. "Do not leave the house."
-00-
"You're getting slower." Cat said as Supergirl and Alex entered the briefing room.
"Sorry." Supergirl apologised.
"Peter, this is Supergirl and Director Danvers."
"Your name is Peter?" Supergirl asked confused.
"No. She gave me an Earth name." The alien said.
"Sounding like I was was coughing up a fur ball every time I addressed him, didn't work for me." Cat explained. "If you wish to call him by his full name feel free."
"Peter is fine." The alien said.
"Is it just you here?" Alex asked.
"We felt it was safer to leave everyone else hidden."
"So why are you here?" Alex asked.
"Supergirl said she wanted to talk."
"Were you responsible for the body at the power plant?" Alex asked.
"We all were. We decided we needed a change of leadership."
"Why did you rebel but not others?" Supergirl asked. "I mean the other teams stayed loyal, what was different about yours?"
"Mongul came to our planets and took those he deemed strong enough to provide entertainment. We were then put in the ring. Once there, there were two choices, win or die. After enough victories it was possible to gain the interest of Mongul or those most loyal to him. If that happened we were conscripted. But Mongul knew that giving weapons to those he had enslaved wouldn't be sensible so he then gathered up the family of the chosen few and forced them to work for him. The weak were given positions of servitude, the strong went into labour camps. If we rebelled they would all be killed. A tactic that ensured loyalty. Even now, his son will control those who are enslaved."
"But you don't have family to keep you loyal?" Supergirl asked.
"I did, I had a wife and two sons. All were taken by Mongul. As is all too common they all died. Mongul believes that we don't know the whereabouts or condition of family members, but those who seek information can get it.
"You didn't rebel straight away." Alex pointed out. "Why?"
"One man's rebellion is suicide. We needed numbers and we needed a location. Mongul's defeat by Supergirl offered us an opportunity, but we had no idea what type of planet this was. We had heard stories, none of them good. We did not want to trade one life of slavery for another. Our plan was to rebel and escape Earth, but for that we had to have a way to escape. After Mongul's defeat we all thought we shared a common goal. To find any portals that might exist, we knew there was at least one. But then we discovered the plan."
"Which plan?" Alex asked.
"To capture Supergirl and give her to Mongul's son." The alien said. "We knew those who did that would be granted freedom by Mongul's son. So now there were two reasons to stay loyal, protect families and buy freedom. For years we have done what it takes to survive. We play the odds. So for many of us it staying loyal seemed the best option."
"But not you?" Alex asked.
"Like I said I had nothing to go back for."
"But you needed numbers." Alex pressed.
"Numbers were not a problem. Mongul may have been cruel, but he was smart. Sevek was just cruel."
"Sevek? He was the Lieutenant you killed?" Alex asked.
"Yes. None of us had anyone left because of him."
"And after you rebelled? Were you planning on getting Supergirl and returning as heroes?" Alex asked.
"No. If there was any hint of rebellion we would have been killed regardless of what we brought back with us."
"So you don't want to kidnap Supergirl?" Alex pressed.
"No."
"Do you know where the portal is?"
"Yes."
"Where?" Alex asked as she took a map out of her jacket and put it on the table.
After a minute of looking at the map, getting his bearings, he pointed to the same area they were already investigating causing Alex to ask.
"And how it is set up?"
"Set up?" He asked.
"We heard there is a trap set to trigger when Supergirl enters."
"It wouldn't surprise me. Mongul learned all he could about Kryptonians after the fight with Superman."
"But you don't know what the trap is?"
"No."
"What exactly do you want?" Alex asked.
"I don't know. I was taken by Mongul when I was a boy. Slavery is all I have known, I wouldn't know what to do with freedom. For now I was sent to find out if you could be trusted. If you are to open a negotiation."
"And?" Alex asked.
"We'll see. I must go. Unless you will detain me?" He said standing.
"Go." Alex said, hoping he wasn't about to do something stupid.
"I will return here in three days." He said leaving.
After he had gone Supergirl looked at Alex and asked.
"What do you think?"
"He was the most believable of all of them. But that doesn't mean he was telling the truth. And he admitted to being self serving." Alex said feeling like they were going in circles.
"Did he say anything to you?" Supergirl asked Cat who was sitting at the end of the table observing.
"Nothing to indicate his trustworthiness." Cat said before asking. "How is your investigation into Sloane Syndicate going?"
"More slippery than a bar of soap." Supergirl said.
"Well there is a function this weekend hosted by Sloane Syndicate. An event I have an invite to. An invite that came with two press passes." Cat said handing one of them to Kara.