"Hey, Kara, you back?" Alex called entering her sister's apartment a few hours later.
"Yes." Kara called back before looking over at the door and seeing her foster mother. "Eliza?" She called in surprise and delight before hugging her.
"Mom has come to provide reinforcements." Alex said.
"That's not quite what I said. But I thought you could both use some extra help." Eliza said.
"You have no idea." Kara said into the hug
"Seeing the kids are all over the road do you two want to talk?" Eliza asked pulling away and looking at both her daughters.
"Sure." Kara said moving over the couch.
"So what's going on?" Eliza asked.
"Alex is developing more powers, Kal hates me, someone is playing with Kryptonite and under my watch several metas have disappeared." Kara started.
"Kal doesn't hate you." Eliza said. "He feels terrible about what he said to you when he was on Red-K."
"How do you know?"
"I speak to him." Eliza said before reminding her. "We have been friends for a long time." She paused and said. "I know you want to help him, but he needs his independence. Also after what happened to Alex he doesn't want to put you or her in danger."
"I guess." Kara said not fully convinced.
"The important thing is no matter what he does you aren't alone." Eliza reminded her.
"I know."
"Good. Everything else we'll work through." Eliza said. She then turned to Alex and asked. "What's with your frown?"
"If you told me six months ago that Kara would be dating either a member of the football team or a former gang member. I would have picked Chris, I wouldn't have been happy, but Diz would have never had a look in. But Chris turned out to be a complete -"
"Duche?" Her sister suggested.
"Yes." Alex agreed. "And although Diz has issues, he puts Kara first and makes her happy. When did I get so blinkered?"
"I think that is part of the whole mom thing." Eliza said.
"The bigger question is why are you so hard on Kara but don't call out MJ for his dating?" Kara said.
"Because MJ isn't dating." Alex said before looking at her sister. "Is he?"
"Do you hear that?" Kara asked.
"Don't you dare." Alex warned guessing Kara was about to leave. But before she had finished Kara had already flown from the window.
"Did you know?" Alex asked looking at her mother.
"Your kids don't actually share details of their love lives with me." Eliza reminded her.
-00-
"Hey." Supergirl said entering the infirmary the next day.
"Hi." Diz said looking up confused by her being there.
"How are you feeling?"
"Fine."
"Good." Supergirl smiled.
"Why are you here?" He asked.
"Can't I check on you?"
"Don't you have better things to do?"
"How are you feeling?" Alex asked entering Diz's room.
"Okay."
"Good." Alex said as Supergirl looked at Alex and made a hand gesture causing Alex to say.
"I should have said this earlier, but thank you for protecting Kara."
"Sure." Diz said before a very awkward silence descended.
"Well this is weird. I'm going to leave you to it. I'll see you later." Supergirl smiled leaving.
"Are you up to answering some more questions?" Alex asked breaking the silence.
"Sure."
"On this tablet are two hundred and nineteen photos. I need you go through them and let me know if you recognise anyone. Either from knowing them or seeing them."
"Okay."
-00-
"Have the people who took Diz said anything?" Supergirl asked as she sat in her sister's office with Alex and Wildcat.
"No. But Kendell played the jurisdiction card so I haven't been able to question them. And according to Kendell they aren't speaking. If we take his answer at face value that implies they are well trained so could be members of Kai."
"But if that is the case and the group controlling them moved out of National City to get attention off them, why take Diz?" Wildcat asked.
"You said a few weeks ago Diz said a former acquaintance who joined Kai made contact right?" Alex said.
"Yeah, you were off sick. Kara and I met Diz, but the contact never showed." Wildcat said.
"What if the contact got cold feet, but then later went for round two and whoever it is they work for now didn't want to risk exposure, or thought they could use Diz?" Alex suggested. "But why kidnap him and then try to kill him?"
"If Kendell's reaction was genuine he had no idea Diz was linked to Kara. If he is dirty, realising that link existed he may have ordered the hit." Supergirl said.
"Only that hit came too quickly after Kendell found out. Also based on what J'onn found out the hit was ordered the second the rescue happened so before Kendell knew about Diz and Kara." Alex argued.
"But why kill Diz? I mean you wouldn't unless Diz knew something right?" Supergirl asked.
"Yeah, but what?" Alex asked before looking at Wildcat.
"I have no idea. Neither does Diz."
"Ma'am." Harris said knocking on the door.
"What is it?"
"There as been zero movement from those factories."
"When is the inspection due?" Alex asked.
"Tomorrow morning." He said. "When it was so quiet we used ground penetrating radar and there are no hidden tunnels. It really is dead."
"Could be a decoy." Wildcat said.
"Maybe." Alex said before looking at Harris. "Keep searching."
"There's something else. After the rescue we took a few samples of things." Harris said. "We were assuming the FBI might not share. Anyway. During one of the fights one of the lights broke and we ended up collecting some of the remnants. We have just finished analysing it and the thing is it wasn't a normal light. It wasn't actually a red lamp but it had more red light in than normal. We have no way to figure out if it was deliberate. But we haven't seen anything like it before."
"I guess that is why it was harder to take down those guys." Supergirl said.
"And you didn't mention feeling weaker because?" Alex asked.
"I still had powers." Supergirl shrugged.
-00-
"What are the thirty seven locked photos?" Diz asked when Alex returned to the infirmary.
"Out of scope. Did you see anyone you recognised?"
"What does out of scope mean?" Diz pressed.
"They shouldn't have been on there at all." Alex said.
"As they aren't relevant?"
"Not exactly."
"Do they have information that could keep Kar safe?" Diz asked.
"Maybe."
"Then I want to see them."
"That's not happening."
"Why?"
"You're a kid."
"I'm seventeen."
"You're a kid." Alex said. "Let's talk about the photos you could see. Did you recognise any of them?"
"A few. I starred them and made notes. Photo 63 was the one who made contact with me."
"Thanks." Alex said taking the tablet and flicking through. After a moment she stopped and stared at the screen. She then taped at the tablet before staring intently for a while.
"What?" Diz asked.
"Your friend who made contact." Alex said.
"Yes."
"I'm afraid he's dead."
"Figured." Diz said before asking. "The locked photos, they're dead people as well?" He asked.
"Yes." Alex confirmed.
"Let me see. I mean if I ID them that helps right?" Diz pressed.
"They're crime scene photos." Alex said, clearly reluctant.
"I'll be fine." Diz said. "I want to help."
"Ma'am." Harris said entering the room.
"Yes." Alex said looking round.
"The President wants to see you."
"I'll be right there."
"Actually he wants you and Supergirl to report to DC."
"Great." Alex sighed.
"I've called Supergirl she'll be here in three minutes." Harris said.
"Thanks." Alex said as Harris left.
"Look we still don't know why they took you and why they tried killing you, but to do the latter they must think you are a threat so I need to think about anything you might know that put you on their hit list. I don't care how small a thing you think it is."
-00-
"Mr President." Alex said as she and Supergirl were shown into his office.
"Director. Supergirl." He nodded. "Please take a seat." His tone implying a lecture was about to be given. Once they had sat down he started. "Right now there are reports of genocide in four countries. Human trafficking is prevalent in most of the world, including the US. Our economy is still on the ropes and I can't even picture what the national debt it. It is so big my brain just gives up. But none of the aforementioned issues were top of my briefing this morning. This morning the number three thing I was briefed on was an apparent turf war between the DEO and the FBI."
"Only third? What were the top two?" Supergirl asked. "Sorry, that's off topic."
"We'll return to number one in a minute. First let's deal with this turf war. What I don't get is a few weeks ago you were playing nice with the FBI. Now the Director of the FBI is using his time with me to complain about you. What is happening?"
"Agent Aprtill and I had a good working relationship." Alex said.
"I remember. His accident was tragic-"
"If it was an accident." Alex cut in.
"I look at you Director and I see someone who sees conspiracies everywhere. The problem is more often than not those conspiracies actually exist and to ignore your intuition would be dangerous. I'm guessing that you don't trust the current agent you are working with." He said looking at his notes. "Agent Kendell?"
"No Sir."
"You have proof to back up that stance?"
"No Sir."
"I see." The President said. "Putting Kendell to one side for a moment, do you believe that Sloane Syndicate are now operating out of Metropolis?" He said suddenly changing direction.
"We have found no proof." Alex said.
"Okay, let's move onto number one on my list." He said turning to Supergirl. "Without being indelicate about this, someone seems to be turning your cousin nuts. So far you have stepped in as required. But what happens if they go after you too? What if your cousin is the practice and you are the real thing?" He paused then said. "The difference is you work as a team. Maybe it is too hard to go after you, or they don't want to show their hand too early." He paused again. "I am not going to sugar coat this. Kryptonians are my biggest headache. Yes they are our saviours, but they are also the biggest threat to this planet. Someone is out there trying to realise that threat. So what do we do to stop it?"
"We are monitoring the situation Sir." Alex said. "We are developing as many counter Kryptonites as we can. Like you said Supergirl works with us and we will protect her."
"I know. That is why I have told the military to back off. But don't make a fool of me." He said before asking. "Do you think that the attacks on Superman are connected tot he missing metas and potential FBI corruption."
"I am not ruling anything out." Alex said.
"If they are connected it will be a huge threat to this country. If different groups investigate different parts things will slip through the cracks. So I am giving DEO full jurisdiction."
"You are?" Alex asked surprised.
"If you want." The President said. "You see if I issue an order to the FBI telling them to relinquish the investigation and if you are right about Kendell, that could well put you in the firing line."
"I know." Alex said.
"So do you want this investigation?"
"Yes Sir."
"Good." He smiled before looking at Supergirl. "I assume I can rely on you to keep her safe?"
"Yes Sir."
-00-
"Listen up everyone, we now have full authority to investigate the missing metas. The FBI won't be happy to expect zero corporation. More importantly now we are running the investigation it may make the people behind the disappearances act. Whether that is going to ground or coming out guns blazing I don't know so look out for everything strange."
"Yes Ma'am." The Agents said.
"What's happening with the factories?"
"Still nothing."
"Any sign of Kendell doing anything?" Alex asked as she paced up and down the control room.
"No ma'am." Rose said.
"Ma'am, there is an incident in the infirmary." Harris said.
-00-
"What's going on?" Alex shouted over the shouting.
"Attempted escape." Dr Urbina said glaring at Diz who stared back.
"Everyone calm down, I have enough issues with out fighting in the infirmary."
"Is Kar okay?" Diz asked looking at Alex.
"She's fine. But why are you trying to leave?"
"There ain't no reason to be here."
"It's for your protection." Alex reminded him.
"I'll be fine."
"If you leave what do you think Kara is going to do?" Alex asked.
"I can't stay here forever."
"I know." Alex said. "But until we know what they think you know they will kill you."
"Can I see John."
"John?" Alex asked.
"The Martian."
"J'onn?"
"Whatever. Can I see him?" Diz asked.
"Sure."