"Where are we with the mole investigation?" Alex asked as she and Supergirl entered the briefing room.
"I thought you were working at home?" Vasquez asked looking up.
"Bell wanted to talk." Alex shrugged. "It's easier to do that here."
"She's not here yet." Vasquez said. "But so far nothing."
"Nothing?" Alex asked.
"Nothing." Vasquez confirmed.
"The hole in the control room is a little smaller though." Supergirl added as Agent Bell entered the briefing room.
"Sorry for calling you in. But I wanted to discuss this in person." Bell said.
"Of course." Alex replied as Vasquez said.
"The room has been swept so we are free to talk."
"Good." Bell said as she sat down.
"How's Stagg?" Supergirl asked.
"Still talking bull." Bell said. "Even under the assumption Stagg is giving us the bare minimum embellished with enough lies that a jury is unlikely to convict, something about what he is saying is bothering me."
"Something specific?" Alex asked.
"No, just this feeling we aren't seeing the big picture."
"Tell me about it." Alex said.
"I was wondering if you had any theories, no matter how insane, that might make some of this make sense." Bell said.
"They're missing." Lucy said walking into the room before Alex could answer.
"Who?" Supergirl asked.
"Not who, what." Lucy said. "Reports." Lucy stated before explaining. "Tycho and Stagg along with countless others did government contract work, building weapons etc. Some of the documentation is missing."
"What type of documentation?" Alex asked.
"Reports, specs."
"And missing from where?" Bell asked.
"Archives that were set up to never delete the contents."
"Sounds a little fishy." Supergirl said.
"It gets worse. The army subcontracts the maintenance of its data farms." Lucy said.
"Let me guess the same firm that runs the contractors here?" Alex asked.
"Yes." Lucy confirmed.
"But the DEO doesn't subcontract data management." Alex said. "We are in house."
"There were some joint projects missing. How far back to your records go?" Lucy said.
"There is a complete back up in the archives. It isn't networked so may take time to access." Alex said.
"Or not." Supergirl said standing. "Just tell me what you are looking for."
"I'll go with you." Lucy said.
"It will be like old times." Supergirl said as she flew them to the archives.
"So crazy theories." Bell said looking at Alex.
"We have plenty. But some may be a rabbit hole too many." Alex said before having an idea. "Wait. When we reported the mole was a contractor, what happened outside of the DEO?"
"How do you mean?"
"Were all contractors frozen or was it just us?"
"Blanket ban for seventy two hours while they review vetting." Bell said.
"So what else has been effected?"
"I don't know. I'll check." Bell said.
-00-
"How did you even know to look for all these?" Kara asked as she went through the files with Lucy.
"Some were referenced in old reports, some in my old notes and some I asked Lois for." Lucy sighed. "And she is still lauding it over me."
"Lauding?"
"Well patronisingly offering to help." Lucy clarified.
"Or just offering to help." Kara suggested.
"My money is on the first. To be honest I don't know if we find something whether that will create a better or worse situation."
"I thought you were getting on better now?" Kara asked.
"Did Lois tell you that?"
"Yes."
"Well things may be better, but we aren't close." Lucy said reading a file.
"You could be."
"We are just too different. And Lois likes to remind we how often she is right. It gets a little annoying." Lucy said before asking. "How are you doing?"
"Me? I'm fine."
"No offence, but you don't seem it. You have that same lost look you had when Alex and J'onn were on the run all those years ago."
"I guess I have that same feeling of not knowing what to do."
"We'll figure it out." Lucy said.
"How can you be so sure?"
"You persuaded me to betray my father and break the law in order to break your sister out of custody, even though at the time you weren't exactly my favourite person. If you can do that you can achieve anything." Lucy assured her.
"I hope so." Kara said before grabbing the next lot of files.
-00-
"Spirt Inc have the master contract. They are responsible for every contractor. As well as cleaning staff, they provide cooks, mechanics, network engineers, security guards, training across all Federal departments. In theory each member of staff is completely firewalled from Spirt Inc. But that is obviously being investigated." Bell said walking back into the room.
"The government uses contractors for a reason though." Alex said. "What has happened since the ban?"
"Most buildings have gone into semi lockdown with minimum staff allowed in. Networks have been locked down. Non essential services have been stopped. It is more of a logistical issue rather than a practical one. For now anyway."
"So what if it was a decoy? But we, well Supergirl isn't the target. What can they do with locked down buildings and reduced services?" Alex asked.
"No idea, but I know we aren't going to like the answer. Also, who do we ask? I mean who would know, that we could trust?" Bell asked.
"All the protocols must be available. Maybe we start with those." Alex said.
"Pretty sure they are above our clearances." Bell pointed out.
"Overall yes. But something tells me every government department will use the same playbook. I can get the DEO one, you can get the FBI one. Let's start with that."
"Problem?" Bell asked when Alex's phone kept buzzing.
"No. Supergirl has uploaded the files Lucy were looking for."
"Already?" Bell asked as Alex pulled up the records.
"Superspeed is useful." Alex said.
"These files could have been missing due to errors rather than maintenance. Incompetence always goes further than it should." Bell said.
"True, but it gives us something." Alex said before seeing how many files had been uploaded.
"Or another huge distraction." Bell said.
"Fortunately I can get my team to scrape the files for connections." Alex said sending a message to Rose. Having set Rose up with the task Alex pulled up the protocols document. As she did so Bell asked.
"How are you family doing?"
"Fine all things considered." Alex said as she entered another password. Noticing Bell looking at her she asked. "Something I should know?"
"You tell me."
"What do you mean?"
"We told you Stagg implied he had information about your wife's accident. Your record implies you don't drop something and you were investigating the accident. Yet, you are being remarkably non curious."
"Digging into the accident wasn't helping me or my family. I took a decision to let it go. I can't afford to get dragged into it." Alex said. "Right now my family needs me. Also I know that Lucy will investigate and she will tell me if I need to know anything."
"Fair enough." Bell said.
"Accident aside, is there anything I need to know that you haven't shared?" Alex asked.
"No. Well probably. But I haven't found it yet either."
"Has Kendell said anything?"
"No. Nothing. Which does surprise me. I would have thought he'd be trying to save his own skin. But he's not."
"So they are holding something over him?"
"Maybe, but it is hard to see what? He doesn't really have a personal life. But like I said before I had my doubts over him and I wasn't the only one. We are all working together. We will find out the truth. How are you doing with Tycho?"
"Multiple dead-ends."
"Don't suppose the bounty hunter left any incriminating evidence lying around that we could use?"
"Plenty of bodies but not much else."
"Stagg keeps saying that Tycho wants to enslave and control the Kryptonians and that he was convinced he could do it. If it happens can you stop them?" Bell asked. "I'm not asking for details, just confirmation."
"We have plans." Alex said.
"Good." Bell said before noticing the news report in the background showing Supergirl helping with the city clean up. "Although I assume that your plan does not include keeping a low profile?" She said pointing to the screen.
"Apparently not." Alex said shaking her head.
"Prison." Bell suddenly said.
"What?"
"What if it is about Federal prisons? What if this is a way to free Stagg or Lex or some other insane killer?"
"This could be bad." Alex said as both agents started to call their contacts.
-00-
"Are you sure Lex is secure?" Kara asked as they walked to her apartment that evening.
"Yes." Alex said. "And so is Stagg. If this is about prison breaks we won't let it happen. But despite what seemed like a really sensible idea we found nothing to imply any breakout was happening."
As Kara reached the door to her apartment her super hearing picked up some odd sounds on the other side and came to an abrupt stop.
"What are you doing?" Her sister asked almost walking into her.
"Sorry." Kara said loudly. "I remembered I forgot something."
"What?"
"I don't know." Kara said.
"Right, well can we figure it inside the apartment, when I am sitting?"
"Sure." Kara said fumbling around in an exaggerated manner as she tried to open the door.
"Are you okay?" Alex asked frowning.
"I'm fine." Kara said opening the door. Trying not to look to relieved when she saw her niece and Diz sitting a safe distance apart on the couch, neither looking too ruffled.
"Hi mom." The teenage Kara greeted.
"Kara, Diz. Everything okay?" Alex asked.
"Yes."
"What are you doing here?" Alex asked looking round for her son and niece.
"Um, MJ's friends were being really loud and we wanted to umm study." The teen said just as her mother's phone rang.
As Alex limped over to Kara's bedroom to take the call Diz stood and said.
"I should go."
"Me too." The teenage Kara said following Diz to the door. But as she got there she looked at her aunt and said.
"Thank you."
"Just be careful and don't forget I have very sensitive and very delicate and innocent hearing." The older Kara said.
"I won't." She said reddening as she left the apartment.
"Do I want to know?" Alex asked as she returned to the lounge.
"Know what?" Kara asked.
"What we interrupted."
"Interrupted?" Kara asked.
"I'm not an idiot." Alex said.
"And yet remarkably calm." Kara countered.
"They were in the lounge." Alex reminded her, before frowning and asking. "Weren't they?"
"Yes." Kara confirmed.
"That's something. But I will talk to Kara about abuse of your apartment."
"It's fine. They are safe here." Kara said. "But you are still being way too calm."
"Not really. But I can direct my anger, fear and every other negative emotion at Tycho and Stagg and anyone else involved."
"Has something turned up?"
"Maybe." Alex said. "Do you remember that collar that was used on Diz?"
"Yes. Lena recognised the electronics, but she wasn't sure from where."
"Well that collar was demoed at the DEO proving ground fifteen years ago."
"It was?"
"Yes. Only the one that was demoed didn't just work on Metas. It's purpose was for use on aliens, including Kryptonians."
"Why were the DEO trialling that?"
"I don't know. I wasn't working there at the time. I'm trying to get to the bottom of it. Good news is I have the name of the chief engineer. Want to go see Lena?"
-00-
"Are we interrupting?" Alex asked as she and Kara entered Lena's office.
"Not really." Lena said.
"Then why are you working so late?" Kara asked.
"I am working on a takeover. It takes a lot of my time. But I assume you aren't here to talk strategy?" Lena said looking at the sisters.
"No. We got an ID on the collar designer. John Sharma." Alex said.
"He worked for Lex." Lena said trying to recall the man. "Brilliant engineer, but no moral compass. From what I recall he didn't care what his work was used for. He just wanted to work. But I haven't seen him in over a decade. I'll pull his employment files. But most of them will have been purged by Lex. I'll let you know if I find anything."
"Thanks." Alex said.
"Do you want to grab some dinner?" Kara asked.
"No, I need to work." Lena said.
"Everything okay?" Kara asked frowning.
"It's fine. I'm just busy. After Stagg's detainment, some of my more ambitious members of staff quit and made a play for his empire, so I am a little short staffed. But nothing I can't handle."
"Call if you want a break." Kara said.
-00-
"Where have you two been?" Eliza asked.
"To see Lena." Alex explained. "Sorry for leaving you with the kids again."
"It's fine. I'm happy to help. Did you manage to eat?"
"Not yet." Kara said.
"I'll serve you some leftovers." Eliza said.
"Have the hoard gone?" Alex asked limping to the kitchen.
"Yes. MJ's group left an hour ago. And Diz never returned with Kara. So it is just the three of them. They're upstairs." Eliza explained. "How are you two doing?"
"Right now it feels like we are finding more questions than answers. But at least things seem calm out there." Alex said.
"Are you pacing yourself enough?" Eliza asked her youngest.
"I'm fine." Kara smiled. "Why has Alex said something?"
"No. But she is still worried about you." Eliza pointed out as she put two plates on the table. "So am I."
"I'm okay." Kara said as she started to eat. "Besides I spent most of today in the archives."
"Plus four hours helping to dismantle skyscrapers." Alex reminded her.
"That was nothing." Kara shrugged.
"Is there anything I can do to help?" Eliza asked.
"Actually yes." Alex said. "Are you free tomorrow?"
"Of course." Eliza said as three teens entered the kitchen.
"Where did you two go?" The teenage Kara asked.
"To talk to Lena." Her mother said. "You guys okay?"
"Fine." MJ said taking some food off his mother's plate. "I'm hungry." He explained as he chewed.
-00-
"Sorry I was back late." Kara said as she walked home with her daughter.
"It's okay."
"No it's not. I want to spend more time with you."
"You're busy, I get it."
"No matter how busy I am, I always have time for you." Kara assured her. "So how's school going?"
"It's still boring." The teen said. "Still don't see the point of learning Earth history."
"It frames the present and helps you understand people's thinking." Kara reminded her.
"Yes, but other planets learn from their mistakes. Earth doesn't seem to. Hence, what's the point?"
"You need to be not so cynical." Kara said.
"Maybe." The teen said unconvinced.
"Are you still making friends?"
I guess."
"Really? I have not seen much of Martin recently."
"Steve is working early mornings so he has been home in the evenings." The teen shrugged.
"But you are okay?"
"I'm fine."
"Good." Kara said hugging her daughter.
"Are you tired?" The teen asked.
"No. Why?"
"Can we talk?" The teen asked.
"Of course."
"I mean about Lobo."
"What about him?" Kara asked as they sat on the couch.
"What he said, what he did."
"We can talk about anything you want." Kara assured her.
"What happens when he comes back?"
"He might not." Kara said.
"But he might. And if he does he's going to try to get you, or upset you, or maybe date you. None of those are good options." The teen said.
"Date me?" Kara asked.
"Technically he saiid mate with you."
"That's not happening." Kara said.
"You promised him you'd do anything to keep me safe." The teen reminded her.
"I've paid that debt."
"But he knows how easy it is to get you to make that promise. I don't want to be the reason he gets his way."
"No matter what happens we will always come out on top." Kara said.
"But when he comes back he'll take me again to make you promise him something."
"He may not come back."
"But he might." The teen pressed. "I know you don't want me to use my powers, but I don't want to be helpless when he comes. If Kara learns self defence, why can't I?"
"Okay, how about this." Kara suggested. "We work on your powers and we give you the best chance of escaping Lobo. But no matter what happens you have to promise me you won't fight him."
"Okay." The teen agreed, expecting more of a fight from her mother.
"But it is for protection only." Kara said. "No heroing."
"Is that actually a word?"
"I mean it Alex."
"I promise." The teen agreed.