"What do you mean massacre?" Alex asked as she and her sister followed Vasquez to the control room.
"When the teams went to the hidden parts of Slater tunnel, this is what they found." Vasquez said pointing to the screen that displayed dozens of dead bodies. Each body looked severely decayed and it was impossible to recognise and features.
"What the hell killed them?" Alex asked.
"We don't know." Vasquez said. "But so far no toxins have been detected in the air."
"For now we have to assume it is a bio hazard so I want everything sealed. And I want all our teams to go through decontamination."
"Already on it." Vasquez said.
"What's happening about the canals?" Alex asked.
"They are waiting to go in, but I ordered them to hold when we found that in the Slater tunnels." Vasquez said. "They are prepping some bots now."
"How many bots are there?" Supergirl asked.
"Five are ready to go." Vasquez said.
"Five?" Supergirl asked. "So Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, Michelangelo and Splinter." The list confusing Harris who turned to Rose and asked.
"Was there an artist call Splinter?"
"They aren't artists they're turtles." Alex said.
"Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles." Supergirl corrected, not helping the confusion in the room.
"Let me know when they are ready." Alex barked.
"Yes ma'am." Harris said as Alex saw the expression Vasquez was wearing.
"What?" Alex asked.
"Wouldn't it be more efficient to just let Supergirl name them when they are still in the lab? Then we won't have the confusion as missions start."
"They have numbers, they don't need names." Alex said.
"I think they do." Supergirl replied as an Agent approached Alex.
"Ma'am we are getting a lot of complaints about the Slater tunnel being shut."
"Didn't we use a cover story?" Alex asked.
"Yes ma'am but apparently they don't believe it and the drivers are getting agitated."
"Want me to go calm things down?" Supergirl asked.
"Yes, but under no circumstance do you enter the tunnel, it is likely to be a trap." Alex warned.
"Got it." Supergirl said flying off.
"Ma'am, the turtles are ready." Harris reported. But when Alex glared at him he said. "Um the autonomous robots are ready."
"Send them in and I want to see everything."
"All feeds are live." He reported as five screens started to show images.
"Good. And Rose?" Alex said turning to the other Agent.
"Yes Ma'am."
"Monitor Supergirl and if there is the slightest hint that she is going to do something stupid tell me."
"Yes Ma'am."
"Ma'am I think Donatello has found bodies." Harris said.
"You think?" Alex asked looking over to the screen where several bodies could be seen floating face down in the canal.
"There's no heat signatures coming from the bodies, so they could be mannequins, or they could have been dead long enough to be the temperature of the water."
"Something tells me they are real." Alex said.
"Any toxins in the air?"
"No ma'am." Harris said. "And Donatello is collecting water samples." He said as the robot got closer to the bodies. "This angle is unclear, submerging it now and recalibrating the camera." He said as the image on the screen changed. After a moment Vasquez said. "That's definitely a body, it is disfigured in a similar way to the Slater tunnel bodies."
"Get on to every hospital. I want to know if they see anything like this." Alex said. "I need to brief the President."
-00-
"Things have calmed down at the tunnels." Supergirl said a couple of hours later. "The hazmat suits and decontamination areas helped with that."
"I bet." Alex said.
"So what have you found?"
"Across the two sites over two hundred dead bodies." Alex said.
"Two hundred?" Supergirl asked.
"That's so far. We have only explored three quarters of the canals so far." Vasquez said. "The good news is we didn't find any toxins."
"So far." Alex pointed out. "And we still have no idea how they were killed. Which means we can't risk moving them. But it looks like a complete clean up. Anyone associated with and of the investigations seems to have been killed." She paused before adding. "Someone would have ordered that, we need to know who. And we need ID's on all those bodies, plus we need to know if any of them have been given the drug."
"Already started. But it will take days to get all the results." Vasquez said. "But there is another possibility."
"What?"
"What if they are random bodies, deposited in the two places they knew we would look to tie up resources. It wouldn't be the first time they have tried to distract us."
"You think they want us to stop looking into the drugs or Tycho?" Supergirl asked.
"Gotta admit it is possible." Vasquez said.
"Either way whoever ordered this is out there and we need to find them." Alex said.
"Right now there is nothing you can do." Vasquez reminded her. "You should see your family while you have the time."
"You are probably right." Alex said. "But call if you find anything."
-00-
"You two okay?" Eliza asked noticing both her daughters were unusually somber as they walked into the kitchen.
"Fine." Alex said distractedly as the doorbell rang. "I'll get it." She said walking out to the front door.
"Hi Steve." Alex said confused by him being there.
"Hi, I've come to pick up Martin."
"Is he here?" Alex asked confused.
"I kinda hoped so." He said as Alex led him to the kitchen.
"Hi Steve. They aren't back yet." Eliza said.
"Sorry, I might be a little early." He said before looking at Kara. "Hi Kara." He greeted. "How's Alex?"
"Much better today, thanks. Good enough to paintball anyway."
"And I take it you have no signs of diabetes?"
"No." Kara smiled.
"Should she?" Alex asked.
"Well we may have gone heavy on the sugar last night." Steve said.
"That doesn't surprise me." Alex commented before offering. "Do you want a coffee?"
"Sure, thanks." He said sitting down.
"So Steve, if someone has high blood pressure should they drink coffee?" Kara asked him.
"It depends on how much coffee they drink and how regularly." He said. "If they are heavy coffee drinkers it probably won't make much difference. Diet is far more important. After wight loss and exercise, eating more potassium and cutting out salt will have a big effect." He said.
Seeing Alex was about to pick up a potato chip from the bowl Kara moved the bowl away from her sister.
"Why do I think I just walked into something I didn't want to?" He asked.
"Kara is just being a pain, ignore her." Alex said.
"Alex." Eliza chastised.
"What? She switched my coffee for decaff."
"You did that?" Steve asked looking at Kara. "And I always thought you were nice."
"I am nice, I was trying to protect Alex." Kara protested as she stroked Chewie, who stared at the bowl of potato chips.
"Nice doesn't mess with my coffee." Alex said as she went to the cupboard and got out another bag of potato chips which she started eating.
"How high was your blood pressure?" Eliza asked Alex.
"Not as high as it will be if we keep talking about it." Alex replied.
"Is grouchiness a side effect of high blood pressure?" Kara asked Steve.
"I think I should just keep quiet." Steve said.
"Do you want to stay for dinner?" Eliza asked Steve.
"I don't want to intrude." He said.
"You wouldn't be." Alex said. "Besides I doubt Kara and Diz will grace us with there presence so we will have plenty of food."
"Then great. Thank you." He said as Kara became aware of several sirens in the distance.
"Okay then I will get some um, ice." Kara said standing.
"I can do that." Steve offered.
"It's fine I have to um-"
"Feed the fish?" Alex suggested.
"Yes, that. I'll be back soon." She said leaving the room.
"Is she okay?" Steve asked.
"Fine, just very busy at work which is causing her to be a little distracted." Alex said.
"You sure it is okay staying for dinner?" Steve asked.
"Of course." Eliza said.
"So how are Kara's college applications going?" Steve asked looking at Alex.
"Final ones submitted this morning."
"Any EDs?"
"No, she had some doubts about where she wanted to go so put in an EA." Alex said. "But she won't hear until just before Christmas."
"So a stressful few days." Steve said. "I don't envy any of them. Where is the EA?"
"Stanford."
"So just the most competitive school in the country then?"
"Yes." Alex confirmed.
"At least all the regular applications will genuinely be insurance policies then." He smiled as the front door opened and MJ yelled.
"We're back."
"Through here." Alex called causing the three teens to come into the kitchen. When the trio were in the room Alex said. "Hi guys."
"Where's mom?" The teenage Alex asked noticing her mother wasn't there.
"Gone to get ice and feed the fish." Her aunt said causing a moment of confusion in the teen before realising what she was doing and frowning, resulting in her aunt saying. "She'll be back soon."
As she spoke MJ approached the table and started eating the potato chips Kara had confiscated from Alex earlier.
"Don't ruin your appetite." Alex warned.
"Does that mean we are eating soon?" MJ asked hopefully.
"It should be ready in ten minutes." Eliza said glancing at the oven.
"Can I do anything to help?" Steve offered.
"No it's fine. It is all under control." Eliza said as the front door opened.
"I'm back." Kara said entering the kitchen. Seeing her daughter she immediately hugged her and asked.
"How was paintball?"
"Good I guess." The teenage Alex said before pulling away.
"Where's the ice?" MJ asked noticing his aunt was empty handed.
"Ice?" Kara asked. "Oh right yes the ice. They ran out."
"Do you want me to drive to different store?" Steve asked.
"I'm sure we have enough." Eliza said.
-00-
"You okay? You were a little quiet over dinner." Kara said to her daughter as they walked Chewie that evening.
"I was just thinking."
"About what?" Kara asked.
"What if it changed me?"
"I'm going to need a little more context." Kara said.
"The red ring. I mean I wore it and it felt strange. What if it changed me?"
"Where's this coming from?" Kara asked stopping to look at her daughter.
"Earlier when we were playing paintball I started thinking about Lobo and I got really angry. And every time I have seen Lobo he has always said I am like him and-"
"Alex listen to me." Kara interrupted putting her hands on her daughter's shoulders. "You are nothing like Lobo, And you defeated the ring. If it had taken you over it would still be on your finger. But it isn't. You were able to beat it because you are a good person."
"Then why do I feel angry?"
"Because of everything that has happened." Kara said. "Every time I think of Lobo I get angry. Being angry doesn't make you bad. The important thing is you stay in control. I don't know how Lantern rings work. But what I do know is the red ring feeds off anger and we all have anger. But you managed to defeat it and the only things that can do that are hope and love." She explained before pulling Alex in for a hug. When Alex finally pulled away Kara asked.
"Want to go blast some rocks in the desert?"