"Hi Steve, how are you doing?" Kara asked as she sat opposite him in a coffee shop.
"Okay. I think."
"And Martin?"
"Okay, I hope."
"Well he's around at my place less, so that's a good sign."
"Maybe."
"You don't sound confident."
"I don't think he is afraid to be round me but I think he took some of the things other me said to heart. I don't know how to make him believe I want him in my life. I tried bribery, but that made it worse."
"It'll take time." Kara said sympathetically.
"Speaking of time, thanks for giving up yours."
"Of course, plus you bought me a sticky bun." She said said pointing at the table.
"Well I owe you a lot." He smiled.
"No you don't." Kara assured him. "So what's up?"
"I was thinking about why they took me. And I don't buy the it's your fault story. I mean if they wanted to make you pay there are easier ways. So what is special about me?"
"Well it wasn't work, I mean you were on leave."
"From the hospital."
"You say that like you have a second job." Kara said.
"I do, kind of. I volunteer at a clinic. I checked in with them today and apparently I was there everyday."
"What type of clinic?"
"For the homeless, or people who don't have insurance or don't want to be in the system."
"What did the other you do there?"
"Gave shots mainly."
"What type of shots?"
"Flu. And before you ask the vials were handed out by the nurses." He said. "This may be nothing. But just in case it is something I wanted you to know."
-00-
"I have something." Supergirl said flying into the control room.
"What?" Vasquez asked turning to face her.
"Steve volunteers at a free clinic. Apparently his body double worked there everyday."
"Why?"
"Don't know." Kara admitted. "Steve said the other doctors who work there say all he did was give shots and the vials were handed out by nurses, so it may be nothing."
"It could have been a way of identifying metas." Vasquez said. "Can you give me the name of the clinic and the patients and staff?"
"Clinic yes, staff yes. Patients no." Kara said. "Ignoring the doctor patient confidentiality thing, it is not the type of place people use real names."
"Well if they are after a particular patient, chances are they will try again, we'll set up surveillance." Vasquez said. "Maybe we'll get lucky."
"I hope so." Kara said. "I was also going to go down there under the pretext of writing a story."
"Okay, but be careful." Vasquez said. "Alex is giving me enough grief without you being in danger."
"I'll be fine." Kara smiled leaving.
00
"I'm a little surprised anyone would want to do an article about this clinic." The doctor said to Kara. "I mean there are many in the city, we aren't anything exceptional."
"I'm sure your patients don't feel that way." Kara said.
"Unfortunately that isn't true for all of them. But overall I hope we make a difference."
"How do you get funding?"
"Charity and sponsorship." He explained.
"Sponsorship?" Kara asked confused.
"Some of the pharmaceutical companies sponsor the clinic in the hope we use more of their products for our insured patients. Shady I know, but better for these patients than the traditional kick backs."
"So they don't care about these patients?"
"No. They are a means to an end." He said before apologising. "Sorry, I must sound very cynical, but that is the way it works."
"At least the patients get benefited." Kara smiled.
"Indeed." He said.
"It must be hard though helping patients without records."
"Yes, but if we kept records they wouldn't come." He said. "And the ones who are serious patients, they tend to come to the same doctor so then it comes down to memory."
"I'm sure they are appreciative."
"If you'll excuse me I need to get back to work. Let me know you think there is a story."
"Of course. Thanks for your time." Kara smiled before walking off. She had only made it a block when a man stepped out in front of her.
"It is time you stopped your investigation." The man said.
"I don't think so."
"You value it more than the wellbeing of your family? Your daughter?"
"Are you threatening me?" Kara asked.
"No. I am threatening your daughter. Only it isn't really a threat." The man smiled. "The funny thing is you don't' even know what the real danger is do you?"
"What are you talking about?" Kara asked feeling her anger and fear rise.
"Malaise can make people relive their fears." The man said. "But people always assume that is the big ticket items. But in reality the mind has so many fears. Each one can be paralysing in the right context. All he needs to do is find it and mix things up a bit. Your daughter for example. I am sure she fears loosing you over all else. And that fear could turn her in a wild animal. But the thing about wild animals is they are dangerous and uncontrollable. That's why we looked for the subtle. Your daughter, Alex isn't it? She nearly drowned not so long ago didn't she? Imagine if that fear came back just as she fell into some water."
"What have you done?" Kara asked.
"Me? Nothing. How can I? I mean I am here with you. But if I were you I'd be more worried about finding her."
00
As Alex left the aquarium she looked round for her DEO escort but didn't see them. Looking at all the places they normally tried hiding and not seeing them she said. "They are getting good." Before she started to walk back along the waterfront, zigzagging her way through the tourists, getting jostled as she did. After one collision she momentarily felt dread well up inside her and started to find it hard to breathe. Wanting to get home quickly she walked along the darkened pier, with every step she got further away from the hustle of the main area and became more and more isolated.
Before she could dwell on that though her phone started ringing. Just as she reached into her pocket a masked male stepped out in front of her and asked.
"Going somewhere?"
"Yes." She said bluntly as she continued to walk, only for a second make to block her path, this one holding a phone, filming her. With the filming she new she couldn't use powers so side stepped and walked past them, only to find two more males step out in front of her a few metres further on.
Glancing to her side she saw another three figure step towards hers, meaning youths blocked three sides and the water the other.
"What do you want?" She asked, aware she was still being filmed, all the while her phone relentlessly rang in her pocket.
"Compliance." One of them said.
"With what?"
"Us."
"What are you talking about?" She asked.
"You have been causing our friends problems. That needs to stop." The closest figure said stepping towards her.
"I don't know what you are talking about." She said trying to side step him. Only he grabbed her arm and pulled her back. Her first instinct was to yank it free, but she knew that would look abnormal on camera so instead tried tugging more gently.
"Don't worry, we won't keep you." The male said before pushing her over the edge.
As she hit the water she went under and she started to relive her events in the swimming pool. Feeling her panic rise she broke through to the surface, but caught in her own nightmares she found she couldn't swim. Instead she flailed as the panic took hold and she looked up at the side where her attackers stood around laughing.
"Help." She gasped as she looked round at her attackers trying to make eye contact in the hope one would help. Instead though they walked off and she was overcome by fear, unable to tell the difference between her nightmares and her currently cold reality as she slipped below the surface and started to sink.
As she sunk through the freezing water she recalled the weakness she had felt in the pool and found her limbs wouldn't move as her lungs started to burn. Desperately her limbs tried to fight the water but she had no idea if she was going to the surface or sinking deeper.
Suddenly remembering her necklace she tried to activate it, but her fears making all her movements uncoordinated.
Just as she was blacking out she felt something warm round her moments before she broke the surface before rising though the air.
"Alex?" Kara asked cradling her daughter as she flew.
In response Alex tried to speak, only to start spluttering.
"It's okay. I've got you." She said holding her tightly as she flew them towards Lena's lab. As she flew she phoned her friend requesting help. Ending the call she looked down at Alex who was clinging to her and said. "It's okay, you're safe." She then flew faster until they eventually reached the lab.
Putting her daughter down on a gurney she repeated. "It's okay, you are safe now. But you are freezing. We need to get you into something warm." She added oblivious to her own coldness. As she started to pull away to find some blankets she was pulled back by Alex wrapping her arms round her.
"It's okay, you're safe." Kara repeated once more as she hugged her.
"How is sh-" Lena said entering the lab. "You two must be freezing, we need to warm you up." She added going to some drawers and pulling out clothes and blankets.
"Why don't you go have a hot shower and get changed?" Kara suggested to her daughter who very reluctantly released her mother. "I'll be right here." Kara said watching her daughter go.
"What happened?" Lena asked wrapping a blanket round her friend.
"I don't know for sure, but I think Malaise was involved." Kara said. "I should have … she could have …"
"She's okay." Lena said.
"We don't know that." Kara said.
"We will soon. I'll run tests, we'll show she is okay." Lena explained as the teen emerged, now dressed in dry clothes, but she was still shivering.
"Why didn't you have a shower?" Kara asked. "It would have warmed you up."
"Didn't want to go near water." The teen said looking at her feet.
"Go get warmed up, while I run some tests." Lena instructed Kara. Seeing her hesitation Lena added. "She'll be fine with me."
"Okay." Kara said squeezing her daughter's hand before disappearing in a blur and reappearing almost as quickly as Lena helped the teenager sit on a bed.
"Your heart rate is really high, so is your blood pressure." Lena commented as she started to run some scans. "Any alien jewellery or artefacts I should be aware of?"
"No." The teen said.
"Any burning sensation, itching, rashes?"
"No."
"Well?" Kara asked.
"Apart from the heart rate, which is still high, she's okay." Lena said as Kara pulled Alex in for a hug. Once Kara had released her Lena asked.
"Can you tell us what happened?"
"I was walking back and a group surrounded me. They pushed me in the water and then I started to remember drowning in the school pool and I kept seeing that and couldn't swim-"
"It's okay, you're safe now." Kara cut in hugging her again.
"I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"Not being strong enough."
"You held on, that makes you plenty strong."
"But I was scared."
"Well so was I." Kara said holding her tightly. "All that matters is you survived and you are safe."
"Why couldn't I swim? Why did I freeze?"
"I think Malaise got into your head, he played on your fears." Kara said.
"How do I stop it happening again?"
"I don't know. But I promise you we'll work on that together." Kara said.
"We all will." Lena said from the side.
"Come on, let's get you home." Kara said releasing her daughter and standing.
"Do you need a ride?" Lena asked.
"I'll fly us." Kara said before looking at her friend and saying. "Thank you for tonight."
"Of course." Lena smiled before watching as Kara grabbed hold of Alex and flew off.
00
As Kara landed inside the apartment she set Alex down and asked. "Are you warm enough?"
"I guess."
"You should get some sleep." Kara said.
"I don't think I can." The teenager said. "Can we watch some movies or something?"
"Of course. Whatever you need." Kara said kissing her head. "Why don't I make some hot chocolate and you get ready for bed then pick the movies?"
"Okay." The teen nodded as Kara started to make the hot chocolates while carefully watching her daughter disappearing into her bedroom. As she took the hot chocolate powder from the cupboard her phone rang. Seeing the caller she answered.
"Hi Alex."
"How is she?" Her sister asked.
"Shaken. But Lena said physically she is okay."
"I know, I have just spoken to her. Do you want us to do anything?"
"Not at the moment." Kara said before a sound grabbed her attention. "Gotta go." She said hanging up and walking to her daughter's room.
"Alex?" She called entering the room where her daughter was sitting on the floor crying. "Alex, it's okay. You're safe." Kara said dropping down by her side hugging her.