"We are having dinner at Alex's tonight. So I'll meet you there." Kara said to her daughter the next morning at breakfast.
"Okay." The teen said without much enthusiasm.
"Still fighting with MJ?" Kara guessed.
"We're not fighting."
"I can't help if you don't tell me what's going on." Kara said.
"Nothing is going on. We just grew apart. He has his friends and I have mine."
"Okay." Kara said deciding to drop the subject. Instead she asked. "Want to walk to school together?"
"Isn't CatCo in the other direction?" The teen asked.
"You know I can fly really fast?" Kara asked.
"Yeah, but don't you have work to do?"
"Yes, but I can do that after we walk to school. Or are you embarrassed to be seen near me?"
"Of course not." The teenager said.
"Good. Then get your bag."
00
"What's wrong with you?" Kara asked as she saw Vasquez sitting at a desk looking exhausted.
"The new language team. I was on babysitting duty."
"What went wrong?"
"They keep going down rabbit holes. But they are both so nice I couldn't exactly kick them."
"Apart from the distractions, how are they getting on?"
"Pete seems to think he is getting a handle on it. He also recommended someone else to bring into the team."
"And are you expanding?"
"If Alex agrees. On paper, Cody Tuffnel looks great. I mean he is blind so is used to using brail and his language skills are better than Pete's, apparently."
"But?"
"Everything about Tycho to date has been forcing us down a path if his choosing. Is Cody a little too perfect?"
"How long has Pete known him?"
"Since college. But that doesn't mean this Cody isn't a body double."
"But we can check." Kara reminded her.
"I know. And I am probably just channeling my inner Alex paranoia. Or maybe I am overthinking things. I just don't want to make the wrong decision."
"Can we use J'onn for vetting?" Kara asked.
"I guess." Vasquez said. "And to be honest compared to some of the names put forward Cody could be the reincarnation of Ted Bundy and still seem like a saint."
"Who else was on the list?" Kara asked eyes wide.
"Lobo."
"Lobo?" Kara asked.
"Well he's smart and knows more about the Galaxy than well, anyone. Plus he probably already knows far more deadly and effective ways to torture you. But don't worry we decided not to pursue."
00
"Hi Alex." The older Alex greeted as her niece entered the lounge that evening.
"Hi."
"How was school?"
"Okay I guess." She said before noticing the large ice pack on her aunt's leg. "What's wrong?"
"Hmm?" The older Alex asked confused before following her niece's gaze. "Oh, it's nothing. I had physio earlier and may have over done it." As her niece continued to frown she added. "I'm fine. And the fifteen minutes are up." She said taking the ice pack off.
"I'll put it away." The teen said taking it off her aunt and putting it in the freezer. When she got back to the lounge both her and her aunt's phones buzzed.
"Guess your mom will be back later." The older Alex said before reading the message. "In that case you can choose dessert. The delivery guy should be here in a minute, can you get MJ?"
"Sure." The teenager said before disappearing upstairs.
As she reached MJ's room she knocked on the door. Not hearing a response she knocked again and called his name. Once again not getting a response she opened the door and saw her cousin sitting at his computer, headphones on.
As she reached him she tapped him on the shoulder causing him to jump.
"What the hell?" He asked turning round and taking his headphones off.
"Your-" Alex started before seeing what was on his screen. "I thought you stopped looking."
"What are you doing here?" He said shutting his computer.
"Dinner is ready. Your mom wants you downstairs."
"Fine." He said.
"You need to talk to Alex."
"I need you to get out of my life. Why are you even here?"
"Mom has to work and she didn't want me to be alone."
"Well I'm not hungry. So you can go talk to mom without me."
"Fine." The teen said leaving.
"Where's MJ?" The older Alex asked when her niece came into the lounge.
"He said he wasn't hungry. Do you want me to go?"
"No. Of course not. If MJ wants to be stubborn, let him." Her aunt said as the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it." The teen said disappearing and returning a moment later with bags of take out which she put on the coffee table before disappearing to the kitchen before returning with plates, cutlery and bottles of water.
"Thanks." Her aunt smiled as she took a plate from the teen who then unpackaged everything before piling food on a plate.
"Hungry?" The older Alex asked amused.
"It's for MJ. He's going to be hungry."
"Yes he will." The older Alex agreed, confused why her niece was so concerned about that seeing they were fighting.
"I'll put this in the kitchen." The teen said disappearing again before returning and putting a little food on a plate before sitting next to her aunt. For a moment they ate in silence before the older Alex asked.
"So how are you doing with history?"
"Okay I guess."
"I really liked history." The older Alex commented.
"You did?"
"Yeah. Well not to start with, but after you mom came into our lives, absolutely."
"Why?"
"Because it was about the only thing I could kick her ass in. Plus I couldn't get into trouble for doing it." Alex explained causing her niece to smile. "How about after dinner I help with your homework until your mom gets back."
"Don't you have better things to do?"
"I am stuck on this couch resting my leg." The older Alex reminded her.
"Wouldn't it be better if I went so MJ comes down?"
"MJ had locked himself in his room along time before you came back from school. He's still mad about the grounding." Her aunt assured her. "Besides you'd be saving me from boredom."
00
"Sorry I'm late." Kara said several hours later as she entered the lounge. On seeing her daughter asleep on the couch she immediately lowered her voice and asked her sister. "Is she okay?"
"She's fine." Alex assured her.
"Sorry I missed dinner."
"It's fine. There's left overs if you are hungry."
"It's okay. Cork ordered takeout. We ate during the debrief."
"What happened?" Alex asked.
"Another alien going crazy."
"Every one okay?"
"Yes. And we think we kept it contained."
"Sorry I couldn't help." Alex said, her frustration obvious.
"You were." Kara pointed out glancing at her daughter. She then looked back at her sister and asked.
"Can I get you anything?"
"No. Go home and get some sleep."
"Okay, I'll be back for Chewie in a second." She said before picking up her sleeping daughter and flying her home. Moments later she returned and picked up Chewie.
"Sure you are okay?" Alex asked her sister.
"I'm fine. Just frustrated we can't figure out how these aliens are getting powers."
"Don't push yourself too hard." Alex warned.
"I won't." Kara smiled. "I'll see you tomorrow."
00
"Morning." Kara yawned as she entered the kitchen.
"Hey." Her daughter greeted. "I made you breakfast."
"Thanks." Kara smiled. "Sorry I was back so late last night."
"It's fine."
"Was everything okay with MJ?"
"He stayed in his room." The teen shrugged. "Are you going to be working late again today?"
"I hope not. And I will try my best not to." Kara replied.
"It's okay if you have to." The teenager said.
"Are you trying to get rid of me?" Kara asked.
"Of course not. I just don't want you stressing about not being here. I can wait at Alex's."
"I know, but I'd prefer to be home." Kara said as her phone rang.
"Hi Ruby, what's up?" She answered. "Okay I'll be right there." She said after a moment's silence. She then ended the call and looked at her daughter. "Sorry I have to go."
"It's okay. See you tonight."
00
"Hi Kara." Steve smiled when he saw her.
"Hi."
"Thanks for coming to the hospital to discuss this."
"You're the one doing me the favour." Kara reminded him.
"Just give me a moment." He said before talking to one of the nurses. As Kara waited she was aware that the other nurses were looking at her smiling.
Waving at them she awkwardly waited for Steve who eventually returned. Seeing everyone staring at them Steve suggested. "Coffee? Not here?"
"Sure." Kara said as he led them outside to a coffee cart. Having ordered the coffees he directed Kara to a table where a young man, wearing a hoodie which obscured his face, was sitting. Confused Kara sat down and waited for Steve to explain.
"Kara, this is Cory."
"Hi Cory." Kara smiled.
"Cory is one of my patients, but from the clinic. He is one of the patients the fake me saw." Steve explained.
"Did the fake you hurt you?" Kara asked.
"No, but he was acting weird." Cory said. "He kept trying to get me to have a blood test."
"Why?" Kara asked.
"Said I looked pale, but I never do blood tests and he should have known. That's how I figured something was wrong."
"You don't normally give blood then?" Kara asked.
"I never give blood." His tone implied he didn't want to explain further.
"She needs to know, it could be important." Steve said.
"I'm not normal." He said.
"You're a meta?" She asked.
"No, yes, maybe. It's complicated." He said. When he didn't immediately continue Kara sat patiently and waited until he said. "We never knew our father. But when we were thirteen we started showing powers. Our mom got really stressed and took us to a doctor. Some guy she knew from college. He told us we had the meta gene, but he also told us something else. He told us we weren't human, well we were but only part."
"So you are a human alien meta hybrid?" Kara asked.
"Yes."
"And you don't want to give blood because then people will figure it out?"
"Yes." He confirmed.
"Who is the we?"
"My twin brother, Cam, and I."
"And where is he?"
"I don't know. He was taken a few years ago."
"Taken?" Kara asked.
"We had an appointment with the doctor. But I wanted to hang out with my girlfriend so skipped it." He said, his voice full of regret. "When I got back home, the house was trashed, mom was dead and Cam was gone. But there was a note telling me if I ever wanted to see Cam again I should hand myself over and they gave me an address to go to. After that I grabbed my stuff and ran."
"I'm sorry." Kara said. "But why tell me who you are now?"
"They hurt the doc because of me." He said.
"We don't know that." Steve said.
"This is the note they left. Maybe you can use it." He said taking a very old, tattered bit of paper from his pocket before passing it to Kara. As she took it she said. "You could be in danger, will you let me help you?"
"That will only put you in danger." He said.
00
"Should you be in work?" Kara asked when she saw her sister.
"I'm allowed in two days a week."
"And this would be your third day." Kara pointed out.
"Not if the week started yesterday." Alex countered.
"But it didn't."
"Depends on your frame of reference. Please don't lecture."
"As long as you stay sitting at your desk." Kara said.
"Really?" Alex asked surprised.
"Yes, especially as I think I have something." She said as Vasquez came in and said.
"We have a hit."
"On what?" Alex asked lost.
"Brenda Wallis." Vasquez said. "Murdered five and a half years ago. Mother of Cam and Cory Mitchell. Both are missing."
"Back up, who is Brenda Wallis?" Alex asked.
"As harsh as this sounds it is Cam and Cory who are important to this. I met Cory earlier and I think he is a half human meta, half alien. The night his mother was murdered he was left this note." Kara said passing it to Vasquez.
"He didn't follow the instructions?" Vasquez guessed.
"No he went on the run."
"Why tell you this now?"
"He goes to the clinic. He met fake Steve who was trying to get a blood sample. I think he may be the reason that Steve was doubled."
"If there are half human meta half alien people out there, maybe that is how they have generated the drugs that give aliens powers?" Vasquez mused.
"I think they took his twin, Cam, and used him to make the drug." Kara agreed.
"We need a lot more information." Alex said as Ruby hurried into the office.
"There's a major attack down town." Ruby reported.