"Where are we with the notebooks?" Alex asked the next day as she limped into the control room.
"We have managed to get a 3D scan into our systems and are starting to decipher them, using AI techniques. Pete's team is also working on them. He is confident they should have an idea of the content in 2 to 4 weeks." Vasquez said.
"Really?" Alex asked surprised.
"Apparently once you get round the three dimensional part it is really easy." Vasquez said. "But I guess we will find out how true that is soon."
"What about Kara's half human meta, half alien."
"Cory?" Vasquez asked. "If his brother is the key to this, there should be evidence, but to know for sure we need some of Cory's DNA."
"Which he doesn't want to give?" Alex guessed.
"Correct. We are hoping Kara can work her magic, but at the moment we are finding it hard to track him down again."
00
"No Martin?" Kara asked when she saw her daughter at home alone.
"No. Steve is on days again so he is hanging with him tonight."
"So just us. Or are you ditching me again?" Kara asked.
"I have no plans."
"What about homework?"
"All done."
"So do you want to do training or have fun?" Kara asked.
"Training is fun." The teenager said.
"You have super weird taste." Kara countered. "But fine training and pizza."
"What about Alex?"
"What about her?"
"Is she going to be okay by herself."
"She isn't by herself. MJ is there."
"He's not exactly good company right now."
"True." Kara said before sitting opposite her her daughter and asking. "Are you trying to avoid me?"
"What do you mean?"
"It feels like you are trying to avoid me. Is this because I yelled at you over the MJ incident?"
"No. I should have told you." The teen said.
"So we're okay?" Kara asked.
"Yes."
"Then why are you avoiding me?"
"I'm not. I just think Alex needs the company right now." The teen said.
"Why don't you call your aunt and find out if she wants to do something?"
"Okay, but what are you going to do?"
"I'll go get the food."
"Wouldn't it be better if I got the food and you got Alex?" The teen asked.
"Not if we want nice food." Kara pointed out.
00
"Have you figured out where Malaise is?" The teenager asked her aunt as they waited for Kara to return.
"Not yet." Her aunt said. "But we will." She then looked at her niece and asked. "You still getting hassled at school?"
"A little. But it's fine."
"No it's not." The adult Alex said. "Does your mom know?"
"No. It'll just make her worry and be angry."
"So will you hiding things from her." The older Alex said. "You should tell her."
"What if she freaks out?"
"She will without doubt freak out but not as much as she will if she figures out you are hiding things."
"I guess." The teen said before her aunt asked.
"How are you doing?"
"Okay."
"Have you managed to go into water yet?"
"No. Mom wrote a note to get me out of swimming class. I didn't want to have a meltdown in front of everyone."
"Well, in a couple of weeks, maybe a month, I am meant to start doing water exercises for my leg. And it's going to be a struggle, so how about we help each other out?"
"Okay." The teen nodded as the door opened and Kara walked in carrying dinner.
"I hope you are hungry." Kara said.
"Like you ever leave any for us anyway." Her sister said.
"I always leave stuff."
"Only the stuff you don't like." Her sister said. "Oh, it all makes so much more sense now."
"What does?" Kara asked.
"Why Alex likes vegetables. It's because that's all you gave her growing up."
"That's not true." Kara protested. "But seeing you are being mean, no potstickers for you."
"You can have mine?" the teenage Alex said to her aunt.
"Thank you." Alex said taking the plate. "So have you sorted your work experience yet?"
"Yes, I am going to work at the aquarium and with Lena."
"Two placements?" Alex asked.
"One day time one night time." Her niece said.
"That's dedicated." The older Alex said.
"MJ will be doing long hours too." Kara said. "James won't go easy on him." She pointed out. "Speaking of which, where is he?"
"His room. Said he's not hungry." Her sister said.
"Want me to get him?" Kara offered.
"No, leave him. Besides he doesn't like the Princess Bride." Her sister said.
"The Princess Bride?" Kara asked happily.
"Unless you have a better idea?" Her sister countered.
00
As Kara entered the empty lift at CatCo the next morning she mentally started going through her list of things to do. But a moment into the ride she suddenly saw Cory in front of her.
"Cory! What are you doing? How did you get here?"
"I was waiting for you. I heard you were looking for me."
"I was. But how did you get in here?"
"I walked in." He said. "Oh you mean why didn't you notice?"
"Yes."
"I can become invisible." He said suddenly disappearing. As he reappeared Kara asked.
"How come I couldn't see your clothes?"
"I can hide things close to me." He shrugged. "To be honest I don't really care how it works, just that it does work."
"Fair enough." Kara said.
"Is there somewhere we can talk?"
"Sure, there is a conference room lets go there."
"I'll follow you." He said disappearing again as the doors opened.
"Okaaaay." Kara said walking straight to the conference room. Once in side she shut the blinds and then waited until Cory re-appeared.
"Does Cam have that power too?" Kara asked.
"Yes." Cory confirmed. "Why do you ask?"
"We don't know for sure, but we think the people who took Cam have been using him to create a drug that gives humans and aliens powers. You are the first half human meta, half alien I have ever met. For all we know you and Cam could be the only two. That makes you valuable to these people."
"So he could be alive?"
"It's possible. But to know for sure we need a blood sample. That will allow us to figure out if Cam is involved."
Seeing his hesitancy Kara said. "I'm guessing you never give blood as you don't want people to know who you are, what you are. But we already know."
"Okay." He agreed.
"It would be really useful to have a list of your powers too."
00
"Okay, Cory is definitely half alien." Vasquez said as they sat in the briefing room.
"Any idea what the half alien is?" Ruby asked.
"No. Still working through the database." Vasquez said. "It could take awhile."
"Is Cory somewhere safe?" Ruby asked Kara.
"He said he is. But he won't share his whereabouts."
"Probably wise." Vasquez said before looking at Ruby. "You need to be careful."
"Why?"
"You are half alien." Vasquez reminded her.
"But not a meta."
"Well they may get desperate."
"Alex has enough to worry about without you getting kidnapped." Kara added.
"I'll be careful." Ruby said before asking. "How is Alex?"
"Well, she's not great and MJ isn't helping any."
"I thought he was with James?"
"He is. But he left this morning without even saying goodbye." Kara explained.
-00-
"You okay?" Kara asked her sister that evening.
"Sure. What are you doing here?" Alex asked looking up from the couch.
"Seeing you?"
"Is there something wrong with your place?" Alex asked looking at the bags Kara was carrying.
"No."
"Then what's with the bags?"
"I thought I'd stay here tonight."
"Where's Alex?"
"With Lena, who has taken her to some important meeting and she won't be back tonight."
"And you are okay with that?" Alex asked surprised.
"Well probably as doing as well as you." Kara said. "Have you heard from MJ?"
"No, but James let me know he arrived safely."
"That's good."
"What is? That MJ is now fully ignoring me?"
"I meant that he arrived safely." Kara said.
"I know. I'm sorry. I'm not going to be good company. You should go."
"I'm fine here." Kara said.
"Thank you." Alex said leaning against her.
"Besides I need to brief you on all the progress we made today." Kara said.
"Progress?" Alex asked sitting up.
"Yes. Cory came to visit."
"He did, why are you only telling me this now?"
"I have literally just walked through the door." Kara reminded her.
"I know, I'm sorry. But I need something positive right now."
"Well we have Cory's DNA. He is definitely a half meta half alien. And one of his powers, shared by his brother, is invisibility."
"Okaaay." Alex said not seeing why that was important.
"That's right. That wasn't you, it was clone you."
"What was?" Alex asked lost.
"Just before we figured out it was fake you, there was an attack the park, where aliens were attacking people then vanishing. We didn't catch them but we did identify the species and they can't vanish."
"So you think they got powers from Cam?"
"Best lead we have."