"I finished reading those files you brought back and I don't want to sound unsympathetic, but I don't get it." Lena said.
"Get what?" Alex asked.
"Lobo and the problem. I mean yes he is strong and possibly immortal, but from everything I have seen, he is not as strong as Kara."
"He's immortal." Alex reminded her.
"Not having died yet doesn't make him immortal. Some people believe Kara is immortal." Lena reminded them. "But even if he was, Kara is more powerful. When she gets tired she can sit on the sun for ten minutes and come back fully charged."
"He's intelligent and can see weaknesses." Kara said.
"Your suit protects you from Kryptonite." Lena reminded her.
"Different weakness." Alex said. "He'll know that Kara will sacrifice everything for others. He will come to Earth and tear it to pieces just to get to her."
"While that is a problem, Kara will still be ok." Lena reminded her.
"But many other people won't be." Kara pressed. "I mean he killed every one on his planet. And then blamed a science project."
"He really does sound like Lex." Lena commented.
"My mother thinks I should try talking to him." Kara said.
"Why?"
"He has a code. A very strong code." Kara said.
"And you plan on appealing to this code?" Lena asked.
"Seems the best option."
"I'm not sure I would go that far." Alex said.
"What exactly is his code? I mean what does he want?"
"Protection of Space Dolphins."
"Has she cracked?" Lena asked Alex.
"No, he loves space dolphins. He rides them and thinks they cure hangovers." Kara explained.
"I repeat my last question. Have you finally cracked?" Lena said.
"I'm being serious. They are the one thing he actually respects and wants to protect."
"He destroys planets but he is also an environmental conservationist?" Lena asked.
"And insane." Kara said.
"So is every bad guy that you fight." Alex said. "We have a prison full of insane Lieutenants to prove that."
"Speaking of which this is for you." Lena said passing Alex a thumb drive. "This contains all the locations that could be hiding a portal. But don't thank me, there are over a thousand in the US alone. I can't figure out how to narrow it down further."
"I'll just fly round and look." Kara said. "It won't take that long."
"And if one of them is a trap?" Alex asked. "What if Mongul was working with Lobo and that is how Lobo will get to you?"
"Portals aren't his thing." Kara said. "He likes his Spacehog too much."
"He wants to protect dolphins and he rides a pig?" Lena asked, now fully convinced Kara had cracked.
"Are you sure you read the files I gave you?" Kara asked. "The Spacehog is his ship. Think space bike. Like Biker Mice from Mars, but sleazy."
"They have biker mice on Mars?" Lena asked.
"It was cartoon." Alex corrected before trying to move the conversation in a more focused direction. "I was being serious, the portals could be a trap. You can't just fly in there. Even if Lobo isn't connected to them, Mongul's Lieutenants want you dead."
-00-
As the teenage Alex collected her gym kit from her locker she heard raised voices coming from the down the corridor. Shutting her locker she followed the voices until she reached the pool where she saw the bully beating the kid she had tried to help days earlier.
"Again?" Alex asked.
As the bully pushed the boy into the pool, water splashed everywhere hitting Alex. Shaking her head she reached down and offered the boy her hand before helping him from the water.
"Real big of you." She said turning to face the bully. But as she stood opposite the bully Alex started to feel warm and was aware she was loosing focus.
Suddenly she was shoved and she found herself unable to resist the movement and she stumbled backwards before falling in the pool.
As Alex fell into the pool she suddenly couldn't breathe and found herself sinking to the bottom, getting weaker and weaker.
Desperately flailing she tried to reach the surface, but she couldn't fight gravity and kept sinking.
-00-
"Help." The sopping wet bullied kid said as he almost tackled the teenage Kara to the ground.
"What-" Kara started to asked.
"Alex, pool." He panted. Not waiting for anymore information Kara sprinted back down the corridor towards the pool. As she entered the pool area she saw the bully standing on the side looking shocked. Kara followed his gaze and saw her cousin sinking to the bottom of the pool. Without hesitation she dove in and grabbed Alex before swimming to the surface. As her head broke the water she made sure her cousin's did as well before looking to the side.
"Help!" Kara called to the bully who just turned and ran.
Not having the strength to lift her cousin out of the water the teenage Kara began treading water and reached for her watch. After a couple of rings the call was answered and she gasped. "Mom, need help."
-00-
As Supergirl and the adult Alex landed by the pool Supergirl saw her unconscious daughter in her niece's arms and dived in to pull them out. As she placed them on the poolside she asked, unable to hide her panic.
"What's wrong with her?"
"She's breathing, but she is burning up." Her sister said before glancing at her daughter. "Are you okay?"
"Yes." The teenager said shivering.
"What happened?" The adult Alex asked as she kept assessing her niece.
"Don't know, she was sinking when I found her." The older teenager said.
"Take her to Lena. We'll see you there." Alex instructed her sister, who scooped the teenage Alex up in her arms and disappeared.
"Are you sure you are okay?" Alex asked her daughter as she hugged her.
"Fine."
"What's going on?" The principal asked breathlessly as he ran into the pool area with the coach.
"Attempted murder." The teenage Kara muttered as she pulled away from her mother.
"What?" Alex asked.
"Holtz pushed her in and watched as she nearly drowned."
"Who nearly drowned?" The principal asked frowning.
"Alex." The teenage Kara said as she started to shiver from the cold.
"Well where is she?" The principal asked.
"Supergirl took her to hospital." Alex said as the coach passed Kara a blanket.
"Supergirl?" The principle asked sensing a PR disaster.
"I'm taking Kara to get checked out." Alex said. "I will be in first thing tomorrow waiting for an update."
-00-
"What exactly happened?" Alex asked her daughter as they walked though the school.
"I don't know exactly. A guy from Alex's class came at me like a bat out of hell and said Alex was in trouble at the pool. When I got there she was already in the water and at the bottom. I got her to the surface, but I couldn't wake her or get her out of the pool. That's when I called you."
"You did great." Alex assured her wrapping an arm round her.
"What's wrong with her?"
"I don't know." Alex said. "Did you notice anything strange at the pool?"
"Didn't have time to think about it. But it smelt the same as normal."
"And you are feeling okay?"
"I'm fine."
"Why are you limping?" Alex asked.
"I'm fine, worry about Alex."
"What's going on?" Her mother pressed before pointing out. "The two could be related."
"They're not. It's just my bad leg. Treading water for that long was hard." She said.
"Okay, we'll run some scans when we get to Lena's."
"I'm going to Lena's?"
"You could have been exposed to something." Alex said. "I need to make sure you are okay."