"Does the house seem quiet to you?" Alex asked when she woke the next morning on the couch with Kara still resting against her.
"Yeah." Kara said before using her super hearing. "We're the only ones here. What time is it?"
"Half seven." Alex said as Kara sat up and stretched.
"Should we be worried that the kids are up so early?"
"Maybe they haven't gone to bed yet." Alex said standing and trying to make her back feel less stiff.
"That doesn't make me feel any better." Kara pointed out as the front door opened.
"Hey guys." Alex greeted as the three teens and one dog entered the room holding a box and coffee. "Where have you been?"
"We went out for breakfast." MJ said.
"Why didn't you wake us?"
"You looked like you needed the rest." The teenage Kara said.
"Almost like you forgot it was a school night last night." MJ added.
"But we got breakfast for you." The teenage Alex added as she handed her mother the box.
"Ohhh Crullers, my favourite." Kara smiled as she took one out of the box.
"You want to share?" The adult Alex asked her sister as she drunk the coffee her daughter had given her.
"No." Kara said honestly. "But if you want one you can have one." She said holding out the box.
-00-
"There is nothing at all that ties any of this into Stagg or Tycho." Vasquez said. "Everything points to them using Sloane Syndicate as an investment opportunity only."
"So the possible missing metas and Red-K just a coincidence?" Alex asked.
"We have nothing to say it isn't." Vasquez said.
"You don't sound convinced." Alex pointed out.
"Well, I'm not." Vasquez said. "The good news is that Aptil's team is still looking into Stagg for Meta trafficking. He has said he will tell us if anything links back to Kai."
"And Tycho?"
"Apart from what he has said in the past, there is nothing to suggest he is behind any of this." Vasquez said.
"Could it actually just be Joiner?" Supergirl asked.
"It does look that way." Vasquez said. "But it still seems too clean. Even if he was behind it, why would he confess and then commit suicide?"
"Maybe it got out of the control and that last attack and the deaths of the teens actually caused him to feel guilty." Kara said.
"Maybe." Alex said, clearly not convinced. "Regardless someone knows how to make Red-K and that scares me."
"Does Tycho have any link to Maxwell Lord?" Kara asked.
"It was one of the first things we checked and the answer is no. I mean they move in the same social circles, but actually even that isn't true. Tycho is a recluse and rarely socialises. But he'll get invited to the same events. But there is no close connection." Vasquez answered.
"Apart from Lane." Alex said.
"As in General Lane?" Supergirl asked.
"Yes." She confirmed. "Lord Industries was another corporation that Lane did business with. He gave Lord a lot of technology to investigate. Rumour has it though the relationship was terminated when Lane didn't see a good enough return. Which doesn't surprise me." Alex said. "Max hated the government, no way would he hand them anything."
"After that all business deals were with Stagg and Tycho." Vasquez finished.
"But we don't know the details." Alex said.
"Want me to ask Kal to dig into it?" Kara asked.
"Can't hurt, but I doubt we will uncover anything. If someone other than Joiner is behind this they have done an amazing job at covering their tracks." Alex sighed as Rose knocked at the door.
"Ma'am you have a visitor." The DEO agent said as John Diggle stepped into the room.
"John, please tell me Mongul hasn't escaped." Alex greeted.
"No. He is on a prison planet." John said.
"So what brings you here?"
"I've been looking into Sinestro."
"And?" Alex asked.
"Firstly, following Mongul's stunt I looked at whether or not Sinestro would make a move for Mongul. So far they haven't. The rumour going round is they are both angry and impressed that he stole a yellow ring. However they aren't angry or impressed enough to either seek revenge or try to recruit him. However, the Guardians are concerned that they will be closely watching Mongul for signs that he should be recruited. That is their justification for sending him, and by accident you," he said looking at Kara, "to the pocket dimension. Apparently you kicking his ass while you were in there without powers has cost him some standing at Sinestro, but he could be a risk in the future. I also looked at yellow lanterns operating in this area and right now there are none. However, your theory of someone here trying to attract their attention has been deemed credible so I have been tasked to look for anyone on Earth who maybe trying to join Sinsetro. So I would like to ask that we conduct a joint investigation."
"Well, we have just hit a huge brick wall so I'd appreciate a fresh pair of eyes." Alex said before looking at her second in command. "Vasquez can you liaise with John?"
"Of course I'll get a computer ready." Vasquez said leaving the room.
"Thanks, but there is something else. You previously told me you were worried about the Red Lanterns." John said.
"Yes." Kara said looking more attentive. "How controlling is the ring?"
"When someone receives the ring they are indoctrinated. They give into the rage and hatred in their hearts. Soon it becomes all they know and it drives them. The Red Lantern Power ring replaces the heart of the wearer and the blood is spoiled. It becomes infected with rage energy and they can expel it. The thing is that blood is contagious. Anyone who is exposed can become infected, no matter how good and pure they are." Diggle explained.
"Exposed like a transfusion?" Alex asked.
"No." Diggle said. "They can vomit blood. And if that gets on you it can infect you with rage."
"And I thought slime was bad." Kara said. "But that is way more gross."
"Even if you aren't infected the Red Lanterns are incredibly powerful. They can create blood portals, powered by their own blood, allowing them to travel anywhere. The Reds are consumed by anger. But they also have a strong sense of justice. They use their anger to bring justice at any cost. The reason I am telling you this is a warning to avoid them."
"It's not like we are seeking them out." Alex said.
"Then why the question?" Diggle asked.
"Lobo has a Red ring. He wants me to wear it and reek havoc on the universe." Kara explained. "We were trying to figure out how to stop that happening."
"There are two things that weaken a Red Lantern. Hope and Love. While you have those you should have nothing to fear." John said. "But we will keep watch."
-00-
"We need a games night." Alex said as she and her sister returned home and saw the kids in the lounge.
"I thought we were taking it easy on the kids." Kara countered.
"We'll beat you this time, because this time we aren't going easy on you." MJ said.
"That's what you thought you were doing?" His mother asked amused.
"I think he saw what we were doing and got confused." Kara said.
"You're claiming you were taking it easy?" MJ asked.
"I seem to remember you lost by just fifteen points." Kara recalled. "That was us taking it easy."
"You wish." MJ countered.
"Okay, we'll make it interesting." The adult Alex said.
"Interesting how?" MJ asked.
"When you lose you you do all the chores for the next month."
"You are encouraging us to gamble?" The teenage Kara asked.
"It's not gambling as we already know what the result will be." Alex pointed out.
"When we win what do we get?" The teenage Alex asked.
"Whatever you want." The adult Kara said. "Because you aren't winning."
-00-
"So you lose by thirty points." The adult Alex said as she counted the scores as three shellshocked teens looked on. Looking at their faces she asked. "Sorry, do you want a recount?"
"No." The trio mumbled, clearly unhappy with life. "We're going upstairs."
"Thank you. I needed that." Kara said to her sister once the teens had stomped off.
"Well I needed MJ and Kara to do more chores, so everyone wins." Alex said.
"Apart from the kids." Kara pointed out.
"Well I'm sure they will learn an important lesson from this." Alex said before looking at her sister and asking. "How are you doing?"
"I don't know." Kara said. "There just seems to be so much bad stuff out there."
"There will always be bad stuff out there." Alex said. "But whatever is thrown at us we can beat it."
"There just seems so much of it at the moment." Kara said. "Even if Joiner was the one behind Kai and everything, Stagg and Tycho still seem to be dirt bags who will do something bad eventually."
"Worrying about it won't change it though. Maybe instead of concentrating on Lobo and Tycho and Stagg you should let someone else worry about those and focus on Alex."
"How is your concentrating only MJ and Kara going?" The adult Kara said.
"I never said do as I do." Alex pointed out. "But I'm serious, now Diggle is on board let him worry about the yellows and reds and all that come with them. You should focus on being Kara Danvers and all that entails."
"Then who will save you when you get into trouble."
"I'm going to stick to my desk for awhile." Alex said.
"Doesn't mean you won't find trouble."
"Said the kettle to the pot." Alex pointed out. "But I'm serious, you have carried a lot recently, it's time you stepped back and worried about yourself."
"I'll try." Kara said.
"You still suck at lying." Alex said hugging her. "I meant it when I said we will beat whatever comes our way, so quit worrying."
"Okay." Kara agreed.