"How are Bronson and Wilmot?" Supergirl asked the next day.
"Bronson has two cracked ribs and Wilmot has a weird chemical burn. They'll both be fine." Alex said before asking. "How are you?"
"I'm fine."
"So I should ignore your daughter's rant about you not eating the food she made?"
"She told you that?"
"No. She was complaining to Kara and MJ. It was hard not to hear though."
"Well the plate was full of green stuff. Cookies were way better."
"She also mentioned that you left before breakfast." Alex said. "So here." She added passing her a box.
"I knew there was a reason you were my favourite sister." Supergirl said taking a cruller out of the box.
"So what made you leave at the crack of dawn?"
"Fire down town." Kara said as she ate, musing. "I should have taken the green stuff with me and let it burn in the fire."
She then removed another snack from the box and said. "I have been looking at Sloane Syndicate again and it really does look liker Joiner was calling the shots. After his arrest and subsequent death everything crumbled."
"So you think it was that simple?" Alex asked.
"No. But then Cat pointed out that maybe I was looking in the wrong place. So last night I started to look else where. And I have found some strange activity in several cities, including Metropolis. Some of it started a couple of years ago, but it really ramped up after Sloane Syndicate was taken down."
"So they just moved cities?" Alex asked.
"Maybe." Kara said. "Perhaps we could talk to Aptill's replacement?"
"Kendell?" Alex asked. "I don't know. I don't trust him."
"Do you trust anyone?" Kara asked.
"I'm being serious, something feels off about him. Plus rumour has it, he has ruled out Stagg from being involved in meta trafficking. I don't buy that."
"You think Stagg controls him?" Kara asked.
"Maybe." Alex said.
"Does that mean you think Aptill's death wasn't an accident?"
"I don't know. I hate coincidences and it would be a big coincidence. But at the same time who would kill over one hundred people just to get to one person?" Alex asked. "Unfortunately I have no jurisdiction to investigate. And seeing the country is already on edge following Mongul's invasion attempt I don't want to lie and suggest aliens are involved, just to investigate."
"But I could investigate. You know as an investigation of safety."
"Except you are already looking into the Metas. Don't you think you are stretching yourself a bit thin, again?" Alex asked.
"I'm okay." Kara said. "Besides I am taking a kind of break this weekend."
"You are?"
"Yes. There's a press thing in Metropolis. Cat give me a ticket."
"Metropolis? As in one of the cities you just identified as possibly being related to all of this?" Alex asked.
"Also where Kal is. I was thinking of taking Alex to see Kal."
"Please don't draw attention to yourself." Alex pleaded.
"I won't." Kara promised.
-00-
"Hi." Kara said returning to the apartment where her daughter was playing with Chewie.
"Hi."
"Sorry about last night and this morning." Kara said.
"It's okay." The teen said looking up from Chewie.
"So anything happen?"
"Like what?"
"Any new powers?" Kara asked.
"No."
"Convinced MJ you have any new powers?"
"No." Alex smiled.
"So next weekend I have a thing in Metropolis."
"A thing?"
"It's a press thing." Kara said.
"You're going away again?"
"Actually I was wondering if you wanted to come with me."
"Really?" Alex asked sounding excited.
"Really. While we're there you could meet Kal."
"I guess." Alex said less enthusiastically. "Do I have to go?"
"Well no. It's your choice, but I was hoping you could come." Kara said confused by the sudden lack of enthusiasm.
"Why?"
"Ignoring the fact I don't like being away from you, I wanted you meet Kal. Plus it's a part of Earth you've not been too."
"Okay." Alex agreed.
-00-
"I just don't get what's going on with Alex." Kara complained to her sister that evening.
"What do you mean?"
"She said she missed me when we had the weekend with Sam, so I arranged the whole work trip to Metropolis in a way she could come with and finally meet Kal. But after some initial interest she asked if she had to go."
"I think she misses spending time with you." Alex said.
"That's why I suggested going to Metropolis."
"Where you'll meet up with Clark and Lois." Alex said.
"So?"
"So that isn't spending time with you, it is spending time with you and others." Alex said.
"It not others it Kal."
"Who she has never met and still isn't just you." Alex pressed.
"So she is feeling like I am neglecting her?" Kara asked frowning.
"Not exactly." Alex said.
"What do you know?" Kara asked.
"Alex has noticed a change in your behaviour. I think it is related to what happened with Mongul. But Alex thinks it is to do with what happened with the hybrid truth seeker."
"She does?" Kara asked.
"She's a teenager so I have no idea exactly what is going through her head, but my best guess is yes. She thinks what happened changed the way you see her."
"That's stupid." Kara said.
"Maybe, but it's how she feels and if she thinks you are making her spend time with people other than you it's going to reinforce that." Alex said. "You should talk to her."
"I'm trying, but she keeps shutting me out."
"Well you have a long journey back from Metropolis to sort it out."
-00-
"Kiera." Cat nodded as Kara approached her in the large hall in Metropolis.
"Hi."
"Where is the headline stealing leach?"
"Who?'" Kara asked. When Cat glared at her Kara guessed. "Lois?"
"Do you know anyone else who meets that description?" Cat asked before seeing Lois approach. "And on cue the devil approaches."
"Hi Kara." Lois said hugging her, before looking at Cat and nodding.
"Lois." Cat said coldly.
"Cat." Lois replied equally as guarded.
"So ummm, did you bring the boys?" Kara asked trying to break the tension.
"I suggested they came, but they both had commitments. Very last minute commitments. So they won't be around tomorrow either. Where's Alex?"
"At the hotel. She wasn't keen on coming tonight." Kara said.
"I don't blame her. There are many jackals out tonight." Lois said staring at Cat before looking at Kara again. "Well I look forward to meeting her tomorrow. Clark is too."
"Where is he?" Kara asked looking round.
"Emergency."
"Does he need help?"
"No, he has it covered." Lois smiled before looking back at Cat. "I wasn't expecting to see you here."
"Well normally I wouldn't bother, but there is a story that grabbed my attention, this seemed the perfect opportunity to see if there was any truth to it."
"What story?" Lois asked.
"Mass kidnapping of meta humans." Cat said watching Lois carefully for a reaction.
"Interesting." Lois said after a moment. "Well if you'll excuse me I have people to meet. I'll see you tomorrow Kara." She added before walking off.
"Didn't you just give her the story?" Kara asked Cat.
"I lit a fire under her. It is better for you if Lois investigates." Cat said.
"Better how?"
"You won't be the target. Lois can run interference, you can figure out the truth."
"I'm not really comfortable putting Lois in danger." Kara said.
"She'll put herself in danger." Cat shrugged. "Besides she's like the cockroach of the journalistic world. She'll survive a nuclear war."
-00-
"Aren't you back too early?" The teenage Alex asked when her mother returned to the hotel.
"I said I'd be back early. Besides I thought we could do something together. Unless you are tired."
"I'm awake." The teen said enthusiastically.
"Okay then. Let's go."
"Is anywhere open?" The teen asked.
"No idea. But let's go find out."
"We're just going to wander the streets?"
"Yes. Fine no. There is a late night planetarium show I thought we could go to. And afterwards we could get a midnight snack, there is a weird vegan restaurant next to the planetarium."
"What's weird about it?" The teen asked.
"It's vegan." Kara pointed out.
-00-
"Are we still meeting Clark tomorrow?" The teen asked as they walked back to the hotel.
"Yes. He's looking forward to it. So is Lois."
"Sure." The teen said.
"What's with the hostility?" Kara asked.
"You came to Earth and woke up alone. Your only family was Clark and he sent you away. That goes against everything you have taught me."
"Kal was raised on this planet. He has no memories of Krypton. The only way he could think about helping me was to give me the kind of upbringing he had had. To give me an Earth family."
"He abandoned you." The teen said.
"That decision gave me a new family. Which included Alex."
"Didn't you resent him for sending you away?"
"To be honest no. When I first got here I was so overwhelmed with what happened I didn't know what I felt. I had lost everything, including my reason for coming to Earth. After awhile Midvale became my new home. Sometimes I really wished I was living with Kal. But there were also times it was really hard for me to see him as he reminded me of everything I had lost. But he is and always will be family. So please play nice tomorrow. It would mean a lot to me for you to get on with Kal and his family."
"Fine." The teen said.
"And then I was thinking afterwards we'd take the long way home and spend some time together."
"Doing what?"
"You can chose. I'll leave it in your hands."
"We can do anything?" The teen asked.
"Anything." Kara confirmed. "Just remember you have school the next day."
-00-
"Hi Alex." Clark smiled as he and Lois entered Kara's hotel room the next day.
"Hi." The teen replied.
"How are you finding Metropolis?" Lois asked.
"Okay I guess."
"That sounds like you've not seen the real Metropolis." Lois said. "Why don't you let Clark show you round?"
"That's a great idea." Kara said enthusiastically as Lois looked at Clark and pressed.
"Isn't it?"
"It's a swell idea." Clark agreed.
"Honey, I am sure Alex has enough issues adapting to life on this planet without contending with your 1950's vocabulary." Lois said.
"Yes dear." He said nodding before looking back at Alex and asking. "Why I don't I show you some of the places I used to hang out with your mom?"
"Sure." The teenager said.
"I'll see you later." Kara said hugging her goodbye.
As Kara shut the door behind her daughter and cousin she turned to find Lois staring at her like a predatory shark.
"What?" Kara asked.
"Why did Cat give me that lead?" Lois asked. "Is she yanking my chain?"
"She was trying to protect me." Kara said.
"Protect you how?"
"She thinks if you investigate it will keep me out of danger."
"Cat Grant is giving me a story to protect you?" Lois asked.
"Yes."
"She must really like you. Or hate me." Lois commented. "So what exactly is the story?"
-00-
"You here to scare me off or something?" Diz asked as Alex approached him.
"Or something." Alex said.
"What?" He asked confused.
"I need to know what you know about the Kai gang."
"So I was in one gang and you assume I'll jump to another?"
"It crossed my mind."
"The Los Zetas gave me a home when my family didn't want me." He said. "I was loyal to them. Kai killed my brothers, why would I join them?"
"They didn't give people much choice." Alex said.
"They didn't want people like me."
"Because you are meta?"
"Yes."
"How did they know?" Alex asked.
"They had a machine. It was like a phone only it told them who the metas were. They rounded the teenagers up and tested. Some were sent to the left, some to the right."
"And after that?"
"No idea. I never made it that far. I didn't think it would end well so I escaped."
"Have you had any contact with any of Los Zetas?" Alex asked.
"No."
"This is important, if you hear from anyone who was taken by Kai I need to know." Alex said.
"Kai is gone." Diz said.
"Maybe." Alex replied.
-00-
"Hi guys." Clark said as he and the teenage Alex came back in to the hotel room a few hours later.
"Have fun?" Kara asked.
"Absolutely." Clark said enthusiastically.
"What have you done?" Lois asked.
"Nothing." Clark said.
"Clark." Lois said reading through the lie.
"There was this one minor innocent when Superman was required. But it is all fine now. I did have to leave Alex for fifteen minutes though."
"It's fine, I'm used to it with mom." Alex shrugged.
"It wasn't my fault. I couldn't plan for it." Clark pointed out, noticing Lois was still staring at him.
"The only thing predictable about life is its unpredictability." Kara said.
"Another movie quote?" Alex guessed.
"Yes. Remy from Ratatouille." Kara said.
"I have no idea what that is." The teen pointed out.
"At least your mom likes movies." Lois said. "Clark was obsessed with commercials. He kept recordings of his favourites."
"I remember seeing that collection." Kara smiled at the memory.
"Commercials are informative." Clark said.
"You tell yourself that." Lois said.
"Anyway we should get going." Kara said looking at her daughter.
"Don't stay away too long this time." Lois said hugging Kara.
"I won't. And please be careful."
"I will. I'll let you know if I find anything." Lois said.
"We'll see you soon." Clark added before he and Lois left the room.
"Okay, where to?" Kara asked her daughter.
"Can we just go home?"
"You sure?"
"I wouldn't have said it if I wasn't."
"Um, okay then."