"You wanted to see me?" J'onn asked entering Diz's room, where the teen was talking to Wildcat.
"Kar said you could read minds." Diz said.
"I can. But it is dangerous."
"I don't care. I need you to do mine."
"Why?"
"I am meant to know something, but I don't know what. But there was meeting between Kai and the Los Zetas a few months ago. I wasn't meant to be there. But I was. Maybe I saw something. But how would I know?"
"Alonso, if this goes wrong you could be left brain dead." J'onn warned.
"No one calls me- it's fine. I'll take the risk. What if not knowing puts Kar in danger?" He pressed.
"What do you think?" J'onn asked Wildcat.
"It's his head." Wildcat said. "We've debated it for the last hour. He knows the risks."
"Okay." J'onn agreed. "Sit on the bed."
-00-
"Where's mom?" The teenage Kara asked as she entered the lounge where her grandmother was sitting reading a book.
"She is still at work, she'll be back soon." Eliza said. "Where's Alex and MJ?"
"Practice." Kara said putting her bag down and stroking Chewie.
"How are you doing?"
"You mean am I still getting panic attacks when I leave the house?"
"That's not what I meant. But are you?" Eliza asked.
"I made it home by myself. Of course the DEO escort kind of helped."
"That's progress." Eliza said.
"Not exactly. I mean I made it all the way to the gym by myself. Well with Chewie. I was only slightly terrified the entire walk. And then I saw my boyfriend get kidnapped. But what gets me is every time I have ended up helpless." She said. The sudden openness taking her grandmother by surprise.
Hugging her granddaughter Eliza said. "You have never been and never will be helpless." Pulling away she added. "Being scared doesn't make you weak."
"Sorry I shouldn't I have said anything. I need to go to my homework." The teen said before disappearing, closely followed by Chewie.
"Kara wait." Eliza called but in response she heard a door shut firmly.
-00-
"What's going on?" Alex asked when she was called to the infirmary.
"Alonso had me read his mind. I think I know why they are worried." J'onn said.
"What is it?" Alex asked.
"The meeting involved Los Zetas, Kai and a man who was pulling the strings. He was trying to bribe Los Zetas to join Kai. The man was Tom Curran."
"Who?" Diz asked.
"A.D.A. Tom Curran?" Alex asked.
"Yes."
"He set up a gang?"
"All I know from what I saw is he was working with Kai."
"What now?" Wildcat asked.
"I go pay him a visit." Alex said.
"But we can't use this as evidence." J'onn said.
"I know. But if he knows we know there is less motivation to kill Diz." Alex pointed out.
-00-
"Director Danvers. Don't tell me you want to work within the legal framework that makes this country great?" Curran asked.
"I have no problem following the law." Alex said.
"Your track record says different." He said. "But I am assuming that isn't why you are here."
"No. I am here to discuss your inability to follow the law. In particular your involvement with Kai."
"What are-"
"I suggest you don't interrupt." Alex said. "In case you haven't heard the DEO is now running the investigation, so you have three choices. One keep going and get caught and spend the rest of your life in jail, two tell me everything you know, three, stop what you are doing and stay the hell away from me."
"You have nothing on me. If you did I wouldn't be standing here. You would have dragged me to a cell."
"Why? When LEOs found out you were behind the leaking of the names of family members how long do you think you'll last?" Alex asked before walking out of his office. As she left the building she found her sister waiting on the steps.
"What are you doing here?" Alex asked.
"Making sure you didn't get into trouble." Kara said. "Well at least stopping any immediate retaliation happening. What happened to sitting back and seeing where the evidence takes us."
"The evidence was taking us no where. Besides if Curran knows we know there is no point in killing Diz."
-00-
"You okay?" Eliza asked when her two daughters came home, both looking miserable.
"Yeah, long day." Alex said.
"Where are the kids?" Kara asked.
"MJ and Alex are at practice and Kara is upstairs. I think you should talk to her."
"What's happened?" Alex asked.
"Just talk to her." Eliza said.
"Okay." Alex said heading up stairs.
"Hey." Alex said entering her daughters room. "You okay?"
"Grandma told you?"
"She's not told me anything." Alex said. "What's going on?"
"Nothing."
"You are sitting her doing calculus." Alex pointed out. "What's wrong?"
"I feel like I don't have any control over anything right now. But homework I can control. Or I thought I could. But I just don't get this and Alex isn't here to explain it."
"I don't think anyone every really controls anything." Alex said. "Rather than fight to stay in control or pretend to be control, sometimes you just have to accept that there is no control."
"Then what will stop it happening again?"
"I can't promise you it won't happen again. But what I can promise is no matter what happens I will always come for you." Alex said hugging her. "The important thing to remember is you aren't fighting this alone. So when you have bad days, which you will, talk to someone." She added as they heard a door slam shut down stairs moments before they heard MJ yell up to them telling them dinner was ready.
"You are going to be okay." Alex reassured her daughter. "Unless you keep your brother waiting."
-00-
"The inspection is about to start. We will have camera feeds from our team and Supergirl is five miles away ready to provide backup as required." Harris said the next morning. "Our team are armed with scanners that should detect Kryptonite."
"Okay. Let's get this started." Alex said as Vasquez approached.
"Agent Kendell is here. He'd like to speak to you." Vasquez said.
"Little busy right now." Alex pointed out.
"Do you want me to act as a go between?" Vasquez asked.
"Yes please. Let's not completely isolate him, but don't give him anything."
"Yes ma'am." Vasquez said.
"Supergirl do you read?" Alex said over the radio link.
"In position." Supergirl replied.
"I know. No matter what you hear do not leave your position until I tell you to."
"I won't." Supergirl said.
"Who is that?" Alex asked looking at the screen as the team was met by a man.
"According to the message we got Andy Beaumont. Running facial recognition now to confirm." Rose said. After a moment they said." We have confirmation. That is one Andy Beaumont. Was a warehouse foreman at the factory until it shut. Now he is a caretaker. Nothing exceptional in his background."
"So far sensors aren't picking up anything unusual." Harris added as they team entered the factory.
-00-
"Where's Kendell?" Alex asked when Vasquez returned to the control room a couple of hours later.
"Gone back to the FBI. Probably slightly more ticked than he was when he came."
"What did he want?"
"To offer his services and to see Diz."
"How did he know he was alive?"
"He went to the morgue and found it missing the body." Vasquez said.
"What did you tell him?"
"We'd look into it. Vasquez said. "What's happening there?"
"Right now we have found nothing. It looks like it hasn't been used for years."
"Why the high power consumption then?" Vasquez asked.
"They still have large quantities of acetic acid, cumene and propionic acid. They moved them to freezers a few months ago for safety." Alex said.
"So we were monitoring the wrong building?" Vasquez asked.
"Looks that way." Alex said, her frustration obvious. "We are back at square one."
-00-
As the three teens returned from school they greeted Eliza with varying degrees of enthusiasm. In contrast Chewie ran to them and excitedly jumped up at each of them hoping to find a new playmate.
"How are you three doing?" Eliza asked.
"I'm starving." MJ said walking straight to the kitchen.
"Is mom back yet?" The teenage Alex asked.
"Not yet." Eliza said. "She should be back soon." She added as MJ appeared, his cheeks bulging like a hamster's face as he ate the snack he picked up.
"What? I'm hungry." He said as she saw the look he was getting from his sister.
"Don't ruin your appetite." Eliza said. "Dinner will be ready soon."
"So we don't need to do homework?" MJ asked hopefully.
"That's not what I said." Eliza said as the door opened and Diz walked in.
"Diz?" Kara asked before rushing to her boyfriend and hugging him, causing him to wince in pain. "What are you doing here?"
"Hey Diz." MJ greeted before the older teen could answer the question. "Wait does mom know you are here?"
"It was her idea." Diz said.
"It was?" The teenage Kara asked confused moments before the adult Alex walked into the house with Wildcat and her sister.
"What's going on?" MJ asked.
"We are trying something different." Alex explained. "It should mean Diz isn't in as much danger. But all of you, including Diz, are going to have protection. If any of you attempt to escape your DEO tail you will all end up in containment. Do you understand?"
-00-
"What are you doing?" Alex asked as she entered her sister's apartment and saw her sister hunched over a laptop.
"Alex? Why aren't kid guarding?"
"Diz has gone home and the others are doing their homework under mom's watchful eye. I was worried about you."
"I'm fine."
"So why sneak off and what are you doing?"
"Seeing the factory link was a dead end, I am going back to the insurance records." Kara said before sitting back and asking. "What if Kendell wasn't lying? What if Roulette's successor's successor is behind this? What if they are being sent to Slaver's moon or equivalent?"
"We have found no evidence for portals. But if that is what is happening will we figure it out." Alex said. "But my gut is telling me they are on Earth." She added as Kara's computer binged.
As Kara read the email, Alex watched her sister becoming more worried about the frown.
"What's going on?" Alex asked.
"Read this." Kara said turning the computer towards her sister.
"Dear Ms Danvers. Many years ago you gave a voice to aliens of National City. Since your return your attention has moved to humans. But I hope you still have the compassion you once did. For the last few weeks there have been many disappearances of alines. These won't be reported anywhere as they aliens, like myself aren't' recognised. But I promise you they are missing and they have no one look for them. Maybe you can't help, but if you can please email me for further information."
-00-
"Why am I here?" MJ asked as the three teens sat on a bench in the park at lunch the following day.
"To provide backup." His sister said.
"To mom or Diz?" MJ asked.
"Why does mom need back up?" Kara questioned.
"Well on your side there is you and Diz. She's outnumbered." MJ pointed out. "Unless Alex is siding with her."
"I'm neutral. I still don't get why I am here." Their cousin said.
"To dilute things." Kara said. "Besides Chewie wanted a walk." Kara reminded her just as Diz slowly and stiffly walked towards them, his arm still held close to his ribs.
"Hey." He said looking surprised to see MJ and Alex.
"Hi Diz." MJ replied.
"When the teenage Alex saw Diz's confusion she explained. "We're here to protect you."
"I don't need protection." He said.
"From mom." MJ clarified.
"Oh, thanks." He said as the older Alex approached.
"Sorry I'm late." She said. "But I brought lunch. Don't worry mom made it."
As they ate the older Alex couldn't help but feel something was wrong. But looking round she could see no signs of danger. Instead she saw two DEO agents looking on.
"What's wrong?" The teenage Kara asked picking up on her mother's tension.
"Nothing." Alex said not wanting to panic her daughter.
"Doesn't look that way." The teenage Kara pointed out.
"Sorry." Alex said looking back at her. "I'm fine." She added before asking Diz. "So how are you feeling?"
As Diz started to answer Alex once again looked round for danger. This time she saw something to worry her. Standing she looked round round as MJ asked.
"What's wrong?"
"I can't see Hill or Jenkins." Alex said.
"For the record we didn't attempt anything." MJ said. "You can't blame us."
"I'm not." Alex said taking out her phone. Seeing there was no signal she looked round getting a sinking feeling.
"Can you run?" Alex asked Diz.
"I guess."
"If I say go you take the others and run. Whatever happens protect them."
"What's going on?" The teenage Kara asked.
"I don't know. I just have a bad feeling." Alex said. "Let's just get back to a more populated area." She said leading them towards what she hoped was safety.
Suddenly Diz stiffened, then spasmed then dropped to ground.
"Diz!" Kara cried.
Dropping to Diz's side Alex checked he was breathing, while also looking for signs of attackers. Seeing movement she got to her feet and said. "Get him out of here."
With that she moved towards the approaching group, oblivious to the group approaching the teens from behind.
As MJ and Kara half carried, half dragged Diz away the teenage Alex saw the danger approaching. Seeing a man charge at them with a knife she screamed a warning. As she did so she unwittingly generated a forcefield and the man bounced off as Kara and MJ also hit the force field from the other side and rebounded almost hitting their cousin in the process.
"Are you doing that?" MJ asked as he and Kara put the heavy weight of Diz on the ground who was fighting with consciousness.
"I think so." Alex said as more men, brandishing crowbars and baseball bats approached. As they started swinging at the invisible field the teenager felt the strain of maintaining a forcefield and tried to concentrate harder.
As she did so Kara and MJ saw their mother being over powered and beaten twenty feet away.
"Mom!" MJ called as Kara tried to activate her necklace.
Seeing her aunt, the teenage Alex tried to expand the forcefield so she was included in it, but with her aunt so far away she couldn't reach her.
"Do something." MJ said to his cousin as he watched his mother tried and failed to fight against the assailants as crowbars kept bouncing off the forcefield Alex was controlling round her cousins, Diz and herself.
"Make this bigger." Kara pleaded as she watched her mother take another blow.
With sweat streaming down her face the teenage Alex did everything she could to maintain the forcefield and pain spread through her body.
Oblivious to their cousin's plight Kara and MJ watched helplessly as their mother was knocked unconscious.
With Alex out cold the men attacking the teens backed off and helped the other group secure the older Alex's limbs with cable ties before carrying her away.
"Mom!" Kara and MJ cried as their unconscious mother was carried off moments before the teenage Alex collapsed in a heap. As she hit the ground the barrier disappeared and Kara and MJ ran towards their mother only to see a van speeding off.