"Supergirl, I'm glad that you are alive" The President greeted as she entered the Oval office with Agent Bell and Alex.
"So am I." She said as she sat next to her sister as Bell sat on the single seat.
"I appreciate you coming up here to brief me in person. I have a lot of questions and I'm not sure I want my Defence Chiefs directing the conversation." He said before looking at Alex and ordering. "So please fill me in."
"Veronica Cale has been in captivity for several weeks. During that time someone assumed her identity." Alex said.
"Is she okay?"
"She's weak and incredibly angry, but the doctors said she'll be fine in time." Alex said. "And she was able to give us a statement."
"So if she has been in captivity, she wasn't behind the drugs?" The President asked.
"Oh no, she hates Supergirl and is completely behind these pills to give people powers." Bell said. "However, she insisted such pills are years away from being ready and claims in the state they were in they could never safely be given to humans."
"She said that?" The President asked.
"Yes."
"But her company applied for approval months ago. You said she had only been held for weeks." The President said confused.
"Yes. The application was made without her knowing. When she found out she started to investigate. It was during that time she was kidnapped and switched."
"And the shapeshifter, assuming that's what it was, who took her identity, where is he or she?" The President asked.
"No idea. They have disappeared." Bell said. "But Cale has, somewhat reluctantly, agreed to share what she discovered before she was taken."
"Why reluctantly?" The President asked.
"Because of our association with Supergirl." Alex said.
"So that anti Supergirl sentiment is really that strong?" The President asked.
"Oh yes." Supergirl said.
"To be honest it is fifty fifty over if she was more angry she was held captive or that it was Supergirl that rescued her." Bell said.
"Just to be clear I for one am very grateful for you do." The President said to Supergirl. He then looked at Alex and said.
"Without meaning to sound paranoid, are we sure the captivity was real? I mean if the use of drugs proves dangerous she has a get out of jail free card, but if they are safe they can press on and make a lot of money."
"We have no way to prove it one way or the other, but a few weeks ago an acquaintance of Cale's mentioned she was acting differently." Alex said. "But we will look at all angles."
"Good." The President said before sensing Alex had something to get off her chest. "Director Danvers, during my time as President you have never been burdened by a need to be diplomatic, don't start now."
"Sir?" Alex asked.
"You have something to say, say it."
"Why did you approve the drugs? You knew about the side effects we were seeing."
"I knew of side effects from similar drugs. And I was taken in by the explanation."
"Which was?" Bell asked.
"There was a data breach five years ago when the early work was stolen. It was that early work that was exploited and turned into what you found on the streets. But I wasn't a complete idiot. At the end of the day, the agreement was those drugs could be used by a squad of pre selected volunteers. And the drugs could only be used if I signed off on it, which I would only do if I felt the country was in danger. Your report on the invasion was sobering and I felt it was for the best. A decision that seemed vindicated after the apparent death of Supergirl and the aliens rampaging through the streets. It was a risk, but it seemed worth it."
"How are the volunteers?" Supergirl asked.
"Out of the group of one hundred the drugs were given to ninety three." The President said.
"Why not one hundred?" Bell asked.
"Seven had symptoms of a cold. The agreement required all volunteers were in top health." The President said.
"Of those, fourteen showed no differences after taking the drugs. Twenty one died in combat. Fifteen were injured. The rest are fine, but are all under observation."
"So not exactly the success story the press has made out?" Bell asked before Alex could.
"No." He said. "Although enough of a success that DoD want to fund further research. If these pills are unrelated to the drugs you discovered we will proceed. However if you can find evidence linking the two the project will be put on ice."
"We need access to those volunteers. And not just for the drugs." Alex said.
"You are talking about Worldkiller-1?" The President asked.
"Yes." Alex said.
"Actually he's gone." Supergirl said.
"What?" Alex asked.
"I kinda forgot to mention that. Sorry." Supergirl said pulling a face.
"Mention what?" Alex pressed.
"Lobo has him. He took him. I think. Well I mean he had him when he rode off."
"You didn't think about mentioning this last night?" Alex asked.
"I forgot."
"You forgot? After everything Worldkiller-1 did to you?" Alex pressed, her frustration obvious.
"It's good to see you treat everyone the same." The President interrupted looking at Alex. "But could one of you tell me if Worldkiller-1 is a threat?"
"He will always be a threat." Supergirl said. "But right now he is probably off world gathering a new army."
"But he could still be on Earth?" Alex asked. "I mean you didn't see Lobo leave the planet with him?"
"Well no." Supergirl conceded.
"So we should be careful."
"Can you actually test for Worldkiller-1?" The President interrupted.
"In humans? We aren't sure yet. We think so, but we can't verify it." Alex said.
"Okay then, well, I will permit you to have access to all the trial volunteers. You may run whatever tests you want, but if you find anything I want to be the first to know." The President said.
"Yes Sir." Alex said.
"And while you focus on that, Agent Bell, please continue the Cale investigation."
"Yes Sir." She agreed.
"Good. Well give me an hour to get all the orders filtered down." He said standing. Following his lead the three women stood and left the office.
"You two always bicker in front of the President?" Bell asked as they walked down the corridor.
"We weren't bickering." Supergirl said.
"I was chastising." Alex said. "And I will be doing a lot more of that."
"Or we can focus on the positive and-" Supergirl started before seeing her sister's glare and instead said. "Let's just go home." She then looked at Bell and asked. "Want a ride?"
"No thanks. I'll stick to conventional means."
-00-
"I still don't get why you didn't tell me." Alex said as the pair landed at Alex's front door.
"I didn't want to talk about any of it in front of Alex."
"I get that, but this morning, rather than lecturing mom and me you didn't think it was worthwhile bringing up?" Alex said entering the house.
"I'd kind of forgotten." Kara said.
"How can you forget something like that?" Alex asked as they walked into the lounge and found four teens looking at them.
"What's mom done?" The teenage Alex asked.
"Forget to tell me about your run in with Worldkiller-1." The older Alex said.
"It wasn't really a run in. I mean he was in a jar." The teenager replied.
"Thank you." The older Kara said.
"Don't get corrupted by your mother's bad habits." Alex warned.
"Ignore her, she's super grouchy." The older Kara said as she hugged her daughter. "How was school?"
"It was okay. No acting crazy."
"You are not crazy." Kara said.
"Where's your grandmother?" The older Alex asked her kids.
"Gone to get some food." Her daughter said. "Are you still fighting?"
"We weren't fighting." Alex said as her sister cut in.
"It's over."
"Good." The teenage Kara replied.
"We weren't fighting." The older Alex protested.
"Only because you were hiding at work." The older Kara said.
"I wasn't hiding." Alex argued.
"You so were." MJ commented.
"Don't you have homework to do?" Alex asked her son who decided not to comment further.
"Do you want to go do some training?" Kara asked her daughter.
"Yes." The teen said.
"Let's go then." Kara said before looking at the other teens and asked. "Can you watch Chewie?"
"Sure." The teenage Kara said.
"Thanks and good luck with your mom." Kara said leading the teenage Alex out of the house.