"Here are those files." Ruby said walking into Alex's office with a box. "We should really think about letting them join the digital world."
"Keeping them as paper is more secure." Alex pointed out. "I mean no one can hack them."
"True. But the amount of dust they had on them is going to cause asthma attacks. Good thing I'm immune." Ruby smiled. "Anything else I can get you?"
"No, that's it thanks."
"You okay?" Ruby asked.
"Yeah why?"
"You look tired."
"I only managed three hours sleep last night." Alex said. "There's a lot to get through."
"Sure you don't want help?"
"No, focus on your work." Alex said.
"Well I'll leave you to it then." Ruby said, about to leave the office when Vasquez came rushing in.
"We have a major attack downtown."
"Send in the new meta squad." Alex said. "Ruby go with them and keep an eye on them."
"Yes boss." Ruby said as Alex and Vasquez went to the control room.
"How do you want to play this?" Vasquez asked.
"Seeing how tired I am, safer if you run the op." Alex said.
"Wow, you must be tired." Vasquez smiled before entering the control room and seeing the carnage on the screens and immediately ordering. "Rose send out another three squads."
"Yes ma'am."
"And get two squads up from the desert base."
"This is bad." Alex said looking from the screens.
"Sure you don't want to run this one?" Vasquez said.
"No you do it. I'll keep an eye out for off vector attacks."
"What about J'onn? Want to call him back?"
"No, his mission is too important." Alex said. "We can handle this. It is what we train for."
00
Getting back to the dark, empty house the teenage Alex bent down and lifted Chewie up.
"Looks like it is just us." The teen said to the dog. "Let's go home and feed the fish." She said as he licked her face. But before she made it to the front door it opened and her aunt walked in.
"Hi." She called as Chewie started barking.
"Hi." The older Alex said over the barking. "Can you quieten him down?"
"Chewie stop." The teen said, but still the dog barked.
"Alex." The older Alex warned.
"Sorry, he's just lonely, he has been by himself all day."
"I was heading home to feed the fish anyway." She said.
"Okay." Alex said.
"I'll do my homework over there as well." The teen said.
"Fine." The older Alex said wanting the barking to stop. Before she could say anything else her phone rang. "What is it?" She answered. "I'll be right there." She then looked back at her niece and said. "I've got to go."
00
"A bit of light reading?" Vasquez asked as she saw Alex's desk covered in files the next morning.
"I'm just going back to the start to find a link. Or try to."
"No progress then?" Vasquez asked.
"Not so far."
"Did you actually go home after the attack last night? I mean the second one." Vasquez asked frowning.
"No. Didn't seem worth it for an hour. And I didn't want to wake the kids."
"You don't want to go check on them?"
"Alex has been sending a running commentary. They are fine." The older Alex said.
"Want help so you can go home early?" Vasquez offered.
"No I just need to get through this. But if you can take my meetings today…." Alex suggested hopefully.
"Consider it done."
"Thanks."
"What about interrogation of both sets of prisoners from last night?"
"Lets try Woods out." Alex said. "But make sure he is supervised."
"Okay. I'll leave you to it." Vasquez said not wanting to disturb Alex further. "I'll screen your calls and make sure no one bothers you."
"Thanks." Alex smiled.
00
"Hi Alex." Steve said when the teen opened the apartment door that evening.
"Hi." She said letting him in.
"Hey Martin." Steve waved to his nephew who was sitting at the table doing homework.
"Can we finish this?" Martin asked.
"Umm sure." Steve said before asking Alex. "Is your mom here?"
"No. Her mom is sick so she's gone to visit."
"Are you living here alone?" He asked frowning.
"No, I'm staying with Alex and MJ." The teen said.
"Then why are you here?"
"They are both out and I prefer it here." The teen explained.
"Okay." He said before asking. "Have you guys eaten yet?"
"No." Martin said.
"Then why don't you join us for dinner?" Steve asked Alex. "You need to eat."
"Okay, I'll just let Alex know." The teen said firing a message off on her phone.
00
As the older Alex wearily walked into the house MJ was coming down the stairs. On seeing his mother he greeted.
"Hi."
"Hi." Alex replied.
Knowing his mother would know from the fact he had his jacket on he was going out he figured he may as well ask permission in the hope she would agree.
"Um, so can I go out?"
"Sure." Alex said.
"Okay. See you." MJ said not wanting her mother to realise what she had agreed to on a school night.
"See you." Alex said distractedly as she headed to the kitchen.
00
"So which nationality?" Steve asked as he drove the two teens into the city centre. "Italian, French, Moroccan, Lebanese, Greek?"
"Do you actually know any good restaurants for all of those?" Martin asked.
"All? No. It will be like restaurant roulette." Steve said.
"You are so going to regret coming out with us." Martin said to Alex.
"Fine, we'll stick to Italian." Steve said pulling into an empty space. He then pointed to a restaurant and asked Alex. "You like that one right?"
"Yes."
"Good. Let's go." He said ushering the teens out of the car and to the restaurant. Once they had been shown to a table Steve asked.
"So how long is your mom away for?"
"I don't know. It might be a while."
"Well you still up for the lunar eclipse this weekend?" Steve asked. "Might help take your mind off things."
"Sure. But I'll have to check with Alex."
"If you want me to talk to her let me know. Oh, and I checked and you can take Chewie."
"Are you okay with him being there?" Alex asked.
"Why wouldn't I be? Besides the way he eats, he'll be a good stand in for your mom." He pointed out. "So what home work were you guys doing?"
"We have to design and build an obstacle avoiding robot."
"Sweet. Can you get help?"
"You know nothing about robotics." Martin pointed out.
"Harsh, but true." Steve conceded. "So what do you do for parts?"
"We have a budget of one hundred dollars, but can receive donations in parts." Martin said.
"Presumably Lena can give you parts and probably robots." Steve said.
"That feels like cheating." Alex said.
"I can counter that by helping." Steve offered.
"Fine, you can name it." Martin said.
"Really?"
"Well it was meant to be Kara's job, but she may not be back in time." Martin said before looking at Alex and saying. "Sorry."
"Well, then I will pick a name your mom would approve of." Steve said.
"What?" Martin asked.
"Max." Steve stated.
"What?" Martin asked before looking to Alex who looked equally bewildered.
"Max. If you two haven't figured out the reference by the weekend I will educate you on the ride over." Steve said.
00
As the teenage Alex entered the house Chewie started to get restless and then started barking.
"Chewie stop." The teenage Alex said. But he didn't seem to be deterred. Shutting him in the empty lounge she went to the kitchen where her aunt was sitting at the table working.
"Sorry about Chewie." The teen said.
"Just try to keep him under control."
"I will. Have you heard from mom?"
"No. But next time I'm in the office, I'll check."
"Can I still go to the Lunar eclispe weekend with Martin?"
"Sure." Alex said. "You know you don't have to ask my permission for everything."
"Um okay." The teen said. "Well I'm going to take Chewie for a walk and then I'll finish my homework at home, if that's okay?"
"What did I just say about asking permission?"
"Right. Okay. Bye." The teen said collecting Chewie and leaving just as Alex's phone started ringing.