Chapter 22 - Captain Bob's Dive and Tackle Shop
Alex parked her SUV in front of Captain Bob's and hopped out, a second after Cat, who promptly marched towards the store in search of Kara. Slowly following behind, Alex vigilantly scanned the area for threats.
After carefully, but quickly navigating through the broken glass at the door, Cat paused when she entered the super-powered disaster area. Pushing aside her intense curiosity about the presence of fire, water, and wind damage, she continued to the back of the store and spotted Kara, whose glasses were missing and hair was no longer in a pony tail. Cat froze, suddenly uncertain of the right course of action; she knew Kara had been skittish about her powers and afraid to even touch her. The last thing she wanted to do was burden her further.
When Kara turned and looked at her with such anguish in her eyes, Cat's uncertainty evaporated. Swiftly eliminating the distance between them, she threw her arms around Kara and hugged her tightly. The embrace was cautiously, but needfully returned.
"You're trembling," Cat whispered worriedly, feeling Kara nod.
"I feel o . . overwhelmed," Kara whispered back uneasily, soaking in Cat's warmth. "I thought I would see my cousin die. It was . . . terrifying," she admitted, making Cat want to scream at the unfairness of the universe, which seemed to have an endless supply of burdens to heap upon on Kara's shoulders.
"You didn't let that happen," Cat said softly but firmly, pulling slightly back to look into Kara's eyes. "Anyone with sense would be terrified, Kara. But you, in spite of everything you are going through, still managed to take action and not let that fear paralyze you. That, darling, is the meaning of courage," she said sagely. "You have the heart of a hero."
"I do not feel heroic," Kara said weakly.
"You felt the need to act and did. Sadly, most people don't," Cat said, relieved when Kara took a calming breath and seemed more settled, her trembling now gone.
Inspecting the shop and damage, Alex suspected the absence of security cameras would be remedied after they saw the mess. Quietly entering the small office, she found Kara and Cat in an embrace and Clark looking at them with concern.
Cat glanced over to the recovering Superman, who weakly lifted a hand and waved. "Hi Cat," he said with an uncertain smile.
"How are you feeling?" she asked gently.
"Much better. Distance away from kryptonite is always a good thing. I should be able to walk on my own in a few more minutes," he said with confidence, then added, "flying . . . and everything else will take a bit more time and a lot of sunshine."
"Hmm," Cat responded and reluctantly pulled away from Kara to walk to Clark. Holding out her cell phone, she said, "You'd better call her now and tell her what happened. I do not need to hear that harpy's shrill rants about being kept in the dark, when that can so easily be remedied," she said with a thin smile, handing over her phone.
"Uh . . . thanks, Cat," he said uncertainly, once again confused by a nice gesture wrapped in an insult. "I appreciate it," he added sincerely and dialed Lois.
"What do you want now?" Lois groaned. "I already sent you the information to that goddamn email address."
Clark tilted his head curiously. "Sweetie? It's me," he said.
"What happened?!" Lois immediately asked with alarm.
"Well . . . ," he started to explain.
Turning back to Kara, Cat found Alex hugging her and smiled, knowing Kara was a tactile person and drew strength from contact. She suspected Alex needed the hug just as much, or possibly more.
"I can't believe he left you alone," Alex snarled disapprovingly.
"He did what was necessary. As we all must," Kara said somberly, not exactly the response Alex was looking for.
"He shouldn't of left you alone . . . ," Alex persisted.
"If he had not, more people would likely have died, Alex. That would be unacceptable," Kara firmly.
Alex frowned, still not happy.
"I'm sure you've seen the damage to Captain Bob's property," Kara said with some embarrassment. "I am uncertain how to compensate him."
Before Alex could offer that the DEO would cover it, Cat interjected.
"Impressive damage at that," Cat offered with a smirk, glancing towards the sales floor disaster area, making Alex glare at her for the insensitive words. "Which CatCo, of course, will gladly reimburse Captain Bob for," she easily added, making Kara nod with relief, but still glance towards the front of the store guiltily. "Trust me, Kara, Captain Bob will be delighted to know he had some roll in helping Supergirl and Superman. Most people look to you two as heroes - and rightly so. They have seen you both act with impeccable integrity and courage."
Kara appreciated Cat's words, but was still uncomfortable at the thought of being a hero.
"I'm relieved you had the presence of mind to protect yourself when you saved your cousin," Cat continued, her gaze falling to the crude-looking shield resting on the floor by the office door. "Impressive ingenuity," she offered sincerely, prompting a nod of agreement from Alex, who was extremely happy Kara did not try to battle the threat on her own.
Kara shook her head slightly, dismissing the compliment. "If uncertain of an enemy's strength, avoid engagement, or minimize it, if engagement is necessary," she said with authority. "And once a strength is determined, seek to neutralize it before you engage," she added, then noted curious gazes from Cat and Alex, prompting her to explain. "Even knowing my path was with the Science Guild, Aunt Astra wanted me to be prepared for any eventuality and taught me basic Military Guild tenets. In spite of her mistakes, that foresight has benefited me," Kara offered.
Alex looked at her sister with concern.
"But I still need to prepare," Kara said resolutely.
"Prepare?" Alex asked.
"For the next time," Kara said simply. "You were right, Alex. I need to focus on controlling my powers before matters of the heart."
Alex shifted uncomfortably under Cat's highly curious gaze.
"Without that control, I am giving my enemies an advantage," Kara said gravely. "Someone is determined to wage war on my House. Two attacks in two days. And as sure as I am your yellow sun will share its light tomorrow, there will be a next time. I must prepare."
Kara's words, while understandable, greatly disturbed Cat.
"Uh, sure," Alex said, pleased Kara was focusing on the right things now, even if her militaristic characterizations and reliance on Astra's teachings were a bit disconcerting. Though, Kara did have good points, she begrudgingly considered. "We'll start training tomorrow. I know you don't feel comfortable at the DEO, but it is best equipped for your training," she added apologetically.
"Are you sure having Kara go back to the DEO is such a good idea?" Superman piped up, causing Alex to tense angrily at his interference.
"J'onn is continuing to scan for traitors," Alex snapped with irritation.
"I'm not talking about that," he countered firmly. "You know he still has a stockpile of kryptonite at the DEO. And Kara's first experience with it was at the hands of . . . friendly agents, to bring her in," he said cautiously.
A heavy, silent moment followed. Kara looked for an explanation from Alex, who stared guiltily down at her feet.
"What the actual hell?" Cat finally spat, glaring at Alex.
"I was feared," Kara concluded logically.
"No! Kara, there was a lot going on with Fort Rozz," Alex rushed to explain. "The prisoners hated Alura for putting them there . . . we knew you would be a target because you were her daughter. And then, after you saved my plane, you decided to wear your sigil and become public . . . making yourself a visible target!" she blurted with frustration. "The DEO thought you needed to understand you were not invulnerable and used kryptonite darts to bring you in," she argued, though familiar regret resurfaced for her complicity in shooting her sister out of the sky.
"So she saved your life and wanted to help others like her cousin, and the DEO decided in their infinite wisdom to use kryptonite against her to emphasize her vulnerability?" Cat said incredulously.
Alex's silence was answer enough.
"How wonderfully authoritarian," Cat spat, making Alex wince.
"I understand their posturing, Cathrine," Kara offered, adding, "But I can not trust them if they think it acceptable to try and control me through that . . . poison."
"It's not like that," Alex argued weakly.
"Then why use kryptonite at all? Why not talk to her about the situation without causing her pain with some ham-fisted display of superiority?" Cat said heatedly.
"I told them it was a bad idea," Alex mumbled softly.
"Oh! So they ignored the advice of the one person who had an intimate knowledge of Kara and her possible responses. Is that supposed to make anyone feel better?" Cat countered angrily, then felt Kara's gentle hand on her shoulder, making her sigh.
"Demoralize your enemy," Kara said, quoting another tenet. "How better than to get me to return into hiding as they wanted?" she offered.
"You were not considered an enemy!" Alex argued in frustration, adding weakly, "It was for your protection."
"Perhaps, but she was still considered someone to be manipulated . . . with kryptonite," Cat said tersely, her heart aching for what Kara had to go through then, and now.
"And the DEO uses kryptonite to dampen her powers for training," Superman offered, disapproval in his tone. Alex glared at him.
Kara was shocked. "I subjected myself to that poison for training? Voluntarily?"
"Kara, our training room has kryptonite emitters that dampen your powers so you can learn fighting skills against all enemies," Alex immediately explained, needing her to understand. "You can't just rely on your powers, especially with super-powered opponents who may be stronger. But it's not lethal. It doesn't hurt you like the pure mineral," she argued authoritatively.
"It doesn't hurt her?" Cat asked skeptically. "And you know that for a fact, Agent Danvers?" She challenged pointedly, strongly suspecting Kara would have endured any training program her sister endorsed.
"It's not lethal," Alex repeated confidently, knowing the dampening system inside and out. "And Kara has never said anything about . . . ," she vehemently added, awkwardly falling silent as she realized she just assumed because of Kara's silence. Not so much an expert after all, she thought guiltily for not actually knowing.
More guilt welled up as Alex vividly recalled the look of betrayal on Kara's face after being not only surprised with kryptonite again, but also getting her ass handed to her by her sister in the training room. A lesson which J'onn advocated was necessary to save her life.
With some effort, Superman stood and looked at Kara's sister. "Alex, Kara forgave the rocky start and developed a good working relationship with the DEO," he acknowledged. "But at the end of the day, the DEO still has kryptonite and takes direction from Government officials, whose motives and actions may not be what is best for Kara. I don't feel comfortable with them, especially now, while she is still figuring things out."
Alex wanted to argue, but couldn't. She had no idea what the Washington bureaucrats were thinking and how they might affect her sister.
"So Superman, what do you suggest?" Cat asked, noting the contemplative look on Kara's face.
"If Kara agrees, I'll work with her to control her powers," he said.
Alex balked. "Says the guy who had to be rescued by his cousin while she is still "figuring things out?"
He looked down guiltily and admitted. "I . . . underestimated my opponent."
"Says the guy who wants to train my sister!" Alex immediately responded with disgust.
"I can help her," he countered confidently.
"While your powers are blown out?" Alex countered.
"There are still things I can teach her," he responded.
"Oh, like you taught her about kryptonite? Oops. I guess you forgot that one."
"Yet you knew of kryptonite and never mentioned it, until your agency used it against her," he stood firm, looking at her.
"Sure, I've made mistakes, plenty of them. But I was there for her when she needed me. Where the hell have you been all these years?" Alex spat.
"I'm here now," he said with quiet determination, aware he had made mistakes with Kara as well.
Cat rolled her eyes, thinking this sounded weirdly like a custody battle.
"Enough!" Kara boomed with irritation, startling everyone, then cast a sharp look between Kal and Alex, who had the decency to appear embarrassed by their arguing.
After a calming breath, Kara offered, "I agree with Alex that relying only on my powers would be unwise, as I have witnessed today."
A relieved Alex stood a bit taller, casting a slight, smug look over to Clark, who looked down and sighed with some embarrassment.
"However, Alex, Kal-El's concerns with the DEO have merit," Kara declared. "Even with that shield," she continued, nodding towards it, "kryptonite hurt. I do not wish to feel that ever again, whether from enemies . . . or well-intentioned allies," she said softly, though the weight of her words were like a punch in Alex's gut.
An uncomfortable silence fell over the room.
"Well, it has been an eventful day," Cat finally said, placing a hand at Kara's back and tenderly caressed it, pleased when Kara seemed to relax and lean into her. "Perhaps we should table the discussion of training options until everyone is rested?" She suggested, gaining silent nods.
