Chapter 25Notes:Sup! I'm deep in Bridgerton, its a comfort watch.
Chapter TextDaisy raised a brow as Kara swooped in through the window. "This is early, not at the DEO?"
"Cat is being impossible to Tess." Kara flopped down on the armchair that'd been delivered the day before to Daisy's apartment. "And they didn't want me anywhere near the Lord stuff."
She couldn't help a smug smile at the Lord nightmare. "I give him a week before he signs the plea deal."
"Did you make sure the police would leak the tax evasion?" Kara asked, tired but baffled and curious looking.
Daisy raised a brow, "The shit show when they find out he blew up parts of the city right before the evening commute on Friday will be great."
"You're timing the information for maximum media storm?" Kara frowned, "Why not release it all at once? Why his bomb plan to stop Myriad and then tax evasion?" She straightened, eyes widening, "Oh if terrible things keep coming out, his lawyers will make him plea out instead of go to jail. You're starting with soft balls and are going to keep ratcheting up the pressure till the lawyers make him fold. That…that's diabolical."
"Thanks," Daisy gave a casual salute to her friend, who she was totally going to figure out how not to be an asshole and put boundaries up with. Just…she'd figure it out. "He's a multi-millionaire, the law prosecuting him is not a thing I trust. But tank him in public opinion enough and he'll take a plea deal, and the government will have some mud on its face for not prosecuting him. Win, win."
Kara pulled off her glasses, "Why would you want the government to look bad?"
"Uh, never trust the government. Also, your president is still funding Cadmus." Daisy picked up the glow-in-the-dark alien stress ball she'd picked up on her way back after work and tossed it at Kara. "Come on, what's going on with you?"
Kara caught the stress ball, "I don't know what you're asking?"
"Huh, huh, it's like four and you're here." Daisy softened, "It's cool if you don't want to talk about it. If you want to, I'm here." And that was not putting space, but just…it would hurt Kara to pull back first.
Kara's stupidly blue eyes did the just warm glowy thing where she looked at Daisy like she was great. It was worse than the 'you matter' looks. "Maybe something that's not everything I'm worried about? Just for a few hours?" The fact she was hesitating at the normal request was wild.
Daisy just smiled at her friend, because they were friends damn it. "So are we watching the Venture launch then? You've only mentioned it like a hundred times."
"Well it's just amazing isn't it? Humans taking one more step towards real space flight!" Kara was just really happy about it.
She hummed, grabbing the remote and turning on the tv as pre-flight was going on. "You're going to have to explain this to me."
"You've been to space?" Kara said with something like a giggle.
Daisy shrugged, "Yeah, but my job was punching people, hacking, and spy shenanigans. The Zephyr's engines and how it flies weren't really my job. That's nerd herd stuff." She gave Kara a light shove with her powers. "Nerd."
Kara laughed with a pleased smile on her face. "Ok, what do you know about the Venture?"
"Uh… it's a spaceship? Some rich idiots bought seats on it?" Daisy could just feel how much Kara was dying slightly. It was excellent.
Kara pulled her feet up and folded them underneath her, shifting to face her fully. "Ok, so the Venture is designed for sub-orbital travel. It's revolutionary for human commercial flight abilities because-"
Daisy just relaxed into the back of the couch, listening to technical talk she was pretty sure was about 5% in Kryptonian, not English. But it was nice, listening to something Kara clearly cared about and wasn't the job. Either of the jobs. Also, fondly staring at another person's face and happily listening to them excited babble was not entirely platonic behavior. She wasn't sure if she cared.
"Uh, Kara, I think that's you." Daisy pointed at the screen, "Like I don't think that's good."
Kara let out a hiss, "I'm on it." She paused halfway to the window. "Are you coming?"
Daisy shook her head, "I'd get in your way, go be awesome, I'll make dinner." It was slightly grating not to be able to help, but also, damn Kara's powers were so cool. And Daisy knew when a mission wasn't one she should be on.
////
Clark Kent watched the DEO hurrying around like busy ants. The black uniforms and the underground desert base weren't helping with the impression. But he'd wanted to speak to the director, and Lucy wasn't at the shiny glass and metal skyscraper base Kara had been excited to show him. Or rather, the unconscious Kryptonian she was ecstatic about. He was happy to leave his cousin happily talking with her friend Winn with the obvious crush, so he could speak to Lucy Lane though.
He realized that might have been a mistake the moment she spotted him, and her eyes were sharp with pissed-off recognition. Ah, she knew who Superman was…and was not happy about it. He kept himself steady as he came to a halt before his wife's little sister. "Director Lane, I was hoping for a word."
"Of course, right this way, Superman." Her voice was tight, formal, poison.
He accepted he probably deserved the chewing out he was about to get. But if there was a Lane to find out who he was outside of Lois, he definitely preferred it was Lucy. It still was not going to be great. But he'd been Superman long enough to show nothing more than professionalism until the door of Lucy's office shut behind them. "I didn't want you to find out this way, Lucy."
"Oh, you mean the file on the DEO servers? You didn't want your sister-in-law to find out you were fucking Superman on a work server?" Lucy's words were clipped and furious. "I was at your wedding, we have holiday meals together!"
If he was human she'd probably bite his hand off if he tried to touch her, "I'm sorry, but you have to understand how important secrecy is, for Lois's sake more than my own."
"Don't you dare!" Lucy raised her finger jabbing it at his chest. "This had nothing to do with Lois, it had everything to do with you not trusting me and you still don't. Don't go and pretend it's not."
Clark looked at his sister-in-law, their relationship had always been complicated. "It was my choice who I told. Right or wrong, that is my choice, Lucy."
She closed her eyes and then gave a sharp nod. "You're obnoxious."
"Old fashioned charm?" He offered.
Lucy gave him a deadpan look, "Hmm, exactly, obnoxious."
Clark smiled, the Lane sisters really were caustic when they felt like it. "Congratulations on being named Director, that's big."
"And why are you here to talk to me?" Lucy sighed, crossing her arms, "Let's have it, what does Superman want from the DEO?"
"You have Kryptonite," Clark said, Lucy wouldn't thank him for beating around the bush.
Lucy's face didn't give away much, "You want us to hand it over to you, then?"
"Yes. I don't work with the DEO for a reason." Clark's voice held the gravity of the situation.
She dropped her arms to her hips. "You're not wrong to distrust the DEO, we're linked with Cadmus. But I can't give it to you. I barely have control right now. Talk to Quake."
"Quake?" Clark frowned at the mention of the new and alarmingly violent woman. Not that he could blame Kara for trusting her, it'd proven smart.
Lucy's face went grim, "She's former Cadmus."
His spine felt like steel, but his eyes narrowed, "She's alien, you mean former experiment?"
"I don't know a lot, but she was military, special ops, then her files become classified to hell and back if they're even written down. Then she pops up claiming to be able to kill a Kryptonian, and Kara believed her. So did Non."
Clark let that information settle, he didn't need to be a reporter to put those pieces together. "How sure are you that she's not still working with them?"
"Kara trusts her, and she got her fingers in the DEO's computer systems and Lord's during Myriad." Lucy looked at him pointedly. "And look what she's done with it."
And that was exactly the kind of gambit Lucy Lane would dare to make. She always was vicious when crossed. "I'll keep that in mind."
"Good, get Kara to introduce you, the two of them are a lot closer than the media thinks." Lucy's hands dropped. "Now, you Supers and planes."
He smiled, "I believe it was a spaceship." He was quick to keep talking before Lucy could whack him. "I have an interview with the head engineer on the Venture project tomorrow."
"Good, keep me updated, I'll be at the city base for the next few days to make the DEO response faster." Lucy's eyes were sharp as she looked at him. "This feels convenient for a problem, don't most aircraft fail taking off or landing, not mid-air?"
Clark tilted his head, "First time out, could be sloppy." His jaw tightened, "Or it's a trap."
"Or it's a trap." Lucy eyed him, "I'd help more if I could."
He smiled and would have reached out if Lucy wouldn't hate it. "Thank you, if you need help with the DEO, you know my number."
"Because you're my brother-in-law." Lucy said dryly, "But if I want the men to respect me, I can't have Superman come flying to the rescue."
And that was fair, he couldn't help the huff of amusement. "They won't know what's coming for them."
"Your guilt over being an asshole enough to fix the problem between Alex and Kara?" Lucy asked.
He laughed outright, "I know better than to get in between sisters fighting. It never helps, and both sisters hate you for it." He'd learned better trying to interfere in Lucy and Lois' fights…several times. It never went well. Had still taken him a few years to learn better.
Lucy rolled her eyes, she definitely knew what he was talking about. "Well, that's unfortunate."
Clark set his glasses neatly on his nose and stepped out of the alley where Kara was waiting for him. "What did you want out here?" He looked around the neighborhood in the fading light of the day. The text from Kara shortly after he had dinner wasn't something he'd expected.
"Ok, so you have to promise not to tell anyone about this?" Kara bit at her lower lip anxiously.
His brow furrowed, though his smile didn't fade, "Tell anyone about what?"
"It's a really great thing, but I need you to promise before I can show you. You can't tell anyone, it's the only way it's safe for everyone." It was important to Kara.
And, well, he trusted his cousin. "I promise."
"Thank you!" Kara darted forward hugging him with crushing strength.
He hugged her back, this was good. He should have visited sooner. "Now, what is so important it requires this much secrecy?"
"Al's Dive Bar!" Kara hooked their arms together and pulled him down the street.
Clark laughed, "A bar? All of that for a bar?"
"Yes, but it's for people like us!" She looked at him with bubbling excitement.
Oh. That made a lot of sense actually, but it was strange to think of Kara going to a dive bar. Yet, clearly, his cousin did. "And how did you end up finding a place like that?"
"A friend showed me." Kara's smile was blinding. "She's holding a table for us."
Clark could put together Kara being secretive, a female friend, and a dive bar for aliens? He looked at his cousin. "Is that the friend I think that is?"
"Probably?" Kara hesitated, "Please be nice, she's a good person."
He looked at her, "She's expecting Clark Kent?"
"She's really good at knowing things without being told." Kara sighed, with frustration.
Well, it wasn't like he didn't know Cadmus might know who he was. So he got to meet the designed and made Kryptonian killer, who seemed supremely uninterested in doing that. The entrance through the alleyway was interesting, as was the door too heavy for a human to open. He'd been to a few places like this, hunting down leads. This was the first alien-exclusive one though. It reminded him of old speakeasies from prohibition, he'd done a paper senior year on those. A paper he'd gotten an A on and had helped get him into college. It was a fond memory.
The bar inside was interesting, a mix of species, everyone seemed fairly content to stay in their own bubbles, the bartender's eyes flicked up to them, and then she was back to her work. On second glance the tables, chairs, and booths were all sturdier than average or cheaper. The bottles on the back wall were nearly all ones he didn't recognize at all. It wasn't the kind of place Clark would necessarily look for, but he could see how it'd be a great type of location to find sources. He'd have to see if Metropolis had anything similar.
He wouldn't have guessed which patron was Quake without Kara making an enthusiastic B-line for a young, and harmlessly pretty-looking woman in a purple scoop neck and jeans with a rather chunky silver necklace and matching rings who was scrolling absently on her cellphone. She looked like any college co-ed, barista, or fresh intern. One who could easily accept and return a hug Kara wasn't paying attention to her strength for. Also, Lucy had grossly been underselling his cousin's feelings for the woman when she said 'trusted'. Kara was glowing as she half-pulled the bemused woman out of the booth and presented her to Clark.
"Daisy, this is my cousin, Clark, Clark this is Daisy."
Quake or Daisy raised a brow as she held her hand out towards him, "Heard a lot about you, it's nice to meet you though."
Clark accepted the hand and smiled, ignoring the instinct to rip his hand out of hers as every bone in his body hummed. "I believe you have me at a disadvantage, Daisy?"
"Johnson," She let up whatever was causing the humming, as she dropped her hand back down. "I hope you two don't mind I already ordered for you?"
Clark shook his hand out slightly at his side. He was pretty sure she'd meant that as some kind of olive branch instead of a threat. Though he wasn't entirely sure, considering the way her face was positively fond when looking at Kara, he was fairly certain of his conclusion.
Kara bounced, excitedly sliding into the same side of the booth as Daisy'd just been on. "The sliders?"
"Like I'd ever forget to feed you." Daisy rolled her eyes with an amused huff while automatically following after Clark's cousin. "Also got the fry basket thing and Alderinian rum for both of you, with orange juice."
Clark took a seat across from them, it was interesting, and not what he'd have expected from what little he knew of Quake. "Alderinian rum?"
"Your father was fond of it after making progress in his labs." Kara happily told him.
Daisy looked at him, "Pace yourself, it'll actually affect you."
Clark blinked at that, "Really?"
"It makes everything all floaty!" Kara happily told him while bouncing excitedly.
Daisy's face was soft as she looked at Kara briefly before she went back to something far less open. "So, uh want to get the interrogation out of the way now or later?"
And Clark was pretty sure he was going to like her. "Proactive of you?"
"What, no, nobody is interrogating anyone." Kara looked between them, "You both agreed to play nice."
Daisy looked at Kara, "He doesn't know me, this is nice." She looked over at him, "If you ever want to fight me, do it fast and go for the kill immediately. I can't match your speed, but what I did to your bones? I can do to your brain, and from a distance."
"I don't kill," Clark looked at her though, he'd been right, it'd been an olive branch earlier. "So, Lucy mentioned you might be amenable to some theft?"
Daisy's head tilted curiously, "I could be convinced, but probably not a conversation for here?"
He smiled, "So, I heard something about sliders?"
"M'gann will bring them over once they're out. I didn't actually get here much before you. That said, I will go grab the drinks." She slid out of the booth, heading straight from the bar.
Clark barely kept from yelping as Kara kicked him in the shins. "Ow?"
"Be nice!" Kara glared at him.
He held up his hands, lowering his voice, "I'm allowed to be suspicious of former Cadmus test experiments designed to kill us."
"She's my friend!" Kara was a bit too irritated to be pouting, but he got the idea.
Clark couldn't help laughing, "I'll be nice."
"For real this time?" Kara checked.
He nodded, "I promise."
"So, you two good?" Daisy was looking at them with an amused glint in her eyes as she set a whole tray down, complete with a bottle of something rather golden and glowing faintly, nacho cheese fries, and a bottle of orange juice.
Kara's brow crinkled slightly, "Are you mixing the drinks?"
"Yup," Daisy slid back into the booth, she bumped her and Kara's shoulders against each other. "Peace of mind, and I'm gonna guess you're both equally lightweights."
"I'm not a lightweight." Kara pouted while gleefully snagging some of the fries.
Clark was sure Lois would understand what exactly was going on with the two women across from him, but he was getting the feeling he was going to feel like an idiot at some point about it. But he smiled as he stuck some fries, with delicious cheesy goodness into his mouth. Whatever the situation was, Daisy clearly was trying to make him feel safer. And Kara trusted her. That alone went a long, long way. "Are you not drinking this rum with us?"
Daisy tapped the glass of what looked like fizzing radioactive blue waste. "I'm sturdy, I'm not your guys' rum sturdy. Also, I've got a mostly human system, just enhanced. You guys have a whole other digestive system." She neatly poured what looked to be one shot's worth of the glowing rum into his and Kara's empty glasses before filling the glasses the rest of the way up with the orange juice.
He reached out and picked up his glass. And well, Clark held out his glass, "To new friends and new experiences?"
Chapter 26Notes:Yo!
Chapter TextDaisy was staring in muted disbelief as she realized Clark, was cut from exactly the same cloth as Kara. He might be older and certainly had more experience and street smarts, but he was…lighter. It was funny, there was more security to him. But he was fundamentally a friendly farm kid with more idealism than sense and boundless pride in his roots. Whereas Kara was… alien. Her human life fit her like someone else's jacket, no matter how worn in. Daisy was pretty sure Clark Kent was exactly who he was. Kara was…a mix of Kara Danvers, Supergirl, and the rare flashes of Kara Zor-El. A mix Daisy doubted even Kara entirely understood.
It was fascinating. And not like Daisy could judge. After all, she slid in and out of personas and modified versions of herself like party dresses. She knew who she was, when it came down to the line, at the heart of herself. But that was hard-won knowledge. Her attention snapped back to the drunk aliens who'd been devouring the latest plate of sliders.
"I miss chocolate-covered bacon." Clark stared forlornly at the last slider. "Mrs. Fisher would put it on muffins back home."
Kara made a longing sound, "Do you think we could make chocolate-covered bacon?"
"Absolutely not," Daisy said, her nose wrinkling. She was not melting chocolate on the stove and then dipping bacon into it. She was not. "That's some pregnancy-craving shit."
Kara pouted, "But chocolate and bacon!"
"Salty-sweet perfection," Clark said with the passion of a religious nutcase attempting conversion.
Daisy snorted into her cup of the fizzy blue stuff she was actually getting to be really fond of. It was def the only drink that could affect her she was drinking. Someone needed a clear head. "So how does a food-loving small town farm kid end up a bigshot reporter?"
"I grew up, and Ma wanted me to find out who I was, to go explore and understand the world. Be my own man." He smiled with brimming nostalgia and warmth.
Kara sighed morosely, "Why can't it be that easy for me?"
"I mean, did you just know you were going to be a reporter from day one off the farm?" Daisy asked, cause college kids changed majors all the time.
Clark rubbed at the back of his head, "I wasn't sure, but I wanted to do what was right! Stumbled into journalism in undergrad and never looked back. Truth, Justice, and changing the world one word at a time."
"See I just kinda clicked with computer programming as a kid." Daisy leaned back in the booth's seat considering her words. "It just felt right, I'd get going and it was like the world, everything terrible didn't matter anymore. I'd forget I was hungry or sore or cold, it was just me and the numbers, ya know? And then it was all using it to help people, drag the people doing bad things out into the light of day, and then…Coulson happened and I ended up in government. Which, was wildly not where I'd have expected I was going."
Clark looked at her, eyes slightly glassy, "Coulson?"
"Recruiter, I got into some…less than legal to access computer systems. He got me into the service instead of jail." She wasn't breaking her cover for Kara's cousin. Besides, it was close enough to the truth anyway.
Clark took a long drink of his rum and orange juice, and dang, she was totally going to be responsible for getting both of the local Kryptonians wasted for the first time. She should probably get a medal, or slapped, for that. He blinked at her as he set his glass down. "I remember my first journalism professor. He just talked and…I felt it. That it was important. To speak truth to power, to hold society, government, and business accountable for their actions."
And huh, Daisy kinda liked him. "Right? It's what makes a functioning democracy! Sure some things need to stay classified for public safety, but there's a lot that doesn't."
He nodded solemnly. "You should see Lois go after people, no rock unturned." His expression turned dreamy. "She's like a bulldog of justice and truth."
"Romantic," Daisy said dryly, even if a part of her was kinda charmed by that. It kinda was romantic.
Kara groaned, her head thunking on the table. "I'm never going to find something like that that's not science! I don't feel right about any of the departments at Catco, I could be happy in some of them?"
"You know it doesn't have to be more than that?" Daisy rubbed her friend's back. "Doing your part, not being miserable, still having time and energy for what you're actually passionate about? Like that's a thing? I mean do you know how many hours I have spent doing horrible awful physical exercise so I can do combat? I actually enjoy that shit now. Sometimes what you end up doing that's not great ends up being kinda important."
Kara let out a gust of air that had condensation on the table turning noticeably frosty, "I don't think Ms. Grant will accept that. She wants me to find my passion."
"Yeah, she's your boss, not your god. You can tell her to fuck off and go get a job somewhere else if she's asking you to do something you can't do." Daisy swapped Kara's rum with a glass of water.
Clark was at least sympathetic, "I could try and talk to her?"
"Thanks, but I don't think that would help." Kara lifted her head up looking at him. "It's hard, I wasn't made to make choices like this. There's all sorts of jobs my design would be useful for but it's not…it doesn't feel the same?"
Daisy was mostly relieved they'd hit the important conversation before either of them were too drunk to articulate their thoughts. "I still say you'd do great in finance or HR, and your cape is your passion, and finding two passion jobs to manage at once is ridiculous."
"You're the best," Kara shifted so her whole body was turned to face Daisy.
The warm buzzing in Daisy's chest was absolutely unhelpful. She really needed to extract herself from this situation, and actively. DC would probably be the most useful place for her to be, the most suited to her ability set. "Thanks?"
Kara slumped, her head falling onto Daisy's shoulder, "I wish it was as easy as you two make it sound."
"I get viruses off of computers and build special orders." Daisy hummed, "And I guess I pick up some commission work off some message boards? Not everyone is all passion and saving the world a hundred percent of the time like All American over there."
Clark nodded, not that Kara was looking at him. "You're still just getting on your feet. It takes a while. Half the time I barely feel like I know what I'm doing." He looked at his drink, "This is really good…do you think I can get some to bring home?"
"Ask again in the morning." Daisy's lips twitched as she watched the poor idiot drink more. He was going to be so hungover.
He beamed all boyish charm and Jesus, Kryptonians were just pretty. But like in a wholesome way that was kinda disconcerting. And then he finished off his drink. Hangover was going to hit him like a truck.
Daisy nudged at Kara till she wasn't on her shoulder and pushed the water into her hands. "Drink that, please."
"I wish Alex was talking to me," Kara grumbled as she obediently drank her water. "She always knows what to do…or I don't know…it just…makes sense when she figures things out."
Daisy went very still, "Alex isn't talking to you?" They'd had sister night like…just the other night.
Clark suddenly was refilling his own glass while stuffing food into his mouth so he couldn't be expected to reply. Which…well that was a warning it was more than a minor fight.
"It's stupid, she won't trust me. She's being ridiculous." Kara pouted, setting the water glass down and grabbing some of the fries before Clark could finish them off.
Daisy swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry, it would be so deeply unfair to interrogate Kara about that right now. And she didn't need to, not really. There were two options: Alex was mad because Kara had gone on a suicide mission, or Alex was mad because of either Daisy or Quake, same difference. Considering they'd seemed fine after Myriad in the brief window of exposure Daisy'd had to them meant it almost certainly wasn't Myriad.
Kara's eyes narrowed as she looked at Clark, "You're getting the next round of fries."
He nodded eagerly before half stumbling out of the booth. "Got it, fries, I can get fries."
Daisy swallowed back her unease, fuck. She really ruined everything she touched, didn't she? She'd known National City had felt way too comfortable way too fast. "Have you tried talking to James about Catco jobs? Or Winn?"
"Winn's all excited and working for the DEO now and James is…awkward? It's awkward." Kara looked at her with stupidly blue eyes. "Did your life ever feel like one big mess?"
Daisy couldn't help smiling faintly at that even if she knew it didn't reach her eyes, "What makes you think my life ever hasn't been a mess?"
Daisy was laughed out as she helped drag a drunkenly humming Clark Kent into Kara's apartment before dumping him onto her couch. He was snoring in under a minute. Shaking her head, she turned to where Kara was happily leaning against the door frame. She walked over. "You going to come into the apartment?"
"Maybe." Kara's nod was over-exaggerated, a dopey smile on her face.
Daisy rolled her eyes and grabbed Kara's hands and pulled her into the apartment. "Come on, let's get you some more water and then to bed with you."
Kara just giggled as she went with the movement, and then didn't stop till she was half hugging, half slumped into Daisy. She nuzzled at her Daisy's neck, "You smell nice."
"Extra water, noted." Daisy hugged her friend back, she was going to miss the overly snuggly alien. But she didn't linger, just pulling Kara to the kitchen. She was apparently going to be looking at possible safe house possibilities in DC once Kara nodded off, which shouldn't be long.
////
Kara was one part smug that she was the only Kryptonian without a hangover, and one part kinda grossed out by Ms. Grant flirting with Kal. She shook her head slightly, walking toward James. Also, she was so never letting Kal live down that he'd just covered for his identity by implying he was in a romantic triad with Lois and Superman. "Did Ms. Grant seem a little off to you?"
"She's always like that with Clark. She goes gaga for him. She sent him a drunk text once. It was…it was florid." His face showed exactly how weird that'd been to read.
Kara couldn't help her expression at that, "No. Ugh. That's gross." She was never going to get that image out of her head.
"Hey, saw what you did on tv. Good save. People really trust you again." He gestured at her, his face all genuine and nice. It made it very hard to ever be upset at him. Not that she should be or was upset at him.
Kara smiled slightly, "Thanks."
"Is Clark alright? He didn't get hurt helping you or anything? I don't think I've ever seen him like that. I think he was clammy?" James glanced in the direction Ms. Grant had dragged off Kal.
She shook her head, "Oh that? No, he's just hungover."
"That is…he's never been drunk before." James stared at empty space like he was processing that.
She smiled, "It was amazing, we had to take his phone away after he called Lois and started singing eighties love ballads."
"I think I'd have liked to have seen that. Do you have any more of whatever it is that can get you two drunk?" He had a glint in his eye that was familiar and full of mischief.
She grinned, "I'll get some for you for your next boys' night or whatever you and Clark do for fun together? Do you do boys' nights?"
"Not like your game nights, but kinda." James chuckled, "I'll hold you to that."
Kara startled at her phone ringing, pulling it up her brow furrowed. "It's Alex."
"Yeah, go ahead." He touched her upper arm in goodbye, before heading towards his office.
Kara picked up, she really hoped Alex wasn't calling about work, even if she knew she was. "What's up?"
Kara rounded the corner after the sound of Kal's voice where he'd escaped Ms. Grant's clutches. "Clark!"
He winced at the volume of her voice, turning to face her. "Yeah?" And oh, he really did look miserable, complete with dark circles under his eyes, or well, dark for them. For a human just like he'd only had a few hours of sleep.
"Alex did some digging." She strode for him, if it wasn't so important she'd be suggesting he go sit in the sun for a while.
He clearly read the seriousness on her face. "What is it?"
"There was one passenger who had a seat booked on the Venture who mysteriously didn't show up last minute. Lena Luthor." She felt a gut punch of panic at the name.
Kal straightened slightly. "Lex's sister."
"Yup." She agreed as they turned together walking for the exit. "But Lex can't be involved in this. He's in prison. Unless he's bribed someone to hire outside actors?" Kara was suddenly wishing she'd listened to Daisy's paranoia about Lex more.
Kal's strides were even and long, "Well, Lex may be in jail, but his sister is now running Luthor Corp."
"Yup, and she just moved to National City. Daisy was looking into Luthor Corp though and she didn't mention anything about the Venture." Kara reported while lowering her voice so only Kal would hear, "She found a lot of evidence Lex was funding and doing research and development for Cadmus though. She's still working on it, but well Myriad happened."
He gave a sharp nod before grimacing, "After we speak to Lena Luthor, let's stay in the sunlight for a while."
She patted his shoulder, "You'll feel better by lunch." Hopefully, Daisy really hadn't fussed over making him drink water.
Kal gave her a faint smile, "Let's hope."
Kara was amazed at how easily Kal had gotten them straight to the top floor to speak with Ms. Luthor. It was like watching him be Superman, or Alex be an agent, Daisy on the computer or just walking into Luthor Corp, or his father in the lab. He was meantto be a reporter.
"I would hope, Ms. Luthor will be here soon?" Kal smiled at the PA, even if it was dim from the pounding headache.
The PA looked up at him, the midwestern charm wasn't working on her. "Ms. Luthor agreed to speak with you but she's a busy woman."
The elevator dinged and out strode a woman who had to be Lena Luthor. "Ah, Mr. Kent, I hope you weren't waiting long." She was immaculately put together if one didn't have supervision. With supervision, it was clear her make-up was covering up a lot. Considering Kara's experience with Ms. Grant, it likely was dark circles and generally exhausted pallor. The overly intense energy screamed too many shots of expresso as the woman kept speaking. "There's a perfectly reasonable explanation for why I wasn't aboard the Venture yesterday."
Kara nearly tripped over herself to follow in the woman's wake into her office, Kal doing little better. Apparently, it was going to be an interview with a sleep-deprived CEO and hungover reporter. But Ms. Luthor didn't look evil? Her eyes weren't cold like her brother's.
"Well, the Venture is why we're here," Kal said leadingly.
Ms. Luthor continued walking to hang up her coat. "I wish I could say it was just a last-minute emergency, but some issues with some of my brother's hires on the Ethics Board were brought to light. I'm afraid I wouldn't have been able to attend the launch even if my legal team hadn't needed my immediate attention regarding the planning for a ceremony I'm holding tomorrow." She hung up her purse and coat, "I'm renaming my family's company, and I had to cancel."
"Ah, lucky." Kal's tone was faintly jovial, but the implication escaped none of them.
Ms. Luthor chuckled, turning to face them fully, "Lucky is Superman saving the day." And there was something sharply intelligent in her face.
"Not something one expects a Luthor to say." Kal continued and something about it…
Kara felt kind of useless but at the same time something was bothering her. She found herself interjecting without thinking her words through. "And Supergirl was there, too."
And suddenly, Ms. Luthor's attention was on her, examining. "And who are you exactly?" She had a similar air to her that Daisy got sometimes when she was deciding if the person in front of her was worth her attention.
"Um…" As Kara stumbled over her words, Lena started walking around her desk, for the seat. "I'm Kara Danvers. I'm not with the Daily Planet. I'm with Catco magazine. Sort of."
"That's a publication not known for its hard-hitting journalism. More like 'high-waisted jeans, yes or no?" Ms. Luthor took her seat behind her desk naturally, but she wasn't hostile.
Kara felt left-footed and out of place, "I'm just tagging along today."
"Right." Ms. Luthor's attention turned back to Kal, "Can we just speed this interview along?" And she did sound exhausted as she said that. "Just ask me what you want to ask, Mr. Kent. Did I have anything to do with the Venture explosion?"
Kal didn't hesitate. "Did you?"
"You wouldn't be asking me if my last name was Smith." She had a thread of challenge as she looked at Kal. It was clear she was a fighter.
Kal's smile that charmed pretty much everyone just stayed on his face. "Ah, but it's not. It's Luthor."
"Some steel under that Kansas wheat." Ms. Luthor leaned back in her seat, and Kara rather thought it was steel under both of their demeanors. "It wasn't always. I was adopted when I was four." Her eyes flicked to Kara again and her tone was painfully similar to how Daisy sounded talking about her team as she continued to speak. "And the person who made me feel the most welcome in the family was Lex. He made me proud to be a Luthor. And then he went on his reign of terror in Metropolis."
As Ms. Luthor shifted, looking out her window, Kara easily turned, scanning the office for anything suspicious over the edge of her glasses. It was clear, nothing that looked out of place, and Kara had a lot of experience with what should or shouldn't be in a CEO's office.
Ms. Luthor scoffed, "Declared war on Superman. Committed unspeakable crimes. When Superman put Lex in jail, I vowed to take back my family's company." She picked up a remote on her desk and clicked a button aimed at the screen mounted on the wall, a new logo appearing. "To rename it L-corp, make it a force for good." Her eyes hit on Kara. "I'm just a woman trying to make a name for herself outside of her family. Can you understand that?"
"Yeah," The word spilled out of Kara's mouth automatically. Because she did, desperately.
"I know why you're here." She got up and walked to a neat rack of USB drives. "Because a subsidiary of my company made the part that exploded on the Venture. I've already taken the liberty of going over the schematics of the oscillator. It shouldn't have exploded under the stress of flight." She held out the data stick. "This drive contains all the information we have about the oscillator, I hope it helps you with your investigation."
Kal looked at the drive and back to Ms. Luthor, "Thank you."
"Give me a chance, Mr. Kent." And tired or not, Ms. Luthor sounded sincere. "I'm here for a fresh start. Let me have one."
Kal gave her a polite nod as he turned to leave, "Good day, Ms. Luthor."
Kara hesitated, eyes stuck on Ms. Luthor's face and the sincerity but what she was also fairly certain was pain on it, "Good day." But she turned and followed after her cousin. She was pretty sure it wasn't Ms. Luthor who'd blown up the Venture though. It just…it didn't feel like it was her.
Chapter 27Notes:Yo! Is this early? Yes. But I felt like it. Also, those of you in countries that celebrate, Father's Day is this weekend, don't forget it.
Chapter TextLena had been having the third worst week of her life. Considering the first was her mother dying and the second was Lex's public turn to terrorism, that was saying something. But finding undeniable evidence that Quake had been right just days before being set up for blowing up the Venture? That alone would have done it because it meant she'd been an idiot. Feeling stupid was not a thing Lena enjoyed and hadn't felt since she was a child. It was galling, especially when it was a smug asshole telling her.
Which wasn't even touching on the existential horror she'd been consumed by as it'd become blatantly apparent that yes, she had built a genocide machine. Lex would be proud. That burned and twisted enough that she'd puked up everything she'd tried to eat for the last two days and felt physically shaky at the thought of it. But she'd swallowed down toast only to be confronted by the Venture blowing up. Because of course.
Lena had gone over the schematics and reports on the oscillator with a fine toothcomb between signing legal documents to have her entire board of ethics fired and replaced. Everything looked fine. If the oscillator was what had destroyed the Venture it'd been sabotage, not a design flaw. Unfortunately, as Quake had so 'politely' pointed out, the asshole, Luthor Corp had been her brother's for years. Which meant there were hundreds if not thousands of hires who could very well have sabotaged it.
Clark Kent, her brother's former best friend, and viciously competent investigative reporter showing up for an interview was just a cherry on top. Considering the mountain of staffing and programs she had to go through if she wanted her brother's influence purged from her company, the chances she'd missed something in the initial takeover of the company, were high. And if he was looking for it, and it existed, Clark Kent would find it.
So the sprinkles on top of her shit week, was that she couldn't justify not getting into the company helicopter for the flyover. Responsibility and public performance expected of a CEO. Even if she really could be better using her time finding new legal counsel to rip Luthor Corp, soon to be L Corp, to the quick to find Lex's influence. She forced herself to put on a brave face as she buckled herself in. "I know statistically, it's the safest way to travel, but still…"
Her stomach lurched as the helicopter began to rise from the helipad. Which is when she saw it, two sleek, military-looking drones. "What the hell?" Military drones shouldn't just be flying around in the city. And to her eye, she could see the lines and design perfectly engineered for as much speed and maneuverability while hauling serious weapons capability as she'd seen in a drone.
She screamed grabbing onto the door of the helicopter as if that would keep her from plummeting to her death as the drones opened fire with under-wing attached machine guns.
The bullets didn't hit, instead, two red blurs came in between her and death. Lena had never felt so relieved or understood the hero worship of the Supers before as much as she did recognizing their silhouettes floating there.
Lena turned toward her pilot, yanking the microphone attached to her headset to her mouth. "Land us right now."
"I can't!" The pilot was hanging onto the yok, his voice panicked through the static of the earmuffs. "The controls aren't working!"
Lena grabbed a handle on the roof of the helicopter, panic clawing at her throat. The helicopter started to spin, slowly and Lena was starting to hyperventilate. She'd lost sight of the Supers, but the explosion outside of the helicopter got her attention. The lack of a Super flying around filled her with panic for exactly two seconds before the bullets started puncturing straight through the helicopter like it was tissue paper for a few seconds.
Lena was too scared to scream then as the pilot slumped unconscious, the burning scent of oil hit Lena's nose, and then the helicopter swung sickeningly, swoopingly out of control. She grabbed at her seatbelt like that would help, but she couldn't fly a helicopter!
The whole machine jolted as it came out of its tailspin of death. Lena felt like she was going to swallow her tongue as the thing was set on the landing pad, the awful sound of the door on the pilot's side ripping open.
She was panting as she pulled the earmuffs off of her head, her wide eyes finding Supergirl's intensely blue eyes locked on to her. "You're safe now." Supergirl's voice had an authority to it that made Lena believe it enough to nod.
"What the hell was that?" Swearing or demanding things from a Super was not smart, but nearly dying had killed her verbal filter.
Supergirl's face was uncompromisingly genuine. "Someone's trying to kill you."
Lena's mouth half opened and shut as she looked through the cracked glass of the helicopter. She hadn't been expecting… "The Venture."
"Yes," Supergirl snapped the seatbelt off of the pilot. "Wait here, I'll be right back."
And well…Lena swallowed. Third worst week of her life, unquestionably.
////
Cat Grant stared at the investigative reporters standing in her office. They were an assortment of promising talent and old reliable assholes she'd poached early in her career. This was a war meeting, they just didn't know it yet. She stared at Ben Urich in disgust, "Have you never heard of a shower Benjamin?"
"It's my day off." The man who looked like a businessman dragged out of a dumpster replied, the smell of cigarette smoke was a cloud around him. One the other reporters were trying to avoid to varying degrees.
She stared at him, "If you didn't have a Pulitzer to your name I'd have you frog-marched out and thrown into the bay. Alas." Her keen eye turned to the others.
"Ms. Grant, if I may, why am I here?" Christine Everhart asked from where she was blatantly avoiding Benjamin, her nose faintly wrinkled. "I have to be on camera for the five o'clock news in two hours."
"It's a fair question, what is this about Ms. Grant?" Mitchell Ellison, and one of the senior editors and former investigative reporter at the Tribune asked.
Cat looked at the only person who hadn't spoken, "Anything to add Amira, besides that hideous tan button-up that belongs in a dumpster fire? No? Good." She laid her hands on the top of her desk looking at her employees. "Ladies, gentlemen, and Benjamin, we are at war."
There was a moment of quiet before Everhart spoke, "Against whom? Lord?"
"Lord is done, by the time Quake is done feeding him to the press there won't even be enough left of him to cremate." Cat waved off, "We won't be getting ahead of anyone on that story, the unimaginative peons can follow and turn out exactly what Quake wants them to, it's too late to control that narrative."
Mitchell proved why he was senior editor under Snapper, "Quake, you want us to wage war against her?"
"As objectionable as her entire Hot Topic Angst Bucket of a person is, no. She and Supergirl are too tightly tied now, and soon likely Superman as well. No, we are going to find out what the war that is about to be dumped into our laps is before it blows up."
Amira, war correspondent and talent that Cat had poached a year ago's eyes narrowed. "Alien Amnesty." She looked around at the other reporters, "What, the President is signing the Alien Amnesty bill next month in National City. If a conflict is imminent it'll be about that. Or it will spark it."
"And somebody is earning their paycheck." Cat clapped her hands. "Listen up, something is coming, something big and I want to know what, and I want to know when. Whatever it is, Quake and Supergirl are up to their eyes in it. So, Benjamin, go find out what is going on in National City that brought Quake here. Because it wasn't how Supergirl looks in a skirt. And remind me why I don't order you hosed down before walking into my office."
Everhart's eyes had narrowed, "I'm on pivoting our public image of Quake and Supergirl then, I presume?"
"Sell Quake as an anti-hero, clearly Supergirl likes the Hot Topic Feral Cat vibe, we need to be prepared when that either happens or blows up in everyone's faces. I did not watch Supergirl fussing over Quake's bloody nose like the woman wasn't an unstable timebomb to not realize the direction that is going to head."
And Everhart was a shark, "Was she? Anything else that wasn't on that security footage?"
"We'll talk details later," Cat turned to Mitchell, "I want the Tribune to coordinate with ensuring the tone is correct with our station as well as the magazine. And when Benjamin finds things, give him the resources he wants. Your editorial voice, it's getting the newbies on task."
He gave a professional nod, "Of course Ms. Grant, are we creating a committee to coordinate the media strategy between publications then?"
"Yes, you're in charge of it." She turned her eyes on Amira, war correspondent and likely the best person to assign finding anything out about Daisy Johnson considering that woman was so military it hurt. "Amira, you're off the General Lane story, you're on Quake. Get an interview, find out what her agenda is, or find a new job. And get a new shirt, understood?"
Amira's jaw tightened, but she gave a sharp nod. "Crystal clear, Ms. Grant."
"Chop chop then, off you all go, Everhart stay." She took her seat, opening up a folder, it didn't matter, what mattered was she was done speaking to her employees and they were dismissed and they knew how little importance they held. No matter how talented. But she was the Queen of All Media, it was time to take control of the narrative.
Cat groaned as her new assistant fled sobbing from her office. "She cries more than Halle Berry at award shows."
"Well, if you hate her so much, why don't you fire her?" Kara sounded as exasperated as she ever dared with Cat. Someone was tired of putting out the fire that was Eve Tessmacher's obnoxiously perky but emotionally weak being. Crossing her arms Kara watched as Cat walked towards her drink bar. "Normally, you'd axe an assistant the second they brought you a latte one degree off."
"Oh, Kiera," Cat pulled off the crystal top of her bourbon decanter. "I don't even know what normal is anymore."
Kara's brow furrowed, "Ms. Grant, what's wrong?"
And wasn't that something, Cat was fairly certain Kara might be the person who could read her best in her life. "What isn't wrong? I followed every one of my passions, achieved everything I'd thought I'd wanted to achieve, and thought I was at the top of my game. But one angsty millennial and I've been forced to realize I have built my castle on sand. A challenge I suppose." She'd still strangle Daisy Johson with her bare hands if she could. "I know what I'm doing, the question is, Kie-ra, what the hell is wrong with you?"
Kara twitched.
"You're young, brilliant, and you have the world at your feet. You could have your pick of remarkable people to date. Any job you wish for, and you stand there blinking like a doe in the headlights. Frozen." Cat strode with her words toward Kara, gesturing with her hand holding her crystal tumbler.
Kara seemed to stretch with discomfort, "I'm…" She shook her head, eyes on the furniture. "Yeah, you know what? You're right, Ms. Grant." Kara uncrossed her arms seeming to shrink into the waffling millennial she was at times. "You are absolutely right. In some areas of my life, I feel so strong and confident, and then in every other area…career, love, I… I don't know what to do."
"Dive." Cat said simply. Because it was simple.
Kara paused, her brow furrowing with confusion. "What do you mean, like…like into a lake?"
"You're standing on the shore," Cat circled the woman, "Afraid to dive into the new waters, and you're afraid because you don't want say goodbye to the mild-mannered, lovelorn Kara Danvers. The sweet and dutiful assistant to Cat Grant. You are standing there. Looking out at your options. The icy blue water, the fast-flowing river, and the choppy sea. And they all look very appealing to you. Because you're dying to go for a swim. But you know that water is going to be cold, and the journey is going to be hard, and when you reach the other side, you will have become a new person."
Cat could see her words hitting as Kara dropped onto the couch, her eyes doing the wide-eyed lost expression. "And you are scared to meet that new version of yourself. Now, we all get used to our own personas, and we're used to our own comfort zones. But trust me, in order to live, we must keep daring. Keep diving." She sat down next to Kara.
"Yeah." Kara nodded shakily, a much needed focus peaking out. "Thank you, Ms. Grant."
Cat took a victory drink of her bourbon, her protegee was coming back onto the path then. "You have twelve hours, thirteen minutes, and four seconds. Tick-tock."
"Right," Kara's voice was slightly shaky, but the determination was there.
////
Lucy dumped her stack of potential new assistant directors on J'onn's new desk. "Lightly mentally scan the ones I notated, and rank the ones I didn't notate."
"Your preferred options?" J'onn looked up at her.
She dropped her hands onto her hips. "And the ones who need to be vetted before they continue to work for this organization."
"I'll see what I can do, Director." He wasn't smiling exactly, but his eyes were.
It was good to have him still there, however. "Want to explain what the problem is with you and Clark?"
"That is…complicated," J'onn admitted.
She crossed her arms. "Is it more than just your discovery and weaponization of kryptonite?"
"It was necessary for the survival of the DEO, we would have been wiped out by the Fort Rozz Kryptonians. And what would I have said to the President if I had done as Superman asked?" J'onn looked at her with quiet intensity. "It was the correct choice."
Lucy was not entirely sure she agreed, but she also knew there was truth to it. "A risk, Cadmus and the DEO were even more entwined ten years ago. They have kryptonite because of that."
"And there would be no difference between Cadmus and the DEO if I hadn't," J'onn replied.
She gave a nod, "Try not to pay too much attention to it for the next week or so."
"Are you sure that's wise?" J'onn asked.
Lucy really hoped it was. "Things are changing, and talk to Alex, she's scaring the new recruits."
////
Daisy landed on the balcony of Lena Luthor's office. She'd already known that the woman was here, but it was unsurprising to see her hunched over her desk typing furiously. The doors were a bit tricky to open with her powers without breaking anything considering they opened outwards, but Daisy managed it. "Sup!"
"Quake." Lena even managed to sound dryly disapproving despite nearly jumping out of her skin at the sound of the door blowing open. "Here to threaten me again?"
Daisy snorted, "Came to offer you condolences on the near assassination attempt and to let you know the Supers and men in black know the name of the mercenary after you." She held up the grocery store chocolate cake.
"You brought me a cake?" Lena stared at her in disbelief.
Daisy shrugged as she walked over, setting the thing on Lena's desk. "If evil people are trying to kill you, you're probably doing something right." She reached up pulling off the ski mask, the veil already set to Jemma's face.
"Are you…congratulating me on nearly being assassinated by my brother?" Lena was clearly confused as hell.
She raised a brow "I mean, basically. First time family tries to kill you is always…shitty."
"First time…you're not serious." Lena's eyes flicked to the cake. "Did you get that at Safeway?"
Daisy shrugged, "Figured you'd be more likely to eat it than if I tried to bake you one. Also, we're not at the homemade cake stage, and like…really didn't have time."
"Are you trying to be nice?" Lena said slowly.
She tilted her head to the side, "I am capable of being nice. But also, a lot of people are working on keeping you alive."
"Why tell me that?" Lena stared at her in confusion.
Daisy stepped backward, she didn't intend to stay. "Uh, you went on about the whole Luthor thing. Figured you should know you're not getting left as a sitting duck." She grinned, "I'll see you at your speech. And seriously, eat the cake, and sorry this is happening. No one deserves this shit."
Turning, Daisy walked back towards the balcony, pulling her mask back on. Good deed of the day done, she wasn't the CEO's therapist…she should probably link the woman to some clean therapists in the area. Murder attempts by family really should get a person free therapy. Not that Lena needed the discount, but still.
"You…thank you? I think." Lena said.
She glanced over her shoulder. "It's a cake, it cost less than twenty bucks."
"No, for not thinking the worst of me." Lena sounded like it cost her to say that.
Daisy looked at the woman and gave a slight nod. "Eat the cake, if I wanted to hurt you I wouldn't have bothered with it." And she shot off of the balcony with a burst of vibrations.
Daisy felt a guilty twist in her chest as she realized that Kara was in her apartment. It wasn't going to be tonight she put more distance between them. She dropped onto the fire escape before climbing through the window, pulling her mask off. "Hey, what's up?"
"Daisy!" Kara had a distinctly guilty look on her face as she looked up from the tablet she was on while sitting on the couch. "So um…I have a terrible idea. Will you help?"
She huffed, smiling at the Kryptonian. "Terrible ideas are my specialty. What are we doing?"
"Um…if I tell you you won't help. Will you still help me even if I don't exactly tell you what it is?" Kara was unfairly adorable and hopeful.
Daisy raised a brow while unzipping her jacket and pulling off her gauntlets. "What do you need me to do?"
"Lena Luthor, she's not Cadmus, right?" Kara was biting at the inside of her cheek.
She sighed, pulling her combat jacket off and dropping onto the other end of the couch. "She didn't get out of that family without picking up some alarming blind spots and shit. But no, I don't think she's Cadmus. Why? I thought you were impressed by her?"
"I was, am? Do we have the records of what she's doing in her labs?" Kara turned around the tablet. "I just keep finding lab financials."
Daisy plucked the tablet from her hand, grateful Kara hadn't noticed the tab of rental options in DC. That was going to be an awful conversation, necessary, but it was going to suck. "Here, I'll show you. Want me to limit it to engineering projects since that's your thing?"
"That would be really nice," Kara said softly while shuffling over so she could see what Daisy was doing.
She had to force herself to stay loose as Kara dropped her head on her shoulder. Daisy should have extracted herself a week ago, at least. It was unfair. "Am I allowed to know what's caused these bad decisions that I'm helping you out with?"
"Ms. Grant said I needed to dive." Kara took the tablet back, swiping through the projects, making curious sounds.
Daisy was not sure what that meant. "Diving?"
"Going out and just…doing a thing because I want to, even if I'm scared of change." Kara pressed slightly more into Daisy's side. "But not tonight."
Huh, that would be interesting to see where Kara was going with this. Maybe she was thinking about going the reporter route? "Sounds good." She let herself lean back into Kara. Daisy was going to miss this. It'd have been nice if it could have lasted.