Chapter 43Notes:Quite early on request due to the hurricane about to hit the American south east probably about to kill some people's power.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter TextMaggie came to such a sharp stop that her coffee sloshed out onto her hand. Hissing out several foul curses, she set her coffee down, shaking her hand out.
"Rough time, Sawyer?" Smith chortled from his station.
"Unexpected visitor," Maggie hissed, walking straight for her desk that mother fucking Quake was sitting on.
Quake, and shit she was a cocky shit with or without the mask. Whoever's face she was wearing this time was the same as she'd been wearing the day before. Young, twenty-something Asian features. Probably the face of some random barista. Same age range as the caucasian face she'd worn when she'd passed Maggie the info on Lord. Mid to late twenties would fit with what her personality seemed to be. And she clearly appeared comfortable in worn jeans, military boots, and a worn shirt. Pieces of a puzzle forming an ever clearer picture. A picture that had raised a hand in greeting. "Sup, Detective."
Maggie wanted to grab the woman's wrist and yank her out of the police station. "What are you doing here?"
"Handing in the paperwork, I hear that's important for informants." Quake was grinning as she passed actually filled out informant paperwork over.
Maggie grabbed the paperwork, her eyes flicking the name line. "Appreciate the effort, Skye?"
Quake hopped off of Maggie's desk that she'd been sitting on. "I even have a tip for you."
Three names she had for the woman now. Maggie's hands dropped onto her hips. "Fine, what do you have?" M'gann owed her a drink for this.
"Angsty teenager writing hate mail to L-corp." Quake handed over several sheets of paper, paperclipped together. "It's in Kree, but not a native speaker. The lettering is left to right instead of up down, spelling and grammar are horrible, and the references to the Kree are real wrong. Like the whole official blood feud thing, not a thing. I mean not that that shit doesn't happen, but it's not built into the law. Also, guns in individual duels are considered invalid. It's knife or hands, they're weird about that. I doubt our teen has ever even met a person who met a person who was Kree."
Maggie frowned, taking a look at what she'd been handed. It was a printed copy of the letter, as well as what was clearly a notated translation of it. The next few pages were neatly laid out proof of federal crimes committed to acquire information. Including security camera stills. "You hacked the post office?"
"No comment." Quake didn't seem concerned.
It was mildly frustrating to know her risk was right. Arresting Quake wasn't worth it. Possessing the proof someone had hacked into the post office to track mail, and the neighboring security camera of the mailbox it'd been dropped in, and found exactly who'd dropped a letter that matched into said box wasn't proof that Quake had done it. Hence why it was likely printed and not a digital file. It'd never stand up in court.
Maggie sighed looking at the woman. Admittedly, Maggie would admit she was impressed by what it said Quake had deferred to Supergirl and was showing repeated willingness and clear desire to work with law enforcement. She'd worked with people less respectful of the law before. Protect came before serving. "Why give this to me and not L-corp?"
"Uh, because good intentions or not, Lena Luthor is xenophobic and her security isn't exactly alien friendly." Quake's eyes flicked the printed image of a pimply teenage boy in Maggie's hand. "And I don't think Mr. Doesn't Know What Deodorant Is deserves that shit show."
"Especially if he's not entirely human." Maggie nodded in agreement. "If flashing the badge and bringing him in for some community service or something doesn't satisfy L-corp?"
Quake tapped the paperwork on the desk. "You have my number."
Maggie looked down, and yes, there was contact information filled out. "You're serious about being an informant and not just dropping things on me like a cat leaving dead birds?"
"Why not both?" Quake's lips twitched. "Fun seeing you again Detective."
"I'm not paying you for tips." Maggie crossed her arms staring at the woman who wouldn't be the end of the world to work with.
Quake tilted her head slightly, her smile turning more normal. "I'm not doing this for cash, I'd be living in a beach house somewhere tropical already if I was."
Which was why Maggie, for all the woman was a walking red flag, she was pretty sure she trusted her intentions. People with her skill set didn't just end up doing what she was doing unless they cared. Also knew how to make their assistance mostly legal. Enough Maggie could work with it. "Fine, informant. No ideas about riding along."
"Ma'am, yes Ma'am." Quake gave her a salute, winked, and then headed out.
Her shoulders slumped as she watched the walking migraine leave the building. She eyed Detective Smith. "You just let random people into the bullpen now?"
"She's your informant?" He looked far too amused. "Have fun with that one."
Maggie shook her head. "You have no idea. More like a migraine."
He honest to god chortled. "She actually hack the post office?"
She dropped into her seat behind her desk. "Yup, and the prosecutor would laugh if I showed them the joke of evidence of it."
"What do you have on her then? Drugs, illegal alien shit?" He poked.
Maggie leaned back in her seat. "Nothing." She looked at the translated letter. Well, she might as well deal with that. Nothing good was going to come with prodding the Luthor hornet nest. "She can change her face, so probably not her if you see whoever's face she's copying."
"I don't know how you deal with that shit. Change her face? Really? Like, heebie jeebies."
"Which is why you're homicide, not science division." Maggie paused, shit, she'd rather work with Quake than Smith.
////
Daisy took the seat in front of Winn at Noonan's, "Sup."
He startled and nearly dropped his sandwich. "Daisy?"
"That is my name, I was hoping we could talk since you're on your lunch?" She kind of wanted to flee and never deal with this conversation. But she wasn't going to be a coward. This was important.
He slowly set his sandwich down. "Um….how did you know I was here?"
She raised a brow at him. "You and Kara talked about coming here on your lunch breaks because you both don't bring lunch in to work, and your office building is one block from here. It wasn't rocket science." She took a sip from her overly complicated drink order. She'd already eaten half an hour ago, it wasn't like she'd known his exact schedule or wanted to bother searching through DEO records for it.
Winn shifted, his face doing a hilariously awkward thing, "Oh. That…makes sense. Why did you want to talk?"
"You're Kara's best friend." Other than Alex, but Daisy didn't say that. Compliments always got you further than anal obsession with exactitude. She hadn't needed to be taught that in 'Spy 101'. It was kinda obvious. "I could use some help." And was prepared to bribe and possibly beg, but wasn't opening with that.
"Because you're dating?" He said slowly.
She winced at that, that was…fuck. Daisy pushed down the sharp reminder of just how apparently dense she'd been. That wasn't a character flaw she was used to finding in herself. Self-sabotage sure, but she was usually at least aware she was doing that to some extent. "Yes, because we're dating. I'm not good at relationships."
"You can't be that bad," He waved off, settling.
Daisy stared at him, and it felt like swallowing barbed wire. "My last boyfriend died, for me, because I fucked up."
Winn's eyes widened. "Oh. I'm really sorry." His hand twitched like he'd considered reaching out to touch her hand. Because there was a reason he and Kara were friends.
"I'm going to fuck up with Kara, she doesn't deserve that." She cleared her throat. "I'm not good at it." And even if it was probably going to crash and burn didn't mean it wasn't worth trying. She might not have the hope Kara did, but she wished she did.
"So you want to know like her favorite flower or something?" Winn frowned, "Should you try not to fuck up first?"
Daisy twisted the fancy coffee cup in her hands. "Of course, I'm going to try and not fuck things up." Again. But that was for Kara to choose whether her best friend knew about last night or not. Not Daisy's. "I don't need to know how to apologize, I could use your help to do it right."
"Oh, like date ideas?" He was perking up, a slight spark of excitement.
Her lips twitched at the list on the fridge that so painfully clearly were what Kara considered their date agenda. "How about Kara's language? Little Birdy says you know it, what with her being an immigrant and all. Thought I might try and learn some of it." Or all of it, but that'd take a lot of time.
He leaned in forward, "You mean-"
"Her native language. Yes, I do." Daisy cut him off before he could say the word 'Kryptonian'. Noonan's might be busy, but Winn was a regular and so was Kara.
He smiled, "I can email you what I used to learn?"
The rush of relief was real. "Thank you."
"Of course, you jumped out a window for her. I think that means you care." And Winn so genuinely believed that.
Daisy's shoulders tightened, it was weird and uncomfortable how people looked at her in this universe. The suspicion from people like Alex and Lucy was far more familiar. "Eh, it was the right thing to do." And she'd do it a hundred times over.
Winn picked up his sandwich again. "You were the only one who jumped."
"I was trained to do it. I've jumped from higher." Daisy shrugged, "Come on, as official best friend, there's got to be things Kara's said she wished a boyfriend or girlfriend would do for her."
////
Kara's day was going better than she could have hoped. It'd felt…delicate to wake up with Daisy on the couch. The morning light had announced the real world coming back in, and she'd been nervous. But then, it'd been alright. Just a normal morning, Daisy'd made waffles. And it felt like it was going to be ok. The morning had felt like a sigh of relief. And then Kal had been at the apartment fire and they'd had people to save. With every life saved, every drop of sunlight, she'd felt more and more chipper.
"You're feeling better?" Kal smiled as he came to a stop floating by her side.
She smiled at her cousin, "Today's just a great day. This never gets old."
"It really doesn't." His boyish grin that was all his mother flashed at her. "I'll let you know if it does."
Both of their heads turned at the sharp sound of an alarm.
Kara couldn't help the amusement as Kal chided the thief.
"See, now, if the bullets don't work, right, why the punching?" Kal shook his head, gently tossing the disarmed thief into the bushes as he looked over at her. "I just never understood that."
Kara had a bounce in her step as she joined Kal. "I'm having a really good day." She had a girlfriend who knew she was her girlfriend, her sister and J'onn were safely home where they belonged, and she was saving people with Kal! She hadn't spent this much time with Kal…ever.
He smiled at her, dimples showing, his eyes crinkled from the genuineness of the smile. "Me too."
J'onn's voice came through the comm, breaking up the moment. His tone was grumbly, he definitely hadn't eaten any Oreos yet today. -"When you two are done showboating, there's a renegade Kigori in Riverside Park."-
"We're on it!" Kara replied while looking at Kal, and then both of them shot up into the sky before twisting to fly toward Riverside Park.
As she hit a wind current coming off of the Catco Tower, Kara whooped with the joy of flight with Kal.
Kara was laughing as she touched down in the DEO, Kal beside her. She beamed as she spotted Alex coming out around the corner in full tactical gear.
"Supergirl," And oh Alex did not look happy, all rolling exasperation. "We were just leaving to catch the Kigori."
"Oh, we just dropped that little guy in containment." Kal said to calm the sudden tension.
Alex was not happy. "Stand down." She ordered the two fully tacked-up agents.
"I'm sorry." Kara should have known than just handling it without the DEO wasn't going to go well. She smiled at her sister trying to ease tension. It wasn't a big deal. "Team Krypton was just having #toomuchfun!" And the day had just been so great! "I mean I've always loved being Supergirl. But today…"
"Next time it would be nice if you followed protocol and alerted us that an alien combative was no longer an active threat." J'onn's hands were on his hips as he stared at both of them with disappointed judgment. "Your cousin may not work for the DEO, but you still do."
Kara took the hit, "Sorry." She waved a hand trying to explain. "We were…We were just having-"
"#toomuchfun. Yeah, we know." J'onn cut her off. He was not amused.
They were saved by the lights flickering. Kara frowned, looking up at the flickering. Things didn't flicker at the DEO.
"Uh!" Winn slid out from behind his station where he'd been avoiding notice, walking straight for them, tablet in hand. "Energy drain coming from the holding area. Again."
Kara's stomach dropped, she knew who was in the holding area. Even as she desperately hoped it had nothing to do with the Kryptonian who'd been in a coma since he crashed, she knew in her bones it was because of him. She looked at Alex's and J'onn's faces and knew she was right. The stubborn heels dug-in expression they both got when they weren't going to budge on something they knew she would hate was one she was familiar with. She looked to Kal, his face had gone serious.
His voice was firm. "What's going on J'onn."
Alex started talking while walking toward the detention area and the labs. Which…Kara hadn't really stopped to think that maybe it was bad the labs and detention center were so close. "It started happening last night." Alex said. "All energy at the DEO suddenly diverted to him."
As they hit the hall to it, she knew. So did Kal.
"You're exposing him to kryptonite?" Kal's gaze swept the room as they came out into the lab. And it was a lab…a lab designed for detention of aliens. "You're exposing him to kryptonite? He's a survivor, not a prisoner."
Kara couldn't take her eyes away from the sleeping form of the other Kryptonian. Her stomach felt sick. She thought Lusy wasn't going to allow this.
J'onn clearly didn't feel the faintest shame about it. "It's a precaution. We don't know anything about him."
The silence was grim as Kara looked back to the Kryptonian where he was laying on the lab bed under the sickly green light of kryptonite. She didn't blink, even as the blinking ended, power returning to systems.
"Ooh, power is back at 100%," Winn said.
Alex's voice was all 'interested scientist. "His vitals have jumped again. It's at the same rate as the power drain."
Kal was serious, but able to be interested, if grim, while Kara was barely keeping from crying. "He's repairing himself at a cellular level?"
"It's like photosynthesis," Alex was fascinated by what this meant. "His cells are absorbing the electrical energy and converting them to chemical energy."
"You should test his levels again. Now that he's-" Kal started, but he was cut off.
"We've got this, Superman." J'onn could have just said 'enough, your opinion isn't wanted'. They all heard the meaning of his words.
Kal hesitated, but then he brushed away his horror, lightness returning, even if it felt tired. "Sure you do." He turned looking at Kara. "I should go."
Kara nodded, but she still couldn't speak yet, her throat too tight. Because what could she do? Alex and J'onn wouldn't listen to her. And Lucy had to have signed off on this, even after everything. Or at least signed off on J'onn having the authority to do it. And this wasn't something she could ask Daisy to fix. Because Daisy would fix it, but it would burn the DEO bridges. Kara knew that. Daisy's distrust of the DEO wasn't subtle. Going to Daisy and asking for help would be like lighting a match.
So after all that, what was Kara left with? If Kal wouldn't fight, if her sister and J'onn wouldn't be moved, and if Daisy was too extreme of an option? She waited till Kal was out of earshot before turning to face J'onn, her arms dropping to her sides. "I know you two aren't the best of friends. But you promised you'd be nice to him while he's here."
Winn awkwardly cut through the tension before they could argue. "Yeah, actually he said he would try." Winn looked like he regretted speaking at all.
"How…How is it hard to be nice to Superman? He's Superman?" Because if they wouldn't listen to her, maybe they would listen to Kal.
J'onn's head bowed for a moment, but then he was facing her again. "If it means so much to you, we will get along."
"Thank you." Her shoulders rolled back. That had to be enough. If J'onn and Kal would just get along they could undo what was happening. She cast another look at the unconscious Kryptonian. She needed him not to be able to feel pain in his comma. To believe that Alex wouldn't stand by if his vitals said he was feeling the pain kryptonite caused.
Alex had stepped closer, her voice less scientific, more sister. "We still on for sister night?"
"Yeah? You're not too mad to come?" Kara couldn't help the surprise. "I thought…you were really angry."
Alex's jaw flexed slightly. "I am, but you're my sister. And the last time I went without talking to you because I was angry you quit your job and got a girlfriend." And oh, yeah, Alex was still not happy about any of that.
Kara was…she needed her sister. "Veep and Chinese?"
"Yeah, of course." Alex agreed, and she was relieved that Kara was willing to take the olive branch of sister's night.
It was probably a good thing that she was going to have to spend an evening away from Daisy. Being too clingy with your girlfriend was bad…probably. She was going to have to watch that. But she needed someone she wasn't fighting with there. "Do you know it's Clark's favorite show, too?"
"Is Clark coming to sister night?" Alex's brow rose, and yup, weird dislike she had about Kal showing.
"Yeah," Kara decided to ignore the fact Alex didn't want Kal there. Kal was never there, and if he was there maybe she and Alex could go a whole night without arguing. "I mean, he's in town. And he's family."
Alex was smiling, but it did not reach her eyes. "The more the merrier."
Notes:You know what is an interesting flaw of Daisy's, is she's not a 'path to hell is paved with good intentions' person. Like she knows the path is going to hell while she's on it. She just is willing to walk to hell if she thinks its necessary, and/or if she thinks the person leading her there is a good enough person not to cross that line when they reach the gates of hell. But she's very aware of the slippery slope, and aware of the ethical/moral lines being crossed. And she does it anyways. Which leaves her in this awful spot where she's too much of a compromised party for straight heroes, but too idealistic for the established party.
And the thing is, I'm not even sure of how much of a flaw it is. She always tries to split the difference. To believe people are genuinely trying to help. It doesn't take much for Coulson, or Robbie, or Talbot, or hell, even Hale to convince her they genuinely are trying to do something important. That they are doing necessary things for the good of people generally, or think that's what they're doing. And she's very capable of going 'oh, what you are doing is important, it is doing something good' but also of recognizing that what they're doing is quite flawed. But like it leaves her constantly never quite fully on anyone's side. Because at her core, she's a very utilitarian character and her loyalty/love isn't enough for her to pick a side and stay there no matter what.
So for SHIELD, for the government, she is always a risk. Because she will leave or stand against what is happening if she thinks they are going too far. It takes a lot to get her there. But she will turn on even people she loves. But for more highly idealistic heroes, Daisy will straight-up torture someone without flinching. She'll kill without regret or like internal conflict over it. And its incredibly isolating for her character because she believes in doing what is necessary to make the world better. To protect the most people. Incidentally makes her really difficult for like the inhumans or any minority, because she won't prioritize the interests of a small group over the good of the whole. She'll try very hard, but when it becomes a question of the few or the many, she'll pick the many.
Chapter 44Notes:Sup!
Chapter TextAlex was more resigned than furious. It was the Clark effect. He was so perfect, so wonderful, and he'd hurt her sister so horrifically and it was as if she was the only one who understood that. He just showed up to play happy family for a week or two like it made years of abandonment better. This was the longest he'd given Kara the time of day, and it was not hunky dory.
She pulled plates out of the cabinets. The problem with Quake was infuriating, but it could be left alone. A day would come, likely sooner than later, when the woman's true colors would show, and Alex would put a bullet between her eyes for breaking Kara's heart. But Clark? He was family, and for all she would never forgive him, he was a hero.
It was a low simmer of resentment, watching him come into Kara's life just to leave it again. Every time it hurt her. Because every time Kara hoped she could keep her last blood relative. And every time, Clark abandoned her again. Abandoned her and broke Kara's heart, leaving it to Alex to piece her back together again.
So here she was, pretending her sister wasn't going to willfully throw herself into heartbreak. The things she couldn't protect Kara from burned the worst. And Kara was on a streak of setting herself up for heartbreak. It rankled, but Alex could see the writing on the wall she was going to have to let Kara make her own mistakes. She hated it. Hated it because she loved her sister.
Alex paused where she was snagging a bottle of red wine and the white just to be sure. She looked over at where Kara was fussing about straightening up the apartment. "So, does Clark like red or white?"
There was a gentle knock on the door.
"No, none for him. You know alcohol doesn't affect us, but he still won't drink and fly." Kara's face did the delighted 'oh shucks' expression, even as she started walking for the door. "He's a big, big nerd." She opened the door with that smile that was trying just a bit too hard. "Perfect timing."
Alex looked over at the big boy scout himself. "Hey, Clark."
"Hey Alex." His greeting as genuine as the rest of him in tone. He stayed focused on her as Kara closed the door behind him. "Um, could you give Kara and me a minute together?"
She looked at his face, well, she had been right. It didn't feel nice. It never felt nice when it came to this. Watching her sister's heart be broken over, and over, and over, by the nicest man on the planet. "Of course." Alex turned walking away from Clark and her sister. She didn't need to listen in to know what he was going to say. He was here to say goodbye.
"Thanks," His voice followed her.
Alex looked out over the street outside of Kara's apartment. It was late, the lights of the city. She could hear the soft tones of the two Kryptonians. Sister's night was going to be pretending Kara wasn't barely holding back tears then. If it was anyone besides Clark, Alex would hate him. And maybe, she did sometimes.
She turned at the change in tone. Her eyes followed their sightline to the tv. Ah, jumper on the bridge. So, that'd be a 'no' to sister night. She looked at her sister, might be Kara crying on her shoulder after the save.
Alex walked to the fridge as the Kryptonians vanished to go save the day. Opening up the freezer she pulled out her chocolate fudge ice cream. She was moping for herself while she had the chance before Kara needed her. And the wine was all her's. Snagging a spoon she dropped onto the couch, might as well watch Kara and Clark talk the idiot off the bridge. Her eyes narrowed, why did the dark shape of the guy look familiar?
////
Kara landed on the bridge, in the bright spotlights and street lights making this spot of the bridge into what felt like a stage. She could hear the Catco helicopter circling, no need to even look for the familiar crew. The police had cordoned off the area. Which meant everything was already secured, but it also meant the man had been there for a while. Talking them down was never easy.
She looked up at him, taking the lead. It was her city, Clark could circle and catch him if talking didn't help. "Sir. Sir, you don't want to do this."
He turned, the bright lights throwing his features into sharp relief.
"Corben?" This wasn't a jumper. Why would a human mercenary draw them out here? To a bridge? A secured scene?
And then his shirt burned away from pure heat, Corben's chest glowing a sickly green that as suddenly as it'd appeared blasted Kal back.
Kal grunted in pain as his body left a furrow in the asphalt, green kryptonite glowing in his chest, a sound of pain coming from his throat.
Her head snapped back to Corben.
Corben's voice was too clean as he spoke, too…aloof. Repressed, cold fury under cold tones. "No. Metallo." He jumped off the railing onto the bridge and then sent a second blast with a cry of guttural rage at Kal who cried out as it hit.
Kara knew that pain, the agony of kryptonite, that was her cousin! She was in between them before Corben could think of a third blast, and struck him across the face. But he didn't drop, there was no soft human flesh against her knuckles.
Instead, it was hard, like punching metal, for a human. He didn't move from the blow.
Her eyes widened as she realized what that meant. The kryptonite, something different about him. Metal, his frame was full of metal and every scant second near him was weakening her. She didn't have time to react to the horror of that. Corben backhanded her with the full force of his strength.
It was hard.
She flew backward into the car across the bridge, and it was a jolt of pain from the strike, and of her body hitting the metal, even as it dented and twisted around her. The kryptonite had weakened her enough to feel pain from that. For that to matter.
Her muscles shook from pain as her body tried not to convulse from it, from the damage. Just a few seconds within a few feet of the kryptonite and she couldn't stand. She looked to Kal, desperate to help him, to stop the cries of pain as Corben slammed his fists into Kal's face, again, and again.
The punches landed with horrible, heavy, meaty cracks. They were doing damage, Kal grunting from it.
And then Corben was dragging Kal up, his arms wrapping around Kal's throat, choking him. He was going to kill him. Kal's hands scrambled to try and pry the arm off of his neck, for air.
Kara couldn't get up!
She lurched forward, her feet held as they hit the asphalt, and she poured her energy into her eyes, laser beams slicing through the air for Corben's head.
Corben twisted, dropping Kal's nearly limp body to the ground, one hand coming up blocking the laser beams before they could strike his head. The flesh of his hand ignited, burning and melting like hot wax, and falling in burning chunks to the ground, leaving behind metal bones.
The sound of Kal's pained groans and near whimpers through clenched teeth audible even as Kara realized she couldn't fight Corben, not up close. She had to stay away from the kryptonite.
Her laser vision cut off, the strength she'd had for that fading. She moved as he tried to blast her with the same awful green beam that'd taken Kal down. Even if she could have flown away, she wouldn't have, not with Kal down. But she did get over the car she'd first slammed into, putting it between her and Corben.
Digging her hands into the door panels she started shoving the car toward him. If she could pin him against the other side of the bridge, she could get to Kal. And the car could survive the kryptonite blasts, shield her from them. She knew it was working when the car jolted, trapped between her, and him pushing back.
Kara jumped ontop of the car, she couldn't generate enough speed. She'd thought she'd get one good hit in. Just one. If she couldn't pin him to the railing, maybe she could hit him hard enough to put him down. If she didn't hold back. If she risked killing him.
But she wasn't fast enough.
Her feet had barely hit the top of the car when the awful blast of kryptonite hit her dead center in the chest.
She didn't even feel the pain as she hit asphalt. Just the air rushing from her lungs as the burning scrap of kryptonite clawed through her. Agony, weakness, pain.
Her vision was blurry as she looked up, seeing Corben walking toward her, inevitably. She couldn't move. Couldn't have rolled over to retch. It took everything she had to focus on him as he came for her. And then a black blur slammed into him.
The ground shook.
Kara's eyes closed, it was going to be ok, she and Kal were safe.
////
Daisy had Corben by the throat as she slammed him into the asphalt. The snarl on her face was not visible, but that wasn't what was important. Her vibrations ripped through him.
His bones were metal.
Vibrations didn't give a fuck what his bones were made of.
Daisy didn't give a fuck.
She just tightened her grip on his throat as her vibrations shattered every single fucking scrap of metal in his body. What was probably his brain beginning to leak out of his ears. Dropping the corpse's throat, she grabbed the chunk of kryptonite in his chest and ripped it out as she stood up.
Daisy's eyes focused on the chunk of glowing rock and felt its vibrations. Focusing her world down to that singular rock she tore it apart to the most infinitely tiny scale. Not dust, not even the dust she let stay till the grit no longer was even the same fucking material.
She dropped her hand, vibrations gusting the grit away. Turning her eyes found Kara.
"Supergirl!" She shot to Kara, knees hitting the ground beside her girlfriend as she reached out touching her, her vibrations sweeping through Kara, feeling for damage.
Daisy's shoulders slumped as she felt the beat of Kara's heart, the lack of breaks in Kara's bones, the feeling of blood flowing where it should be. "I got you, you're going to be ok."
"How hurt is she?" Clark wheezed from where he'd managed to drag himself up to his feet.
She looked over at him, he was already healing. "We need to get both of you out of here. Can you fly?"
He gave a heavy nod. "Give me a minute, I can fly her and I out."
Daisy carefully scooped Kara up into her arms. "I have her." Kryptonians might be heavier than humans, but it wasn't enough she wouldn't have been able to get Kara out of the field before the serum. After the serum, not an issue.
She easily got an arm under Kara's shoulders, the other under her knees, and lifted. Kara was starting to come around, enough she wasn't completely limp. "Supergirl, it's going to be ok, alright? Your cousin is right behind me, just try not to flail."
Kara's eyes cracked open, and then her head lulled into Daisy's shoulder. And it felt like a jolt of warmth as Kara just trusted her.
Daisy's grip tightened slightly, and then she launched them straight up. And she didn't care about controlling those vibrations. Without limiting her vibrations she launched them into a high arch. The wind whistled by as they rocketed through the air.
She'd aimed and used the right amount of force. Maybe a bit too much force. But she could use her vibrations to cushion the landing as they hit the DEO skyscraper. Every drawn gun from the agents shattered in their hands. Daisy wasn't bothering with talking them down. She just strode straight for the lab she knew had a solar bed.
"Quake!" J'onn came walking toward her, he looked at the agents. "Stand down!"
Clark, was hot on her heels as they got to the lab, even if his muscles were still spasming, bruises still visible on his skin. Bruises that were healing even as Daisy noticed them, but still bruises. His limp as he walked was pronounced, even if he was trying to hide it.
One of Kara's hands had reached up, gripping the material of Daisy's suit. "I can walk?"
Daisy wasn't testing that. "When you don't sound like you're breathing with cracked ribs we can talk about you walking. So five minutes."
Daisy's powers slammed open the door into the lab area. She set Kara down on the solar bed, turning to help Clark to the damn thing as well. The two could both sit on the fucking thing and power up their plant batteries or whatever. She didn't manhandle the other Kryptonian onto the bed, because Clark had spun on J'onn, bristling hostility radiating from him.
"You told me that only the DEO had access to kryptonite." He was furious, even if he was controlled as hell.
She didn't need to ask to know that Clark wouldn't even fully raise his voice. Because he was a Kryptonian. Because any physical threat or true escalation on his part would be used against him. Because he, just like Kara, wasn't allowed to be angry. Even when he was furious.
Clark kept going. "So how would you like to explain what just happened out there?" He was pointing at the floor. "A kryptonite-charged cyborg almost killed Kara. Almost killed me."
Daisy's eyes flicked to where Alex had just come skidding into the room. She adjusted her stance, ensuring Alex had a clean shot for her sister. But didn't move away from Kara. Kara had reached out, catching Daisy's hand, even as she leaned into Alex's touch as her sister reached her.
"Start talking, J'onn." Clark demanded.
J'onn's hands had settled on his hips. "A shipment went missing four months ago. We've done all we can to find it."
Kara's voice was a horrified exhale. "Four months ago? Does Lucy know?"
"Went missing?" Clark snapped, his tone implying 'bullshit'.
"Stolen." Alex cut in. "We thought it was an inside job but everyone in the transport came up clean. The Director has been auditing everything for a reason."
Clark looked back at J'onn. "So you have a mole."
"We don't know that." J'onn argued.
Daisy scoffed, yeah, she and the Krytponians were stealing every bit of kryptonite the DEO had, and she was insisting they move that plan up. Fuck keeping them from knowing who did it. It wasn't like they could stop her.
"If you'd gotten rid of it when I told you to-" Clark started.
"We would have been helpless when Non and Astra launched Myriad." J'onn marched into Clark's personal space. "Or have you forgotten that there was a force even the Man of Steel couldn't defeat?"
Clark's hand shot up, palm flat, preventing J'onn from shouldering past him. "We have given our lives protecting the people of Earth. If you cared about Kara at all-"
"Watch what you say." J'onn shoved Kal's hand away from him.
Clark wasn't allowing himself to be pushed back. He might not be escalating, but he wasn't backing down either.
Daisy spoke up, because the Kryptonians were playing too nice. "That's bullshit. Your kryptonite didn't do a thing to stop Myriad. And everyone in this room knows there are other ways to fight a Kryptonian. Kryptonite is how you torture one. Don't say you kept the kryptonite for anything else." Daisy paused, looking over to the bed with a patient on it. An unconscious patient, "That's the other Kryptonian?" What was he doing in this part of the DEO?
The lights around him were green. The vibrations from those lights were familiar. After all, she'd just crushed a rock with the same vibrational pattern down to its atomic level a few minutes ago. "You're using kryptonite on a refugee in a comma."
Every light in the room exploded, Daisy snarled as she raised a hand and crushed the kryptonite they were keeping in the room for medical care for Kara. Her head and attention turned to J'onn and the other agents reaching for their guns. The floor shaking, glass walls shattering in their frames.
Clark grabbed her hand, his other hand pressed flat against her chest to keep her in place. "Stop."
Daisy's teeth ground together, her eyes staying locked on the agents. "Why should I?" The DEO should be torn down. Not even SHIELD kept torture devices in their medical rooms. "How fucking dare they."
"Quake." Kara's hand on her shoulder, pulled her back a half step. "Hey, look at me."
She turned looking at Kara.
"Stop. This won't help." Kara's voice was soft but intense.
Daisy's eyes closed beneath her mask. Fuck. She breathed out, releasing her hold on the vibrations of the room around her. The floor ceased bucking, the air turning still. Opening her eyes she gave Kara a nod. She turned meeting J'onn's eyes. The grim alarm on him and the other agents wasn't a thing she gave a shit about. "If the DEO turns on them, I'll tear your whole organization to the ground."
The tension in the room was cut by the sound of more agents coming in. And there was Lucy Lane, several armed agents on her heels. Her gaze swept the room. "Does someone want to explain what is going on?"
No one got a chance to reply. Every screen, well every surviving screen, lit up with the image of a digitally painted face, and a digitally altered voice cut through the tension. -"People of National City. The Earth has been stolen from us. And the enemy has come in the guise of heroes."- An image of Supergirl flashed onto the screen, and then more images of the Supers. -"They say they come in peace, to protect us from ourselves. But how long will it be before these gods decide to rule instead of serve? We are the antidote to their poison."-
-"We are the scientists who will show them what humans are capable of. Those who have sided with the invaders will not be spared. You cannot stop us. We are everywhere. We are Cadmus."- The video on the screen cut out.
////
Cat Grant was less surprised than she should have been at the dark figure landing on her balcony. Dark, except for the unnerving and unflinching LED lit face. She didn't stand from her desk. Not for this one, let the walking PR disaster come to her. "Quake."
The woman walked in, the balcony door opening for her without her touching it. Her body posture, her appearance made every animal instinct in Cat's body scream danger.
Her distorted voice was even, controlled. "How long would it take you to have a camera in here?"
"You want to be interviewed?" Cat gave the woman a pointed up down. "An hour after you murdered someone on live tv? I know you're not entirely stable, but this seems reckless even for you."
"Cadmus wants a war, I'm going to give it to them." Quake's unchanging mask stared at her. "Do you want the scoop? Or are you afraid of what I might say?"
Cat stood from her desk. "You walk into my office, and make demands of me? What gives you the right? Or do you think just because you have powers you're the biggest bully on the block?"
"I'm giving you an offer, Ms. Grant. So, you get a camera in here, and actually do something. Or I'll do it without you, and you can keep taking the easy route. Playing into lazy, uninteresting tropes for your cover stories about Supergirl. The easy marketable choices for cheap, easy, money that will see you and your legacy trivia answers at bars in five years. Or actually use the power you've built up for something besides bullying people who can't afford to stop you."
"Well don't you have fangs under that mask, Ms. Try Hard. Your villainous aesthetic is so 2008, can't you clean up if you're going to declare war?" Cat had been hoping for this. Who else would her city's aliens come to when they needed a camera after all? And owning the scoop, was owning the story. She liked winning. Not that she'd expected it to be Quake and not Supergirl to drop a scoop on her. She raised her voice, "MS.TESCHMAKER!"
Quake hadn't moved, not so much as a twitch. She'd just stood there, inhuman LED light face watching. She seemed immune to the terrified twitching of employees as the camera was set up. She just stayed there, leaning against the wall, arms crossed.
Cat clapped her hands as the camera was pulled up. "Ready to answer some questions, Hot Topic Murderbot?"
Quake pushed off the wall. "Not here for an interview." She walked directly in front of the camera without the faintest hesitation. Which ah, she really was pissed then. "Is it on?"
"It's recording." Cat wasn't putting a livewire like Quake on live if she could avoid it. She needed control.
Quake gave a nod, and turned facing the camera fully. "Your cyborg was weak, and publicly declaring war? That was a mistake. You were slightly safe as a government agency, but if you've decided to go rogue, the government won't protect you now." The LED smile on the woman's mask was distinctly unnerving, and oh her words would be daming if she could prove them. "Did your cyborg scream when you removed his human bones to replace them with metal? I did when you cut me open, and scooped my glands out. When you drained my blood, the torture to make me comply. I wonder how many veterans promised medical care you cut to pieces before you figured out how to keep even the ones without a surprise alien ancestor alive long enough to be turned into weapons?"
"You made me, and I play by the rules you and Uncle Sam trained me to follow. And you gave up government backing, you arrogant idiots. The Supers, the terrified refugees, the second, third generation aliens, the humans who don't even know they have alien genes back there, they don't want your war. But I do. And I accept."
Chapter 45Notes:I was bored, decided to update early.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter TextDaisy was coming in fast as she came flying straight for Kara's balcony. She barely slowed as she hit the ground walking. Ripping her goggles and face mask off she tossed them somewhere, as she zeroed in on Kara. She didn't care about the faint rattle of the apartment.
"Daisy!" Kara dropped the plate she'd been holding onto the counter, turning for her. Probably meaning to say more.
She didn't pause, nearly colliding with Kara. Her hands caught Kara's face as she kissed her, desperate to feel Kara safe. Daisy backed Kara into the counter. Kara was alive, she was safe. The familiar vibration of her denser body was soothing to feel against her. It'd been so close. Too close. Three steps from death.
Kara's arms wrapped around her shoulders, fingers pressing against the thick kevlar hard enough that Daisy could feel it.
Humming in approval, Daisy's mouth trailed to Kara's neck, one of her hands fell to Kara's hip, keeping them pressed flush together by keeping Kara pinned to the counter while also pulling Kara into her. The fingers of Daisy's hand slid into Kara's golden hair, curling into the tresses. The beat of Kara's heart against her lips and tongue as Daisy did her best to give the Kryptonian hickies. She didn't even care there wouldn't be evidence, the sensation of Kara against her was all that mattered.
Kara's fingers dug into Daisy's shoulders nearly to the point of pain. And Kara started making these soft, breathy whimpers.
Daisy mouthed down Kara's neck, her teeth scraping against Kara's pulse as she made her way to the collar of Kara's shirt. She squeezed her eyes more tightly shut, pressing her forehead against Kara's sternum. Daisy breathed deeply. Kara was safe. She was here. Daisy's hand dropped from Kara's hair to settle on Kara's other hip.
Kara panted, seeming to take a minute. But then her arms moved, to more hugging Daisy than clinging to her. The frantic energy between them fading, both their heartbeats slowing. Kara made an alien sound. It sounded kind of like an owl and some kind of songbird mushed together into a single call along with a hum. The sound and the feeling of Kara's hand against her back was soothing.
"Thank you, for saving Kal and I." Kara's voice was warm.
Daisy sighed, just leaning into Kara, not pushing into her any longer. "Did I make things hard for you at the DEO?"
"No, Lucy and J'onn were still fighting in her office when I left. You should probably not step foot in the DEO for a while, though." Kara's fingers were careful as she pulled out the bobby pins holding Daisy's wig on. She set the last pin on the counter, before pulling the wig off of her head.
Daisy pulled back but not far, Kara's hold on her discouraging the attempt. "You got enough solar radiation to be healed? All the way?"
Kara's face was unbearably soft. "I've been back at a hundred percent since twenty minutes after the bridge." She reached out cupping Daisy's cheek before leaning in, pressing their foreheads together. "I'll sit in the sun tomorrow if it makes you feel better."
She sighed, partly in relief and partly out of frustration. "What makes me feel better isn't what's important." The comfort of the warmth of Kara's vibrations was unfair. "How long have they kept kryptonite in the same room as the one they have set up to help you?"
"Since the beginning of being Supergirl, probably." Kara breathed out shakily. "It's wrong, I know it's wrong. The Kryptonian in there, it's not right. But the DEO does good, it protects people."
Daisy stepped back, for real this time. But she nodded, she understood what Kara was saying. "Ok, you're right." She hated how much shit the DEO did that was wrong. "If coma dude disappears, tell me, I'll find him. Without tearing down the entire organization for plans A through Y."
Kara looked tired at that, "Yes, well…I should have told you what they were doing as soon as I realized."
"I get it, I tend to just…handle problems." Daisy's eyes flicked down.
"No, it's a good thing." Kara touched her hand. "Kal and I could have died if you hadn't come when you did."
She stared at her girlfriend, a sharp fierceness burning in her chest. Because she couldn't lose anyone else. "I'll always come."
////
Lucy's temples were throbbing. "When I agreed to you still running Supergirl, I wasn't expecting you to make Superman so angry he'd return to Metropolis after saying working with us in the slightest had been a mistake. Or Supergirl staring at everyone with wounded puppy eyes of betrayal. Or somehow, even worse, pissing off Quake to the point she nearly took down the entire building and every agent inside." She hadn't thought it was possible to piss off both Supers that thoroughly without a name beginning with 'Lane' or 'Luthor'.
"I will not regret my position on kryptonite, Ma'am." J'onn stood unflinchingly before her desk. Her desk that had been his not that long ago. Which made this whole thing unbearably awkward.
"Why? Kryptonite has proven useful to the DEO twice from what I can tell. Twice in over two decades for two minor victories that possibly did more harm than good. I fail to see why that is worth the risk and cost." Lucy laid her hands flat against the top of the desk. "A cost we can't afford to keep paying. Which is why I specifically did not authorize its use on our unconscious guest."
J'onn's tone changed, a clippedness to his words. "Because Mars is a crypt. Because angry gods burned our young and we were helpless to stop them. Because I will not be unprepared again. Hate me if you want."
Well, shit.
Lucy leaned back enough that her back touched the back of the chair. She stared at him, because how was she supposed to give him orders? Breathing out through her nose, she attempted to address that. "Earth isn't Mars. And allies are more important than weapons so specific they only affect a single species. Kryptonite is not a nuclear arsenal, and we have more threats a Super is useful against than we have threats kryptonite is useful against. By the numbers, your decisions with it make us vulnerable."
J'onn didn't twitch, it was reassuring as a trait when he was in charge. As a subordinate, it was the opposite. "You're going to give our kryptonite to Superman then."
"No, I'm going to let Superman steal it. Or Quake, I don't care which. You are going to go make nice with Superman and convince him your decisions were born out of caution not malice." And Lucy was going to go report to the president and pray nobody was stupid enough to try and nuke Quake. Hopefully metaphorically not literally. Not that either was advisable.
"And when Kryptonians attack us again?" J'onn asked, voice heavy with the weight of his concern.
She stared at him, "Then we'll have two Kryptonians, a Martian, whatever Quake is, and threats showing us new ways to harm a Kryptonian every month in this city. After all the possession of kryptonite didn't stop Myriad and it didn't stop Zod. So don't tell me it'd be of any more use if there is a next time."
He gave a nod, rising to his feet. "Very well, Ma'am."
Lucy watched him leave the office. She was going to have to put someone else in charge of running Supergirl. Alex? If she removed Alex from J'onn's direct line of authority and made her Supergirl's formal handler and put J'onn and Alex under Assistant Director Hall here in the city? She had multiple bases to inspect, audits to run, and Cadmus to worry about, not to mention her father and Alien Amnesty. It was…invigorating.
This? This was making a difference. Once she'd finished turning all the puzzle pieces right side up and could start putting them together. In the meantime…Vasquez could run the desert base in the short term. She glanced through the window into the control center. First, before anything else, she had a job for Winn. Just getting rid of the kryptonite wasn't going to stop kryptonite being a massive threat.
////
Kara woke with her nose against the back of Daisy's neck, her arms wrapped around and holding Daisy's back to her front, and an intense feeling of rightness. She tightened her hold of her mate ever so lightly, enjoying the warmth and security of it. It'd felt a bit like a deep sigh of relief when Daisy hadn't even seemed to think of suggesting she go back to her place for the night.
Breathing in, her eyes stayed closed. She liked how Daisy smelled, there was something nice about how Daisy always smelled like clean soap, and a faint burn of gunpowder and metal scent that never quite left her. But under that, there was just something…not quite human about her. Something kinda of lemony. Like Pine Sol, but nicer. It was distinct and comforting.
And every insecurity about Daisy felt stupid like this. Daisy was lying to everyone, to fight a war for her. Sure, Daisy never would have just accepted Cadmus's existence. But Kara wasn't stupid. Daisy was doing it here, now, and like this for her. Daisy who'd been willing to fight the entire DEO for being a threat to Kara. Who'd had a nearly frantic buzz to her in worry at Kara being harmed. Kara felt ridiculous for doubting how deeply Daisy cared. For feeling the faintest insecurity.
She should get the coffee ready, Daisy liked coffee first thing. With a faint huff, she pulled back, to climb out of bed. Daisy shifted, a soft buzz of vibrations passing through her, and then Daisy just curled deeper into the pillow.
Kara couldn't help smiling. She might not know everything there was to know about Daisy's powers. But it made her feel all floaty to know Daisy, even half asleep, could identify her that way before going straight back to sleep. It was unbearably sweet. And it was new. Daisy when she'd been on the couch had always been awake within seconds of Kara waking up, if not already awake.
She padded into the kitchen. Turning on the coffee pot she picked up her phone and quickly clicked to the Catco website. And then started scrolling through comments. She felt the weight of it as she read. As she moved to the next news site, and the next, and the next. Cadmus, Daisy's statement, the Kryptonian in the DEO under the sick green light of kryptonite, and a dozen other smaller and larger things.
The comments on every article she found were a hive of arguments and debate. And if she quietly saved the photos of Daisy lifting her and flying off with her, they made her chest feel warm and fuzzy. Which was needed reading internet comments. Even if the comments were…weirdly less hostile about aliens than expected?
"Morning," Daisy was nearly soundless as she slipped into the kitchen.
Kara might have missed Daisy waking up and climbing out of bed, but she wouldn't have missed Daisy pulling out coffee mugs. She looked up, and it kind of struck her, just how many scars Daisy had. "You really meant it, when you said you accepted Cadmus's declaration of war. Didn't you?"
Daisy tilted her head. "Yeah, if we want Cadmus to die, really die, we have a month, maybe, to act. Past that, it'll be whack a mole for decades."
Kara nodded, "Alright, what do you need me to do?"
"Do? Kara, you don't have to do anything. I can handle it." Daisy opened up the the fridge. "Kind of my specialty."
Kara touched Daisy's arm, stopping her from continuing. "You are not fighting a war for me by yourself." She held her girlfriend's eyes. "What do you need me to do?"
Daisy's face did something...surprised. But she nodded. "Ok, but first, do you want to make bacon?"
"You're just asking me because the oil splatter doesn't hurt me?" Kara let go of Daisy's arm and moved to get a pan out.
"I mean you have alien skin of heat resistance. And bacon splatter is weird and I have yet to figure out how to stop it." Daisy had a smile in her voice as she dropped the huge package of Costco bacon on the counter. "Eggs and pancakes with it?"
Kara leaned over pressing a kiss to Daisy's cheek, beaming at the sight of the pleased softness on Daisy's face. "That sounds great!"
Daisy bumped their shoulders together. "Can I just say, we eat possibly too many pancakes."
"No such thing." Kara was grinning, she loved weekends when there was time to just have a slow morning with Daisy. To get to make something nicer than just granola or quick eggs or something before heading to work. "We can put so much syrup on them!" She floated up pulling the pancake mix from the top shelf in the cabinet.
"Your world has the best food." Daisy hummed as she pulled more things from the fridge. "Or maybe I'm just eating good food now? I'm planning on never eating another protein bar if I can help it."
Kara's heart felt too large in her chest at Daisy referring, even obliquely, about never leaving. "I've never eaten so little takeout."
"Your taco trucks are amazing here. Solid taco trucks are special." Daisy hummed as she started mixing pancake batter. She looked over at Kara as she dumped bacon into the pan. "You don't have to do anything except be Supergirl like you really don't."
She felt her shoulders rolling back as her stance changed to something more Supergirl than Kara Danvers. "I want to. Or not want, but I'm with you. Together."
Daisy's lips turned up slightly, "Ok." She pointed her spoon at her. "Cadmus made a mistake making that public announcement. They're not big enough to make that an easy sell. Terrorist organizations need a big success to launch themselves when they want to start out big. Without the US government support, out in the open, and as small as they are? They're vulnerable. We make them look weak, and we drag their dirty laundry out and we nail them to the wall with their crimes. We can cut them off at the knees before they get going."
"Why would that stop them? They have weapons and money, labs?" Kara's brow furrowed as she turned on the burner for bacon.
"Because they want scared, angry, people to support them. They want people who want power to be drawn to them. Scared, angry people are just desperate for a group to get under. We murder their image and the random scared bigots won't flock to them. If Cadmus doesn't get any public support, not just that, we make the public revile them, and we make them look pathetic and weak, they won't get their hooks in."
"And then you'll kill them." Kara knew she was half daring Daisy to lie to her about it.
Daisy gave a slight tip of her head. "Yeah, and then I kill them."
Kara reached out taking Daisy's free hand. "How can I help?"
"How well can you lie? If we prep you before hand?" Daisy was looking at her measuring. "Because you tried to lie to me when we first met, it was kind of a nightmare."
"That's not fair…fine, I'm terrible at it." Kara admitted.
Daisy just nodded. "Well then, how do you feel about picking up garbage out of the bay?"
"Fine? Why would that help?" Kara asked.
"Because we need a point of contrast, the scarier and less 'super' we make me look, the better you're going to look. And, honestly, your ability to fly is going to be, really useful."
Kara leaned forward and kissed Daisy soundly, before pulling back. "What are we doing about the media?"
Daisy's grin turned sharp and dangerous, but her eyes were bright. "We're chumming the media waters."
"We're still going to have time to plant trees with L-corp tomorrow, right?" Kara checked, "Because that sounds all very time intensive and like urgent."
Daisy just laughed. "And you're helping put up the cat stuff while I hack." She glanced at her phone, her lips curling upwards. "I'm going to be calling some very worried baby aliens after we eat though."
Kara smiled at the reminder of Bucky who they were picking up from the vet this coming week, and the way returning the kids to their families hadn't stopped them from texting Daisy constantly. It was unbearably sweet. "Of course!" She fell more serious. "How do we chum the waters, exactly?"
////
Winn Schott was being careful as he worked on his project for Lucy. The electric current sparked from a clamp not tight enough. He held out a hand absently to the rest of the lab. "Uh, screwdriver?"
The tool was slapped into his hand.
"Ow! Watch it." He looked away from his work to where Alex was stalking the lab like an unhappy predator. "I know you think I'm just a pretty face here, but these hands are the real money-makers here, ok?" He carefully went back to his work, the mechanics were delicate.
Alex's voice was begrudging. "Sorry. I was thinking about something else."
"Yeah, well, until I finish with the Kryptonian-saving body armor, just think with less stabbing. Not sure why we need this done since Quake made the bad kryptonite man go splat. But Superman might get one of these!"
Alex scoffed, "Here we are, once again doing everything we can to help Kara, to keep her safe despite her surrounding herself with threats." Alex leaned against the table next to him, the frustration oozing from her. "Do you know the last time I went on a date?" She didn't pause long enough for him to reply. "Two years ago. You date more often than I do."
"Rude." He walked to grab more parts as she sighed out in exasperation. "You ever spent time inside a foster home?"
"No." She was just humoring him at the moment.
He sorted through tools. "Yeah. Well, I have, after my father went to prison. And I gotta say, it is nothing but being told how grateful you should be that someone is taking care of you." He turned facing where she was leaning against the lab table and walked back over. "Dude, that's not family. Family is not about scorekeeping or who did more. It's just about showing up." he reached out patting her shoulder. "So just chill with the attitude, okay? I'm having a hard enough time getting this ready with all the trace kryptonite in the air."
Alex's tone changed. "What did you just say?"
"It's like a subatomic locker room in here." He complained as he worked.
"Kryptonite leaves a residue?"
"Yeah, just like any other radioactive substance." He absently replied, she probably already knew that.
Alex's voice was back to mission ready figuring things out Alex. "So if we wanted to find out which DEO agent stole kryptonite, helping Cadmus, maybe even helped experiment on my dad…" Her tone was leading.
Winn pulled off his safety goggles as he realized this was way more important than the kryptonite blockers he was working on. He loved getting into trouble with his friends. "Hey, why don't we get silly, and take a Geiger counter to the actual locker room?"
Winn followed behind Alex as she marched into the locker rooms with confidence Winn was never going to have in just his pinkie.
She was laser-focused. "What am I looking for?" Alex was waving the Geiger counter
"You're listening." He nearly tripped over himself keeping up with her, wondering what on earth they were going to say if someone found them poking into lockers. "It should beep."
He barely got the words out before the Geiger counter went off.
Alex was like a bloodhound she had them to the source of the beeping so fast. Her eyes snapped to the nametag on the front of the locker. "McGill."
Winn swallowed. "Was he on the kryptonite transport team?"
"No." Alex's eyes had narrowed. "There's no reason he should have gone near it. He's a mole."
His eyes flicked to the door into the locker room and then back to Alex. "What are you gonna do?"
Alex handed him the Geiger counter while pulling out her cell phone. "We're going to see if she keeps showing up."
Notes:Ok, thing in superhero fandom that annoys me and I've been seeing a lot of takes on, about Superheros creating their villains and like...90% of the time the example people are talking about is bullshit? Like actual creation of a villain, Ultron, was literally created by Tony/Bruce.
But Batman doesn't create Joker. Joker in a world without Batman would not be a normal 9-5 office worker. The clown schtick and general theatrics he goes about are in response to Batman. He'd probably have been having beef with some gang, or maybe been doing his version of the Zodiac Killer or something if Batman wasn't in the picture. But he is a sadistic serial killer who wants attention. He didn't turn to crime because Batman burned his home down leaving him with no choice but to afford to eat.
Superman doesn't create Lex Luthor. Lex would just be Elon Musk if Musk actually was smart, and like, invented things instead of just paying for the rights to say he invented them. His politics, exploitation, etc would totally have still been happening. Hell, he'd still want to be president and probably try and become elected dictator. Lex running around in a mech suit killing people is what his jealousy of Superman inspires. But like, he was a shitty person who was always going to do damage to the world. And blaming Superman for being too good, so a narcissist got jealous and devoted their life to killing him, is...unhinged? like 'bad people might be jealous, so let people burn to death in fires', unhinged. It's 'girl wore a low-cut shirt so she deserved it' logic. Or 'man picks up garbage off the beach, so he's responsible for the asshole who decides to dump trash on the beach' logic.
Especially with Gotham, like, the villains just started wearing costumes because of Batman, they didn't start doing crime because of him. The crime already happening is what created Batman. And it annoys me when people constantly inverse that, all the time. It reminds me of Overly Sarcastic Productions video on heroes in empty worlds. And how so many movies because they're uninterested in non flashy fight scenes, accidentally frame the heroes as causing their enemies. instead of a world needing heroes being why heroes happen.
Firefighters become firefighters because there are fires. They are not responsible for the actions of arsonists. Even if the arsonists decide to dress up as firefighters because they want to make the news. And they're not morally obliged to use their fire axes to go decapitate arsonists. Even if they know who the arsonists are.