Chapter Text
9:30pm, Downtown Area
A lanky redhead dressed in black tactical garb stares long and hard at the menacing thousand window-like eyes skyscraper, before nodding her head in resignation and heads inside the front doors. The lobby is classy and has all the corporate taste for opulent items without the slightest touch of personality. The floor was tiled in fine marble which made her boots echo as she walks up to the front reception desk manned by a lone security detail. Her hand slides into her pants pocket for her badge as her finger brushes against the hidden cache behind the screen id, before bringing it up to flash for the guard.
“FBI. I’m here to talk to Miss Lena Luthor,” she states.
The guard smiles like a photo, his watchful eyes remaining still while he takes down her details and checks her identification. He motions her towards the security screening and the agent nods. He picks up a phone and dials a number, speaking in low tones while she goes through the usual motions.
He escorts the redhead to the elevator and she steps inside the most pristine elevator. It had white marble walls, a blue carpet, a silver handrail, and no buttons. The guard briefly ducks in with one hand preventing the doors from closing while he flicks open a hidden cache and presses his thumb onto a small sensor. She hears a soft chime and the guard leaves her with a brisk nod. The doors slide shut and the elevator rises to the top floor without stopping.
Once the doors slides open silently, she steps out, noting the front desk is unmanned and in front of her lies the open door to Luthor’s lair. Alex squares her shoulders as her hand brushes the handle of the gun sitting snugly in its holster and walks inside. Her office layout is not what she expected from what she has observed from the lobby area. While it maintains the minimalistic approach, Luthor did, however, have an elegant, geometrical taste. She notices the white couch first, the plush carpet surrounding the area with a low glass coffee table. The walls are painted in neutral soft hues and her office desk is shaped in a very modernized version of an art display.
“Agent Danvers, I see you’ve received my message,” Luthor greets as she stands and head towards the side counter. “Would you like a drink?”
She nods and takes the glass of amber liquid swirling as her brain runs endless calculated probabilities. Supergirl’s disappearance has put her on edge and with the addition of Detective Sawyer’s comment, Alex has cemented on an obvious conclusion but there isn't any conclusive evidence that links Lena Luthor to Cadmus.
Yet.
Her back stays ramrod straight against the proffered chair back rest. Alex takes an uncomfortable sip. Her brain replays the incident continuously like a broken tape recorder. She had wanted to surprise her sister but she certainly wasn’t expecting to be the one surprised. By a sleeping Luthor. It gave way to panic and then her brain had jumped to pure instinctive mode.
“Sorry for the gun stunt. It was uncalled for,” Alex affixes Luthor with a look. “You surprised me, Luthor.” She breathes inwardly a sigh of relief when the memory slowly fades away.
There is a moment of tension hanging between them before Luthor presses a button and Alex turns to watch the large oak doors hiss and swing shut, leaving her with Luthor. Her hand instinctively goes for her holstered weapon. The corner of her cherry red lips tilt upward with silent mirth. “Apology accepted. Shall we move on to a more pressing issue? Now that we both acknowledged the fact that Kara Danvers and Supergirl are one and the same person.”
Luthor produces a small black thumb drive and places it between them. Alex looks at it dubiously. “What is this?”
“I think I might have a lead. One of the old warehouses, which were previously owned by Luthor Corp, did a recent inventory check and perfunctory inspection. The reports mentioned a missing case of vials.”
Alex waits with bated breath as Luthor pauses before continuing, “It was liquidized kryptonite but the chemical components have been broken down to its basic level and diluted with another stabilizing agent. I haven’t pinpoint its molecular structure but it seems similar to glucose…”
Luthor carries on, oblivious to Alex’s glazed look staring at the night view of glinting skyscrapers and the colorful twinkling lights illuminating the bridge and highways. She pulls the incident back from the recesses of her mind into the forefront. After Luthor had hurriedly left, there was a covered innocent-looking plain pink box sitting on the table. Kara woke up with a hangover which was normal. She was a lightweight; she never built up her tolerance for alcohol like she had, with years of drinking and partying during her schooling years. Kara woke up disoriented and scatterbrained, typical symptoms from a normal hangover. It was Sawyer’s comment that had her spooked.
Kara never lost control - okay, she did when she first crash-landed - but the way Sawyer offhandedly mentioned Supergirl had punched a little too hard and scared a criminal that he’d rather be arrested was something else. Her brain replays the morning again and then she remembers Kara’s greedy fingers reach in and pull-
Her back snaps from its slouched state and the agent suddenly sits with her back ramrod straight. “It’s the canoles.”
Luthor blinks at the sudden interruption and stares at her in confusion. Alex hurries to explain, “T-There was a box of them sitting on the table when I walked in. I had assumed you’d left them for her.”
“No… I picked her straight from the alien bar and we headed to her apartment. Is it still at her place?”
Alex stands immediately and grabs the thumb drive. “Yeah, they should be there.”
Luthor nods and follows suit. “I’m coming with you. Just let me grab my kit and then we’ll go.”
“Uh no, you’re not. This is FBI business but thank you for this,” Alex retorts, holding the thumb drive. She does, however, softens her tone. “I know you want to help. If we find anything, you’ll be the first to know.”
She turns to leave when she hears the steady clicking of Luthor’s heels right behind her heel. The large oak doors swing open soundlessly while Luthor catches up and fixes Alex an appraised look.
“I won’t take a no as an answer, FBI or not, Agent Danvers. Kara Danvers is my only friend and if she’s in trouble and exposed to kryptonite synthesized by either my brother or one of his fanatics. You will need my assistance.”
Alex puts up a hand. “I wish I could but protocol states-”
“Screw your protocols, Danvers. Kara doesn’t have much time. The components used are incompatible and highly unstable.”
Agent Danvers doesn't bother maintaining civility. She kicks down Kara Danvers' door while Lena heads straight for the bright pink pastel box. Pulling her kit out of her purse, she tests them immediately. The screen of her tablet flashes green with sick confirmation. "I'll need to analyze the component further in my lab for an antidote."
"You do that. I'll get my guys on top of this," Danvers snap back to action, already texting orders from her mobile.