3rd Person POV
"And, go!" Kara says, starting her timer for the game of the night. Kelly and Alex were killing it as a team, getting every single answer right. Everyone was laughing. Willow would sneak a peek over to Marvin (who was sitting at the table sipping a glass of wine and watching) to see him smiling and chuckling every now and then
"Cheating. This is cheating." J'onn says
"Time. Time." Kara calls as the stop watch beeps. "And they win again."
"If I didn't know better, I'd say you guys were psychic." J'onn says
"Well, we are starting to finish each other's..." Kelly starts
"Sandwiches." Alex finishes with a laugh
"Well, whatever it is, living together certainly suits you." J'onn says
"Aw, thanks. We think so, too." Kelly says
"All right. J'onn, Nia, you're up." Alex says
Nia sits up, her face looking exhausted. "You okay?" Kara asks, noticing the same thing that Willow had seen
"Yeah." Nia answers. "It's just, um, with Brainy taking Zor-El back to Argo, I guess I haven't been sleeping that well."
"Well, maybe Lena could team up with me when she gets here." J'onn suggests
"No, she's still back east, looking for information about her birth mother. I really hope whatever she finds brings her some peace." Kara says
"She's really had a rough go with the Luthor side of the family." Alex says
"That is putting it mildly." J'onn says. "So, Kelly, how's the social work job going?"
"Oh, I love it. But it can be pretty intense." Kelly answers. "I actually have a new case tomorrow, with a 10-year-old alien orphan with EMP powers. His only family is a brother in prison."
"That is heartbreaking." Kara says
"Well, if anybody can help him, it's you, babe, because empathy is your superpower." Alex tells Kelly
"Aw, that's really cute." Kelly says with a smile
"Can you two please be just a little more adorkable?" Nia asks
"All right. Come on, Nia." J'onn says. "Let's show these crazy kids how to do it."
***
"What do the Super Friends do for fun?" Andrea poses the question to William, Kara, Willow, and Nia in CatCo. "I mean, do they even have fun? I want you four to find out."
"Andrea, it's not like there's a Super Friends hotline we can call." William says
"Well, then do whatever you have to." Andrea says. "Stalk them. Project a big S in the night sky. Jump off a bridge, so one of them has to catch you. Then interview them on your way down. I don't care how you do it, just do it."
"I... I can't speak for Supergirl, but I'm sure she's too busy saving people with real emergencies to do a celebrity puff piece." Kara says
"And I heard that they don't even like giving interviews." Nia says
"Well, are you forgetting our exclusive with Dreamer?" Andrea points out. "And how about your tete-a-tete with Supergirl during my press tour for Obsidian Platinum, hmm?" She asks William
"I had assured her that our conversations were off the record." William answers
"Well, then get her on the record." Andrea says. "Every time we have a Super Friend interview, CatCo Media tracker skyrockets. We're at number three. We need to be number one." Nia's head hangs. "Did she fall asleep?" Andrea asks
Willow quickly nudges Nia with her elbow. "Andrea, I am so sorry." Nia says
"Sleep on your own time, not mine." Andrea says. "Go home. You're taking a mental health day." Nia leaves the room. "Now, you three, you have 24 hours to get me an interview with a Super Friend. Ideally, Supergirl. Fail and you'll find yourself writing classified ads and obits." The three turn to leave. "Uh-uh, my photographer, stay in the room."
Willow turns back around as William and Kara leave the room. Andrea stares at Willow. "Yes?" Willow questions
"You've been out on medical leave a long time." Andrea says, crossing her arms
"Yes, I have." Willow agrees
"Care to share why?" Andrea asks
"Not really." Willow says. "With all due respect, it's not your business. I was on medical leave and I was cleared by my doctor last week to come back. I'm here and I'm doing my job."
"You're right. You are doing your job." Andrea says. "But I have not gotten a worthy picture in a long time from you. So, you're on probation until you can get me a worthy picture of Supergirl. You have 24 hours like the others. But, if you fail, you will be fired. Understand?"
"Understood." Willow nods before leaving the room
***
"According to the manifest, that truck was carrying over 5000 pounds of ammonium nitrate." J'onn says as Willow and Marvin walk into the hero base
"That much explosive could level a 50-story building." Kara says
"Well, we can use the residue that we found to track the Obscuran energy signature, and hopefully, the bombmakers." Alex says. Kelly walks into the room. "Hey. Are you okay?"
"The alien orphan Joey that I was telling you about?" Kelly says. "I'm worried. The poor kid's been acting out because he believes his brother is overusing his EMP powers at his work-release program at the Van Kull Prison."
"You mean the Second Chances program?" Kara asks. "I did an article on that when it first started."
"That's why I'm here." Kelly says. "Joey says that if his brother Orlando uses his powers too much, he could die."
"When I interviewed the warden, the program seemed amazing." Kara says. "They contracted with a clothing manufacturer to give jobs to incarcerated workers. From what I saw, they were treated really well."
"So, if Orlando's making clothing, then why would he need to use his EMP powers?" Alex asks. "Is it because he's being forced to? Or maybe he's using them for some self-serving purpose?"
"Either way, something bad is happening to Orlando, and it's affecting Joey." Kelly says. "I need to find out. Can you help me get in to talk to the warden?" She asks Kara
"Yeah, of course." Kara says. "Can you guys handle the truck robberies?" She asks J'onn, Willow, Marvin, and Alex
"Sure. If we discover something, we'll call." J'onn says
"Wait, Kara." Willow calls, catching up to Kara and Kelly as the two walk out of the room. "I need a picture of Supergirl today."
"Can it wait?" Kara asks
"Um...yea." Willow says, looking down at her watch. 18 more hours. "Yea, it can wait."
***
"J'onn?" Supergirl asks as J'onn lands on the ground of the warehouse area. "Greene?" She questions, seeing Willow as well
"I tracked the Obscuran energy signature to this spot. Chances are the Metalomite is there, too." J'onn says
"And a Toradine and a Dynamorph. That van just pulled those incarcerated aliens from a work-release site." Supergirl says. "One of them is the brother of the orphan Kelly was telling us about."
"Why would they be here?" J'onn says
Supergirl uses her super hearing to listen in on the conversation. "They're being forced to steal against their will."
The group of three watch as the incarcerated aliens blast open the back of a truck
"They're building a dirty nuke." J'onn realizes
And suddenly, Supergirl makes a move. The others run away, leaving Orlando to fight off Supergirl, J'onn, and Willow. Orland knocks the three off their feet in one swift move and then runs with the other incarcerated aliens
***
"The whereabouts of the five alien workers are unknown at this time but we believe that whil they were making their escape, they kidnapped Van Kull officer Larry Chapman." A news reporter says
"That officer held them at gunpoint." Kara says, turning the TV off
"We need to find them." Kelly says
"Well, it's obvious someone who's infiltrated the prison program is using Orlando and the other workers for their alien powers." Alex says
"Exactly." J'onn agrees. "So, we have a Metalomite who can warp metal, a Toradine who creates force fields, an Obscuran who has cloaking abilities, and a Dynamorph who can unleash energy blasts."
"And Orlando is a Zeltarian who can produce EMPs." Kara adds
"I promised Joey I'd help, and all I did was put his brother in danger." Kelly says
"They were threatened. I should have been able to save them." Kara says
"The only people to blame are those behind all this." J'onn says
"Well, whoever they are, if they're dead set on getting their hands on a dirty bomb, then they're bound to target other sources of uranium." Alex says
"Well, we can't let that happen, or they'd have enough material to make 20 bombs." Kara says
"Contaminate the whole city." J'onn says. "We can start by following all five alien energy signatures." J'onn says
"Right now, there's no trace of them." Alex says. "They must be shielded somehow. I don't know, I'll look for ways around it."
"While you do that, I'm gonna head back to the prison. Warden Kote needs to know the truth." Kara says before leaving the room
***
"What are you working on?" William asks Kara as she works at her desk in CatCo
"I'm trying to find out as much as I can about Warden Kote at Van Kull Prison." Kara says. "Your friend doesn't still work for the CIA, do they?"
"Yeah. Why?" William asks. "You're looking for a deep dive on the warden?"
"Would you mind asking?" Kara asks
"Sure. Happy to help." William says
"Oh, good. Then help me understand this." Andrea says. "I gave you two an assignment. Get me an interview with one of the Super Friends. Now, two of them were at the same place at the same time, and where were you? Not there."
"Andrea, we can actually..." William says
"No, no, no. I don't want to hear your excuses." Andrea says. "Not only did you miss a golden
opportunity to get me what I want, but CatCo was scooped by every other news outlet. I can't bring myself to look at our media tracker ratings after this."
"Who cares about the ratings?" Kara grumbles
"What?" Andrea questions
"I, uh... You keep saying you want CatCo to be the most trusted source of news in National City." Kara says
"Yes. Of course I do." Andrea says. "Our readers need hard-hitting and truthful reporting now more than ever."
"Then let us do our job, instead of making us chase the Super Friends around." Kara says. "They aren't the story."
"For any of us to do our jobs, CatCo needs eyeballs, and the Super Friends can get them for us." Andrea says. "The more we have, the better our ratings, the better our bottom line. And that's the reality. I suggest you remember that. Now, back to work." She turns to walk away. But then, she turns back, looking at her watch. "Oh, and if you see Willow Greene, let her know she just hit the 10 hour mark. She has 14 more hours to get me a photo of Supergirl or she's fired." And with that, she walks away
***
Later at night...Supergirl and J'onn are saving the incarcerated aliens from the gang when Willow drops onto the scene to help
Willow, J'onn, and Supergirl are thrown backwards
"You need a picture so you don't get fired." Supergirl tells Willow from the ground
"Is now really the time?" Willow questions with a groan, standing up and grabbing her ribs. J'onn and Supergirl stand up as well, facing the incarcerated aliens
"Please, we just want to help." Supergirl tells the incarcerated aliens
"Like we haven't heard that before." Orlando says. "You want to take us back...to explain, to make it all okay? You don't get it. The system doesn't care. It never has. And it never will."
"You're right. I don't know what will happen." Supergirl tells him. "But I do know that if you decide to go on the run....that system will never stop hunting you. You will never know a moment's peace, and neither will Joey."
"What do you know about my brother?" Orlando asks
"That you have shared hardships, that you love and need each other." Supergirl says
"I begged Social Services for help...but they didn't listen." Orlando says. "And who's gonna rent a place to a guy making minimum wage? So, I tried to rob a store. When you're desperate, you'll do anything. In prison, I believed what they said... that the work-release program would be the answer to Joey and me being together again. It turned out to be another lie. Face it, okay? No one wants to help people like me. People like them."
"I'm an alien on this planet, too." Supergirl tells him. "I've seen how hard life can be for the people that the system isn't designed for, how that system can fail those less fortunate. But I promise you, if you come with me, I will do everything in my power to make sure your voices are heard. Please."
"Please...don't let us down." Orlando whispers
"I won't." Supergirl promises
***
"Tonight Van Kull Prison Warden Wyatt Kote and others were arrested in connection with an alleged plot to use aliens in the prison's work-release program to commit crimes for the notorious Intergang Mob syndicate." William says with Supergirl in front of the CatCo media program. As the two talk, Willow looks through the photos she got during the fight
***
"Now, that's the kind of reporting I'd like to see." Andrea says. "Great job, William. Kara, you should take a page out of William's book. Willow Greene, I looked over your photos...and they're fabulous like always, Congratulations, you have earned your title as CatCo Media Photographer." She says and Willow smiles, looking over at Kara who smiles back and gives her a thumbs up