PSA: I know people have opinions about guns. I know people like them, and people don't like them. But let me make one thing clear, I do not CARE about your opinion if you are to comment something about '2nd Amendment Rights'. I. Do. Not. Care. This is a fanfiction, not your Facebook wall. Keep your opinion for someone who actually cares. And if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. I am not looking for a political war in my comment section over the episode you are about to read. I saw someone once comment at the very beginning of this book that they didn't really like season 3 of Supergirl because it was too 'political'. If you don't like it, then don't read my book. Trust me, I will be perfectly fine. So now, I hope you can enjoy the episode.
— e
tw: gun violence / misuse of guns
❦
Back on Earth, it was the day after Kara, Barry, Mon-El, and Iris left for Argo, and National City was quiet. Boring quiet. Dully quiet. At least for now.
Guardian was pacing around a back alleyway, fumbling with a basketball, bored, when he spoke into his comms, "Nothing? There's nothing going on?"
"Nada. Not even a jaywalker."
"How did Supergirl do this on quiet nights?" Guardian asked.
"Yeah, she would stay home."
"Oh, yeah, right, the luxury of super hearing," Guardian muttered before he threw the basketball back, making the shot without looking while Winn chuckled on comms.
"Yeah, right? At least during the slow days, Iris would be here to entertain us. But I guess dealing with the slow days is just all a part of learning to do things without her."
"You think Iris is gonna stay with Kara?" Guardian asked.
"I don't know, man, I just...I got a feeling that we're gonna be seeing a lot less of her — well, let's call it a day, shall we?"
Guardian had froze where he was, when he heard officers yelling out in the distance, "Hold on, I thought I heard something."
"Uh-oh, there's a bank around the corner."
And just like that, Guardian ran off.
In the bank's parking garage, a man ran down the stairs, practically zooming past the cars, as a police officer ran down the stairs as well, chasing after him.
"Stop!"
The man was holding a bag next to him, keeping it close to him as he continued running through the garage and the officer pursuing after him, "I said stop right there!"
Suddenly, the man slowly turned around, facing the officer, but revealed that he didn't have a bag on him. But a gun. A rifle. He pointed the rifle at officer, who stared at it shocked.
Right before the trigger was pulled, releasing multiple shots of large bullets, Guardian came just in time, shoving the officer to the ground, which was behind a car. Guardian then held up his shield, right as the bullets began shooting at it, ricochetted off the shield. But the power an the force of the bullets were so large, it caused Guardian to be slowly pushed back while he still composed his balance.
The shooter paused for a moment, causing Guardian to flip over next to the officer to get to safety. The shooting started again, hitting the car windows of the car they were behind. But when the shooting stopped again, Guardian glanced over his shoulder, looking through the broken windows, he found the shooter was gone.
He sighed in relief before looking at the officer, "You okay?" He asked.
"Yeah," he muttered, "Thanks."
"Was that a canon? What kind of gun was that?"
The J'onzz Apartment
Meanwhile, Alex was sitting in the living room of the apartment, listening to calming and beautiful opera playing on the record, with J'onn and Myr'nn standing nearby, "Kara always hated the opera," Alex said and J'onn looked back at her, "But I'm sure that if she had heard Puccini, she would absolutely love it."
"Yeah, I miss her, too. And Barry and Iris," J'onn said, "Hey, you know, you should come with us to the opera next week. The complex rhythms and orchestrations of the music, I think really benefited my father's memory," he then looked back at his father, who had walked up next to him, "Isn't that right, Father?"
"I cannot go," he said.
"No, I was just telling Alex about your love of opera. She may come with us next week," J'onn told him.
"You should not make plans for me, J'onn. That is what I was speaking about when you asked about my mind," Myr'nn said but J'onn chuckled confused.
"Why not, Father?" J'onn asked, "You've been so lucid lately," he then looked back at Alex as Myr'nn stepped into the living room, "He's been better than he has been for weeks."
"The surge of clarity that comes right before the end," Myr'nn said before turning back to his son, "I've been wanting to tell you, my son. The time has come for us to perform The Reach."
J'onn looked terribly effected by this. He blinked a little before turning away as Alex stood up, "The Reach?" She questioned as Myr'nn looked at her again.
"An ancient rite on Mars. The elder generation passes down their memories, their knowledge, all the experiences of their life, before they pass," he explained.
"You are not passing anytime soon, Father," J'onn sternly said, turning back to face the two, "You are better."
"I am not," Myr'nn said, "And if we don't begin The Reach before the beginning of my end, all of my Mars memories will be lost forever."
"Alex, will you please tell my father he's nowhere near his end?" J'onn asked, walking up to the two, but Alex just eyed her boss nervously, not saying a word, "Alex, please tell him."
"J'onn, that's not my place to say. I mean, only your father knows," Alex said.
"And I do know," Myr'nn said, "The time we've spent together these past months have been the most joyous of my life. But all the memories we've preserved by doing the Ta'ar Ka'riq are at risk if we don't begin the process."
"We...We will preserve them, Father. Just...Just not yet," J'onn stammered before Alex's phone chimed.
She picked it up and saw it was important, "I...there's a situation at work. I'm sorry, um, I have to go," she said.
"I'll...I'll come with you," J'onn said and Alex nodded before she headed for the door, "We'll talk about this later."
"Do not forget what I've said, my son," Myr'nn said before he walked past J'onn, leaving him distraught.
The DEO
In the weaponry, Winn and James stood together, looking over Guardian's shield that had multiple dents in it from the bullets earlier that day, "It hurts me to see a masterpiece in ruins, man. It's like the Picassos that went down with the Titanic, you know?" Winn said as James eyed him oddly.
Then the door opened and in came J'onn, closing the door behind him, "I heard you went into a bank robbery, with some kind of concerning weaponry," he said as he approached the two behind a table, "Alien guns again?"
"I would say DEO weaponry. This one to be exact," James said before pointing down at a rifle on the table, an exact one that the shooter used.
J'onn looked at it before at James again, a confused expression on him, "A DEO assault rifle?" J'onn questioned, "What? No, that's impossible. After Agent Schott's mother raided this place, I had every weapon in here microchipped."
"Look, J'onn, I saw it, I felt it. It was yours," James said.
"Yeah, we even did a ballistics test out on the firing range," Winn said, picking up the shield, and heavily placing it on the table between James and J'onn.
"Yeah, we shot this weapon at that shield from the same distance," James said before Winn took a heavy breath from carrying the heavy shield.
J'onn examined the dents in the shield, unable to notice the two differences of the dents from the two different guns, "Which one was which?" He asked.
"Can't tell, can you?" James asked.
"Because the impact is identical," Winn said.
"That's just impossible," J'onn muttered, "We use proprietary technology, guns solely designed for our use."
"Somebody shot this weapon at me and a cop, and he got away. I just want to catch the guy because if he has this one, he might have ten more," James told him, "We are down one bulletproof superhero, and a speedster who can dodge bullets, so I suggest that we follow the only lead that we have at this point."
"Alright, Agent Schott, keep pushing with the ballistics, see if it was the gun that was used," J'onn told him and he nodded, "There's only one other place this gun might have come from. Let's go talk to the manufacturer," and he and James walked out of the room.
SPACE — Argo, Argo City
In the marketplace of the city, the four were walking together, holding white umbrellas to protect them from the light rain. They were all at peace of their surroundings, but when Barry looked at his wife, he found the most joyous smile, "Why are you smiling?" He asked and she looked at him.
"It just feels amazing to be normal," she sighed, "I'm actually relieved I can't fly. No one to save. Do you hear that undetectable sound in the distance?"
"Uh, no."
"Exactly."
Barry smiled at her before Val and his mother ran up to them, noticing that Mon-El and Iris were with the two, "Mon-El!" He called and the group stopped as Mon-El smiled at him.
"Oh, hey. How you feeling, buddy?" He asked, holding out his hand for him to high-five.
"Good," Val said, giving him a high-five.
"Yeah?" Mon then looked at Kara and Barry, who were smiling at the boy, "Kara, Barry, this is Val."
"Nice to meet you," Kara said with a smile and Val looked at her nervously, knowing who she was.
"Mon-El saved his life. Healed him with the device from his belt," the mother explained.
"It's a development from the future," Mon told the two.
"I can't thank you enough," the mother said and he nodded.
"Of course," he said before everyone heard a loud creaking noise.
Mon-El and Barry looked over to find a building nearby broke apart, crashing right by them, "Watch out!"
Mon-El grabbed Iris, pushing her, himself, and the mother and son out of the way as Barry grabbed Kara, speeding them out of the way. People around them panicked, running around scared, as Kara and Iris breathed heavily.
Across the way, the girls both spotted something, odd. A woman, in a dark cloth, stared them down, before creepily turning away.
After the events of the crash calmed down, Mon-El hid his goodbye to Val and his mother before he walked over to Iris, Kara, and Barry, who stood with Alura, "Well, they're gonna be alright," he said.
"I'm just grateful none of you were hurt," Alura said before Thara approached them.
"I'm so sorry," she said, "Usually, our construction sites are up to code, but it turns out, this one hadn't been inspected yet."
"So, you think it was an accident?" Iris asked as Mon-El eyed her curiously.
"Of course, why?" Thara asked, but Iris was nervous to say, "What do you think it was?"
"I...I don't know. Um...I saw someone after it fell running away," Iris said.
"Yeah, I saw that too," Kara added.
"It could've been anyone," Thara assured.
"It's just, in our life, nothing happens for no reason. There are no accidents," Kara said.
"That was on Earth," Alura said and Kara slightly frowned.
Mon-El continued to gaze at Iris's worried expression before looking at Thara, "Do you think you could look into it further?" He asked.
"Of course. We'll get right on it," Thara said.
"Thank you," Kara said and Thara smiled.
"I'll see you two later?" She asked, gesturing to Kara and Barry.
"Yes," Kara said.
"Of course," Barry said.
Thara nodded, walking off, but Kara frowned as soon as she walked away, "Are you sure you're alright?" Alura asked.
"Yeah. Yeah, we're fine," Kara assured and Alura nodded before she walked off.
After a moment, Kara looked at Barry, "Do you think I'm being paranoid?" She asked.
"If I've learned anything, it's that your instincts are usually spot on," Barry said and she just stared at him worryingly, "It's okay. We'll figure this out, if there is something. I got your back," and she smiled at him.
EARTH — America, National City
At his manufacturer's office, J'onn walked in with James, finding Mr. Preston standing behind his desk with a welcoming smile, "Mr. J'onzz, Mr. Olsen, thanks for waiting," he said, individually shaking their hands.
"Thank you for seeing us, Mr. Preston, we won't take up too much of your time. We just have a few questions," J'onn said.
"No problem," Preston said, "Contract with your division of the FBI is one of our most important."
"Have there been any missing shipments of weapons? Uh...anything from your factories?" J'onn asked.
"Absolutely not," Preston said.
"Well, the suspect, um, used a weapon identical to one of Director J'onzz's assault rifles and used it to shoot at a police officer," James told him.
"Is the officer alright?" Preston asked.
"He will be," James said.
"That's a relief," Preston sighed, "Well, as for theories, the criminal may have purchased one of our Heel-14 rifles and modified it with a bump stock."
"I'm sorry, a Heel-14?" J'onn questioned.
"We designed a civilian version of the assault rifle we produced for you," Preston said and both J'onn and James stared at him concerned, "Not to worry, it's perfectly legal and in line with our contract. It's a hunting rifle."
"That is not a hunting rifle," J'onn sternly said, almost yelling, "Someone used a weapon we designed and used it against a police officer."
"And that is not your fault any more than it's mine," Preston said.
"Yeah, but you can do something about it," James said and Preston looked at him, "You can stop selling that weapon."
"I have two-thousand employees to pay. Taking any of our products off the market hurts every one of them. This is a family business, and our guns bring families together. I remember when my grandpa gave me my first hunting rifle and taught me how to shoot it. It was an inter-generational experience. And it's my hope to help as many Americans as possible to capture that feeling, and pass it on to their children," Preston explained.
"No one values families more than I do, but that is not for families. That if for military personnel, trained officers, law enforcement," J'onn sternly told him, "Here's what's gonna happen right now. You are gonna hand over all documentation relating to the Heel-14, and you're gonna comply completely, 100% with our investigation. If you do not, we'll take our business elsewhere."
"Of course, I'll comply," Preston nervously laughed while J'onn kept a stern and cold expression, "I wouldn't dream of standing in the way of your investigation."
"Oh, you just dream of a world where everybody's armed to the teeth, right?" James asked as Preston began to get the files they needed.
But he faced James, saying, "And you dream of a world where every person reads CatCo magazine. We're both businessmen, Mr. Olsen."
CatCo Worldwide Media
That night, James was standing behind his desk when Lena walked in, holding multiple boxes of pizza, "Do you mind if I come in here and work with you?" She asked and he looked up at her, "I've got a ton of reading to do."
"Anybody who brings a mountain of pizza into this office can stay for as long as they want," James said as Lena placed the boxes down.
"I know, I brought too much," she said, walking over to him, finding him intently staring at his computer, "So, what are you working on? I thought the issue went to print at five."
"That did, but, uh," James cleared his throat, "Now I'm trying to track down a gunman by using the weapon that he used. Clark did an expose on the gun epidemic for the Daily Planet years ago. And I'm trying to figure out how he was able to track a private sale of an assault weapon without a registry," he then went back to intently looking through the article on his computer:
METROPOLIS GANGS HAVE ACCESS TO MILITARY GRAND WEAPONS
By Clark Kent — Daily Planet
"People don't like the government keeping track of the guns they own," Lena said and James looked up at her.
"I never really understood that argument, that someone's right to own an assault weapon is more important than someone's right to go to school safely," James said.
"I have a gun for self-defense. I have used it for self-defense," Lena said and James slightly narrowed his eyes.
"You're not telling me that you're one of these people that thinks that having a gun makes everybody safer, right?" James asked.
"We disagree, but I can see your side and hopefully, you can see my side, too," Lena said.
"I'm open to listening," James softly said.
"Good, cause things get done when we listen to each other," Lena smiled.
"Speaking of which, I can hear that pizza talking," James said, pointing at the boxes before walking around his desk, "That is a lot of pizza."
"Yeah, I'm sorry," Lena chuckled, the two of them heading for the coffee table.
"It's fine," James said before he jokingly yelled out, "Ms. Tessmacher!"
Quickly, Ella Tessmacher ran into the office from her desk, a smile on her face, "Yes, Mr. Olsen?" She asked.
"We are gonna need your stomach on at least two of these," James said as he plopped down on the couch.
"Thank you. Could I get either of you anything?" Ella asked, as Lena grabbed her readings, skimming through it.
"You know, Ella, I could really do with a cup of coffee. This article on spontaneous fission is seriously dry," Lena said.
"Is that the one by Forrester? Scientific Universe Journal?" Ella asked and Lena stared at her oddly.
"Yeah," she said.
"You need to check out Jen Steinmetz-O'Grady's work. I studied with her at Yale. Her brain is — beyond," Ella told her before smiling, "I'll be right back with that coffee."
Lena took a moment of shock before asking, "Did you know Ella studied nuclear physics?"
"There is nothing that surprises me about the Tessmacher's anymore," James said and Lena seemed intrigued.
SPACE — Argo, Argo City
That same night, Kara and Barry were at dinner at a restaurant with Thara and her husband, Lir-Al, and they were all laughing so hard their stomachs hurt, "Did Mon-El find the gravity manipulator he was looking for?" Thara asked.
"He did, but the guy who sold it to him was sort of an oddball," Barry said and Thara's husband almost snickered, "Do you know him?"
"Ol-Irus," Lir-Al said and Kara widened her eyes in shock, "Everybody knows him."
"Ol-Irus, our schoolteacher?" Kara asked.
"Uh-huh. Do you remember that time he made us take home insect samples to study, and they reproduced by the hundreds in our houses?" Thara asked, causing both of the girls to laugh, while Barry just stared at his wife in awe, happy at how happy she was.
"Well, maybe you weren't so good at your insect homework, but I'm sure you are an amazing mother," Kara said.
"Yeah, she is," Lir-Al said and Thara smiled, along with Kara and Barry.
"And, your children, where are they tonight?" Barry asked.
"They're with the babysitter," Thara said.
"Whose mother, Laura, is our landscape architect," Lir-Al said.
"Please don't bring it up. It's all so distressing," Thara said but Kara and Barry stared at them curiously.
"We're building a gazebo in our backyard," Lir-Al said, causing Thara to sigh annoyed, "It's been carved out of this huge, beautiful piece of stone that was left from the wreckage."
"We couldn't have been more clear with Laura that we wanted it to face south. So that we could enjoy the lake off the orchard in the evening. And she's carved it in the wrong direction," Thara explained.
"So, now we have this stone monolith in our backyard that's facing the woods," Lir-Al said.
"Nothing can be done about it. It's so tragic," Thara said and Kara sighed.
"Well, I mean, it's not that bad," she said.
"You'll see that the direction you're facing matters a great deal," Thara said.
"Of course it does. It affects your mood," Lir-Al said, right as Kara spotted something outside of the window. Someone. Looking in on them. On her. Watching.
"And your quality of sleep..."
"Well, we will find a way to manage..."
They turned away from the restaurant and Kara shot Thara and her husband a polite smile, "Uh, excuse me," she said before she got up, quickly heading out of the restaurant.
"Kara?" Barry questioned as they watched her leave, before Barry himself followed after her.
Kara ran through the small crowd of the pathway leading up to the figure, "Hey!" She called out but the figure didn't stop, "Hey!" She reached out and pulled down the hood. They turned around to face Kara, revealing themselves as an older woman with brown hair. Kara stared at her taken back, recognizing her from earlier that day, knowing that she and Iris weren't crazy, "You were at the marketplace earlier. I saw you. Are you spying on me and my husband?"
"Kara, what's going on?"
Kara glanced back a moment to find Thara and Barry had caught up with her, "She was there right after the crane fell."
"It's not true. I wasn't there," the woman said.
"I know what I saw!" Kara snapped, "Why do you want to hurt me? Tell me!"
"She's crazy," the woman told Thara, "I did nothing."
"You're lying," Kara sternly said, and the woman looked at her again, "Now, you're gonna tell me who you are, and what you want with me, or I promise you, you will regret it."
"Kara, enough," Thara got in between the two, pushing Kara away before looking at the woman, "Felra, go home."
The woman turned around and left as Thara faced Kara again, "Her husband owns the grocery store. I've known her for years. She would never hurt anyone, let alone somebody she's never met," she said and Kara tensed up as Barry stared at his wife worried, "Let's call it a night. Kara, please, go home. Get some rest," Thara then walked away, leaving Kara and Barry alone.
EARTH — America, National City
At the DEO, J'onn walked down from the second level and onto the first one by the computers and circular table where Alex and Winn were, "Have we identified any potential suspects yet?" He asked as the two turned back to him.
"Uh, not yet. We've been going off that list that you had from the gun manufacturer, but trying to locate the weapon like this is particularly hard," Alex said.
"There's no digital trail, there's no paper trail. All we can do is actually call the individual retailers that sold the gun," Winn told him.
"Well, what are we waiting for?" J'onn asked, "I want that guy found and off the streets as soon as possible before he can use that weapon on anybody else."
He then walked away, and Alex followed after him, "You're not avoiding going home, are you?" Alex asked and he glanced at her for a moment.
"No, I'm not," he said.
"Okay," she muttered.