Chapter Text
Kara Zor-El liked to think that she was brave. Invulnerable (minus kryptonite). Untouchable. But she had never been more frightened than the moment when she heard Lena’s voice crackling over the DEO command center’s speakers crying, Mayday, mayday! Kara was still clad in civilian clothes when they had picked up a mystery distress call around the DEO’s airspace. She didn't need to hear the rest of the message to know who it was. As soon as she heard Lena’s voice she took off without hesitation. She had to get to her fast. Breaking-the-sound-barrier fast.
The DEO didn’t need to tell her where to locate her beloved. In fact, while they were still trying to figure it out, Kara had already pinpointed her location after honing in on Lena’s heartbeat. She tried not to dwell on why Lena hadn’t bothered to use the signal watch, which Lena had taken apart a while back and incorporated into a glamorous bracelet watch because Rao forbid a lady such as her would ever be caught dead in a men’s watch bigger than her dainty wrist. There will be words with Lena later. For now, Kara focused on getting to her ASAP. So she accelerated and left another sonic boom.
There she is.
Kara’s eyes zoomed in and found Lena inside a cargo plane flying over the National City Reservoir. The cargo ramp at the rear of the plane started lowering. She could just make out a set of yellow barrels beginning to slide out of the plane, which suddenly halted. With a whoosh, Supergirl flew into the plane and landed just past Lena, whose hands were wrapped around a steel pole. Lena had jammed it into the latch on the floor that the group of barrels were attached to. She was barely holding on as she fought against the pull of the barrels.
“Kara!” Lena said, eyes wide with a mixture of fear and relief.
Kara quickly pulled the lever that triggered the ramp to raise. Then she took the pole from Lena, who immediately wrapped herself around Kara. Once the ramp closed completely, Kara dropped the pole and engulfed Lena into her arms.
“I’m so glad you to see you!” Lena sighed in relief.
“Me, too.” Kara saw the name ‘Acre Lee Chemicals’ on the yellow barrels. “The poison! They could have fallen into the Reservoir!”
Lena quickly told her that she had confronted Edge, but then got knocked out and was probably also drugged to keep her asleep. The next thing she knew she woke up alone at the back of the plane with no pilot in sight.
“That bastard!” Kara growled.
The plane suddenly lurched violently from air turbulence, which knocked them around. Kara knew Lena had piloting skills despite her fear of flying, but she didn’t want to put her at any more risk, plus there was the matter of keeping an eye on the chemicals. She made an executive decision. “Lena, strap in.” Lena ran towards the nets just as Kara floated up to push against the ceiling to try to keep the plane level. “There’s too much turbulence and we’re falling too fast. I’m going to get the engines to blow to slow us down, so hang on tight.”
The plane lurched once more as soon as one engine exploded. Kara tried to keep the plane stable. However, the force of her holding the plane up battled against the pull of gravity, and soon the cargo plane cracked and cleaved in two. Kara watched in horror as she floated while both halves of the plane fell. Screaming, Lena fell into one end and the barrels rolled down to the other end.
There was a crunch as Kara dipped to grab both portions of the plane. The other engines were still intact and were now pointing to the ground directly, accelerating their descent toward the reservoir. Kara’s heart thudded as both ends started to slip from her fingers. There wasn’t much to hold onto on either end. If she gripped any harder she might tear the metal.
“I can’t hold them both for much longer!” Kara said, trying her best to appear calm on the outside, even though inside she was panicking, so afraid of dropping both Lena and the chemicals meant to poison National City’s water supply and kill even more people.
“Save the chemicals!” Lena yelled.
What the hell. This was no time for senseless heroics on Lena’s part. “You know damn well I’m not gonna drop you. Now, climb, Lena. Climb!” Kara cheered Lena on as she did so. “You can do it. Now, jump!”
As soon as Lena grasped her forearm, Kara let go of the other half of the plane and hauled Lena up so she could wrap her entire arm around her beloved’s waist. Lena automatically wrapped her arms around her neck and her legs around Kara’s waist.
“I’ve got you,” Kara said, her voice like a balm to Lena’ soul. Kara adjusted her arm so Lena could sit on her forearm. She perched like a panic-stricken koala on Kara’s hip. “I’m right here. I’ve got you. You’re safe now.”
“I’m so glad you found me,” Lena said, clutching Kara tighter.
“I will always find you.”
Kara quickly notified the DEO about what happened over her comms. They agreed that she should land the plane at the nearest place where it would be safe while DEO agents rushed to meet them. J’onn flew ahead to lend Kara some support. Not too long after, Kara removed her cape and wrapped it around Lena like a blanket while Lena recounted what happened to the DEO.
Kara’s jaw clenched as soon as Lena mentioned Edge. She felt her blood boiling, feeding the anger that grew from a seed at the pit of her stomach into—
Rage.
That Morgan Edge was so good at covering his tracks, even though it was clear that he was responsible for the submarine attack. His face said it all—he was so smug about it when Kara confronted him at the cargo ship.
Rage.
From seeing Edge with a hint of a smirk as he stood in Lena’s children’s hospital, accusing her of poisoning innocent children right in front of the television camera, a glint in his eye directed at Lena.
He blamed her explicitly for making a lead dispersal device—something Lex invented to hurt Superman, and herself by extension. A device that Winn helped Lena repurpose to disperse lead instead and which saved the world from the Daxamite threat. A device that the DEO sanctioned and yet was not doing enough to help clear Lena’s name. A device that she—the 'mighty savior of National City'—had activated. Something she still hasn't forgiven herself for doing.
Rage.
Kara saw images of Lena getting shot at at her own press conference flashing in her mind. Kara was so angry when she found the woman with the gun. She was a mother who had lost her child and was crying as she was handcuffed, with remorse or shame, Kara didn’t know for sure. At that moment Kara felt no sympathy for someone who would believe a despicable man and resort to murder just to ease her own grief. To kill the woman Kara loved.
Rage.
From the helplessness Kara felt when Lena plied herself with wine day and night, drowning herself in guilt. Lena shouldered all the blame, shoved it down and choked herself with it, not believing anyone who told her she was innocent. She wouldn't even believe Kara.
Rage!
Because Morgan Edge had Lena kidnapped and condemned her to die in a plane crash—one of Lena’s worst fears—which could have led to Lena getting crushed from the impact, even blown up, and then drowning in poisoned waters for good measure. Poisoned water that also would have killed more people in National City. And Edge would have framed Lena for all of it!
No, this cannot go on.
That was it. The final straw. No more Miss Nice Supergirl. No more Miss Goody Two Shoes. It was time to teach Morgan Edge a lesson he will never forget. It was time for retribution.
Kara felt the rage rise like magma up her chest, past her throat to her face. It spread to the tips of her fingers and her toes, then seeped out of Kara's pores, surrounding her like a toxic cloud. It felt like dying, worse than dying from kryptonite.
As she was about to bolt, Lena grabbed her arm. “Where are you going?”
“I just need to have a chat with Edge,” Kara replied, her words clipped, her lips thinned. “You’re safe here. Please stay with Alex for now.”
“Kara.” Alex’s mouth fell when she saw the look on her sister's face and demeanor. The last time she saw it was when Kenny died back in high school, when Kara was livid and stopped at nothing to find his killer. “I know that look. Just hold on, okay? We still need solid evidence to show that Edge is responsible.”
“He is responsible.” Kara gritted her teeth. “He’s going to get away!”
“Don’t go,” Lena whispered, her body still trembling from shock. Kara had never seen her so vulnerable. “Stay with me?”
“I’ll be back. I just—” Kara sighed. She hugged Lena, rocking her gently. “I can’t let him get away this time. Not after—” Kara swallowed the ball of rage that threatened to erupt from her throat. It wasn’t meant for Lena or Alex or anyone else there. She kissed Lena’s temple and smoothed her cape over Lena’s back. “Hang on to this for me. I promise I’ll see you soon.” Kara stepped back then launched like a rocket, leaving another sonic boom in her wake like thunder across the sky.
~oOo~
Kara stalked her quarry, floating above the alley outside Morgan Edge’s office building, which she had x-rayed to pinpoint his location. He made his way to the parking garage in the basement, which was empty save for a handful of cars, likely the cleaning crew that came at night when everyone else was gone. He didn’t notice her lurking, and as soon as he was about to reach for his key fob to point at the driver side door of his black SUV, Supergirl swooped in, scooped him up and launched into the night sky before he could say—
“What the—fuuuck! Let me go!”
“Oh?” Supergirl slowed down just a little so he could see the city lights down below, where cars looked smaller than ants on a life-sized Monopoly board. She smirked, loosening her hold. “If you insist.”
“Wait! No, no, no, no!” Edge struggled, legs kicking in the air as if trying to swim upstream.
“As you wish.”
Supergirl picked up speed and soared past the clouds toward the stratosphere. She knew that humans could lose consciousness past 12,000-18,000 feet above sea level. The higher the altitude, the less blood flowed properly, which meant oxygen didn’t go where it was needed. Accelerating like a fighter jet made it worse.
She knew that humans could survive any speed as long as it was constant, but acceleration was something else. She remembered reading about how the US Air Force trained fighter jet pilots to build tolerance against G-force acceleration and jerk via riding a centrifuge spinning up to speeds of 5-7G or higher. Acceleration against the pull of gravity at such speeds could cause blood to collect in one’s head, leading to loss of vision, loss of consciousness or even death. Hence, fighter pilots wore G-suits to help increase blood flow in the body and used oxygen masks to make sure they did not pass out during aerial battles.
When Kara Zor-El was learning to fly she had no idea what all of that meant for a human she was carrying. For her, the best roller coasters humanity had to offer didn't compare to the thrill she experienced when flying, especially when she dove down like a maniac at crazy Mach speeds. She only knew that Alex really hated it when she flew ‘really fast’ at a speed that for Kara was the equivalent of flying in first gear, when she would rather fly at 100th gear. So she resolved to be careful whenever she flew with a ‘passenger’. Right now, though, all bets were off. Edge didn’t deserve that courtesy in the slightest.
So, here she was, testing Edge’s limits. He deserved to suffer for the atrocities he caused. For almost taking Lena’s life! At the very least she wanted to freak him out just to get her point across. She slowed down when she could tell he was struggling to breathe, coming to a stop at probably around 15,000 feet above sea level, holding him up at arm's length by his armpits, dangling in mid-air. When he realized that they were no longer moving, he opened his eyes, which darted around and below.
“Ahhh! Aaaaaahhhhh!”
“Calm down, you fool. I won’t drop you.” Kara exhaled, shaking him just a tad. That got his attention. He stopped screaming and stared at her in fear. “Yet.”
“Shit! What—why—” He was breathing hard. “What the fuck!”
“I decided you were right.” Kara said as if they were chatting at a coffee shop. “I was too nice to leave you stranded on that cargo ship. Silly me. So, this is a do over, if you will, of what I originally wanted to do. You know, drop you from the top of Mount Kilimanjaro, although we’re probably not at the peak level or else you would have already passed out.” She smiled as Edge’s eyes bugged out wider in horror, if that was possible. “Do you like roller coasters? Because you’re about to have the ride of your life."
“What? No! You can’t do that. You—”
Kara let go.
“Aaaaaaahhhh!”
Edge plummeted, screaming out of his mind, free-falling face-first past cloud vapors in the cloak of night. The howling wind felt like shards of ice pelting his face. When he felt brave enough to open his eyes and let his vision adjust to the darkness, he saw moonlight reflected along the surface of what could only be the ocean, with shimmers across what he recognized as waves. Choppy waves. Punishing waves made to toss a ship around till it shattered in splintered pieces. He could hear them roar as he came closer and closer.
He prided himself as a strategist, but he never expected that the Girl of Steel would let him fall to his death. He never thought she would have it in her.
Morgan started to feel a tinge of regret. He had focused on Lena Luthor, who he considered an easy target. Her morals made her vulnerable to attacks. Although he knew that she was dating a harmless reporter who wasn’t even worth his time, he also knew Lena also started dating Supergirl, who posed a challenge. He liked challenges and risks, which made things more fun and kept him on his toes. Edge counted on the superhero not being able to do any real damage without proof. He had been poking at Lena because she was so easy to rattle, but maybe he had been poking at the wrong bear in the end.
Well, shit.
It was too late for regrets, too late to pray to gods he didn’t believe in. As the seconds ticked by in his final moments, he crossed his forearms over his face and prepared to meet his Maker. Then suddenly, he was no longer falling. When he looked up, Supergirl was gripping him by his forearm several feet above the waves, her face devoid of the kindness and compassion she was known for.
“Woops, I slipped,” Kara said, loud enough to be heard over the roaring sea. She saw the telltale streams of moisture down the man’s pants.
Morgan was breathing so hard, his mind trying to catch up to what was happening while the shock and adrenaline coursed through his veins. Finally he yelled, “S-Supergirl, wha—”
“I had a nice chat with Lena Luthor.” Kara smiled, although it didn’t reach her eyes. “I just saved her from what could have been a nasty plane crash. She had woken up to suddenly find herself in it without a pilot, see, and there were all these barrels of poison about to fall into the reservoir.” She pulled him slowly forward till his nose was only inches away from her face. The skin around her nose and lips twitched. Gritting her teeth, she growled, “You were going to poison the water supply. You were going to frame Lena again after killing her!”
“She tried to kill me!”
“For framing her for poisoning all those kids!”
Morgan swallowed hard when he stared into stormy eyes that burned with fury and contempt. But there was something more, something grim, calculating and vicious lurking underneath. He had never imagined being at the receiving end of such a glare from Supergirl up close and personal like this. Gone was the usual girl scout with flying fisty cuffs. She looked like vengeance personified. If his luck had finally run out, she may just be the Angel of Death.
He heard that Supergirl had briefly gone renegade last year, tossing Cat Grant off of her own building and doling out destruction and mayhem all over National City. His hired goons had actually been scared shitless. Morgan had wanted to meet that Supergirl. He’d been excited at the prospect of meeting and even recruiting her, but he was sorely disappointed when all he saw was a goody two shoes. Perhaps the renegade had to be tamed and she had been lying low all this time.
For a moment he felt an ounce of respect for Lena Luthor, who somehow managed to snag herself such a creature.
Supergirl sneered at him. “You are responsible for children who suffered and died through your actions. You do not deserve my so-called ‘hippy dippy justice’. You do not deserve mercy.” She slowly lowered them closer to the water. “Oh, look. Sharks! Wanna say hello?” She floated down even closer.
“Aaaaah!” Morgan started struggling and trembling when he looked around and saw telltale fins circling below. “No, please! Not the sharks.”
“Please what? Give them a snack? That’s a great idea.”
“You’re crazy. Stop this!”
Kara paused, pursing her lips. “Hmm, yeah, that wouldn’t be fair to the sharks, now would it?”
“Please, don’t let me—”
“You know what, I really love volcanoes, don’t you? Especially active ones. Let’s go to Guatemala!”
They were flying again. Within moments they arrived in Central America. Supergirl hovered above a crater, and when Morgan chanced a glance below, he saw actual lava.
They were flying again. Within moments they arrived in Central America. Supergirl hovered above a crater, and when Morgan chanced a glance below, he saw steam rising from the crater.
“Welcome to Fuego Volcano!” Supergirl said like a tour guide, gesturing below them. “Did you know that fuego means fire? No? Well, this volcano is known for explosive eruptions and spectacular, pyroclastic lava fountains! They can get as hot as 390-1300 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s like it’s constipated with all the magma rising up to the surface. When it finally blows it would be like thousands of atomic bombs detonating all at once, hurling lava bombs with lava overflowing from the crater into rivers of lava down the mountain. Ash plumes would skyrocket for miles above us. The ash would fill up your lungs and kill you within seconds.” Kara let Morgan’s imagination take over, let him listen to the sounds around them, let him sweat and shake and cry miserable tears. “So you see, this area,” Supergirl continued in her tour guide voice, “is uninhabited since it’s active and hazardous to all living beings. Except me, of course. You’re very lucky to see it up close.”
“You’re insane!”
“Shhh! Have some respect. It’s Mother Nature at work.”
They listened to the sound of volcanic gas hissing all around them. The stench of sulfur filled the air. Morgan’s nose twitched at the smell of rotten eggs everywhere. They were far enough to be considered at a safe distance for humans, but the heat and the smell were still intense.
“This area,” Supergirl continued in her tour guide voice, “is uninhabited since it’s active and hazardous to all living beings. Except me, of course. Sometimes there are lava flows, hurling lava bombs, avalanches, and volcanic gas and ash plumes that could fill up your lungs and kill you within seconds. So it only makes sense that they don’t let anyone near here. You’re very lucky to see it up close.”
Edge sobbed. This was even worse than the free fall and the waves and the sharks. His shirt and his pants were soaked. “Please, don’t let me die here. I’ll do anything!”
Just as Kara was about to reply, her comms crackled to life, and she heard Lena over her ear piece on their private channel. “Not now, Lena. I'm kinda busy.”
“Where are you?”
“Oh, just hanging out with Edge.” She smirked at him. “He’s working up quite a sweat.”
“What? What are you up to?”
“Just a little sightseeing,” Kara replied, as if recounting a weekend adventure. “I treated him to some skydiving. Then we visited some sharks. Now we’re at the crater admiring Fuego Volcano in Guatemala, or at least I am. I don’t think he’s a fan." She chuckled while Edge continued to sweat bullets. “I’m debating whether to drop him off here like Anakin Skywalker.”
“You can’t be serious.”
“Do you think the Arctic would be better? The glaciers are spectacular this time of year. Or maybe we’ll visit outer space. We were pretty close earlier.” Kara sighed, as if wistful. “So many options for the end of our tour. Over the Edge, get it?” Kara laughed at her own pun. “I’m really torn. Thoughts?”
“Kara, no.” Lena sounded really worried now. “Whatever it is, don’t do it.”
Supergirl directed a dramatic gasp at Edge. “Morgan, your nemesis said not to end you. Can you believe it?” Her voice turned serious, laced with rage. “He almost killed you, Lena. So, why not?”
“I get it. I almost shot him, so he tried to kill me.”
“He poisoned children, Lena. He nearly wiped out the waterfront district. He would have killed more people tonight, and he would have pinned it all on you!”
“I know, but he failed, darling. You’re Supergirl. You need to rise above this like you always do. You're a symbol of hope.”
“And justice.”
“And compassion for all. Please, Kara.” Lena’s voice cracked. “You don’t want this on your conscience.”
"He doesn't deserve mercy."
"I know, baby. But remember when you told me about when you were on red kryptonite? You let out all your pent-up rage. Once you were free of red kryptonite, you deeply regretted all the things you did."
Kara remembered weeping in shame and remorse under yellow sun lamps, unable to believe she had lost control. She had almost killed Cat and Alex back then. But unlike them, Edge didn't deserve to live!
"Kara, my love, I know you're angry. I'm sorry you had to witness my near-death."
Kara's jaw clenched at the reminder. She glowered at her prey.
"But you saved me. I'm alive. I'm right here."
Kara closed her eyes for a moment.
"Come home to me, darling. I need you."
Despite the steel behind her gaze as she continued to glare at Edge, Kara took a moment to let herself feel Lena's love washing over. She should be celebrating the fact that Lena was alive and safe. She should be in her arms, holding her tight.
“I gotta go. I’ll be there soon.” Kara turned off her comms. Time stood still as Kara weighed her options.
A lava rock launched into the air. Morgan flinched when she caught it in her free hand as if plucking a ripe fruit right by his ear. It was roughly the size of a basketball. She slowly brought it so he could see it at his eye level. He gaped in horror as it glowed an angry red from the heat in the palm of her hand.
“It’s mesmerizing, isn’t it?” Kara remarked. “Can you imagine what it would be like if the volcano decided to erupt right now? I can hear it roaring deep underneath the surface. All the magma rising to the top and wanting out. Ready to blow. Can you feel it?”
“Please! I don’t wanna die.” Morgan cried.
“What a conundrum. Lena Luthor—of all people—wants me to spare your life. But you said it yourself: threats should be eliminated without mercy. Now is the perfect time to do it.”
“No, please, I take it back. I’m begging you—”
“If I let you live, you could still hurt people. Kill people. All to satisfy your greed and lust for power. And that just won’t do.” She tossed the lava rock over her shoulder then pulled him up to her eye level. “This is my city. You will leave the people and National City alone. Got it? Nod if you understand.” Morgan nodded like his life depended on it. She floated them down a little closer to the crater, to the heat and the acrid smell of sulfur, which had Morgan whimpering, legs flailing in panic. She watched as he sobbed, tears streaking down his cheeks, but they were not enough to break her resolve. “You will go on record and admit your crimes. Agreed?” Morgan Edge nodded. “I didn’t hear you.”
“Yes! Please!” Morgan cried. “I’ll do anything! Anything you want.”
“Swear that you will leave Lena Luthor alone or I will let you fall right now. Swear it!”
“I swear!”
“Swear what?”
“I’ll leave Lena Luthor alone!”
“Swear that you’ll leave National City alone.”
“I swear!”
“Hmm, that leaves loopholes for mayhem, though. Look at me, you coward.” He looked at her, tear-streaked and sniffling. “You will go legit from now on. Because if you don’t and I so much as hear a squeak about your shenanigans, the deal is off and you will face your doom. No one will ever find your body. Are we clear?”
Morgan Edge nodded furiously. “Yes, please! Just get me out of here.”
“You owe Lena Luthor your life.” She relaxed her grip just a little. “This is the second time I am granting you mercy. There won’t be a next time.”
You think you got the best of me
Think you had the last laugh
Bet you think that everything good is gone
Think you left me broken down.
~ “Stronger” by Kelly Clarkson