Chapter 50

LENA

The Lexcorp Center was the largest building in Metropolis and the third-tallest skyscraper in the continental United States. Lena’s brother had insisted on designing it himself and as a special reward for topping his previous architectural projects, he had placed the CEO’s office at the top of the building, with great glass walls so that a view of the surrounding city remained unimpeded. 

Lex had never been one to let anyone else do something for him, even on the rare occasion they were better at it than he was. 

Lena had trouble sometimes, remembering the good that her brother had done, especially given how often he’d claimed the bad things he was doing were all for her benefit. Lowering her hands from the arms of her wheelchair, she gently applied pressure to her lap. She sometimes wondered if he’d have ever been driven to cause so much harm, if she’d just never gotten sick. 

Of course, he might never have saved the universe either. 

“Miss Luthor, you’ve got a call from Lois Lane on line 1.” The tall brunette behind her chair said, leaning down slightly so that her buxom breasts brushed against the base of Lena’s head.

Lena ignored the shiver she felt down below and smiled up at her. “Thank you, Mercy.”

She’d been initially reluctant to accept Mercy’s help when she first discovered that not only had her brother named her majority shareholder of Lexcorp in his will but had set up a trust hiring his personal bodyguard and executive assistant to become her permanent caretaker.

Now she couldn’t imagine getting through the day without her. 

Yes, it was still scary to be in the woman’s care sometimes. Mercy was the most beautiful person Lena had ever encountered, prettier than any of the models Lex had ever dated and cleverer than any lawyer he’d ever hired. She was also so effortlessly imposing that during their first meeting, Lena had been so afraid to tell her she needed to go to the bathroom that she’d almost ended up pissing herself.

But rejoining the outside world by herself, after being consigned to the dark corners of Lex’s life for so long, had been infinitely more terrifying. 

Lena knew she should be jealous of Mercy’s flawless, impeccably honed form, especially compared to her treasonous one. But all she could feel was awe at Mercy’s toned muscles and sly curves. Lena had always been mousy, beneath notice, even before the virus had taken her legs. Now, she couldn’t help but be grateful to have her own wretched, shrunken form so close to someone so graceful and strong. 

Lena knew she should have stood up for herself, she should have insisted on being able to do things for herself, especially when she was so much better off, both physically and financially than most people with disabilities. But all she could feel was happiness, that she had her wonderful, dark guardian angel to pamper and protect her. She deserved a little happiness anyway, after everything her father had put her and Lex through. 

Picking up the phone off the massive stainless steel desk, her spirits lifted slightly. Despite everything that Lex had done, Lois had always remained kind, and understanding toward Lena and her position. She and her husband had always been there for Lena after Lex’s disappearance. 

Perhaps because Lois’ younger sister was blind, she’d felt some responsibility for Lena. Again, Lena should have hated being pitied, being turned into a kind of burden for others to feel better about caring for. But Lena was just glad to have another person who didn’t mind spending time with her. 

“Lois, how are things? I saw your coverage of that Supergirl disaster…it was so scary, me and Mercy thought that Power Girl might have finally snapped.” She paused for a moment. “Really? Oh, I’m so sorry, I hadn’t heard…yes? Oh-okay…yes, of course, Lo, I’ll help however I can.”

She turned to Mercy. “Dear, could you contact Amazo Labs and ask them for a register of their employees over the past twenty years? We’re looking for a Dr. Manheim in xenobiology.”

Mercy's lips quirked into the tiniest smile and Lena melted into its glow. “Amazo Labs was conglomerated into our research department two years ago, Miss Luthor. I can just call HR.”

Lena smiled. “Thank you, Mercy.”

“Of course, Miss Luthor.”

KATE

There were, technically, thirteen members of the Justice League. However, five of them (Tora, Sigrid, Beatriz, Avery and Kimiyo), remained on Earth at all times, as part of Justice League International, save the gravest of emergencies and special events. 

That left Kate, M’gann, Zatanna, Diana, Kendra Saunders (Hawkgirl), Dinah Drake (Black Canary), Emiko Queen (Red Arrow), and Jessica Cruz (the Green Lantern) with Karen not at the table for obvious reasons. 

“We cannot trust this person, we know nothing about him.” Kendra began. 

“Kara trusted him...” Dinah said. 

“And my scan of his thoughts indicated he was well-intentioned.” M’gann interjected.

“I don’t understand why we need this guy’s help anyway…” Emiko said, her boots up on the table. “We know plenty of people with magic and technology…if there really is a problem with Karen, why can’t Zee just zap her and make her better.”

“For the millionth time,” Zatanna began. “That’s not how magic works.” 

“Oh, so you’re saying you can make someone forget who they are but you can’t make Karen stop hating Kara’s guts?” Emiko asked. 

“What the fuck is wrong with you? How the fuck would that ever be okay?” Dinah demanded. 

“Excuse me, but we all knew that those two hated each other, we all knew it was only a matter of time before something went wrong with one of them. Even without the alien virus, they were gonna end up fighting. We were just lucky they didn’t accidentally kill anybody when they were doing it.” Emiko said. 

“She’s right about that.” Jessica said, staring at her ring. 

“So now you want us to pre-emptively start altering our team-mates personalities?” Kendra asked, her eyes narrowing beneath her silver-beaked helmet. 

“Why the fuck not!” Emiko jumped to her feet. “We already kill people, we throw them into space, we cut off their heads in public, we destroyed a whole planet to protect Earth…if Zee didn’t hoard her fucking powers all the time we could have stopped Kara from being publicly humiliated. We could have done some fucking good for once!” 

“I didn’t hate Kara before I attacked her,” Kate said. “The virus took over my mind, it turned me into a monster. Many of you may already be infected with it. If we don’t cooperate we will end up destroying ourselves and everything we have built.”

She did her best to make eye contact with everyone around the table. Jessica’s focused brown ones. Dinah’s furious blue ones. Zatanna’s mesmerizing blue ones. Emiko avoided her gaze, as did M’gann. 

Finally, she narrowed her gaze on Diana. It was a democracy until it wasn’t. They voted on issues like this, but it was understood that if their oldest and most powerful member didn’t like the result of that vote, it would be discarded. 

“Diana, I understand your reluctance. But we don’t have time for caution. We’ve already waited too long and Kara has paid the price.” 

M’gann glanced at Jessica and then at Kendra. “Kate is right. We failed to detect what was wrong with Karen. We are out of our depth here, we need to accept help wherever we can find it.” 

Jessica sat up. “If this is true, we have a duty not only to the people of Earth but to other planets to deal with it. A Kryptonian disease could wreak havoc on half the galaxy if it goes unchecked.” 

“We could ask Dr. Mid-Nite first…” Kendra suggested. “Get a second opinion.”

“We have the best technology in the world and we couldn't find it,” Kate stated. “Manheim is the only doctor we know of with the specific expertise to diagnose this and treat it.” 

Diana stood up. “We must determine the viability of his treatment plan before we entrust Karen to him.”

Kate jerked up out of her seat to face her. “I already know his plan is viable, Diana. I lived through it.” 

Diana folded her arms beneath that mythical cleavage of hers. “We must be wary of betrayal, Kathryn. For all we know, this individual mind-controlled you into attacking Kara and then made you believe that you were sick when you did it.” 

She sounded just like Kate’s stepmother. Kate wasn’t sure if she wanted to kiss her or yank down that ridiculous bosom-enhancing breastplate and just start slapping her tits in front of everyone.

Five seconds with Kate and Diana would forget all about her island full of sapphic goddesses back home.

“Kara was the one who knew I was sick! She took me to Dr. Manheim.” Kate said, slapping her hand down on the table. “I was already acting strangely before I attacked Kara when I broke onto S.H.I.E.L.D. and infected one of their lead agents. The fucking security tapes prove it.” 

Diana lowered her voice. “You’re passion is admirable, Kathryn, but now is not a time to act rashly.”

“Yes, it fucking is! There’s a super-powered assassin on the loose who put one of our strongest allies in the hospital. That’s not an illusion. Tensions are high enough after what Karen and Kara did, how do you think people are going to react now that they think there’s another fucking war between metahumans and the government about to kick off? I vote that we get off our fucking asses and do something before one does start. Is anyone opposed to that?”

There was silence. 

“Great. M’gann, I need someone to teleport me down to Gotham so I can update Barbara on the situation and she can send a memo across the community.” 

M’gann nodded, standing up and glancing once at Diana before following Kate out of the room. 

Dinah looked between her fellow heroines and then stood up. “You know what? Kate has more experience with whatever this is than the rest of us, she is taking the initiative to prevent it from spreading and she is trying to fix the situation after what she did to Kara…I support her.”

“Me too,” Sandra said. 

“That’s enough for me,” Jessica said. 

“I’d rather we do something other than sit around and talk,” Emiko added. 

Diana looked to Zatanna who just shook her head. “I’ve already checked Karen and Kara for hexes…whatever this is, it is beyond me.” She answered. 

Shaking her head, she turned away. “I have watched Ares turn men of peace into weapons of war. I have been forced to battle women I considered sisters by the scheming of Dr. Psycho. I saw what the one they called Onslaught did to J’onnz’s mind when he tried to stop halt its madness.”

“Diana, all those things are dead. Destroyed. We haven’t faced a villain of the caliber you’re describing in years.” Jessica reasoned. “An alien virus might very well be more dangerous than any of those things. Believe me, there’s a reason the Lantern Corp had rules about decontaminating yourself between planets.” 

Diana shook her head and turned away, marching off down the hall. “You are children, all of you. You have not faced true evil and so you are ignorant to the ease with which it can infiltrate those you love.”

Zatanna gave them all a slightly apologetic look and then stood up, hovering after Diana. Dinah, Kendra and Jessica exchanged varying degrees of frustration and exhaustion. Emiko just put her boots back onto the table and rolled her eyes. 

GERRY

When I was finished bringing Bobbi to her eighth orgasm and collecting her juices, which had seemed to become thicker and more syrupy as part of the “ECTO-ORGASM” trait, I switched to doing some work on my phone. Hacking was easier on a computer of course, but with my new affinity for technology, it was easy enough to create profiles online which gave the appearance that I was, as I’d claimed, a professor of extra-terrestrial studies who’d worked at Amazo Labs. 

Of course, if anyone bothered to interview the actual former employees of Amazo, they’d probably figure out pretty quickly that I was lying. But it was nice to have a more proper facade existing somewhere, especially since I had the feeling a lot of people would be googling who I was after my on-screen appearance thanks to Miss Lane. 

I also hacked into S.H.I.E.L.D. once more, fabricating some emails from Maria to me, regarding my treatment of Peggy and her recent behavior and just generally shoring up the illusion of the false identity that I was slowly developing for myself. It made me realize how little I’d thought all this through, which made me more than a little nervous for my meeting with Lois later because I was just starting to consider the depth of question a Pulitzer winner might ask. 

By that time though, I had only a few minutes to drive to the place where the JLA was gonna port me up from. While Bobbi lay cum-stained and half-naked in the driver’s seat, her nudity obscured only by one of the blankets we’d brought from the fortress, I drove us to the statue of Kara and stepped out of the car, glancing upward as if it might better allow me to anticipate my teleportation. 

Nothing could have readied me for what came next though. One second I was standing in National City, watching people pass through the plaza in the evening haze. Then I was standing on a platform with an unimpeded view of the stars. 

I staggered, as I stepped off the patch of ground onto which I had re-appeared, and my eyes darted between the massive windows, each full of black space, dotted with stars. 

“Welcome aboard the Watchtower, Dr. Manheim.” 

I turned and locked eyes with the woman behind the holographic monitor who’d just summoned me. She was not what I’d expected, after my time with Kate. She was shorter, with long blonde hair, and was noticeably more buxom. She was also wearing a navy blue leather jacket covered in metal studs and see-through pantyhose that slid into three-inch black heels. She looked more like a rockstar than a superhero, to be honest in that moment.

“You must be Black Canary,” I said, moving to the stairs that led up to the platform on which she was standing. 

“That’s right.” She said, with a smirk. 

“I’m…I’m sorry if I’m a little tongue-tied, Kara didn’t like bragging about who she worked with but I’d always try to get her to tell me more about you. I’m sorry it’s just…well, I always thought you were cool when I was a kid is all. Not having powers and still fighting the bad guys…” 

Her smile fell. “That umm, that wasn’t me. You’re thinking of my mother.”

“Oh. Oh, I’m so sorry…so many of those old superheroes are still around in the JSA, well, I just figured you were like them.” 

“It’s fine.” She said, folding her arms. “I do have powers. I can project a sonic attack from my throat.”

“Really? That’s uh, amazing!” 

She smiled. “Yeah, so, you better take good care of my girl, Karen, or you’ll find out what it sounds like up close and personal.”

I had to stop myself. Was she-was she flirting with me? No, this just must have been the way she was. Maybe she was a little flirty in general, and lonely because she was up here in space all the time and my Charm was doubled when I first met her, so that all gave the impression of some chemistry between us. But there was no way, in a million years that this woman was interested in me sexually. She was the most classically beautiful of the girls I’d encountered so far, toned and stocky like Peggy, but with so many more wonderfully flaunted curves. Her eyes sparkled like sapphires. I was reluctant to leave her view, even though I knew, somewhere in this place a taller, bustier version of Kara was waiting for me to get my hands on her. 

“Rodger that, ma’am!” I said, putting a hand to my forehead in a mock salute. “Bring her back in one piece.”

She giggled. “Aw, just relax, Karen’s really a teddy bear when you get to know her, just like Kara.”

I relaxed visibly. “I’ve only ever seen her in those…lingerie commercials.”

Black Canary rolled her eyes and walked over to the staircase. “Yeah, I imagine Kara probably had a conniption when she found out about that one.”

I chuckled. “I tried to steer clear of the subject in our conversations.”

Black Canary smiled and descended the stairs gracefully. “By the way…how is she? Kara, I mean?”

“Oh, she-she’ll be fine…the doctors said it was more shock that knocked her out than any real damage. Uh, they had some trouble operating on her of course, but…” 

“How long have you known her anyway, I never heard her talk about you…” Black Canary said, strutting around me and examining me with the same skepticism that Lois had demonstrated. 

“Oh, sorry, I’m Gerry. Gerry Manheim. Kara had her reasons for not mentioning me, but I’m not sure if I should disclose them without her knowledge…I’d hate to stir trouble between you girls.” 

Black Canary raised an eyebrow but took my hand. “The name’s Dinah by the way. But you probably already knew that…so Kara was keeping you a secret from us for a reason huh? But I’m sure she told you ALL about us.” 

“She mentioned a few of you. But that was a long time ago, I mean she hasn't been part of the league in years.” I said. I did my best to play the bashful scientist, taking off my glasses and rubbing them copiously. “She uh, didn’t mention how, uh, beautiful you all were.”

Dinah smirked. She was an attractive woman wearing a costume designed to flaunt how attractive she was. She had no illusions about false modesty, even if she did try her best to fake it. 

“Well, that’s very kind of you to say, but I’m hardly anything to look at on this team.” She said, gesturing for me to follow her up a corridor. 

“I-I can’t imagine what you mean.”

“Oh, I bet you can. I mean, Wonder Woman was sculpted by the gods. Zatanna has her glamors, Miss Martian can make herself look like anyone she wants. And Karen…” 

“With all due respect, I have met quite a few superheroines in my capacity helping Kara and you are without a doubt, the most attractive I’ve met. And I’m sure that doesn’t mean much coming from the likes of me…”

“Stop it, you’re making me blush.” She said, clearly enjoying me fumbling over myself because of her outfit. “How long have you been helping Kara anyway?”

“Oh, well, we met through Amazo lab some years ago but it was only recently that we discovered we could help each other. Of course, working with a real-life alien was a dream come true for me and my studies allowed me to help Kara learn more about her homeland.”

“Uh-huh. And how long did you know about this…Kryptonian virus you were talking about?”

“Oh, not until after Kate was assaulted by Karen. I found trace amounts of the mutant proteins on the computer at the Fortress of Solitude on Kara’s outfit, transmitted through the sweat on Karen’s skin.” I said, using my “sex-ray vision” to take a peak under Dinah’s jacket and shorts. She was just as beautiful underneath as on top, every piece of her plump and soft and begging to be abused. 

I had touched her with my hand, which was still sticky with Bobbi’s special juice, which meant that she would want to have sex for the next ten minutes. Now I was looking under her clothes, an ability that was causing visible arousal in her. Frankly, I was surprised that she hadn’t torn off her top and begged me to fuck her right here. 

“If you’ll excuse me,” She said, suddenly sliding back. “I have to check on something. Just keep going down this hall and you should run into Green Lantern, she’s right outside Karen’s quarters.”

“Oh of course, thank you for the escort.” I waited a second and a half before I called out to her. “Oh, one last thing, I’m sorry.” 

Black Canary paused then turned and smiled. (DINAH: +12 SP)(-9SP) And despite how dangerous I knew she was, I could still see a hint of desperation in her eyes. She was seconds away from doing a little dance. 

“I just wanted to tell you how much I appreciate what you do. I know you probably hear it all the time. But the way you put yourselves in danger to protect others…it makes me want to be a better person.” 

Her gaze softened and she patted my hand, before sprinting back the way she came. 

M’GANN

She had entered S.H.I.E.L.D. invisible and passed through its walls like a ghost, listening not to the idle chatter of the silent, stone-faced operatives but to the surface of their thoughts. They radiated paranoia, confusion, frustration, and…

Curiosity. Excitement that they might get to do their jobs again. Not the boring parts that involved tailing some scientist or disguising themselves for weeks to get close to some terrorist cell. 

They were…glad about the virus. They liked the idea of conflict. Like all humans, they preferred the stimulation of pain to the quiet of tedium. Instantly, the self-loathing M’gann perpetually wallowed in flipped, suddenly externalized to those around her. She felt her worse instincts taking over, an urge to show them her true form, to give them a problem to focus on. 

She paused and floated in the middle of a hallway, closing her eyes and meditating briefly, allowing her emotions and the emotions crashing against her from all around to fade into the background. She remembered the beach. It wasn’t a real beach, not one that had ever existed at least. But it was an image that J’onn had shown her, a thought he had crafted out of all the tranquil places he had journeyed on this world. A dream he had shared with her. 

M’gann felt its grit between her toes. She heard the almost imperceptible slosh of its dwindling tide against the shore. And she felt the playful tug of its gentle gusts on her hair. 

But she didn’t have hair. 

She opened her eyes and rose through the ceiling, shifting through countless cubicles until she reached the largest of the offices, where the angriest mind shuddered and stirred. There she found Sharon Carter, the person who was on the mind of half the residents of the building. She saw the image in the mind, of Captain Britain, a smiling statue of bronze, too shiny to look at with both eyes. 

M’gann wanted to reveal herself in that form, to tell Sharon all the things she so desperately wanted to hear. You are not a disappointment, you are not a failure, you are beautiful and worthy of attention.

Instead, she peered deeper, rooting around for details of any scheme to destroy the Justice League or endanger the world. She rarely found those kinds of ideas, even in the most demented minds. Humans thought differently than Martians. Instead of examining their actions objectively, they focused on the imagined goal, even when said goal had little to do with the actions taken.

She was so deeply involved in searching Sharon’s subconscious that she didn’t notice there was another telepath in the room until it was too late. 

The mutant wasn’t powerful enough to pierce M’gann’s psychic defenses and expose her thoughts. But she was potent enough to disrupt M’gann’s concentration long enough to dispel her invisibility. 

Sharon took one look at her and swung her hand around, pressing a taser into M’gann’s midsection. Electricity rocked M’gann’s body and she lashed out uncontrollably, trying to shove Sharon away. In the process, she broke her nose and sent her flying across the room. 

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry!” M’gann raised her hands in defense. 

The mutant didn’t hesitate, she used the moment of emotional weakness to bombard M'gann's consciousness with her own will. M’gann tried to scream as the sabers of psionic energy shredded her thought patterns. Then she was paralyzed, no longer able to control her own body, her form merely an extension of another entity's intent. 

“It’s alright, Sharon, I got her.” 

DINAH

Dinah had to fuck somebody, right now. It didn’t matter who, it just had to happen, right now. She slowed her pace as she passed by one of the training rooms, where Kendra was striking a vibranium post with her mace. 

Dinah paused to watch her shift and pounce for each strike, her eyes drawn not to the impervious mace or the majestic wings of its wielder, but to Kendra’s pillowy chest and taut ass. She wanted so badly to interrupt the training session, prostrate herself before her teammate, and beg to worship her. 

But she knew all too well that Kendra had turned down more desirable partners than her. 

Turning away, she ran smack dab into Emiko, just stepping out of the holographic archery range. Her ropy form was soaked in sweat from the final workout of the day and a towel hung around her neck.

“Hey, sexy…what’s cookin’?” She asked, with that same stupid smirk that she thought was dashing but was actually obnoxious and slimy.

Dinah pulled her into a kiss just so she didn’t have to look at it anymore and dragged her back into the archery chamber, locking the door behind them and stripping before Emiko could get out too many cheesy one-liners. 

She needed to fuck, that was all. A bit of biological accounting that had been neglected for too long. And maybe if Dinah fucked Emiko hard enough, she could trick herself into forgetting what she really was.

JESSICA

As she looked him up and down, The Ring scanned him for dangerous devices and foreign particles. Finding nothing, she turned and led him down the hall to the chamber where Karen was sitting. 

“Hey, Ker? You feelin’ any better?”

Karen didn’t answer, she just stared at the floor. She was no longer contained in a red light chamber, but it was understood that she wouldn’t leave the satellite without permission. 

“Believe it or not, this is as hard for us as it is for you.” Jessica said, rubbing The Ring as she leaned into the corner of the room. 

“Fuck off with that shit,” Karen said. “If the situation was reversed you’d have let Kara go by now.”

“That’s not true.” Jessica insisted. 

“Yes it is. You all hate me because I’m not her and I was just stupid enough to think…” She put a hand to her head. “Why can’t you just leave me alone?”

“Because we’re here to help you, Karen.” Dr. Manheim said, sitting down across from her at the metallic table in the center of the room. 

“I don’t need help!” Karen said, slamming her fist into the table and creating a two-inch deep bowl in it. 

It took every bit of willpower Jessica had not to start emitting Kryptonite radiation with The Ring. It was fine. Karen could shatter her skull with a flick of her fingers and everything was fine. 

“What should I call you miss?”

Jessica glared. “Green Lantern. I’d thought that would be obvious.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you, of course. Green Lantern, I think it might improve things if I could talk to Karen alone.” 

“That’s not happening. Sorry.” Jessica answered. Better to have her where she could see her, even if the fact was that she moved so fast it didn’t matter. 

Dr. Manheim gave Karen a little apologetic shrug. “Karen, I’m not here to hurt you, or to make you feel unwanted. I’m here to help you clear your name. The only reason you attacked Kara is because the virus made you do so.”

“THAT’S NOT TRUE!” Karen insisted. “She taunted me into it! She deliberately antagonized me! I’ll take the blame for attacking her but I didn’t do it for no reason, I did it because she made me want to!”

“Karen, the virus causes hallucinations. Kara went to the city to warn you about the virus, to warn you about my discovery and when she did, your fevered mind conjured insults and slights so that you would assault her.”

“That-that doesn’t make any sense! I saw your video, you think everyone infected with this virus is trying to kill Supergirl!” 

“No, I believe that the moment that Supergirl discovered the virus’ existence, it decided to destroy her.” Dr. Manheim said. “I've been assaulted more than once in my attempts to cure the affliction.”

“You think this microscopic organism is sentient?” Jessica asked. 

“I know it is. The virus originates from Karen’s home dimension and her planet Krypton. It is undeterred by Kryptonian immune systems and it is undetectable by Martian telepathy. What we are dealing with is an incredibly powerful psychic parasite that does not obey biology as we understand it, that, like many Earth diseases induces delusions and phobias in its hosts to better protect itself and that threatens to seize control of every human on Earth.”

“And you have proof of this?” Jessica said, stepping closer.

“At the Fortress of Solitude, unfortunately with Kara in the hospital, I can’t gain access to it at this moment.” 

“Kara’s in the hospital?” Karen asked. 

“Not because of what you did to her. S.H.I.E.L.D. sent an assassin who shot her with a specialized bullet. She’s in a state of shock right now.” 

Karen stared at her reflection in the mirrored surface of the table. 

“Miss Green Lantern, you seem suspicious of my hypothesis. What do you believe to be the cause of the multiple attempts to kill Supergirl in the past three days?”

Jessica gritted her teeth. “It’s just Green Lantern! No one ever called Hal Jordan or John Stewart ‘Mr.’ Green Lantern.”

“I didn’t realize I would strike such a nerve. Honestly, I meant no disrespect.”

“Three attempts? What do you mean three attempts, what’s the third one?” Karen asked.

“Oh…did the league not tell you, Kate Kane tried to poison Kara with a chunk of Kryptonite from her belt.” Dr. Manheim said, turning back to face Karen. 

“What?” Karen jumped to her feet and Jessica flinched. “You held me captive for 48 hours and you let Kate try to kill Kara? Let me guess, was it because Kate tried to commit murder privately?!”

“That’s not what happened. Kate was taken to the Fortress of Solitude for treatment…”

“Yes, you trusted Kara to deal with her. And she trusted me.” Manheim stated. 

“What…what did Kate tell you?” Karen asked. 

“She informed me the two of you had intercourse, during which I believe she contracted the virus.” Manheim said. 

Karen purposefully didn’t mean Jessica’s eyes. “Wait, but Kate knew there was something wrong with Kara before that! She asked me to spy on Kara for her.”

“Really? But you didn’t see anything wrong?” Manheim sat up suddenly. 

“No, I mean…no, I figured she was just being paranoid or something.”

“Hmm, that means the virus might not have originated from you Karen. If this is true, it might not have come from your universe. That means we could be dealing with some kind of biological weapon or alien invasion…” Manheim stood and began to pace. 

“Well, let’s go to the Fortress of Solitude and have it analyzed, figure out where it came from!” Karen said, standing up. 

“No, no…I’m sorry, Karen, but you are still infected and the cure I used for Kate as well as for Kate and Captain Britain won’t work on you.” Manheim turned back to her. “But I want to tell you how much I appreciate your eagerness to act. I understand how stressful this much be for you, not being able to trust your senses but wanting to do the right thing. Right now, you can help me, by telling me about your home.”

“How?” 

“The more I know about your version of Krypton, the easier it will be to determine if it was the source of this infection.”

Karen folded her arms. “Fine. But only if you’ll come with me to the Fortress of Solitude afterward and show me what you’ve found.”

Manheim looked slightly embarrassed for a moment. “I actually have something I need to do in National City in less than an hour. But I would be happy to go with you to the Fortress when I’ve finished.”

Karen glanced at Jessica and then leaned back in her chair. “Alright…but she has to go.” 

EMIKO

Oh yes! Dinah was finally picking up what she was laying down. She had the blonde bitch beneath her, fingers pumping into her mound and both of them rapidly hurtling towards orgasm.

“Ohhh…ohhh…” She was moaning, digging her fingernails into Emiko’s shoulders and neck, and driving her crazy with the way she twisted and writhed.

“Oh…Ollie…OLLIE!” Dinah pulsed and then surrendered to exhaustion and all Emiko could do was stare up at her in horror, her fingers still buried inside her. 

“What?!” She all but screamed.

GERRY

The important thing was to gather information, slowly ingratiate myself to these incredibly powerful women, and most importantly, not stare at the giant hole in Power Girl’s leotard over top of her chest. 

The first reason was that doing so might tip her off that I wasn’t a doctor. The second reason was that Karen wanted me to stare at her breasts. If she hadn’t, she wouldn’t have displayed them so prominently (not that they would have been easy to hide). And because she wanted me to stare at them and probably expected it as well, that meant that by absolutely positively refusing to play into her expectations, I was maintaining 

“What do you want to know? I wasn’t there for very long.” 

“Yes, of course. But are there any big distinctions that come to mind despite that?” 

“Well, the planet didn’t blow up for one thing. Darkseid bombarded it from orbit and then he used our DNA to make an army of super clones.”

Manheim paused. “…are you serious? I mean, really? That happened?”

“Yeah, he did the same to that universe’s Tamaran and he tried to do it to Earth.”

“I…didn’t know that. I’m…sorry…” 

“Why? None of it mattered anyway, right? The whole universe ended up being destroyed anyway.” Karen said. 

“Except for you.” Manheim pointed out. 

Karen shot him a glare. 

“Have you ever talked to anyone, like a therapist, about how it feels…to be the only surviving member of your universe?”

“Is that relevant?” Karen glared. 

Manheim took a deep breath. “Of course it is. Your psychological state may have made you more vulnerable to the virus. Kate, for instance, was under an immense amount of psychological duress before she was infected, and unpacking that duress and relieving her emotional burdens was integral to facilitating recovery. If you want to get better, Karen, you are going to have to be honest with me. And I appreciate how difficult that may be, given what you’ve been through, but it is relevant nonetheless.” 

Karen stilled for a moment and I wondered if she’d stonewall me. “Fine. No, I never talked to a therapist alright.”

“But that must have been traumatic, I mean, losing your home and then fighting for a new one and then losing it anyway?”

Karen sneered. “Of course it fucking was but none of that matters anymore!” (KAREN: +6 SP)(-79SP) 

“Why wouldn’t it matter?” I raised an eyebrow. 

“Because it’s not real, okay. Everything from that place was erased. It wasn’t just destroyed, it never happened. It’s just in my memory now.” 

“And what do you remember?” 

“From Krypton? Barely anything, I was a baby when I left. What I do remember is the computer in my ship teaching me about Kryptonian history and I don’t remember anything about a virus like the one you are describing.”

“You learned about your culture from a computer?” 

“Isn’t that the same for all of us. That’s how Kal learned what he was.” 

“Fair enough. How long was it just you and the computer though.” 

Karen shrugged. “I was twenty-four when I reached Earth.” 

“You were in that ship for twenty-four years, with just a computer for company.” 

“I was in a comatose state, absorbing information subconsciously. And it was longer than twenty-four years. While I was in the capsule, Superman reached Earth grew up, and married.”

I paused and stared at her. 

“And no, I haven’t talked about that to a therapist either.”

I took a deep breath. “That must have been frustrating. That Superman and Supergirl got to grow up on Earth, with adoptive parents and you were trapped…in space…alone.”

“I mean, yes, obviously, but there’s nothing anyone can do about it so there’s no point in being angry about it.”

“But did you ever tell Superman or Kara that you were angry with them because they received what you hadn’t?”

“No! Of course not, because that’d be fucking stupid!” She said, planting her hands on the table. “Different children have different childhoods, okay? Some people grow up in poverty with neglectful or abusive parents. That’s part of life.”

“But you’re a hero, you’re job is to make the world just. Why didn’t you admit you resented them?”

“Because I didn’t want to lose them!” She slammed the table again and again, creating a crater in the steel where her fist landed. (KAREN: +12 SP)(-67SP) “They were the only two Kryptonians left in the universe. I lost everything when Earth 2 went away, I already knew they thought I was a worse version of Kara, I wasn’t about to alienate them any further.”

I took another deep breath. “Why do you think that Superman thought you were a worse version of Kara?”

“He gave her the Fortress. He trusted her to look after Smallville for him.” She answered. “Besides, that’s what everyone thinks.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m not a superhero. I’m a warrior from a post-apocalyptic universe. I’m an alien raised by a robot. I mean look at me, I’m not the all-American girl next door!” (KAREN: +8 SP)(-59SP)

I chose this time to stare very pointedly at Karen’s chest. Then I gave her a dubious look. “So, that’s why you dress like that…to differentiate yourself from Kara. To embrace the way you believe everyone already views you?”

Karen closed her eyes, hot tears appearing in her eyes. “Can we please just talk about literally anything else?”

I stared at her for a long time. Then I put my hands on the table. “I’m going to tell you something that Kara told me. She feels bad, every time she can’t save someone. I think it reminds her of everyone she’s lost. Before I helped her, the only self-worth she had was what she got from other people. She stayed in a city she hated in an unfulfilling job because she believed that’s what she was supposed to do, what Superman would have wanted for her. She didn’t believe she deserved to be happy.”

I leaned forward. “Being in charge of other people’s lives on a daily basis has debilitating effects on your mental wellbeing. But so is being the last member of your species. Kara was terrified of showing her true self, of being something other than what people projected onto her. I’m guessing the situation is similar for you.” Slowly, I reached out and touched her gloved hand. “Now I know that it’s scary confronting who you are and why you view yourself that way. But it is the only way to really change.” 

Karen stared at my hand and I readied myself for her to set me on fire or snap my wrist with a dismissive swat. 

“Yes. When people see me, they don’t see me. They see Kara. Or they see my body. Or they see that I came from outer space. But they don’t see me. They can’t.” (KAREN: +10 SP)(-49SP)

I nodded. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine,” She wiped her face with the back of her glove. “It’s no one’s fault. That’s just how it is…” 

“You know it doesn’t have to be.” I said, standing up. 

KARA

When she opened her eyes, an unfamiliar girl was sitting near the bed. 

It took her a second to process everything that had just happened. Then she shot upright. 

“Where’s Gerry? Is he alright?” 

The girl took her arm, not that she could have possibly restrained her. “He went to talk to the Justice League.”

Kara’s eyes widened. “What do you mean? Why would he do that?”

“He-he said he had to talk to them about Power Girl. He told everyone that Black Widow tried to kill you and that she was infected with the same thing as Power Girl…”

“Oh…but he was alright?” 

“Yes, I mean, he told me and Peggy to look after you while he was gone.” 

Kara nodded. shifted and gradually began to sit up. She’d forgotten how much of a toll being knocked unconscious was on the body. Everything ached and her stomach swirled with noxious discontent. 

“What would you be able to do anyway if Black Widow came back?” Kara said with a little laugh. Not that she was particularly scared of that possibility. There was little room in her head for self-preservation anymore, only the knowledge that if she was destroyed, she’d be unable to please him.

“I-I’m Hawkeye…” 

Kara glanced over at her. “You could have been any superhero in the world, and you chose to be ‘Hawkeye’?”

The girl reached out, taking Kara’s hand in both of hers. “You…you’re right…I’m sorry, I just wanted to make a difference…I’ve never been very creative.” 

Kara pulled her hand free, not unkindly. “What’s your name?”

“Oh, umm, Elizabeth Bishop. We uh, we met the night you left with Bobbi.” 

So that was who she was…they’d never talked and Kara been somewhat distracted at the time. All the same, she felt the tiniest bit of guilt. She’d always prided herself on being friendly, and at how good she was at remembering faces.

Kara grinned sleepily and lay back down on the bed. Maybe Gerry had just fucked her so much that she was too cum-drunk to remember those details anymore. She rubbed her legs together and felt the softness of the sheets beneath her. Oh, what she wouldn’t give to be back in her attic bedroom in Smallville, listening to the sounds of the farm just outside her window, thinking about the latest hunky farmhand that Pa had hired.

Except it wasn’t another hunky farmhand this time. Neither was it the dashing captain of the Smallville Giants. 

No, it was him. Maybe he was the local perv who ran the comic book shop on Siegel Street. Or maybe he was the principal of Smallville High. Yes, he’d bring her in after another neglected math quiz and give her a good talking-to, with a paddle made of hickory.

And she’d feel it because she was his because all her powers melted when he reached out for her. And she wouldn’t be Superman’s cute little cousin, she’d be a naughty schoolgirl with her thick red ass hanging off the end of her desk. He’d fuck her until he forgot her name. Until everyone else in the school had gone home. Then he’d keep her panties as a prize on account of the fact she was such a slut she’d made them all wet just for him. And because she’d missed the bus she’d have to limp all the way home with cum dripping out of her asshole and running down her fleshy red ass and staining her creamy smooth thighs. 

“Ummm…you-you should stop, before a nurse catches you...” Elizabeth said.

Kara opened her eyes and grinned. “Screw you, ya uptight bitch…” 

Elizabeth flushed and then she leaned forward, pulling Kara in for a kiss and running her hands across Kara’s chest. 

Of course, it wasn’t the same. The sensation was muted, not at all what she needed to get over the edge. But then she couldn’t go over without him anyway. God, he’d taken her brain out and replaced it with her cunt. She’d just woken up from getting shot and she wasn’t worried about no existential quandary. She knew who she belonged to, who this naughty little kitty a’hers belonged to. 

None of that hogwash mattered anymore, just her skanky, perverted pussy and his dick driving up her ass and fucking all thought from her head. 

“Fuck…I can’t wait to see him turn you into a braindead slut…” She said, opening her eyes again and staring into Elizabeth’s terrified, aroused ones, before pulling her into another kiss. 

GERRY

I was surprised at first by how much SP I had gained from my brief trip into space. Then I remembered that I was getting twice as much SP during my first hour of meeting people. I was also about to get four times as many points during my conversation with Lois because she was Kara’s cousin-in-law and Kara had the “Cousin-fucker” trait.

I reflected briefly on my regret that I’d been too busy to humiliate Lois during our first meeting, because of the intersection of Kara’s trait, as well as COMMANDING AURA and FAMILIAL BOND, I could have gained 8 times as many points. But then again I’d also lost the chance to gain twice as many points on “Director” Carter as well as half of S.H.I.E.L.D.

It made me want to plan my meetings with superheroines better, but deep down I knew that every time I had tried to plan things perfectly, some spanner had been thrown into my work. Perfection was impossible, but I was still alive, and brainwashing hot women had not yet lost its charm. 

A quick look at my phone confirmed that I had enough SP now to upgrade Kara’s Alpha Bitch trait to LVIII, which I immediately did. It also confirmed that I’d gained an orgasm lock on Karen, as well as unlocked a trait for her. 

“UNFAIR COMPARISON”

ROUTE A - DEBAUCHERY or RUNNER UP SLUT

When the subject witnesses Kara Danvers being praised, they will begin to act more suggestively to attract attention. The longer their efforts go unacknowledged, the more perverse their behavior will become. 

ROUTE B - OBSESSION or ANYTHING YOU CAN DO

Whenever the subject witnesses Kara Danvers performing a sexual act, they will feel the need to one-up her. 

I was slightly disappointed not to see any traits for Dinah, but I knew that our brief interaction had, sadly, failed to net me that many points. I was interested though, to find out why her SP score had started out so close to 0. Especially as compared to her coworkers who seemed a lot more stalwart. I’d have to get the information from Kate. Or maybe Karen during our little date later.

No sooner I had been returned to Earth then I stumbled into a gorgeous middle-aged woman in a bright blue blazer with flaming red hair. 

“Dr. Manheim, I presume?” She said, a man with a camera right behind her. 

I glanced at the man and then back at her. “Do I know you from somewhere?” I asked.

She grinned. “Vicki Vale. I know you have an appointment with Miss Lane soon so I won’t waste your time. I’m prepared to offer you four thousand for an exclusive, doctor.”

The way she said my “title” made it sound like a blowjob was guaranteed alongside the cash. I shook myself, briefly considering the mischievous look in her eye and where it might lead me if I allowed myself to be taken in by it. 

Certainly, Vicki was a curvier woman than Lois and the thought of humiliating her in front her cameraman certainly sounded like fun.

But I wouldn’t gain nearly as many points on her as I would on Lois. It was tempting, of course, especially since this was my first time meeting Vicki, so I only had an hour to double my points on her. But refusing her offer was bound to get more attention from her, whereas ditching Lois Lane was bound to piss her off and she was notoriously good at sticking her nose into other people’s business when she was pissed off (and when she wasn’t, to be fair).

“Miss Vale, how do I know you are good for it?” I asked, casually strolling to Bobbi’s car, where Bobbi was still dozing. 

She smirked and moved ahead of me. “I always complete my end of a bargain Dr. Manheim.”

I paused and then reached into my pocket and uncapped one of the little vials of Bobbi’s juices which I had obtained during our marathon of unwanted climaxes. Rubbing it along my hands as if it were lotion, I leaned toward Vicki.

“Miss Vale?”

Her eyes grew even brighter. “Yes, Dr. Manheim.”

“Do you think I am a professional?”

“What? Oh, of course, Dr. Manheim, I just-”

“Do you think a professional agrees to an interview with a woman dressed like this?” I asked, gesturing to her above the knee skirt and more pointedly, to her open blouse and bursting cleavage. 

Vicki looked stunned. 

“Do you not know how you look? I thought you newspeople have a team of assistants to make sure you don’t go out the door looking like a five-dollar hooker.” I said. 

I could hear the cameraman giggling. 

“How dare you!” She loomed closer. She was an imposing woman. Not long ago I might have been intimidated by her, physically and sexually.

“No, how dare you!!” I replied, causing her to take a step back. “I am dealing with a matter of global safety and you come to me dressed like this and want to conduct an interview? Do you think that what you are wearing is appropriate for an interview about an alien plague?”

Vicki looked down at herself and then back at me. “But what I wear is none of your-”

“Answer the question Miss Vale.” I insisted stepping closer. “If you want the interview, answer the question.”

Vicki floundered for a second. She probably wasn’t used to men telling her to put more clothes on. “Well, I-I suppose…”

“A simple yes or no will suffice. Do you think what you are wearing is acceptable garb given the severity of the circumstances?’ 

Vicki looked at the camera guy for help but he was just silently smiling. “I…” Then she hung her head. “No…” (VICKI: +16 SP)(-31SP)

“Of course you don’t. This is absurd. Here, since you clearly don’t know how to dress yourself, I’ll do it for you.” I took it too far then, grabbing her blouse and doing up the buttons while she continued to stare at me in absolute shock. I knew I had seconds before the novelty of my actions would wear off and she’d start screaming and hitting me. 

But I didn’t give her a chance to fight back. I just buttoned up her blouse, like she was a child that needed help dressing for school. (VICKI: +14 SP)(-17SP) Then I turned away and climbed into the car. 

“I’ll have my people call your people.” I told her before I pulled away. 

She was already yelling after me by the time I swerved off in the direction of my interview with Lois. But it was too late. She had submitted, at least for a time. She'd allowed me to touch her, however temporarily. 

I was swimming in SP and the interview hadn’t even begun.