THE MAID OF STEEL # 22

"No. No message." Linda sighed, cradling the phone. Superman had gotten her a private phone number for Power Girl, a private listing for one Karen Starr. In the past few weeks, it had only gone to an answering service with an overly friendly operator who was less than helpful.

"Still no luck?"

Linda looked at her new roommate—Kara of Argo City. She could be a younger Power Girl. The resemblance was that uncanny. Linda had seen photographs and news footage of Power Girl when she had first appeared on the scene, and she was a mirror image of Kara of Argo City.

"Nope. Power Girl still isn't home." Linda frowned, tucking a lock of light brown hair behind her ear. Her encounter with the second Blackstarr several weeks ago had her desperate to chat with Power Girl. Well, that and Kara of Argo City. Plus, while she'd been displaced in time the Time Trapper had intimated that there was some connection between her and Power Girl.

"Do you think we'll need her to kick that other Blackstarr's butt?" Kara asked.

"No." Linda shook her head. "She was helpful. Not necessarily a friend. But she helped me. She destroyed the evil Blackstarr and said she had to go and investigate some disturbance in the fabric of the Universe."

"I wish I had destroyed the evil Blackstarr. After she destroyed my home." Kara shook her head.

"I thought creepy Aliens destroyed your home. That's what Superman said." Linda replied. When she and Clark had finally gotten together to discuss the events of the past few weeks—including the fact that Linda was now his adopted cousin—Kara Zor-El, there had been much discussion of Kara of Argo City. Ultimately, Linda had decided that it would be best for Kara to stay with her in Midway City.

"They destroyed the colony we lived in. Our original world was destroyed by Blackstarr. We were the only survivors. I was very little. But, I remember her. I saw her in the sky… floating, raining death upon us as she tore our planet apart. We barely escaped on a rocket ship to that colony." As Kara spoke, Linda remembered leaving Krypton as it exploded. The overwhelming horror filling her heart at the moment was something difficult to truly express.

Linda patted the girl's shoulder. She seemed so much older than seventeen.

"Are you ready for school?" Linda asked her.

"No. I don't know why I have to go." Kara pouted. Superman had pulled some strings and gotten Kara enrolled in Franklin Roosevelt High School here in Genoa Park under the name of Karri Danvers. They were passing her off as Linda's cousin from Metropolis. Kara wasn't particularly pleased with the situation. Not caring for being called Karri, caring even less for the brown wig and dowdy clothes she was wearing. And she definitely was displeased with having to lose in sports to the other kids to hide her powers.

"You need to fit in. And you need to learn about your new home and the kind of people in it." Linda replied patiently, repeating this for the dozenth time.

"I just want to be a super-hero like you. And Superman. And I want to fight crime!" Kara whined.

"Until you understand this world better, you won't understand crime here. Last week you did not stop that man from robbing that grocery store."

"But, he was hungry! And he had to feed his children!"

"Kara… he broke the law. He endangered people. He used a gun. A cashier—an innocent man, was severely injured."

"He should have given that man food." Kara pouted.

"It doesn't work that way. Our customs are different. Hungry or not, that man broke the law."

"What kind of planet lets people go hungry when there is plenty of food in stores?" Kara was outraged.

Linda frowned. How did she explain that she didn't think it was right either? But the law was the law?

"You're going to be late for school." Linda said finally, "And I have to meet Mattie so we can head over to the Museum."

"You still haven't gotten your last check?"

"No." Linda shook her head, "I told Jocelyn to just mail it to me. But, for whatever reason she says that I have to sign for it in person. I'm not sure why that it is. I think she's just trying to make my life difficult."

Kara tugged at the wig.

"Don't. You're going to pull that wig off, and everyone will see your hair underneath."

"So?"

"So… you were extensively photographed and video taped. STAR Labs is probably still looking for you. Superman hasn't been able to get them to drop their ‘claim' on you. You need a secret identity. Besides, if you were recognized as Kara of Argo City—who was seen fighting alongside Supergirl. Someone might figure out that I'm Supergirl."

"How? You're a foot shorter and have different hair color and a completely different face."

"You'd be surprised." Linda replied, locking the door to the apartment behind them.

"Who is that creepy woman?" Kara asked as they made their way down the hallway, and out into the street to where Mattie's SUV waited.

"What creepy woman?" Linda asked.

"That one with the really short hair-cut and the camoflag pants."

"It's camouflage." Linda corrected her. "I'm not sure I know which woman you mean."

"She is always hanging around the hallway. She was just standing in the lobby of the building, staring at us. She is always in there. And she always stares at me. It is weird. It ‘creeps' me out." Kara said.

Linda smiled, it was funny to hear Kara trying out words she had picked up at school and the awkward way her mouth reshaped them in sentences. But, the smile didn't last long.

"I'm not sure I know who you mean, Kara. You'll have to point her out to me next time you see her."

Sylvia Danvers sat in the living room of her and Fred's apartment with the shades drawn, sipping diet soda and eating leftover lasagna. Good Day Midway City was on Channel 8, and Johnny Drew and Joan Raymond were sitting behind the news desk looking polished and charming.

"So Mayor Weisinger has declared that due to all of her good deeds," Johnny Drew began, his warm smile lighting up the television screen, "That Saturday May 19th will be declared Supergirl Appreciation Day!"

"That's right, Johnny." Joan smiled, "Mayor Weisinger said that there will be a carnival, a parade, and he hopes to present Supergirl with a key to the city. While the Mayor's office states that they have not had any official contact with Supergirl on the matter, he hopes that she will be in attendance."

"Other activities include a Supergirl Look-alike contest, a Miss Supergirl Pageant, and many fun games and sports suitable for the entire family."

"We'll be right back with a charming story about a dog who saved his owner from a burning house!" Joan laughed lightly. The scene faded to show a woman with dark red hair and a severe look on her face.

"Have you lost a family member before their time? Did you not get the opportunity to resolve some critical issue before they passed over to the Other Side?" The woman asked, her dark maroon lips looked like a sharp heart. "If so, I can help you. I'm Selena Moonstone and you can call my number at the bottom of the screen to be a guest on my show… The Other Side with Selena Moonstone."

Sylvia Danvers jotted the number.

"Linda!" Craig Morris exclaimed as she and Mattie came down the hallway of the employee wing, heading toward Jocelyn Roger's office. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to get my last check." Linda replied, "I still haven't gotten it, even though I asked Jocelyn to mail it to me when she fired me. It's been nearly three months. Now she is saying I have to sign something."

"Weird. You never returned my call last week." Craig said.

"I'm sorry. I meant to call you back, but I've been really busy." Linda said.

"Have you found another job yet?" He asked.

"Not yet." Linda sighed, "But, I have a couple interviews this week. And there is one next week I'm pretty hopeful about."

"Is Jocelyn in her office?" Linda asked.

"Yeah, but she's meeting with Philip Decker." Craig said.

"The Phil Decker?" Mattie asked with a raised eyebrow.

"One and the same." Craig nodded.

"Who is Phil Decker?" Linda asked.

"He's only like one of the richest men in the world." Mattie said, "He is head of a giant corporation. Their main money is in pharmaceuticals and health products, although he is heavily involved in real estate as well."

"He's interested in displaying some artifacts at the museum and is wanting to finalize the deal with Jocelyn." Craig said.

"Well, hopefully he won't mind me popping in to get my check." Linda said.

"I don't think Jocelyn will like that much…" Craig hesitated.

"If that's the case, she shouldn't have told me to just drop by today. And she shouldn't be acting so difficult about my final check. Most jobs would have mailed it by now." Linda replied.

Linda and Mattie walked by him, pushing the door to Jocelyn's office open.

"Hi, Jocelyn." Linda smiled brightly, "I hope I'm not disturbing, but I'm here for my last check."

Jocelyn's face lost most of its color and the woman's eyes widened in shock.

The handsome man turned his attention to Linda and Mattie, his clear blue eyes focusing intently on the two women. His gaze seemed to go immediately to Linda's face. Linda met his gaze, frowning slightly. There was something familiar about the man.

"Oh… yes, I did tell you to drop by today." Jocelyn sputtered, pulling open a desk drawer. She looked to the man across the desk from her, "I apologize for the interruption Mr. Decker. This will only take a moment."

"No worries, Mrs. Rogers." Phillip Decker flashed a toothy grin.

"It's Ms." Jocelyn corrected quickly.

"And you are?" Phillip Decker rose, taking Linda's hand in his. He gazed into her eyes.

"I'm Linda Danvers."

"Pleased to meet you." He shook her hand lightly, but firmly, never once breaking eye contact. "You remind me of someone… someone from my past."

"Really?" Linda smiled pleasantly, although there was something really weird and really familiar about this guy. "I don't remember meeting you. Perhaps you've mistaken me for someone else?"

"I don't think so." Phillip asked, "Have you ever been to Bialya?"

Linda hesitated. Linda Danvers had never been to Bialya. Supergirl had. And Glory had during her time trapped in the past during World War II.

"No. I've never been outside of the U.S." Linda smiled, "I definitely think you have me mistaken for some one else."

"My apologies then." Phillip said, releasing her hand. He then turned to Mattie. "I am Phillip Decker."

Mattie shook his hand, although she noted that he was not gazing into her eyes like he'd gazed into Linda's. "I'm Mattie Harcourt."

"Pleased to meet you." Phillip released Mattie's hand, and then reached into his briefcase. He removed two gold envelopes. "I would like you both to come to a party this Friday, as my guests. And note that each invitation is good for you and one guest."

"Thank you." Mattie took the invitations gratefully. "This is incredibly generous of you Mr. Decker."

"Please, call me Phil." Phillip Decker replied.

"Thank you." Linda said, still unable to shake her frown or the sense of familiarity about this man. Him mentioning Bialya was odd. "Is my check ready Jocelyn?"

"Yes." Jocelyn's tone was cool and clipped, her face was quite pale and quite pinched. She handed over a clipboard with a form on it, "I just need you to sign that."

Linda signed the paperwork and handed it back to Jocelyn. Jocelyn gave her a thick white envelope. Linda tore it open, checked it, and then looked at Jocelyn, "Yep. That looks like the right amount."

"Let's go Mattie." Linda said.

"I hope to meet you again." Phillip Decker told them. "I expect I shall see you two Friday night?"

"You can count on it." Mattie grinned widely as she and Linda left Jocelyn's office.

Jocelyn looked at Phillip Decker, "You're having a party?"

"Yes. Those were my last two tickets." Phillip Decker replied, "But, now let's get back to figuring out how we are going to work out the details of displaying my collection of Bialyan artifacts saved from the Nazi's invasion during World War II."

"OK." Jocelyn said, deflated.

As they launched back into their discussion, Phillip's thoughts returned to Linda Danvers.

"That was odd." Linda said as they walked down a hallway filled with exhibits. "He… reminded me of someone. But, I'm not sure who."

"Well, obviously he had the same sensation. He gave us tickets!" Mattie exclaimed excitedly.

Linda looked up at the display they had stopped in front of. Behind alarms and bulletproof glass was the Amazonian armor and spear that Chryseis had used to send her into the past. To World War II Europe. Which was the first time she'd ever gone to Bialya. The second time had been in the Pocket Universe when she'd fought Monarch.

"I'm sure it will be a lot of fun." Linda smiled, "Although I don't think I have anything nice enough to wear."

"I'm sure we can figure something out. I could lend you something. I have a couple black slinky dresses good for a wide variety of events." Mattie said.

"You certainly haven't wasted any time in rebuilding your wardrobe." Linda said as they walked out of the museum.

"A girl has to have her priorities." Mattie giggled as they headed toward the parking lot.

There is a high-rise building in downtown Midway City, one nestled between the other high rises so that it is nondescript and does not stand out. If you were to ask anyone in Midway City what is inside that building, no one could tell you. Such mystery and lack of information was not by accident. Information had been removed from city records over the years. The building located at 2323 13th Street was an enigma on purpose.

On the top level, in a room with one way mirrored windows shielding outside eyes from seeing within, was a massive conference room with a long table and many chairs. At the table, sat twelve people in dark burgundy hooded robes, and one in a white robe with a gold mask and crown obscuring his face.

"The Mayor is declaring May 19th Supergirl Day." One of the men at the table said, his expression grim. Only the barest traces of his face were detectible from the folds of his hood. "It looks as though her sojourn in our city is not a temporary thing. She has been here for nearly nine months and only becomes more and more visible as time goes by."

"Indeed." Another man said, his hooded robe that obscured his face. "We have been lucky here. Since Hawkman and Hawkgirl's departure all those years ago, it has been quiet here. No heroes of note. Nothing we couldn't easily handle… until now."

"What do we do?"

"Whatever we do, we must advance cautiously. Supergirl is well known. And if something happens to her, we can be assured that Superman and the Justice League will come snooping around." Another man said, his own burgundy robe leaving his face unknown. "And how does one kill Supergirl anyway?"

"That is a good question." A female voice said, her hands going to the medallion at her neck. The same medallion that every one wore in this room. "We shall have to research the question. We cannot have Supergirl in Midway City. It endangers everything we have built here over the years."

"We shall put it to vote, just to make sure that we are all on the same page." The man in the white robe and golden mask said, his voice booming and commanding. "All those in favor of destroying Supergirl, say aye."

A ringing chorus of "aye" came from around the conference table.

"Then, with us all in agreement, it is official. The Council shall set about the destruction of Supergirl." The man in the golden mask said.

The room fell into silence.

Cutter Sharp was out getting his boss Johnny Drew's lunch from a take-out Thai food place downtown. While he liked being in the news business and he knew that Channel 8 was the biggest deal this side of Metropolis, he was growing to dislike his boss more and more each day.

Johnny Drew was an egotistical demanding diva. He never ate craft services at the station. Nope. He was too good for that. He always had to have lunch from some obscure place at least twenty blocks away. It also seemed like wherever it was that he wanted lunch from was buried between a dozen one-way streets and out of easy reach of the bus lines and the trains.

Cutter kept hoping that Johnny Drew would get that job in Gateway City he'd been campaigning for and that he would get to be the assistant of Geoffrey Anderson, who was next in line to take over Johnny Drew's job. Geoffrey was a nice decent guy.

As Cutter was leaving the Thai food place, he wondered how he was going to make it back in the twenty minutes left of Johnny Drew's lunch break. He knew he wasn't going to be able to make a block per minute no matter how fast he went—downtown traffic lights were never accommodating that way.

At the first light he came to there was a teenage girl hanging a poster on a pole.

"Is that your band?" Cutter asked, waiting for the light.

"Uh…" The girl looked at him hesitantly, unable to meet his eyes. "No. It's for a seminar. Later this month. You should come."

The girl stepped out of the way, a staple gun in one hand, several more posters in the other.

Cutter looked at the poster.

SUPERHERO? SUPERMENACE!

Beneath that was: Superheroes are a threat to this planet! To our way of life! Meet with others who feel the same way you do. May 24th, 6:30p.m. at Genoa Park Amphitheater.

"What is that crap?" Cutter asked the girl.

"Just what it says. A seminar for people who don't want superheroes overrunning our world." The girl said, her hesitant expression being replaced by a harder one. Her eyes had filled with fire.

"They've saved our bacon a million times over." Cutter replied, not noticing that the light had changed in his favor.

"And they've caused more damage than they've prevented. How many times have super-villains leveled city blocks just to get some hero's attention? How many people has the Joker killed in his endless games with Batman? There is an entire nation of Amazons who are trained killers and the U.N. has given them diplomatic immunity because their poster girl wears a star-spangled bathing suit."

"That's a load of crap. Supergirl has saved this city a dozen times in the past few months. She's stopped car crashes, bank robberies, and gang wars. There have been very few super-criminals in these parts." Cutter replied.

"Really? There was that Satan Girl person who came here looking for her. Then Chryseis, and that Blackstarr woman. Supergirl is a threat and a menace to Midway City's well-being, no matter if the mayor wants to give her a parade or not." The girl snorted. "But, obviously, you're one of those super-hero lap dogs like that Lois Lane and Jimmy Olson at the Daily Planet. Just wait until you're in harm's way because of one of them. Then you'll feel just like I do. I just hope it never comes to that."

The girl spun on her heels and stormed off into the crowded streets, Cutter considered going after her, but his cell phone rang at that moment—it was Johnny Drew. Cutter groaned realizing he was going to be really, really late now.

Billionaire Phillip Decker was alone, for the moment. He had returned from his meeting with that awful woman Jocelyn Rogers, only to deal with some other business matters, and to make a personal call to Leda Thorul—CEO of Thorul Enterprises, and part of the reason he was here in Midway City. His assistant Lester Adams had tried to convince him to send someone else out to the Midway Museum, but Phillip had insisted.

Now in retrospect, he was glad that he had. He had run into the girl… Linda Danvers. Phillip swirled the brandy in his tumbler, wondering after the girl. Hoping that she did come to his party on Friday. He needed to speak to her, to determine who she really was.

Going over to a private safe that traveled with him everywhere he went, he put in his personal combination and opened the door to the small safe. He removed clippings from it, most of them severely yellowed with age and threatening to crumble if handled too roughly.

He looked down at the picture, the pretty girl with the brown hair smiling, standing next to the World War II heroine known as Miss America.

"Glory…" Phillip Decker whispered. Glory was the spitting image of Linda Danvers. "Can it really be you? After all of these years?"

The black-and-white newspaper did not answer.

Phillip returned it to his safe, locking it securely before going over to a window of his penthouse here in Midway City. He gazed out across the city, unsure if he felt troubled or relieved. This meant big things, regardless of how he felt about it.

Flying over Midway City, Supergirl was enjoying the warm afternoon.

She and Mattie had gone to lunch after leaving the Museum, and then Mattie had run off to a staff meeting at the hospital. It had left Supergirl with not much to do. Karri was in school. Cutter was at work. Her dad was probably still asleep. Her mom had gone to her Women's Bible Study group. Dick was at work. Craig Morris was obviously still at the museum finishing his shift. Frowning, Supergirl realized that she had not really made many friends during her time here in Midway City. If the Time Trapper hadn't saved her friends and family, her life would still be pretty empty—even emptier after Will Payton, Starman had left.

She pushed the thoughts away. She would get a new job soon enough, and she'd be starting classes at Midway City University next term. There would be plenty of new friends. Plus, as always, she was overlooking the Titans, the Justice League, Superman…

"Enough with the woe-is-me." Supergirl said, moving straight up into the sky, passing through clouds and heading to the final layers of atmosphere before the cold of space.

Hovering there, she looked at the Justice League's moon base, the Watchtower. There was always some one there on Monitor Duty. She herself had put in a shift last week. Surely someone there would be able to give her a little company. Maybe Firehawk would be there. They hadn't gotten much chance to bond since they'd both joined the JLA.

Supergirl was preparing to head that way, when the space between her and the moon flexed and a giant skull shaped space craft folded into view.

"Brainiac?!" Supergirl exclaimed.

The skull ship looked remarkably like one of Brainiac's crafts.

Supergirl rushed toward it, ready to thwart whatever it was that Brainiac was planning.

A ray of energy exploded from the blasters on either side of the skull's mouth, striking Supergirl directly. Everything went dark.

Several moments passed, and when Supergirl's vision blinked back to her, she found herself in a metal and glass containment cell. She hammered a blow at the glass, but it did not even crack.

"Oh, this is great!" Supergirl groaned, she reached for her JLA signal device, only to find that it wasn't working.

"It's not going to work for you Supergirl. The containment cell you are in will block all outgoing or incoming transmissions on any device. It would even block a Legion flight ring… not that you currently have one of those."

The voice was electronic and incredibly creepy, but it was definitely not Brainiac.

"Who are you?" Supergirl asked as a form stepped into her view.

The woman standing there was just over six-foot tall. She was lean and green-skinned, wearing a light pink jump suit. Her eyes were solid red orbs and electronic components riddled her baldhead.

"I'm Brainiac 2.5." The woman smiled, "Brainiac's daughter. And it's excellent that you were in space when I arrived. It means that my calculations were correct. It also makes it much easier. Having to track you across the planet might have gotten the attention of the other heroes of Earth."

"What do you want with me?" Supergirl asked, pounding the glass containment cell again.

"You can hit it as often as you want, but it will not shatter. I have studied you Supergirl. I know about all of your powers, including the Earth-bound angel powers and those you gained as the Matrix." Brainiac 2.5 smiled. The expression was quite horrible. "As for what I want with you, you are from the Time Trapper's Pocket Universe. And you have recently been there. I can use you as a living doorway to that world. And that Universe is ripe for the conquering. Let my father toil about this Universe, in his vain attempts to destroy Superman. I'd much rather have my own Universe to rule."

Brainiac 2.5 cackled madly.

Supergirl felt her heart go cold.

TO BE CONTINUED

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