THE MAID OF STEEL # 24

Supergirl was still trapped in the containment cell, while Kara of Argo City stood on the other side, trying to figure out a way to get her out. Behind them, Brainiac 2.5 held an unconscious Power Girl in one hand, while preparing to blast them with an energy bolt. They were at the Dawn of Time where Brainiac 2.5 had brought Supergirl, planning to use her as a gateway to the Time Trapper's Pocket Universe.

"You and Power Girl have wasted your time here." Brainiac 2.5 said, "Now, you will both die as well."

"I'll knock your block off!" Kara of Argo City said, clenching her hands into fists. She snarled at Brainiac 2.5, the evil cybernetic daughter of Brainiac.

"You are not intimidating to one such as I." Brainiac 2.5 said, "I am a sophisticated system of living organic metal and robotic components. You only have super-strength and an unpleasant destiny."

"SHUT UP!" Kara screamed, throwing herself toward Brainiac 2.

Brainiac 2.5 tossed Power Girl at Kara, the two blondes colliding into one another and crashing to a stop on the platform below them.

Brainiac 2.5 walked over to the two women laying in a pile on the ground. She looked down at them, her crimson eyes shining brightly. "You certainly inspire others Supergirl. It's a pity your pale shadows here will die today as well."

"It's a pity you talk so #@$% much!" Power Girl said, socking Brainiac 2.5 in the eye.

Brainiac 2.5 let out a shrill electronic shriek and a bolt of black-purple energy exploded from her left hand. It arched across the platform, striking the containment cell. The cell rocked back and forth.

"It's not bolted down!" Supergirl exclaimed, watching as Power Girl and Brainiac 2.5 traded punches. With each punch, Brainiac 2.5 included a bolt of that black-purple energy.

Supergirl began rocking back and forth in the containment cell. It only took a few moments before the containment cell fell on it's side with a big loud clattering and then rolled over the side of the platform, landing on the side of Brainiac 2.5's ship with a heavy thunk and then spiraling out into the white nothingness surrounding them there at the Dawn of Time on all sides.

She was getting dizzy as she tumbled end over end into nothingness.

After what felt like an eternity, the containment cell came apart all around her with a crackle of energy. Hovering there, watching her was Blackstarr.

"We must get you out of this place Supergirl. If Brainiac 2.5 opens the gateway to the Pocket Universe, it will unlock the prison in Hypertime where Lord Xenon is trapped." Blackstarr said.

"We have to save Kara and Power Girl. We cannot leave them here with that monster." Supergirl said, looking into Blackstarr's dark fathomless eyes.

In the distance, Supergirl looked at the multi-hued globe that shimmered with it's own life and light and whispered of a thousand different worlds and realities. Far above there was a small dark spot that was Brainiac 2.5's ship.

"They can take care of themselves. You are a gateway to that other world. It is far too dangerous for you to be here." Blackstarr said.

"No can do Blackstarr. I'm not leaving my friends." Supergirl said, flying toward speck of Brainiac 2.5's ship at a velocity she had never known she was capable of achieving.

"Supergirl! Do not be foolish!" Blackstarr said, hovering at Supergirl's side—moving at the same high velocity. "The whole of existence is endangered! You understand that the greater good must be put before the lives of those two. Do not think with your heart and let your knowledge be clouded. If you die here, the Universe will cease to be. You are not strong enough to face Lord Xenon yet."

"Blackstarr... if you know anything about me you know that I'm not going to leave them to the devices of that crazy computer, nor am I going to let her go free here. The potential for her to do damage is far too great."

Supergirl landed on the platform, finding Brainiac 2.5 preparing to pummel Power Girl again with a writhing fist of dark energy. Power Girl's nose was bleeding and her eyes were shut. Blackstarr materialized on the platform next to her.

"What do we have here?" Brainiac 2.5 asked, turning her attention to Supergirl and Blackstarr. "Blackstarr? The Destroyer of Worlds? All information points to you having been consumed during the Crisis by the abnormalities that ran rampant throughout the Universe at that point."

"Your information was incorrect. I became stronger. And different." Blackstarr replied, "And you should know that I am aware of what you plan here Brainiac 2.5. You must know that if you attempt it, you will destroy all of existence."

"My data does not indicate that." Brainiac 2.5 replied. "My data indicates that I shall rule the Pocket Universe."

"You should know that if you attempt this, you will unleash the Anti-Monitor from his prison outside of time. And no one will survive his return." Blackstarr said.

"You are a fool if you think I would believe you. The Anti-Monitor was destroyed during the Crisis. And he is to never return. Your superstitious ranting will not prevent me from having my way." Brainiac 2.5 laughed.

"I can destroy you Brainiac 2.5." Blackstarr said, "I am more than some mere mortal with enhanced strength and speed. I control the very forces that bind the Universe together."

"Forces you do not truly understand Blackstarr." Brainiac 2.5 replied, "You have limited your knowledge to this Universe, never peering to anything beyond it. And that makes you a Destroyer of Worlds, rather than a Destroyer of Universes."

Brainiac 2.5 tossed Power Girl over the side of the platform and then picked Kara of Argo City up over her head, tossing her after Power Girl.

"NO!" Supergirl said, leaping over the side of the platform after them.

"Now that Supergirl is preoccupied, it should give us adequate time for us to settle this." Brainiac 2.5 smiled.

"There is nothing to settle. I control the forces of the Universe. You're a poorly developed artificial intelligence a computer chip for a brain buried in living metal harvested from some unnamed forgotten backwater planet." Blackstarr said, releasing a barrage of photons.

Brainiac 2.5 countered with a blast of black-purple energy, which tore the platform asunder.

"I just want to check on them." Mattie said, parking the SUV in front of the apartment building Linda and Karri called home. "Karri sounded pretty upset on the phone."

"Do you think Karri knows that Linda is Supergirl?" Cutter asked, looking up at the apartment building. In the darkening May afternoon it looked vaguely ominous.

"I'm pretty sure she does. Haven't you noticed that Karri wears a wig? I think she's the Kara of Argo City kid that has been seen helping Supergirl fight crime." Mattie asked.

"Are you sure? I mean, Linda says she's her cousin. And Mr. and Mrs. Danvers say the same thing." Cutter replied.

"You are so dense sometimes." Mattie said, "Mr. and Mrs. Danvers are obviously aware that Linda is Supergirl. And I've been Linda's best friend since kindergarten. She doesn't have a cousin named Karri. She has a cousin named Robert and another named Mark. And they're both on Sylvia's side of the family."

"Are you sure?" Cutter asked, as they got out of the SUV.

"Yeah. I'm sure. Fred Danvers is an only child." Mattie said as they walked up to the front door of the apartment building.

"Then her parents know she's Supergirl." Cutter said.

"I'm pretty sure they must. When I brought it up over dinner the other night, did you see the way they changed the subject?" Mattie asked, pushing the door open.

They headed for the elevators that would take them to the floor Linda's apartment was on.

"That was weird." Cutter said, "Are you sure there's no way Karri is really her cousin? Maybe a long-lost sister or something?"

"No. Fred and Sylvia only had two kids. Linda and her older brother Jan." Mattie said, "And no one really talks about Jan. He was killed back when Linda was really little."

"How come I've never heard about him?" Cutter asked as the elevator stopped on the third floor.

"They don't really talk about him. He was abducted by a stranger who assaulted him and then murdered him. It was a really big deal." Mattie said, "They never caught the guy who did it."

"Oh god. That's awful." Cutter said.

"Yeah, it is." Mattie said, as they left the elevator and walked down the hallway. "I think it's part of what started Sylvia's downward spiral into alcoholism the first time. And why she's embraced the church as much as she has. She's trying to make sense of a world where her son was taken from her. And with Linda in such a bad place for so long..." Mattie shook her head.

"And with us being missing all those months..." Cutter let his own sentence trail as they reached the door to Linda's apartment.

Cutter knocked on the door, looking at the gold numbers of 242 on the door.

They waited nearly five minutes before giving up.

"I'm worried." Mattie said, quietly.

"I'm sure it's fine. She's probably just off saving the world again." Cutter said softly, putting an arm around Mattie.

They were walking away from the door to the apartment when the girl came up to them. Her eyes were large and afraid, her shortly shorn hair had a slight reddish tint to it. Cutter couldn't help but notice the dark stains on her camouflage pants, her tank top, and the tan hoodie sweater she was wearing.

"You guys looking for Linda and Karri?" She asked, touching Mattie's arm.

Mattie shivered and backed away from the girl's touch. It had felt like cadaver skin—reminding her of long creepy nights in the morgue during medical school. Cool and clammy. It felt unreal and rubbery somehow.

"Yeah, we are." Cutter said, looking at her dark eyes.

"They're gone." The girl said, "I've been waiting for them to get back. I need to talk to Linda. I need her help."

"What do you mean?"

The girl looked up at them with her lost eyes. She held out a pad of paper. Cutter took it from her, looking down at the writing scrawled on it.

242: Everybody dies.

Cutter drew in a sharp breath at the same moment Mattie did. Cutter dropped the pad, it fell to the floor. They looked up to find the girl gone.

Cutter frowned, looking around. The hallway to Linda's apartment seemed incredibly empty.

"Mattie?"

"I saw her too." Mattie replied, "Do you think she went back into that apartment?"

Only a few feet away was the door to apartment 241.

"I don't know." Cutter replied. He went over to it and knocked. But there was no answer.

"Let's just get out of here." Mattie said quietly, "I've got a bad feeling all of the sudden."

They left the apartment building, going back out to the SUV. While getting in, they both looked up at the building.

"You notice that there are only two apartments in that building with lights on?" Mattie asked, looking at the dark windows lining all four floors of the apartment.

"And one of them is the lamp that Linda leaves on." Cutter said, he looked at the other window. A dark shadow moved in front of it in the shape of a person. Then the light went out.

"Let's get out of here." Mattie said, a tremor of fear rippling through her.

They drove off into the darkening evening.

Supergirl was having a difficult time catching up to Power Girl and Kara. They'd gotten a head start, and no matter how much she pushed herself, she couldn't seem to speed up any. It was as though the normal rules of time and space did not work correctly.

"KARA!" Supergirl called.

"What?" Power Girl mumbled.

Supergirl frowned, remembering that while Power Girl's civilian name was Karen Starr, she actually preferred Kara, which was her real name. She and Kara of Argo City looked so much alike. Supergirl frowned.

"WAKE UP!" Supergirl screamed.

"Oh!" Power Girl said, her eyes fluttering open as she flipped end over end. She reached over and grabbed a still unconscious Kara and then tried to gain control of her flight. Her exerted energy was enough to give Supergirl the chance to catch up to them. She took both of them in each hand, flying up toward Brainiac 2's ship. Above them there were explosions happening.

"What's going on up there?" Power Girl asked.

"Blackstarr is fighting Brainiac." Supergirl said as they rushed back up. "We need to find a way out of this place."

"How do you escape the Dawn of Time?" Power Girl asked, her entire body ached.

"I don't know. How did you guys do it during the Crisis? I understood you all ended up fighting the Anti-Monitor here." Supergirl asked.

"I don't remember that." Power Girl replied, "But truthfully, much about the Crisis is hard to remember. I remember the skies were red. And I remember.... Did you die? No. That's not possible. You weren't even around then. Why do I remember you dying?"

"I think we're too close to the Dawn of Time, and we're remembering all of the things that the Crisis changed." Supergirl replied grimly, remembering what Blackstarr had said. The Anti-Monitor would escape if Brainiac 2.5 succeeded in opening the gateway to the Pocket Universe here at the Dawn of Time.

"Kara? Is she OK?" Power Girl asked.

"I don't know." Supergirl replied, "She is still unconscious."

They reached Brainiac 2.5's ship, only to find it battered as Brainiac 2.5 and Blackstarr were warring several feet away from the ship. With them distracted, Supergirl went into the ship through the opened top, stepping over the mechanics revealed by the now gone platform and going to the ship's main control panel.

"You think you can get us out of this place?" Power Girl asked, wiping at the blood dripping from her nose and mouth with her cape.

Supergirl laid Kara of Argo City down gently on a smooth surface before going over to the console.

"I don't know." Supergirl frowned. "I have never seen anything like this."

"Me either." Power Girl said, looking at the controls. "Let me see. I'm pretty good with computers and electronic."

"This is far more complicated than anything I've ever encountered." Supergirl said, looking at the buttons. "I think we're going to have to figure another way out."

An explosion rocked the ship and Brainiac 2.5 smashed through the view screen, landing on the exposed machinery on the floor. Blackstarr followed her through the hole into the ship.

Dick Malverne looked at the door to Linda's apartment, frowning. No one was answering. He'd been here for nearly five minutes, knocking and waiting. He sighed, stuffing his hands down into his pockets. He supposed that Linda was probably off saving the world as Supergirl again.

When he had first figured out that Linda was Supergirl, not long after they'd come back from wherever they had been all those months after the destruction of Leesburg, Dick had been fine with the idea that Linda and Supergirl were one in the same. In some ways it had attracted him even more. To know that a girl as cool and interesting as Linda was also powerful and noble—fighting for justice and freedom, made him like her even more.

Lately, he found that while his feelings for her were growing deeper and deeper and he was pretty sure that he was in love with her, he was not sure if he could be with her. Her career as Supergirl put her in danger, and many nights since she'd confirmed her dual identity—that night at the Skyline restaurant* Dick had laid awake at night, worrying about her, wondering what the future held. Superman had been killed by Doomsday. If Superman could die, so could Supergirl. It was a fear that had deeply rooted itself in Dick these past few weeks.

*(see Supergirl Maid of Steel # 21)

They were supposed to go out tonight, to a movie and dinner. And now here he was standing in a hallway and she was probably halfway across the Universe fighting some super-villain with plans on destroying the planet.

"You looking for Linda."

The voice startled Dick out of his thoughts. He looked up at the person that had spoke. He supposed she had asked him a question, but it really hadn't sounded like one.

"Yeah. But, I don't think she's home."

"She left earlier today. Hasn't been back since. Her cousin Karri left with some woman earlier." The woman said. Dick studied her expression, her dull colorless eyes with the dark glint to them. Her skin had an unhealthy grayish seen and there were dark circles making their home beneath them. Her closely shorn blonde hair looked as though it was something she'd done herself.

"Oh." Dick said flatly. There were dark stains on the woman's dirty white tank top and on her army camouflage fatigues.

"It doesn't matter. They won't be here much longer." The woman said, smiling oddly to reveal uneven teeth in need of braces. "Nobody ever stays here all that long."

"Why is that?" Dick asked quietly.

The girl looked at him, "You look really nice. I've seen you here lotsa times. You seem like a really nice guy. Will you tell Linda that I need her help?"

"Sure." Dick nodded, wondering if this girl was were developmentally challenged. She was speaking to him very simply and like he would expect a child to. "Why doesn't any one ever stay here very long?"

"Because he doesn't let them." The girl said.

"Who doesn't let them?"

"I hear him coming now. You should go." The girl said. She removed a notepad from her pocket, writing something on it with a quick fluid motion from a pen that she'd produced from the same pocket. She handed the folded piece of paper to Dick, stuffing it in his hand. "You should go he'll be here soon."

"OK." Dick nodded, not sure what was going on.

He left the hallway. Once he was out on the street in front of the apartment building he unfolded the paper the girl had given him and read it. His lips pressed into a frown as his eyes took in the words.

242--Everybody Dies.

Dick crumbled the paper into a small wad and then tossed it toward a trashcan on the street. He missed the trashcan. The piece of paper bounced to the sidewalk. Dick did not notice as he got into his new BMW and drove off into the night that the wad of paper slowly grayed and went stuff and crisp before fading away into nothing until there was nothing but dust in the place it had occupied only moments before.

In the interior of Brainiac 2.5's craft, electricity danced from the walls.

Blackstarr fired solar flares from her hands, the bright flashes of intense heat slammed into Brainiac 2.5, slamming her back into the computer consoles behind her. Crackling electricity danced from Brainiac 2.5's temples, her red eyes flickering brightly, blinking in rapid succession.

"You—zzzzttt—are ve---zzztt-ry foo----ttzzsst—lish." Brainiac 2.5 said, pulling herself to her feet. The electricity dancing from her head danced in widening arcs outward.

"She's about to go all Pokemon on us." Power Girl said, picking up Kara of Argo City. The girl was still unconscious. Power Girl was beginning to worry.

"We have to get out of this ship." Supergirl said, the ship was beginning to break apart as Blackstarr fired photons at Brainiac 2.5.

"Agreed." Power Girl said, "Although I can't believe that Blackstarr hasn't torn Brainiac 2.5 into a billion pieces yet."

"I don't know where we're going to go." Supergirl said as they flew from the ship. A loud explosion ripped a huge hole in the side of the ship showering flames and ship components out into the white void. They floated down into the nothingness below and the flames quickly fizzled and faded.

"We can just float here." Power Girl said, holding Kara in her arms. "Until we figure something out and one of them die. And we have to face the victor."

"My money is on Blackstarr. And at least she is kind of friendly to us." Supergirl replied.

"Until she decides that we need to go away for the betterment of the Universe." Power Girl remarked drolly. "Last time she and I clashed she decided that she needed to go off and explore the changes the Crisis was bringing on the Universe." Power Girl frowned, "I think... why I am remembering you and Superman fighting her? Instead of me and Superman fighting her?"

Supergirl looked at Power Girl, "Well, if I believe what everyone has been telling me, I was erased from existence and from every one's memory during the Crisis and you took my place."

"That's crazy." Power Girl said, then frowned. "I kind of remember you dying during the Crisis though." She glanced at the glowing shimmering orb hovering in the distance. "My memories are all weird here."

"Mine are too." Supergirl said. "We need to get out of here."

"Do you know the way out?" Power Girl asked, "I don't."

"Nope." Supergirl frowned. "Is it too much to hope for a deus ex machina?"

"Probably not." Power Girl smiled weakly. "Do you know what Earth Two is? I keep hearing voices... whispering Earth Two... come home to Earth Two."

"No." Supergirl replied. "But, I keep seeing myself arrive in a rocket ship on something called Earth One looking like a total tool."

"Stop trying to steal my secret origin." Power Girl replied.

"If I believe what they tell me, you've been stealing mine since I got erased."

"Touché." Power Girl laughed.

An explosion tore the ship below them asunder sending Brainiac 2.5 flying by, electricity coursing all over her body. Blackstarr followed after her. Brainiac 2.5 grabbed Blackstarr by the shoulders, and unleashed a tremendous charge of energy.

It sent Blackstarr spinning wildly out of control, moving so fast that she disappeared into the field of whiteness all around them.

"That's really bad." Supergirl said.

"Tell me about it." Power Girl moaned lightly.

Hovering in the air several hundred feet away, the electricity danced from Brainiac 2.5's entire body her eyes flashing bright and deadly red.

"She doesn't look happy at all." Supergirl said.

Brainiac 2.5 fired massive black-purple energy at them. Supergirl maneuvered out of the way, but Power Girl was still sluggish and with the added weight of Kara of Argo City it was a futile gesture. The explosive energy slammed into Power Girl, knocking her and Kara from the sky. As they fell, Power Girl felt her powers ebbing away again. With all the strength she could muster while losing her powers, Power Girl relied on the exo-skeleton and rocket boots and stirred herself and Kara toward the platform on top of Brainiac's ship.

"What's going on?" Kara asked, her eyes fluttering open as they slammed into the platform.

"Brainiac 2.5 managed to punch Blackstarr into next week... or whatever time it is over that way." Power Girl jerked a thumb toward the direction Blackstarr had spun off in. "And now she's remembered that we're here."

"Get away from them!" Supergirl screamed at Brainiac 2.5 as the villain began to rain electricity down on Power Girl and Kara.

"Do not engage me Maid of Steel. You are not strong enough to defeat me. You will only end up imprisoned. Surrender and allow me to open the gateway to the Pocket Universe and I will let your friends live." Brainiac 2.5 said, electricity dancing all around her.

Supergirl bit her bottom lip. The bottom line was that she had to protect her friends. But, another part of her whispered that she had to protect herself, she had a destiny to fulfill and a Universe to save. She couldn't face the Anti-Monitor or Lord Xenon or whatever he called himself if she died due to Brainiac's crazy daughter using her to open a door to the Pocket Universe.

"You surely see the wisdom in my words." Brainiac 2.5 cooed. "I am wirelessly connected to my ship. I can send it the command to take them back. Surrender Supergirl. Surrender and save your friends."

"Like Hell she will!" Kara of Argo City screamed, leaping from the platform and flying toward Brainiac 2.5 at top speed.

"KARA!" Supergirl and Power Girl screamed at the same time.

Kara slammed into Brainiac 2.5 at full force, electricity exploded all around them, dancing over and through Kara. The girl screamed beneath the intense pain. For a moment her skeleton was visible through her flesh.

"FOOLISH CHILD!" Brainiac 2.5 shrieked, her voice so high it was more of an electronic squealing. Power Girl and Supergirl both clamped their hands over their ears beneath the intense frequency.

Power Girl hovered several feet off the platform courtesy of her rocket boots, but the intensity of the sound kept her from moving another inch.

"STUPID COMPUTER!" Kara shouted, slamming her fist square into Brainiac 2.5's face. An explosion of electricity and smoke shot from the living computer girl's ears and her eyes began flashing bright and red.

"Your foolishness will be your undoing!" Brainiac 2.5 replied, clamping a hand over Kara's face. She released a volley of purple-black lightning.

Kara screamed, jerking back. Electricity danced over her face. In the moment of her hesitation, Brainiac 2.5 delivered one stinging forceful blow. The blow knocked Kara unconscious immediately.

Kara of Argo City spun away, streaking through the white void toward the shimmering globe in the center of the nothingness all around them.

Supergirl and Power Girl both attempted to fly after her, but Brainiac 2.5 blocked their way.

"Going somewhere girls?" Brainiac 2.5 asked.

Before either could go around her, heading toward the glittering globe of light Kara streaked toward—gaining more and more momentum with each revolution, another dark bolt of energy exploded from Brainiac 2.5's hands slamming into Power Girl. Power Girl screamed out. Without her super-powers, she was practically mortal and the electricity was intense.

"It's time Supergirl!" Brainiac 2.5's voice was underscored by an electronic humming and grinding sound from her interior. "You will open the gateway!"

A second blast of energy struck Supergirl, but this held Supergirl fast in place. Supergirl watched in horror as Kara of Argo City slammed into the sparkling globe with it's rainbow of realities rippling across it's surface. Kara disappeared.

A wave of energy exploded from the globe, arcing out and traveling across the void. The energy struck Power Girl.

In that moment a lifetime flashed before her eyes.

Images of childhood filled Power Girl's head. She hovered in place, looking after the image of Kara of Argo City on the shimmering globe. Images fed to her all those year's she'd spent in suspended animation after her grandfather Arion had sent her into the future. She'd had a mother and father and younger brother in those images. Later she'd found out that those images were nothing more than simulated memories created to help her maintain her sanity as her body had slowly but surely grown from child to young woman over many centuries spent in stasis in limbo. Only now, as the energy wave had washed over her, there seemed to be a second set of memories, just under the ones she currently have.

"Earth 2?" She whispered looking at the spinning glowing globe.

"Don't do this!" Supergirl screamed, her body felt as though it were being ripped in a thousand different directions.

"You are the key Supergirl." Brainiac 2.5's eyes were wild, "You will open the gateway to that other world!"

"Let go of her." Blackstarr materialized behind Brainiac 2.5.

"I thought I sent you away." Brainiac 2.5 said, not releasing her hold on Supergirl as she turned toward Blackstarr.

Blackstarr unleashed a photon blast, ripping through Brainiac 2.5 and severing her left arm. The pain tearing through the flesh and living metal that comprised Brainiac 2.5's body was strong enough that she relaxed her grip on Supergirl. It was enough for Power Girl to intervene, pulling Supergirl free from Brainiac 2.5's hand.

Power Girl and Supergirl landed on the platform on top of Brainiac 2.5's damaged ship. The ship was belching smoke as the sound of fire crinkling within could be heard. Stars danced in front of Power Girl's eyes as pain filled her body. Being mortal sucked.

"We have to find Kara." Supergirl said, standing next to her as explosions rocked the ship beneath them. The platform trembled.

"We have to worry about them first." Power Girl said, her entire body aching. "And, my powers are gone again."

"Awesome." Supergirl said. "This ship is about to blow up beneath us. I can hold you, so you don't fall... But, I'm not going to be able to fight very well."

"I have rocket boots." Power Girl said, "I can fly on my own. I think the exo-skeleton shorted out though. So, I don't have any powers. It just feels like dead weight on me."

"Maybe you should go after Kara." Supergirl said thoughtfully.

Both women looked at the swirling globe of colored light in the center of the Dawn of Time.

"I don't know if that thing is safe." Power Girl replied. "Surely Kara would have been back by now if it was."

"She was unconscious. Maybe it sent her somewhere and she's unconscious and helpless." Supergirl said.

"You are a ray of sunshine." Power Girl mumbled, "You can tell your not Superman's cousin. You'd be a lot more peppy and cheerful."

"Uh.. actually I am Superman's cousin." Supergirl said, sounding self-conscious. "I got sent back through time by a villain and ended up spending a little time on Krypton before it exploded. His uncle Zor-El and aunt Allura Zor-El adopted me."

"Oh for the love of pete!" Power Girl grimaced as anger exploded through her. "I'll go after Kara."

Before Supergirl could say another word, Power Girl rocketed away—heading to the swirling globe of light. She slammed into it head first.

Suddenly the world was a blur of bright vibrant colors, exploding and writhing all around her. Sensations like vertigo and as though her feet had been pulled out from under her echoed through her. Her head was full of a million thoughts and a billion different realities and possibilities flooded her. It was beautiful and painful all at once. Power Girl closed her eyes tightly, biting her bottom lip against the scream that threatened to tear loose.*

* Follow Power Girl into Power Girl #5.

Supergirl turned her attention to the super-villain slugfest going on above. It seemed to be pretty evenly matched, with neither side gaining much of a lead.

"Maybe they'll beat each other senseless." Supergirl whispered. Even though Blackstarr had assisted her so far, Supergirl did not trust her all that much. Blackstarr wanted to rule the universe, and her "sister" Jurden had killed billions on her rampage through the universe.

Brainiac's right hand reshaped it's self into an odd needle looking attachment. With a ruthless jab, the living computer girl thrust the needle into Blackstarr's abdomen.

"What are you doing to me?" Blackstarr asked in horror as the cosmos reflected in her form began to spin and twirl madly.

"I just unlocked two blackholes within you." Brainiac 2.5 said, crackling madly with energy. "You will be torn into a thousand pieces by them. And scattered across this void. Not even you can reform yourself here."

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!" Blackstarr shrieked in the moments before she was ripped into a thousand pieces. The explosion was deafening.

"Now. All of your defenders are gone." Brainiac 2.5 said, turning to Supergirl. "Where were we? Oh, yes. I remember."

Supergirl didn't even have a chance to move. A bolt of purple lightning from Brainiac 2.5's hand pinned her in place. Brainiac 2.5 lowered herself to the platform where Supergirl stood. With the same needle attachment, she stabbed Supergirl in the gut.

Pain exploded through Supergirl.

A series of chiming beeps sounded.

"Sequence initiated." Brainiac 2.5 said smiling wickedly. Bolts of lightning danced all around them, sizzling and causing smoke to rise from Supergirl. It felt as if she were being torn apart.

Supergirl screamed as the pain tripled and multiplied. This was it. This was the end. Brainiac 2.5 was going to kill her to open the gateway to the Pocket Universe and then Lord Xenon—the Anti-Monitor, would be released upon the Universe again.

The air around Supergirl began to dance with golden light and bubble outward with clouds of gold and silver. Supergirl screamed, the pain intensifying as a doorway formed.

"The Pocket Universe is mine!" Brainiac 2.5 laughed madly. She pulled the needle from Supergirl, a small jet of blood squirting out. Brainiac 2.5 flew through the void entering the doorway opened in the center of the gold cloud as Supergirl collapsed onto the quaking platform. The gateway slammed shut.

Once it shut, the energy dancing all around Supergirl died. Supergirl covered the wound in her gut, even as it began to close up.

Supergirl was surprised to find herself in one piece, aching mightily but still quite alive. And aside from her and some lingering sparkling gold clouds there was no trace of any one else—Lord Xenon, the Anti-Monitor, or whatever he was calling himself.

"What just happened?" Supergirl asked herself.

"You were in need of a deus ex machina. I thought I'd oblige." The voice came from the gold and silver clouds. From it, Alexander Luthor stepped.

"Alexander!" Supergirl exclaimed. "Oh, thank Rao!"

"No thanks necessary. I had stepped in and sent Power Girl and Blackstarr to help, but Brainiac 2.5 was more powerful than I had expected." Alexander frowned, "I'm sorry about what happened to her."

"Where did you send Brainiac?" Supergirl frowned.

"Away." Alexander said quietly.

"Can you get me away from here?" Supergirl asked.

"I can. But, the doorways I open are one way. And there are only two destinations. One is where I sent Brainiac 2.5, and I don't think you'd be very interested in spending any significant time there." Alexander said, "And the other is far more beautiful and pleasant. However, the doorway is one way. And there is no way to leave once you're there." Alexander smiled sadly. "But, you have a destiny and if you are gone forever, then there is no way for you to stop Lord Xenon."

"Then how do I get out of this place? I don't think that ship is going to get me very far." Supergirl looked at the burning smoking ship beneath her. "I think it's going to explode pretty soon. I can exist for a while in space... but I'm not sure how to get out of here. And how far from Earth I am."

"We are outside of time." Alexander said quietly. "Rest assured alternate travel plans are being made.

"What about Power Girl and Kara?" Supergirl asked pointing at the glowing globe.

Alexander looked at her, "That is a mystery I cannot assist you with. All will be known in time. Rest assured they are safe."

The gold clouds around him gathered up and the doorway opened. He stepped back into it and it closed around him, leaving Supergirl and Brainiac 2.5's ship floating in the void of the Dawn of Time.

"Now what?" Supergirl sighed. Alexander had said alternate travel plans had been arranged.

The air in front of her was suddenly filled with a sphere.

"Oh, now what." Supergirl rolled her eyes.

"You need a ride somewhere?" A blonde haired man asked.

"And you are?" Supergirl asked.

"Rip Hunter. Time Master." The man replied, smiling brightly. "I'm here to rescue you from limbo."

Epilogue

The sun set slowly over Midway City, Supergirl watched from the top of the Midway Financial Building.

She had been back from the Dawn of Time for nearly a week now and she'd healed from her battle with Brainiac 2.5. Kara of Argo City was still missing. Power Girl was back in Century City, safe and sound. But, Kara was lost in time.

Supergirl frowned. She'd tried to contact Rip Hunter, but none of the contact information people had for him worked. She'd even tried to use Justice League contacts, but had found no luck. She knew that Kara was still alive. She had to be. When she'd met her during World War II, Kara had been older—in her mid-twenties. Those memories were still vibrant and alive in Supergirl's memories. That meant somewhere in time Kara was alive and well. She would just have to find her.

There was a beeping and Supergirl reached into the pocket concealed in her cape, removing the communicator.

"Hello." She spoked.

"Hey, Linda." Dick Malverne's voice said brightly. "Mattie and Cutter just got here. And your parents called to say they were on the way. But, no one thought to bring dessert. Do you think you could stop and get something?"

"Oh, I think I can arrange that." Supergirl smiled. "I was just finishing up my afternoon patrol. I'll be there in about twenty."

"Sounds good." Dick replied. "Bye."

"Bye." Supergirl caught herself from saying "I love you." She and Dick had been spending more time together and her feelings were growing, moving from a strong attraction to something deeper. However, it was too soon to say those three words to him.

Supergirl lifted off from the top of the Finance Building, heading toward Dick's apartment in the Ainsworth District. While over downtown, the sound of sirens and alarms interrupted her. Supergirl looked down.

"Is that the Royal Flush Gang? Again?" Supergirl shook her head. "It's like they never learn."

Streaking down, Supergirl hoped it didn't take too long. She didn't want to miss weekly dinner with her family.

THE END