Chapter Text
- - - - Chapter 1: Underestimate Me, I Dare You (3 AM)
Every drip of sweat from her shivering nearly freezing frame wasn't aiding to her senses so damn disoriented. Every jolt she felt from the burns at her bare torso were disrupting all of the nerves in her body. She'd woken up to her own screams to the threats of so many at the hands of those she knew those she worked with even those she lived with. She opened her eyes to nonstop films even of the ones where kryptonians had attacked her. Then seeing as her mind was taken over by Non, a fellow kryptonian and the battle between her and her sister. Then the films would suddenly stop screens would flash in three blinding lights to flick off leaving her in darkness as yet another surge of electrical current was forced through her driving yet another scream from her cold frigid cracked lips.
She knew she'd taken these courses before. She'd handled being interrogated being captured and forced the techniques being used on her now. Whomever had her didn't need to know that. But in a twenty below zero box listening to her own screams even being electrocuted every single time she shut her eyes drove her closer and closer to bending. She'd bend but like hell she would give in or break.
She had just caught her breath when she heard a heavy hiss looking up trying to see what sounded to her like vents when she felt the slight tingle on her lips then that texture on her tongue and when she realized what they were filling the room with she started thrashing only for the volume to increase the screens to flick back on and another current to be sent through her. She fought it she bit her lip by how hard her teeth were chattering howling out as her vision began to slip struggling against what was being done to her. She shut her eyes waited for the current to stop feeling the burning through her body focusing how she'd been shown to. When she found that centered state she opened her eyes and looked forward in fury.
"Come in here and face me or are you nothing but a coward!" She snarled clenching her jaw preparing to be electrocuted for her fiery tenacity. "Your light shows and circuits won't get me to talk." She wouldn't let these bastards drive her to madness even when she felt her thoughts clouding knowing it was the drug being pumped into the room. "Will youa chemical when..can jusss...tep in here take tomee favece? Cow..ar...dulllly! Cow...ca...dar….cr...d...dur...tok.." She shook her head hard but it didn't stop clouding up knowing if this kept up she'd be delusional if not worse. The noises grew louder the screams grew louder and she found her own screams matching those in the speakers blasting this nightmare. Every image around her began to blur.
She didn't even see whom stepped out from the corner walking right up to her bringing a gloved hand behind her head clenching fingers in her hair yanking her head back and to the side. Brown orbs were so unfocused unable to fathom when a stick was shoved between her teeth to be secured around her head. With one snap of fingers the nozzles were turned as ice cold water went through the two hoses connected to the jars the captive's feet were in.
"You asked for this when you denied your knowledge of the invasion of your unit." That voice was so loud and she found herself whimpering because it hurt her ears. "You must understand your failure to the human race." The shadow of a statue over her went away and when it left her lights flashed again only for a current to strike at the sides of her body then two strikes at her ankles and the scream she unleashed she knew would send her into the blackness possibly for good. The fight had been drained from her and even as cold water was splashed on her while the currents still ran through her body it left nothing of the fierce agent and Director she had once been. She prayed to every god including Rao that someone would find her and soon.
She'd been surprised the little spitfire hadn't broken already. But this was why she was the number two of some monster of the rock of Mars for so long. It didn't matter this prisoner was no different. When the woman's head lulled to the side and she stepped back she made her way to the panel to enter what would give her that exit to leave the fool in her seated hell.
"Colonel! Ma'am! MA'AM AHHHHH!" Guns were firing screams were heard and she punched in the code again being deafened by the earpiece in her ear. She didn't get to it soon enough as a hot powerful blast struck her forcing her across the room as her back was fired into the far wall hearing the most gruesome of cracks launching a horrid course of pains up and down her spine.
She heard the hard drop of a body stepping through firing the blood red heat vision at the vents burning them enough to melt the metal flying up blowing a powerful gust of ice over them lowering back down in front of whom was restrained. She kicked away the prods easily using her head vision on both jars bending down to carefully rip the objects away firing at the metal straps to release the feet and ankles. She did the same for the four straps on both legs growling as she snapped the straps on the wounded one's waist and cross belts tossing them away. She carefully blasted all the restraining bars and belts on the arms slipping her arms around her body gently cradling her enough to adjust so she was carrying her bridal style walking right out of the hideous hell.
It was tempting to walk back in there and use her still burning reds on the monster that did what she did to whom she came to rescue. It was all too easy to do that. But…
"I will honor her code. I will not kill." She didn't care the darkness that reigned in her voice. It could stay there for now. It was the blood of her mother's own ghost that proved exactly what she could do. But still she checked every heartbeat around her. No one's had stopped. She'd honored Supergirl's code. She would have an opportunity to get revenge. Now was not that time..
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"Any luck?" Arias was feeling better after a couple hours under the lamps but now Sam was with Kara as they paced hoping to pick up the young Arias' tempo. Still they were left with nothing.
"Okay.." Both kryptonians, the Major and Detective along with Hamilton watched as Lena and Susan walked in supplying hopefully good news.
"Is it Ruby?"
"It is Alex?" Kara and Sam asked.
"The DEO is now officially closed. Everyone is out. Those that hadn't passed we handed over to various….other authorities." Lena explained. "Any news on my niece or on Danvers?"
"Yes." Everyone jumped backing up as Ruby flew in holding her aunt. "She needs...she's in bad shape."
"Oh my god Alex." Amelia ran over as did Lena and Lucy. "What did they…"
"A cold box. Currents. Waterboarding. Flashbulbs. Auditory and violent visuals. Torture techniques." Ruby explained her orbs still glowing red by the anger she felt. She gently set the Director down on the couch. "She's dehydrated. Her body temperatures are fluctuating. Run a tox screen." She mentioned as the doctor patted her on the shoulder. "I might have used one of your new suits Aunt Lena. Sorry."
"You are gonna make an amazing doctor one day Ruby." Amelia smiled then returned to tending to Alex's torn up body. "Lena...can you start an IV?" A nod and she looked to the young Arias. "How much do you know about.." Ruby walked over after cleaning up in haste grabbing a set of gloves to step to Hamilton's side.
"Want me to tell you I could already graduate Med School or want me to do something." Her eyes returned to the warm hazel greens they normally held.
"I want you to record everything you saw and heard on that paper. I want you to draw a layout of the room and do you know what voltage they were using?" Ruby nodded going to work on writing down all she knew. She used her fingers motioning to the number and Amelia shuttered. "Jesus."
"I think that they weren't trying to stop her heart. They lowered her body temperature and used heated tips on the prods. The toxins will probably come back with something like a nerve gas and a hallucinogen. I smelled something else. Something I definitely didn't recognize." Ruby handed the layout she drew, with far more detail than most architects could put into blueprints, over to Lucy.
"Damn kid." Lane showed the drawing to the others. No one noticed whom was backing away quietly ready to fly out when one voice barked out.
"SUPERGIRL!" Ruby shouted stopping the now suited up hero from taking off as she lowered her feet back onto the ground. "Don't be that. Don't be what I didn't, what I couldn't be." She walked over to her aunt placing a gentle hand on the side of Kara's head. "Don't be her."
"Okay." Kara nodded with tears welling up in her eyes. "Who hurt her Ruby." A heavy sigh along with a burning set of red orbs showed her exactly how close her niece had come to doing exactly what she was about to go do. "Who."
"Haley." Ruby growled hearing other growls around the room. "I've got proof."
"How?" The teen tossed Lane her phone. Lucy's eyes widened. "You recorded this?"
"I was in the center before they were even aware of my presence. I recorded what the feeds were showing. There's what you need. There is also a recording of her calling the president where the control board was. Apparently she thought it both stupid and wise to be on a video chat with him." Ruby tossed Lucy two cases that Maggie luckily caught. "Two flash drives. Not everyone trusts her obviously."
"Did they know...did they see you?" Kara was worried about her life being in danger. It was bad enough that her own was constantly at that point. Ruby shook her head.
"I kept the face mask on. I kept the full gear on. I just sorta...melted the eyes of the shade so I could work with my heat vision. One thing I noticed was that most of the dungeon down there had flecks of kryptonite. You and my mom wouldn't have been able to handle it. I did what I needed to."
"R...u…" Everyone's eyes flicked to their injured party. Ruby stepped even closer removing one of the gloves quickly to slide her hand into Danvers' own.
"That's it...you don't have to open them Brave One." She spoke softly against her ear kissing the side of her head letting her know she was safe finally. "Rruh Voi." It was as if those simple words had her finally relaxing and with a soft mouthed yes the greatest warrior of all set down her armor to let others fight for her. Ruby looked over at Amelia and when their eyes met the doc took what she could from one gaze.
"Thank you Ruby. We've got it. Aaron and David are going to come over with a couple of my trusted staff when we move her to the hospital." Hamilton nodded to the Luthor whom was quickly on the phone for a private transfer request. "We've got her."
"I'll be back." She barely spoke ready to leave when not one but two kryptonians blocked her path. "Mom.."
"You didn't want me going Ruby. I need to know why you want to go now." She watched her niece look directly in her eyes seeing the troubling emotions swirling in them. "You can't hurt.."
"I'm not. I promise. Mom I promise. Please...please stay with her. She needs you both. Nahn Zheh Raogrhys." She didn't even offer them a chance to breathe in the words she spoke taking off as the tears escaped her eyes shutting them relying on her other senses to lead her in the direction she was seeking. She knew that the one she saw as a mom too was in the safest of hands. Ruby picked up speed soaring away into the darkened sky grateful that the sun hadn't risen yet. It gave her time to cool off to understand just how close she'd come to breaking the code. How close...so close..
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Far from the city she quickly felt the second presence turning her head some nodding as they flew down to the top of Mount Whitney landing softly on the highest peak providing them both such a breathtaking view even in the crisp shade of night. "Did you know I wished to talk to you?"
"Epol Doi Ninah." The Red Daughter spoke to her niece, as she came closer raising her arm to point to where two creatures of the wild fought for the right to live. Ruby was about to fly down but she knew this was a lesson. She would stand down and observe. "See it?"
"Zhi." Her vision crystal clear she watched the bigger fiercer animal win the battle. She saw it for what it was, a teaching of survival. "Bim Pil. Bim Phazd Fah Tov Kigr." Ruby hadn't even realized her eyes began to burn the darkest of reds. "Strike down the weak."
"No. Strike that whom you make weak. You are Epol Dovrrosh." She was pleased this youth of the shade of Krypton would know to come to her and watching the blood fires burn like they were brought her the greatest of dark pride that she was embracing what the other part of her and the remains of the dark kryptonian could not. "You are that. You are the young darkness. You are power. Chadhrahzh. Now..tell your Threhk Aiahv why you seek me out."
"Distaste." Ruby embraced that which she originally feared, that which this blood aunt's presence brought out in her. At first she growled the word but when her muscles relaxed and she flexed her power without needing to force it she let the burns of blood remain smiling as if cleverly understanding why she came to her blood aunt. "I want prey to know of what we can do. She...she harmed our Brave One and must pay. Death is too easy. I…"
"Say it Epol Dovrrosh." Ruby felt hands on her shoulders easily sensing how much power the one behind her held. "Say it."
"I want…" She would not deny what her thoughts portrayed. "I want her to suffer. I want...I want her alive…" Ruby took a deep breath and remembered the other language her blood aunt knew. "Shall I speak in what you know best?" She felt a squeeze on her shoulders in confirmation. Taking another deep breath she shut her eyes for a moment gathering the proper words. "Я хочу, чтобы ее страдания длились долго. Смерть слишком легка. Это выход из труса. Я хочу, чтобы ВСЕ знали, что их ошибка вредит нашему Храброму." She opened her glowing eyes no longer of blood reds. They were near black. "Make them pay for harming our Brave One. Make them pay. Death...death is a coward's way out for them."
"As you wish young darkness." The powerful rush of the cold wind was nothing compared to the sinister laughter that echoed the range leaving Ruby shaking still upon the peak. She clenched her fists. Had she done the right thing? Were her hands clean here or...or were they just as tainted in the blood of enemies she had seen inflict the tortures they did upon her other mom..
It was time she talked to someone whom understood her better than anyone else. She would head back home to meditate. She needed to see her again. She needed answers no one else could give. She needed to know if all she was now was that young darkness her blood aunt had called her. Had she already been swallowed into that rage and hate? Rao help her. Rao save her dark soul before….before there was nothing left to save...