Call me Kara

Chapter 36

~Earth-1~

The newly formed team had split up, those with superpowers, or in Ray's case, artificial superpowers, going to one training area to talk, and those without, to actually train. Kara walked to a room in the back she hadn't noticed before and was a little surprised to see Ray had built an archery range inside. She picked up a bow, similar to the one Thea carried, and nocked an arrow. Pulling back, she found it was a lot harder without super strength, very hard, but she made it, using her whole body. She briefly thought of taking her bracelet off but dismissed the idea. If she was going to survive, if her baby was going to survive, Kara could not rely on powers that may work or others to save her. It was why she had asked Carter, quietly, to buy her a gun and why she carried it in the bag she kept her uniform in. While she may not be able to be Superwoman, she could defend herself and her child. Unfortunately the Vegas call girl was correct, she would probably have accidentally shot herself or someone else.

Pulling back on the string as hard as she could and trying to keep her body somewhat straight, she let loose, the arrow flying six feet above the target, and the string snapping back to bite her finger hard, drawing blood. She did her best not to scream, instead holding her hand and bending over while cursing in her head. Noticing the blood, she slipped her bracelet off and watched the cut heal.

"Damn it that hurt!" She half whispered and half whimpered. Snapping the bracelet back on, looking at the target, and seeing how badly she missed angered her. She was not weak. She nocked another arrow, making sure to drop the bow this time, as soon as she fired.

In the combat area, Oliver held court, Nyssa standing in the background, waiting for him to shut up.

"The man we faced in Siberia knows many styles of martial arts. Worse, he knows mine, and Nyssa's and her father's all the way down to our styles that each of us have. He can use them and switch at will and is incredibly fast and strong. I am willing to bet he knows many more styles we haven't seen yet. So we are going to work on showing him something new. Split up and spar, then try to copy the other's fighting style. Thea, please spar with Alex, Dig with Sara."

"Alex and I can spar." Sara offered, with Alex rolling her eyes.

"I said spar, not an all out assault between two teammates who want to kill each other. If none of you want to do this, do whatever you want. I'm not a leader, just offering suggestions." Oliver walked over to stand by Nyssa while the sparring groups took center stage and began.

"So any idea how to beat this guy?" Oliver asked her.

"Swords will be difficult since he is armour plated and apparently strong enough to move nimbly, fully suited. Breaking his neck is out, the helmet must have a back brace that prevents his neck from being twisted or lain back too far. Hand to hand, I would suggest employing his own tricks, changing styles and pacing, keeping him off balance. The strobes are very disorienting and have to go first. His hands are weaponized. He tossed a stun grenade that I didn't see and we are lucky it was only a stun grenade. His intention was not to kill all of us. He was testing us, perhaps hoping half of our party died."

"So you have no idea." Oliver translated.

"Of course I have an idea! I just haven't fleshed it out completely. I wonder if he is familiar with Tatsu's style?"

"Leave her out of this. She has found peace and lost enough."

Nyssa agreed, thinking of the woman, who while not a friend, was an equal in battle and one her and Oliver both respected greatly in addition to Oliver and her sharing a bond of close friendship. She would make a formidable ally and would help if Oliver asked, but after losing her son then later having to kill her husband in Nanda Parbat, she did deserve peace.