Into the Unknown

Chapter 1

"I can hear you, but I won't.

Some look for trouble, while others don't.

There's a thousand reasons I should go about my day,

And ignore your whispers which I wish would go away, oh oh oh."

Alex rubbed at her eyes tiredly with one hand as she stood in front of the video wall in the DEO operations room. It had been a very long day, but the DEO had finally managed to catch a serial killer alien known as Roach who had been terrorising the citizens of the Docklands area for close to a month before the combined efforts of the NCPD, the DEO, and Supergirl had finally been able to corner him.

He hadn't gone down without a fight, however, and five of her agents were being transported back in medical evac choppers to receive urgent treatment in the infirmary which had already been prepped to await their arrival. Thankfully, Agent Vasquez's preliminary on site assessments had suggested nothing life threatening had been sustained by any of the agents, so Alex was chalking this one up as a win, under the circumstances.

"Director Danvers," Agent Dox, also known to his friends as Brainy, approached her side with a tablet in hand which he was studying as he spoke.

Alex glanced at him out of the corner of one eye, still pinching the bridge of her nose between finger and thumb as she tried to ease the tension that had built up behind her eyes through stress over the past couple of hours.

Brainy seemed not to have noticed as he was still studying his tablet intently. "First of the medical evac choppers has just landed on the roof, and the second has an E.T.A of thirty four point seven two five seconds. The infirmary is prepped and ready for the arrival of the agents. However, it appears there are now six who need treatment. Agent Whitby was discovered unconscious with a suspected concussion and is also being brought in."

Alex nodded slowly as she dropped her hand back to her side, placed both on her hips instead and tilted her head backwards, eyes closed. "Good. That's... good."

"It is?" Brainy asked in confusion as he finally looked up at her. "Director Danvers, I have just informed you that a sixth agent is in need of medical attention and you respond that this is good? Perhaps I have missed something?"

"Huh?" Alex's eyes blinked open and she sighed, turning to look tiredly at him. "Oh, no, I meant... it doesn't matter. I'm just glad we got the bastard, that's all. Make sure the agents get to the infirmary immediately and keep me updated on their conditions."

"Of course," Brainy nodded, watching her with narrowed eyes. "Also Supergirl is inbound with our pesky Roach. Shall I have her put him in an interrogation room for you?"

"Not tonight, Brainy," Alex shook her head and turned away from the video wall at last, her hands dropping from her hips to rest at her sides. "Let him stew in a cell overnight. I'll see him tomorrow."

"Very well. Director Danvers?" Brainy paused, not too sure he should carry on, but knowing it was too late now anyway. Still, he waited for Alex's acknowledgement of his question, which came moments later with a barely concealed eye roll.

"Yes, Brainy?" There was a definite growl to her words that she wasn't able to hide, however. A growl of frustration at his apparent need to keep her talking when all she wanted to do was go home.

"May I enquire, is there something wrong, Alex?" Brainy stepped closer to minimise the risk of anyone else overhearing his informal use of her name instead of her title. "You seem somewhat distracted. If I'm not mistaken - and I very rarely am - that is the seventh time today you've pulled your phone out, looked at the display, frowned, and put it away again without further action. You seem less pleased each time. Would you care to discuss what's upsetting you?"