It had been two hours. Ruby was still fast asleep, her breathing slow and even. Her dog, curled up beside her, didn't stir either. I hadn't moved—just stayed seated, watching over her in silence. Not just to make sure she didn't wake up from some nightmare, but… I guess I just wanted her to know, even in her sleep, that someone was here. That she wasn't alone anymore.
But as I sat there, my mind drifted. Back to that Hydra facility. All those kids… all those young minds molded into weapons. They believed they were being built for something noble. Something bigger. But in truth, they were just pawns—sacrificed to feed Hydra's hunger for control. Tools, nothing more.
I felt sad for them. Angry. Helpless. And then—
"Hello, sir."
Sigma's voice brought me back. I looked up."What is it?"
"April O'Neil wants to speak with you."
I blinked. Already? She had only arrived a few hours ago."Alright. Tell her I'll be right there."
"Of course. I'll keep an eye on Ruby."
I nodded. As Sigma vanished, I stood up, glancing one more time at the sleeping girl.
"I promise you, Ruby," I whispered, "no one will ever hurt you again."
I knew she couldn't hear me. Didn't matter. I needed to say it anyway.
It took a few minutes to reach April's room. I knocked, and the door opened quickly. She didn't hesitate—just gave a small gesture for me to come in. She was sharp, focused. No signs of the disorientation most people experienced after crossing into this world.
I sat down in the chair. She sat on the edge of the bed, posture straight, eyes steady on mine.
"I want to get started on my mission," she said, no hesitation in her voice.
I raised an eyebrow."You just got here today. Most people take at least a day or two to adjust, settle in, and go through orientation. And what you're doing isn't even a combat mission. It's surveillance."
"Exactly," she replied. "Which means it's low-risk. But I'm guessing the person you want me to spy on is important—someone who could change things for your team."
I gave a small nod. "Yeah. She's extremely strong. Probably the third-strongest person on this planet."
April tilted her head slightly. "Third?"
"Superman's first," I said. "And I put myself second. She's powerful, but she didn't grow up here like Clark did. She didn't absorb solar energy from infancy. She landed here around twelve. That's a big gap in power. Plus, she never had proper training. No guidance. No purpose."
April listened quietly, absorbing every word.
"If Supergirl had grown up here like Superman," I continued, "she might've surpassed him. She was older when Krypton fell. Stronger by birth. But without the time, the training, and the exposure to Earth's sun… she's not quite there. Not yet."
I paused, then focused back on her."But enough about Kryptonians. Back to you. Why the rush, April?"
She straightened, her tone heavier now.
"Because I've already lost one Earth."
That line hit like a weight in the room.
She continued, her voice firm, unwavering.
"I've done my research. Your AI gave me files—classified info not known to the public. There's talk of an alien invasion in the future. There are mutants—real people with powers—being hunted, locked up, treated like criminals just for existing. And then there's Hydra… Nazis who've already infiltrated governments. This place is like a pressure cooker. Something's going to blow, and soon."
I nodded slowly. I understood now. She wasn't just eager—she was scared. Driven. Someone who had already seen what happens when people wait too long.
"We're working on the mutant issue," I assured her. "We've already got plans in motion to liberate a country targeting them. We're trying to locate the underground networks to protect those still hiding. As for the alien threat—yeah, it's real. But it's a few years off. We've got time to prepare and gather allies."
She didn't say anything, just listened. So I kept going.
"Hydra's a top priority right now. We've already infiltrated a few cells. We're gathering names, locations, sleeper agents. When the time comes, we'll strike them all at once. But we need more people. More intel.
She looked at me for a couple of seconds, her expression firm but vulnerable.
"I want to help," she said quietly. "Even if it's just something small. Just spying on this woman. I want to help. I want to make sure this Earth survives."
I sighed and thought for a moment before nodding.
"Okay. You can start your mission early—tomorrow. But there are going to be a few conditions."
"Like what?" she asked, already preparing for the list.
"First, if there's ever a supervillain attack, you do not interfere. You will be enhanced, but until then, stay hidden. Stay in the background. I'll give you a device that can alert me—I'll handle the threat."
She nodded, understanding the importance of keeping her cover.
"Second, you'll have to attend therapy. Once a month, you'll return to base for a session. You'll be living in National City to stay close to your target, so we'll create a full identity for you: name, ID, backstory, even a bank account with a reasonable sum of money. Nothing that raises red flags—because Kara is being watched by the DEO. She doesn't know it yet."
"What's the DEO? And why do you think they'd look into me just for befriending her?" she asked.
"The DEO—Department of Extranormal Operations. Government agency that handles alien affairs. Kara's sister, Alex, works for them. And she's very protective. If someone new suddenly gets close to Kara, there's a chance they'll dig into your past. It may not happen, but I'd rather be too careful than too late."
"Got it," she said simply.
"I'm also going to try to get you the apartment next to Kara's. Make it easier to get close to her. Same with her job—how good are you at reporting?"
"I was a reporter in my old world," she said without hesitation.
"Perfect. You'll be working at CatCo. But heads-up—Cat Grant can be… intense."
"You've met her?"
"No, but I've researched her."
"Alright. Is that all?"
"Almost. You'll need to give me updates. I'll provide you with a special phone, encrypted and untraceable. Weekly updates."
She raised an eyebrow. "Weekly? Isn't that a bit much?"
I rubbed the back of my neck. "Maybe. I'm just… worried."
She gave me a small, understanding smile. "How about monthly updates? And if anything strange happens, I'll contact you right away."
I nodded. "I can live with that."
The Next Day
April O'Neil's POV
Right now, I'm just sitting in my apartment—right next door to Kara.
I still can't believe I'm in this situation. After everything—dying, accepting the second chance—now my mission is literally just to live a normal life and try to befriend an alien.
Seriously, has anyone ever been in this situation before? Probably not.
And I have to admit—they set me up pretty nicely. My name's still April O'Neil. Born in New York. My parents died a long time ago, but they apparently left me a large inheritance. I've got two degrees—one in journalism, one in creative writing.
The apartment's solid. Kitchen's small but fully stocked, which is great because I'm not a cook. I've also got a punching bag hanging in the corner, just to blow off some steam.
Right now, I'm doing some research on CatCo.
And I've gotta say—I'm impressed. Cat Grant built her company from the ground up. Alone. I respect that. She's not just a media mogul—she's the name in National City. That says a lot.
Oh, and the whole super-soldier thing? Yeah, I went through that yesterday too. Though I probably shouldn't call it an injection. It was more like… standing in a chamber and breathing in some weird gas. Still, I've technically got superpowers now.
I'm stronger. My senses are sharper. I heal crazy fast. If I'd had these abilities in my old world… maybe I could've saved my brothers. My friends.
But I can't change the past. I'm here now. And I've got a second chance—to help this Earth survive. Along with everyone else who's fighting for it.
I heard footsteps, snapping me out of my thoughts. I listened closely—they stopped right next door, right in front of Kara's door. That had to be her. Probably my chance to see her for myself and make a good first impression.
I got up and grabbed a garbage bag, tossing in a bunch of random trash just to make it look like I had a reason for stepping out. It'd be a little suspicious if I just walked out of my apartment for no reason.
I opened the door and stepped into the hallway. As I turned, Kara was already looking at me—clearly surprised.
"Umm, hey?" Kara said.
I leaned casually against the wall, keeping my tone easy and playful.
"Hey, cutie. I guess you're my neighbor," I said with a smirk.
She looked a bit caught off guard by that.
"You think I'm cute? Wait—you just moved in? I don't remember seeing anyone moving boxes or furniture in today."
"Some friends of mine helped me move everything in earlier," I shrugged. "You probably weren't around. And yeah, I think you're cute. I flirt with everyone—hope that's not a problem."
"No, no, it's not!" she said, clearly flustered but smiling. She nervously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
Don't know why she's so surprised. She's really cute—any man or woman would be lucky to have her. But I'm guessing this whole awkward, sweet demeanor might be an act. Or maybe only part of the truth. Either way, I'll find out—just gotta get close.
"Well, I'm April O'Neil," I said, offering my hand. "Your new neighbor."
"Kara Danvers. Nice to meet you," she replied, shaking my hand.
I could feel the strength behind her grip, even though she was trying to hide it. Huh. Definitely stronger than she looks.
"Hey, Kara," I continued, "I hope I'm not bothering you, but I just moved to National City and could really use some advice. Especially since I'm interviewing at CatCo."
"Oh, I'd love to help! I work there too—assistant to Ms. Grant," Kara said with a smile.
"Wow, what are the odds?" I grinned.
"Yeah, kind of crazy. What position are you interviewing for?"
"Journalist."
"Perfect. I can definitely give you a few tips. Especially on how not to make Ms. Grant angry. It's easier than you'd think. You can come in if you want."
"I'd love to. You're really sweet," I said warmly.
She smiled again. "Thank you."
"No problem. Sweet, cute, and nice? The whole package," I teased, giving her a playful wink.
She laughed nervously, and I could see the pink in her cheeks.
"Alright, let me toss this garbage and I'll be right back."
I walked down the hall and tossed the trash into the garbage chute, then made my way back to Kara's apartment. The door was open. She was already sitting on the couch, smiling as I stepped in. I closed the door behind me and sat down next to her.
We started talking—and just like that, my mission had officially begun.
Kara and I had been talking for a while now, and I had to admit—I was learning a lot about her. Like the fact that she's adopted, has an older sister, and another older sister who went missing a few years ago. She was in the Air Force, and one day, she just disappeared.
That was definitely strange. I'd need to tell Ed about that—it could be nothing, but in this world? I doubted it.
Kara also told me she'd been living in National City for a few years now. She seemed settled, but something about the way she talked made me think she was still trying to feel settled. There was a weight on her, even if she tried to hide it behind that bright smile.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.
Knock.Knock.
"Oh right—Alex," Kara muttered to herself as she got up and walked over to answer it.
"There you are," the woman at the door said immediately. "I thought something happened to you! You weren't answering your phone at all—I thought we were supposed to meet up."
She stepped inside, her eyes landing on me almost instantly, scanning me with a mix of curiosity and subtle suspicion.
"Sorry, Alex," Kara said quickly. "I kind of forgot. I was talking to my new neighbor."
Alex's expression shifted the second she heard that—like the pieces suddenly fell into place.
"Oh… I didn't know you had a new neighbor."
"Neither did I. Just found out today," Kara said.
"Sorry—I didn't mean to interrupt your plans," I offered casually, keeping my posture relaxed and unthreatening. "I was just asking Kara for some advice, and we ended up chatting."
I kept my eyes on Alex, subtly. The way she moved, the way she looked around the room—this woman definitely had training. Her body language screamed military. The way she scanned the space? Textbook. She was good, no doubt about it. Which meant I had to be even better.
I stood up, giving them both a small smile.
"Didn't mean to crash your night. I'll let you guys catch up—Kara and I can talk later."
"Oh, it's no problem, April," Kara said quickly. "It's my fault—I didn't check my phone. I guess it was on silent."
As I headed toward the door, I flashed her a grin. "I don't think anything could be your fault, cutie." Then I glanced at Alex. "And it was nice meeting you, Alex. I hope we get to talk again."
Kara blushed immediately, and Alex looked straight-up stunned for a second at what I said. I didn't give either of them time to process it too much—I stepped out, closed the door behind me, and walked back to my apartment.
Mission status: Still undercover. Still playing it cool. But now? I had my eye on Alex Danvers too.
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Hello everyone, sorry about the late chapter My Wi-Fi was off during the weekend It was really a boring weekend for me hope yours was better.