FIVE
Five.
“When are we going to be rescued?” Cat sighed, “Honestly, I employee people who are good at their jobs – and this is supposed to be good? I should reconsider my standards.”
Kara hummed, “Or, maybe they’re just making sure things are safe. A lot of things can go wrong in something like this. We’ll probably end up being carried up the shaft to the next floor.”
“We can get out?” Cat questioned, only for Kara to shake her head. In the dim light that came from the bundle of neon glow-sticks Cat kept in her handbag for ‘emergency purposes’, Cat could see her, if only faintly. “Why?”
“Not tall enough – and the emergency hatch is difficult to open in this elevator. It’s why people don’t ride it – there were a few weeks when no-one was allowed to, and it carried over even though Health and Safety said it was okay.” She pointed up. “Magnetic locks keep it shut. Power outages are the only thing that shut it off.”
“But the lights are off,” Cat said in a frustrated tone.
“Different circuit,” Kara replied, voice forlorn. “I don’t know why the lift would stop – it worked perfectly before.” Then an idea – a terrible, confusing idea struck her. “Someone trapped us in here.”
“What?”
Kara looked to Cat, eyes wide, “They stopped you from going in your elevator, and now we’re in a broken-down elevator.”
“Oh…oh dear, Keira, you are proving very insightful today. Who might want to trap us in an elevator?” And that was when the lights came on, and a very familiar voice came through the elevator speakers.
“Me. And until you properly talk, you aren’t getting out,” Carter explained in a mischievous tone. Cat immediately got to her feet, furious.
“Carter Grant! What the hell do you think you are doing, young man?”
“Actually,” Winn’s voice came through, “it’s technically me, but he blackmailed me.”
“Did not.”
“Did too.”
“Enough,” Cat glared at the security camera as Kara stood, brushing off her cardigan as she picked it up off the floor. “Computer droid, if you do not let us out you are fired.”
“I’m sorry, Miss Grant, but right now, I’m actually in agreement with Carter – and by the way, he’s so much like you its freaky. He’s got your sarcasm down to a pat.”
Cat rolled her eyes, “Well he is my son. And I am not joking, I will fire you.”
“Not by the end of this,” Carter chirped, “Turn around.”
Cat’s brow furrowed and Kara’s eyes widened, before the Queen of All Media turned and saw her right as she went to put her cardigan back on over her supersuit. Kara froze, watching as Cat looked her up and down, pursing her lips before turning back to the camera.
“Carter, you’re more than grounded after we get out of here. Kara’s secret was hers to tell. You did not have that right.”
“Sorry mom, but you both need to stop keeping secrets – I didn’t even know Kara was Supergirl until she took off her jumper. I trapped you together so you could both talk – talk about stuff I’m not going to listen to, ‘cause it would be gross.”
Cat’s face screwed up, “What-” But she stopped, before her tense posture slipped, shoulders dropping. “Carter, let us out.”
“No.” He replied simply, before there was an audible click, no more speech coming through. Cat tensed again, before turning to face Kara.
“I’m sorry he did that,” she said sincerely. Kara looked down, shifting awkwardly.
“You weren’t fooled by J’onn.”
“I was stumped,” Cat corrected, “for I had no idea whether it was another power of Supergirl, or a different person completely. Then came the few days before I hired Siobhan. That imposter gave me whole milk in my coffee.”
Kara made a face, “Oh Rao, no wonder you hired her. How terrible was it?”
Cat grimaced, “Worse than the time when Honey Boo-Boo’s mother came to my office and said she was here for an interview. It was embarrassing, Keira, absolutely dreadful.” Kara shut her eyes, rubbing the bridge of her nose under her glasses. “You said their name was J’onn? I’ll presume they’re a shapeshifter.”
“J’onn J’onzz. He’s the Martian that stopped me after the Red Kryptonite incident.”
“Red Kryptonite? Is that why you were acting out of character, then?” Kara nodded and Cat raised her chin. “Interesting. Can you tell me more?”
But Kara shook her head. “What did Carter mean that we’d talk about gross things?” The change of subject caused Cat’s face to become guarded before she stated, quite bluntly, what her son thought.
“Carter is under the delusion that I am in love with you, as all bosses and assistants are,” Kara choked, before replying in a high-pitched voice.
“Oh? So it’s not true then?”
“Why would it be?” Cat questioned with a raised eyebrow, heart pounding, before she probed, “And why would you ask?” Kara blushed, shaking her head before finally putting her jumper back on. Cat’s lips twisted into a grimace again, before she came forward and brushed some dust off her shoulder, turning her slightly to see her back with a wince. “No, stop, take it off.”
“But my suit-”
“Then take it off too. Put it in my handbag. That cardigan is atrociously marred by the dirt in this stuffy compartment. You will dispose of it upon our exit.” She ordered, Kara sending her a short, wide-eyed look.
“But it’s my favourite.”
“Then why did you let us sit on it?” Unexpectedly, Kara blushed, causing Cat to stop for a second, wondering, before she motioned to her. “What are you waiting for?”
Kara shuffled back, “Usually I’m just taking off my outer clothes when I change. I- I usually have to use a mirror to take off my suit. The zipper’s around my waist, around the back under my belt – it connects the top from the bottom – and I can never find it blind.”
“So you can’t take it off?”
Kara flushed darker, squeaking, “No, I- I just need help, because I don’t have a mirror.” Cat’s eyebrows rose exponentially.
“Oh, do you? That is certainly…unexpected.” Kara’s cheeks continued to stay pink, before Cat unceremoniously turned her, causing her to squeak again as she searched for the zipper. Upon finding it though, Cat slowed, halting – because the zipper was lower than expected. “Are you wearing anything under this?” Kara squirmed, not answering, and Cat took that for a negative. She could feel herself heating up, and stood straighter in her heels – her painful ones that made her five inches taller – before unzipping her slowly.
Kara stayed stock still, even when her nails dragged lightly across bare flesh.
After she is done with the back part though, Cat doesn’t step away, only continuing despite Kara’s quiet murmur of, “I can do the rest.” She comes around her front, unzipping the skirt from the shirt, and when she is finished, she looks up to Kara’s eyes. She expects embarrassment. Not blown-wide pupils, features struggling to stay straight. Not Kara staring at her like she’d put the sun in the sky.
Wanting to stay close, yet knowing she had to stay far, far away from her perfect assistant, Cat put her hand up to adjust her collar, which is crooked.
“So are you going to change, then?”