Homecoming (Complete)

Chapter Thirty-Two

"That's the third set of restraints she's managed to get out of," Dinah said in exasperation. "How the hell is she doing that?"

"You've read her file," Diana said softly.

"Of course I've read the damn thing!" Dinah snapped, rounding on Diana, anger on her face.

"Dinah...," Babs put her hand gently on Dinah's arm.

"Crap. Sorry Diana," Dinah said. "I didn't mean to snap at you."

"It's okay, Dinah," Diana pursed her lips. "I know you're just worried."

"How are you keeping it together?" Babs asked Diana. "You must be worried too."

"I am," Diana said slowly. "All I can do is trust that the Gods have a plan." She furrowed her brow. "And failing that, I have hope that Bruce's people can figure out what's going on, why the antidote isn't working."

"I'm sorry, Diana," Dinah said contritely. "I'm being selfish. It didn't even cross my mind how this might be affecting you." She hugged Diana. "Are you okay? I'm an ass. I should have asked sooner."

"I'm...," Diana paused and thought for a moment, "worried." She sighed and looked at Dinah with a hint of tears in her eyes. "I don't know what else to say," she whispered. "I've fallen in love with Alex but that," she pointed at the newly bound Alex in a drugged sleep on the bed on the other side of the window, "isn't Alex. I don't know who that is. I'm terrified that my...our Alex might be...gone, irretrievable."

"Oh, Diana," Babs hugged her from the other side. "Bruce's team is working on it. He's brought in the best. They're going to crack this."

"I know," Diana said confidently, but the tear rolling down her cheek said otherwise.

* * *

"It's been five days, Bruce," Dinah said angrily when Bruce walked in the room. "She's escaped her bonds a half dozen times, and has gotten out of that room twice. The last time she nearly made it out of the building. What the hell?"

"Please, Dinah," Bruce said. "They're working around the clock."

"Do you have any new information?" Diana asked quietly. "Do they have any idea why the antidote didn't work?"

"Do you remember the strange substance we found in Alex's blood not long before she went missing?" Bruce asked.

"Yes," Babs said. "Your lab never figured out what it was, right?"

"Right," Bruce confirmed. "We still don't know what it is, and it's back in her bloodstream in massive quantities." He sat down on a chair opposite them. "The fear toxin has bonded to the substance."

"What does that mean?" Dinah asked. "Is that why the antidote isn't working?"

"It means that my scientists are trying to modify the antidote so it can isolate the toxin," Bruce answered. "They're close. There's no guarantee that it will work permanently because they still can't figure out what the substance in her blood is, or even how it got there. By tomorrow we should have Alex back. At least for a little while. Go home. All of you. Get some rest. I promise I'll call you so you can be here when we try the new antidote." He got up and headed for the door.

"Bruce?" Diana said softly. He stopped and turned to face her. "How likely is the new antidote to be permanent?"

"Less than one percent," he sighed. "And it likely won't be instantaneous. It could take a few hours for there to be any noticeable change. But then again, Alex is a conundrum. Nothing about her ever follows the likely path." He smiled sadly. "I don't know how long it will last or even how much of a change we can expect." He shook his head. "If we had a clue what that mystery substance is we could better predict what's going to happen. We probably could have made a permanent cure by now. We just don't know what that stuff is or what it does. I suspect it's at least part of the reason why Alex has been having such a hard time since coming home." He frowned. "I never thought to test her blood. I just assumed it was a mental break from being alone for so long." He looked at each of them. "I'm sorry for that. I should have investigated all avenues rather than making assumptions."