"What's going on here?" Mark demanded.
Harley barked a laugh. "What's goin' on? This tall, muscly bitch tried tellin' me I don't get a say with my own kid. Tried to snatch Lucy right outta my arms like I'm some kinda babysitter she can push around. Newsflash sweetheart, nobody takes my daughter. Not Viltrumites, not Kryptonians, not you. So yeah, I pulled the trigger. You got a problem with that?"
Anissa's jaw clenched, anger flashing in her eyes. "You dare—" she started, stepping forward, but Kara's eyes flared hotter, red light spilling across the room.
"One more step," Kara warned, "and I'll burn a hole clean through you."
Mark stepped quickly between them, his arm raised to block Kara, his gaze cutting into Anissa. "Explain."
Anissa's eyes lingered on him, on the lines of the Viltrumite uniform fitted across his frame. It suited him, she liked how it looked on him though she wouldn't admit it. She forced her attention back to his face. "The place we are going is a top-secret facility," she said. "Even most Viltrumites do not know of its location. If that information were exposed, it would cripple the war effort."
Harley scoffed, lowering her gun just enough to sneer. "What, you think I'm gonna squeal? You think I'd sell out my own family? Lady, I've been tortured, beaten, locked in holes you can't even imagine, and I never ratted. You think the Coalition's got somethin' new up their sleeve? Please." She spat to the side, glaring daggers. "I don't break. Not for anyone."
"Harley," Raven's calm voice broke in as she put a hand on her shoulder. "Be calm."
Harley's chest rose and fell with heavy huffs, her hands still twitching, but she let the pistol fall to her side.
"It isn't about that," Anissa said, her voice fulll off irritation. She pointed. "Mark is a Viltrumite. Kara is Kryptonian. And she..."her finger stabbed toward Raven"...is a telepath of no small skill. But you? You're human. If the Coalition got their hands on you, they'd split your head open and drink every secret you've ever had. You wouldn't even know it was happening before you were nothing but an empty shell."
Harley's glare didn't falter, but she muttered under her breath, her tone bitter. "Oh sure, kick the squishy one. Real classy."
Kara let the glow fade from her eyes but her posture stayed tense. "Why do you need Lucy?" she asked evenly. "Dante is the only one who's sick."
"The Grand Regent wishes for all the children to be tested," Anissa replied. "To ensure they are healthy."
"That's not necessary," Raven said flatly, her hand gently stroking Waylon's back as he squirmed against her shoulder. Her eyes narrowed. "And I don't like it."
"Neither do I," Harley snapped, back in full swing. "You think I'm gonna let some alien lab rats stick my kid with needles just 'cause Big Boss says so? Hell no."
Anissa's composure cracked, a growl slipping out. "You need to take this seriously."
Mark frowned. "We are."
"You are not," Anissa shot back, her voice rising. Her composure fractured further as she stepped forward, her words almost a shout. "Do you even understand what you are?"
Her sudden fury made both Lucy and Waylon start to cry, their small voices breaking through the air. Anissa stopped, forced herself to breathe, then lowered her voice. "Do you not see?" she said. "You are the first hybrid since the Grand Regent himself. Do you understand what that means? For thousands of years, millions of Viltrumites bred with outsiders, and not a single viable hybrid was born. Thragg's existence was a miracle. A chance so small it should have been impossible. And now, in the span of a few years, there are three more. Do you think that means nothing?"
Her gaze cut to the children, her voice heavy. "Do you know how many imperfect hybrids have died in their first years? Thousands. Their blood betrays them. Their bodies collapse. Is that what you want for your children? To risk that fate?"
Mark frowned at Anissa's words, his jaw tightening. As much as he hated to admit it, there was no lie in what she had said. He exhaled slowly.
"You're right," he said at last. "We don't know anything about Viltrumite DNA. And it would be better to be safe than sorry."
For a moment, Harley bristled, her lips parting as if to argue again, but Mark's next words cut through her.
"But I won't separate my daughter from her mother," he said, voice resolute. There was no give in him now. "Not for you. Not for Thragg. Not for anyone."
Anissa's eyes narrowed. "That is not—"
"No," Mark interrupted, his tone like iron. "That's final." He turned to Raven, his expression softening slightly. "Cover her vision when we travel. That way she won't know the location."
Raven nodded once, already understanding.
Anissa clenched her fists, her teeth grinding, but she knew the line had been drawn. She could not drag Harley away by force, not here, not with Mark and Kara standing at her side. And she could not return to the Grand Regent with news that they had refused outright.
"Very well," she said at last, her voice tight. "I will wait for you outside."
Without another word, she turned and strode out of the chamber. Mark stood in the silence Anissa left behind. The door slid shut with a hiss, but the tension in the room stayed like smoke after a fire. Harley still had Lucy clutched tight against her chest, rocking her a little too fast while glaring at the door. Kara's arms were folded, her eyes dimming from that angry red glow, but her jaw was still tightt. Raven didn't say anything, she just stood near the corner with Waylon in her arms comforting the baby that had just been crying.
Mark exhaled slowly and ran a hand down his face. He crossed the room and crouched in front of Harley first. He reached for her wrist, gently lowering her hand before she squeezed Lucy too tightly. "Hey," he said softly, meeting her eyes. "She's okay. You're okay. Nobody's taking her away from you. Not now, not ever."
Harley's lip curled, still trembling with leftover fury. "That broad thinks she can just march in here and start callin' the shots? She's lucky I only put one round in her. I don't give a damn if bullets bounce off her head—she tries that again, I'll find somethin' that doesn't."
Mark pulled her closer by the arm, leaning in until his forehead touched hers. "You don't have to fight alone anymore," he told her, voice steady. "I'm right here. She's not getting near Lucy. I promise."
For a moment Harley's shoulders stayed yense, but Lucy babbled against her chest and reached a tiny hand toward Mark. Harley huffed, half a laugh and half a choke, before she leaned in and kissed him hard,. "Alright, big guy. I'm calm. For now." She nudged his chest with her fist before handing Lucy over so the baby could grab at his face.
Mark stood, cradling Lucy, and turned toward Kara. She hadn't moved, her arms still crossed. She looked more hurt than angry now.
"Kara," he said gently. "Talk to me."
She looked at him, her blue eyes softer than her stance. "I hate that we're even listening to them. I feel as if we know too little about what they want to do to the children." She stepped forward and pressed her palms against his chest, holding him in place. "What if she's right, though? What if they try something with Lucy, or Waylon, or..."Her voice broke slightly. "...with Dante?"
Mark shifted Lucy into one arm and pulled Kara against him with the other, his hand cupping the back of her head. He pressed a kiss to her hairline and held her there. "I'm not letting them. Not Dante, not any of them. We'll get him the help he needs, but on our terms."
Kara stayed pressed against him, her cheek against his chest until she nodded. "Okay. I trust you," she whispered.
Mark looked to Raven last. She hadn't moved, but her eyes were on him. Waylon stirred against her shoulder, whining softly, and she stroked his back with small circles of her palm.
"You're thinking about what she said," Mark guessed.
Raven didn't deny it. "Hybrids dying young." Dhe said in a calm boice, but her grip on Waylon tightened just slightly. "It wasn't a lie. It worries me that Waylon may suffer the same affliction as Dante in the future."
Mark crossed to her, Lucy still perched on his arm, and kissed the top of Waylon's head before leaning down to kiss Raven softly. "Waylon's strong. Considering who his Grandfather is it's probably safe to say that he will be fine."
For the first time, Raven's hand moved from Waylon's back to rest on Mark's chest, her thumb brushing the line of his collarbone. "You can't promise that."
"No," Mark admitted quietly. "But I believe it."
Raven searched his face, then nodded. She leaned in and kissed him again, slower this time, before settling back.
Mark finally let out a long breath, shifting Lucy so she sat between his arm and chest. He looked around at them and said, "We stick together. That's how we get through this."
Harley snorted, but this time it was softer. "You're real sappy, ya know that?"
Mark grinned faintly. "I'm sure you love it."
Harley smirked, leaning up to kiss his jaw. "Don't push it."
Mark lingered a little longer, Lucy squirming in his arms until she managed to grab his nose, making him grunt and wrinkle his face. Harley snickered at that, tension bleeding away as she ruffled Lucy's hair. Raven shifted Waylon to her other arm, and the boy tucked his face into her neck with a small hum, still calmed by her presence. For a moment it almost felt like they weren't on a hostile world. But the reprieve couldn't last. Mark looked toward the door Anissa had stormed out of. "We need to check on Galatea and Dante and go to the lab," he said. He shifted Lucy carefully into Harley's arms and straightened. "We've been here too long already."
The door slid open again, and Anissa stepped back inside, her expression composed, though her eyes still flickered with restrained irritation. "You don't need to return to the ship," she said plainly.
Kara frowned immediately. "What do you mean?"
"Galatea and Dante have already been transferred to the facility," Anissa explained. "Specialized equipment was brought directly to your son. They're preparing him now."
Mark's jaw tightened. "You moved him without telling me?"
"It was necessary," Anissa said, meeting his eyes directly. "Time is not on his side. The sooner he begins treatment, the better his chances."
Harley bristled, hugging Lucy tighter. "Ya know, lady, you really gotta stop makin' decisions for people's kids without askin'. Ain't exactly polite."
Anissa ignored her, turning instead toward Mark. "Do you want to see him or not?"
Mark exhaled through his nose, forcing down the anger curling in his chest. He glanced at Kara, at Raven, at Harley. They were waiting on him. He nodded once. "Let's go."
The journey to the lab took them through the deepest veins of Viltrum's capital, Raven covered Harley's sight when they left and made a platform for the both of them to stand on; she bitched and complained but didn't do anything to remove it. They were escorted by Anissa and two guards down underground and downvast corridors of metal, lit by streams of pale light that seemed to come from nowhere. The deeper they went, the quieter it became. When they were inside Harley was able to see again which she very much appreciated.
She walked close beside Mark, Lucy perched on her hip, her eyes darting around the place with visible suspicion. "Gotta say, hon," she muttered, "I seen nicer prisons. Less shiny, sure, but they didn't give me the creeps like this place does."
Kara's gaze swept over the alien guards they passed, her lips pressing thin. "She's not wrong. This doesn't feel like a hospital."
"It's not," Raven said quietly, her hand on Waylon's back as he dozed against her shoulder. "It's a lab."
They turned down another corridor, this one lined with wide glass panels. Behind them, alien species worked at long benches, some insectoid, others amphibian or crystalline, each using unique physiology to manipulate tools and screens. Some glanced up only briefly, but in those looks Mark caught fear. Fear of him. Fear of all of them.
"These are the intellectual races," Anissa explained as they walked,l. "They were conquered generations ago. Their intelligence is... useful. They serve as engineers, scientists, record keepers. Their loyalty is ensured."
"Yeah, real heartwarming," Harley said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Kidnap the brainiacs, chain 'em up, make 'em work. Real noble of ya."
Anissa's eyes cut to her but she said nothing, simply continuing forward.
Mark looked past the glass again, at rows of racks holding weapons, as well as massive containers filled with liquid that had what could only be described as monsters inside them.
He looked at Anissa. "And all this is supposed to help Dante?"
"The lab serves many purposes," she replied smoothly. "Yours is only one of them."
Mark fell silent at that, but his mind stayed on what he'd seen. He'd thought Viltrum's might rested solely in its warriors. But looking he realized their strength was layered deeper than he'd assumed.
When they finally reached the inner sanctum of the lab, the doors opened into a wide chamber full of machinery. Tanks of liquid lined the walls, and platforms extended in every direction, each filled with equipment that glowed faintly in the cold light. In the center stood a raised platform where Dante's small form was already prepared, surrounded by Viltrumite overseers and alien assistants working quickly.
Galatea was already there when they entered the lab, standing near one of the observation windows that looked down into the medical chamber below. She had changed, dressed in a Viltrumite uniform nearly identical to Kara's. She stood stiffly, arms crossed, but her eyes softened when she saw Mark.
Mark moved to her first. "Galatea," he said.
(AN: They finally arrive at the lab together woooo, idk what else to say in this Authors note.)
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