August 20, 2017
All around her, people were laughing and smiling and celebrating the happy couple. The wedding was a massive affair and was everything one would have expected from a pair of wealthy socialites. Their best guess at the guest list was somewhere in the neighborhood of seven hundred people, all of whom seemed to be enjoying the sprawling estate in New Hampshire, ready to partake in the evening's festivities. She studied the ballroom carefully as she held a drink her hand, trying to play the part of an ordinary wedding guest when in reality she was there for something else altogether. Sophie Greer was the name that had been meticulously calligraphed onto the ivory invitation that she carried around in her purse. She wasn't entirely sure what she was looking for, not exactly, but she knew that her gut would tell her the moment she saw it. She casually slinked away to the next table for a change of scenery, carrying her champagne glass with her and careful to make just the right amount of eye contact with other guests so as not to misconstrue any interest in social interaction. Drinking on the job was discouraged, but a few sips of champagne here and there while she tried to pull this off couldn't hurt. If anything, it just made it look as if she actually belonged there. After all, she was just another wedding guest and certainly not a spy of any kind.
A small, barely visible comms piece rest in her ear, and thanks to some careful handiwork of her own, it could have masqueraded as a piece of fine jewelry. Never underestimate a woman with a Bedazzler. She listened carefully for any instructions or updates from her teammates, but the line was silent and whether that was good or bad remained to be seen. She maneuvered her way around the room as other guests enjoyed their cocktail hour. Meanwhile, she carefully studied the ice sculpture that showcased two swans entwined within one another. It was an odd centerpieces, she thought, but hey, it wasn't her wedding. As she studied the featherwork, she noticed a figure sidle up to her side and speak quietly. "We've got it." She turned and pretended to make small talk with her newfound company. Drew Barrymore looked stunning in her own evening wear and it wasn't long before they had managed to disappear into an empty bathroom together to plan their next steps. Whatever 'it' was remained unbeknownst to her and as curious as she may have been, if that information was above her pay grade, then so be it.
She looked to her left as they chatted and suddenly, Drew Barrymore was in tactical gear and they were hiding behind a car in the parking garage, planning their great escape from the security guards that were surrounding the structure. Drew Barrymore turned and gave her a look: this was it. Their one shot to escape unharmed, one step closer to putting this dangerous assignment behind them. Armed with an artillery of their own, both women jumped atop the silver Tesla and blasted their way to freedom, taking out anything and everyone who might have stood in their way. They were able to escape amidst all of the chaos, and just when they thought they were safe, a loud beeping sound seemed to be following them wherever they went. Drew Barrymore swerved to the left to dodge a car and hit a curb instead, sending them flying across the street and their ATV landing them squarely on the beach, surrounded by innocent civilians. The beeping sound grew louder and louder as they both left the vehicle and took cover for its inevitable explosion. She felt a strong tug at her sleeve and Drew Barrymore at her. "Hey!" she called out. "Do you want to play pétanque? There's a court over—" She looked over to where Drew Barrymore was pointing, to some space beyond the Santa Monica Pier. Before she knew it, the sound of an explosion temporarily deafened her and left her ears ringing. She looked around to see if there were any other survivors and to find the source of the explosion, but to no avail. The smoke and the fires were too thick, and it wasn't long before she was coughing and fighting to breathe as best as she could. The beeping persisted and she braced herself as she waited for another explosion.
Kara sat bolt upright in bed and gasped for air. It was all just a dream. No spies, no ice sculptures, no Drew Barrymore, no pétanque, none of it was real. But the beeping was, and it took her a few moments to find its source and turn it off. The alarm clock on her phone. Of course. Why didn't her subconscious mind think of that? Her heart rate returned to normal and she felt herself breathing regularly again, so she reached over to her nightstand for the water bottle that she always kept nearby. She frowned; something about this bottle felt different. The lid that she was having trouble with had a different shape than what she was used to. She looked down through bleary eyes and noted that the bottle was purple, not silver like she was used to, and she fumbled to get it open. As Kara scanned her surroundings again, she realized that none of it looked familiar and that she had no idea where she was.
She tried to blink the sleep out of her eyes and looked around again. She was in a bedroom, that much was clear. There were boxes and shopping bags and other packing supplies strewn across the floor, suggesting that whoever owned this space had moved in fairly recently. The walls had been painted a dark gray and made the room feel more cavernous than it actually was. The curtains were drawn across the windows, but not entirely, and she could see that she was in a city of some kind. But it didn't look like National City or Metropolis, and it certainly wasn't Midvale.
And she wasn't alone.
There were footsteps outside the door. They didn't seem to be approaching the room so much as they were just walking by. Perhaps the owner was going about their own day and dealing with whatever it was that was out there. Her brow furrowed as she listened intently, which was much harder to do than usual, as if she didn't have her usual super hearing ability that could be both a nuisance and a lifesaver all at once. Had her powers been dampened? Kara threw off the covers and carefully tiptoed around the room, cautiously peering out the window so that she could get a better view. She could see water and a few city landmarks that looked familiar, but she wasn't able to place them on her own.
She walked across the room and paused as she caught a glimpse of herself in a floor-length mirror. Kara gasped, mouth agape and shocked at what she saw. This wasn't her! This wasn't her body! The only thing she had in common with whoever it was she was staring at was her blonde hair! Panicked, she threw the bedroom door open and stepped out, startling the other woman in the living space. At this rate, she half-expected Drew Barrymore to be standing on the other side, but of course, she wasn't. Despite their odd start, the other woman, whoever she was, seemed to have a friendly face and Kara only hoped that she had some answers for her.
What on earth was happening?