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[b]LexCorp Building, Metropolis[/b]

A smiling Lex Luthor watched from his office as he spotted Clark Kent and Jimmy Olsen snaking their way along the sidewalk. There was a quiet ding from behind him and the doors to Lex’s office opened. Through them stepped Lex’s bodyguard Mercy Graves and he turned to face her with a charmed smile. He had half-expected his interview with the Planet men to be a chore to sit through, as these things often were, but had been pleasantly surprised by the experience. It wasn’t often that something in this life surprised Lex. He commanded a team of metahumans led by the greatest soldier of all time. It was safe to say that it took a great deal to impress Alexander Luthor at this point. He took a sip of champagne and set down the glass with a contented hum.

[color=39b54a]“Well, that was certainly more eventful than I thought it would be. That Kent fellow from the Planet almost emptied the contents of his stomach on my rug halfway through the interview.”[/color]

Mercy smiled.

[color=ed145b]“How quaint.”[/color]

[color=39b54a]“Quaint? I’m not sure I would say so, Mercy, there was something about the man I couldn’t help but like. He seemed the type with… [i]hidden depths[/i]. Do see to it that Mr. Kent finds his way to our next Justice League press junket, would you?”[/color]

A look half-intrigued, half-mocking appeared on Mercy’s face.

[color=ed145b]“You almost sound smitten, Lex.”[/color]

Luthor shot a pointed look in his bodyguard’s direction.

[color=39b54a]“Alexander Luthor does not [i]do[/i] smitten, Miss Graves.”[/color]

The comment was doubly cutting given the more recent developments in Mercy and Lex’s relationship. It had been a momentary blip, a complication that Luthor had come to regret, and one that he was insistent not happen again. He had too many enemies outside of LexCorp’s four walls for the billionaire to chance compromising his relationship with Miss Graves. In the heat of the moment he had to be certain that she would give her life for his without hesitation, that she would follow his word without grumble or question, and that simply wasn’t compatible with a romantic relationship. That very morning LexCorp had been broken into and it had redoubled Lex’s desire to tighten the ship.

[color=39b54a]“Any news on our intruder this morning?”[/color]

Mercy shook her head.

[color=ed145b]“I’m afraid not. After reviewing the surveillance tapes it would seem whoever infiltrated the Watchtower was capable of changing their form. I spoke with Captain America briefly about it and he verified as much. It explains how they were capable of bypassing our security with such e-”[/color]

Before Graves had finishd speaking, Luthor had already compiled a comprehensive plan to apprehend the intruder and see them brought to justice. Or at least seem a [i]form[/i] of justice that was more permanent than Captain America or Captain Marvel might have allowed visited upon them.

[color=39b54a]“I want you to compile a list of every metahuman and mutant, registered or unregistered, capable of shapeshifting and cell manipulation. Start with Raven Darkholm and work down. We have to expect the worst and presume the Brotherhood was involved.”[/color]

From within her suit jacket Mercy pulled out a small tablet and ran her fingers across its screen. A small, detailed profile of the mutant terrorist known as Mystique appeared, as well as a profile of half a dozen other shape-changers that LexCorp had on record.

[color=ed145b]“I already checked. Darkholm was last active in Coast City a little over a week ago and hasn’t been seen since.”[/color]

Lex nodded appreciatively.

[color=39b54a]“Keep up the search. For the time being what say we take a trip down to the generator? I want to see with my own eyes that our golden goose hasn’t been interfered with.”[/color]

Lex gestured Mercy towards the lift and the pair stepped inside and descended in silence. The tension was palpable but Graves resisted the temptation to speak. As they stepped out of the lift on the ground floor the LexCorp employees perked up on sight. Those with slouched shoulders suddenly became perky and those idling through the building’s corridors found haste. It was ever thus. Lex’s presence struck fear into the hearts of his employees. All but the Justice League could be removed from their positions at the drop of a hat.

As the doors to the meteor rock generator room opened, the familiar sound of Mercy’s high heels alerted the scientists to Luthor’s presence. She stepped forward, pointing the scientists towards the exit, and spoke in a quietly threatening voice.

[color=ed145b]“Everybody out. Mr. Luthor needs the room.”[/color]

The scientists filtered out of the room and past their employer without complaint. Once they were alone Graves locked the doors behind them and deactivated the CCTV cameras in the room. A satisfied Luthor grinned and swaggered towards the generator that was to change the world. He reached his right hand towards it, making sure to yank his cuff out of the way as he did so, and pressed it against the generator with a firm shove. There was a loud whir followed by several mechanical crunches as pieces of the generator began to move around. Finally the pieces moved round to reveal a cramped cell, with a small bed in the corner of it, upon which a man lay with his back facing Lex.

[color=39b54a]“John?”[/color]

The man stirred into movement. His head lifted at first, revealing a metallic frame to which but a portion of human flesh still clung to. The hair that rested atop it was a dirty-blonde, the once blue eyes now burnished with a green flame, and the wicked mouth twisted into a hateful, anguished grimace. His name was Jonathan Corben, an Iraq veteran with injuries considered irreparable through medical science, and [i]he[/i] was the secret that powered Lex’s meteor generator. It was discovering Corben, transforming him into that which stood before him, that allowed Lex to outdo Reed Richards and Tony Stark before him.

[color=yellowgreen][b]“Luthor.”[/b][/color]

Lex smiled.

[color=39b54a]“I do hope you are finding your chambers to your liking.”[/color]

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[color=yellowgreen][b]“You [i]promised[/i] me you’d fix me, Luthor, not keep me in this thing like some lab rat. When I get out of here I’m going to kill you. Do you understand me? There’s [i]nowhere[/i] you’ll be able to hide from me. I’ll raze the skin from your flesh and make you beg me for death for what you’ve done to me.”[/b][/color]

A look of faux-offense appeared on Luthor’s face.

[color=39b54a]“Come, there’s no need for talk like that. Who were you before I found you? A cripple, a drain on the state and those around you, but now you’re [i]so[/i] much more than that. You’re going to save the world, John. What greater good is there than that? What greater legacy to leave behind?”[/color]

One of Corben’s metal fists slammed at the thick clear glass between them. Luthor had initially designed the cell that housed Corben for Superman but it had proved equally capable of housing the man that powered his generator. It withstood Corben’s angry fists, as Lex knew it would, but Mercy stepped forward to protect her employer all the same. Lex sensed her moving and extended a hand in her direction to keep her in place.

[color=39b54a]“It’s fine.”[/color]

[b][color=yellowgreen]“When I get my hands on y-”[/color][/b]

Lex cut Corben short with a smile and tapped his finger against the glass between them.

[color=39b54a]“You are going to see your life out in this cell, Mr. Corben. The sooner you come to terms with that, the better for everyone.”[/color]

Corben roared with anger and slammed his fists against the glass. They gushed impotently with the green energy that Lex had imbued him with as Luthor stepped away from the glass and pressed his hand against the generator once more. The whirring and crunching began again as pieces of the generator slid across the glass and John Corben’s rage turned to muffled cries of pain. As they clasped shut the cries were extinguished entirely and Luthor took a glance to the expensive watch on his wrist before pacing out of the room.