Gooseherd
Recommended Listening:
Dark Necessities, by the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Coming out to the light of day,
we've got many moons in a deeper place,
so I keep an eye on the shadow's smile
to see what it has to say...
Turn the corner and
find the world at your command,
playing the hand…
LexCorp Headquarters
Two Weeks After Leaving Markovia
Lex Luthor's eyes glittered with a faint, droll amusement as he regarded his latest Biomedical Branch researcher. Dr. Moon found it irritating, offensive even. He was used to difficult employers, of course, since men with strong stomachs tended to be men with… impulses and notions… of their own. But he couldn't keep his vexation off his face at being called up like a flunky.
...And Lex Luthor was at least half as good at reading a man's facial expression as Ra's al Ghul. He turned his head slightly, and spoke.
"Mercy? If he interrupts me, or attempts to leave his chair, break his leg."
"Left, or right?"
"I leave such details in your capable hands, Mercy." Luthor chuckled.
"Left it is then." The tall woman spoke confidently from out of his field of view. Dr. Moon had seen Mercy's posture more than enough times for his experience around the League's many martial artists to help him get the measure of her. He had no doubt that she was perfectly capable of carrying out the threat- and that it would be unwise to turn and crane his neck to see the look on her face.
"To forestall any silly notions on your part, doctor, I will begin by advising you that I do not share the ethical buffoonery so common among the mundane medical community. I have precisely as much time for such nonsense as I am forced to have, and not one iota more. While LexCorp does not make a
regular practice of human experimentation, recent opportunities and necessities have led us to go through thirty-four test subjects in the past six months. I see that you understand; very good, doctor! For instance, we've made considerable progress on testing of Dr. Helfern's bone growth formula- needs work. I'm sure Karl will be happy to share our analysis to date. However, that is not the reason I've summoned you here."
He tilted his head, still giving that not-a-smile smile.
"You see, the benefits of working with my research establishment are considerable. Take Dr. Ives; he's an excellent example. He's taken considerable advantage of our security forces while convalescing in Metropolis General, and we keep a duty organ donor on tap for him at all times, because of his condition, you see. I am quite a grateful man, when it comes to scientific contributions made in my employ. But pursuant to that, I insist that certain rules be adhered to.
That is what brings you here today. Nod your head if you think you know what I am referring to, ahhh, yes. Wise decision, doctor, for you to acknowledge the obvious so quickly! Very wise. Truly, you are a man of science." The smirk was steady on Luthor's face now, as he bore on.
This was far from the most threatening monologue Dr. Moon had received in his career- but it had a certain sophisticated confidence to it, which was not without its effect.
Luthor tapped a finger on his desk for emphasis. "Let me just say that
yes, doctor, I am quite aware of the fascinating scientific implications of Dr. Isley's chlorokinesis, of the existence of so-called 'magic' in general, of Ms. McCabe's strange totem in particular, and a variety of other
very interesting programs of which you are not yet even aware. I'm told several of my research teams have recently had coffee mugs made saying "You don't have to violate at least two known scientific laws to work here, but it helps!" If so, they have my full approval."
He tossed a sheaf of documents lightly across the table from an open desk drawer. "Take a look at the abstract, if you will, doctor."
Moon did so- the report, titled
Effects of simultaneous injection with Isley-Luthor-Helfern plant integration formula, Mk II, and Helfern-Luthor-Carstairs bone growth formula, Mk III. It was enlightening- and intriguing. Exciting, even!
"You see what I mean. Several quite surprising results there, violating a number of the conventional expectations regarding human biology. Very interesting." He paused- and Mercy Graves, behind him, spoke.
"Explosive, even."
Luthor nodded. "Doctor, your interest in such matters is fully understandable- and shared. You can confidently expect opportunities along similar lines, once the proper channels and groundwork have been established. However, there are conditions. As you are in my employ, I insist that you abstain from threatening your fellow employees."
Ahhh, there it was. Moon had seen this coming; he was no fool.
Luthor tapped a finger sharply, drawing Moon's attention. "Doctor, my policy regarding
employees, as opposed to
experimental subjects, with unusual abilities and physiology is along the lines of the mythical goose that laid the golden eggs. Are you familiar with the myth, doctor? I'll take that expression on your face as a yes. Do you know what I would do, dear doctor, with a man who killed the geese that laid my golden eggs?"
He paused- and Moon
knew it would be unwise to speak, at this moment.
The tech billionaire smiled more slowly, then tossed another sheaf of papers across the desk.
"In particular, I should point out that if
you are capable of losing track of the difference between a LexCorp employee and a prospective experimental research subject, so are many of my other specialists on staff. You see here? Yes?"
Moon nodded.
"Let us take Ms. Carstairs, for instance. She might be interested in having another test subject to repeatedly injure and regenerate with magic. For practice, you see. She could use more practice; she's only gone through three subjects in the past year, as I recall."
Another sheaf of papers- this one a list of names and causes of death. "Building collapse" featured repeatedly, along with a number of other mundane medical mishaps and accidents.
"Young Jinx's probability alteration powers can be used to hurt a man in so
many fascinating ways. We haven't had a chance for controlled studies; procuring subjects who won't be missed is difficult, and we've been trying to ensure she develops in a stable manner. But people who alarm her have a tendency to drop dead, I've noted."
This time, Luthor laid down a single sheet of paper- a transcript.
"Ms. Orielle has commented on Ms. Carstairs' warding spells, observing that they are comparatively harmless compared to other variants she's familiar with. Ms. Carstairs has used her existing wards to rip a man's chest apart. I can't claim to be especially closely acquainted with Cerise yet, sadly, but she shows a commendable ruthlessness toward intrusive threats, which you might do well to consider."
A thick folder.
"As for Dr. Isley, she is one of our most loyal and valued employees. I've found myself wondering just how many species of plant spores and intrusive root networks the good doctor's chlorokinetic abilities could force into a living subject before they expired. I'm sure she'd help you find out, if I asked her nicely."
Luthor patted the stack of documents one more time.
"So tell me, Dr. Moon, and
please do answer me with a 'yes' or 'no,' will you, or will you not, henceforth be mindful of the difference between LexCorp employees and wards, as opposed to LexCorp experimental subjects? If you persist in forgetting the difference when it comes to my staff, I'll have to forget the difference when it comes to
you."
Yeah, you don't know my mind...
You don't know my kind…
Dark necessities are part of my design…
Tell the world that I'm falling from the sky;
dark necessities are part of my design.
