A Leap of Faith (Part 1)

Chapter 156 - Elizabeth Visits L-Corp

Lillian has now been in the Leviathan base for what seems like a month at this point. However, it has honestly been hard for the Luthor matriarch to keep track of time, as she hasn't seen the outside since before she was taken from her prison cell. So, the only thing Lillian has to rely on to keep any sense of time, is the clocks and dates within the Leviathan facility, but for all Lillian knows, they could be inaccurate. Either way, Lillian has just been occupying her time by working on the red Kryptonite task that Talia Al-Ghul has set her.

At first, once Lillian got all the things she requested, she bought herself some more time by drawing out the preparation process, but eventually she knew she had to get into things, especially as Leviathan had other scientists watching her. So, Lillian began to work on the red kryptonite, and slowly build some trust with the other scientists, and in turn, other members of Leviathan too. Then eventually, Lillian did produce her first bit of red kryptonite, although it did have a fatal flaw in it that thankfully went unnoticed. This fatal flaw is that the effects, whatever they may be, even if the kryptonite is adapted, will always be temporary. Lillian has achieved this by essentially breaking down the chemical structure of red kryptonite. So, even if Leviathan adapts red Kryptonite to give other Leviathan agents Kryptonian powers, the effects would only be very temporary, literally finished within a few seconds. Lillian just hopes that the Leviathan scientists will put down the effects being temporary to their own modifications to the red kryptonite, and not her work.

Currently, Lillian is still working in the lab that Talia set her up in, studying more about the red kryptonite. So far, Lillian has made Leviathan a sizable amount of the substance, all of which has then been taken from her, and moved to other facilities. Lillian still hasn't been able to get out of anyone what Leviathan specifically want to modify the kryptonite to do exactly.

"Mrs Luthor, how are you today?" Talia asks, as she walks into the lab, with a smile on her face.

"I'm sure the usual answer would be to say 'good', but I'm not one to give out formulaic platitudes." Lillian replies, "I am.... working.... That's all I can say."

"Hmmm.... I see that." Talia nods, "I know that you have already made a decent amount of progress on the red kryptonite task I set. I am impressed."

"Don't expect me to say 'thank you'." Lillian replies, "I'm not like your other Leviathan agents who bow down to you like you're their queen or something."

Talia chuckles.

"You're direct. I like that." Talia smirks, and walks closer to Lillian.

"Then you won't mind me being direct and asking, again, what you are exactly going to do with the red kryptonite. How are your scientists going to adapt it?" Lillian says, "Maybe if I knew, then I could better adapt the red kryptonite so it would fit those needs, and help?"

"Hmmm..." Talia hums, growing a thoughtful look on her face, "I appreciate your offer. But I believe our scientists now have the task well in hand. You have.... got them over the first hurdle.... they can take it from here."

"So, you are not going to tell me what you are doing with the kryptonite?" Lillian asks.

Talia chuckles, once more.

"I suppose you deserve an answer." Talia says, and then begins to walk around the lab, looking at all the lab equipment, "Like I mentioned to you a few weeks ago, our scientists have found that red kryptonite can be adapted. It is 'malleable', or so our scientists say. They believe that it can be adapted for all sorts of different things. This ranges from, what I am sure you have already guessed, in giving non-Kryptonians Kryptonian powers, to emotional manipulation, as well as a few other interesting things. However, right now, this is all theoretical. Our scientists are still working on it. But they are one step closer to achieving these goals. And that is all thanks to you, Lillian."