Science Doesn't Explain

Eighteen: Lex Luthor

As soon as the television shut itself off, Lena knew exactly why her brother wanted her. Though he hated to admit it, he wasn't the brains of the Luthor family. Lena made synthetic kryptonite. Lena could bring the girl of steel to her knees. (In more ways than one.) She'd done everything he could never do, including seducing a super. She made sure to hide trackers in any places she could think of. One taped underneath her ear, one in her pocket, taped underneath her bra strap, and another inside of her jacket. There was no way Lex could find all of them. She also stuffed her small purse with as many first aid kits she could. Kara was injured in the video, so Lena assumed she'd be the only one willing to help.

Arriving at the docks via limousine hadn't seemed very practical, but riding in on her motorcycle wasn't very smart either. She loved that thing almost as much as she loved Kara. She decided to take a taxi instead of her car, preferring not to get the new paint job scratched. Just before she stepped out of the vehicle, she sent Alex her location and what she was doing. At least that way someone knew she was in trouble. She knew no one else had gotten the message Lex sent, or police would be all over her.

"Lena, lovely to see you," Lillian announced, her heels clicking against the concrete as she approached her daughter.

"Mother. Where's Lex? I'd like to get this over with." Lena forced down her fear, feigning boredom.

"We'll have to drive to him. It isn't safe for him to come out of hiding just yet." Lillian explained, wrapping her cold, thin fingers around Lena's arm.

"Then where's your car?"
- - - - - - - - - - -
"Lena," Lex called, rolling over in his wheelchair. "I see you've suddenly decided to grow up."

"I see you're still just as bald as last time." Lena spat.

"Now, now, dear sister. No need to argue. Would you like to see her?" Lex chimed. This was not Lena's brother. The Lex she knew was kind, warm. Ever since he met Superman, he'd changed. He was cold, concise, and psychopathic.

Lena nodded, her fear and worry clouding her mind. Lex rolled forward, motioning for Lena to follow. Lena knew Lillian and her henchmen would come with them. There was no doubt in her mind that she would need to trade her freedom for Kara's. Lex stopped in front of a door, nodding towards it.

"I'll give you a minute alone before we arrange our deal." He announced. Lena chewed at her bottom lip as she pushed open the heavy door.

"Oh, Kara." Lena gasped. The hero was much more injured than the video showed. There was a knife in Kara's thigh, a deep red stain in the blue of her suit that sat over her ribs and would probably never come out, and she was unconscious.

Lena rushed to her side, tugging at the chains that held Kara upright, hanging by her arms.

"Lex, unchain her!" Lena screamed, hot tears running down her cheeks and blurring her vision.

"Whatever you say." Lex waved at his goons, who removed the chains from Kara's wrists, leaving the kryptonite cuffs on her wrists. Kara fell into a heap of crimson and blue, unwaking.

"Kara, wake up. Please, love, I need you to wake up." Lena sobbed, her hands cupping Kara's cheeks and her thumbs running along Kara's cheekbones. Still, the hero slept.

Lena ripped open her purse, treating the wounds she could with such limited supplies. The knife in her thigh would have to stay, for now, but she had to get to the gash on Kara's side. Lena unzipped the suit, tugging it down gently so that she could clean the nasty cut.

"Time's up, step away!" Lex called. When Lena continued fussing over Kara, he rolled his eyes. His minions grabbed Lena's arms, dragging her away from the hero.

"No, Lex, she'll die! Don't let her die?" Lena shouted.

"Oh, Lena, stop being silly. You and I both know I need her. She's my leverage." Lex chuckled. Lena kicked and screamed, but the men held her in place.

"Mother, tend to her while Lena and I talk."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Lena took a deep breath and forced her tears back. If Lillian had taught her anything, it was that a calm face got you further than a disaster. Lex sat across from her, his hands folded on top of his desk, which he'd had bought for him. Lex was never one for simplicity. He reached out, tucking a stray strand of hair behind Lena's ear. His fingers brushed the tracker Lena had taped just underneath her ear. Lena winced slightly, gasping when Lex tore the chip from her skin.

"You really thought I wouldn't scramble the signal? I'm no amateur, Lena." Lex smirked, seeming pleased that he'd been a step ahead of his sister for once. Lena shrugged, deciding that remaining silent was her best choice. "Now, give me the rest of them."

Lena rolled her eyes, handing over her phone and the tracker inside her jacket pocket. "You got me." She sighed, silently thanking her brain for installing countermeasures before she left (and for placing one underneath her bra).

"Now that you're settled," Lex snapped the two chips in half, then powered off the phone, so it couldn't be tracked. "You're going to tell me everything you know about the Haremn-El."

"I talk when Kara wakes up," Lena replied, crossing her legs and sinking back into her chair. Lex let out a loud laugh.

"Of course you had to fall for a Super. How Romeo and Juliet of you." He sighed. "Sis, she's playing you."

"I won't tell you a thing until I know she's okay. I talk when she talks." Lena hissed.

"Why are you protecting that thing? It's not human. She doesn't know how to love."

"And you do? She's saved countless lives, including mine. You've threatened my life as many times as you could. You kidnapped my girlfriend, and you're holding her hostage. Don't tell me she doesn't  know how to love." Lena laughed dryly, standing from her chair. "I'm going to go wait with her. She dies, you die."

"Fine, do what you want, but remember, when she does, she'll be in a world of pain," Lex called after his sister.

"She already is. You're in it!"