A Little Animosity [Luthor]

[Nina Stenet]

Time has been passing painfully slowly for Nina. She's certain that she's been laying in this hospital bed for a month, though Shawty reassures her that it hasn't even been a full week yet. And she spent much of that time in various states of unconsciousness between the naps, sleeping at night, and of course the coma. But the time that she's spent awake has been tedious simply because she's used to running herself ragged because she wanted to, not sitting around doing nothing because she has to. She's just not a person who enjoys having to rest.

But rest is exactly what she needs, to the point that Shawty has been even discouraging Selina from visiting too often. The woman has been concerned enough about her friend that one might suspect that she'd move into Nina's room along with Shawty if allowed, but Shawty has a much calmer personality and is therefore much less draining to have around constantly. Not that Nina doesn't like Selina's visits - quite the opposite - but in her weakened state she does need a nap immediately after each one. Though aside from Selina, other visitors are few. Nina simply hasn't made making friends much of a priority. But at least that made it very easy to to come up with the list of allowed visitors.

A list which Shawty has repeatedly drilled into the staff as non-negotiable. Her boss is, after all the victim of a rogue attack that was meant to be lethal. And so weak that she wouldn't be difficult for someone to finish off, if they had a reason. And between the police officer guarding her room and Shawty constantly by her side, one needs explicit permission to see the woman.

Which is why it's immediately taken as unusual when one of Nina's nurses steps into the room and hesitantly announces that there's someone here to see Dr. Stenet.

"Are they on the list?" Shawty asks suspiciously, because she knows that Selina's not supposed to visit now.

"Oh, no..." replies the nurse.

"Then show whoever it is the door - Dr. Stenet is resting right now," Shawty replies.

In the bed, Nina opens an eye - she's only somewhat resting, allowing her thoughts to wander while her body can't do much.

"But, you can't just... He's insisting..." the nurse protests awkwardly, trying to come up with a good reason why an exception needs to be made. Beyond the real one, anyway - she doubts that the fact that she was bribed to convince them would go over well.

"Dr. Stenet only sees people on the list, no exceptions," Shawty replies firmly.

Seeing how distressed the nurse is getting, Nina can't help but speak up and say, "Maybe this is important, Shawty? It hurts nothing for you to see who it is, at least."

Frowning at that, Shawty hesitates for a moment before nodding and commenting, "Fine, I'll look."

Though when she follows the nurse out of the room and sees who is waiting there, Shawty immediately frowns. She's never met Lex Luthor, and she doesn't care to, and she knows that Dr. Stenet feels the same except possibly stronger. Her boss doesn't like him for trying to kill her, nevermind whether or not it was personal, while Shawty doesn't need to know anything more than that he tried to kill Dr. Stenet once to really hate him. And she knows most of that story thanks to her boss's explanations of who she's worried about and why. Naturally a man that's tried something so drastic as to try to end her life is someone to worry about, never mind that Mr. Nigma apparently fixed the situation.

So without giving the man a chance to speak, Shawty straightens up to her full 4'9", crosses her arms across her chest, looks the man straight in the eye and says, "Are you insane? Dr. Stenet wouldn't want to see you if she was well, let alone in her present condition! She needs her rest, and you need to leave. End of story. Go back to Metropolis and bother someone else."

[Deleted]

Ever since the failed attempt to kill Dr. Stenet, Luthor had been forever left with the memory of a failed operation. He had subcontracted the Ventriloquist to get rid of Dr. Stenet after she refused to take his job and insulted him to boot. It was a revengeful and impulsive decision. Though part of him cannot get over the fact that he had a third party “attempt” to silence her… If he had been serious about getting rid of her he would have tasked Mercy to do it. But Mercy had been different as of late.

She was more angsty, less focused, and much more prone to being subtly rebellious. But she had been working for him for quite some time. The job of protecting, killing, and intimidating without license or warning is a draining one. Lex had to deal with that every single day. Whether it was a redundant board meeting, or the firing of two-hundred people, the repercussions always had baggage. He had imagined the late doctor silenced quickly and quietly. Her body would be disposed with of some sort, it would be an accident…. A mistake – a horrible event that needed to happen not for Lex’s needs but for her own. In part though, who would want to live in a world of constant fear and thoughts of capture. Luthor had lived in such a world for some time which can be charted back to his early days as a new executive. But times were different, his business was growing at an outstanding rate. He had remained invisible to Superman and the forces of good and his plans/operations were taking effect. He was Lex Luthor and that name was powerful in Metropolis, but Gotham would take longer, it will be harder, but it will come. Lex Luthor owner of both cities.

Luthor had never intended to see Nina Stenet again, he felt that it was not in his interests, nor the company’s to waste time, money, and useless verbal talk to apologize for a failed federal crime. The events would have been different if she had gone to court, of course though she would have no way of proving it. Lex was careful not to alert himself in the issue, however he had been naïve in thinking that the good-natured doctor wouldn’t know. The Ventriloquist was told too much information about a simple thing. Never again will he allow a third party to have a first party’s power and influence… Never Again!
That day he was reading the paper and he noticed that the name that he hadn’t spoken or put real mental use in for over two years came up. She was in the hospital for an attempted murder.

The irony and the interest glided into his mind. The doctor who evades one superpower, survives, only to be back-stabbed by the profitable and disastrous investment that she is dating. How chillingly romantic and sad at the same time. Karma and actions led to results, good or bad. And Lex had forewarned her just by that one failed attempt. He had warned her that Edward was a man not to be taken with such ease and dismissed or downgraded with such romantic, nostalgic ease. She was mistaken and betrayed. She would be weak, she would be un-well. This is the perfect opportunity for Lex to have one final chat with her. This chat would rebuild any home that was destroyed. It would link Luthor to a way of getting back at Edward. Luthor has a tool now that he has to be careful with… He has standing now. He had called Mercy to find out what room, doctor, security/etc that was surrounding her. “Mercy! We’re going to visit an old friend.” The smile of warm and chilling intent shaded a crisp sensation on his face.

It was old Gotham Central Hospital. Luthor had stayed at the dilute, excretion-smelling, vulgarity clinging hospital before. He had been here as a child and the disdain that he felt for it was titanic now at age thirty-four than at age twelve. Hospital were the worst kinds of investments. You put your money into an institution that frequently cross-contaminates into illness, ingury, mental instability, police brutatlity, murder, rape, medical corruption and cyber-attacks.

It’s the world in one massive, boring complex. From cancer outbreaks to gurneys that make you feel worse instead of helping you. Though worse than the actually architecture itself, are the souless, childless people who work in these infected institutions of evil. These people are addicts of the soul that have no purpose other than to make you feel worse than how you need to feel. They remind you constantly why people don’t have children or remind you why you don’t have the balls to get out of your strapped in seat. Yes, to say that he hated institutions like Hospitals would be an understatement.

Mercy handed Luthor all the information on his tablet. Her hospital bills (which were unusually expensive to cockroaches with no financial spine), her past medical records, all the medication that she was being taken on, and her health care coverage. Mercy had all of this in less than fifteen minutes. He had no need to meet with Nina’s doctor, besides he had enough knowledge of the physiological body to make accurate statements. He could have gone to medical school but who wants to waste ten years of your life working to save sick people, instead of making them go away. Dr. Stenet was protected by “Gotham’s Finest” Four police officers, who split up between shifts. How charming and excellent. Mercy took out four envelopes, seven-hundred dollars in cash was given in each envelope. You see, the officers had been helpful in providing other information such as the nurses and when their shifts ended, for that Lex had wanted to reward them. They looked at Lex with thankful eyes, then at Mercy, each of them taking a specific envelope and then splitting up. They had agreed to allow Lex to visit. After dealing with the mindless animals, he dealt with the nurse whom Mercy grabbed the checkboard of people allowed and gave it to Lex. Lex looked at it and gave it back to the nurse.

After a few brief moments of waiting for the damn women to return, an unfamiliar being came out and began yelling at Lex, like a puppy trying to protect its aging owner. He looked at the petite and tiny women, without remorse and without interest. The blank state was one of his signature “opening acts”. Mercy recirprocated the feelings and said nothing. Lex checked his watch, and prompty (in his black suit) moved around her and opened the door into the room. Mercy followed him into the room, scanning for any surprises. Luthor, for the first time in two years, was now just meeting the doctor who had inspired her. He had seen some pictures of her, but he had never met her, let alone talked to her.

He did write that letter himself, instead of sending out a standard one like he usually does. She was the esteemed doctor who was advanced beyond her years. She was going to help LexCorp beat out Wayne Enterprises in research. The room was slightly dark, the blinds were down and the crippled “doctor” was now lying on the bed. She looked in terrible condition, but there was something elegant about it. Something smooth and finely tuned about the human body in moments of weakness. He didn’t sit down, but instead remained near the door. How interesting it was to see her. She was bruised and battered though. Deeply scarred and deeply wounded. Victims are the best people to bargain with. They have much to lose and much to gain from a helping hand, no matter past brutal slaps that were executed upon them. She was a broken conduit that could be fixed, but he wanted to show her the real side of Lex, the charming man… the purposeful man.

[Nina Stenet]

Has it escaped Shawty's attention that the police officer that should be guarding the door is absent? No. And Selina had said that she's screened them somehow to be honest cops... Well, the last thing that would surprise Shawty is if it turned out that there really wasn't such a thing in Gotham. What does surprise her is that rather than talking to her, Mr. Luthor and the woman with him decide to walk right past her as if she were nothing. She could have stopped them right then and there, but she knows something that they don't know: what they're walking into. She could stop them in the hallway, especially since they seem to so discount her, but it will be a lot easier and safer to take care of them inside Dr. Stenet's room.

Still resting in her room, Nina's attention goes to the door when it opens again so quickly after Shawty left - she expected that her assistant would be gone for quite a bit longer even if her visitor turned out to be someone she did want to see. Instead she sees someone quite unexpected: a man she's never met but who ordered her death - probably without a second thought. She's never forgiven him for it and, besides her lingering anger, she can only assume the worst about his reasons for being here - not only just because he is who he is but also because he entered the room first. If Shawty had decided to let him in, she would have been first, so Nina knows that something is up.

The room that Nina is in is quite ordinary. Well, except that certain third parties have bugged it, but those know their business and know how to keep such things from being spotted. So there are no visible 'surprises' waiting for them. Well, except of course the one that they ignored when they entered, for Shawty silently slipped into the room behind them without so much as disturbing the door. And since the woman followed behind Luthor, she'll be the first target.

The short, thin, blonde young woman known as Shawty is hardly impressive to look at. Does she look like someone who used to lead a street gang? No. She looks like a secretary. She looks like someone could accidentally step on her. She looks utterly dismissible, and that's one of the reasons why Nina hired her - the obvious ability to surprise someone. And between the two of them, Nina and Shawty have invented, discussed, and even practiced a few ways in which they could work together. One of which they put into action now.

Seeing that Shawty is headed for the woman, Nina's eyes flicker over to her as she quickly finds the vestibular system with her gift and sets the fluid within it churning. And the same instant Mercy loses all sense of balance, Shawty snags one of her legs with her own, grabs one of her arms and twists it behind her, jumps onto her back, and rides the woman down to the floor where she pins her and presses her gun against her head. "Move and I shoot," she quietly warns, completely serious. Mercy is probably stronger than she is - may even be a better fighter, actually - but anyone can take anyone if they're caught off guard and attacked from behind. She can't afford to give the woman any chances, so anything more than a slight wiggle will result in a bullet to the brain.

At the same time, the instant that Shawty has Luthor's bodyguard well in hand, Nina's eyes flicker to the man himself for an instant before she closes her eyes. She does the same thing to him that she did to Mercy, only much more intensely. The feeling would be the same one that one would get if they'd been in an aerotrim that was going much too fast for much too long and stopped suddenly, and it doesn't take more than a moment for her to do it - Luthor would perhaps only have enough time to glance back to see what the commotion going on behind him is before it would hit him. If he manages to stay on his feet, Nina would be impressed, but even if he does he can't be seeing straight. Which is kind of the point - to disable him from doing anything instantly without actually causing him any damage.

Of course, by using her power upon him so profoundly, she risks that he'll figure out that it was her. But it would be a very slim risk: after all, she is laying in a hospital bed, apparently helpless - surely it would seem more likely that her very able-bodied assistant who just wrestled his bodyguard to the floor did something, and that thing doesn't necessarily have to be a metahuman ability. Someone as devoted to technological weaponry as Luthor would probably think that it's more likely some sort of advanced ultrasonic weapon or odorless gas. "You are not welcome here," she says quietly, weakly. She gets stronger everyday, but she still has a long way to go in her recovery. But any hope that Lex had that she would greet him with any pleasantness disappeared when he simply barged into her room. That just isn't acceptable behavior coming from a man who has tried to kill her.

[Deleted]

Things had gone completely wrong. Luthor had expected a stunned looked and a grimace or even a yell but not a full-fledged surprise attack. But before he could alert the authorities and Mercy his 20/20 vision, the vision of any supernatural being, the vision that put him ahead in all of his subjects at school was suddenly failing. It was as if, someone was causing the cells inside his body to constrict forcing the blood to his eyes to thin. He was now in need of glasses, but then the balance slipped underneath him. Could it be some tasteless, invisible gas that he tripped while entering the room? Could it have been some secret cylinder in the vents? All bets were off, regardless of the practicality of such an attack.

Luthor knew that Stenet was well off, not rich but wealthy enough to stay on top of things. Such an attack would have cost more than what she was making or used to make at least. However, as he began going into self-preservation inner monologue mode, he turned to see Mercy pinned to the floor with that short blonde haired- bitch with a gun to her head. How DARE someone overpower Mercy? Well in the first place… the fact that Mercy didn’t see this meant that he was blind on all fronts. That girl didn’t pose a threat at first, but in the back of his mind, he knew that she did. Call it Hubris or call it blind superstition that judging a book by its cover usually works when dealing with businesses or certain people, but even Lex knows that you must dig deep to understand someone. In retrospect, Lex had miscalculated, he had not believed a person of such short height would be able to disarm Mercy and himself in such quick time.

His attention turned to Nina, but his stomach was churning as he slowly crouched down onto the floor. The room felt as if it was collapsing onto itself, he had to get out, but.. he had to have this meeting. This was a chance to get Nina to understand the action that he took, no matter how impossible such an action can logically be taken or understood on her end. This was a chance to redeem himself in a manner and to prove that he had changed the way he dealt with certain people.. Well that was lie, but he really didn't want to kill Dr. Stenet. So before he abandoned his strong morale and his power that was diminishing from this vertigo he calmly but loudly said, “Stop this Ms. Stenet. Stop This! Stop This Stop THIS!”. He would be effective, he shall make her change. He looked over to Mercy who didn't move a muscle but was communicating through stares and shock. She couldn't believe that she was overpowered so suddenly. She hadn 't felt this way since….

Since Batman or Superman had hit her hard. He slowly and forcefully begins getting up, it isn’t easy because he has no depth perception whatsoever but his conviction and his will of belief not to be destroyed allow him to get up however shakily. He is about to walk when he falls down again. Such power coming, likely from Ms. Stenet or some machine linked to her. This is why Hospitals are dangerous, the patients can always make a weapon out of some electronics and wires. .. like a prison cell. So as Lex battles his mind with Ms. Stenet’s he realizes that in order to continue he has to make amends now before she or the pressure inflicts serious damage to Mercy and him. His physical strength is usually not as tested as it is now so beads of sweat begin dripping and swirling circles around his head as his sound in his ears pop and pop and pop. He slouches and slowly but surely begins sliding from the closet by the door to her bed. The move is hard and the sweat and muscles seem to be working against a type of pressure-cooker. As he moves, he bites his lip. Mercy will be fine, she was trained by experts in the majority of their fields. She knows how to handle such tense situations. You do not act, but you subtly shift things to your favor. Lex knows that he must make things end so that no one gets shoot and so that he can say what he came here for.

His distaste for Ms. Stenet grows as he tries to grapple the bars on her bed. He hears in brief moments her reply of “You are not wanted here” But it is staggered and he can barely think because he now has a migraine but he does get out with much gumption and zeal, “I understand, but I am…. Here… You must… allow me to…h-ave.. one little, final…. Talk to… explain things.. to explain the actions… and to help..” He is able to grab the metal bar. It is a symbol of immense resistance in a time of danger. This is also a symbol of Lex’s powerful conviction to get things done on his own terms as a singular person without someone with a gun. He is getting his hands dirty, literally. And this is one of the rarer moments where he is emitting a softer side, a genuine side only seen as a small boy when he was kind and friendly but just as witty and snidely. Here he is putting himself in the moment, truth by truth, allowing his anger and distaste for everything ugly to ferment the entrance of this call to end things. He needs her to say yes. He believes she will stop.

[Nina Stenet]

Actually, Nina is a multimillionaire now. Not very many millions and still not that rich by Lex's standards, but she's certainly not poor - she can afford what she wants to be able to afford. Though it is quite a bit more than she'd been making back when the Ventriloquist had been sent after her - back then she was still working for Wayne Enterprises instead of herself. She simply prefers to live rather modestly. So she could afford more expensive security measures, but the fact is that she doesn't need them since her gift ends up being more accurate in a pinch - she doesn't have to worry about accidentally harming herself or Shawty with it.

But in any event, Nina's expression is passive and almost uncaring as she watches Mr. Luthor fighting against what she's doing to him. It's such a little thing, the vestibular system - so easy for her to mess with it and render a person unable to orient themselves. Closing the eyes and concentrating on moving by feel rather than sight helps, but not completely. A rather neat way of ensuring that he can't harm her very easily, even if that had been his plan when he'd barged right in.

And she honestly can't help but be pleased by his words - after all the trouble that he caused her, now he's begging her for relief? She's tempted to say no... But on the other hand, she's not going to kill him and that means that she'll have to stop sometime anyway. Yet if she's going to stop, she's going to fully capitalize on his discomfort. "It's Dr. Stenet, not 'Ms.'," she tells him first, her voice still very weak in spite of the authoritative tone that she takes, "And if you wanted to talk to me, you'd have been better off asking me nicely." She pauses, allowing her annoyance with that to sink in a moment before she adds, "However, if you do everything I say, perhaps we can settle this peacefully."

Not waiting for him to agree or disagree, she lists off her demands, "Order Mercy to leave and wait for you - there is no need for her in this room. My assistant will let her go as soon as you do so - but on a side note I suggest that neither of you try any funny business: she's clearly not at all shy about protecting me. When Mercy leaves, you will then allow Shawty to thoroughly search you for anything alarming you may have on you. Then, assuming she finds nothing, we can talk." In spite of the weakness in her voice, she manages to find at least enough firmness to her tone to indicate that she's not open to the idea of negotiations here. But to add some further incentive for him to simply agree, she comments, "And the dizziness will start to go away the moment you agree." She knows that it must be a very miserable feeling, though it won't wear off as suddenly as it started - even if she stops using her gift now, it'll take a good five minutes for the feeling that the room is spinning to gradually fade.

[Deleted]

His face does not tort or move in any subtle sign. Rather it is a cold or I daresay degenerative look that takes over. As a whole he is completely dissatisfied with the situation along with the surprising fact that Dr. Stenet or Shawty had somehow managed to attack him and tear down his defenses. It might have been one of those Wayne Enterprise vertigo inducing weapons? But why would she risk spending all of that money on something as massive as that? It could have been some type of gas, maybe stolen from Crane? It is possible that she may have met him, but the likes of meeting such a man are low--even for her.

Maybe he had been drugged before he got here? Or maybe he been shot at by some invisible lazer with vertigo like effects? Or maybe it was sa superpower? Or maybe this isn't the real Dr. Stenet but some mutant? Lex's mind travelled from the realistic to the unrealistic with every second. He was able to keep his composure as he always does, but he feels confused, cheated, beaten at the game that he so loves. This may not be new to Lex, but he didn't expect it from the doctor. This catches him off guard, an predicament that must be traveled through if he is to succeed in his task. He doesn't look around, because his vision and general balance have faded. It’s as if he is on a carousel surrounded by a a barrage of sounds and demands in a strained voice coming from the bed. He cannot give in to this new version of “Stenet”. He is a God among insects, and this insect in particular has a superhuman ability… No matter he shall triumph, he always does. But in this brief moment, a flicker of light comes from his arm.

A tingling sensation erupted from his arm, only felt when his mother was upset with him for doing something impulsively cold. His mother was the type of person whose gentle and warmness morphed into a spearheaded-armor. She would remain never raise her voice but instruct in the most damming way for him to stop and to remind him of expectations set. He learned that technique from her, never show your emotions to anyone, rather keep them sealed and locked… then unleash the fire. Yet, now here he was on the wasteful floor of a damning building that was filth and disgust. Here he was being blinded by an invisible hand that was spinning him, laughing at him, scolding him… He would not be the victim... he would be the survivor.

But in this event, unlike his usual temperament, Lex feels that the only way to ease the uneasable.. and.. “logical” tension between the two is to show some of his emotions that are buried under iron, steel, ice, rock, lava, and pressure. To appeal to a women who is furious with him, the best option is obedience and then stimution. Such an option will work best to him and to her. Though the nature of the deal was harsh, much harsher than any scientist that he had met. Many had no power over him, this was no different.. Except that in the situation, he is being held by a tool that will not reveal itself or it's master.

His expression of blankness and guttural silence, ends when he says in the softest manner uncanny to the name Luthor, “I—Agree.” He pauses knowing that Mercy sees him at this weakest point, knowing that his most loyal right hand man for over 11 years will see him crack to a destroyed, depressed women with former ties to the Riddler and Luthor. Mercy doesn’t say anything as she is pinned down but her face, one that has been lauded as steely and incapable of showing interest, turns to a plea of sympathy for Lex, it manipulates her eyebrows to pity the god who is imprisoned by his own doubts , now unleashed by this… woman. “Mercy, you will leave this room and go to the limousine and wait till I am done.”

Mercy doesn’t nod but she understands, she understands his pain, and although she has never exceptionally loved someone… this moment is bigger than that. Lex turns his head ever so slightly to see Mercy’s eyes as she leaves the room, brushing off her uniform, and glancing at Lex before turning the handle to the door and leaving. Lex doesn’t look at Stenet, but the dizziness or whatever hold that was on him seemed to be eging off a bit. “I’m all yours Doctor Stenet.” Lex’s cells in his legs begin moving and tugging to get him up. Lex is one of the few people with a will that is close to being indomitable, but he knows that the senses that most help us , are the safe guards of the will. His worked out legs, slowly begin responding and he inches his way up, getting better and better as his balance sense seems to be improving and the spinning is less toxic. He doesn’t throw up, but the gurgle in his stomach signals that he was close to.. He waits to be searched, but won’t acknowledge the thing that will do it. No he has pride and hubris to his defense.

[Nina Stenet]

While Lex may not be happy with the situation, Nina can't say that she's completely happy with it either. She's been forced into tipping her hand, going from someone Lex probably didn't really think twice about to someone he now probably wonders about. At least she knows that her gift is not something so easy to discern, even if she can achieve extraordinary effects with it when she needs to. There will be consequences for this, she's sure, but she'll just have to deal with them at this point.

The moment that Mr. Luthor indicates his agreement, Nina stops using her gift to keep his vertigo stirred up, but though she also knows how to make it fade away quicker she doesn't - after all, she really doesn't like him and certainly doesn't mind the thought of allowing him to experience more discomfort than he has to. But though she really does enjoy seeing him so humbled, her expression remains passive as her attention shifts from him to their respective bodyguards.

As Dr. Stenet indirectly ordered her to do, once she hears Mr. Luthor order Mercy to leave Shawty nimbly removes herself from the other woman's back and then backs off a few paces. Always ready for trouble, she keeps her gun out but holds it only half raised while watching Mercy get up and leave. There's a certain interesting sense of respect there - Shawty did not attack Mercy for any personal reason, she merely did so to aid her boss against the other woman's boss. And Shawty did not succeed better this time so much as she was on the more successful side. Then again, one of a bodyguard's duties is to evaluate threats to their boss, Mercy completely underestimated her, and she was able to totally dominate the situation as a result. Shawty wouldn't be Shawty if she wasn't completely satisfied with that outcome.

Though she can't say that she's completely happy with the idea of having to search Mr. Luthor. That, after all, requires her to touch a man that she has no respect for whatsoever - he once tried to have Dr. Stenet killed, after all, and therefore she despises him. But searching him is definitely a necessary step, and for more reasons than the obvious one, so she returns her gun to its normal hiding spot in her waistband and gets it over with. He may not acknowledge her, but she doesn't bother to look at him in the face either as she forces herself to do a very thorough job in spite of her distaste for him.

Nina watches in silence as Shawty methodically checks Lex's pockets and looks for any other places he may have stashed things on his person. Her findings are placed on the foot of Nina's bed where she can see them, though she'd have to really stretch to reach any of them if she wanted to pick them up. But she doesn't - they're still the man's personal things to do with as he wishes, so long as his wishes aren't to harm her. For the moment, he's merely lost the right to keep them concealed. When her assistant is finished and steps away to take up a position where she can discreetly observe both Mr. Luthor and the door, Nina gives the girl a grateful smile and a nod of approval for her good work.

And now her attention goes fully back to the man who seems bent on causing her so much trouble. "You disappoint me, Mr. Luthor," she says first clasping her hands in front of her, "You should have expected this - just how stupid would I have to be to not take several significant steps to ensure my personal security when I have one man hiring the insane to kill me and another who so recently attempted to kill me himself?" Not to mention the other incidents, but she doesn't want to give him any more information than he may already have - it's best to keep her comments as limited to things that she already knows he knows as much as possible. "You honestly thought that it ended with the police officers positioned outside of my door?" she has to ask, her voice very slightly mocking - she doesn't want to rub it in too much, but she can't help but do it a little.

Having said that, her expression grows more serious again as she adds, "While I'm touched that you're so 'kind' as to visit me in the hospital, I'm assuming that you're not here to wish me a speedy recovery. What do you want? It'd better be important - all of this 'excitement' isn't very good for my heart."

[Deleted]

His attention is solely on Nina, well rather its actually on the portrait behind Nina, though his gaze is so well guided that it looks as if he is paying attention to her. He has not patience for people to be angry with him or to be reckless in their very poor choice of vocabulary. That’s one of the things missing from this discussion or the many discussions that he has with “people”. Dr. Stenet however is a person, she just doesn’t seem to be acting like one, yelling and going crazy. What are they putting into her veins? He bets that they put enough morphine to make someone feel like they’re god, despite what one may think, Dr. Stenet is not a god, she is a talented doctor who didn’t have the courage or the interest in being a better one, otherwise she would have accepted the job. The painting was one of a house, by a lake, and a barn in the surrounding hill.

What about this picture makes it worth looking at? Are the patients to feel comfort knowing that they are surrounded by an artists rendition of a New England region model of a Barn from 19 62? Or rather is the comfort of secondary nature… the patients, who at this point are either out of their minds in pain, or their completely bonkers for chickens… maybe it’s one of those pieces that doesn’t have a meaning.. but something that the patrons of the hospital felt that needed to be placed here. Unlike the dim-witted patients or the patrons, Lex knew that every painting had a meaning, some meanings were trivial and not interesting, others were. This happened to not be interested at the moment.

He was a magnificent art collector, so within the first thirty seconds he knew if it was special. Rather if a picture maybe painted by someone who truly understood it’s contents, was placed here- it is marginally possible that that meaning may be further interesting.At this point he has wasted a good thiry seconds, his attention is still on Stenet, but now more of it is reflecting to his reaction. No smile, no grimace, just an empty face, with a light touch of emotion, Lex could have been a statue for all intents and purposes. Ms. Stenet had been mocking and verbally jabbing the man that had more strength then she did in his entire leg.

The man that at the moment didn’t have his number two person, but… regardless of the fact, if she was well enough and without some use of that “Shawty” (who reminded him of a stripper at a stripclub who always had too much to drink, but she was rather smart for a blonde, and more voluptuous than a redhead… however that didn’t save her from the car that ran her over. It had been an accident that Luthor had seen as he had been walking out, from a business meeting there- yet now he wished for that car to slam into this “shawty”. Oh how wonderful that would seem in the papers at least, he would likely get a cut on his leg, Stenet would either faint or have a heart attack, and Lex would be the sole witness… he imagined in the headlines, “Entrepreneur and Billionaire injured in terrible car accident… in other news a gifted microbiologist was killed Nina Stenetzs”). His eyebrows raised when she mentioned the police officers. They were the tools of a tool city, they didn’t get raises, and he didn’t need the extra security… neither did she for all he could imagine.

Likely, it was just a façade to make her seem weaker than how she really was… the only difference was that she was weak, she had been stabbed and if that blade had been further to the left she would be dead… He could only imagine Edward’s face as he did it. Though he preferred the shock of Nina’s over his crazed intentions. She probably is sick of Edward and at a loss of words, something that Lex is sure to use to get his way… and he always gets his way. He finally answers after her blabber to make him feel worse than he does (which isn’t really anything, other than feeling somewhat fooled that he didn’t have the situation initially “locked down”), “Ms. Stenet I sincerely apologize for bursting in here like that, it was rude and uncalled for. Now I know you have every right to be hyper suspicious of me and you have the right to think my apology is fake and false, but I am not being sarcastic, I am not dismissing your response as inadequate or accusatory.” He glanced at the window, then at Shawty, then back to Stenet.

In a warm, sweet voice that he never knew he had as a man, he replied in his baritone, “ I think it is time that we discussed our differences, discussed how we can move on, knowing all full well that we will have nothing to do with each other.. ever again.. and if we do I and you can only admit that it won’t be a harmless situation, I can personally guarantee that.” Lex moved a bit closer to Stenet, and sat in one of those garbage hospital chairs that are white and silver lined. They are the torturers of the back and the widows of the buttox. He clasped his large hands together, “ Though I think that the very nature of this conversation and it’s dealing may bring back unpleasant feelings—I am not here for news or for a word of condolences, rather I am here to explain to you the nature of our past dealings and to understand the nature of your feelings on that subject as well as the subject that continues to leave you paralyzed and depleted of your strength."

[Nina Stenet]

As he responds Nina's expression is rather blank, as if they're having absolutely no effect on her. Which they aren't, really - this is the man who decided to have her killed sight unseen and the words to make her forget that do not exist. And the sweet tone of voice that would make her decide that she isn't so angry with him after all doesn't exist either. No, she watches him speak the same way one might watch a boring television show.

Neither she nor Shawty look concerned when he sits down and comes closer. After all, he's been searched and without his things his potential ability to do harm that they couldn't fight against is rather remote. Though the certain tenseness to Nina's jaw seems to hint that she's not going to be easily pacified. "You have nothing to explain to me, Mr. Luthor. I already know why you did it. And I don't care to what degree it wasn't personal to you - when someone tries to have me killed it's personal. Clearly you've never had any concern for me, or at the very least you'd remember that I'm a doctor," she says matter-of-factly, with the last part accompanied by a slight eye-roll.

"As for my most recent health issues," she continues, "They are none of your business. Though if you've heard rumors that I'm paralyzed, that's hardly true." Her gaze shifts from Mr. Luthor to her feet for a moment and she moves each one beneath the blanket to prove it. "And I'm only weak due to anemia and pain medicine, both understandable given my situation - I simply need time to recover. Is that all you wanted to talk about?" she adds, a touch of sarcasm in her ending question making it sound like she thinks that this conversation ought to be over already.

[Deleted]

He had expected her response, but the rain outside of window was unexpected. A calm thunder shouted in the background and the rain sonata began. His eyes, always a deep-icy stare, have thawed to a degree. He is listening to her not as a client or a member of his board of trustees, but as a person who is justifiably angry, and who reminds him that there are people (besides Lex) that have an original view on things. He isn’t going to admit that but in his heart of steel and ice, beneath that he understands. So his reply is silence, one that he doesn’t want to use or calculate, but one that takes action without his say. A silence in the rain, besides the blips of thunder, here and there, he watches her and her recovery. His fingers, once sweaty are beginning to dry.

The whole situation is not going well in Lex’s conscious caliber mind. He had thought that maybe she would be different, maybe things could be settled. But he remembers that he forever destroyed any hope of that when he gave the order to the chicken to kill the dragon. Yes, the dragon survived, helped out by the snake, but maybe that was meant to happen. Lex isn’t a believer in having a “higher purpose”, and for that matter how could he? He was raised in a lower middle class family, he worked his way to the top, doing what needed to be done, and doing what could have been done clearner. So, in some ways this is about him and his past, more so than it is about Ms. Stenet. This is about him and a chance to redeem some actions that cannot be redeemed by normal means: time and age.

“No..” He cannot think of the proper words to respond to, a first for the god Luthor. “I... I wanted- well I want to understand” He crosses his arms, turns away and looks back, "Why you didn’t accept my job offer? I had known that you would have been a great success, but..” At a loss for words describes the feeling he is receiving, a mixture of regret with grief. The giant must not cry.

[Nina Stenet]

The weather outside is hardly of any concern for Nina. It'll be days yet before she'll be out of the hospital, and by that time the rain falling now won't matter at all. Neither is, to a large extent at least, the emotions of Mr. Luthor. Whether or not he's genuinely sorry doesn't make a whole lot of difference in how she thinks about him or how she'll treat him. Either way, he's still someone who arranged to have her killed without ever having so much as met her for reasons that weren't even remotely justifiable, at least in her eyes. He'd have to do a lot more than feel sorry to redeem himself to her satisfaction.

It's not the question that he asks but the way that he asks it that causes Nina's slight smile and the hint of amusement in her voice as she asks in return, "Why do you ask? Did it make you feel bad?" But, not seriously expecting an answer to that, she adds, "There were many reasons. First, at the time I was perfectly content with my position at Wayne Enterprises. Second, I didn't like the manipulative nature of being told that I was already approved and the implied assumption that I wanted the position at all. Third, I didn't want that job: I have no interest in managing a team or being told what to research, and no amount of money in the world is enough to change my mind. Fourth, I hardly expected anyone would try to kill me for saying no - though if I had been aware that would only have turned me even further from the idea. There's something about someone trying to force you to do something that makes you want to do it less." In other words, everything about not only the offer but the way that it had come to her rubbed her the wrong way. Of course she'd said no! Didn't even have to think about it really.

Of course, now he's made her curious about why he'd ask her about all of that now - it all seems very belated. A few theories bounce around in the back of her head, but all of them have her doubtful that this visit will do much for Mr. Luthor.

[Deleted]

Luthor doesn't want to be redeemed, his gentle side may, but the god that he has become now knows that such a mistake, such a risk that was taken, regardless of how unfortunate the outcome was, cannot and will not be fixed. This is a bridge that was burned and one that has no plans for reconstruction in either of their lifetimes. Strange thing though, for such a powerful event to rupture the already useless relationship. In retrospect, such an endeavor would not have worked out. Stenet would have gotten tired from working on research that was given to her by Lex. But to him, the mere fact that this event could have happened under a different set of circumstances makes him yearn to have her understand.

Luthor listens to her rattling off on her reasons, she says a number and lists the reason, as if emailing an ex-boyfriend to explain why the broke up is/was final. He was not her boyfriend, but that does bring up a new subject that, in Lex’s mind needs to be discussed with, openly. He admires that she was able to say no to such a strong offer, whereas other medical or research professionals would have said yes immediately. She was always different, like him in a way. When others were focused on being told what to do, Lex did what was needed, he went the other miles to be ahead and to matter. If Lex was a female, he might be like Nina, somewhat more sassy and much more cold though.

The mode of this discussion, let alone this meeting, was doomed from the start. He gives a hint of curiousity and a twitch of the ear as he calmly replies, “One thing is for certain: Even if you had accepted my offer, I daresay that such a traumatic and scarring event, could still have happened.” He pitied the doctor, she may not be completely weak, but whatever she went through likely made her realize that certain individuals, no matter how charming or brilliantly daring, are still a complete mystery. In his mind, its daunting to feel that, to know that, to understand that statement.

What is clear to Lex is that she is continually unyielding in her manner of speaking. She won’t admit that she has been scared, jared, or hurt… At least not to him, No one can shield that. Lex see’s it, he’s been in her position before; No he wasn’t stabbed in the heart, but he has been shot at, beaten , poisoned, and framed for a multitude of things. He has done all of those things to others as well. Of course though, this is the place and time, with the appropriate people involved, to learn that lesson again. He launches into another discussion, one that he expects anger and resentment, he starts with, “What do you have in store for Edward?”

[Nina Stenet]

What happened between them certainly isn't something that Nina would compare to breaking up with a boyfriend. No, to get a better analogy, you'd have to go much further back - it's more like elementary school. A little boy wanted a little girl to play with him, she said no, and he got angry and pulled her hair. Of course there's much more to it than that, and the reality was much more violent, but she wouldn't consider the incident to be any less childish. But there's something about wealth and power that just seems to turn grown adults into little children much of the time. But Lex in particular wasn't born wealthy, and she knows that, so she doesn't waste time feeling sorry for him - he really ought to know better.

She doesn't really react to his statement - what's there to say? It's only speculation about what would have happened if this or that happening had gone differently, and it's anyone's guess how right or wrong it is. In a world without time machines or the ability to accurately predict the future, what's the point of second guessing anyway?

Especially since she doesn't really want to talk about it - not to him, anyway - so the question he asks next certainly isn't welcome. "What makes you think that I have something 'in store' for him?" she asks, but doesn't wait for an answer before she comments, "No, wait - I forgot that I'm talking to Mr. Kills-Anyone-Who-Crosses-Him. I'm not you. And even if I did have something, it certainly wouldn't be any of your business." If he thinks of her as unyielding, then he hardly knows the half of it.

[Deleted]

This meeting has remained as still as Lex is. No action, no meaningful interactions, no purpose. Lex had a different meeting in his mind, but such meetings are flashier and more interesting in the mind of a complex individual than in the mind of a wounded and furious doctor. He understands from her point of view that she has no reason to talk to him. If he was in her position he would do the same.

But this is Nina Stenet, not Lex Luthor, and with that being said, Nina plays the game differently. She plays it under mysterious circumstances. Those circumstances led her to being the prize of Edward Nigma, a prize that outgrew it’s use to him. She was shattered and discarded like a broken plate. She has ulterior motives to act upon. He walks around to the other side of the bed, eyeing the blonde sidekick. This isn’t the same Nina Stenet, this is one that is plotting to get back at Edward.

Such events change people. They bring out the rage and it takes over. “Ms. Stenet. Contrary to belief, I understand you, amidst you’re barrage of insults (true or not), I am still here listening. I am still here wanting to uncover what you’re hiding. I didn’t come here as an enemy but rather a man who wants to rebuild what’s left of the burned bridge.” He continues with a muffed sigh, “Yes whatever you say is none of my business, but this is Gotham. These trauma’s change people. They’ve changed you- Despite everything that you have gone through, I know you’re angry. Luthor ‘s tension in his shoulder’s ease up and he once again sits down.

[Nina Stenet]

As Mr. Luthor moves, Shawty's eyes follow him almost suspiciously, and as he moves to the other side of the bed she shifts her position to compensate for the different angle. There is almost no trust for him here, and what little there is exists only because Dr. Stenet is more forgiving than she is. If it was up to Shawty, he'd have been kicked out with his bodyguard - preferably after she's broken a few ribs.

But, fortunately for Lex, it's Nina who is making the decisions here. And actually, she's giving him a second chance of sorts - if she wasn't then her reaction to his presence would have been more along the lines of what her assistant would want. But it's not an unbiased second chance - she'd be stupid to wipe the slate clean. No, she's just not completely shut the door. Which is why, when he speaks of rebuilding bridges she comments, "If you really want to rebuild that bridge, you should start by giving me the respect that I'm due. And if you really did understand me, that would go without saying." Not that she really expects him to actually do that, but then again she doesn't expect him ever take the even further step of convincing her that he isn't someone she doesn't want to have anything to do with.

"And if you really think that I'm so 'traumatized' when someone tries to kill me, why haven't I ordered my assistant to kill you or, at the very least, beat you senseless?" she has to ask. Surely it's not escaped his attention that she'd have the upper hand if the situation became violent, if only because he's alone and disarmed while - though Nina herself is unable to so much as get out of bed easily - she has an armed assistant who would love nothing more than for her question to not be hypothetical standing there ready to act if she needs to. "I could get away with it, you know," she adds, just in case he wants to argue that she's afraid of the legal ramifications of that - she's not.