Note: The Smallville episode "Onyx" that splits Lex into Good and Evil is referenced here and is part of the past of the story.
SuperVillianLionel looked at his son. "Lex, you're a combination of your mother's and my genes. Varying degrees of my shrewdness, drive and cunning, and your mother's refinement and graciousness. Unfortunately, you took after her."
"Then why'd you marry her?" Lex asked.
"Those are the qualities I want in a woman. Not a son."
"Is this a new way to rattle me, father?"
"Not at all. I've been giving serious thought to who would control LutherCorp after I'm gone. It's a foregone conclusion you'll be in charge. That's why I had to take immediate action."
"What kind of action?"
"Come with me Lex. I've got something to show you."
Lionel led Lex down a long dark hidden corridor. Looking down at a cavernous underground below, Lex leaned on the railing and could see several man-size cages. Inside a barred cage that was surrounded by walled glass sat a man who looked exactly like him. It was Alexander.
"That's me," Lex gasped.
"That's the Onyx 'you.'" Lionel turned his attention to a worker below. "Guard. Transfer Mr. Taft to the cage, please."
The guard went to a cage of man idly sitting on a stool reading a book and opened the cage door.
Lionel talked into the intercom system. "Alexander, I've brought you some company."
Alexander looked around. He knew he was being observed by a one-way mirror.
The guard pulled out mild-mannered Taft and pushed him in the cage with Alexander.
Taft quickly ran back to the door, but too late, it was slammed shut. He turned around to see Alexander moseying up to him.
"Sorry for the ad hoc introductions. I'm Alexander," his roommate greeted him calmly with his hand extended." Looks like we're in this together."
Lowering his guard, Taft sighed, relieved. "Misery loves company," he said accepting the handshake.
Alexander grabbed Taft's hand and squeezed.
"Ah!" Taft cried in pain.
Alexander turned him around, pinning his arm behind his back. After a few hard tugs and cries of pain from Taft, he let go of Taft's hand only to grab his head and give it a hard twist it. Taft went limp and dropped heavily to the floor. Alexander calmly walked back to a corner and sat down as if nothing out of the ordinary occurred.
"He's a predator, that one," Lionel said with smug satisfaction. "And the experiment is a success!"
"What experiment?"
"The fact that you can kill the passive twin and not affect the aggressive one." Lionel directed Lex's attention to another cage holding the evil twin of Taft. The deranged man was pulling on the cage bars and snarling like an animal.
Lex understood only too well what this meant and slowly backed off, shaking his head. "But Father . . . I'm your son."
"So's he," Lionel swept his eyes toward Alexander. "Guards."
Two guards came up from behind Lex and grabbed his arms.
"Into the cage," Lionel ordered.
"No!" Lex fought them off. "You can't do this!"
The guards unceremoniously threw Lex in the cage with Alexander.
"Let the games begin," Lionel said under his breath and he leaned his elbows on the railing to watch.
"Dad. Help me!" Lex cried as Alexander set his sights on him.
"Don't you know, son? Luthers help themselves."
