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CHAPTER 3 – THE RISE OF SUPERGIRL (FEB-2016)

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Off high in a skyscraper in New York City stands Alex Luthor, now a well-dressed business executive. A wiry-framed man with curly red hair, his magic covers the scars on his face and keeps him from aging. He stares out of the windows behind his desk at the city below. It is after working hours, and as the sun sets its dim fire-orange glow lights his face as strongly as the large corporate logo "LexCorp" hung below his office windows.

Alexander "Lex" Luthor, as he is known today amongst his employees, is never a happy man. But today he is especially unhappy at the news he just received. He has called for two of his personal assistants, and they arrive quickly. They are both women, dressed in black company overalls but with a white lemniscate on their right shoulders. They announce their arrival as they close Luthor's office double doors.

"Good evening, ladies," Luthor begins. "Thank you for answering my summons so quickly. Please, have a seat." Luthor turns to gesture towards a pair of couches surrounding a coffee table with several stacks of papers and other media. They quickly notice the stern look on his face, unaware that behind the magical visage is the half-burned face of a man who has been alive since before their grandparents were born.

Luthor continues. "My agents have told me that a crystal of 'non-terrestrial origin' was being sold by some red-neck farmer in upper-state New York recently. It seems he got this little trinket from a news reporter named Clark Kent. Basic bio and other public records are on the table in front of you." Luthor gestures to the papers. "He is a threat and a liability to Infinity, so I have called upon the both of you to finish what others have failed to do – kill him."

One of the women smiles, the other doesn't. Luthor notices, and continues.

"I want it to be absolutely clear, ladies: you have sworn your undying loyalty to Infinity and to me; you owe me your lives. You will see to it that you complete your task, or you will be exterminated. Do we have an understanding?"

Luthor looks into the eyes of each of the two women. They look back at him, and nod without hesitation. Luthor smiles briefly. "Good. Now go."

The two women quickly and quietly leave with the papers in hand, and immediately set about their task. Luthor smiles as the first one looks back at him one more time, giving a knowing glance. Her name is Dr. Pam Isley, an expert in poisons. She is the insurance that not only will the second one, Kara Zorel (born Kara Zor-El), will be a fair match for Clark Kent, but that Kara will meet her fate soon after. Dr. Isley has been briefed earlier, and now that Clark Kent has finally surfaced after all these years, Luthor wants to finally take down two lingering problems at once. He sits at his desk and starts to plan his next move.

Outside, the two members of Infinity are briskly walking down the hallway together as Kara tries to break the silence between them. Although they both work for LexCorp Security, a private military contractor, they are also part of LexCorp's clandestine arm, Infinity. Each carries secrets that the other should never know, but already one knows the secrets of the other. It makes for a very interesting conversation.

"So, I hear you're an actual doctor?" Kara asks, breaking the long silence between them as they go to their assigned planning room to put the details of their mission together. She brushes back the strip of bright blue hair from her face, contrasting the relaxed coarse black hair of her African-looking visage. She knows nothing of her extra-terrestrial origin, except that she believes she is gifted with a vast array of super powers that she must keep secret. Raised in a private orphanage owned by Luthor himself, she has never known her parents nor anything but loyalty to the man who found her and paid for her upbringing. She owes him everything, and so far she has tried to repay him with service in his private army. If only it didn't conflict her so much – she despises her work and she believes it to be wrong, but it is all she knows. Dying a strip of her hair is the only act of rebellion she can afford, but she quietly searches for another solution.

"Uh-huh," Dr. Isley nods, her long wavy red hair still bobbing as she briskly walks down the hallway. "In botany. I am also an expert apothecary, so I can help make sure whatever we do to Mr. Kent will look like an accident. That must be why The Boss has assigned me to lead this mission." Dr. Isley rolls her eyes at Kara's attempt to be friendly. She is a professional, working for Luthor only so long as Luthor allows her liberty to pursue her hobby moonlighting as an eco-terrorist against LexCorp's competition. Never bite the hand that feeds you is her motto... for now.

As a rule, they never address anyone by their actual names, but by code names. Dr. Isley's code name is Poison Ivy, and she is a W3: Chief Warrant Officer 3 in LexCorp's Infinity. Kara Zorel, by contrast, goes by the moniker Supergirl, and is only a W2. And Luthor is simply known as The Boss.

"It's too bad," Kara muses as she stares at the copied press photo of Clark Kent. "He's not too hard on the eyes." Kara smiles and looks to see if her girl-bonding with Dr. Isley takes hold. It doesn't.

Dr. Isley stops in the empty hallway and turns a stern look to the younger, lovelier agent. "We need to make sure we're clear between us. I'm not some bubble-headed emo ideologue who paints her hair because it's the only way she can be noticed. I'm also not into men, especially ones that are a danger to Infinity – and if you so much as hesitate to kill him, I'll see to it you have an accident as well. Never forget, Supergirl – I'm smarter, and I out-rank you." Dr. Isley takes a moment to survey over the shocked and humiliated Kara, trying to contain the thousands of emotions that are driving her to despise the young fraud in front of her. After a long, uncomfortable moment of silence for Kara, Dr. Isley concludes. "So, do you have any more astounding observations to share, or are you going to do at least one right thing today and keep quiet while I give you your orders?"

"No..." Kara responds, then sees Dr. Isley's eyes widen with anger. "No, ma'am," she corrects herself. Dr. Isley relaxes and resumes her quick stride to their mission ready-room to strategize.

"Oh, and Supergirl?" Dr. Isley asks as she starts to walk away from Kara. "I know about your... special talents. The Boss told me your little secret, so no holding out on me again. I want you to use them against Clark Kent, and you will do exactly as I say. Fail me, and you fail the only person who ever cared about you – your adoptive father, The Boss. Are we clear?"

Kara stops, mortified that such a secret could be given out so easily. Kara was teased as a child, and felt like a freak because of her unique gifts, so she hid them from everyone. Luthor knew, but he would still pick her up and tell her how special she was, and how one day she can repay him for his kindness by using her special strength to protect him and everyone she loves. But to see that secret trust broken so callously left her feeling queasy inside. Slowly, she started to walk again, numb and confused.

And, she became more determined than ever to find a way out of her bondage with Infinity.

TO BE CONTINUED!

(COMING IN MARCH 2016 – CHAPTER 4: THE RISE OF AQUAMAN)