If Clark had still had his heat vision, they would all be fried to a crisp. He smiled at the image. He could practically smell the burning flesh now.

He listened to the scientists working. The blue serum had bonded to his cells, which were now incapable of storing energy from the yellow sun with no known way to reverse it, so simple and yet so effective.

They were testing the strength of that theory that it was irreversible, and he listened intently for any information that might service him in the future. They sometimes seem to forget he was there, which was convenient.

Now Lois was occupying his thoughts against his will. He could still smell her fruity perfume amid all the clinical scents. He'd imagined her gloating from afar, growing his hatred for her and what she had done. Now he didn't know what to think or feel as he saw her wrestling with her conscience. He'd long forgotten what that felt like.

Oliver returned after hardly anytime at all. He hated him the most of anyone on this planet right now. He told himself that it had nothing to do with the fact that he was Lois Lane's husband, he hated Queen on his own merit, but he knew he was lying to himself at least in part. One thing about being locked up here, it had given him a lot of time to self reflect, and he knew that however he tried to deny it or paint itself as something other than what it was, he had feelings for Lois despite what she'd done to him.

His enemy's cell went off. "Chloe, I've been trying to reach you. We've done it. All our planning is finally at an end. We have him in custody."

What he wouldn't give to hear the other end of the conversation but that ability was lost to him. Still, he heard enough.

"Of course, you can come see him. I'll wait for your arrival. See you soon. Bye."

"You treat Lane like trash."

Oliver laughed. "This from a man with a different woman on his arm every night?"

"Perhaps, but I am always clear on the terms, a passionate, fun-filled night that only sex can give, and that's it. If they imagine it could lead to anything, that's their oxytocin talking; it has nothing to do with me."

"That does nothing to change the fact you're treating them like objects that are there to fulfill your sexual needs, but the women of Metropolis are safe because it'll be a long time before you're in that position again. And then you'll be so old with not a penny to your name or a shred of dignity or power, that the only way you're going to get laid is pay for it. If you don't get life, and I very much think you will."

"Do you even want to know how you're treating her so abominably?"

"Not really but if it'll make up shut up than by all means, tell me."

"You don't treat her like a partner. Lois nearly singlehandedly brought me down and you're on the phone with another woman telling her how all the plans you two had to bring me down have come to fruition like you accomplished it together."

"I was reassuring her that you were no longer a threat."

"Because you care about her."

"Of course, I do. She is my wife's cousin, who has been traumatized in no small part because of you."

"I just know if my wife had walked out the door looking like that, I would have gone home with her and comforted her as only a husband can. She'd be a part of not just my home life but all that I do. I certainly wouldn't be here, waiting for her cousin."

Oliver stormed out, angry no doubt at the truth of it. It was very satisfying though not as satisfying as wrapping his hands around his scrawny neck and choking the life out of him as he would do once he was released.

They were all so stupid: the scientists looking at his DNA in a petri dish and feeling satisfied at the results, Oliver for thinking this was over, and even Lois for thinking she was starting to understand him.

They all thought they'd gotten rid of the monster because they'd suppressed his alien side, but they were wrong. The beast dwelt inside of him, and it was angry that it was caged. Powers or no powers, when he got the opportunity to escape, and he would, lives would be lost. There would be killings like no one had ever seen before him and no one ever would after.