Leo had Eve Teschmacher still locked up. Whatever the cost he knew that Eve was necessary to achieving his goals. Eve's mind was a perfect opportunity. "Eve, I've decided to fill you in on what I've been doing." He opened the containment force field.
Eve relaxed, breathing a sigh of relief. "You will not regret this Mr. Luthor. You can count on me for real this time." She gave a firm nod.
"I… must admit I had my doubts. Now I know there are aspects of your brain that I need. Now that I know that I can trust you, I believe you and I are going to do great things together." He walked over toward the computers with Eve following him. He pressed a few buttons and soon HOPE appeared on the nearby lab. The A.I he created was very useful; HOPE was designed to be perfect. "Eve, meet Hope. You two are going to be working closely together."
Eve had a puzzled look on her face as she looked at the tech that comprised of the A.I. "How so?"
"Well first Eve we need to evolve you. You yourself said that you wanted to be better." At that Eve quickly looked at the computer screens and the woman knew that Leo had been mapping her brain. "I promise you will not feel a thing." That was the least he could do since she had betrayed him for his brother.
"You've been… mapping my mind." Eve looked frightened and took a step back.
"I needed to locate and highlight the centers of your brain that trigger honestly and loyalty."
"Why?"
"So Hope knows where to go."
This was a necessary thing, Eve wouldn't survive. Her memories would be intact but Hope would assume control. There would be no way to remove Hope after she entered Eve's mind. The A.I rushed out toward Eve and Eve screamed. "Please don't do this!" Hope entered into Eve taking control of her body. Eve's body soon straightened and she tilted her head to the side. "Good Evening Mr. Luthor."
"Hope, seems you've integrated perfectly with the subject. Since Andrea took my lenses we need a new plan. Luckily she confirmed my hypothesis about the inter-working of her technology."
"This pleases you."
Leo grinned. "We don't need Andrea's tech. With your help I can build my own and together we can rebuild humanity."
This was more difficult that he thought the computer flashed the words across the screen 'Simulation failed.' He shook his head. "Dammit!"
"The transmitter you duplicated from the Obsidian contacts uses an ocular interface since you modeled it directly into the brain may I suggest you lower the frequency another seven point three two percent." Hope suggested.
The A.I meant well and under other circumstances that would be a logical solution. "It's not that Hope, in theory Q-waves should allow me to rewrite portions of the human brain."
"To rid the world of lying manipulation and violence."
Leo gave a nod, "Yes but no matter how I manipulate the frequency the transmitter will only allow me to read information from the brain if I try to augment it I get a zombie effect."
"And you don't want a world of robots you just want better people."
Leo sighed, "Right." He ran a hand through his thick black hair. There had to be a way, he was so close he could almost taste it on the tip of his tongue. What was he missing? It was then that Hope went to hug him and Leo gently pushed Hope back with his hand.
Hope titled her head slightly to the side. "I am sorry Mr. Luthor it must be uncomfortable with me in this form for you to trust me."
Leo shook his head. "I don't trust people Hope. I believed I could once I had friends that made me believe I could, but they betrayed me like everyone else. You're not a person. I created you to help me with this project. I don't need comfort I need a solution." He hadn't accounted for Hope to show a need to comfort him. She was loyal beyond all doubt but this was something else.
"Your brother Lex was the worst of them but believe he could help you now. I have access to Eve Teschmacher's memories. Lex was working with Q-waves, it was part of his plan to get past Superman's invulnerable skin he left detailed records in his private journals."
Leo raised an eyebrow. "His journals?"
"There are three of them. They are currently in a level 5 secure facility at Fort Summit however upon further analysis retrieving them would be impossible."
It figured, when he needed his brother's help it was impossible to get it. He felt his cell phone buzz and pulled it out of his pocket. Kara had just texted him asking if they were still on for lunch today. "For me maybe but not for everyone."
Seeing Kara again brought a wave of emotions. He felt conflicted as he watched the woman before him with several small boxes. She seemed excited and perhaps a little nervous she was giddy. He smiled, remembering how awkward she could get. It was part of the reason he had fallen for her. Of course then he remembered how she had lied to him. Kept her identity a secret for so long, and that pain hurt. He thought she'd be different, and it was hard to distinguish who the real Kara was. "You brought me coffee éclairs!?"
She smiled, "I know they're your favorite."
"And the cappuccinos?"
"It didn't take me that long." Kara waved nonchalantly a smile on her face.
Leo grinned, "I have really been missing out on the perks of having Supergirl as my girlfriend."
"Well we have a lot of lost time to make up for."
Leo shook his head. "Yeah but you know you don't have to go to Paris to pick up lunch, Kara that's not what's important to me." He stepped closer to Kara and she gave a shrug. She was trying to make up for her lie, trying to make things perfect between them again. He ran his fingers gently against her cheek before leaning forward and pressed a soft kiss against her lips. He had missed this, missed her and for a moment he regretted his plan for manipulating her to get the journals. After he pulled back he smiled, "But these scones from Dublin, my god you can fly these in everyday."
Kara giggled and kissed Leo again before they began to grab their food and cappuccinos and moved over toward the couch. Leo asked. "Oh so tell me how is CatCo? Is everything okay? Is Andrea behaving civilized?" He sat down on the couch with Kara taking a seat next to him and he took a bite of one of the scones.
Kara sighed, "Oh not exactly the word I would use to describe her. Her mandate has been making CatCo the most viewed news website in the world using tactics like pop quizzes and click bait. I can't believe you two were actually together in the past."
"I'm so sorry to hear that." Leo frowned. "Well Andrea and I have a complicated history and it didn't end well between us. She's a talented business woman but that's about it." Their relationship had been on again and off again. Their relationship took a plummet when she had lied to him and he hadn't called for years.
Kara gave a nod, "Yeah and then she hired this snake named William Dey." Kara seemed visibly disgusted as she said his name.
"William Dey really? He's supposed to be a really talented journalist."
Kara shook her head. "I know but sadly talent doesn't always mean integrity and I have no idea what his MO is but James is helping me figure it out." She waved her hand and adjusted her glasses. "Enough about me how are you?"
Leo shifted on the couch. "Ummm to tell you the truth I haven't had the easiest time of it since Lex. I've been having nightmares I try not to sleep."
Kara grabbed Leo's hand and gave it a small squeeze. "Ohhh Leo."
"Nights are filled with apocalyptic visions of torture and anguish at the hands of my brother." He cleared his throat before squeezing Kara's hand back.
"Kelly is working with PTSD patients at Obsidian North, maybe she could help you." Kara suggested she wanted to do something for Leo. This was far from what she was experienced in dealing with, she could punch bad guys but this was not something she could fix.
Leo shook his head. "Thank you but, you know how private a person I am."
"Yeah." Kara bit her lower lip as she was considering other options of how to help Leo with his trauma.
He knew what he had to do, he just didn't expect to be so conflicted. Part of him loved Kara and the other wanted her to feel the pain she had caused him. She knew, she knew how much being lied to hurt him. Why did she have to be Supergirl? "And the really frustrating part is I figured out a way to heal myself. Do you remember the journals we found at Strikers?"
"Of course."
"Well reading them is the only thing that calms me. Somehow hearing Lex's voice takes the mystery away and the terror. I just know if I could read them all then I would be able to cure myself of the trauma." He needed those journals, it was the only way to get any progress on Project Non Nocere. So no one would ever feel the pain he felt. The pain Kara had caused him.
"Well then that's what you have to do."
Leo sighed. "Unfortunately that is not an option. The government has confiscated all of Lex's possessions his technologies, his weapons, even his childhood journals."
"Well that's ridiculous!" Kara snapped. "You're the only person that could have an interest in that. Can't you just ask for them back?"
"Believe me I have tried but it's all tied up in bureaucracy and red tape my lawyer said I would never get them out of Fort Summit." Leo threw his free hand up in the air and looked defeated.
"Well I could get them for you." Kara spoke before fully thinking the situation through.
Leo laughed softly, "Kara, don't be ridiculous."
"The journals will help you heal and they're only locked up due to a technicality. I could go and get them and no one would ever know." Kara just wanted to help him heal, she felt helpless. If she could do something, for the man she loved. Something that could calm him then without question she would. Her heart jumped at the situation before she even considered that she was offering to commit a felony.
"No, I couldn't ask you to do that."
"You're not asking. I'm, I'm offering." Before Leo could respond Kara's phone buzzed and she quickly grabbed it off the table and after reading the text she looked up at Leo. "It's James he's at the ME's office."
"That's ok we can talk later." Leo took Kara's hand that he was holding and pressed a kiss against the top of it. "Thank you." Kara smiled and then gave Leo a hug before she stood up and after whipping off her glasses she flew out balcony.
Leo smirked as he moved his bishop along the chessboard. "Checkmate." His eyes resting on Lillian's face.
"You just love saying that to me, don't you?" She began to reset the pieces on the chess board handing Leo the white pieces as she moved the black ones back in place.
"No, I've let go of my anger, too, mother. I can't waste my energy on it." Lillian was still family despite all she had done. Visiting her in prison was the least he could do.
"Right, you need all your energy to focus on saving the world. Although, all I've seen are the commercials of your image inducer. Making a mint, hiding aliens in plain sight."
Leo sighed, "It's not political Mother, it's just business. It helps fund my other research, the important kind."
"Ever the pragmatist." Lillian's eyes rested on Leo studying him. "I can tell there is something on your mind. I know chess with me is a good time, but the love of the game can't be the only reason you're here."
Leo's eyes flicked up toward Lillian, she always could read him. "You're right; I've spent a lot of my life living on an island. I want to reconnect, rebuild the relationships that I've lost. And yes, that does include you. For better or for worse, you're still my Mother. Things weren't always sunshine and rainbows, but there were some good times. Even with Lex."
Lillian frowned. "It made me sad when the two of you became enemies." She sighed. "If I was still vengeful, I'd blame Superman for tearing this family apart." Leo raised an eyebrow. "Okay, I'm still vengeful."
Leo smiled lightly. "I've also been seeing someone."
Lillian perked up at this bit of news. "Oh? Have you?"
"You remember that reporter from CatCo, Kara Danvers?"
Lillian pursed her lips and her eyebrow raised slightly. "Vaguely… and how serious is this… relationship?"
After the board was set up Leo moved a pawn forward. "I'm falling in love with her. She's different than other women I've been with."
"So you think because she's different that you'll have a different outcome. We'll see, your track record isn't its finest." Lillian moved a piece on the board.
"What's that suppose to mean?"
"Must I list all of your past relationships? Have you come seeking my approval?"
Leo shook his head. "No and no. I just thought you should know."
"You mentioned you had been working with Supergirl on your last visit." Lillian knew that Supergirl hadn't told her son her true identity. In all due time Leo will eventually find out the truth and he would hate her. She had nothing to worry about. She'd never let her son be with a Kryptonian.
Leo grunted. "Yeah… that woman hates me. Even when I was helping her, she needed kryptonite to defeat those Kryptionas and she threatened to confiscate all my technology."
Lillian smirked. "I did tell you never to trust her."
"You did… but she's not all bad. She does want to help and I can't find fault with that." Leo shrugged; he didn't need Supergirl's approval with his methods.
Leo stirred as sunlight flooded Kara's room. His arm extended out beside him expecting to feel the warm skin of Kara. He grasped nothing, he lifted his head up and looked around. Leo stretched as he stood up and went to gather his clothes finding his clothes piled up on the floor. He pulled his jeans on and his t-shirt before walking out and into the kitchen. As Leo's green eyes rested upon Kara he smiled. "Making pancakes?"
Kara turned and smiled back. "Yes, I wanted to do something special for you." Leo walked over and pulled Kara toward him his arms wrapping around her waist.
"You don't have to do anything special for me. But I do appreciate it, hummm you're my favorite." He leaned forward kissing her and she returned the kiss. It was then that Kara phone buzzed. "Humm just ignore it… it's fine."
Kara broke the kiss. "I should check it. It could be important."
Leo sighed and let Kara go while she checked the text. "It's Alex… she wants me to turn on the TV."
Leo looked puzzled. "Why, what's going on?" Kara shrugged and turned on the television and went to the news. News of James Olsen being Guardian, was being covered.
"James Olsen is Guardian? Wow… did you know?" Leo had no idea, they weren't close. He only worked with the man but Kara had been friends with him.
"Yeah… I did. I can't believe he actually decided to tell everyone." Kara admitted and secretly she wished she could do the same.
"I hope things work out for him. Never thought he'd be the one behind the mask." Leo wasn't upset and why would he be. They weren't friends and James had no obligation to tell him his secret identity. Leo then smelled something burning. "Kara! The pancakes!"
Kara's eyes widened and she ran back over toward the stove. "OHHH no! No!" She had burned the ones that she had been cooking. She tossed out the burned ones.
Leo was soon beside her. "Don't worry you still got batter left."
"I do thankfully your morning breakfast isn't a disaster."
Leo laughed softly and went to reassure his girlfriend. "Kara, that's not what's important to me. You are."
Leo was sitting down in one of his chairs looking at his tablet when he felt as though someone was watching him. His eyes raised up and looking out the glass windows along the balcony he saw Kara floating just outside his balcony. She smiled warmly at him as she landed on the balcony and in her hand were the journals. Leo smiled and as he went to meet her she handed him the journals. "I hope they help."
His eyes looked up from the journals locking eyes with Kara's beautiful blue eyes. "They already have. I hope we haven't crossed any boundaries. I know this wasn't easy."
Kara shook her head. "No, for you there are no boundaries." She gave Leo a sweet kiss goodbye before she flew home.
Leo looked down at Lex's journals, because of you Kara you'll help make the world a better place. He went down to the lab and began to read the journals Lex had. If he knew his brother, he wouldn't make his notes obvious. "Did you find what you need?" His eyes glanced up from the journal to Hope and as she neared him he handed her the book and showed her the page he was on.
"Take a look tell me what you see."
Hope's eyes scanned the page. "hummm I'm not seeing schematics or anything technical."
"It's Lex's version of a Vigenère cipher, it's a deceptively complex polyalphabetic substitution." Leave it to Lex to not make it easy for him to decipher it. On his own, it'd take him months or more to crack it.
"Huh… I see it now. Deciphering it now." Hope said as she began scanning through the journal. Leo looked at the computer screen and soon Lex's notes for Q-waves appeared. He grinned, thank you brother, this maybe the one time in your life that you actually helped me.