09

Deadly Liasons


Tess looked up at the knock on her door. If she were surprised to find Lex Luthor in her office, she didn't show it. Instead, she motioned for Lex to close the door behind him, which he obliged to do, before sinking into the seat across from her.

"I hope you don't mind, but you do have your open hours posted," Lex commented. He sank back in his seat, running a hand over his bald head, the largest of grins on his face. "I have to say, it's really refreshing to know there are professors here that are actually there for their students."

Tess lifted an eyebrow. "I think it's been a while since you've been to university, Lex," she remarked. Then corrected herself, "Mr. Luthor. However, there were enough stories of your time growing up for me to question how long it was that you lasted in university yourself."

Lex smiled, tapping his fingers at his lower lip. A calculated drumming of his fingertips in a beat that would've been for the air conditioning unit blowing in the corner of her office. She turned away from her laptop, closing the lid then turned off the monitor of her PC, resting her hands atop the closed laptop. She eyed Lex for a moment, briefly breaking their intense eye contact to assure herself that the stack of ungraded papers wasn't about to slide off her desk, then looked back at him to see he hadn't taken his eyes off her.

"And to what do I owe this pleasure, Mr. Luthor?" She asked.

Lex's eyebrows rose almost imperceptibly. "Is it?" He asked. "A pleasure to see me, I mean?"

Tess didn't have a big enough ego to think he was flirting with her, to charm her in some way. No, she could tell from the very subtle twitch of his eyebrows that he was testing her, waiting to see what her reaction would be. If she passed, he'd stay and talked, if she failed…well, there was a reason the Luthors were synonymous with power.

And Lex was never an exception.

"Well, it's not every day that someone of your status decides to come to a place like this. And, no, I'm not referring to the university," Tess said quickly, noticing Lex's eyebrows rise once more. "I mean for Central City. But, as for you being at the university, I'm surprised the President isn't giving you a tour himself."

"That's because the President doesn't know I'm here." Lex picked up a stress ball in the shape of a Globe from the desk—a gift from Brady—and squeezed it in his hand. He watched it pop open when he released his palm, smiling in amusement as the continents popped out when he squeezed it once more. "I don't know about you, but all that press and fanfare can be debilitating after a while." He pointed a finger towards Tess. "But you'd know about that, right? Wife of the famed Harrison Wells, gosh, even when you returned from the dead, I'm sure you had people floating around."

She did, but she preferred not to think about think about it. It wasn't anything that happened for more than a few days, anyway. The news became old once the next metahuman of the day attacked. It was the way she wanted it, having kept everything on the down low as she tried to recuperate from the accident, the painful physical therapy that went with it, the anxiety, the PTSD, things she still struggled with.

"No one more interesting than those that are continuously coming to you with potential business ventures, I suppose," Tess replied. She continued to watch Lex as closely as he watched her. "There's more to your visit, isn't there?"

Lex's lips pulled back into a large grin. "You're very perceptive, Ms. Morgan."

"So I've been told."

"But I'm sure it has more to do with your business in psychology than it being of natural talent. Not to say that you don't have your talents, but it must be something you've had to work to figure out." He gently licked his lips, giving another squeeze of the stress ball. "'But us Luthors, we tend to go straight to the point after a bit of schmoozing, though I don't see it as something you'd fall for easily." He set the stress ball onto the desk and leaned back, crossing his legs at the knee. "Well, as you know, I'm a big proponent for the Metahuman Registration Act; for all metahuman to be identified in an official census documenting their numbers, abilities and whereabouts."

Tess nodded slowly, listened to Lex's words all the while watching him carefully. She didn't expect him to be dangerous in any way. Powerful, maybe, he was Luthor. And there wasn't anything in his tone that immediately let her red flags wave. No, the red flags were of the conversation topic itself and her own connection to it.

"Genetically altered humans…metahumans are everywhere," Lex continued, as if he were reading off a script for one of his campaign commercials. Harrison always made a show of changing the channel whenever Lex's face appeared on screen. "No place, not even your own home is safe." He pressed a hand to his chest. "I understand that and Lex Luther understands that and I'm ready to fight for human preservation. There was a great deal of those affected by the meteor showers in Smallville and…" he shrugged. "We know how that turned out."

Tess mimicked Lex, leaning back in her seat, folding her arms. "You still haven't told me what this has to do with me. Or why you intended to visit me today."

"Well, as the leading scientist in psychology the city has ever seen, well, that even mankind has ever seen, there was no one else in Central City I could come to."

Tess chuckled quietly. She knew a butter up when she heard one. There were more than enough red flags waving by that point, but she was also interested to know what else he had to say. He was very comfortable in himself and his words, dealing with the metahuman "problem" had been his campaign promise as long as she could remember. But to try and flatter her once more, when it hadn't worked the first time?

There truly was something she had that he needed.

"I'm pushing for the Metahuman Registration Act, to make things safer for all of our families." Lex continued as if Tess hadn't asked him a question. "Where all metahumans—and others with enhanced powers and abilities—will require mandatory registration of all metas by the federal government. People with enhanced genetic powers…and then we have those that work themselves around The Flash." Lex waved a hand. His smile slowly widened as the seconds passed. "There were more than enough of those I've seen in Smallville, Metropolis…everyone loves the Red Blue Blur."

"There's not many people that will understand people like them," Tess said calmly. She unfolded herself from her seated position and leaned forward, lacing her fingers together atop her laptop once more. "And, yes, I plan on being one of those people." She looked Lex in the eye. "Because they're still people, Lex."

Lex lifted a finger, waving it back and forth. Almost as if looking to punish her for interrupting him. No. The light in his eyes, the flashing was enough to show how much he was enjoying the conversation. The volleying of their ideals. And they'd only just gotten started. "I need to remind you of the meta threat currently facing our nation. Where do they live and why are they so dangerous? The answer is very frightening. Now, as you did bring up I have had some experience with meteor freaks, but as far as I know, there hasn't been any meteor showers here in Central City." He leaned towards Tess, his face darkened. "But there's Harrison Wells and the Particle Accelerator Explosion. And that becomes interesting considering your marriage to the man behind the Particle Accelerator."

Tess didn't take that bait. Instead, she said, "You seem to be forgetting, Lex, that what happened with the Particle Accelerator was an accident. It wasn't anything any of us could've determined to come back from, or could even stop. Calculations were miscalculated."

"And does your husband always miscalculate?"

She ignored the question with a skillful avoidance of her eyes. Looked to the second monitor of her computer. That wasn't abnormal and worked well with what she needed to portray. She was a busy professor with numerous classes, numerous students, numerous studies of her own if she wanted to be published. A busy woman who needed to be in constant communication, as much as that bothered Harrison. He was always the one to say they didn't need to bring work home with them, but was quick to shut up if it had anything to do with STAR Labs and The Flash.

"Humans, by nature all have the genetic potential for change."

Lex licked his lips, spoke quickly. "So you're saying everyone can become a meta? That there's some sort of formula that'd do it?" He shook his head, almost patronizingly.

Tess paused, tilting her head aside.

"So far there hasn't been anyone whose managed to come across meteor rock that didn't have some sort of reaction to it. The time they've taken to try and realize what it is they can do, the more innocent people have been hurt. We can't have that moving forward."

At that, Tess shook her head, blue eyes flashing with the righteous anger that bloomed in her chest. "People are afraid by nature," she said quickly, words coming out faster the more she spoke. "If there's something they don't understand, their anxiety is a manifestation of the deep-seeded fear of the unknown. There is a strong prejudice based on fear of those with power and fear that the powers will be used on people." She leaned forward to drive the point home. "The same could be said for you, Mr. Luthor, with the power you possess."

"So you think, fundamentally, there isn't anything different between man and metahuman?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying. There, theoretically, may be a metahuman gene—"

"Theoretically?" Tess pressed her lips together. This was the part that would be the hardest to navigate. Lex's eyes burned with a fire of excitement, that he was on the right track to something big. How right he is, Tess thought. "The city knows that there are metahumans and there are measures being put in place to keep themselves safe. Why else would the CCPD have an Anti-Metahuman Task Force? Something that could've been implemented sooner in Metropolis and Smallville. I applaud you all for that. But if we funnel more finances into that sector, we can eradicate the city of metahumans. There has to be a first step. And the first step is registration."

Tess shook her head.

Lex continued to smile. He got to his feet and paced Tess's office, scanning the posters, photos, and books she had organized around the office. "You don't agree?"

"No."

"If you're born different and with powers, you pose an instantaneous threat." He walked to the window that overlooked Central City University's campus and looked out, cupping his hands together behind his back. "There are three forces at work here; one is human beings that fear metas, the second are those like the Assassination Bureau,"—Tess's breathing changed, quickly turning labored. The office suddenly felt small, smaller than all the books she had stacked up in all corners. "-who want to preserve metas by any means necessary. And then there are those who want to save the world of those that hate and fear them. The question is, which part do you want to be part of?"

Tess cleared her throat. "We're in as much danger as someone who'd want to break into my house and rob me blind," she pointed out. She nodded towards Lex's back. "And, if I remember correctly, you and your father had the same worries, considering the amount of money you funneled into Metropolis by yourselves."

"Are you as familiar with the city of Smallville as you are Metropolis?"

"I'm sure it's more classified as a town, but yes. I've spent a lot of time there over the years."

"Well, Ms. Morgan, need I point out that the meteor freaks there and the metahumans here cause more than just fear to the residents, but have also caused catastrophic damage and financial burden that will simply make it more difficult for the cost of living—hell, for the city to thrive in general."

Tess couldn't help herself. She rolled her eyes before planting her feet on the floor to turn her chair around, glaring towards Lex's back. "You keep insisting that all metas are evil when it's clear there are those out there risking their lives daily to protect us."

"I assume you're referring to The Flash, Flare, and the ones that work along with them?" Lex shrugged. "Just like the Red-Blue Blur, they're attributed to everything that has been going on." He looked over his shoulder at Tess. "Though their perception doesn't seem to be as highly regarded as before."

"Do you think you'll pass your bill?"

Lex was silent for a long moment. His shoulders hunched, muscles tensing along his jaw. Tess brushed hair blonde hair back from her face, continuing to watch him. Waited. Finally, he nodded, the movement casting a bobbing shine off the back of his bald head. "Absolutely. If we don't…we'll be destroyed. And I don't know if you know, but I happen to destroy anything that gets in my way. I intend to have it so that it is illegal to be a meta-human."

He turned and flashed Tess a charming smile, eyes flickering over the clock resting on the wall. "But I see I've taken up a lot of your time, Ms. Morgan. I hope we can converse again, soon. Today has been really eye opening." He started toward the door, stopping only when Tess spoke up.

"If you do pass this bill, what do you intend for it to bring to everyone?"

"Happiness," Lex said simply. "That's all everyone wants out of life, isn't it?" With that, he disappeared from the room as quickly as he came.

Tess leaned back in her seat, twisting her mouth to the side. Thought of everything that Lex had said that day. Tried to see things from his point of view, the fear, his want of power…and still couldn't come up with any society that'd be enhanced with the complete eradication of metahumans.

She'd been testing Lex as much as he'd been testing her, and she wasn't quite sure if either of them passed or failed.


Caitlin pushed past the drunkenly amorous couple who blocked the doorway to the bar. She pulled her leather jacket tighter around her and headed straight for the bar. Straight for the man who was by himself, half of his head shaved, the other half a strange concoction of braids and straight hair, pulled into what resembled a waterfall over the side of his head.

His sightless eye faced her, and the closer she came, the more of him she could see. Her eyes scanned his body, his pockets. No weapons that she noticed. That was a good sign. If there were anything such a thing as good signs when it came to Matthew Norvok.

"Where have you been?"

It took a second for her to realize that he was talking to her despite him not having had turned his head. She took in a deep breath, steadied herself to keep her voice from shaking as she said, "Doesn't matter," in response.

A snicker escaped Norvok. "Really?"

"Really." She flicked an eyebrow upward. Wished he was looking at her so she could tell him directly where he could take his snicker and shove it. He didn't control her anymore. Neither of them did. "Tell Amunet I'm out." The words that finally escaped her made her smile, pressure lifted from her shoulders.

Norvok snickered once more. He lifted his thumb to rub his nose. "You want to quit, Snow?" Finally, slowly, he turned his gaze toward Caitlin, to look at her from the eye that could see. It looked her up and down, lips curling in disgust. "You want to quit?" He pushed himself off the bar and moved closer to her. "It doesn't work that way." He got into her face.

Caitlin recoiled, the scent of the alcohol on his breath was sour, a musky smell that coincided with the stench of unbrushed teeth. Caitlin's stomach recoiled as much as her body did. Norvok continued to inch closer to her, making her inch backwards, keeping a safe distance between them. "You do what Amunet says for as long as she tells you."

Clenched fists and a last shot of strength spurred Caitlin forward. "Not anymore." She turned to leave, hair swinging as she went. "Now leave me alone." She barely got the last word from her mouth when a strong grasp landed on her upper arm and held her firm, twisting her around. "Ugh!" The smell of alcohol and unbrushed teeth overwhelmed her once more, Norvok putting his face close to hers.

"You don't tell us what to do," he hissed, spittle landing on her face. "Now come on!" He turned and yanked Caitlin behind him as he navigated through the bar. Past the raucous young men shouting at TV screens, and the bachelorette party who were already three sheets to the wind, past the young men hustling those at the pool tables, past the kitchen that held an inch of dirty mop water from a leaking mop bucket in the corner, and to the door at the back of the bar.

Norvok ripped it open and shoved Caitlin in front of him. She stumbled on the rickety top step, grasping the handrail to keep herself from falling down. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes. So close. You were so close.

A light nudge on her back.

She gripped the rail tighter.

"Move or I'll make you move."

Her feet started down the narrow stairwell until she reached the ground of the cool basement. On autopilot, she made her way toward the office at the back of the basement, keeping her eyes away from the young men in the middle of the boxing ring set up in the basement, both bloody and bruised, working to catch their breath.

"Oh, that's right," Amunet Black said, patting one of them on the arm. She pulled her hand back, making a quick face as blood stained her fingertips. "You just make sure to fight harder this time, alright? Wouldn't want to send any shrapnel into that fine specimen of a body now would we? Huh?" She wiggled a bucket of metal pieces back and forth.

Fear spread over the mens' faces and they were back to wailing on each other, the sickening sound of flesh against flesh filled the room. Amunet stopped wiggling the bucket, dropped it with a clang, and turned away from the ring, rolling her eyes.

"The girls were more interesting," she murmured. Then her eyes met Caitlin's and lit up like fireworks. As bright as the smile that came to her face. "Ah! Caity! Just who I was looking for! Have you been hiding from me?" She brushed a braid over her shoulder. "You should know it takes more than your clever tricks to hide from me." Then she waved a hand in Caitlin's direction but over her shoulder. "Thank you, Norvok, that'll be all."

Norvok grunted and moved away.

Amunet walked toward Caitlin and ran her hands through the brunette's hair, smoothing it down around her face. She gently patted her fingertips against Caitlin's cheeks. "There, now, you look a little more presentable. Never say I don't do anything for you, dear." She flittered her fingers toward the boxing ring. "Or else I'd put you to work in there. I know there are a lot of people that would find it interesting."

Caitlin shook her head. Took in a deep breath. "Amunet…" she started.

"There's something I need you to take care of for me," Amunet said, the grin frozen on her face. As if she hadn't heard Caitlin start to speak. As if she hadn't seen the trepidation over Caitlin's face. Caitlin folded her arms, lifting an eyebrow. "Ugh." She pointed her finger at Caitlin's face, circling the oval shape, lips pulling back into an almost sneer. "No, not from…that. From your other part. You know, the one that actually helps me, not pouts. Come on," she curled her finger. "Bring her out." Caitlin rolled her eyes, tightened her grasp around herself. She cocked her hip and looked back at Amunet. If it were possible for her eyebrow to raise even higher, it did in that moment. "Oh, come on, Caity! You know what'll happen…"

Caitlin looked away, shaking her head. Nose wrinkled as she weighed her options. What options? She thought, upper lip curling in disgust. Disgust at herself, at the predicament she'd gotten herself into. The only option you have, statistically, is to do it. You don't have anyone else you could go to right now. Guilt punched her in the stomach, making her shoulders slump, making her place a hand on her stomach to determine whether Amunet had managed to extend her gauntlet into her stomach without Caitlin noticing. She did have the self-assurance to do what she pleased without an ounce of care.

It wasn't quite true, her having no one to go to. She did have someone. More than one person. Cisco. Joe. Wally. Iris…and even then it'd been hard for her to get back to. Cisco had seemed so gung-ho about her return that she actually tricked herself into believing it was a good idea.

And yet…

Caitlin still remembered the butterflies that erupted in to her stomach as she walked along the warm tarmac. It wasn't so late in the day that the sun rising high in the sky would've reduced them to taking cover under the awnings hanging off the sides of the STAR Labs van. But her armpits still flodded with seat, nervous of what was to happen that morning.

She had no idea how Cisco managed to convince her to come, but he'd been nothing but persistent. Caitlin hemmed and hawed as much as she could, trying her hardest not to look in Cadence's direction the entirety of her shift at the bar, the fire metahuman clearly as blindsided as she was to be there. Honestly, it was probably the least friendly she'd ever known Cadence to be, completely ignoring Caitlin unless she had no choice but to address her when she wanted another drink or something to eat.

Caitlin wasn't as nice either, but she didn't have time for pleasantries, not when Norvok was watching her like a hawk. But that morning as she walked towards the STAR Labs equipment, Caitlin was at least glad she didn't have anyone watching her like a hawk. All eyes on her would've been harder to deal with than the potential shunning she could get instead.

Keeping her eyes on Cisco, Caitlin inched closer, coming into hearing distance of the conversation Team Flash were having. "I'm glad you guys agreed to help me out," he said, coming out from inside the van closest to the equipment set up.

"Help you out?" Joe repeated. His eyebrows lifted behind his dark sunglasses. "Cisco, you said we would be dead to you if we didn't help you out." Cisco pressed his lips together, placing his hands on his hips. "And, I don't know about you, but your 'silent treatments' are worse than actual silent treatments."

Wally chuckled as Cisco ran a hand through his hair, mumbling something about people enjoying time spent with him. He rolled up the sleeves of his sweatshirt and asked, "So, what are we doing out here, Cisco?"

"It seemed an appropriate venue," Cisco explained, spreading his arms wide to take in the air field. "We've had a lot of good luck here." He sighed wistfully, turning around the survey the air field. He sucked in a deep breath through his nose, chest swelling with pride. "Oh yes, this venue is perfect. Poignant. A callback if you will."

Wally waved his hand, urging Cisco to get to his point faster. A tiny joke that wasn't lost on Caitlin, who laughed quietly as she watched the three. "Why do we need good luck?"

"Because!" Cisco stuck a finger in the air. His eyes shifted over the Wests' faces, alight with an almost mad scientist quality. "We're bringing Barry, back!"

"What?" Even from where she stood, Caitlin saw Joe's eyebrows came together at the same time his voice turned incredulous. "Okay, I can handle speedsters, metahumans, magic, I mean even believe in witches and wizards at this point. But Barry's gone…" The hitch in his breath was painful. "Into the Speed Force. And he's not going to come back until it…I don't know, spits him out or something."

"Yeah, man, that Speed Force Prison…" Wally shook his head, shoulders rising in a shrug. "It's not going to let him back out when we say it needs to. The Speed Force runs on itself, it…it has its reasons to keep him in there."

"Guys, come on." Cisco roll his eyes, raising his hands before slapping them to his sides once more. "The four of us…" he gesticulated wildly in a way that made Caitlin's smile grow. No matter how beat down he could be from everyone around him, Cisco still managed to keep a hint of exuberance to his tone.

He really believes we can do it, Caitlin thought.

Wally stuck a hand in the air. Cisco nodded toward him and he quickly brought it back down, pressing his hands into the pocket of his sweatshirt. "Uh, what do you mean the four of us? I mean, I'm not the best in school but I think you can count to three?"

Caitlin knew that was the time for her to announce herself. A 'perfect moment' as Cisco said. Not that they'd spent the night orchestrating the perfect time to reveal her presence to the team, but it was better to break the ice in that way. "Uh…" Caitlin twisted her fingers together, stepping closer. Wally and Joe both eyed her—thought Caitlin wasn't quite sure with Joe, he was still wearing his sunglasses. "Hi, Joe." She lifted her hand in a tiny wave. "'Hi, Wally."

Lightning immediately flashed through Wally's eyes as he crouched low. Caitlin saw in the way he shifted his feet, tensed his muscles, that he was seconds away from running forward and…and what? Attacking her? Ready to sweep the rest of the team away?

"It's okay!" Cisco hurried between the two, holding out his hands in case something were about to break out, ready to open a breach to send someone packing. "it's Caitlin. Our Caitlin. She's going to help us. There's nothing…Frosty there." He waved a hand and watched the two sides.

Caitlin watched Cisco in turn, unable to keep her gaze on Joe and Wally. Not without shame rocking her gut. Not without the memory of attacking her friends…her family…

"So…what do you say?"

Joe sucked in a deep breath. He looked at Cisco, at Caitlin, then back at Cisco. His eyebrows came together, the line in his forehead deepening with each step he took toward the mechanical engineer. "You better be right."

"I am," Cisco said confidently. He reached out toward Caitlin, grabbing her hand to pull her closer into the circle. It wasn't the best welcome, she didn't know what else to expect, but it was something. Wally looked to her and nodded, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. Caitlin let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. If Wally was able to forgive her…that was good news.

"So, how are we going to bring Barry back without blowing a hole in the world?" Wally asked. "You mentioned something about it before, you know when Iris…" he trailed off, hearing Joe clear his throat in a warning tone. "I mean…uh…yeah, how are we going to bring him back? I don't know about you, but I don't plan on going into that prison anytime soon."

Cisco squeezed Caitlin's hand then backed away from her, going towards the telescope-shaped item underneath a tarp. With a flourish, he whipped it off and lovingly ran his hand over the metal piece. "In the spirit of bringing back old friends, we've got the Speed Force bazooka. I made a few modifications." He nodded toward Caitlin. "And the lovely Ms. Snow and I spent all of last night working out kinks in the quark sphere."

"The what?" Joe blinked rapidly.

"The Quark Sphere," Caitlin supplied. She held out her hands and Cisco went to the nearest van, holding different computers and machines reading off the electromagnetic fields in the area. He picked up what looked like a whiffle ball and tossed it toward Caitlin, who caught it and spun it in her hand. As she explained the qualities of the sphere, it made her smile, getting back into her old rhythm. "Filled with Barry's unique genetic marker, and programmed to track his specific DNA using the electrical current of the Speed Force. Once we track Barry and pull him out, the sphere will trick the speed force into thinking he's still here."

"So…" Joe pointed towards the ball. "That goes in—"

"—And Barry comes out?" Wally concluded.

"If you want to get all crazy with the semantics," Cisco joked. He clapped his hands together and rubbed his palms vigorously. He grinned at Caitlin. "Let's see what this baby can do!"

And Barry had come out of the Speed Force. All jumbled and speaking nonsense that they couldn't figure out, but it worked. He was home. The team was back together. Or…should've been backed together. They were there in people, but not in spirit or feelings. That was the part she knew was to be the most difficult, trying to get things back to normal. How 'normal' is 'normal' when you can't even look your best friend in the eye without wondering if you'd see the one who hates you looking back. It had been a worry with Iris, of course, she'd reacted incredibly badly when they went around her and decided to take Barry from the Speed Force but…

How could a friendship be mended with the things that happened? How do you come back from begging your best friend to kill you if you managed to turn into…her? How do you come back from having the wish granted with a serum inject into her neck with little fanfare? Caitlin still remembered the cold expression on Cadence's face when Caitlin rolled to her back, pressing a hand to the tiny pinprick on her neck, feeling the serum run through her veins.

Nothing could easily come back from that.

Amunet continued to wiggle her finger at Caitlin, this time throwing in some kissing sounds, as if she were calling a dog. Caitlin's nose wrinkled. She may as well be the dog in the scenario, she realized, always coming at Amunet's beck and call. Having no choice but to do as she was told, as she was commanded. Knew the consequences if she didn't. She'd seen Amunet toss—literally—people aside without blinking due to sheer boredom.

Finally, after getting no response from Caitlin, Amunet gave an exaggerated sigh and placed her hands on her hips. She looked toward the ceiling, ignoring the sound of the men being beaten to a pulp in the ring on the other side of the basement of Amunet's hideout. She shook her head, making the braids that encompassed her ponytail sway and dance like snakes charmed by a charmer. "Well, I'll guess I'll have to find the other Cadey and see what she's been up to these days—"

"Fine." Caitlin closed her eyes. She sighed through her nose, looking to Amunet out the corner of her eye. Her eyes narrowed at Amunet's smug smile. "What is it you need me to do?"

"Oh, I don't need you, Caity. You already know that. Who I need has more of a frosty persona." She put on an expression that was meant to be sympathetic, meant to be apologetic, but only made it so that it looked like she was grimacing. "You know how it is."

Yes, Caitlin knew exactly how it was.


A/N: Finally, some more answers with Lex and now we see what's going on with Caitlin, a bit of a twist from the show. And, let me tell you, I'm having fun showing Tess a bit more this time around. Soon you'll see more of Harrison as well. And it'll show some more of why they're not in STAR Labs. But we've got a cool action sequence coming up in the next chapter!

Cheers,

-Riles

Review Replies

DarkHelm145: Well, it's here! I hope you enjoyed it! And, that's not the last of the Samuroids, I have a lot planned with those as the entire story goes. Lol

Ethan: Yes, Connor made the app himself. Used the idea of what they had for Instagram and then changed the configuration for it. Now, whether or not he had help from STAR Labs, well…that's an entirely other thing. Well, you got some interesting questions about the bounty list in this one, maybe it does have to do with Amunet and the Network…?

Jason Hunter: Yes, I used Kristin Kreuk from Smallville as the look for Cadence.

Panther-10: She'll attack full force. And, yes, Cadence is a hero. Though, you'd also say she's an anti-hero of sorts. Her hero name is Flare.