Clark sat at the kitchen table, his elbows resting on the wood, fingers laced together as he stared down at nothing in particular. His mind was a tangled mess of worry and indecision, running through every possible way he could approach the situation. How was he supposed to tell Kara?

Kara had made whole leaps and strides in her adaption to this planet. Venturing off on her own to not only apply for a job in a field she wanted, but to actually get herself hired and position herself in a deal that worked towards her future. Clark couldn't have been more proud of her. But of course, she couldn't have known of the devil in the details.

He could tell Kara not to go, not to take the job that she'd been so excited about. Explain to her the dangers, the consequences, but would she listen? Would she even understand? Or would Kara just feel like he didn't trust her judgement? She might brush off the warning entirely.

And what if he didn't say anything? Could he live with that? Let her go into LexCorp every day, working under the shadow of everything Lex Luthor had built?

A deep sigh escaped him. His eyes lifted to Lois, who was leaning against the kitchen counter, arms crossed, watching him with a knowing look.

"Alright," He admitted, running a hand through his hair. "I don't know what to do."

Lois didn't even hesitate. "Tell her." The same answer she'd given him an hour ago when he'd first brought up the subject.

Clark winced. "I can't just tell her."

"Why not?" Lois pushed off the counter and walked toward him, shaking her head. "Clark, she deserves to know what she's getting into. It's LexCorp. You know, the same company that's been trying to kill you since you moved here?"

Clark sighed again, rubbing his temples. "I know that, Lois, but she's so happy about this. She finally found something she's passionate about, something that makes her feel her old self while also like she belongs here. How am I supposed to take that away from her?"

Lois planted her hands on her hips. "By being honest. By telling her that the place she's so excited to work for has a long, rich history of being evil."

His shoulders tensed. He knew this conversation was coming, but he still wasn't ready for it.

Lois, however, was.

She started counting on her fingers. "Let's go down the list, shall we? Illegal weapons research. Human experimentation. Attempted mind control. That time they cloned you. That time they built an army of robots made to fight you." She shot him a sharp look. "Oh, and let's not forget the dozen or so times Lex personally tried to kill you."

Clark grimaced. "That was Lex, not the company. LexCorp hasn't done anything like that in years. Not since Lex went to prison."

Lois let out a dry, humourless laugh. "Oh, please. You think LexCorp didn't know exactly what their boss was up to? That all those high-level executives just happened to miss the illegal, top-secret projects being run in their own labs?" She folded her arms. "Do you think every rotten scientist and exec just vanished? Or do you think maybe, some of them stayed?"

Clark exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. "I don't like the idea any more than you do, but there's no evidence to prove they've been doing anything wrong. And I don't want to take this away from Kara just because we have a bad history with Lex. What if I'm wrong? What if it's different this time?

"It's not." Lois gave him a pointed look. "You're acting like the monster died just because we cut off the head. Newsflash, Smallville. Luthor is a sneaky and cunning bastard. He will find ways to worm around the system. You know this, I know this, Kara needs to know this."

"You're talking like Lex still has a hand in all of this." Clark pointed out, folding his arms across his chest.

"Clark..." Her voice softened just slightly, enough that he could tell she wasn't just trying to argue. She was genuinely worried. "Look, I get why you don't want to tell her. I really do. But Kara isn't a kid. She deserves to know exactly what kind of company she's walking into."

He sighed again, long and slow. "I just… I don't know how."

Lois watched him for a long moment before shaking her head. "Well, you better figure it out fast. Because whether you tell her or not? Sooner or later, she's going to find out."

-

Excitement buzzed through Kara's veins as she stepped into LexCorp Tower, her boots clicking against the polished floors. The vast, futuristic interior, by Earth standards, gleamed with pristine efficiency, the air tinged with the faint hum of machinery at work. A new beginning. A chance to do something meaningful.

Dressed in business casual, she adjusted the strap of her bag and made her way to the elevators, where a security officer gave her a quick glance before waving her through. Her official ID badge hung from her neck, making it real. She, Kara Zor-El, had a job as a scientist. The very idea still sent a thrill through her.

At the research wing, she was greeted by Doctor Sydney Happersen, the older scientist she'd impressed during the tour. He was already deep in conversation with another researcher, but the moment he spotted her, he broke off mid-sentence. "Ah, Miss Danvers! Right on time. That's a good start." He gestured for her to follow.

The lab stretched before her. Rows of workstations, humming machines, and walls lined with research displays. Engineers and scientists bustled about, lost in their projects. Kara had worked in Kryptonian research labs before, but there was something thrilling about stepping into an Earth lab, knowing she could contribute.

As they walked, Sydney wasted no time. "Your insights into faster-than-light travel were intriguing. We could use someone like you in that department. I assume that's where you'd like to focus your efforts?"

The offer was tempting, but Kara shook her head. "I was hoping to work on something… more immediately beneficial?" There was a slight drop in Sydney's expression, that spurred Kara to speak faster. "To Earth! Thing like, climate control, pollution clean-up, or synthetic food growth?"

Sydney arched a brow. "Ambitious."

Determination settled in her chest. "I have knowledge to help. So I should help, right?"

A chuckle escaped him as he led her to a workspace. "Everyone wants to save the world, Miss Danvers. The problem is, trying to fix everything all at once will only burn you out." He leaned against a lab bench, folding his arms. "My advice is to start small."

His words made sense, though Kara's mind still raced with possibilities. "Alright… synthetic food production, then."

The sooner Kara could get humans to stop consuming meat, the better. Along with that, the idea of humans around the world still starving made her stomach twist with unease. Kara didn't know every single problem in the world, but she knew about this one. And if she could help solve it, she would.

Sydney hummed thoughtfully. "Not exactly what I meant," He began, tapping his chin, "There are numerous ways to approach the issue of synthetic food, each with its own challenges and rewards. So far, I'm only aware of the cloning by-products. Which isn't the best, considering the resources required. We've been working on solutions, but I'm not a bio-chemist."

Cloning was not an avenue that Kara was comfortable with. Too many things could go wrong. Kryptonian food production was designed to be sustainable, not only in terms of resources, but also the environment and the planet. No risk of creating self-replicating plants that ruined entire ecosystems.

"Alright, how about this?" Sydney thought aloud. "You want to create synthetic food? But let's break that down even further. What, in your opinion, is the most basic problem you need to solve first?"

The question made her pause. Creating food synthetically wasn't just about making something edible. It was about replicating complex organic matter. That required matter manipulation, which required energy.

Kara frowned in thought. "Before we create synthetic food, we'd need advanced matter manipulation."

Sydney gave her an odd look, but prompted her to continue.

"To do that, we need massive, power source. Big, but safe." She reasoned. Sydney opened his mouth, but Kara spoke before he could. "But before that. We need efficient storage for power."

The older man nodded his head, albeit still a little puzzled. He was having trouble following Kara's line of thought, but could get behind the concept of creating more efficient methods for storing and transferring power.

Realisation struck like lightning. Earth's energy storage technology wasn't anywhere close to what Krypton had. It would be functionally impossible to manipulate matter in a way that could allow her to recreate a food replicator. She needed to create her own solution. The first step wasn't the food itself. It was creating a better energy storage solution.

A Kryptonian Battery.

Sydney blinked, tilting his head to the side. "I'm not quite sure where you're going with this, but I think I might like it."

Kara grinned. She was already racing through ideas. Excitement surged through her. "I think I know where to start."

-

The steady hum of machinery filled the lab as Kara scrolled through data on her monitor, occasionally jotting down notes. A few days into her new job, she'd settled into a rhythm. Analysing energy storage methods, brainstorming improvements, and studying Earth's limitations in the field. Progress was slow, but she reminded herself that big breakthroughs didn't happen overnight. One discovery would lead to the next, and then the next, accelerating until she finally had something tangible.

LexCorp's research division was welcoming. Her team, composed of experienced engineers and physicists, had been nothing but friendly. Sure, she was treated like an intern, handed data to review rather than directing projects, but it was with respect. The others had already taken notice of her, mostly because of her unexpected contribution during her first visit. The math behind faster-than-light travel had been a passing comment from her, but to them? It had been groundbreaking.

That reputation had made the adjustment easier. The past few days had been positive. Kara felt like she belonged.

She was deep into a model outlining Earth's lithium-ion technology when a noise reached her ears. One no one else reacted to.

A distant explosion. Muffled at first, but unmistakable.

Kara's head snapped toward the windows. From this high up, the city stretched out in all directions, a sprawling sea of steel and glass. It only took her a moment to find the source. A column of smoke was rising against the skyline, black and thick. Seconds later, she heard screams. Dstant, faint, but real.

Something was wrong.

No one else had noticed. The lab was insulated, soundproofed. Scientists continued their work, immersed in their projects, discussing formulas and energy yields. Kara glanced around, but everyone was oblivious.

Her pulse quickened. She had to go.

But then the hesitation hit.

Kara had never hesitated when it came to helping people. And she wasn't hesitating because of what needed to be done. She was hesitating because of this.

The lab. The job. The sense of normalcy she was trying to build.

If she disappeared now, would anyone question it? Maybe not today, but eventually?

Sydney's voice pulled her back. "Miss Danvers?"

Kara blinked. He was watching her, brow furrowed.

"Something wrong?"

Yes. But she couldn't say that.

"I, uh, I need to step out for a moment," She blurted, already pushing away from her workstation.

Sydney raised an eyebrow. "Everything alright?"

Kara forced a sheepish smile. "Yeah! Just… need some fresh air. Long morning."

Sydney didn't question it. He waved her off, already shifting back to his work.

Kara took that as her cue and slipped away, her mind racing.

The moment she was out of sight, she moved fast. Down the hall, into the nearest stairwell, up several flights until she reached an empty rooftop access.

Time to go.

A heartbeat later, she was airborne.

Wind rushed past Kara as she soared toward the heart of the destruction, pushing herself faster. The distant hum of the city had been replaced by the wail of sirens, the crash of debris, and the unmistakable roar of battle.

Since coming back from Themyscira, she'd only handled small incidents. Stopping a runaway car, catching some collapsed scaffolding before it hurt someone. Simple things.

This was different. A real fight.

Her first since the lightning woman.

Nervous excitement coiled in her chest, mingling with tension. She was stronger now. Faster. Diana had drilled her relentlessly, teaching her to fight not just with power, but with technique and discipline. But training wasn't battle.

Now was the moment of truth.

Below, the streets of Metropolis were chaos. Smoke billowed from burning vehicles, chunks of concrete lay scattered from shattered sidewalks. Civilians scrambled for cover, fleeing in every direction. A city not used to devastation. Metropolis was, most of the time, peaceful.

But not today.

Her eyes locked onto the source of the destruction. In the middle of the street, a figure pulsed with raw, radioactive energy, his body glowing with an unstable green light. A molten skull burned at the center of his head, visible through the searing brightness. His every movement sent out pulses of radiation, warping the air around him.

A metahuman.

How common are they here?

Superman was already there, fighting at a distance, dodging blasts of sickly green energy that left blackened scorch marks in the pavement. His movements were careful, measured. Holding back.

Kara descended fast, landing gently enough not to crack the pavement. "Need hand?"

Kal barely had time to glance at her before Atomic Skull unleashed another blast. Kal-El blurred out of the way, closing the distance in a flash and striking hard enough to send the metahuman skidding backward.

Kara took the moment to ask, "Who is this?"

"Atomic Skull," Kal-El answered, barely taking his eyes off their opponent. "Strong, dangerous, and capable of energy blasts that will hurt us. He's acting as hired muscle for the heist."

Kara frowned. "Heist?"

"The others already got away," His tone was edged with frustration. "We need to contain him."

She barely had time to process that before Skull was back on his feet, green flames licking at the edges of his body.

Kara didn't wait for permission. She moved.

Skull swung at her. Wild, heavy, relying on brute force. She ducked, pivoting, letting his momentum carry him forward before deflecting his next attack with ease. The Amazons had taught her to use her opponent's movement against them, and she did exactly that. Grabbing Skull's arm, twisting, and using his own weight to send him hurtling into the pavement.

Superman took the opening, driving a solid punch into Skull's chest. The impact sent him sliding again, shattering nearby windows.

Skull roared in frustration, his glow intensifying. Another blast of energy erupted from him. Kara and Kal dodged, splitting apart.

"He's getting more unstable," Kal warned.

"I noticed."

They had to end this fast.

Kal-El was still holding back, still careful in how he fought. Kara understood why. Every punch he threw could level a building if he wasn't careful. But they needed to contain Skull somehow.

An idea sparked.

"Hit him hard," Kara called.

Kal hesitated, glancing her way. "Kara-"

"I'll hit him before he hits anything," She assured, gesturing up into the sky.

A beat of hesitation. Then Kal nodded.

He blurred forward, his next strike landing with enough force to launch Skull into the air.

Kara was already moving.

She shot up, twisting mid-flight to intercept, slamming her own fist into Skull's gut and redirecting his trajectory, right over the Metropolis skyline.

He groaned, energy flickering dangerously, but they weren't done.

Before Skull could recover, Kal-El was beside him in an instant. The Super-duo moved together. Precisely, methodically. Kal and Kara traded blows, pushing Skull further and further away from the city, until there no longer any need to pull their punches. Once over the ocean, both slammed down, extinguishing Atomic Skull's flames as he hit the water.

For a moment, there was silence. Kal-El drifted down to pick up the now unconscious meta. Sirens wailed in the distance. Metropolis PD was following behind as fast as they could.

As the dust settled, Kara let out a breath. She did it. She touched down on the nearby docks, where Kal had dropped off the Atomic Skull. She was breathing heavily, before glancing at Kal. "We make good team, yes?"

Kal glanced at her, his expression breaking into a smile. "Yes. We do."

A grin tugged at her lips. With the immediate danger contained, Kara allowed herself to breathe, shifting her stance as the wail of sirens grew louder.

Over the horizon, Metropolis PD was arriving, their convoy led by a specialised containment unit. Thick, reinforced transport vehicles designed for holding metahumans. The flashing red and blue lights reflected off the glass of nearby buildings.

She turned her gaze back to the man responsible for all this.

Atomic Skull lay sprawled on the ground, his eerie, glowing body flickering as his energy output wavered. Despite the beating he'd taken, he didn't look nearly as battered as he should have. A few scuffs, a slight dimming of his radioactive glow, but nothing that screamed defeated. Even unconscious, there was an unsettling power radiating from him, a constant heat warping the air around him.

Kara crouched beside him, studying him closer. "He tough," She muttered. "Took all that, still looks strong."

Kal-El folded his arms, standing just a few steps away. "Yeah, He's usually a handful."

That wasn't an answer. Kara glanced up at him. "So? What is wrong? Why skull exposed? ...and green."

Kal hesitated. It was small, just the briefest flicker of reluctance, but it was there. Kara noticed it immediately.

Finally, he exhaled, tilting his head slightly toward her. "His name was Joseph Martin. A college student. Smart, ambitious… until he got tricked into participating in an illegal experiment."

Kara's brow furrowed. "Tricked?"

"The experiment wasn't what he thought it was." Kal's voice was even, controlled, but there was an edge of something behind it. Frustration, maybe. "He was told it was a cutting-edge research program, something that could change the world. Instead, it changed him, turned him into this."

"How awful," Kara murmured.

"I tried to help him," Kal continued. "But he never wanted help. He embraced it. The power, the destruction. He gave in to it. Became a criminal."

Kara frowned. "That it? He just, turn evil?"

Kal was quiet for a moment. "It's not always that simple. Maybe, in the beginning he wanted a normal life. But anger, power, resentment. It changes people. And now?" He exhaled, glancing down at the unconscious metahuman. "This is all that's left."

Kara absorbed that, her gaze lingering on Atomic Skull.

It was tragic, yes. But it wasn't surprising. Krypton had its own history of science gone wrong. People seeking advancement, pushing boundaries, only to create something they couldn't control.

"So, who ran experiment?" Kara stood, dusting off her hands.

Kal didn't answer right away. Then, finally.

"LexCorp."

Kara didn't know what to think. She turned to Kal-El to confirm what he'd said, only to see him looking back at her. Kal's expression shifted, waiting to see how Kara would respond.

"Genetic manipulation at Earth's level is a bad idea," Kara said, shaking her head. "I can not imagine people I work with, do something like this."

The information sat uneasily in Kara's mind, but she refused to jump to conclusions. Science was about discovery. Sometimes discovery led to mistakes. Sometimes those mistakes were dangerous. But mistakes and evil were not the same.

She glanced at Kal-El again. He was watching her, not pushing, just waiting.

"The scientist," Kara said slowly, piecing the sentence together in English. "Was he… punished?"

Kal-El nodded. "He was arrested years ago. The experiment was shut down."

That was enough for her. The law had handled it. A bad scientist, caught, punished. The world moved forward.

She exhaled, nodding. "Good. Then, problem solved."

Kal's mouth pressed into a thin line, like he wanted to say more. But he didn't. Instead, after a moment, he shifted.

"How has work been?" His voice was lighter now, carefully steering the conversation away.

That question made her brighten. "Good! Very good." A small smile played at her lips. "People are nice. Treat me with respect. I am still new, but they listen to me. Even call me smart."

Kal-El's expression softened. "That's because you are smart."

Pride swelled in her chest, but she shrugged it off, pretending it wasn't a big deal. "I have small reputation. My math, FTL equation, they think is impressive."

That made Kal chuckle. "Of course they do."

Kara practically vibrated with excitement. She leaned forward slightly, eyes bright. "Work is good, but slow. Rao, so slow."

Kal-El raised an eyebrow. "Slow?"

"Yes! I must learn how Earth tech works first." She waved a hand for emphasis. "Before I even start think about adapting Kryptonian principles. If I not know limits, how can I adapt?"

It made sense to her, but the process was frustrating. Krypton's energy solutions were so advanced, and yet, here she was, backtracking. Learning about lithium-ion batteries, capacitor-discharge rates, and the inefficiencies of Earth's power grid. All necessary, but still.

And that wasn't even the hardest part.

Her expression twisted slightly. "And materials, that is problem too. I cannot just say, 'This works on Krypton!'" She shook her head. "No, I must find what works here. What is stable, safe, cheap. LexCorp does not have access to nth metal or transuranic composites."

Kal-El smiled slightly. "Sounds like a challenge."

A grin tugged at Kara's lips. "Yes! But good challenge."

She truly liked this work. She was learning, she was contributing, she was surrounded by people who saw her as intelligent. It felt right.

Except for one thing.

A groan escaped her as she slumped. "Flying is annoying."

Kal-El blinked. "You?" He gestured at her, amused. "Annoyed by flying?"

"Yes!" She huffed. "Every day. Smallville, Metropolis, Smallville, Metropolis!" She threw her hands in the air. "Is short trip. But annoying. See half of America every day. Gets old."

Chuckling, Kal-El crossed his arms. "My couch is always open."

That made Kara laugh. "No. I cannot use couch."

It wasn't that she didn't appreciate the offer. But she needed her own place. A home. Something to ground her, make her feel like she truly belonged here.

Kal nodded, as if he'd expected that answer. "Then you should start looking."

"I will."

Soon.

The city stretched out behind her, calling her back. The police were approaching, parking up on the docks entrance and marching towards them.

Kara straightened, rolling her shoulders. "I must go before people notice."

Kal-El glanced toward the wreckage of the earlier battle. "I need to check the crime scene anyway. See if I can track the ones who got away."

For a moment, she hesitated, watching him. The story about Atomic Skull still lingered at the back of her mind.

Then she pushed it away.

With one last nod to Kal-El, she shot into the sky, soaring back toward LexCorp and the work that awaited her.

Science could be dangerous, yes. But that was why good people needed to direct it. And the people at LexCorp? They were good. Smart. Careful.

Nothing to worry about.

-

The soft clink of silverware against fine china echoed in the otherwise silent room.

A perfectly arranged meal, seared filet mignon, asparagus, and a glass of red wine, sat untouched on the polished mahogany desk. The man at the desk had no interest in food. Not yet. He had more pressing matters to attend to.

A classified corporate report, filled with dense equations and projections, technical jargon meant for only the most advanced minds. But to him, it was nothing short of fascinating. He understood every calculation, every theoretical model. The potential applications were endless.

Then there was the extra piece.

A separate note had been attached. Hastily written equations scrawled in the margins. Different from the neat formatting of the report. This had been added as an afterthought. The handwriting was tight, confident. The kind that belonged to someone who thought fast and wrote faster.

A bright young genius, they called her.

He lifted the note, studying it. The equations were refined, but it was what lay above them that caught his full attention.

Alien script.

Not an accidental notation, not an unfamiliar language. Kryptonian.

He exhaled slowly, running a finger over the edge of the page. Even without translation, he recognised the symbols. The foundation of the equation had been written in Kryptonian first, before being converted into something readable for human scientists.

A bright young genius, indeed.

He followed the paper trail. Placement: Research and Development, energy division. Supervisor: Dr. Sydney Happersen. Current project: Experimental energy storage and application.

Happersen.

A competent scientist, though lacking vision. But that wasn't what mattered. What mattered was the genius hidden within his team.

The girl.

He let the note settle onto the desk, eyes narrowing slightly.

Kara Danvers.

He had spent years studying Kryptonians. Their strengths, their weaknesses, their potential. And now, one of them was here, in his company, working under his resources.

It was almost poetic.

Finally, he leaned back in his chair, gaze shifting beyond the desk, to the walls around him.

One was glass. Thick, reinforced. A barrier between him and the outside world. The rest of the room was clean, minimalist, without clutter or distraction. Everything he needed was provided. Luxury meals, fine wine, tailored suits, access to information.

It was a prison.

But not one built for common criminals.

The security guard at the far end of the room remained perfectly still, standing at attention, watching him. Always watching.

The man in the suit reached for his glass of wine, swirling the deep red liquid before taking a slow, thoughtful sip. Then, without looking up, he gave his order.

"Tell the board to approve full funding for whatever project Happersen and his team are working on. No restrictions."

The guard gave a sharp nod. "Yes, sir."

The man finally lifted his fork, but his mind was still elsewhere.

On the script. The potential. The girl.

His lips curled into a small, knowing smile.

"And this girl. Miss Danvers…" He let the words hang for a moment before delivering the final command. "Keep me updated on her at all times."

The guard didn't hesitate.

"Of course, Mr. Luthor."