NOVEL NEXT Chapter 28: Chess with a Clown
The view from the LexCorp tower's penthouse office encompassed the entirety of Metropolis - a gleaming testament to human achievement and, more specifically, to Lex Luthor's vision.
As the sun set over the city, casting long shadows across the urban landscape, Lex stood at the floor-to-ceiling windows, a glass of thirty-year-old scotch in one hand, a tablet displaying classified data in the other.
On the screen, footage played of Superboy - or "the weapon," as Lex still thought of him privately - demonstrating flight capabilities during a covert operation in South America.
The clone hovered with remarkable stability, executing precise aerial maneuvers that suggested not just rudimentary control but genuine mastery of the ability.
An ability he shouldn't have developed for years, if ever.
Lex swiped to another video: Superboy using controlled heat vision to disable security systems during the same operation.
Again, the precision was remarkable - nothing like the wild, emotion-triggered bursts that would be expected from a newly manifested Kryptonian ability.
"Fascinating," Lex murmured, taking a measured sip of his scotch. "Six months ago, he could barely control his strength. Now he's flying and using heat vision with the precision of a trained operative."
He set down the tablet and turned from the window, moving to his desk where multiple screens displayed various data streams - stock prices, news feeds, security footage, and most importantly, a detailed genetic analysis of Superboy's original programming.
The clone had been designed with specific limitations - deliberate genetic blocks preventing the full expression of Kryptonian abilities.
These blocks had been carefully engineered to ensure control and compliance.
Flight, heat vision, freeze breath, X-ray vision - all capabilities that had been suppressed to maintain manageable power levels and prevent the weapon from becoming too independent.
Yet somehow, those blocks were being systematically dismantled. Not haphazardly, not through random mutation or natural development, but with surgical precision.
Someone with an intimate understanding of Kryptonian genetics and advanced genetic manipulation technology was deliberately unlocking Superboy's full potential.
And Lex had a very good idea who that someone was.
"Samael Morningstar," he said aloud, the name leaving a curious taste despite the excellent scotch - not bitter, but complex, like a particularly intricate puzzle he hadn't yet solved. "Bruce Wayne's mysterious ward."
The white-haired teenager with the unusual red eyes had appeared in Gotham seemingly out of nowhere, taken in by Wayne under circumstances that remained frustratingly opaque despite Lex's best intelligence efforts.
His academic record was impeccable, his research at Gotham Scientific Innovations groundbreaking, his social integration carefully managed.
Too perfect. Too convenient. Too... manufactured.
And yet, undeniably brilliant.
Lex had been watching the boy with increasing interest since his confrontation with the Joker months ago.
The transformation ability through technology he'd demonstrated - becoming some sort of crystalline entity capable of absorbing massive energy discharges - had immediately flagged him as a metahuman of significant potential.
But it was his work with Superboy that truly captured Lex's attention and, he was reluctant to admit, his admiration.
Through carefully placed surveillance and informants within the Justice League's support structure, Lex had confirmed that Samael was directly involved in Superboy's accelerated development.
The boy had somehow identified the genetic blocks in Superboy's DNA and developed a treatment protocol to deactivate them systematically.
Not just random experimentation, but targeted genetic manipulation with a level of precision that rivaled - perhaps even surpassed - Lex's own Cadmus scientists.
It was, in a word, impressive. The kind of intellectual achievement Lex had always believed humanity capable of, if freed from the shadow of alien "gods" like Superman.
Here was a human - albeit an unusual one - who had mastered genetic science to the point of manipulating Kryptonian DNA successfully, something Lex's own scientists had struggled with for years.
In many ways, Samael Morningstar represented exactly what Lex had always envisioned for humanity's potential - brilliance unconstrained by conventional limitations, intellect that could match and even surpass alien capabilities.
If only the boy weren't aligned with Wayne and, by extension, the Justice League...
Lex opened a secure file on his system, reviewing the carefully selected information he had "allowed" to leak through various channels over the past weeks.
Security footage from GSI showing Samael's research. Reports on his connection to Superboy's development. Details about his relationship with Commissioner Gordon's daughter.
All breadcrumbs, strategically placed where the Joker's informants would find them.
The clown's obsession with the boy following their confrontation had been an unexpected development, but one Lex was not above exploiting.
A chaotic element like the Joker could reveal aspects of Morningstar's capabilities that more controlled observation could not.
"Mercy," Lex called, not bothering to raise his voice. His assistant would be monitoring as always.
The door opened immediately, and Mercy Graves entered with characteristic efficiency. "Yes, Mr. Luthor?"
"What's the status on our surveillance of Mount Justice?"
"Limited but functional," she reported. "External monitoring systems remain in place, though the League's countermeasures prevent deep penetration.
We've confirmed increased activity in the past twenty-four hours, including the arrival of Commissioner Gordon and his daughter."
Lex raised an eyebrow. "Interesting. Any indication why Gotham's police commissioner would suddenly relocate to a Justice League facility?"
"Intelligence suggests it's related to a security concern," Mercy replied. "Specifically, a threat from the Joker targeting Barbara Gordon to get to Samael Morningstar."
"The Joker," Lex repeated, his tone contemplative. "It seems our strategic information leaks have borne fruit more quickly than anticipated."
"Yes, sir. Arkham security discovered detailed notes about Morningstar in the Joker's cell, including references to Barbara Gordon as a 'leverage point.'
The response was immediate - Morningstar personally transported both Gordons to Mount Justice in the middle of the night."
Lex turned back to the window, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth. The Joker had taken the bait, just as expected. His obsession with the boy had made him predictable, at least in this one regard.
"Our clown friend is proving useful, albeit in his typically messy fashion," Lex observed. "His fixation on Morningstar might reveal aspects of the boy's capabilities that our more... clinical approach has missed."
"There's more, sir," Mercy continued. "Our source inside Arkham reports that the Joker has been unusually focused during his incarceration.
His therapy sessions repeatedly return to Morningstar, specifically to their philosophical exchange during their confrontation."
"Philosophy from the Joker, nihilistic nonsense wrapped up as something worth contemplation." Lex said with a hint of disdain, though inwardly he noted this unusual focus.
The Joker's chaotic nature typically made him an unreliable tool, but a fixation this intense might make his actions more predictable, more... directable.
"The source indicates the Joker views Morningstar as a 'next evolution' in his relationship with Batman," Mercy added. "Someone who might do what Batman won't."
Lex turned, his interest sharpened. "Kill the Joker, you mean."
"That appears to be the implication, sir."
Lex returned to his desk, pulling up files on Samael Morningstar - school records, research papers, security footage from his time at GSI, and most importantly, analysis of his known abilities.
"The boy represents a significant variable," he mused.
"His genetic manipulation technology alone would be valuable, but combined with his transformation capabilities and his apparent influence within the Justice League's younger members... he's becoming a player worth watching closely."
More than watching, if Lex were honest with himself. Recruiting.
The boy's intellect, combined with his apparent mastery of genetic manipulation and his own metahuman abilities, would make him an invaluable asset to LexCorp's special projects division.
Under Lex's mentorship, freed from Wayne's restrictive moral framework, what might Samael Morningstar achieve?
"Should we attempt direct contact?" Mercy asked.
Lex considered this briefly before shaking his head. "Not yet. His association with Wayne and now his protective stance toward the Gordons suggests a moral framework aligned with the Justice League.
Direct approaches would likely be rebuffed."
He closed the files and stood, straightening his immaculate suit. "Continue monitoring both Morningstar and Superboy.
I want to know exactly how he's bypassing the genetic blocks we engineered. That knowledge has significant applications beyond this single case."
"Yes, Mr. Luthor."
"And Mercy," he added as she turned to leave, "increase security protocols tonight. The Joker's focus on Morningstar may have secondary implications for anyone studying the boy.
I wouldn't put it past him to-"
The explosion cut off his words, the reinforced glass of his office windows vibrating with the concussive force. Alarms blared immediately as the building's security systems activated.
Mercy moved with practiced efficiency, drawing her weapon and positioning herself between Lex and the potential threat.
"Security breach on the eighty-second floor, sir. Three guards down. Intruder moving up the emergency stairwell."
Lex remained calm, activating a panel on his desk that revealed a sophisticated security console. "Seal the executive levels. Deploy countermeasures in stairwell B."
"Countermeasures deployed," Mercy confirmed, checking her tactical display. "Intruder has... bypassed them. Sir, the gas appears ineffective, and the automated defenses have been disabled."
"How?" Lex demanded, though he already suspected the answer.
Before Mercy could respond, the office doors burst open with explosive force, sending splinters of reinforced wood across the pristine floor.
Through the smoke and debris stepped a lanky figure in a purple suit, green hair wild and face stretched in that infamous, horrifying grin.
"Knock knock, Lexy!" the Joker called, his voice a sing-song parody of politeness. "Hope I'm not interrupting anything important. Just a little business between colleagues!"
Mercy moved with inhuman speed, her cybernetic enhancements allowing her to cross the room in a blur of motion.
Her first strike should have incapacitated the Joker instantly - a precision blow to the solar plexus followed by a neural disruption to the carotid artery.
But the Joker twisted at the last moment, his movements betraying a fighter's instinct beneath the chaotic exterior.
He dodged the first strike and caught her arm on the second, a small device in his palm discharging an electrical current that temporarily disrupted her cybernetic systems.
"Now, now," he chided as Mercy dropped to one knee, her systems attempting to recalibrate. "The adults are talking, my dear. Why don't you take a little nap?"
A cloud of gas erupted from a flower on his lapel, enveloping Mercy's face. Her eyes widened briefly before rolling back, her body collapsing in an unconscious heap.
"Don't worry, she's just sleeping," the Joker assured Lex, stepping over Mercy's prone form. "I save the good stuff for special occasions. This is just a friendly visit between business associates."
Lex remained behind his desk, his expression betraying nothing despite the breach of his supposedly impenetrable security. "I wasn't aware we had any business, Joker. Especially since you're supposed to be in Arkham's maximum security wing."
The Joker laughed, the sound echoing unnaturally in the spacious office. "Arkham! That revolving door masquerading as a psychiatric facility?
Please, Lexy, you're smarter than that. We both know those walls only hold me when I want to be held."
He sauntered toward Lex's desk, running a finger along the polished surface. "As for our business... well, let's just say I've become aware of your interest in a certain white-haired, red-eyed boy wonder.
The one who's been tinkering with your little science project's DNA."
Lex's eyes narrowed fractionally - not in surprise at the Joker's knowledge, but in assessment of how much the clown had pieced together about his strategic information leaks.
"I monitor many individuals of interest," Lex replied smoothly. "Samael Morningstar is merely one data point among many."
"Liar, liar, pants on fire," the Joker sang, wagging a finger. "Your surveillance of the boy has been quite thorough.
Almost as thorough as your study of the clone boy's suddenly expanded abilities. Quite the mystery, isn't it? All those carefully engineered limitations, unraveling like a cheap sweater."
The Joker spun in a circle, arms spread wide. "And then there's all those little breadcrumbs you've been leaving for me to find.
Security footage from GSI that just happened to fall into the hands of my associates.
Files mentioning the boy's connection to the clone that your mole in GCPD 'accidentally' left where my people could find them. So many convenient coincidences, Lexy."
Lex reassessed the situation. The Joker was more aware of the manipulation than he'd anticipated.
Rather than simply following the trail of information as expected, he'd recognized the pattern for what it was - a deliberate attempt to direct his attention.
"What do you want?" Lex asked directly, seeing no benefit in further pretense.
The Joker's smile widened, somehow becoming even more disturbing. "Want? Oh, Lexy, I'm hurt. Can't a fellow just drop by for a friendly chat? Maybe compare notes on our mutual interest?"
He dropped into the chair opposite Lex's desk, propping his feet up on the polished surface. "But since you ask so nicely... I want you to stop treating me like a pawn in your chess game.
All those little breadcrumbs of information you've been feeding to your sources about the boy, hoping I'd pick up the trail... it's insulting, really."
The Joker leaned forward suddenly, his expression shifting from manic glee to cold calculation in an instant. "I am not your attack dog, Luthor.
I don't fetch on command or bite on cue. I'm an artist, and you've been trying to commission a piece without respecting my creative process."
The rapid shift was unsettling, even to someone as controlled as Lex.
The Joker's ability to move between personas - from chaotic clown to strategic thinker to cold-blooded killer - made him uniquely dangerous.
"If I've underestimated your awareness, that's my error," Lex acknowledged, seeing no benefit in continued denial.
"But our interests regarding Morningstar do align, however temporarily. His work with Superboy represents a significant development that concerns us both, albeit for different reasons."
"Different reasons?" The Joker raised an eyebrow theatrically. "Oh, I don't think so, Lexy. You see, I've been watching you watch him. The way you study his research, analyze his abilities, track his movements.
It's not just professional curiosity or strategic assessment. There's something else there... something almost like admiration."
Lex remained impassive, though inwardly he acknowledged the uncomfortable accuracy of the Joker's observation. His interest in Morningstar had indeed evolved beyond mere strategic concern.
"The boy has demonstrated remarkable intellectual capabilities," Lex conceded. "His work with Kryptonian genetics shows a level of understanding that few humans have achieved."
"Few humans!" The Joker cackled, clapping his hands together. "That's it exactly! The boy is what you've always wanted humanity to be, isn't he?
Brilliant enough to master alien biology, powerful enough to stand alongside metahumans, yet fundamentally human at his core.
He's living proof of your whole 'humanity can surpass Superman' philosophy!"
The Joker spun in the chair, arms spread wide in theatrical gesture. "But you're missing the bigger picture, Lexy! The boy isn't just a scientific prodigy with a fancy watch. He's something much more interesting."
"And what would that be?" Lex asked, genuinely curious despite himself.
The Joker leaned forward, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Have you ever considered his name? Samael Morningstar. Not exactly subtle, is it?"
Lex raised an eyebrow. "I assume you're about to tell me the significance."
"Samael," the Joker said, savoring each syllable. "The Venom of God. The Poison of the Divine. The angel of death in Hebrew tradition.
The great serpent who tempted Eve in some interpretations. The destroyer of nations. The accuser in the celestial court."
He stood abruptly, pacing the office with frenetic energy. "And Morningstar? Well, even a Sunday school dropout knows that one - Lucifer, the light-bringer, the fallen angel.
The most beautiful of God's creations before his pride led to his downfall. The adversary. The questioner. The one who dared to challenge divine authority."
The Joker spun to face Lex, his eyes wide with manic intensity.
"Samael Morningstar. Venom of God, the Morningstar. Death and Light combined in one entity. The poison that brings illumination. The destroyer who creates. The fallen who ascends."
He giggled, the sound building into a full-throated laugh. "Someone named that boy to make a statement, Lexy.
A big, bold, cosmic statement! And you want to know the most delicious part? I don't think it's a coincidence at all. I think it's a declaration of intent!"
Lex had, of course, researched the etymology of Morningstar's name months ago. The biblical connotations were obvious, if ultimately to him meaningless.
People chose dramatic names for their children all the time - it hardly indicated some greater significance.
"Names are just labels," Lex dismissed. "His actions and abilities are what matter."
"Oh, but names have power," the Joker insisted, suddenly serious again. "They shape perception, create expectation.
When you name a child 'Venom of God, the Morningstar,' you're setting them up for something... significant."
He leaned back, studying the ceiling as if seeing patterns invisible to others. "The boy isn't just undoing your work with the clone, Lexy. He's rewriting the rules.
Challenging Batman's moral framework while operating within it. Creating meaning from meaninglessness. It's... beautiful, in a perverse way."
The Joker's hands traced patterns in the air, his voice taking on an almost reverential quality.
"In Jewish mysticism, Samael is sometimes portrayed as both good and evil simultaneously - the left hand of God, executing divine judgment.
And Lucifer, before his fall, was the brightest of angels, the bearer of light and wisdom. Combined, they represent a duality that transcends simple moral categories."
He looked directly at Lex, his eyes unnervingly focused. "The boy embodies that duality perfectly.
He works with your clone, unlocking his potential - an act of creation and liberation. Yet in doing so, he undoes your careful work - an act of destruction and defiance.
He confronts me with philosophical arguments about meaning in a meaningless universe - yet is willing to suggest I kill innocent hostages to prove his point."
Lex studied the Joker with new interest. The clown's fixation on Morningstar clearly went beyond simple revenge for their confrontation.
There was something almost... reverential in his tone.
"You admire him," Lex observed.
The Joker's head snapped down, his eyes locking with Lex's. "Admire? No, no, no. That's too simple, too pedestrian. I... appreciate him.
The way an artist appreciates a worthy critic. The way a comedian appreciates someone who gets the joke but refuses to laugh."
He stood abruptly, pacing the office with frenetic energy. "Batman and I, we've been doing this dance for years. He refuses to kill me because of his precious moral code.
I push and push and push, trying to break that code, to prove that one bad day can transform even the most righteous man into a monster."
The Joker stopped, turning to face Lex with uncharacteristic stillness. "But the boy... he represents something new.
He looked me in the eye and acknowledged the absurdity, the meaninglessness - and then insisted on creating meaning anyway. Do you have any idea how rare that is? How... challenging?"
Lex considered this carefully. The Joker's philosophical obsession with Morningstar might actually be useful, properly directed.
"And what do you intend to do about this... challenge?" Lex asked.
The Joker's smile returned, slow and calculating. "Test him, of course. Push him to his limits. See if that philosophical resilience holds when something he truly cares about is threatened."
"Barbara Gordon," Lex concluded.
"The Commissioner's daughter, yes," the Joker confirmed. "Though she's currently tucked away in that mountain fortress with daddy dearest. A complication, but not an insurmountable one."
He approached Lex's desk again, leaning forward on his palms. "Which brings me back to our business, Lexy. I know you want the boy's technology.
I know you want to understand how he's undoing your work with the clone. I know you've been trying to manipulate me into creating a distraction while you make your move."
The Joker straightened, adjusting his purple suit with exaggerated dignity. "So here's my proposal: I'll create your distraction.
I'll test the boy in ways that will reveal the full extent of his capabilities. I'll push him to show exactly what he can do and who he really is beneath that carefully constructed persona."
"And in return?" Lex asked, though he already suspected the answer.
"In return, you stop treating me like your attack dog," the Joker said, his voice hardening. "You acknowledge me as a partner in this enterprise, not a tool.
And most importantly, you share everything you learn about the boy. Every scrap of data, every observation, every theory."
The Joker's eyes gleamed with a dangerous intensity. "I don't like sharing my toys, Lexy. Especially not one as fascinating as our boy wonder.
But I'm willing to make an exception in this case, because I think you might see aspects of him that I miss, and vice versa."
Lex considered the proposal. Working with the Joker was inherently dangerous - the clown's unpredictability made him as much a liability as an asset.
Yet his fixation on Morningstar could be leveraged, and his chaotic approach might indeed reveal aspects of the boy's capabilities that more controlled observation could not.
More importantly, the Joker's "test" might create the perfect opportunity for Lex to approach Morningstar directly.
In the chaos of whatever the clown had planned, the boy might be more receptive to assistance from an unexpected quarter - especially if that assistance came with insights into the Joker's psychology and methods.
"A limited partnership," Lex offered carefully.
"Focused specifically on Morningstar. I'll share relevant data, and you'll conduct your... test... in a way that maximizes information gathering while minimizing interference with my other operations."
The Joker clapped his hands together in delight. "Wonderful! A meeting of the minds! The chess master and the agent of chaos, united in curiosity about our fascinating boy wonder."
He extended a hand across the desk, his smile widening impossibly. "Shake on it, Lexy. Let's make it official."
Lex regarded the outstretched hand with well-deserved suspicion. "I assume that hand isn't rigged with a joy buzzer or poison needle?"
The Joker pulled back his hand, looking almost hurt. "Lexy! Such suspicion! Would I really be so predictable?" He turned his palm up, showing it to be empty.
"See? Just a friendly gesture between business partners."
After a moment's hesitation, Lex reached across and shook the Joker's hand briefly. "Partners, then. Limited to our mutual interest in Samael Morningstar."
"Perfect!" The Joker exclaimed, his grip surprisingly firm. "I'll be in touch with the details of my little test. It's going to be a masterpiece, Lexy.
A true work of art designed specifically for an audience of one."
He released Lex's hand and turned toward the door, stepping carefully over Mercy's still-unconscious form. "Oh, and don't worry about your security chief.
She'll wake up in an hour or so with nothing worse than a headache. I've developed a certain respect for professional competence, even when it's directed against me."
At the shattered doorway, the Joker paused, looking back over his shoulder. "One last thing, Lexy.
When you analyze whatever data you collect on our boy wonder, pay special attention to his eyes. There's something there... something familiar yet foreign. Something that doesn't quite belong in this world."
He tapped his temple thoughtfully and spoke. "Samael Morningstar. Venom of God, the Light-bringer. A destroyer who creates. A fallen angel who ascends.
Names have power, Lexy. Remember that when you finally meet him face to face." He stated in a sing song voice as he began walking away
With that cryptic remark, he was gone, his laughter echoing through the executive level as alarms continued to blare.
Lex remained at his desk, contemplating the unexpected turn of events.
The Joker's breach of LexCorp security was concerning, as was his awareness of Lex's surveillance of Morningstar.
But the potential benefits of this "partnership" might outweigh the risks, if properly managed.
Samael Morningstar.
The boy who had somehow unlocked Superboy's full Kryptonian potential without triggering the instability that Cadmus scientists had predicted would result from tampering with the genetic blocks.
The boy who had transformed into living crystal to absorb a dimensional energy discharge that should have leveled half of Gotham.
The boy whose research at GSI was advancing understanding of interdimensional mechanics at a pace that rivaled LexCorp's own classified projects.
A significant variable indeed. One worth studying, even if it meant a temporary alliance with Gotham's most unpredictable criminal.
But perhaps more than studying. Perhaps, if approached correctly, Morningstar could be persuaded to see the limitations of his current alignment with Wayne and the Justice League.
To recognize that his true potential could only be realized with the resources and freedom that Lex could provide.
The Joker was right - the boy represented everything Lex had always believed about humanity's potential - the ability to surpass even Kryptonian capabilities through intellect and innovation.
Under Lex's mentorship, freed from the restrictive moral framework imposed by Batman, what might Samael Morningstar achieve?
Lex activated his secure communication system, bypassing LexCorp's compromised networks. "Initiate Protocol Prometheus," he instructed.
"Full surveillance package on Mount Justice, with particular focus on Samael Morningstar. And prepare the special projects laboratory - we may soon have samples to analyze."
As security personnel finally arrived to secure the office and attend to Mercy, Lex turned back to the windows, gazing out at the Metropolis skyline now illuminated by countless lights against the night sky.
The Joker's words echoed in his mind: "Something that doesn't quite belong in this world."
For once, Lex found himself in reluctant agreement with the clown.
There was indeed something about Samael Morningstar that suggested otherness - not just his unusual appearance or remarkable abilities, but something more fundamental.
Something in the way he approached problems, analyzed situations, interacted with the world around him.
As if he were operating with knowledge no one else possessed.
That made him not just interesting, but potentially valuable. The kind of asset that could reshape the balance of power in ways even Superman couldn't anticipate or counter.
The chess master and the clown.
An unlikely alliance, but perhaps an effective one. At least until Lex could bring Morningstar into his orbit directly - show him what true mentorship from humanity's greatest mind could offer.
After all, Samael Morningstar - Venom of God, the Light-bringer - deserved nothing less than the best humanity had to offer.
And in Lex's mind, that was undoubtedly himself.
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(Author note: Hello everyone! I hope you all liked the chapter!
Do tell me how you found the contrasting obsession of the two.
Cold obsession and Mad obsession.
I love writing these two, no matter how much I despise them.
So yeah, do tell me how you found it and I hope to see you all later,
Bye!)