After several hours of examining her mother's notes, a dull ache developed behind Lena's eyes. She rubbed her temple, cringing at the icy touch of her fingers against her warm skin. She tried to shake the sickening feeling in her stomach. But she couldn't, not when her mother now possessed the recipe for another variant of kryptonite - this one less lethal but more dangerous in how it affected Kryptonians. And who knew what she planned to do with it. Lena silently cursed herself for not bothering to wear the watch Kara had given her. If her insecurities about her last name hadn't gotten in the way, she wouldn't be in Lillian's lab, making a kryptonite serum. She was about to leave when her mother appeared in the doorway.
"I saw that Maxwell visited you. Did he tell you what he was here for?" asked Lillian.
"Yes, he did," replied Lena. "What exactly are you planning to do with that?"
"That is not your concern," said Lillian as she stepped closer to her daughter.
"It is." Lena grabbed her mother's arm as she reached for the kryptonite serum. "I will not let you endanger my friends or this city. Whatever you are planning, my friends and I'll stop you."
Lillian yanked her arm out of Lena's grasp. "I'd watch what you say, Lena. One call from me, and your friend will be burying her sister next to Jeremiah."
The youngest Luthor faltered, not wanting to test Lillian's threat for Kara's sake. "I won't stop trying to protect my friends and this city."
Lillian ignored her daughter's statement. "Did you figure out why the serum is unstable?"
Exhaling, Lena grabbed the vial from the rack next to her. She handed it to Lillian and said, "Yes, I managed to stabilize it for injection into human bloodstreams. And I didn't tamper with it as promised. However, I only made one and am not disclosing the process. Can't have you producing that for the entire world."
"Fine," said Lillian. "You may go now. I suspect Maxwell will contact the Danvers sisters, and I don't want your friend to show up."
Lillian watched as her daughter walked out of the lab, leaving no trace of how she managed to stabilize the serum. A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. Although Lena resented her and didn't always agree with her, she was proud of the smart, independent woman her daughter had become. Putting the vial in her pocket, the Luthor matriarch walked out of the lab and headed back to her office. There were some phone calls she had to make.
* * *
Meanwhile, back at Kara's apartment, the credits for their third film rolled across the screen as they finished up. Several ice cream cartons sat on the coffee table, emptied of their contents. Kara sat on the floor while her sister hogged the couch, even taking up her favorite blanket. But before she could take it back, her stomach rumbled, making her get up and grab the last of her potato chips. It was then that Alex's phone rang. And as her sister picked up, Kara heard the voice on the other end.
"Is that Maxwell Lord?!" asked Kara, joining her sister on the couch.
Alex nodded. "What do you want, Maxwell?"
"I'm calling to let you know that Lillian had Lena working on a kryptonite serum in her lab. Lena wasn't there willingly either; her mother threatened to put a hit on you," replied Maxwell.
"Did Lena say anything else about what her mother was planning?"
"No, she told me to leave before I could ask. She seemed worried," said Maxwell.
"Why are you back in National City?" asked Alex.
Maxwell fell silent for a moment. "I'm here because Lillian bought a copy of my red kryptonite recipe."
YOU ARE READING
Weaponizing One's Love
FanfictionA Sequel to Lena Luthor: Supergirl's True Kryptonite They say that loving someone is one of the bravest things you can do, especially if you've been burned by it before. So, what happens when that very thing is used against you? What would you do if...
