"Limited to ones' Imagination" - DC Fanfic

Lex Luthor's office was exactly as Alex expected—sleek, modern, and suffocatingly immaculate. The walls were adorned with trophies of intellectual achievements, from awards to framed patents. A massive glass window overlooked Metropolis, the city bathed in a golden glow under the late evening sky.

And yet, despite the grandeur, the most notable thing in the room was the silence.

Alex sat in a plush chair across from Lex Luthor, the man himself. Luthor, ever the strategist, sat behind his polished obsidian desk, fingers steepled, watching Alex as though he were a puzzle waiting to be solved.

There was no immediate exchange of words, no theatrical introduction. Just staring.

Alex sighed internally. Is this really how he plans to spend our time? Staring at each other like we're in some kind of Mexican standoff?

Luthor was expecting something—perhaps an emotional reaction.

And Alex knew why.

His parents had been killed by a prototype Amazo unit, an early experiment gone horribly wrong. And Luthor was curious, waiting to see if that revelation would cause any flicker of rage, grief, or resentment in his expression.

But Alex wasn't giving him the satisfaction.

Luthor might have been pleasantly surprised by the discovery, but Alex? He was just bored.

He leaned back slightly, drumming his fingers against the armrest. That's when something else caught his attention.

A different face in the room.

Standing near the far corner, its eyes dim and unfeeling, was an Amazo unit.

It was humanoid in shape, its body a sleek mixture of polished silver and gold plating, standing like a silent sentinel. The artificial being's expressionless face lacked any sign of emotion or thought.

That was enough to finally break the silence.

Alex rolled his eyes. "Alright, what the hell do you want from me?" He gestured lazily toward the Amazo. "And no, I'm not gonna help you with whatever mad scientist scheme you have cooked up."

Luthor chuckled, leaning forward slightly. "You misunderstand me, Alex. I don't just want your help." His voice was calm, calculated. "I'm sure you need mine as well."

Alex raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement creeping onto his face. "Oh? And what exactly could you offer me that I can't already do myself?"

Luthor's expression didn't change, but his tone sharpened ever so slightly. "For starters—protection. It would be a shame if… certain individuals were to go after Margaret."

Alex stared at him for a moment, then suddenly burst into laughter.

It was genuine.

The sheer audacity of the man in front of him—threatening him with something so shallow and obvious—was downright hilarious.

"You seriously think I'm that stupid?" Alex said, wiping an imaginary tear from his eye. He shook his head, looking at Luthor with something bordering pity. "Come on, Lex, you're supposed to be a genius. You really think cheap threats are gonna work on me?"

Luthor remained silent, observing.

Alex leaned forward, resting an elbow on the armrest and pointing a finger at him. "I could easily rival some of your moderate scientists with my intellect alone." He smirked. "Now imagine what the creator of the most powerful object in the universe could do if I transformed into them."

The air in the room shifted.

The stare-down between the two men became tense.

Luthor's expression remained unreadable, but Alex knew he had just gained the upper hand.

The billionaire wasn't used to being in a room with people who could keep up with him, let alone challenge him, in fact he knew that Alex had nothing to lose really.

But before the tension could fully settle, Luthor spoke again.

"Then, if I may ask a question…" His gaze narrowed slightly. "Your DNA—why doesn't it work with an Amazo unit? It should be stable enough."

Alex blinked.

Now that was an interesting question.

Not one he was expecting, but interesting nonetheless.

He stood up from his chair and casually walked toward the Amazo standing in the corner.

The machine remained motionless, its empty, soulless gaze staring past him.

Alex tapped its metallic chest lightly. "It's too unstable, I presume," he said, voice nonchalant. "I already did tests myself—just in case of DNA replication issues." He turned slightly, glancing back at Luthor. "I've got an outline."

Luthor leaned forward slightly. "And what have you found?"

Alex scoffed. "If you're thinking of having an Amazo absorb my DNA, don't bother." He patted the android's shoulder. "These things? They have no soul. No individual mind. That's problem number one."

Luthor tilted his head. "And problem number two?"

Alex grinned. "If you even tried to make a clone of me, it wouldn't last three minutes." He stepped back, arms crossed. "My DNA is too unstable. Unless, of course, you degrade it—but then, what's the point? You'd be watering down the very thing that makes it valuable." He chuckled. "And knowing you? You'd want the most powerful tool possible, wouldn't you?"

Silence.

Then…

A small smile appeared on Luthor's lips.

It wasn't one of defeat.

It was one of recognition.

Luthor had finally met someone who wasn't just smart—but someone who understood the game.

But Alex? He didn't care.

He had safeguards in place for Margaret and James. He wasn't worried about them.

And himself?

Alex wasn't just safe.

He was dangerous.

Guess that's why Batman makes contingencies, huh?

Without another word, Alex turned and headed for the door.

As he reached for the handle, he glanced over his shoulder.

"Try harder next time, Lex."

And with that, he walked out, leaving Lex Luthor smiling behind him.