Lex Luthor and Ovyah initiate Side Project: Simulacra... and Lex monologues the Master Plan

The last thing Zatanna remembered was stretching in her bed. It was a long, languid stretch -- a sinfully wanton stretch. And that was fine. She was home, and she was nude, and she had just indulged her senses and desires in a monumentally satisfying way.

Seriously. A full pint of Ben and Jerry's Brownie Batter Core, but with the actual ice cream switched to their long 'retired' White Russian flavor, thanks to Zatanna's magical skills. A cosmopolitan. Her bedroom flatscreen television -- Ted Kord, may he rest in peace, had made it for her as something of an overture to courtship. Zatanna had very gently explained that you couldn't get her out of her fishnets with things.

She then banged him like a drum, but not because of the television. Well, okay, it was a factor, but she banged him because he was sweet, brave, creative, and as it turned out knew sexual techniques Zatanna had never heard of, and she was a fully fledged master of three different tantric paths of sorcery, plus an initiate of three others, plus just plain enjoyed having sex and trying new things. It was a stunningly fun weekend and she still missed Ted because of it... and because of the way he made her laugh, and the way he leapt into danger without hesitation when innocents were on the line...

That way led to melancholy, which wasn't what Zatanna had been going for. She was going for indulgent. So she had that stunningly good television connected to her Netflix account, and she had just mainlined the first four seasons of Gilmore Girls. While drinking the cosmo and eating the ice cream. Naked. On 1200 thread count sheets in her California King bed with the enchanted mattress of never letting you become sore or uncomfortable. Magic was awesome.

That's the last thing she remembered. That long, languid stretch, her eyes closing. She was pretty sure she'd fallen asleep at that point. That would make sense.

What didn't make sense was waking up in an upright position, spread-eagled, with her hands and feet all encased in solid spheres of pure Atlantian orichalcum. Truly solid -- there was no sign of any seams or sense these had been locked around her hands and feet. It was like the metal had been poured and cast around her appendages. Pulling at them seemed to bear that out -- there was no give at all, as though the metal conformed to her perfectly, then tightened just a millimeter or two to ensure she couldn't escape. Which, applying her escapology expertise, seemed to be confirmed -- she couldn't pull out of these, even if she dislocated bits. And Zatanna was, if anything, better at stage magician escape techniques than she was at tantric magic.

Of course, while she was pulling at the bonds she attempted to murmur a spell. No good. She couldn't speak at all, or make any noise. Her most direct magickal abilities were tied to mnemonic incantation -- from the outside, it looked like she just had to recite some phrase backwards and it happened, but internally there was a deeper process. The phrase triggered her mystical abilities, which drew upon her own magic and the elemental magicks she was connected to, supported by her intrinsic synchronicity with the vibrational aspects of the universe.

When asked to explain that, Zatanna generally said "I just recite some phrase backwards and it happens." It saved time and kept magic fun and mysterious instead of tediously boring.

Unfortunately, if she couldn't speak those phrases, she couldn't invoke mnemonic incantation based magic at all. She did know a number of other magical techniques, but most of those were both weak in comparison and required somatic techniques. Which was a long-winded way of saying she had to be able to make gestures, or dance, or clench her vaginal walls around a helpful volunteer's penis or fingers, or things like that. And as stated, she couldn't move her hands or feet even a millimeter, and while her vaginal muscles weren't encumbered, they also weren't occupied, and unfortunately her tantric somatic techniques were a tag team sport.

Her third fallback, naturally, was artifact magic. She had any number of magical devices, relics, enchanted pieces of bric-a-brac and the like. Her hat, in particular, housed more than most could imagine. Many artifacts could be invoked by a matter of will alone. Zatanna had, over the years, collected a number of artifacts that were easily concealed and hard to detect, ranging from her uniform -- even those infamous fishnet stockings -- and the aforementioned hat to rings on her fingers and on her toes to tiny tattoos she had in generally unseen places -- the ink itself being the artifact in those particular cases -- to piercings both noticeable and not.

None of those were invokable, because she woke up entirely -- entirely -- naked. Even the tattoos were apparently gone. And someone took the time to shave her legs anew and shave her pubic hair completely off rather than the cultivated landing strip she usually kept. And that annoyed her even more, because that 'landing strip' itself was actually shaven into an implicit representation of the I Ching hexagram 24 -- called 復, or fù. "The Returning." Which was also an enchantment she could invoke which would bring her back to a sanctum, only someone had shorn it off her with... what was probably an expensive razor. She didn't even have razor burn. So, you know. That was nice.

That was kind of a bridge to Zatanna's fourth fallback, persistent enchantments. She had a number of spells she'd cast on herself. Regenerative spells. Restorative spells. Spells she could invoke by will. Spells that would invoke themselves in different situations. She'd been at this for a while. This wasn't even her first time bound spread eagled in an upright position, stripped naked and rendered incapable of speech or somatic techniques. This year.

'Magical superhero' had some weird occupational hazards.

Regardless. Those also didn't kick in, whether active or passive. Including deep ones that shouldn't have been detectable. She'd have suspected she was in a complete anti-magic field, but she could feel magical forces -- both around her and within her. She just couldn't reach them or use them. Whoever this was? They were really, really good.

And that? Was really, really bad.

She tried speaking again, but nothing happened. She could move her lips and tongue, but her vocal cords literally wouldn't vibrate, and even breathing out and whispering or trying to form words just didn't work. She realized that she felt something around her neck. Probably the thing blocking her voice.

So. That meant Zatanna's fifth fallback would have to come into play. That was the series of maintained spells she had in secured locations all over the world. If enough time passed and Zatanna didn't intercede on, renew, or otherwise touch those spells... they would trigger all on their own, with a variety of effects and results.

Her captors had been frighteningly complete in stripping her of magic. Zatanna had to hope they wouldn't be able to comprehensively deal with those. Because she quite honestly didn't want to have to go to the sixth fallback. The sixth fallback was annoying.

"Ah! She's awake! Come, Ovyah. Let's see how our guest is doing."

Zatanna's eyes widened. She knew that voice.

Lex Luthor stepped around in front of Zatanna. She realized she was in some kind of high tech lab, but it was full of magical artifacts as well as technology -- including some fusions of the two that Zatanna could only consider 'ill-advised.' He was in a black suit with white shirt and red tie. And he was smiling. He was smug.

Really, really, really bad.

A woman had walked up next to him. She was maybe five foot eight. Her skin was olive toned. Her eyes were dark,. Her hair was also dark, but glinted in different colors. She wore an impressively tight leather green and black minidress and matching thigh-high boots.

Zatanna couldn't fully tell what she was without being about to invoke or cast magic, but she could sense enough to know the physical woman she could see was only the very barest tip of an iceberg... and Zatanna felt just slightly like the Titanic steaming straight towards it.

"Are you comfortable?" Lex chuckled. "Of course you are. The accommodations were specifically designed to keep you comfortable and pain free. During your stay, you won't need fluids or food or sanitary facilities. They're just... conveniently dealt with. Even your hygiene will remain absolutely impeccable. After all, you are startlingly alluring, and by the nature of these accommodations, your allure must be maintained at all costs."

Zatanna's eyebrow went up. Okay, 'maintaining her allure,' which was Lex Code for 'keep Zee looking hot.' So. Either he intended to leverage her appearance in some scheme -- though it seemed unlikely he'd put her on a camgirl website -- or he needed her...

...to fulfill a condition requiring beauty. Or desire. Or lust.

Oh bloody Hell.

"What's that?" Lex said, grinning more as he watched Zatanna's expression. "Have you started to figure it out? The lovely young -- well, impossibly old -- assistant by my side, the nature of your capture, the nature of your bonds... is it possible that's all it takes? Tala got it immediately but she was something of an expert and besides, she still had a voice and access to some of her perceptual abilities, whereas you... well, you're by now quite aware you have access to nothing." He chuckled. "Regardless, I'm impressed. I think we should reward her, Ovyah. I think we should both confirm and clarify your nature to her... and enlighten her as to her predicament."

"Of course, Mister Luthor. I assume you wish to test the system in the process?" Ovyah smiled a bit.

"But of course." Lex touched his watch, and a panel rose out of the floor in front of Zatanna. It was one of those magic/technology fusions that looked so wrong. And in this case? It looked like the fusion was perfect.

Lex typed on the panel for a moment. "Annnnd... execute."

Zatanna felt a warming all around her neck, and a vibration. Like she was wearing a choker that had just heated up and started pulsing. She frowned, then got wide eyed as she felt her inner magical nature begin to churn and rise up... rise up as if in the process of invocation...

"Snalp s'rohtuL xeL rof snaem taht tahw dna, ereh eb ot emac ehs woh, si hayvO tahw yltcaxe wonk annataZ tel!"

Zatanna's mouth dropped open. That was her voice, in her incantation method, with her inflections! And her magical nature was reacting to it exactly as if Zatanna had said the phrase... she couldn't even stop or stem the flow of magic. It was like her body and psyche went into automatic, shaping the magic of the spell and causing it to work...

And she understood. She understood Ovyah, once a Princess, then 'cursed' into existence as a Djinn of Lust -- an existence she adored. She understood that Ovyah existed beyond the universe -- beyond the multiverse as humanity understood it. She understood that properly used, Ovyah's wishes could do essentially anything... as long as it involved desire.

...and Zatanna wasn't just trapped and naked. She was trapped and naked... at her most 'alluring.' Aka desirable.

Zatanna was trapped in a djinn's wish. One probably so simple there was little or no loophole she could slip through to escape. Though she would absolutely try. Because the last thing she understood thanks to that spell? Was the fact that Lex Luthor was the exclusive beneficiary of Ovyah's power... and she would remain his to command for his entire life. No stealing the lamp she came from away from him or rebinding Ovyah or ironic wishtwisting.

Really, really, really, really, really bad.

And... what was almost as bad? That wish had given Lex Luthor the ability to use Zatanna's voice while denying her that voice. And when he used it, her body, psyche, and training kicked in as though she were incanting of her own free will. It wasn't a question of 'resisting the effect.' It was like a biological law -- Lex executed a command, the voice incanted it, and her magic did it. Period. Which meant he literally had Zatanna's primary and most powerful magical abilities at his command.

Lex chuckled, watching the play of emotions across Zatanna's face. "Yes... I'm afraid this time you're in quite a pickle, 'Zee.' I'm sure you can imagine the stunning array of terrible things I could do to your team-mates just using your magic alone, much less using Ovyah to her fullest potential. But take heart. I don't intend to use you against them at all. I have other plans for you."

Lex folded his hands behind his back. Oh joy. The dramatic speech. Zatanna had seen it before, and Lex was particularly susceptible to it. His ego required that someone -- preferably an enemy -- know what he was doing and be helpless to stop him. It was one of his bigger weaknesses... assuming that in fact they weren't helpless to stop Lex. Zatanna didn't know where she currently fell in that continuum. "It's quite simple. Our world is beset and besieged by chaotic forces. Powers and entities and, let us never forget, aliens inflicting their will on humanity. Only a truly super man -- as opposed to an average Kryptonian under yellow solar conditions -- could hope to oppose such an array of disaster."

Zatanna rolled her eyes.

If Lex noticed, he didn't care. "However, destroying superhumans is... impractical. And there is always the risk that they will rise back up, or a new generation will replace them. Heroism is cyclical... and you do all think of yourselves as heroes, don't you. You're a mage, Zatanna. You know the power of archetypes. So long as the Justice League has control over the archetypes humanity responds to, the Justice League is ultimately unstoppable."

He turned to look at Zatanna. "So the secret to defeating the cycle is usurping the cycle. Instead of opposing superhumanity, encourage and co-opt it. I've known that for some time, but there's always been the unpredictable element. Agents and powers and willfulness ready to betray me, regardless of the common good. Tala with Brainiac. Half the Society before her with Grodd. Amazo. I could go on. If I am to harness the archetypes... I have to have agents I can implicitly trust. But who can Lex Luthor possibly trust?"

Zatanna wished she could answer. Preferably in old Gaelic -- the words they weren't supposed to print in modern dictionaries where children might find them.

"I had considered clones for quite a long time. Kon-El -- who you call Superboy -- was a step in that direction, using Cadmus as cover. But even though half his DNA is mine, he proved untrustworthy -- because he's not my son. He's a malformed construct, as twisted and ridiculous as Bizarro. Who, of course, was another failure and betrayal after another attempt to seize the archetype. No. I need something more. I need something better. Who can Lex Luthor trust?" He smiled even more. "Lex Luthor can trust Luthors. Specifically, his own children."

Zatanna blinked. What?!

"Oh, not inherently. That was the problem with Kon-El, after all. No, children need to be raised to respect their parents. And by parents I mean parent, which is to say me. So. Before I can start, I need children who can replace superhumanity and their archetypes, across the spectrum, raised to be perfectly loyal to their father. And quite frankly, it isn't practical to breed them over the course of the next two decades. The world cannot wait, Zatanna. It was an impossible task... until Ovyah entered the picture."

Zatanna went pale, eyes wide. He couldn't mean--

"It's simple. Ovyah's powers work through sexuality. That's perfect, since procreation inherently does as well. She is tailor made to facilitate this process. Specifically... facilitating a six phase plan."

Lex turned and looked Zatanna in the eyes. "You're already figuring much of it out, of course. Phase one. Breed superhuman females with my seed, ensuring they not only conceive but conceive female children... and where appropriate, cause the superhuman's powers to transfer to the fetus, leaving the new mother powerless. Phase two, induce birth within five minutes -- a very pleasurable experience for the mother, you'll be glad to know. After all, we need that pleasure for Ovyah's abilities to work properly. Three. Cause those children to experience nineteen years of growth, training, socialization, and indoctrination, all to be loyal to their father and their father alone. Four, take those nineteen year old children and separate them -- those who inherited or absorbed their mother's powers being set up to replace those mothers... and those without abilities being sent out to seduce -- by hook or by crook -- male heroes. Five, use the seduction of male heroes as an inductive conduit -- credit should go to Tala for the phrase, I suppose -- to drain their power from them and infuse it permanently into my daughters. And six?"

Lex chuckled again. "Use my new, perfectly loyal, ultimately super-powered army to not only take over the world, but take the place of the world's heroes in the eyes and hearts of the public. And where that seems unlikely? Use Ovyah's abilities and their own allure to enforce it with well placed wishes." Lex shook his head, ruefully. "I don't care for that word, but one can't simply wipe out technical vocabularies to suit their own whims, I suppose."

Zatanna kept staring at Lex.

"Now. You're probably wondering what this means for you. And wondering why we've gone to such trouble to capture and neutralize you when I can literally use Ovyah to fuck a baby into you from anywhere on the planet, and then drain all your magical potential and knowledge into that child, to be activated during her growth process. That's because you're exceptionally lucky, Zatanna. You and one other heroine. You get to keep your magic. And you get to have an extremely pleasant existence. Orgasmic, even. Because while I could breed you... and to be fair, I will breed you... you're much more valuable to me as infrastructure than as an archived powerset."

Zatanna kept staring. Really, really, really, really, really, really bad.

"You see, we've prototyped phases one through three, and had remarkable success." Lex took out a small hand-unit, and projected an image of a beautiful nineteen year old strawberry blonde girl. "This is my first daughter. Lenity Luthor. Destined to be one of this world's greatest heroes, and the vanguard of the Luthor age of heroism. She is brilliant, pleasant, friendly, and capable of great things. And she will be made so much more capable. But..." Lex glanced at Ovyah with annoyance. "Ovyah's wished-based aging process didn't socialize her properly. She has the knowledge -- even cultural knowledge -- but no experience with interacting with people. In one daughter -- and one hero -- that's no problem. Humanity got used to seeing an alien as a super man, after all. But if all my daughters had that... remove... then it would be progressively more difficult for them to assume their place as focal points for society's hopes and dreams."

Ovyah rolled her eyes behind Lex. Zatanna understood why -- as per the spell Luthor had cast through Zatanna, she understood what Ovyah was capable of doing. If Lex phrased his wishes properly -- or gave Ovyah both the latitude to interpret those wishes broadly and the desire to fulfill Lex's intent instead of his stated will -- then those children would be completely socialized. But Lex didn't phrase it with precision and... was Lex Luthor. Latitude wasn't something he was known for, and he only cultivated an asset's desires when he needed to win them over. Ovyah was by definition already and forever his.

"This is where you come in, Zatanna. You are one half of Side Project: Simulacra. Your magic and your imagination is going to craft an artificial environment that these children will be raised in -- it will be seamless and interactive, letting them be peers to one another and be socialized and prepared for interacting with humanity... while also being loyal to me." Lex chuckled. "In one sense, you are going to be my Childrens' Governess and the Headmistress of the Academy which will turn out the next generation of heroes."

Zatanna's eyes narrowed.

"Oh, you're probably already thinking of ways to subvert the system," Lex said, turning away. "I know that. I'd expect no less. But that's not going to be an issue. You see, the process of casting the spells, setting up Simulacra, and all the rest? Is not simply going to be taxing on your body and psyche -- these will be powerful spells, after all. No, they're also going to be... the most pleasurable experiences of your life." Lex chuckled. "I will wish for you to have vastly more powerful -- and addictive -- orgasms than you can possibly imagine while you are casting, but the wish will also ensure that the environment is to my specifications. It will reflect your flourishes and your understandings of archetypes and the world and popular culture and showmanship... but the rubrics and the curriculum and the core values will be mine."

Zatanna flushed, anger twisting her features.

"Now, I'm sure you've already realized that creating such an environment and maintaining it... well, that will take monumental magical resources. I've actually had a rather exhaustive briefing on this from Tala. In particular, she was exhausted." He laughed. "Don't worry. We're planning for this. Yes, you're going to be the operating system, the CPU, and the code... but we know we're going to need a power supply... one that will also be capable of providing security, patches, and corrections as needed. One that can bring monumental energy and a certain... dare I say... wisdom to the process? But that will come. In the meantime... if you're still trying to figure out how to throw a monkey wrench into the works and wreck my plans? Bear in mind... our daughter... yours and mine... will be one of the first to go through the process. And she probably won't be the only daughter we have who goes through it, either."

Zatanna didn't exactly look happier to hear this.

"Of course, I am a businessman. I know that the key to good asset management involves both the stick, and the carrot. If you do well, and the process meets or exceeds requirements... which frankly is likely since you won't have a choice, but I'd rather have you striving for it instead of against it... then I'm prepared to offer quite a substantial bonus." He smiled even more. "Meet or exceed my specifications, and our daughter will be the one to drain the power and potential of Captain Marvel -- in effect transferring the power of Shazam to her, and making her the World's Mightiest Mortal. I'm certain you can see the advantage in that."

Zatanna blinked, and looked disgusted and shocked.

"Oh don't give me that! The Batson brats turned nineteen six weeks ago. It's fine. I'm not a monster!"

Zatanna couldn't agree with that statement, but since she couldn't express disagreement, she had to content herself with glaring.

"Now then. We need to attend to a bit of business -- tying up loose ends. Ovyah?"

"Yes, Mister Luthor?"

"I wish that you would ensure that the Justice League have no reason to suspect that Zatanna is missing, and further wish that you would take care of any contingency spells she may have for situations like this, so that I may gaze upon her desirable, nude form as long as I like, whenever I like, without interruptions of that ilk. And stay close, of course. I've other wishes for you to attend to."

"Of course, Mister Luthor," Ovyah said, looking to the side.

Zatanna walked in from that side. Zatanna -- the real one -- dropped her jaw.

This new 'Zatanna' was dressed in Zatanna's working clothes. The real Zatanna could sense the presence of all her protections and fallbacks. Her body language was a perfect match. It was like--

The new Zatanna laughed, smiling Zee's easy smile. "Weird, isn't it? It's not like looking in a mirror. It's like looking at yourself from the outside. Trust me, I get it. I understand. How can I not?" She leaned closer. "I am you, Zee. Not a copy. Not a duplicate. I'm you. Just... you willingly under orders."

Zatanna glared.

"So, yeah -- I'll go make sure the League's happy. And I'll kill her many contingency plans. Hope that'll do, Lex."

Lex arched an eyebrow. "Since when are we on a first name basis, Ovyah."

"We're not, Mister Luthor," Ovyah -- on the his other side -- said. "But Zatanna doesn't care about those restrictions. And that's Zatanna."

Lex paused, then smiled a bit more. "I have to remember that. Her loyalties?"

"She's Zatanna in every way, Mister Luthor... but the wish you made is literally a natural law for her. It's not that she won't resist it. It's that it's literally impossible for her to resist it. Without that wish, she wouldn't be there. And when it's complete, she'll go away. Until you wish for her to come back, anyhow."

"Hm. So we could have just had our own Zatanna up there, and not bothered with this one?"

"Of course."

Lex nodded. "Still, that... lacks panache. It seems cowardly. No, I like this better." He turned to look at Zatanna. "Of course... I may be lying, 'Zee.' You may in fact be Ovyah under the influence of another wish, and literally not know it. Something to ponder as you hang there." He looked at the 'new' Zatanna. "You have your assignment."

"And I do hate to keep an audience waiting." She did an elaborate bow, then set her hat -- Zatanna's hat -- on her head. "RewothctaW eht ot em tropsnart!"

Zatanna watched her doppleganger vanish in a burst of mystical light and power. She felt that burst, even from where she was hanging. It wasn't a djinn's power or emulation. It was exactly the same power she would have drawn upon and used in casting that spell.

Zatanna had lost track of how many 'reallys' should be in the 'really bad' litany. Honestly, it didn't matter. There weren't enough reallys in the English language to describe how bad this was.

"Now... one more thing, Zatanna. Just one. You see... until we're ready to start the project... well. Honestly? I can learn from experience. I know that even though your containment is perfect and there's no chance you'll escape... assuming that means you won't escape would be foolish. So, leaving you with all that power locked away, ready to explode? Not prudent. But that's all right. I have a plan for that. And what's more... it means not wasting a resource. And I do hate to waste resources."

Zatanna's eyebrows went up. What was he--

"You see..." Lex slowly approached Zatanna. "I've been in a lot of fights in my career. And I know there are certain disadvantages to being a 'mere human,' as ridiculous as it is to describe me as a mere anything." Lex loosened his tie. "I choose not to walk down those same old paths. It's a new age, after all. And I want to be ready for anything... in ways none of your friends will possibly be expecting."

Lex reached over, and touched a single control on the arcane-tech console in front of Zatanna, still looking up at her. He smiled slightly.

The collar around Zatanna's neck hummed with warmth, vibration, and power once again. Once again, she heard her own voice ring out, and realized she could even feel her vocal cords vibrating with the words, even as her power shifted to accomodate... "Mia taht ot htgnerts lacigam reh lla htiw mih gnisufni dna edam ydaerla s'eh snoitaraperp eht gnileuf dna, ecneuqes suounitnoc ni tlef reve sah annataZ smsagro esnetni tsom eht gnireggirt, reh fo tuo ti elkcus ot rohtuL xeL wolla neht dna, ydob eritne reh hguorht hsur citore na gnisuac, tnorferof eht ot laitnetop dna rewop lacigam s'annataZ fo ecnuo yreve gnirb!"

Zatanna blinked. She could parse mnemonic incantations as quickly as she heard them... bring all her power to the forefront with an erotic rush... let Luthor suckle it out to fuel his preparations?!

There was a flux deep inside Zatanna, and suddenly a corona of light, power, and electricity seemed to burst from her, arcing all around her even as her body was flooded with endorphins and hormones, lust and desire combining into an ardor she'd never experienced -- not at this intensity, not even at highest level Tantric actions -- and a hunger and need to be touched--

And Lex stepped up onto the platform, heedless of the power coruscating around the mage, leaned down... took her nipple in his mouth and sucked.

Zatanna screamed voicelessly, her body spasming into an orgasm she could feel in every cell of her body, as her very magical essence seemed to be climaxing... even as it focused into her breast and flowed with erotic intensity into Lex Luthor. She threw her head from side to side, barely able to comprehend the ecstacy she felt on a physical and spiritual level, feeling herself connect to Luthor, feeling him drink her dry... not milk... not actual liquid of any kind... she wasn't lactating... but the magical potentia that was a part of her psyche, her neurology, her soul, draining out of her like she was cumming it directly into his and she couldn't begin to stop!!!

It felt like it lasted forever. It felt like it was over in seconds. Zatanna had no idea. All she knew was suddenly he was stepping back, and her body was as drained as she could remember... she had overextended her magic before. Sometimes almost critically. But she had never felt this fundamental exhaustion of her magical potential before now. She hung in the restraints... head lolling forward... feeling her juices dripping down her thigh...

Zatanna **** her head back up, and looked at Lex.

To the unaware, he likely looked normal... but Zatanna could see, for a long moment, a corona of white around him... that titanic magical essence... merging and infusing and becoming Lex Luthor... her power becoming his power...

And then it seemed to suck inside and vanish from view -- even her's. She knew it was still there, of course. But even Doctor Fate wouldn't be able to sense the maelstrom of magical power that was doing something even Zatanna didn't comprehend inside of Lex Luthor. And she had absolutely no way to warn anyone.

"You may be wondering why I used your own magical power to facilitate that specific transfer, rather than Ovyah's," Lex said, idly. "Well, you can be certain I'll be using Ovyah's talents as a part of my personal defense as well, but as I said... I've learned a few lessons over time. One of them is to never put my eggs in a single basket. What you just gave me -- to your complete joy, I would add -- came exclusively from you, not her. And it will again. I have every intention of regularly drinking your power into myself. But don't worry. Thanks to Ovyah, we'll be able to recharge you to full whenever we need you to do something for us. I'm just not stupid enough to leave you charged like that."

Lex adjusted his tie, turning and stepping back down off the platform. "Get some rest, Zatanna. Soon enough, we'll need to get Project: Simulacra up and running, and you're going to want to be at your best..." he looked over his shoulder. "Unless, of course, you don't want the best possible future for your own daughter. Some people are like that, I suppose. Monsters, really."

Zatanna watched Lex walk towards the exit, before her head fell forward again. She was so tired. And she knew that Ovyah -- as Zatanna -- was at the Watchtower, making sure no one knew she was even a captive... and making sure all her contingencies would be safely neutralized.

Well crap. Looks like it was going to be the sixth fallback after all. Like she needed that stress in her life.