PROJECT: NULL (DC)

Amanda Waller sat at the head of a long conference table, surrounded by an assembly of executives, military officials, and high-ranking bureaucrats. The air was thick with tension, and the fluorescent lights above did little to soften the harshness of the moment. Each of the gathered individuals represented significant sources of funding or influence over her clandestine operations. And each of them, Waller knew, was waiting to pounce.

"Ms. Waller," began a graying man in a pinstriped suit, his tone steeped in irritation. "We've been pouring resources into your projects for months, and yet, we have nothing tangible to show for it. The board's patience is wearing thin."

A woman with sharp features and an even sharper voice chimed in. "Your initiatives are draining billions of taxpayer dollars, yet all we hear are whispers of progress and vague promises. Where are the results?"

Waller leaned back in her chair, her expression as cold and unyielding as steel. She clasped her hands together and let the silence stretch long enough to make the room uncomfortable. "The results you're so desperate for," she began, her voice low and authoritative, "are not something you can measure in profit margins or quarterly reports. What I'm building isn't just another defense initiative. This is about safeguarding humanity against threats no one else can handle."

"That's all well and good in theory," the first man countered, "but theories don't pay the bills. We need more than rhetoric, Ms. Waller."

"You'll get more when it's ready," Waller shot back, her tone brooking no argument. "Or would you rather we wait until the next alien invasion or rogue metahuman wipes out a city?" She leaned forward, her piercing gaze locking onto the man. "I'm not asking for your faith. I'm asking for your patience."

The room buzzed with murmurs of discontent, but before anyone could launch another verbal assault, the doors swung open. The collective attention of the room shifted as Lex Luthor strode in, his presence commanding instant respect—and, for some, trepidation.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Luthor began, his voice smooth and assured, "surely you're not giving Amanda Waller a hard time." He smiled, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "After all, she's one of the few people in this building with the vision to prepare for the inevitable."

The executives exchanged uneasy glances. Luthor continued, taking a casual stance behind Waller's chair. "If funding is your concern, allow me to ease your minds. I'll personally invest in her projects. Consider this my vote of confidence in Ms. Waller's abilities."

The room fell silent. Even those who wished to protest found themselves hesitant to challenge Luthor directly. Waller stood, offering a curt nod to the room. "If there are no further objections, I think this meeting is over."

One by one, the executives and officials began to file out, their complaints temporarily silenced. As the last of them left, Waller turned to Luthor.

"You didn't have to do that," she said.

Luthor smirked. "I know. But now you owe me, and I like keeping you in my debt. Shall we?"

The elevator descended deep below the surface, the hum of machinery growing louder with each passing floor. When the doors opened, Waller stepped into an expansive underground laboratory. The space was dimly lit, with harsh fluorescent lights casting long shadows over the rows of incubation chambers lining the walls. Each chamber contained a fetus, suspended in a viscous liquid and connected to an array of monitors and tubes.

Scientists in white lab coats moved between the stations, their expressions a mix of concentration and unease. Waller's eyes scanned the room, lingering on the pods. Many of the fetuses were deformed, their bodies twisted into grotesque shapes. Others floated lifelessly, their development cut short by some unseen flaw.

"This is what your team has accomplished so far?" Waller asked, her voice tight with frustration.

Luthor walked beside her, hands clasped behind his back as he observed the scene with detached interest. "Growing the fetuses isn't the issue," he explained. "The problem lies in restructuring their DNA. Giving them the ability to nullify superpowers without compromising their humanity is proving... difficult. Each attempt destabilizes their genetic structure, resulting in the outcomes you see here."

Waller's jaw tightened as she turned to him. "You assured me this was possible."

"It is," Luthor replied, his tone calm and measured. "But science is a process, not a miracle. The modifications you're asking for are unprecedented. To make these beings capable of nullifying any superpower, we're pushing the limits of what's biologically possible. And when we push too far, well…" He gestured toward a particularly grotesque specimen, its elongated limbs twitching involuntarily.

"Damn it," Waller muttered under her breath. She turned away from the pods, her mind racing. "What do you need to fix this?"

Luthor's smirk returned, tinged with a hint of amusement. "A few options come to mind. We could integrate cybernetic enhancements to stabilize their physiology. It would ensure the modifications hold."

"No," Waller said sharply. "I want them human, not machines. Cybernetics are off the table."

"Then," Luthor said, his voice lowering slightly, "you'll need to embrace the supernatural. Magic, for lack of a better term. There are certain... artifacts and rituals that could bridge the gap between what's natural and what you desire."

Waller's lips thinned into a line. The idea of relying on magic didn't sit well with her. It was unpredictable, unquantifiable, and far removed from the controlled methods she preferred. But as she glanced back at the lifeless forms floating in the pods, she knew her options were limited.

"If that's what it takes," she said finally, "then we'll pursue it. But don't think for a second that I'm happy about this."

Luthor chuckled softly. "Happiness is irrelevant, Amanda. Results are all that matter. And I'll get you your results."

Waller turned back to the lab, her mind already working through the next steps. The stakes were too high to falter now. Whatever it took, she would see this through to the end.