8445/Undercurrents: Analysis

Undercurrents: Analysis
Date of Scene:	22 July 2019
Location:	Science Labs, LexCorp Tower
Synopsis:	Lex Luthor gets an analysis of Hook from his scientists and sets them to finding counteragents. He orders strikes against groups importing Hook into Metropolis.
Thanks to:	Lex Luthor
Cast of Characters:	Lex Luthor, Aquaman
Tinyplot:	Undercurrents

---

Lex Luthor has posed:
It's taken a bit of time to get his 'trusted' chemists gathered, but LexCorp has reach, and resources... and Lex knows his talent. What they're doing isn't illegal by any means... but Lex has no interest in having the result of these tests published or known. There are many parties pushing this new fad... and he doesn't want to give those parties any warning on his plans, if he has to act against them.

Four chemists of various specialties have been called to subject the sample of Hook to vigorous testing. Animal testing and indirect human testing (there are people in the city using this stuff right now. Who better than the average Metropolis citizen kidnapped from their beds and taken back thinking the whole process was a dream to test on?) were approved, as were secrecy measures to keep the rest of the floors Labs in the dark.

They've had a full day with bleeding edge state-of-the-art facilities, and some beyond (this is LexCorp, the only company in the world with Brainiac derived sensor technology), and Lex was coming down the elevator, Hope and Mercy flanking to either side as Lex adjusts his black business suit.

Aquaman has posed:
Dr. Julia Armstrong is in the lab leading the group of chemists. Serious, ambitious and amoral when it comes to advancing science, she is currently reviewing a projected display of three neural maps on the lab's main holoprojector. On other displays there are chemical analysis, a gantt chart showing progress and live video of test subjects in various states of stupour, distress or death.
rDr. Johal Gupta, with his salt and pepper hair, is leaning against a high lab workbench and paying more attention to Dr. Armstrong's curves than her words.

Dr. Sarah Quan, the youngest and arguably brightest of the group his hunched over her computer typing away furiously.

"... making it obviously a non-trivial application of esoteric forces. Which I told you from the beginning," Dr. Sydney Lane, an older reed thin British man, pontificates.

When the doors to the lab open, Dr. Amstrong looks over. She turns fully when she sees Lex Luthor walk in.

"Good morning, sir," she greets him. Dr. Gupta turns his gaze to Hope and Mercy. Dr. Quan does not look up and Dr. Lane looks annoyed that his monologue was interrupted.

Lex Luthor has posed:
Doctor Lane is utterly ignored. Lex has pressing matters of both time and potential underworld politics to consider. Ego stroking is not on the list of his priorities.

"Good morning, Doctor Armstrong. I trust that we have preliminary results with the time I've given you." Lex informs Julia. While Lex also has an appreciation for beauty... flirting with his employees is a good way to distract then, and Lex is utterly serious about getting through this meeting quickly.

Mercy and Hope both notice Gupta's gaze, but the two Amazonians are always on their best behavior when it comes to their on-duty bodyguard work.

Stepping into the lab, Lex glances over to Doctor Quan briefly... but doesn't interrupt her. Instead, he looks back to Julia, his hands behind his back in a formal manner as he approaches, "What do you have for me."

Aquaman has posed:
"Dr. Gupta," Dr. Armstrong prompts.

The man turns his attention away from the Amazonians. "The drug is a novel compound. I am convinced the psychoactive component, a heroin analogue, is naturally derived. There is nothing on record anywhere to identify its source. It is mixed with more mundane compounds that appear to be filler. Though we learned that it was not that simple," Dr. Gupta finishes and gestures to Dr. Armstrong.

"The drug is several times more potent than fentanyl. First hand reports from test subjects are that it gives a more enjoyable and lasting effect than other heroin analogues," Dr. Armstrong reports. "When the psychoactive element is administered on its own and the subject is then deprived, it induces severe withdrawal effects. These are life-threatening in approximately 15% of subjects, which is higher than seen for other drugs in the same family. All animal models responded as expected to the psychoactive element."

"But that element is most important," Dr. Quan insists curtly in accented English. She finally looks up from her computer and towards the neural map projections. "Those are from brain of rat, monkey and human. The filler create very fast change in neural pathways to make brains addicted. One does of filler makes healthy brain like heroin user of many years. So drug filler psychologically conditions brain right away if psychoactive part of drug not given."

"This is not in science," Dr. Quan says with a gesture to her laptop as if that explains it. "Too fast changes, too many. Very specific."

"Which I told you from the beginning," Dr. Lane interjects. "I surmised immediately that esoteric energies were involved beyond the chemistry. The compound itself does not justify the intense need subjects display for it after even a single dose. Obviously, it there is an element of magic. Thankfully, I have excellent contacts. A very prestigious colleague of mine of many years, happens to have studied alchemy extensively. He discovered a pair of incomplete reports that suggest this 'filler', a ridiculous name for such a highly advanced chemico-magical mechanism, is Atlantean. The match is far from perfect, but nothing else in his immense experience comes close."

Lex Luthor has posed:
There's a long moment of silence as Lex visibly takes it all in. "Magic. Of course it's magic." Lex muses, a mix of sadness and anger in his tone, before he looks to the four in turn.

"So what you're telling me is the 'mundane' components of this new recipe seems to be there as a disguise, with the non-filler components magical and possibly Atlantean in origin that gives all the characteristics of a bio-weapon with addictive properties." Lex sums it up, before he looks to Julia, "is that your assessment?"

Aquaman has posed:
"No," Dr. Armstrong says. "It appears to be an ingeniously engineered narcotic. One that could easily displace any other illicit drug on the market."

Dr. Armstrong gestures at the holographic display and a visualization of Hook's chemical makeup is displayed. She wanders around it as she speaks.

"More potent than fentanyl, a better high than heroin, cheaper than crack cocaine at current prices. Perfectly tailored for human neurochemistry from a plant source we cannot identify. And to make sure its users must come back, to build an unbeatable market share, the alchemical compound, the 'filler', alters neural-pathways. A first-time user gets the ingrained psychological need of a three decade heroin user in minutes."

"It's brilliant, is what it is," Dr. Lane says. "Whoever did this was exceedingly skilled and will soon be exceedingly rich if they control supply. Who will want any other drug once they've tried this? And they will do anything to get it. Crackheads will disappear to be replaced by fishbait."

"Not hookheads? Or just addicts? Fishbait?" Dr. Gupta snerks. "That will never catch on."

"Why not?" Dr. Quan asks seriously. "Hookers is taken."

Lex Luthor has posed:
There's a silent nod from Lex, "If we can't identify where it comes from, it's probably Atlantean in origin." Lex speculates, before he heads to the main database terminal and starts to go through all the notes and test results, confirming for himself what has been said. "This has all the makings of establishing a covert beachhead. They'd turn humans into spies with one dose."

As he types away, surveying all the test results for himself... "This was very good work, all of you. It answers some very relevant questions."

There's a moment of silence as he finishes with the first few hours of data, "Metropolis is going to be flooded with this and it'll turn into a mess if this isn't controlled." He looks back to the four, "For the speedy work, I'll be adding bonuses to your next payday. As you can imagine, the results of this will be kept secret."

Aquaman has posed:
"Thank you, sir," Dr. Armstrong says for the group of them. "We will destroy any copies of data beyond what you will be given and dispose of the test subjects carefully. If there is any further need for us in this, I'm sure I speak for all of us when I say we are at your disposal. I highly doubt the public health authorities will make any headway with something this sophisticated. However, some pharmaceutical companies may attempt to capitalize by developing overdose aganonists or some sort of vaccine.

"Without an expert in esoteric energies, I do not see how it would be possible," Dr. Lane sniffs. "But I am known for doing the impossible."

Dr. Gupta rolls his eyes and Dr. Quan goes back to her laptop.

"I come back only if he fired," Dr. Quan says dryly and points at Dr. Lane. None of the scientists seem quite sure if she is joking or not.

Lex Luthor has posed:
"I'd like to find a way to counteract or mitigate the symptoms if possible. Keep covert study going for now. I'll give you all access to relevant databases for reports. if you can find the source of the components, all the better." Lex informs them as he finishes surveying the data, "I strongly suspect this drug is just the beginning, and I want to get out ahead of it."

Lex turns then, and starts to head back to the elevator, "If you need anything else, Doctor Armstrong, let me know. I consider this project among my top priorities right now."

Aquaman has posed:
"Of course, sir. I will put through a request for some support staff to speed this along," Dr. Armstrong says.

"Weeks together. Maybe months," Dr. Gupta says, staring after the Amazons. He brings his gaze back around to look at Dr. Armstrong with a smile. "An unexpected pleasure."

Dr. Lane huffs when he is not singled out for special praise by Lex Luthor, or even acknowledged. "You are all fortunate I can spare the time. I'm very busy."

"Good. You go get busy, I know much better chemist. He can do your work and be very quiet," she says with a look of annoyance at Lex and Dr. Armstrong.

"You're just angry because your sad little school has no hope of taking you to the heights of..."

"Thank you, Dr. Lane," Dr. Armstrong cuts him off firmly. "We enjoyed working with you."

Dr. Lane's face turns purple. He looks between the three scientists and finds no friends among. "Fine, I look forward to hearing of your inevitable failure," he says and slams his tablet down on his workbench. Dr. Lane stalks out of the room.

"See? Better already," Dr. Quan says and goes back to typing.

Lex Luthor has posed:
It's unfortunate for Doctor Lane that Lex assigned Doctor Armstrong as project lead for a reason, and he's currently racing the clock against how much damage Hook is doing.

"I'll keep in touch." Lex states as he turns back around in the elevator, presses the button to head to his office, and brings his arms behind his back once again as the doors close.

About five seconds of silence follow, before... "I didn't want to do this, but the fools bringing Hook into the city won't look at the long term costs of this. I'm going to have to take extreme measures." Lex informs Mercy and Hope. "Mercy, inform Alpha and Bravo Squads that they're going hot. I want a full tactical squad ready to go in two days. Make calls to our usual assassins as well, tell them to get to their safehouses. Hope, inform the Captain for the docks he's about to have a serious workload placed on him, and we're going to need cover stories for syndicate hits."

There's a moment as he looks at his watch, "In exactly three days, Metropolis is going to be bathed in blood to get Hook out of the city."