The luxury hotel suite was almost eerily silent, broken only by the soft crackle of the fireplace. Lady Shiva, as impassive as ever, stood before the holographic screen displaying the distorted silhouette of L-1.
"My lord," she began, her voice neutral.
The electronic, glacial voice of L-1 cut through the air before she could continue. "You have failed. The arena is compromised. Our guests are panicked. The investment is lost."
Shiva did not flinch. "It is true. The venture was more than profitable, I admit. But one must always... account for everything. A setback is inevitable in any strategic game."
A heavy silence settled, which L-1 finally broke. "This is true. A tactical defeat is acceptable, if it serves the overall strategy."
A faint smile, as cold as steel, touched Shiva's lips. "Precisely. And our retreat was not in vain. During the fights, our medical teams extracted samples without the subjects' knowledge."
She slid a file towards the hologram. Complex genetic data, DNA sequences, and biochemical analyses scrolled past.
"We have collected the blood of these women. Wonder Woman, Hawkgirl, Zatanna... Every drop is a treasure trove. Their genetic code, the markers of their metahuman powers, their extraterrestrial or mystical origins... it is all here."
Satisfaction was palpable in L-1's distorted voice. "Excellent. Very excellent. Our new partner will be delighted."
A new silhouette, smaller but equally anonymous, briefly appeared next to L-1.
"The Director of the Cadmus Project has... ambitious visions," L-1 continued. "With these samples, she can accelerate her research exponentially. Forge living weapons. Perhaps even create a lineage of superior soldiers, inspired by this world's greatest heroines."
Shiva inclined her head slightly. "Their defeat today will fuel our victories tomorrow. They believe themselves free, but they have just handed us the keys to their own replacement."
"Indeed," concluded L-1. "The failure of a pawn is nothing when the entire chessboard belongs to you. Your next assignment will be communicated shortly."
The communication cut off, leaving Shiva alone in the opulent suite. She looked out the floor-to-ceiling window at the glittering city below. They had lost a battle, a spectacle. But they had gained an invaluable resource. The true war, the one fought in laboratories and shadows, had just taken a decisive turn. The heroes had saved their friends, but they had unknowingly delivered the very essence of their power to their worst enemies. The game of The Light was far more complex, and far more dangerous, than a simple fighting arena.