I Moderate (i_moderate) wrote in we_archive, @ 2006-07-09 21:42:00 |
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Entry tags: | lex luthor |
i_kryptify Catching Up [Narrative]
"Welcome to LexCorp, Mr. Luthor! Stocks are currently on the rise, bypassing Stark Industries and wavering on the mark with Wayne Tech, but -- Oh! We just jumped up on Wayne by two points! I have taken the liberty of reorganizing your schedule, pushing back your twelve o'clock to one so that you can have the extra thirty minutes for lunch. Be sure to let me know if the steak is medium rare. Last week they cooked it for ten seconds longer than what you prefer and I told them that if it wasn't right by this weekend they'd be moved out of food industries and into research. We're short on volunteers in that sector and what with the recent shift in..."
Lex had been in a perpetual state of shock since he stepped off that island and into the middle of the intersection. There was a fragment of his mind that continued to tell him that; 1.) he was dreaming, insanities brought on by a bad late night snack, 2.) he was dead, struck by hunger or dehydration on that worthless piece of sand, 3.) he was dead, the illustrious Man of Steel finally getting the better of him, or 4.) he was insane.
No. Not possible. He was Lex Luthor. Lex Luthor was in perfect mental condition. He never was and never would be insane.
Even if everything pointed to the contrary?
He was standing on the bottom floor of his Metropolis based corporation, the lobby rustling and bustling with employees scurrying here and there to complete the work that he had apparently assigned for them. Everything was as it had been, as it was, as it should be. But the view from the windows leading outside was all wrong. This wasn't Metropolis. This wasn't New York. Hell, this wasn't even Gotham.
He was starting to think that maybe that car had hit him, and this was a sick fantasy version of the afterlife.
"Mr. Luthor?"
Pause.
"Mr. Luthor?"
Pause.
"Lex?"
"What?!"
He blinked.
"I said, Tony Stark's executive assistant is on line one and wants to know what you plan on doing about the development down at the pier."
Lex quirked a brow.
"What ... was I planning on doing about it before?"
The assistant gave him a peculiar look of blankness, as though trying to mentally determine whether or not this was some kind of test that would either make or break the fate of his employment at The City Industries, or if the bald man before him had actually just suffered some kind of seizure blackout. He made the smart choice by opting to repeat exactly what he had heard before.
"Well, you have remained a staunch advocate for allowing the current night life to continue to thrive at the docks, sir. It's a large source of revenue for the company."
Lex blinked.
"And Stark...?"
"...Would like to see it closed up claiming that it's nothing but a source for violence and criminal activity."
Lex grinned. Then he reached out and gave the kid a strong pat on the back.
"Well, you heard what I said! Why do you have to go asking me a second time? If I change my mind, I'll let everyone know I've changed my mind. And I haven't changed my mind!"
"Ye--Yes, sir, Mr. Luthor, sir."
"What's your name again, kid? Oh, that doesn't matter. Push back my one o'clock until two. I think I'm going to take a longer break today than usual. I'm feeling in a bit of a mood. Like I need to catch up on some things."
"Yes, of course, Mr. Luthor. Anything you say, sir."
"Now ... tell me what Bruce Wayne is up to these days..."