I Moderate (i_moderate) wrote in we_archive, @ 2005-12-28 02:19:00 |
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Entry tags: | bruce wayne, lana lang |
i_seekthelost Strange Things Are Happening [ Narrative ]
Summary: Bruce Wayne briefly meets Lana Lang.
Bruce Wayne stepped out of one elevator just as a security guard and a striking red-head stepped out of another. It'd taken more attention than he liked to deal with his side of the new City United Industries.
He missed Lucius Fox, immensely. The man would have taken being told that WayneTech was now one leg of a triumvirate in style. A few phone calls, a couple hours spent pouring over the legal jargon of the merger contract and it would be known, simply and plainly just where the company stood.
As it was, he'd had to do it all himself. It took time. Time that took him away from mapping and exploring the City. Time that took him away from talking to and dealing with Tim, and Barbara. And it took precious time away from tracking down Jason.
Not that he was sure how to begin with that.
Looking up, he smiled warmly at the waiting secretary. But she was exceedingly nervous as she and the guard talked in low voices, while the red-head glanced about the outer office as if...
It struck Bruce quite suddenly. It was as if everything was just almost familiar. A situation he'd found himself in, and he'd observed in Tim.
He caught her eye and held out his hand "Bruce Wayne. May I have the wonderful pleasure of making your acquaintance ?"
She smiled. "Dr. Lana Lang." Lana held out her hand, her ring flashing a touch in the light. It tended to do that despite not being particularly ostentatious.
"Beautiful ring." Bruce observed.
"Thank you. My husband has unique taste. Luckily, I share it."
Together they shared a polite chuckle and Bruce seeing the secretary disappear hastily through the doors to Lex's office, threw himself onto a nearby sofa, all sprawled limbs and elegant, reckless masculinity.
"Medical doctor ?" he inquired with an arched brow and a slightly flirtatious smile. Very slightly. It was just a hint of invitation for the sort of mutual charming that happened in the outer offices of business magnates.
She seemed familiar enough with it, as she flashed one in returned and sat down, legs crossed neatly at the ankle, like a lady. "Doctor of Archeology."
Bruce tilted his head. "The study of... ancient civilizations ?"
She shook her head. "Not quite. The study of evidence of ancient civilizations. The puzzling out of why these tools, why that method of agriculture or medicine or house building."
"You sound impassioned."
She tilted her head a bit, a slight blush on her pale cheeks. "I am. It can get quite boring." Her eyes went to the double office doors suddenly and she paused, as if suddenly realizing something. She had, in fact. She'd just realized that she'd asked to speak to Lex, and now there she was, outside what was obviously his office. There was just something about the office decor that reminded her of him. Had he bought a new building and simply hadn't mentioned it yet ?
But what was he doing, here ? Home. In Metropolis. How had he managed to get there before her ? Or was the secretary going to recover the tools that would let her communicate with him ?
Bruce interrupted her mind's wanderings.
"I don't mind a passionate woman. There's nothing she can say that could ever, truly be boring." He leaned his head back against the couch a bit, glancing over at her. "It's something about the delivery. It makes you sit up and take notice."
Lana smiled. "If only all my students felt that way."
"You teach ?" It was the next logical question.
"I have. I probably will again now that I'm off my dig."
"And where were you exploring ?" Cause it couldn't have been here in the City.
"Thailand."
Bruce arched a brow. Could Thailand exist as a destination in a place where people didn't seem to know Metropolis or Gotham ?
"That's very far away."
Lana smiled again. "Only if you have someplace else you'd rather be."
"Do you ?" He asked leaning forward a bit now. He met her eyes, playing the game. It was always possible to up the ante a little with a married woman. The presumption of innocence was that much more assumed.
Lana laughed. "Not someplace else I'd rather be. But someplace I enjoy more. Someplace that's home."
The secretary chose that moment to interrupt them. "Excuse me Ma'am, Sir. Would you care for refreshments ? Coffee, juice, water ?"
Bruce shook his head. Lana nodded, however. "Coffee please. Two teaspoons of sugar."
The secretary started to move away, but just then, Lana noticed that the guard had disappeared, probably back downstairs.
"Excuse me, Braithwaite, the security guard who brought me up here. Has he gone to fetch the communicators I need to get in touch with Lex ?"
The secretary blinked looking very confused. "Communicators ? Do you mean a telephone ?"
"There aren't any telephones where my husband is, currently. I meant communicators. LexCorp long range communicators."
The secretary looked back at the office doors, and then back at the woman, blinking slightly. "I'm sorry Mrs. Luthor. I don't think I understand."
Bruce started slightly, he covered it by dropping the folder in his hand as if by accident and shifted to collect it again. Mrs. Luthor ? Mrs. Lex Luthor ? Did this Lex have a brother ? Perhaps with a similar nickname ? She seemed far too young to be his mother, but far too old to be his daughter.
There was a soft buzz from the secretary's desk. She held up her hand, excused herself and went to answer the intercom. After a few moments, she looked up. "If you'll go ahead and go in, Doctor Lang, I'll bring your coffee in there."
Still confused and more than a little puzzled, Lana stepped through the office doors.