Vertex

(As reporters looked on.)

(Get this out to the Daily Planet.)

(His obituary will be front-page news.)

(Headline)

("Lex Luthor dies by the hand of Superman, 1980 - 2046.")

(Superman defeats his so-called nemesis by delivering a deadly blow to Lex Luthor's body.)

(As our hero holds one of our most prominent citizens in his arms, Luthor asks for a dying wish.)

Lex: (in a low and labored voice)

We have played this game for so… many years.

It has taken a toll on me.

My hair is gray and my body has been writhing all these years.

I'm sixty-six… and you…look the same as the first day I saw you some thirty-five years ago.

How… can that be?

(Gasping)

Back then… I thought you weren't that much older than I was.

How… old are you…?

Superman: (speaking with compassion)

Sixty

Lex: (having difficulty speaking)

How… how… can that be?

You don't look older than twenty-five.

Superman: Save your strength.

I'll get you to a hospital.

Dr. Bryce is a friend; she will be able to help you.

Lex: (coughing, shivering and breathing very heavily)

No…no…

I'm cold… can you hold me.

I've come close to death… but this is the first time it's creeping up my body… trying to take hold of me.

In another place and time we could've been friends… partners, ruling together, sharing power.

(Pausing and gasping)

People so need direction… a visionary to lead them.

The strong always survive.

Superman… we need to join our forces together… and take the human race into the stars and beyond.

All will say our names, legends… we would be kings among men.

Superman: There is no strength in power or control, only in your merits… can you serve the people.

Lex: (trying to chuckle at that statement and then turning desperate)

Superman grant me… a dying wish.

Superman: I can't grant wishes.

I don't have that ability.

Lex: (panting)

But you do…!

It's merely a simple task.

In my pocket there's a small box, just open it for me.

It has great sentimental value and I want to take it with me sort to speak.

(Superman opens the small box with Lex Luthor still in his arms. In the box a glow of green kryptonite radiates on both of their faces. Superman immediately becomes weak, vulnerable and cringes in pain.)

Superman: (struggling to get away and Lex holding onto him for dear life)

How do you… know my vulnerability?

Even now…upon your death you still play these games.

Lex: It's always about the game.

Your greatest vulnerability Superman is not this green rock.

It's your will to trust unconditionally.

My body may be dying but my will to live is strong… and… my will to win is even stronger… stronger than any one-man strength.

Stronger than you will ever be.

(Struggling to breathe)

I'm counting on your vulnerability to lead me to my victory over you.

I've found a way to travel back in time with a small device that I had imbedded in my lungs.

On my last breath it will activate and as long as I 'm hanging on to you, it will take you back with me and our lives will then be destine to weave together.

You won't remember a thing.

I in turn will have a breathing condition from the device but I will have moments of memories or instincts to direct me through my life again.

A small price to pay.

We will meet again Superman…

This time I will befriend your alter ego Clark Kent as a child.

Superman: (weak and almost unconscious)

How… how do you know about Clark?

Lex: (cynically laughing and panting)

I know everything about you.

It was nothing more than a puzzle that needed to be put together.

Very easy… when there is time and money to spare.

I hear teenage years are difficult, being an only child and raised in a small farm town. What was the name of that little place you called home?

Hmmm … Yes… what else but Smallville, how surreal.

You will need guidance, a confidant to um… shoot the breeze with.

We have a future Superman… and I don't want anything to stand in the way of our friendship.

You will join me then, wide-eyed, innocent, and willingly.

I will infiltrate everything in your life, family, friends, Dr. Swan, and your dear friend Dr. Bryce.

She will be my pleasure.

We will share power and will be a force like no other.

The true meaning of friendship… as I see it.

(Pausing and coughing)

You see if I would've gone with my father to Smallville on that day of the meteor shower?

Everything could have been different.

That… was the pinnacle point.

Don't feel isolated… I'm not only going back for you… I have retribution to replay with my father.

(Touching Superman's face Lex took his last breath and both Luthor and Superman are whirled back in time. To the point where Lex Luthor considers the pinnacle point; the vertex.)

***************************************************************

(October 1989, nine year old Lex Luthor)

Lex: (desperate and frantic)

Please, dad I want to go with you!

Lionel: (in a bothered tone)

Smallville is no place for you Lex.

I have bigger and better plans for you, son.

Now stop it, I won't tolerate unbecoming behavior.

Lex: (tugging at his father's suit)

Please, I've got to go… Please…

Lionel: (shooing Lex's hands away from him)

What are you doing!

Stop touching me!

(Pause)

I thought you hated the helicopter.

Lex: So did I … but…but…for some reason I want to go with you any way.

Call it instinct.

Call it what you will, I have got to go father!

Lionel: If you want to go, you're going to meet your fear head on.

There will be no closing of your eyes while we are in flight.

(Annoyed tone)

And…stop that irritating whining it's… un-Luthor like.

Come along… and don't embarrass me.

Lex: (with a mischievous grin)

I wouldn't think of it father.

****************************************************

(Later that day Lionel met with the Ross brothers for a business deal. Lex went into the cornfield for some solitude and just to get away from his father presence. The meteor showers struck the field hard, wide, and fast. Lex was left unconscious and his hair was left pile in a heap at the side of his head. Lionel seeking help for his son came across Jonathan and Martha Kent in their truck, with them was a very young child. Jonathan drove the Luthor's to the hospital. )

Lionel: If there is ever anything I can do for you.

Jonathan: That's not necessary.

Lionel: I mean it.

(Handing him a business card)

Just call me.

******************************************************

(The Kents decided to take Lionel offer. They asked Lionel Luthor to get together the documentation needed to adopt young Clark. Lionel comes to the Kent farm to finalize the agreement.)

(Lionel knocking at the door with Lex in tow.)

Martha: Mr. Luthor… please come in.

Jonathan is in the barn.

(Martha turns and addresses Lex in a very empathic manner.)

How are you feeling?

(Lex caught sight of a little boy across the way and without looking at Martha answered her question.)

Lex: I'll live…!

Martha: (caresses Lex head and face)

I am sorry about your hair.

I'm sure it will grow back.

Lex: It was an unexpected surprise but the truth of the matter is… I will be follicle challenged for the rest of my life… on the up side my asthma went away.

A small price to pay.

Lionel: (with a fake grin)

Out of the mouth of babes.

At times I think he speaks like a man…trapped in a child's body.

(Squeezing Lex shoulders very hard for his insolence.)

(Lex is giving his father the evil eye and then turns to continue to stare at the boy while speaking to Martha.)

Lex: I am doing better, it's all in the past now…it's nothing to dwell on…

Thank you for asking.

(Uncomfortable pause)

Lionel: I'll go and meet with your husband in the barn.

Come along Lex.

Lex: I want to stay here and visit with Clark.

Lionel: (with a confused look and whispers into Lex's ear.)

How do you know his name?

(Lex stunned himself at knowing the boy's name.)

Lex: (in a demanding tone.)

I don't know… but I want to stay for a bit.

(Lex seeing that his father was not going to give in. With a sly smile and an overly dramatic tone, then embracing his fathers waist)

Please daddy…Oh please…

(Lionel cringing and patting Lex on the face. Trying not to look bothered by Lex's behavior.)

Lionel: (looking at Martha)

Is it all right with you, at times he has a will of his own.

Martha: It's fine.

Go ahead.

Martha: (turning to Lex and giving him reassuring nods.)

You can go play with him.

Lex: (with a gentle voice)

Hey…there little guy.

(Caressing Clark's cheek with his finger and sits across from him.)

You're so small…

What ya doing… Hmmm…

(Clark looking clue-less but with a big smile on his face.)

Lex: My name is L-e-x.

Can you say may name Clark… Hmmm…

(Pause)

Hey buddy…can you speak?

(Turning to Martha)

Why isn't he talking?

Martha: (with a smile on her face)

I'm not sure but he is a very sweet little boy and… he's also very strong.

Lex: I bet he is…!

Martha: What…

Lex: (shaking his head)

Nothing…

Martha: He'll develop in his own time.

Lex: Umm… How old is he?

Martha: Oh… about three.

Lex: Yes… that makes sense.

Martha: What…

Lex: Nothing…

(He paused and felt confused)

I'm not sure.

Sometimes I still feel like I'm in a fog.

It's strange but familiar.

(Noticing he was rambling)

Don't worry Mrs. Kent, like my dad said …out of the mouth of babes.

That would… be me.

Lex: (talking to Clark in the most earnest tone)

What's this…?

(Lex picks up a toy rocket that Clark was playing with and begins to swoop it around his head and makes noises with it. Clark giggles and laughs and points to the toy. Lex gives him the toy and Clark mimics Lex same movements.)

(Martha was surprised at how mature Lex was with Clark. He was like an adult interacting with a child.)

Martha: You're very good with small children.

Do you have any brothers or sisters?

Lex: The gene pool cease to exist after me.

You can say I broke the mold.

(Pause)

(Talking to Clark and starring at him)

We are going to be friends… because I like you Clark.

Do you like me?

(Clark got up and touches Lex head with his cheek.)

Martha: Awww…That his way of kissing someone.

He likes you to.

Lex: If you ever decide to adopt another child, look me up.

My mother is dying and I can get rid of the old man…after I finish giving him a run for his money.

(Martha stunned by Lex's remarks and feels sorry for the child.)

(Lionel walks into the house.)

Lionel: All right Lex… my business is done here.

Let's go…goodbye Mrs. Kent.

(Jonathan walk in)

Jonathan: I don't want the Luthor's in this house ever again.

Martha: They are a strange sort of family.

Talking to his little boy… I almost felt like I was talking to a grown man.

I feel so sorry for that child.

Jonathan, promise me… we will let Clark be a child for as long as he can.

I don't want him to grow up to fast... like that little boy.

**************************************************************

(Fast-forward 12 years.)

Lionel: (clearly frustrated)

What's this idiotic obsession you have with a pothole on a bridge in Smallville?

I can't believe your wasting my money on a cause to prevent it from being fixed.

Have you gone insane?

Lex: (laughing)

I like that pothole… it has charm.

Lionel: Fine, you like the charm of that pothole, then you will like living close to it.

I am sending you to Smallville indefinitely to run the Luthorcorp fertilizing plant there.

Lex: (looking angry)

I'll fight you on this.

Lionel: That's the spirit!

A year or two there and you'll be coming back to your senses.

**************************************************************

(Lex driving his Porsche at eighty miles per hour through Smallville.)

Lex: (talking to himself)

Thanks dad…

(Chuckling to himself)

This is exactly where I wanted to be.

(Cell phone rings)

The head of security at Luthorcorp in Smallville:

Mr. Luthor did you order a truckload of barbed wire to be deliver today.

Lex: Yes… I did…!

(Lex puts down the cell phone and it rings again. He sees the truck hitting the pothole on the bridge and sees someone leaning on the guardrail. He also sees the barb wire falling off the back of the truck. To avoid hitting it, he swerve's out of the way. The car skidded as he barreled into that person standing on the bridge. His eyes meeting that person eyes and a grin surfaced. The car rams through the guardrail and then into the river.)

(Clark underwater shaking himself too. He sees the car and peels back the roof of the car and rescues the baldheaded man. Clark revives the almost close to death man.)

****************************************************

(Lex wanting to repay his debt to Clark buys him a truck. Jonathan forbids Clark to keep it and he must return it back to Lex.)

(At the mansion)

Lex: Thanks to you…I have got a second chance.

We have a future Clark…and I don't want anything to stand in the way of our friendship.

END

Disclaimer:

I respect DC Comics characters and the WB Smallville show writers and their copyrights. My intentions are not to take anything from anyone. I just wanted to activate some of my dormant brain cells that have been lying low for awhile. I love the characters and want to have fun with them. All I am doing is making a story from what was already created. So take a chill pill. On that note please don't sue. I have nothing and nothing from nothing leaves you and me with nothing. Bottom line is, my net worth is zero.