It was a cold day in the Metropolis Police Department's interrogation room. The two men were tired neither had gotten a good night's sleep. The man on the left side of the room was tall well, built he dressed in nice blue suit, white shirt, and red tie. The other man could swear he looked familiar he for some reason felt like he was seeing a ghost.
The man in the blue suit after a long silence finally spoke "My name is Clark Kent I work for the Daily Planet. I'd like to thank you for agreeing to this interview Mr.-"
"Luthor, Lex Luthor." The man on the other side answered "I agreed to this interview to clear up some unfortunate misgivings the public has about me." Lex added maintaining his composer.
"I see so you did not spend an extensive number of years living under an assumed name. During this time, you allegedly enrolled in and later joined as a SHIELD operative while posing as a British citizen. You of complete sound mind then proceeded to get close to a promising young woman known as Jemma Simmons. Why?" Clark asked maintaining his professional demeanor.
"I was recruited out of juvi into an experimental program run by an organization called A.R.G.U.S. it was at the time run by a man named Richard Flag. After his death at the hands of Hydra agents, A.R.G.U.S. fell into disarray but many operatives remained active and forced to stay under cover as they had no other recourse. I was one of those operatives." Lex explained speaking in a civilized tone.
"Until a year ago at least." Clark clarified "You made a deal with an old training buddy of yours. The new head of A.R.G.U.S. a woman named Amanda Waller. You helped her destroy and undermine the authority and reputation of the agency called the A.T.C.U. which in reality was S.H.I.E.L.D. operating under a different name why?" Clark asked clearly disgusted.
"For a simple enough reason S.H.I.E.L.D. was outdated and would lead society backwards and Phil Coulson's leadership or perhaps I should say incompetence caused more damage than I can possibly list. His failures and idiocy truly reached astounding levels. He failed to recognize not one but two spies on his team. One Grant Ward a HYDRA operative and-" Lex stopped giving pause as he gave Clark Kent a more intense look.
"What is it?" Clark aske hiding his concern with false frustration.
"I remember now who you remind me of. You bear a slight resemblance to a former friend. A friend who was revealed to nothing but a traitor. He was like a brother to me I actually allowed myself to believe in the goodness of humanity." Lex scoffed "Such a fool I was. Still I never really hated him no my hatred my true hatred was reserved for Phil Coulson. The man sent me and Jemma blindly into Grant Ward's and we consequently ended up at the bottom of the ocean. He may as well have pushed the button himself."
"I see you seem to hate Phil Coulson a great deal. I'd think you'd hate this Ward person." Clark smirked having no idea the man ever felt this way.
"I respected Ward more than I truly let on. I had this romantic rival of sorts that Jemma met while shall we say stranded in a desolate location. Ward actually offered to eliminate him for me and I…" Lex paused careful not to give too much away.
"You were what?" Clark asked but he already clearly his old friend had more in common with his false self than he did. He could tell Lex admired and revered Grant Ward no doubt he was touched by the offer to an extent.
"I was appalled of course still I like to think Grant Ward cared for me and Jemma to some extent." Lex answered.
"I do have one question for you Mr. Luthor one I think you will be less open with but I will ask you anyway. HYDRA, or rather Gideon Malick had access to files concerning a project referred to as Second Life. It involved a device referred to as…" Clark looked at his notes "Tahiti. That is of course if I'm reading it correctly. I'll be blunt Mr. Luthor I've done my research I know the Second Life program was used to control and study the enhanced or those suspected of being shall we say illegal aliens. I also know your mother had an affair with Gideon but was disgraced and cast out of high society. Where he remained his reputation untarnished. Your mother committed suicide when you were five and you were sent to live with your Uncle, Lionel Luthor who out of contempt for your mother and her transgression passed you off as his own son. However, you are Gideon's son and as his sole remaining heir now that he is dead and your half-sister with him. Which means by default you inherit everything combined with the estate and business you are inheriting from Lionel you stand to be one of the most powerful men in the world."
"A riveting tale but I fail to see the relevance." Lex countered trying to figure out Clark's interest.
"You likely inherited these files. Files containing the names and locations of Second Life victims. Don't their remaining friends and family deserve closure?"
"Closure?" Lex smirked "Now I get it. I know who you remind me of, Grand Ward. He was rather fond of that word. Regardless I gave the proper authorities access to all Gideon's illegal secrets."
"That' a lie."
"Regardless of what you believe it's the truth Mr. Kent." Lex replied maintaining his composure "If I didn't know any better I'd think you were Grant Ward risen from the dead. After all we live in an age where a man in a red cap can fly, lift buildings with little to no effort, incinerate obstacles with a glance or a breath and out run a speeding bullet not that he need fear bullets. A man of steel a true god among men. The people look to him and they see a messiah-" he chuckled in between "they second coming… I see another Grant Ward waiting to happen. Are you familiar with the story of Lucifer and the Prodigal Son?"
"Yes." Clark answered clearly hesitant.
"Both stories are true parallels of one another a son disgraces his father and family so he's cast out. The Son returns to his father and is forgiven while Lucifer who like Grant Ward was once the brightest light in heaven was cast down into the depths condemned to rule hell deprived of forgiveness and shunned from paradise Lucifer became the adversary, Satan he became the Devil." Lex spoke with such charisma Clark found it surprising he thought about how thing use to be back then in the beginning how the team was like a family ironic that he and Lex truly were hiding their true selves in more ways than one "Just as Lucifer was God's most beautiful and loyal angel Ward was the brave white knight in our group or family if you want to get sentimental." Lex paused for a moment clearly emotional but trying his hardest to hide his pain "I owe Mr. Ward a debt of gratitude he made me believe in the goodness of man like a mighty angel he showed me a promise of tomorrow and then he dropped me into the bows of the oceans straight into hell. Teaching me the error of my ways that there are no heroes!" Lex decreed slamming his fist into the table. He raised his hand as if reciting the bible "You see Mr. Kent devil's don't come from hell beneath us they can come from the sky above us."
"That's why you hate the man in the red cape? You think he's a false god of some kind that he'll destroy the world?"
"Oh yes, make no mistake this man of steel, this Superman he's a false god and he will destroy us all." Lex said.
"Do you have the files I was asking for or not?" Clark bit his lip angry by how cocky Lex was behaving "Okay how about this you don't give me what I want I will use my resources as a reporter to make sure Ms. Simmons never has a career of any kind. I will slander her reputation to the point that the best she can hope for as a scientist is teaching chemistry in a high school. I will also make sure that she's deported back to the UK and never allowed to leave the country after all SHIELD was labeled a terrorist organization right? I doubt if I made certain people aware of her presence on U.S. soil she'd be treated well." Clark was glad to see he made Lex nervous "Right now I imagine your, thinking you could give her a job in an over sea company you own or move to the UK but we both know that won't happen she's too proud and you love this city, Metropolis too much it's in your blood. It's where you were born, raised, and where you'll die."
Lex smirked if only to hide his rage "I see it. Simmons and I were captured by HYDRA at one point. By Ward of all people that idiot Coulson kidnapped his brother provoking him so he tortured Simmons to make me talk. I remember this look he had in his eyes this hate like he'd do whatever it took to protect what little he loved you just then you looked just like him Mr. Kent. I do know a little bit about Second Life of course interesting enough I discovered to files Christian and Thomas Ward were both part of it. Neither knew they were sort of like sleeper agents. Do you know the most fascinating thing?"
"No what?" Clark asked hesitantly.
"Not only were they not related but I found no evidence Grant Ward ever existed before he joined SHIELD. I have a theory I think they were never related that their memories were fabricated as a means of controlling them as with the many unfortunate victims of this Second Life project. I think when Coulson launched Ward's body into the sun to make sure Hive was gone he didn't destroy anything I think he unintentionally restored Ward to life and consequently his true self was awakened during his regeneration. I think you Mr. Kent are covering your own ass and that you want those files to hide your dirty secret. That Grant Ward, Clark Kent, and Superman are all the same person."