JUST BUSINESS

Lesson

The limo parked at the rear of the city's tallest skyscraper. Dick and Bruce took the maintenance crew entry and than the cargo elevator to the topmost floor. Keeping up appearances was important and reckless celebrities didn't go to work straight form the hospital bed. The meeting was in Fox's office, as was customary. It was only one of the small gestures with which Bruce acknowledged the older man's importance to the company.

„He's selling his own shares, isn't he? " Bruce spoke as Dick drove him in Lucius' office.

The older man rose from his desk. "Yes." He stammered, torn between greeting them, answering and inquiring about Dicks presence.

Dick silently shook Fox's hand and took a corner seat, letting the two men talk.

"I've been digging so deep I've missed the obvious." Bruce passed a hand through his short cropped hair."

Assuming Dick would just be a spectator for now, Fox turned his attention to Bruce. "How did you find out?"

„He told me. " Bruce answered mysteriously, his eyes downcast and his mind hard at work. „This means his have gone down while ours are going up. " He spoke quietly, thinking aloud.

Lucius slumped back into his chair. „It will be easier to buy LexCorp shares than our own." He sighed.

Bruce looked at him, his face a eureka. „What's the status of the development fund? "

„The donations have exceeded our expectations. Why? "

„We'll forgo standard practice of profit reinvestment and use all fund resources to buy every LexCorp share available." Bruce made an explanation and an order in the same phrase.

Realizing, Lucius leaned in closer. „He'll buy us, we'll buy him..."

„And than we'll switch back." Bruce confirmed. "Of course we'll have to do it indirectly so as not to alert him of our knowledge of his plans"

"Of course." Lucius nodded, than stapled his fingers „But if we use the fund, it goes public. " He warned.

Bruce gave Dick a questioning look.

Dick made a slight, slow nod.

"Just gather the money." Bruce said reassuringly. "And while we're talking about the fund, here are more names. " Bruce handed him Leslie's list.

„You know, I've looked up Gotham's crime rate a few days ago." Lucius said as he wrote down the names in his schedule. „We're at the top. Lowest crime rates in the state. "

„Really? " Bruce and Dick both leaned in closer, pleasantly surprised and curious about details.

„Which makes me wonder... How come no one picked up on it by now? "

„There is a reason I bought the Daly Press, you know. " Bruce smiled slyly. „Besides, sex, drugs and violence are good for sales. "

Lucius tilted his head. „I thought that was about that over-curious Kent fellow. "

„Three birds, one stone. " Bruce held up the fingers.

Dick looked in awe.

„Do you need me at all? " Lucius asked in genuine curiosity.

„You're indispensable. " Bruce both complimented and thanked his partner.

Suddenly the intercom speaker came alive with static. "Sorry to interrupt Mr. Fox." A woman's voice came from the other side apologetically. "Miss Diana of Thermescya is here to see Mr. Wayne in the name of Hera's women shelter."

"Could her highness please wait for me in my office while I conclude the meeting?" Bruce answered rather dismissingly, his distaste of royalty only slightly hinted at.

"I can do that, Mr. Wayne." Diana was polite but disappointed at his tone.

"We're pretty much done." Lucius told Bruce.

"I know." Bruce was idle.

"Leaving her to simmer, ha?"

"Only a little." He replied. "I want her to see just who she is dealing with."

To be continued…