Chapter 9

Conspiracies

The moment Lex and Vegeta entered the top floor of the skyscraper; Vegeta was greeted by huge windows that allowed such a view. Narrowing his eyes, he knew the more grand the home he was in, the worse the treatment often became. Lex removed the leash from the collar and then smiled. "It's quite the view isn't it slave?"

Vegeta turned to face his owner head on, his brow furrowed as Luthor stepped up to the windows and spread his arms wide. "I own over seventy-five percent of this city, and now I can add you to my collection. However, you will have to abide my commands no matter what they may be. If I tell you to get my coffee, you will get my coffee. If I tell you to kill, you will kill."

Growling soft and low under his breath, Vegeta's gaze turned and followed Lex to his desk. "If you think I'm that easy to control, you're in for a surprise."

Luthor only smiled. "I know of your status as a warrior, so I expect a fighter of excellent caliber. On the same expectation, I know your collar will keep you in line. So long as I am your Master, I expect obedience."

Scowling lightly, the Saiyan turned and then looked at the room a bit more. It was large and spacious up on this floor. The single step in a half circle would hold his new Master's desk. Lex stood up and moved to Vegeta's side, before gripping the collar. "You have been around Superman. I want to know who he really is."

Vegeta raised a brow and looked toward the man holding his collar. "His name is Kal-El."

Luthor was about to say something when Vegeta's response caught him off guard. "I know his real name. I was speaking of his secret identity."

Tilting his head a bit, the Saiyan warrior felt the collar tug on his neck a bit. "He did not say who he was to me and I didn't have the presence of mind to ask."

Frustrated, Luthor pressed the Saiyan away. "Of course, the Kryptonian would not show a slave his identity. However now that you are here in my home, I think it would be time to put your services to use. I want strong black coffee up here in about five minutes and then take to a corner so that you're not under foot during the meeting."

Scoffing lightly, the warrior would turn his head away in disgust. "As you command, Master." He stated with a tinge of hate in his voice. Headed down to the floor with the break room, he would get the coffee brewed and back up to the office. The same time he entered, he noticed several others dressed in business suits also going into the room. Once the coffee had been poured and placed on a side table, he would retreat to a corner and there he stood more at parade rest, except that his head was tucked and his eyes lowered.

One of the men looked over at the Saiyan and then to Luthor. "Is it safe to discuss business around him?"

Luthor looked at Vegeta and nodded. "He is my new slave and will be commanded to silence about any business discussed here in this room."

With that said, they would begin their meeting, as the Saiyan remained silent as the other men talked of money and weapons. Hearing the chink of a mug, his gaze lifted to the hand that held it. However the warrior was not about to say anything about the weapons they were wanting to buy and sell. To him, they were primitive and ineffective.

This meeting would last for a couple of hours before the papers were signed and an agreement was made. After they left, Vegeta's gaze turned to the door. "Master should keep better company."

Whipping around, Luthor took the Saiyan up by the shirt and hoisted him into the air. "You are nothing but property. I could have you killed for such talk and not have to do anything but pay a small fine for your carcass. You are mine now slave, remember your place."

Vegeta growled in Lex's grip. With his feet in the air, he bent his legs slightly to keep himself hoisted as if he were at the tycoon's grip but his gaze turned toward the window. "How do you plan to beat Superman, Sir?" Vegeta asked as calm and level as he would have if nothing had happened. He had to play this right if he were going to outsmart this person. Then again, Lex was child's play to what he had already triumphed.

The executive's green eyes looked at Vegeta at first as if about to kill him, watching for reaction. Vegeta's steady gaze was dark and mysterious, yet they shown no fear. Lex smiled, letting him down. "I know you are a warrior, and born to fight, are you not? That alien is not going to go down so easily. Doomsday did it once, but it was a temporary measure. After all, it's not every day that I get to hold the Prince of a country, much less a planet under my every whim."

"Skip the theatrics and monologue. I am not interested in past stories or the needlessly lengthy descriptions of your arrogance." Vegeta stated rather harshly in return. He had been under an owner like Luthor it was no longer even entertaining to the warrior.

Lex smiled as he let the Saiyan down to his feet again. "You don't even care if your life is threatened. Never have I had that reaction when I have laid out that card. You might prove useful to me after all." Luthor walked around the Saiyan like a person would examine cattle. "You're more than a warrior, you are a trained killer, aren't you?"

Vegeta turned around and looked at Luthor. "Is this going anywhere?" The Dark Prince was starting to grow irritated. This person was not the commanding figure that Valknar had been, nor as demanding as some of his other Masters. Sensing out his new owner, he measured up his opponent as being weak. Vegeta either determined that if he threw this man out the window, the Man of Steel would catch Lex, or find himself splattered on the sidewalk far below. The latter would be most amusing to the warrior.

Walking back to his desk, Luthor sat down and motioned the Saiyan to come closer. After the Saiyan moved to the front of the desk, Lex would lean back in his chair. "Kryptonite is a piece of Superman's home world. Its level of specific radiation is lethal to the Kryptonian leaving us unaffected. There is a sample in my drawer that I will give you to somehow get it upon him and secure it so even he cannot remove it."

Scoffing lightly, he furrowed a brow. "You have no plan that will work if that is the level of your anticipated ease. He is much more intelligent than that, and the moment he gets around it, he'll feel the effects and that will warn him."

This surprised the new owner. "I thought you had a mind for it. You are a trained killer. However, I did not mention the last part. If you do not succeed, I will see that you will not see the light of day again. Therefore, its either you succeed and continue living in lofty conditions, or fail and you disappear. When do you want to start this 'mission', slave?"

"I will start immediately. Open the window, I'll show myself out." Vegeta stated headed for the bay windows.

Lex would pull out the small lead box and tied it to the slave's collar, upon the back. Holding the slave still, he tightened the grip, forcing the front of the black band to the Saiyan's throat. Leaning closer to the Saiyan's ear, he almost whispered. "Remember, if you fail this, I can make your life a living hell. You are after all, my property. I bought you, I own you legally. I will not see my investment wasted on a disappointment like you."

Furrowing a brow, Vegeta tensed his neck to keep the steel from digging into his throat. "I may be under your command, but I am not going to be pushed. Overstep the bounds with me on dishonorable commands, and you will find yourself in reverse position. Do not think for once that I like nor want to obey an owner like you. The obsession you have with killing a person like Kal-El is just despicable. The only reason I will even find him is to get away from you. Open the window and I will take my leave."

Lex twisted the collar a bit more. "You will abide whatever command I give you beast. You will kill him. Do you understand this?"

Vegeta held his tongue. It was against his code as a warrior to lie. It was also against his beliefs to kill a person that did nothing but respect him for whom he was. Lex Luthor however was starting to grate on his nerves and make him ill tempered. Luthor released his collar and then opened the window. Vegeta did not waste time. Running at the opening, he would leap out into a freefall. His arms spread wide out and back as if he were a falcon when he pulled up and kicked his ki energy up for flight.

Vegeta arched toward the Daily Planet building and landed on top. When he got to the entrance of the globe, he would slip silently down the stairwell and then moved to the City Room. When he looked around, he seen the office he had been before. Headed for the office, the warrior opened the door slowly. "May I ask permission to enter?" He was not going to be rude to one of the people that had taken his thoughts to consideration.

Perry White looked up. "You work for Luthor now don't you? No friend of him is welcome here."

Furrowing a brow, the warrior stepped in and closed the door. "You may want this information. He wants me to kill Superman. Attached to the back of my collar is a lead box containing kryptonite. I will not have my hands soiled by his dishonorable deeds. Will you help me with this predicament? I promise, no harm will come to you or your friends."

The Editor-in-Chief moved behind the Saiyan and noted the box lashed to the collar as it had been indicated. "I will help you. What do you need?"

After a couple hours of going over details in written word so as not to chance being heard, Perry and Vegeta would soon have a plan worked out. Then he would call Clark Kent to get Superman to the office as soon as he could. Once the call went out, Vegeta turned and backed from the window and waited.

They would not be waiting long when the sudden gust of wind would announce the arrival of the Man of Steel. When Superman finally had the chance to look around, he noticed Vegeta. When the Kryptonian tried to near him however, the Saiyan backed up shaking his head as if warning him not to come closer. Perplexed at the warrior's behavior, Kal-El looked at Perry in question.

"There's a lead box tied to the back of his collar. It contains kryptonite. My guess would be that he is trying to prevent you from harm. Vegeta did promise no harm would come to my friends or me. He knows how valuable you are to this city and my guess would be that he's returning a favor, or he doesn't like Luthor as his Master." Perry stated as he kept his gaze on the Saiyan.

Superman looked over at Vegeta. "Clark told me what happened. He mentioned how you would not forget his kindness toward you."

Vegeta nodded only once. "I meant every word, Sir. I am a warrior and I gave my word. I will not break it. Luthor wants you dead. If there is even a slight chance of making your body go into the equivalent of the mammalian dive reflex, then we may have a chance at outsmarting him. Just because I'm owned by him legally, does not mean I have to like it."

Perry turned his head slightly, his brow furrowing. "What do you mean by the mammalian dive reflex? What exactly is it?"

The Saiyan turned his head, his black eyes lifting just slightly. "It's an effect that happens when the body is submerged in ice cold water suddenly. It shocks the system into a temporary shut-down."

"So it would resemble death without killing the person, by slowing their heart and breathing to almost non-existent. It sounds like a plan. Lex though knows that kryptonite is what would kill me though." Superman stated looking at the Saiyan. "If I go through with this, I would expect you know a way to incorporate that without me actually being affected?"

Vegeta gave a knowing grin. "Lead crystal, heated to just a thin sheet over the rock ought to do the trick without giving it away. If it is done properly, it would coat the kryptonite without taking away texture or feel of the rock while at the same time cutting off the radiation that harms you. Remember not all battles are won by physical combat. Often the war is won with tactics and cunning over muscle."

The Editor would look at the both of them. "I can observe, and print the paper declaring your death, and just attach it to the Saiyan's collar. He can be the messenger to Luthor and maybe he'll let Vegeta out of being owned by him."

Scoffing lightly, Vegeta furrowed a brow. "He does not wish to see me released to another's care. His greed will not allow such a thing. To him I am nothing but expendable property. He may be able to make my life a living hell, but he forgets that it could turn around and bite him too."

Perry White sat down upon the corner of his desk. "So then how do you plan to fight back if you can't strike him or leave his property without his consent?"

Vegeta turned around, looking out the door, and Superman then realized the lead box attached to the back of the black collar. With his head tucked lightly, he was obviously not thrilled. Kal-El would hear the heavy release of a sigh come from the warrior. Stepping closer, he would place a hand upon the Saiyan's shoulder. Once contact was made, he could feel Vegeta lightly cringe under the touch. "You need my death Vegeta; I will work with you on that."