This Ain't the Golden Years

Chapter 36

The Metropolitan Daily Planet
December 25, 2058

LexCorps appears to have been the victim of a Christmas Eve prank. Nine cars belonging to Company President, Alexandra Luthor were vandalized last night. They were spray painted green and red. The perpetrators also broke into the cars and stuffed them full of coal.

The Metropolitan police are currently investigating this incident. Any information that anyone may have on this incident is to be reported immediately.

………………………………………………………..

Location: The Justice League Watchtower
Date: December 26, 2058

Diana: I wonder who vandalized LexCorps?

J'onn (mysteriously): Who indeed?

J'onn: (Looks silently at Terry McGinnis and Rex Stewart.)

Rex: (Looks in the other direction.)

Terry: (The picture of angelic innocence.)

Diana: J'onn…are you trying to imply something?

…………………………………………………………………….

From: Dick Grayson
To: Roy Harper
Date: December 26, 2058
Subject: The LexCorps artists

Hey Roy,

It was Terry and Rex who creatively expressed themselves at LexCorps. The Council is trying to decide whether or not they'll punish them. Surprisingly, Clark is sticking up for them. He won't come right out and say it, but he thinks it's funny. Come to think of it, no one in the Council seems too angry about it, although they have to pretend otherwise since defacing private property is illegal.

I guess J'onn really is working for Santa. Who would have guessed that the Question was right when he said that Santa really does exist.

By the way, have you figured out yet what Ollie and Wally are planning for New Year's? They won't tell me.

Dick

………………………………………………………………………….

Location: The Justice League Watchtower
Date: December 26, 2058

Shayera: Bruce!

Bruce: I'm not the one who did it. Go blame Terry.

Shayera: He's your student! He's corrupting Rex!

Bruce: May I remind you that Rex is a lot older than Terry?

Diana: Rex is a grown man, Shayera. He can think for himself.

Clark: (Trying to stay out of the conversation.)

Shayera: Rex is like John, Diana. He likes discipline, not breaking laws.

Bruce: So it's Terry's fault that Rex went along with it?

Clark: (Struggling to stay out of the conversation.)

Diana: Still, they did a good job, didn't they? They did a nice paint job on the cars.

Shayera: Diana!

Clark: (Can't take it anymore.)

Clark: Come on! It was flippin' Luthor! Who cares?

Everyone: (Stares at Clark.)

Bruce: He has a point.

Diana: Don't tell me you're really mad about this, Shayera.

Shayera (grins):…They did do a good job, didn't they?

Clark: Good paint job, nice picked locks, coal…and no evidence they did it.

Bruce:….

Shayera: Let's blame it on J'onn and Santa. They're the ones who told the boys to give Luthor coal.

Clark: It's their fault for failing to state how.

Diana: They didn't say that they couldn't use spray paint.

Bruce: So in other words, we're rationalizing why we don't want to punish Terry and Rex, correct?

Diana: Of course.

……………………………………………………………………………..

December 27, 2058

Wow, I can't believe it! Terry and Rex didn't get punished! (Oh, and it's interesting how quickly that gossip flies on the Watchtower. Everyone knew about it an hour after they confessed.)

Roy and Dick keep calling me. They're trying to make me fess up about Operation Nothing. Hah! As if I'd tell!

Ollie and I had a council of war yesterday. We were going to act yesterday, but we delayed until today. We figured we'd give the Council a day since they so generously let Terry and Rex off the hook.

I still can't believe Terry got Rex to help him though. He's usually a discipline freak like John. It must be Shayera's blood in him.

Anyway, Ollie and I finally figured out what to do with the coal.

………………………………………………………………………………………..

The Justice League Daily Service Announcement
Date: December 27, 2058

Fellow Leaguers,

We are requesting any information that anyone might have concerning large amounts of coal that have been spotted around the Watchtower. A particularly large amount was found this afternoon in the Council Room.

Have a nice day.

……………………………………………..

Date: December 27, 2058
What: Random note found in the Justice League mess hall

Fellow Leaguers:

Beware of New Year's Eve. The Might of God shall smite all the evildoers!

A lump of coal shall be the sign of the impending Apocalypse.

Repent! Repent! The Day of Judgement is at hand!

All sinners will burn in the fiery chasm into which they will be cast!

Countdown to New Year's Eve: Four days

(This inspirational message brought to you by recovering members of Santa's Bad List.)