Lex Luthor was not in the habit of meeting with Superman on friendly terms – their encounters usually involved a great deal of violence, mostly on Luthor's part. But now that Luthor was president of the United States of America, he was forced to meet with a lot of people he completely despised – that was the one downside of being president, he thought, as Superman was welcomed into the Oval Office by his awestruck aides. Still, there was a certain satisfaction at seeing him like this, powerless and forced to at least pretend to get along with him in order to preserve democracy. Any show of force against the democratically elected president would be bad for his image, after all.

"Well, where are my manners?" asked Luthor, smirking as he stood up. "Can I fetch you a drink, Superman?"

"That won't be necessary, Lex," said Superman. "This isn't a social call."

"I thought not," said Luthor, sitting back down. "You want my permission for something, is that it? I know you superhero types like to at least pretend that you answer to a higher authority, although I know that's never held you back from doing what you want in the past. But I'm assuming this is a matter of national security."

"It is," agreed Superman. "It's about Gotham City."

"Is it?" asked Luthor, raising his eyebrows. "I don't see your little Bat-representative of that city here today."

"Batman is busy trying to find Joker after his latest terror attack," retorted Superman. "I trust you've seen the news. Personally I think it's a little shocking that the president of the United States isn't sending in the national guard."

"What for?" asked Luthor. "It's Gotham. People expect constant violence from that failed city – if they don't want to put up with that, they shouldn't live there."

"Many people have no choice," retorted Superman. "The situation in Gotham can't go on, Lex. It's been a perennial problem for decades – thousands of innocents murdered every year by the constant crime. Batman can't handle it all on his own. And there's nothing the Justice League can do to help – we can put out fires, but ten more spring up in its place. It's only getting worse. As president, I would have thought a big priority of yours would be improving Gotham."

"It would be if there was anything to be done about it," said Luthor, shrugging. "But I don't see what can be. As you say, Batman takes a supercriminal to Arkham, and ten more break out that very day. He won't kill them, and even if he did, I suspect that wouldn't deter the lunatics of that city. The Joker in particular has no fear of death. No, Gotham just has to burn until it burns itself out. Until it does, I'm staying out of it, and I'd advise you to do the same."

"And you're willing to let thousands of your own citizens die until that happens?" demanded Superman.

"Unless you can offer me an alternative," replied Luthor.

"That's what I'm here for," said Superman, putting something down on Luthor's desk.

"What is this?" asked Luthor, studying the chip in front of him.

"You're familiar with Jervis Tetch?" asked Superman. "The Mad Hatter?"

"I don't think I've ever met him, but I know of him," agreed Luthor. "Sort of a harmless, odd little man. I can't say I've ever been particularly impressed with him."

"This is something he invented," said Superman. "A chip which can simulate an alternate reality."

"And this will help Gotham how?" asked Luthor, confused.

"Batman won't kill the supercriminals, and neither will we," agreed Superman. "But there is an alternative to death. If we could implant them with these chips, they would be living in a virtual world whose parameters we can create. They would be alive, but not a threat in reality. We could keep their bodies locked up in Arkham, and their minds in this virtual reality until the end of their days."

"You mean to us it would seem like they're living in a coma?" asked Luthor. "But they would just be living their lives normally in this virtual reality?"

"Yes," said Superman, nodding. "And it wouldn't have to be a life sentence – since we can set the parameters, we could show them a world where Batman doesn't exist, and how much better their lives would be if they didn't waste them inventing destructive schemes to fight him. They could live the lives they would have had if they had never become costumed supercriminals. They would all have good lives in the virtual reality, happy, productive, sane lives which would benefit both them and the city. And depending on the severity of the case, we could revive them after a few years, where hopefully they would take the lessons of virtual reality into reality."

"And you think they would volunteer to be implanted with this chip willingly?" asked Luthor. "Somehow I don't see the Joker agreeing to that. Or the head doctor there – Leland. She's entirely too soft on all the inmates. She'll object on human rights grounds, and she'll probably win. Nobody should be forced into putting anything into their bodies against their will, after all."

"We're trying to think about the greater good here, Lex," said Superman. "These are persistently violent and incurable criminals. Either they be brought under control somehow, or thousands more innocents will die. You're the president of the United States, and it's your job to make tough decisions like this. Or don't you believe that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few?"

Luthor picked up the chip, examining it. "Tetch has tested this technology thoroughly?" he asked. "There's no way they can overcome the mind control somehow, is there?"

"Batman has," admitted Superman, nodding. "But he's only had the chip used on him externally. If it's implanted internally, it should be inescapable. Anyway, their will isn't as strong as Batman's. Nobody's is."

"The Joker's is," retorted Luthor. "I don't know about the others, but I have no faith in any sort of technology being able to control his mind. At least not permanently."

"A temporary solution is better than nothing at this point," retorted Superman. "But I can't do this without your permission. You need to give me executive authority to handle the situation in Gotham by any means necessary."

Luthor studied him. "If it goes wrong, I'm blaming you," he said. "Since it was your idea. But I'll make the call to Arkham and make sure Dr. Leland knows this order comes from the president. She still might object, but there's nothing she can really do about it, is there? Nobody goes against Superman without being seen as the bad guy, isn't that right?"

"I'm sure we can help Dr. Leland understand that this is for the greater good," replied Superman, picking up the chip. "Thank you, Lex. When this works, I'll make sure you're given equal credit – you can use 'clean up the USA like I cleaned up Gotham' as your re-election slogan."

"I'll make up my own slogans, thanks, although I do appreciate you letting me use 'Truth, justice, and the American way,'" replied Lex. "You prefer 'Truth, justice, and a better tomorrow,' now, don't you? Is this the better tomorrow you envision?"

"I hope so," replied Superman, nodding. "Wouldn't it be a better tomorrow in a world without crime and violence?"

"If it was a world without the Justice League, definitely," agreed Luthor. "But a world without crime and violence would put you out of a job. I hope you're ready for that if your little alternate reality game works. And I hope Batman is too. Maybe he can take up stamp collecting or something."

Superman left without another word. Luthor whistled happily as he picked up the telephone and dialed a number, which rang for a long time until it was finally answered.

"It's rude to interrupt a guy when he's in the middle of causing chaos, Lexy!" snapped the Joker's voice. "Even if you are president, there's no excuse for rudeness!"

"Yes, well, I just called to tell you to enjoy this little crime spree of yours," said Luthor. "It'll be your last."

"You don't need to call me to tell me the obvious - I always enjoy my crime sprees," retorted Joker. "And I have no intention of retiring just yet, thanks."

"You might not, but I've just given Superman permission to go to Arkham and implant chips in the inmates' brains," retorted Luthor. "Chips which will trap them in virtual reality forever. So I suppose I've called to say goodbye, Joker. And to let you know it was me who authorized it. I hope you think about that before you're lost in a world of fantasy forever."

"Too late for that, Lexy!" chuckled Joker. "I always think about you in my fantasies! And trust me, this isn't the last time we'll talk. They'd have to drag me back to Arkham first, and I ain't gonna let that happen. You won't get rid of me that easy."

"I admire your optimism," said Luthor. "Please believe it's nothing personal, Joker. Although it kinda is. But it's mostly because if I could be the man who saved Gotham, that would ensure my legacy forever. And it would definitely secure my re-election."

"Batsy's gonna be angry at you for challenging his whole Gotham savior role," chuckled Joker. "He won't give it up without a fight!"

"I'm not afraid of him or you," retorted Luthor. "Although I will be the first to blame him if anything goes wrong."

"Typical politician – can't take responsibility for your own failures," sighed Joker. "And it will fail, Lex, trust me. Nothing can control the minds of the freaks in Arkham, and certainly not my mind. I promise, I'll always be here to annoy you."

"Don't make promises you can't keep," retorted Luthor. "Goodbye, Joker. And good luck. You're going to need it."

He hung up the phone, smiling smugly and leaning back in his chair. "I should have become president years ago," he murmured.