Chapter 5
Summer Gleeson pulled into the driveway of the Luthor Estate.
"Shall I tell her you're 'indisposed' at the moment?" Lex's executive assistant asked.
"No, please let her in." Lex detested the media. Hiding behind the freedom of expression to invade, dissect and destroy the very citizens they profess to defend. He remembered how Bruce Wayne's family was dragged through the mud in the months after the Wayne Murders. The court's foiled attempt –thank god- to make Bruce a ward of the state and Alfred winning custody. Bruce took years to restore his family's reputation.
The Luthor name will not be soiled like that. Not while I'm breathing.
"What? No cameras, Ms. Gleeson? Don't you want to absorb the elitist atmosphere of Metropolis' first family?" Lex remarked.
"I'm here to determine if there is a story worth covering here," Summer shot back, "I'll send for the Live Eye truck if I need to."
Lex shuddered at the thought. He recalled the media circus last month in Gotham. "There's nothing to report here. Just a typical middle America town and my bare-bones plant. I'm only here for the lower taxes."
Summer scoffed at his humility. "I have reason to believe the Wayne incident in Gotham and Luthor Corp. have much in common. GCTV was hoping to get the scoop for tonight but the Planet beat us to it."
"While I abhor the fact they're poking around Father's business, I respect their right to keep the public informed. If there are underworld links to some of my father's holdings, better to shed some light on them now than let them fester. The Daily Planet is doing its job."
"Is that Lex, private citizen, speaking, or Lex, the Planet shareholder?"
Ouch. Nice sting, Summer. "GCTV is the Fox News of American journalism. I wonder if your audience even respects anything you say. Especially after your torrid affair with Bruce Wayne."
Summer shot back. "Leave Bruce out of this. He's not the one whose family may have funded the very gunmen who tried to kill Wayne. Twice."
Be careful, Ms. Gleeson, Lex thought. "Those are unsubstantiated allegations. Unlike allegations from Gotham society hacks that you're just a gold-digger after Wayne's billions. Weren't you caught on film cavorting with him in Atlantic City."
"Stop it..." Summer's emotional wounds were still raw. She remembered how mad Bruce was – at himself – for risking that stroll on the boardwalk. Only to see it splattered on the Gotham Gossip Revue next morning. That ended their weekend excursions out of town. She thought he was ashamed of their affair, when he was actually all too aware of the impact of media exposure. That's what led to the now infamous Gotham Symphony spat. He was protecting her. And yes, himself. Can I blame him?
Lex saw her eyes, like a deer in headlights. So much for her tough exterior. Now for the kill.
"Summer, you met him in NYC right? Covering Ground Zero, you say? Hmm, I wonder. Coincidence?" She was taller than him, but he stepped right up to her. "Or was it all planned. A silly little game. I'll bag me a billionnaire. The whole Cinderella claptrap. You wanted that life. The way I see it, you used him for your fun. Perhaps cash in on the relationship, jump to a national network? You KNEW his family past and tugged at his strings just enough to lead him on. Good thing he saw you for what you were ..."
Her eyes were watering now.
"You were just a notch on the bedpost. Bruce is sole heir to one the most influential dynasties in America. Wise of him to drop you before you really did damage to his reputation. Time is money, and frankly, my dear, you're not worth a dime of his time."
She gathered her things quickly and stormed out. Lex, you bastard! she thought. Bruce is not shallow like that. She remembered Bruce within an inch of punching out a tabloid photographer at that Gotham Symphony incident, before his butler stepped in. He wasn't selfish. He was shielding her. He never said it, but their relationship was important to him. He risked the scorn of the society papers to give her a night out on the town. He was fighting for our relationship, knowing it was slipping away.
Then the public spat. She knew now that they effectively ceased to be "an item" that day once Bruce realized he could never preserve the innocence of their relationship under the glare of the voracious media. God, they even made Entertainment Tonight the following night. Maybe we were both naive.
She wiped her mascara-smeared eyes again. It's not over Luthor, she muttered, I know I'm on to something. Her car screeched out of the Luthor estate.
"I take it the interview is over?" Lex hollered in the distance. He looked behind his desk at the boxes full of files flown in by chopper from Luthor Corp.'s archives department only this morning.
Summer Gleeson was mere feet from information that could make Enron look like small claims court. Father's supposed transactions with the Russian underworld, questionable arms contracts with parties unknown, all of it – buried in these boxes. He had to find them. Make them disappear.
He picked up his cell. "Cancel my video conference with the shareholders. I have important matters to attend to." Yeah, important. The future of the Luthor empire is at stake. While his dad was wasting time pleading innocent to the unsympathetic media, Lex would save the family legacy. Again.
[Daily Planet offices, Metropolis, 4 AM]
Chloe had gathered several articles related to Luthor Corp.'s Smallville affairs "Luthor manufacturing division doubles output since Kansas move" "LL Tech transfers administration to Smallville" "Aeronautical technology made in USA, boosting Kansas employment rates" "LL Tech wins German fighter jet contract" She was seeing a pattern. It was common knowledge Luthor Corp. invested heavily in military technology, but – at least in public – the company only made contracts with NATO countries. "Luthor stock doubles after British Navy contract" The potential for unimaginable profits was there.
Then Lionel Luthor visited eastern Europe months before the West entered the Kosovo fray. The following summer, Lex announced an expansion of the Smallville plant. Supposedly aerospace parts. Maybe Luthor was playing both sides of the Kosovo crisis. Who better than the mob to ensure delivery of goods under the noses of NATO commanders?
If that were the case, it would be tantamount to treason. Luthor Corp. would be buried.
"There's no proof," Chloe wondered.
The night editor dashed into Chloe's cubicle. "Gather whatever articles you have. We're going to print this morning!!"
"What's going on?" Chloe saw the editorial room explode in organized chaos.
"The feds just raided Luthor Corp. And it seems some files are missing,"
Smallville will surely be next on the feds' hit list, Chloe thought.
Summer Gleeson pulled into the driveway of the Luthor Estate.
"Shall I tell her you're 'indisposed' at the moment?" Lex's executive assistant asked.
"No, please let her in." Lex detested the media. Hiding behind the freedom of expression to invade, dissect and destroy the very citizens they profess to defend. He remembered how Bruce Wayne's family was dragged through the mud in the months after the Wayne Murders. The court's foiled attempt –thank god- to make Bruce a ward of the state and Alfred winning custody. Bruce took years to restore his family's reputation.
The Luthor name will not be soiled like that. Not while I'm breathing.
"What? No cameras, Ms. Gleeson? Don't you want to absorb the elitist atmosphere of Metropolis' first family?" Lex remarked.
"I'm here to determine if there is a story worth covering here," Summer shot back, "I'll send for the Live Eye truck if I need to."
Lex shuddered at the thought. He recalled the media circus last month in Gotham. "There's nothing to report here. Just a typical middle America town and my bare-bones plant. I'm only here for the lower taxes."
Summer scoffed at his humility. "I have reason to believe the Wayne incident in Gotham and Luthor Corp. have much in common. GCTV was hoping to get the scoop for tonight but the Planet beat us to it."
"While I abhor the fact they're poking around Father's business, I respect their right to keep the public informed. If there are underworld links to some of my father's holdings, better to shed some light on them now than let them fester. The Daily Planet is doing its job."
"Is that Lex, private citizen, speaking, or Lex, the Planet shareholder?"
Ouch. Nice sting, Summer. "GCTV is the Fox News of American journalism. I wonder if your audience even respects anything you say. Especially after your torrid affair with Bruce Wayne."
Summer shot back. "Leave Bruce out of this. He's not the one whose family may have funded the very gunmen who tried to kill Wayne. Twice."
Be careful, Ms. Gleeson, Lex thought. "Those are unsubstantiated allegations. Unlike allegations from Gotham society hacks that you're just a gold-digger after Wayne's billions. Weren't you caught on film cavorting with him in Atlantic City."
"Stop it..." Summer's emotional wounds were still raw. She remembered how mad Bruce was – at himself – for risking that stroll on the boardwalk. Only to see it splattered on the Gotham Gossip Revue next morning. That ended their weekend excursions out of town. She thought he was ashamed of their affair, when he was actually all too aware of the impact of media exposure. That's what led to the now infamous Gotham Symphony spat. He was protecting her. And yes, himself. Can I blame him?
Lex saw her eyes, like a deer in headlights. So much for her tough exterior. Now for the kill.
"Summer, you met him in NYC right? Covering Ground Zero, you say? Hmm, I wonder. Coincidence?" She was taller than him, but he stepped right up to her. "Or was it all planned. A silly little game. I'll bag me a billionnaire. The whole Cinderella claptrap. You wanted that life. The way I see it, you used him for your fun. Perhaps cash in on the relationship, jump to a national network? You KNEW his family past and tugged at his strings just enough to lead him on. Good thing he saw you for what you were ..."
Her eyes were watering now.
"You were just a notch on the bedpost. Bruce is sole heir to one the most influential dynasties in America. Wise of him to drop you before you really did damage to his reputation. Time is money, and frankly, my dear, you're not worth a dime of his time."
She gathered her things quickly and stormed out. Lex, you bastard! she thought. Bruce is not shallow like that. She remembered Bruce within an inch of punching out a tabloid photographer at that Gotham Symphony incident, before his butler stepped in. He wasn't selfish. He was shielding her. He never said it, but their relationship was important to him. He risked the scorn of the society papers to give her a night out on the town. He was fighting for our relationship, knowing it was slipping away.
Then the public spat. She knew now that they effectively ceased to be "an item" that day once Bruce realized he could never preserve the innocence of their relationship under the glare of the voracious media. God, they even made Entertainment Tonight the following night. Maybe we were both naive.
She wiped her mascara-smeared eyes again. It's not over Luthor, she muttered, I know I'm on to something. Her car screeched out of the Luthor estate.
"I take it the interview is over?" Lex hollered in the distance. He looked behind his desk at the boxes full of files flown in by chopper from Luthor Corp.'s archives department only this morning.
Summer Gleeson was mere feet from information that could make Enron look like small claims court. Father's supposed transactions with the Russian underworld, questionable arms contracts with parties unknown, all of it – buried in these boxes. He had to find them. Make them disappear.
He picked up his cell. "Cancel my video conference with the shareholders. I have important matters to attend to." Yeah, important. The future of the Luthor empire is at stake. While his dad was wasting time pleading innocent to the unsympathetic media, Lex would save the family legacy. Again.
[Daily Planet offices, Metropolis, 4 AM]
Chloe had gathered several articles related to Luthor Corp.'s Smallville affairs "Luthor manufacturing division doubles output since Kansas move" "LL Tech transfers administration to Smallville" "Aeronautical technology made in USA, boosting Kansas employment rates" "LL Tech wins German fighter jet contract" She was seeing a pattern. It was common knowledge Luthor Corp. invested heavily in military technology, but – at least in public – the company only made contracts with NATO countries. "Luthor stock doubles after British Navy contract" The potential for unimaginable profits was there.
Then Lionel Luthor visited eastern Europe months before the West entered the Kosovo fray. The following summer, Lex announced an expansion of the Smallville plant. Supposedly aerospace parts. Maybe Luthor was playing both sides of the Kosovo crisis. Who better than the mob to ensure delivery of goods under the noses of NATO commanders?
If that were the case, it would be tantamount to treason. Luthor Corp. would be buried.
"There's no proof," Chloe wondered.
The night editor dashed into Chloe's cubicle. "Gather whatever articles you have. We're going to print this morning!!"
"What's going on?" Chloe saw the editorial room explode in organized chaos.
"The feds just raided Luthor Corp. And it seems some files are missing,"
Smallville will surely be next on the feds' hit list, Chloe thought.