CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Disclaimers in Chapter One

"Good evening.  This is the five o'clock news.  It has been a year since LuthorCorp CEO Lionel Luthor was found dead in his office at the Smallville headquarters.  The main suspect, son Lex Luthor, still remains in police custody as the drawn-out court battle ensues.

The younger Luthor, who was to be in control of the multi-billion dollar corporation, has been detained in the Gotham Asylum soon after sources claimed that Luthor insisted that he was not the LuthorCorp scion, but Ian Randall, the former Smallville High student who died earlier that year near the River Dam.  Because of protected shares from his father, Lex Luthor was endowed a small portion of the corporation, estimated to be worth 3 billion dollars.  Insiders report that he has used that money for his defense and to resurrect the once fallen LexCorp, which is now being arraigned with numerous charges of money laundering and fraud.

LuthorCorp, now renamed to IsleCorp, continues to prosper under the leadership of CEO Gabriel Sullivan and a secret panel of shareholders.

This is Candy Martin, reporting from Metropolis for MBC News."

Gabe Sullivan smiled as he turned off the television.  Things had been looking up since Lionel's death, and he, for one, was ecstatic about it.  Well, almost.

Chloe and Lex went into hiding shortly after the shooting.  With their resources and the help of their friends and family in Metropolis and Smallville, they had managed to lay low until the construction of their home on Isla Nubla was completed.

Yes, Chloe and Lex moved to the island Lex once was kept captive by Mother Nature as a result of his father's malicious plans.  Gabe, Derek, Clark, Pete, Lana and even Rupert visited once in a while, but they were also wary that someone could trail them and find out that the crazy, notorious Lex Luthor was exactly who he claimed he was.

Pete and Lana found out eventually, only because Chloe wanted to protect them from Ian and because she thought that they deserved to know the truth about Lex.  Pete was furious at first, and Lana could not believe it, but eventually, both came to terms with reality.  After all, if Chloe was happy, then they would be happy for her as well.

Derek still remained at Chloe and Lex's beck and call, but he also became a strong resource for Clark when he was on his missions to fight Ian's wrongdoings.

As for dear old Rupert, Lex bought him a new shotgun in exchange for the plant they left by Ian to frame him for Lionel's death.  He wasn't too happy about it, but he guessed that after holding Lex captive during what was supposed to be a rescue mission, they would be even.

And Clark.  Well, he indulged his hero fantasies.  Even though he and Lex were even after Lex had his back during his confrontation with Ian, Clark still dreamt of carrying the world's burden on his shoulders.  One night, Lex jokingly suggested that he ought to call himself Superman and be Metropolis' ultimate superhero.  Clark took him seriously.  To this day, he still flew around wearing the bright blue and red, saving the city from the ploys of Ian Randall, or as the world knew him, Lex Luthor.

Gabe was content with how his life turned out.  He was even happier about his daughter's.  After all, when her birthday came along, she finally got what she really wanted: Lex came back to her.

Speaking of birthdays, he thought that it was just about time for that call.  He smiled as he dialed the familiar numbers.  "Hi, honey," he said.  "Happy birthday!  How are you and Lex?"

THE END