INT. LEXCORP PLANT - LABORATORY OFFICE
Calling it an office would be along the same lines as calling a broom closet the janitor's quarters. Basically a large, sterile, room with a desk and some computer servers, the lab office's lone decorative consists of a single painting hanging on the wall behind the desk; an American Indian adorning a buffalo skin, hunting a buffalo that has strayed from the rest of its herd. The Indian appears famished, weathered by age, a desperate tear in his eye as he stalks the great animal, a single spear concealed within his cloak.
Lex has long since quit struggling against the strappings binding him to the chair. Instead, he gazes through the office's lone window at Dr. Victor Fries and his father as they converse with each other a few steps to the side of Mercy. who apparently has not given up the struggle just yet. After a few seconds, Fries nods to Lionel and turns to the table behind him, filling a syringe full of some unidentifiable clear liquid. Despite the room being sound proofed, Lex could swear he hears Mercy scream as Fries injects her with the liquid in the side of her neck. Her eyes roll back and her head slumps lifelessly forward.
Fries and Lionel talk a bit more as Victor lays the syringe down on a nearby table, picking up a clipboard in its stead. Glancing at his watch, Fries nods to Lionel and the two part ways, Fries toward the Static Life Chamber and Lionel toward the office. Lex bites his tongue and carefully glares at his father through the window.
Lionel steps through the office door, an odd smirk etched into his jawline. He closes the door behind him and turns, standing still as he admires his son in the chair. He takes a breath and bites the inner part of his lip before speaking.
LIONEL
How are you feeling?
Lex remains silent.
LIONEL I only ask because I've been told that the administration of the serum is not always a painless experience. In some rare cases, certain patients have undergone severe musculature swelling.
Lionel steps passed the window as Lex eyes him from the chair. Lionel steps behind the desk.
LIONEL
The pain is apparently likened to what one might feel when undergoing acute depressurization. It very literally feels as if you're blood is pushing against your skin. in one collective effort to erupt outward in every direction. or so I've been told. I can't imagine what must feel like.
Lionel sits down behind the desk in the desk chair.
LEX It's all somehow poetic to you, isn't it? How does it feel to be above reproach?
LIONEL It has its advantages. Although, in the end, it is a burden I would not wish on my own worst enemy.
LEX
And yet you manage to wield it like a sword. and thrust it on your own son. Tell me, exactly how many people did you have to bribe to get the dogs off your doorstep?
LIONEL
It's a Federal matter now, Lex. As you can imagine, in these very harrowing times where terrorism runs rampant throughout the world like a plague on all of humanity, the safety and security of our great nation is of paramount importance. We regret having to keep the operation a secret, but one can understand why we thought it necessary. to protect the highly sensitive work that was being done at our facility.
LEX
And what would that be exactly?
LIONEL
I'm sorry, Lex, I'm afraid that information is confidential.
LEX ::rolls eyes:: Right.
LIONEL
It was not my decision to keep it from you, Lex. It was simply a matter of national security. LuthorCorp was proud to offer its services to the American Government, and proud to perform its patriotic duty.
LEX
I suppose I'll just have to take your word on that.
LIONEL
There is greater reason in knowledge than there is in judgment. It is easy to draw conclusions. It's hard to face the truth.
LEX
And what is that?
LIONEL
That certain men are above reproach because not even the lie can deny their importance. They will be envied by learned men for days to come because the casual falsehoods we relish in are never as transparent as they are in our own hearts.
LEX
You're no hero.
LIONEL What is a hero? John Barth once said that, "Everyone is necessarily the hero of his own life story."
LEX
::nods:: You're certainly that.
LIONEL I will save lives.
LEX
You poisoned thousands of people.
LIONEL
It was necessary.
LEX ::angry:: Necessary?!
Lex stares at him in a state of sheer disbelief.
LEX
Necessary?!
Lex's angered astonishment at his father's revelation suddenly, and morbidly, switches to an abrupt bout of. amusement. Lex breaks out in a hysterical laughter, his face and bare head turning a bright purplish red.
LIONEL
::confused:: Why are you laughing?
LEX
::laughing:: You are positively, undeniably, insane.
Lex's eyes tear up he laughs so hard.
LEX
And you can't even see it.
Lionel shakes his head disappointedly.
LEX
You know what you are.
Lex struggles to breathe, practically hyperventilating himself.
LEX . You're that guy who, on his way to work every day, passes by a homeless man on the street and hands him half your donut. and you feel good about yourself the rest of the day.And when you go home every night, you take great pride in thinking to yourself that that homeless guy must say to himself every day, "That guy's the only guy who really cares about me." Meanwhile, you're the son of a bitch who drove the poor bastard's family out of business and put a strip mall.
Lex pounds his feet on the ground, shaking in the chair, as he let's out several resounding belly laughs.
LIONEL "If you haven't the strength to impose your own terms on life, you must accept the terms life offers you."
LEX ::nods:: T.S. Eliot. Here, I've got a good quote too. "If you sprinkle when you tinkle, be a sweetie and wipe the seatie!"
LIONEL
::annoyed:: These are serious times, Lex.
LEX
Here. Here. I've got another one. "Behind every good man, there is a woman. and behind her is another man staring at her ass."
LIONEL
::under breath:: And he calls me insane?
Lionel waits for Lex to stop laughing, which takes several good long seconds.
LIONEL
Are you quite finished?
Lex takes a deep breath and sighs, looking up at his father.
LEX
No, but you are.
LIONEL
I beg your pardon?
LEX
Well, it seems to me I've got you dead to rights. With the lockdown initiated, the police undoubtedly have the entire plant surrounded by now, and the security cameras have the whole thing on tape. I'm a little surprised, I didn't count on you making it this easy on me, but I'll consider it a late Christmas present.
Now, it's Lionel's turn to laugh.
LIONEL While I hate to deprive you of your moment of rare jubilee, I'm afraid your faith in the stalwart captains of law and order known as the Smallville Police Department is markedly misplaced.
Lex's smile gradually fades.
LEX
They're not coming?
It was more of a statement than a question.
LIONEL
It seems they are under the impression that this lockdown was scheduled in advance to test some new security and safety measures recently installed in the plant's interior. Being of the twenty-four hour variety, I'm guessing they're going to be slightly delayed for your tastes, son.
Lex is beaten again, and he knows it.
LIONEL
And that being said, I'm not particularly worried about the security cameras either. If I could orchestrate all this, it's not really much of a stretch.
LEX
All right then, let's get to the point. What do you want?
Lionel hesitates just a moment before replying.
LIONEL
Hm. Have I ever told you the story of when you were eight years old and I took you to the Metropolis Opera House to see the opera "Rigoletto"? It was not halfway through Gilda's "Tutte le feste al tempio" when a little voice rung out from the balcony, "Get to the point already."
Lionel smiles proudly.
LIONEL
Naturally, we were heckled out of the theater and consequently asked not return, but you were right. It was mind-numbingly long winded and at such a juvenile age that was something you could simply not put up with. The finer art of a story being told in its entirety as opposed to simply being advanced was beyond your capability. You were an impatient child, Lex, and you are an impatient man.
LEX
What. do you want?
LIONEL
You have no idea how much it has pained me to see you suffer, son.
LEX
You are the reason I suffer.
LIONEL
No, I am not, but I am a part of it. I am not the cause, but I am responsible. For that, I am sorry.
Lex scoffs.
LIONEL
I did not want it to come to this, but you left me with no other choice. I knew you would not sit down with me after what has happened between us. You no longer trust me, your own father, and you have no reason too. That is why I am here, Lex. I am here to give you reason once again.
Lex thinks for a moment, then looks up.
LEX
I've loved. truly loved. two women in my life. I've read and I've been told that that kind of passion is a rare and powerful thing. Yet, when I look at you, I can't help but think of how weak I was, how impotent I was because despite how powerful my love for them was, my hatred for you is infinitely stronger. There is nothing you could say, or do, that will ever change that.
LIONEL
I don't believe that's true.
LEX
Well, that's just the thing, Dad. Your belief is not required to make it true. If you're looking for forgiveness, you've come to the wrong place.
LIONEL I've done many things that I'm not proud of, Lex. I will undoubtedly do many more. I am a man of faults, which is something rare for me to admit. to anyone. Yet, because of this, I know that everyone else in this world must have faults as well. I consider myself a strong man, for the most part a good man.
Lex scoffs again. Lionel continues pretending he didn't hear it.
LIONEL . and if I am capable of such things, so are others. You speak of forgiveness. I understand the meaning of forgiveness. I understand that, as a people, we must forgive each other of our faults and our misgivings.
Lionel diverts his eyes.
LIONEL
I do fear, however, there is one thing that I could never forgive.
Lionel looks up to stare Lex straight in the eye.
LIONEL
. Betrayal.
Lionel scrutinizes Lex's reaction a moment before continuing.
LIONEL And I do not think that you could either. It is simply too great a sin. It is a violent, wretched, detestable act of personal malevolence. It is the most deplorable of acts and something I can never accept. I suspect that neither can you.
Lex contemplates what his father is telling him.
LIONEL
I am here, son, because it is time for you to know the truth. It is time that the shroud be removed from over your eyes and the light of truth to be seen.
Lionel stands up from behind the desk and walks over to the wall near the window. He flips a switch and the window gradually darkens to reveal that it doubles as a television monitor.
LIONEL I have always loved you, son, but I have lied to you. I have lied to you to protect you, but I can not go on with this life knowing that you hate me. It is time for father and son to unite against something worthy of such power.
Lex, admittedly curious as to where his father is going with all of this, watches the screen as Lionel moves back to the desk and presses a button embedded in the desktop. Flickering on, the screen shows a still image of the LuthorCorp Private Airlines at night.
LIONEL
This footage was taken by various surveillance cameras I had setup around the airline prior to the night of the crash. I think you'll find it of particular interest.
Lionel presses another button on the desktop and the video rolls forward.
Four large airline hangars all sit in a row, each one slightly smaller than the next. The LexCorp helicopter comes into the picture from off screen, plummeting directly towards the largest one, at a ninety degree angle to the row of hangars.
The side door explodes from the helicopter, straight outward, just as the flying machine collides with the top of the hangar and erupts into a hideous fireball. Slowly, the door makes a controlled rotation to bring it parallel to the ground. Clark, holding an unconscious Chloe in his arms, rides the door like a surfboard, skipping down off the tops of each successively smaller hangar like a stone skipping across the top of a lake.
Lex stares at the video in amazement as a new camera displays its view of the scene. Seen in the distance skipping off the top of the last hangar, Clark tightens his grip around Chloe as he prepares for the sudden drop to the ground below. Amazingly, he manages to maintain the skid as he hits the runway, sparks flying out behind him as the metal door grinds against the pavement.
Doing his best to sacrifice his body for her, Clark holds Chloe tightly as they slam down to the ground after being tripped up by a row of runway lights embedded into the pavement. Their momentum continues to send them rolling forward, several feet, before finally coming to a stop.
The video slows down to a crawl as, in the distance, Clark peels himself off the pavement and gets to his knees. Zooming in and re-focusing once, twice, and a final third time, the surveillance camera gets a clear view of Clark's face and pauses.
Lionel turns his attention away from the window monitor to gauge his son's reaction. Lex stares at the screen, eyes wide.
LEX
How. How is that possible?
LIONEL
It's not possible. for a human.
Lionel presses another button on the desktop and the image of Clark's face is replaced with that of Colonel Kalib donning the white Kryptonian military garb. There is someone standing next to him, but it is unclear who.
COLONEL KALIB AS JOR-EL The first stage of the unification process is the subjugation of the planet and its people. It's a matter of survival. We will be relying on you to lay the first stones in the path. You are the future of Krypton, Kal-El. You were born to rule. That is where your true greatness lies.
The playback is subject to some rather creative editing of pieces used from Clark's interrogation at the hands of Kalib, but its affect is clear. Lex stares on in utter horror as Kalib slowly turns in place to face the man standing beside him. Clark Kent.
Calling it an office would be along the same lines as calling a broom closet the janitor's quarters. Basically a large, sterile, room with a desk and some computer servers, the lab office's lone decorative consists of a single painting hanging on the wall behind the desk; an American Indian adorning a buffalo skin, hunting a buffalo that has strayed from the rest of its herd. The Indian appears famished, weathered by age, a desperate tear in his eye as he stalks the great animal, a single spear concealed within his cloak.
Lex has long since quit struggling against the strappings binding him to the chair. Instead, he gazes through the office's lone window at Dr. Victor Fries and his father as they converse with each other a few steps to the side of Mercy. who apparently has not given up the struggle just yet. After a few seconds, Fries nods to Lionel and turns to the table behind him, filling a syringe full of some unidentifiable clear liquid. Despite the room being sound proofed, Lex could swear he hears Mercy scream as Fries injects her with the liquid in the side of her neck. Her eyes roll back and her head slumps lifelessly forward.
Fries and Lionel talk a bit more as Victor lays the syringe down on a nearby table, picking up a clipboard in its stead. Glancing at his watch, Fries nods to Lionel and the two part ways, Fries toward the Static Life Chamber and Lionel toward the office. Lex bites his tongue and carefully glares at his father through the window.
Lionel steps through the office door, an odd smirk etched into his jawline. He closes the door behind him and turns, standing still as he admires his son in the chair. He takes a breath and bites the inner part of his lip before speaking.
LIONEL
How are you feeling?
Lex remains silent.
LIONEL I only ask because I've been told that the administration of the serum is not always a painless experience. In some rare cases, certain patients have undergone severe musculature swelling.
Lionel steps passed the window as Lex eyes him from the chair. Lionel steps behind the desk.
LIONEL
The pain is apparently likened to what one might feel when undergoing acute depressurization. It very literally feels as if you're blood is pushing against your skin. in one collective effort to erupt outward in every direction. or so I've been told. I can't imagine what must feel like.
Lionel sits down behind the desk in the desk chair.
LEX It's all somehow poetic to you, isn't it? How does it feel to be above reproach?
LIONEL It has its advantages. Although, in the end, it is a burden I would not wish on my own worst enemy.
LEX
And yet you manage to wield it like a sword. and thrust it on your own son. Tell me, exactly how many people did you have to bribe to get the dogs off your doorstep?
LIONEL
It's a Federal matter now, Lex. As you can imagine, in these very harrowing times where terrorism runs rampant throughout the world like a plague on all of humanity, the safety and security of our great nation is of paramount importance. We regret having to keep the operation a secret, but one can understand why we thought it necessary. to protect the highly sensitive work that was being done at our facility.
LEX
And what would that be exactly?
LIONEL
I'm sorry, Lex, I'm afraid that information is confidential.
LEX ::rolls eyes:: Right.
LIONEL
It was not my decision to keep it from you, Lex. It was simply a matter of national security. LuthorCorp was proud to offer its services to the American Government, and proud to perform its patriotic duty.
LEX
I suppose I'll just have to take your word on that.
LIONEL
There is greater reason in knowledge than there is in judgment. It is easy to draw conclusions. It's hard to face the truth.
LEX
And what is that?
LIONEL
That certain men are above reproach because not even the lie can deny their importance. They will be envied by learned men for days to come because the casual falsehoods we relish in are never as transparent as they are in our own hearts.
LEX
You're no hero.
LIONEL What is a hero? John Barth once said that, "Everyone is necessarily the hero of his own life story."
LEX
::nods:: You're certainly that.
LIONEL I will save lives.
LEX
You poisoned thousands of people.
LIONEL
It was necessary.
LEX ::angry:: Necessary?!
Lex stares at him in a state of sheer disbelief.
LEX
Necessary?!
Lex's angered astonishment at his father's revelation suddenly, and morbidly, switches to an abrupt bout of. amusement. Lex breaks out in a hysterical laughter, his face and bare head turning a bright purplish red.
LIONEL
::confused:: Why are you laughing?
LEX
::laughing:: You are positively, undeniably, insane.
Lex's eyes tear up he laughs so hard.
LEX
And you can't even see it.
Lionel shakes his head disappointedly.
LEX
You know what you are.
Lex struggles to breathe, practically hyperventilating himself.
LEX . You're that guy who, on his way to work every day, passes by a homeless man on the street and hands him half your donut. and you feel good about yourself the rest of the day.And when you go home every night, you take great pride in thinking to yourself that that homeless guy must say to himself every day, "That guy's the only guy who really cares about me." Meanwhile, you're the son of a bitch who drove the poor bastard's family out of business and put a strip mall.
Lex pounds his feet on the ground, shaking in the chair, as he let's out several resounding belly laughs.
LIONEL "If you haven't the strength to impose your own terms on life, you must accept the terms life offers you."
LEX ::nods:: T.S. Eliot. Here, I've got a good quote too. "If you sprinkle when you tinkle, be a sweetie and wipe the seatie!"
LIONEL
::annoyed:: These are serious times, Lex.
LEX
Here. Here. I've got another one. "Behind every good man, there is a woman. and behind her is another man staring at her ass."
LIONEL
::under breath:: And he calls me insane?
Lionel waits for Lex to stop laughing, which takes several good long seconds.
LIONEL
Are you quite finished?
Lex takes a deep breath and sighs, looking up at his father.
LEX
No, but you are.
LIONEL
I beg your pardon?
LEX
Well, it seems to me I've got you dead to rights. With the lockdown initiated, the police undoubtedly have the entire plant surrounded by now, and the security cameras have the whole thing on tape. I'm a little surprised, I didn't count on you making it this easy on me, but I'll consider it a late Christmas present.
Now, it's Lionel's turn to laugh.
LIONEL While I hate to deprive you of your moment of rare jubilee, I'm afraid your faith in the stalwart captains of law and order known as the Smallville Police Department is markedly misplaced.
Lex's smile gradually fades.
LEX
They're not coming?
It was more of a statement than a question.
LIONEL
It seems they are under the impression that this lockdown was scheduled in advance to test some new security and safety measures recently installed in the plant's interior. Being of the twenty-four hour variety, I'm guessing they're going to be slightly delayed for your tastes, son.
Lex is beaten again, and he knows it.
LIONEL
And that being said, I'm not particularly worried about the security cameras either. If I could orchestrate all this, it's not really much of a stretch.
LEX
All right then, let's get to the point. What do you want?
Lionel hesitates just a moment before replying.
LIONEL
Hm. Have I ever told you the story of when you were eight years old and I took you to the Metropolis Opera House to see the opera "Rigoletto"? It was not halfway through Gilda's "Tutte le feste al tempio" when a little voice rung out from the balcony, "Get to the point already."
Lionel smiles proudly.
LIONEL
Naturally, we were heckled out of the theater and consequently asked not return, but you were right. It was mind-numbingly long winded and at such a juvenile age that was something you could simply not put up with. The finer art of a story being told in its entirety as opposed to simply being advanced was beyond your capability. You were an impatient child, Lex, and you are an impatient man.
LEX
What. do you want?
LIONEL
You have no idea how much it has pained me to see you suffer, son.
LEX
You are the reason I suffer.
LIONEL
No, I am not, but I am a part of it. I am not the cause, but I am responsible. For that, I am sorry.
Lex scoffs.
LIONEL
I did not want it to come to this, but you left me with no other choice. I knew you would not sit down with me after what has happened between us. You no longer trust me, your own father, and you have no reason too. That is why I am here, Lex. I am here to give you reason once again.
Lex thinks for a moment, then looks up.
LEX
I've loved. truly loved. two women in my life. I've read and I've been told that that kind of passion is a rare and powerful thing. Yet, when I look at you, I can't help but think of how weak I was, how impotent I was because despite how powerful my love for them was, my hatred for you is infinitely stronger. There is nothing you could say, or do, that will ever change that.
LIONEL
I don't believe that's true.
LEX
Well, that's just the thing, Dad. Your belief is not required to make it true. If you're looking for forgiveness, you've come to the wrong place.
LIONEL I've done many things that I'm not proud of, Lex. I will undoubtedly do many more. I am a man of faults, which is something rare for me to admit. to anyone. Yet, because of this, I know that everyone else in this world must have faults as well. I consider myself a strong man, for the most part a good man.
Lex scoffs again. Lionel continues pretending he didn't hear it.
LIONEL . and if I am capable of such things, so are others. You speak of forgiveness. I understand the meaning of forgiveness. I understand that, as a people, we must forgive each other of our faults and our misgivings.
Lionel diverts his eyes.
LIONEL
I do fear, however, there is one thing that I could never forgive.
Lionel looks up to stare Lex straight in the eye.
LIONEL
. Betrayal.
Lionel scrutinizes Lex's reaction a moment before continuing.
LIONEL And I do not think that you could either. It is simply too great a sin. It is a violent, wretched, detestable act of personal malevolence. It is the most deplorable of acts and something I can never accept. I suspect that neither can you.
Lex contemplates what his father is telling him.
LIONEL
I am here, son, because it is time for you to know the truth. It is time that the shroud be removed from over your eyes and the light of truth to be seen.
Lionel stands up from behind the desk and walks over to the wall near the window. He flips a switch and the window gradually darkens to reveal that it doubles as a television monitor.
LIONEL I have always loved you, son, but I have lied to you. I have lied to you to protect you, but I can not go on with this life knowing that you hate me. It is time for father and son to unite against something worthy of such power.
Lex, admittedly curious as to where his father is going with all of this, watches the screen as Lionel moves back to the desk and presses a button embedded in the desktop. Flickering on, the screen shows a still image of the LuthorCorp Private Airlines at night.
LIONEL
This footage was taken by various surveillance cameras I had setup around the airline prior to the night of the crash. I think you'll find it of particular interest.
Lionel presses another button on the desktop and the video rolls forward.
Four large airline hangars all sit in a row, each one slightly smaller than the next. The LexCorp helicopter comes into the picture from off screen, plummeting directly towards the largest one, at a ninety degree angle to the row of hangars.
The side door explodes from the helicopter, straight outward, just as the flying machine collides with the top of the hangar and erupts into a hideous fireball. Slowly, the door makes a controlled rotation to bring it parallel to the ground. Clark, holding an unconscious Chloe in his arms, rides the door like a surfboard, skipping down off the tops of each successively smaller hangar like a stone skipping across the top of a lake.
Lex stares at the video in amazement as a new camera displays its view of the scene. Seen in the distance skipping off the top of the last hangar, Clark tightens his grip around Chloe as he prepares for the sudden drop to the ground below. Amazingly, he manages to maintain the skid as he hits the runway, sparks flying out behind him as the metal door grinds against the pavement.
Doing his best to sacrifice his body for her, Clark holds Chloe tightly as they slam down to the ground after being tripped up by a row of runway lights embedded into the pavement. Their momentum continues to send them rolling forward, several feet, before finally coming to a stop.
The video slows down to a crawl as, in the distance, Clark peels himself off the pavement and gets to his knees. Zooming in and re-focusing once, twice, and a final third time, the surveillance camera gets a clear view of Clark's face and pauses.
Lionel turns his attention away from the window monitor to gauge his son's reaction. Lex stares at the screen, eyes wide.
LEX
How. How is that possible?
LIONEL
It's not possible. for a human.
Lionel presses another button on the desktop and the image of Clark's face is replaced with that of Colonel Kalib donning the white Kryptonian military garb. There is someone standing next to him, but it is unclear who.
COLONEL KALIB AS JOR-EL The first stage of the unification process is the subjugation of the planet and its people. It's a matter of survival. We will be relying on you to lay the first stones in the path. You are the future of Krypton, Kal-El. You were born to rule. That is where your true greatness lies.
The playback is subject to some rather creative editing of pieces used from Clark's interrogation at the hands of Kalib, but its affect is clear. Lex stares on in utter horror as Kalib slowly turns in place to face the man standing beside him. Clark Kent.