Chapter 3: The Job
Metropolis, today. Vehicles of almost every color and size zoomed around the busy city and it's various business buildings, including the magnificent LuthorCorp tower. Lionel Luthor worked busily at his desk in his office on the top floor when a young man walked in. He was bald and looked to be in his early twenties. "Welcome Lex," Lionel said.
"Why have you called me dad?" Lex asked as he took a seat. "I was busy working at home."
"Working at home?" Lionel asked with a laugh. "Recuperating from partying around last night is more like it."
"Regardless of my activities, I believe I have the day off of work." Lex said.
"Day off? You should always work at your full potential to get ahead in the real world son, I've told you that many times." Lionel said. "You should be more like you're brother, he's excelling at Excelsior Prep."
"Can't I go one day without hearing about the great Klark Luthor?" Lex asked.
"Ok, then let's talk about you." Lionel said. "Despite your attitude problem, your work here at LuthorCorp has been exemplary and I am going to give you a promotion."
"A promotion?" Lex asked.
"Yes, I'm opening up a new plant in Smallville and you are going to run it." Lionel explained.
"Smallville?" Lex asked. "Seriously?"
"Yes, and I expect you to be there and ready by tomorrow." Lionel said. "Your place should be finished construction by then."
"My place?" Lex asked.
"Yes, I thought that I'd have the Luthor ancestral home rebuilt here in Kansas." Lionel said. "It has been shipped over from Scotland stone by stone to just outside Smallville. It's a good place for you to stay, and the rest of us to visit."
"And a bribe to ship me off to Hicksville," Lex said.
"Come on Lex, it's a good opportunity." Lionel said.
"And who gets my job?" Lex asked.
"Klark," Lionel replied.
"But he's still in high school !" Lex yelled as he jumped to his feet. "You just want to get rid of me so you can spend time with 'the good son'."
"Don't be so dramatic Lex, I just want what's best for my boys." Lionel said. "I've got a lot of work to do. I suggest you take this job, so go home or wherever to think about it."
"Yeah, fine." Lex said and stormed out of the office. He walked out of the building to see someone leaning against his new blue-grey Porsche with a licence plate that read: Lex. "Klark, what do you want?"
"To congratulate you on your new job," Klark replied with a laugh. He was a teenager now, around fifteen years old, with slightly long black hair and a pair of black sunglasses.
"You mean to gloat," Lex said.
"So sensitive," Klark said and moved aside. "You could really use a vacation to this Smallville. It sounds like a wonderful place," he said and laughed some more.
"Well enjoy your new job, brother." Lex said and got in his Porsche. "Because when I take over, it's all over for you."
"Oh yeah, your precious LexCorp idea, I almost forgot." Klark said. "Keep dreaming Lex. I'll just get that too and name it KalCorp, ha."
"Kal, I still think that's a stupid nickname." Lex said. "There's no Kal in yours."
"You're just jealous because it's more creative than Lex and that I'm so much better looking," Klark said. He shook his head to send waves through his long hair, then touched Lex's smooth head. "But I can't really blame you there, Cue ball."
"Don't flatter yourself," Lex said. He started his car and Klark watched him speed off. Klark then walked inside LuthorCorp and up to his father's office.
"Hey dad, I'm here like you asked." Klark said as he walked in. "What did you want?"
"Oh good, take a seat." Lionel said. "I'm expecting one of my clients shortly that has been unwilling to keep his end of a deal we have made. I was wondering if you wouldn't mind staying and giving me a hand to encourage him to pay."
"If you want," Klark said and took a seat.
A little later Lex's Porsche passed by a large billboard that read: Welcome to Smallville Kansas Pop 45,001 The meteor Capital of the World! with another behind it that read: Pleasant Meadows Another Luthor Corp Project New Homes starting at $245,000 Making America a Better Place to Live.
Lex continued driving towards a plant. The sign outside the plant read: Luthor Corp Fertilizer Plant No. 3. Lex pulled into a parking space then took off a pair of black and got out of the car into the rain. He looked around, took off a pair of black driving gloves and sighed.
"Thanks dad," Lex said sarcastically then walked inside the plant.
Later that day as the bus started to leave Smallville high it was flagged down by Pete Ross. "Hey ! Stop !" Pete yelled as the bus came to a slow stop halfway out of the parking lot. He ran inside and walked down to a free seat while everyone laughed. Pete dropped in the seat and let his head hit the window gently. Pete was in his mid-teens with short hair and a loose plain t-shirt.
"Hey slowpoke," a voice said. Pete turned around to seeing a smiling attractive girl with short blonde hair. "Didn't think you'd make it at all, with your football tryout and all."
"I didn't make the team, Chloe." Pete said
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that." Chloe said. "I guess you're just going to have to dedicate more time to the Torch."
"It's not that I didn't want to do the Torch, I was trying to avoid being the scarecrow." Pete said.
"Scarecrow?" Chloe asked.
"Yeah, it's a Homecoming tradition. Every year before the big game, the football players select a freshman, take him off to Reilly Field, strip him down to his boxers and then paint an "S" on his chest." Pete explained. "Like a scarecrow."
"Jeez, that sounds like years of therapy waiting to happen." Chloe said.
"Why do you think I was trying out for the team?" Pete asked. "Figure they wouldn't choose one of their own, but that hope's gone."
"Don't worry about it Pete, I'm sure something else to boost your popularity will come up." Chloe said.
"I hope so," Pete said as the bus stopped. "It's my stop, I'll talk to you later."
"Yeah, later." Chloe said and Pete got off of the bus. He passed by his house, saw everyone was gone and went for a short walk.
A little ways away Lex was driving his Porsche to the town while a large red flat bed truck rolled down the road in the opposite direction. An unnoticed metal coil fell from the back of the truck and onto the road. Pete continued walked onto the bridge then stopped and looked over the railing down at the water
Lex's cell phone rang then he looked away from the road and retrieved it from his jacket pocket. He looked up and suddenly saw the metal coil on the road. Lex frantically tried to pump the breaks and shift gears but he hit the coil and lost control of the car. Pete looked up to see the car coming at him and tried to jump out of the way but Lex hit Pete and knocked him over the bridge. Lex eventually skidded the Porsche to a stop and ran out to see Pete sink below the water. "Damn it," Lex said. He looked around then dove into the water after Pete. Lex found Pete at the bottom of the river then pulled him out of the water.
Lex set Pete down on the ground by the river then started giving him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and cardiovascular stimulation. "Come on ! Don't die on me !"
Pete coughed and spit up some water. He coughed up some more then opened his eyes and looked up at Lex. "Who are you?"
"I'm the guy that hit you," Lex replied then extended his hand. "Lex Luthor."
"Pete Ross," Pete said. He shook Lex's hand, then Lex helped him to his feet. "Thanks for jumping in and saving me."
"It's the least I could've done," Lex said and they both had a little laugh. "Come on, I'll give you a ride home."
Lex and Pete arrived at the Ross household in Lex's mangled Porsche. Lex helped Pete out of the car as Pete's parents and Chloe ran out of the house. "What happened ?" Mr. Ross asked.
"I was hit by a car," Pete replied.
"Are you ok sweetie?" Mrs. Ross asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Pete replied. "Just a little banged up, and wet from the fall off the bridge."
"Who's the maniac that was driving that car?" Mr. Ross asked.
"That would be me, Lex Luthor" Lex said. He extended his hand to Mr. Ross to shake but Mr. Ross looked him up and down and ignored his hand.
"A Luthor," Mr. Ross said. "That would explain it. Hit an innocent kid then drop him off at home, expecting it all to be forgotten."
"Dad, he saved my life." Pete protested.
"Yeah, he almost took it too." Mr. Ross said, then walked back into the house.
"Well I guess that's my cue to leave," Lex said. He took a card out of his wet shirt and passed it to Pete. "Incase you, or your father, wants to get in contact with me, this is how to contact me." Chloe walked closer to Pete and saw the business card.
"You're the new owner of the LuthorCorp Plant?" Chloe asked.
"Yeah," Lex replied and walked towards the car.
"Would I be able to get an interview with you for the Torch?" Chloe asked. "It's our school paper."
"Normally I don't do interviews, especially for school papers, but I'll make an exception in your case." Lex said. "I should get back and get another car, I haven't even been to my house yet. Whenever you have a time in mind, give me a call." Lex said then drove off in the car.
"That's my Chloe," Pete said and headed to the door, "Always thinking of her story."
That night, a strange young character watched Frank's Auto Repair shop from the shadows. A man inside the shop started up a car engine then looked out to see the character in the shadows, as he smiled. " Jeez, kid. You scared the crap out of me." Frank said as the kid approached him. "Don't I know you? You look like that scarecrow kid. Where the hell you been?"
The kid smiled, but remained silent. "Hey, freakazoid." Frank said. "Wake up."
Frank poked the kid on the shoulder and got an electric charge that threw him across the shop, knocking over a tool cart. Frank then looked up from the ground as the kid approached.
"That was twelve years ago, man. It was just a game," Frank said, trembling. "What do you want?"
"To play," the kid replied.
The kid reached out and touched Frank's chest, electrocuting him. He picked Frank up and pinned him to the wall. The kid then looked up to see a picture on the wall of three guys in Smallville High Football team uniforms and the glass covering the picture shattered.