An: Another day, Another update. Just because it bugs me when I'm reading a story and it takes five months to get three chapters written and posted! Anyhow! Clark gets to see how bad Lex has become and Lois finds herself in a sticky situation
Clark looked around in awe. The sound of water echoed off of the cavernous walls. "What is this place Bruce?"
"This is the Batcave. Its where I keep Batman hidden from the world." Bruce walked over to an enormous computer display and punched a few keys. An image of a fat man in an expensive suit filled the screen. "This Clark, is Rupert Thorne. He supposedly runs a legitimate shipping business out of Gotham harbor. The truth about the man is that he is the head of the Gotham crime families. He recently took over in a bloody gang war that erupted after the last boss Carmine Falcone lost his mind. So far he's proven to be twice as smart as Falcone ever was. I can't seem to pin anything on this guy no matter how hard I try but I have messed up a great deal of his operations. Word on the street is that a bounty is going to be placed on my head."
"Thats not always a good thing Bruce. People will come at you when you least expect it. People you think you can trust. It happened to me while I was in Columbia. I made some trouble for a few drug lords and suddenly I'm being woken up one night by a hunting party looking to get rich quick."
"Well I bet they were sorry they woke you up." Clark just smiled.
"I made them see things my way."
"Clark this is what I need you to do. I need you to go down to Menatti's restaurant and eavesdrop. You can hear through walls right?"
"If I want to."
"Find out what deals Thorne has going down. I know he personally handles some of them. All we need to know is when and where we can get him caught red handed."
"Sounds like a plan to me."
"Clark be careful. These are some dangerous people we're messing with."
"Bruce don't worry. The only thing that can hurt me is hundreds of miles away in Smallville."
"Get some sleep Clark. Head down to the restaurant tomorrow and see what you can find out." Bruce handed Clark a small cylinder with a button on the end. "When you find out something press that button and I'll come find you." Clark took it and shook Bruce's hand.
"This is the start of a good friendship I think Bruce." Clark turned around and in a flash was gone.
Night had fallen on Gotham again. Lois and Chloe had spent the afternoon at the hotel tapping away on their laptops, each of them writing a story for the planet. Lois had decided that she needed some more information on the bank robbery so she left the hotel to go check out the bank a little bit closer. "Don't wait up Chlo'" The hotel was only a few blocks from the bank so Lois decided to walk. Lois looked around and admired the city of Gotham. 'Its pretty nice in some areas.' As she passed an alleyway she heard a muffled shout and a grunt. 'Thats weird.' Lois headed down the alleyway to see what had caused the noise. As she walked a little further she saw three men beating another man with baseball bats.
"This is what happens when you snitch on Mr. Thorne!"
"Please stop! The man could fly!"
"Shut up! You think Mr. Thorne bailed you out of jail because you messed up?"
"He wanted to make sure you wouldn't talk!" Another man shouted.
"I swear I didn't say what the money was for! I swear!"
"Thats enough! Mr. Thorne wants this arms deal to go nice and smooth." The man pulled out a gun and shot the man lying on the ground in the head. Lois let out a muffled cry and started to back up when she backed into something. She turned around and saw a big man watching her.
"Like what you saw Miss?"
"Oh you know watching mob hits isn't really my cup of tea so I'm just gonna go." The man put out a hand and pushed Lois backwards into the group of men.
"Didn't Thorne tell you to go somewhere more private? Now we got a witness." The other men were caught off guard by the sight of Lois. She took this opportunity to catch the man who pushed in across the face with a solid right hook.
"Ow! You bitch!" he shouted as Lois bolted past him "Get her!" The other three men chased after her. Lois ran as fast as she had ever run until she realized she had ran in the wrong direction down the alley. She approached a high brick wall, blocking any further escape. The three men caught up to her.
"Nowhere to run now sweetheart!" Lois kicked one of them in the head and he dropped and then tried to punch another. The third man reacted quickly and slammed her head up against the wall. Lois fell to the ground and darkness consumed her. One of the men went through her purse.
"Hey do you know who this is? Its Lois Lane, the star reporter for the Daily Planet."
"No kiddin?" The big man approached the other three men.
"Load her up into the car. Mr. Thorne will find out how much she knows."
Lex got up early to put on his best business suit and prep for the day. 'Two big meetings today.' he thought. He ate breakfast and then headed down to the limo waiting to take him to Wayne Tower. He imagined how the day would go. Wayne would accept the merger, and then a few months from now he would have an accident leaving Lex in charge of the largest and most powerful company in the world. Lex relished the thought. In a few minutes they arrived at the headquarters for Wayne Enterprises at the very center of Gotham. Lex climbed an elevator. The doors slid open and a deep voice greeted Lex.
"Lex, glad you could make it. Well lets get right down to our meeting so I can take care of some other things I have going on today ok?" Bruce Wayne led Lex to his office. Lex sat down across from Bruce. He looked exhausted.
"Active nightlife Bruce?"
"You could say that Lex." Lex smirked. This would be easy.
"Bruce I'm not one to mince words with someone like you so I'll get right down to it. I'm here to propose a merger. Lexcorp and Wayne enterprises. Together we would be co-owners of the largest and most powerful company in the world. Now I want you to take a minute to think of the amount of wealth and power this could generate for both of us Bruce. Mull it over, if you will." Lex reached for his briefcase and pulled out some papers. "I've taken the liberty of getting the papers made up by my lawyers already. All you need to do is sign." Lex tossed the papers on Bruce's desk. Bruce appeared to be deep in thought. Then he grabbed the contract and signed something on the bottom line. He tossed it back to Lex. Lex grabbed the contract and smiled. "It was a pleasure doing business with..." Lex read the bottom line. Instead of Bruce Wayne's signature it said "Are you crazy?" "What's the meaning of this Bruce?"
"Lex. My father slaved for twenty years to build Wayne Enterprises into one of the most respected companies in the world and you just strut up here and expect me to just sign it over to you without so much as a day to think about it?"
"You wouldn't be signing anything over Bruce, we'd be co-owners." Bruce reached into his desk and threw the days edition of the Daily Planet at Lex. The headline was Wife of Lex Luthor found dead after fall from Lexcorp Tower. "How long before I'd have an accident like your wife Lex."
"Bruce I don't like what you are insinuating but I had nothing to do with the death of my wife."
"Yeah and I can tell by how upset you are by it right now. Lex your company has been implicated in arms dealing, drug running and gross ethical lapses in scientific research. I think I'll take my chances alone."
"Bruce this is a one time offer. Don't be a fool. Our father's were never friends. When I walk out that door you will have made yourself an enemy." Bruce pressed a button on his desk and the doors behind him opened.
"It was nice talkin' to ya Lex." The vein on Lex's forehead grew and Lex stalked out of Wayne Towers as fast as he could. 'I promise you Bruce Wayne. Someday I will take over Wayne Enterprises and Gotham City.' Lex climbed back into his limo and headed for his next stop.
Clark landed silently on the roof of Menatti's restaurant. He x-rayed the building and saw several people inside eating but also a large room in the back with a table and several men sitting around it. Clark watched as a black limo pulled up in front of the restaurant. The door opened and Lex Luthor stepped out. Clark jumped back. 'Lex! What are you doing meeting with these people?' Clark saw a person in the back room leave to greet Lex at the door. His super hearing kicked in.
"Mr. Luthor so glad you could make it. Right this way please." The man led Lex to the back room where he sat down.
"Ah Lex! So glad you could make it to my humble establishment." a booming voice Clark assumed was Thorne rang out.
"Mr. Thorne. I've had a very bad morning so lets not make small talk. Give me the documents." Clark heard something slide across the table.
"You know your friend Anthony would be upset to know he was double crossed by us."
"Anthony has already been dealt with. Good help is SO hard to find."
"Ok Lex, I've held up my part of the deal now is where you do yours. You see I had to kill a lot of people to take over the families after Falcone went nuts. I don't like to do it. Blood gets everywhere. I ruined quite a few nice suits. Anyhow now that I'm in charge I cannot have my rule threatened lest I seem weak right? So theres this guy. Wears a bat-suit. He's been messing up my operations all over Gotham. He put a lot of good men of mine behind bars. I want the son of a bitches head on a platter. Now tomorrow at Pier 12, Gotham Harbor I will personally be supervising the offloading of some high quality merchandise from Russia. My men have so far been unable to defend themselves from the bat and I've heard that you have some bodyguards who would be much better suited. What I want you to do is to loan them to me just for tomorrow so that I don't go down during this deal. Simple."
"Well Mr. Thorne you're much easier to deal with than Bruce Wayne. I'll do you one better. I will have four of my best men flown out here immediately. I'll send two of them to raise hell in the city until the Bat comes after them and then they'll catch him. Then the others can supervise your deal. You know this could be the start of a long and prosperous relationship Mr. Thorne. Don't disappoint me."
"Thank you Mr. Luthor! You won't regret this."
"I'm flying out in a few hours. I'll send my men here." Lex got up and left.
"Make sure that reporter Lane is at the pier tomorrow. I'll dispose of her then." Thorne said.
Clark watched the limocontaining Lexpull away. He couldn't believe what he had just heard. He had been warned many times by different people of the darkness in Lex but he couldn't believe how much he had changed since he had left home. 'Whatever the case Lex. If I catch you doing something I will have to bring you down.' Clark was even more upset that Thorne had mentioned something about'Lane' He x-rayed the bulding looking for captives but he couldn't find any.They had captured Lois, his Lois and that made Clark want to break in the building and beat all the men to a pulp. 'No Clark.The only way to save heris to do it at the pier tomorrow.'Clark stood and took off, heading back to the hotel.
