Lex's hand pounded almost as much as his heart when they stepped into his father's office. How the hell was he going to explain that breaking his hand moments before arriving to sign over his company was nothing more than an accident? His father would, of course, assume that Lex had done it on purpose to avoid having to sign the documents.
He could see his father's look turn from one of eager victory to suspicion as he stood from his desk and started towards them.
"What have we here?" He asked Sam.
"Your little brat of a son tried to attack me in the car. I think he broke his hand." Sam offered as he shoved Lex forward towards his father.
"Is that so." Lionel thought briefly as he stared Lex down. "Is that what happened Lex?"
Lex didn't reply; he didn't have time.
Lionel interjected, "Why would you go through all the efforts yesterday to avoid confrontation only to act so irresponsibly today?"
He paused again only briefly.
"Is that what really happened?" He stepped in towards Lex, eyes flaring in sudden anger.
Lex caught himself beginning to cower and took a step back so as to remain standing up as straight as possible. The backhand he received from his father knocked him only slightly off balance.
Lionel reached down and grabbed Lex by the injured hand. Lex's reaction was totally involuntary. As he cried out in pain, he fell to the floor on his knees in an effort to relieve the pressure on his hand.
"Get up!" Lionel ordered.
Lex gathered his wits about him and stood slowly, still remaining somewhat hunched over to nurse the hand his father still held in his grip.
Suddenly Lex found himself being dragged across the room to his father's desk. Lionel roughly pressed a pen into his hand and squeezed his fingers closed around it.
"Write your name!" He shouted at Lex as he slid a pad of paper under his hand.
Lex's whole arm shook as he fought against the pain in his hand as he tried to scroll his signature across the page. What resulted was a scribbled mess that was barely legible.
"Ahh!" Lionel grunted in anger as he pushed Lex's upper body further into the desk.
"You've somehow managed to make yourself useless to me yet again." He added as he stormed away.
"And you!" He pointed a finger at Sam. "All you had to do was get him here in one piece. What the fuck were you thinking?"
"Sir, I, he" Sam started stuttering trying to defend himself.
"Stay here and watch my son. That is if you can manage that. I will be back shortly. Try not to let him kill himself." He added sarcastically as he left the room.
Lionel turned to his assistants and instructed them to retrieve the surveillance video from the limo and meet him in the video conferencing room immediately.
He would get to the bottom of this and determine who was responsible. That person would pay dearly for delaying this deal.
What seemed like an eternity passed before Lionel reappeared in his office. He walked over and smiled darkly at Lex momentarily before turning his attention to Sam.
"Is there any reason why you would anticipate sexual favors from my son, when you were simply tasked with delivering him to me for today's meeting?" Lionel asked calmly.
"Sir, I-"
"I don't believe that Sarah has granted you free rein over her property nor have I indicated that taking your liberties with him would be tolerated."
Lionel gestured to his two associates and they came forward grabbing Sam by the arms and dragging him towards the door.
"Mr. Luthor!" Sam was shouting as they rounded the corner.
Lionel turned to his third associate and added, "Make sure he is dealt with. I want him dead."
"Yes, Mr. Luthor." The man replied and left the room to catch up with the others.
Lionel turned his attention back to Lex, "Don't look so smug Lex. He isn't the only one who will pay for what has happened here today. You seem to misunderstand your lot in life. I am not too sure why you would think to fight against a direct order from someone who is charged with your care."
"Dad, you can't be serious. He wanted, he wanted me to,"
"I am aware of what he wanted you to do and in the future if noncompliance will result in interference with what I have scheduled then I strongly suggest you reconsider your position."
"You mean you would have preferred that I-"
"Oh Lex, don't be so melodramatic, I am only saying that in the future you need to consider the consequences to your actions. Now here we are minutes before the board meeting where you are supposed to sign over Lexcorp and you can't even hold a pen. What am I supposed to do now, hmm?"
"My hand will heal dad. You know I heal faster than most people. It will be good as new for your next meeting. We can use today's meeting to discuss current issues and outstanding projects within the two companies in preparation of the merger."
Lionel closed the distance between them and stood a foot away. He reached up and smoothed Lex's jacket and realigned his tie.
"Things had better go smoothly today Lex or I guarantee you will be sorry." Lionel added emphasis to his words by reaching for Lex's hand and giving it a tight squeeze.
Lex fell again to one knee and upon his release he resumed cradling his hand.
"Get up and let's get going. The board members won't wait all day."
Lex dutifully followed his father from the room, wiping away the tears of pain that had formed moments before.
The board meeting was excruciating, not only because they were usually boring and full of hot aired men sitting around bragging, but also because the pain in his hand had increased with the last hour that had passed.
He was busy wallowing in self-pity and pain while trying to keep up the appearance of being interested when one conversation caught his attention.
Two men on the side of the room during the break had been discussing a research project that his father had recently funded. Lex listened intently on the discussion around an "amnesia serum" and how it had been derived from meteor rocks. The men were discussing the successfulness of their tests on patience in Belle Reeve. They went on in detail about how in doses smaller than 50ml the patient would be unable to remember events as far back as up to two weeks prior to injection. One of the men had offered to show another man the serum and noted that it was downstairs in the lab.
Lex sat thinking about the serum and what it could mean to his situation. If he could somehow get a hold of a vial it may come in handy. Now all he had to do was figure out a way to get out of this meeting and down to the lab without his father's ever-watchful cronies.
Lex dug his fingers into his injured hand. Instantly the pain shot through his system, turning his stomach and making his complexion even more pale than normal. He began dry heaving and sweating. His father shot him a look that could not have been misinterpreted by anyone in the room.
"Excuse me." Lex took the opportunity and stood from the table. He was sure that his father wouldn't try to stop him in front of the other men at the table.
Lionel look furious but quickly hid his displeasure. He pointed to one of his men at the corner of the room, "Go with my son and make sure he is okay. He doesn't look well." Lionel covered his motive with false concern for Lex.
Lex slid from the room quickly and into the hallway. His father's lackey wasn't far behind.
"What the hell is wrong with you?"
"I just need to get some air. My hand is really sore. I need to get my painkillers from the lab." Lex suggested.
"No way." The guard balked shaking his head.
"It will only take a minute. You can come with me, I promise no funny stuff. I will just get my medicine and get back up here."
"It will only take a minute?"
"I swear it." Lex tried to suppress a smile.
They entered the lab and Lex took long fast strides to the other end of the room. His hurried pace seemed to satisfy the guard who remained waiting by the door. Lex tried to use his time wisely looking through drawers and cupboards for the serum.
"Almost got it!" Lex called as he bent over to look in another set of cupboards.
"Get a move on!"
Lex's heart jumped when he opened a stainless steel drawer and found two syringes containing the serum. He quickly grabbed a lead box on top of the desk and slid the two syringes under the cover.
"Got it." Lex called slipping the box into his coat pocket.
He briefly regretted not using the time to actually get himself some painkillers but thought better of taking any more time away from the meeting. Any longer and his father would become suspicious and send someone less gullible to find him.
He rejoined the guard and headed back to the meeting.