The Men who Look Down on the World

Chapter four

Dr. Emmett Vale has been cooped up in the Lex Corp Weapons Research and Development lab for the last day and a half. He has been there since Lex Luthor chewed out him and Dr. Irons, then fired half their staff and forced the two of them to figure out just what happened during the demonstration. As far as Lex is concerned Vale and Irons were to blame for what happened during the convention.

"I should have stood with Dr. Irons." Vale mutters to himself while he and his skeleton crew go over the damage to the Metallo alloy. Irons refused to be Lex's scapegoat and told him so, he threatened to come forward with information if Lex would not. Lex had him fired saying it would be Iron's word against his and people are going to believe Lex. Vale knew something was wrong when he and Irons met with Lex. For one thing they met the real Lex Luthor and not Mercy acting as his voice or a hologram. It was Vale's first time meeting the real Lex Luthor and he was shocked my the man's appearance. You only meet the real Lex Luthor if something really good or really bad is going to happen. Vale a very nervous man has not stopped sweating since the meeting.

"Sorry John I need this job." He mutters to himself wiping the sweat off his forehead. This is Vale's life work he can't just abandon it. John Irons promised him a partnership in his research but John has no company, no investors backing him and little money. Vale is too old to take risks like that.

Vale looks over the section of the mech that Superman punched and dented. They are studying how much force was needed to make such a dent into the metallo plated suit. "Dr. Vale about the sensors Mr. Luthor made us install into the suit? Well we have received back data."

Those sensors were a strange request. Lex already knew how much force the suit could take and how much the drones could dish out. It's almost like he was expecting something else to happen. "Na he could not have known." Vale mutters.

"Sir?" The researcher says surprised.

"Nothing nothing. Have you compared the data to what we have on Superman's strength like Mr. Luthor asked?" That adds to Vale's suspicion, he has heard about Lex's obsession with Superman and that there were projects trying to figure out the Man of Steel's strengths and limitations but as far as Vale knew the LWM project was not one of them.

"Yes Dr. Vale. The first few punches Superman made match the strength readings known about the being. The one where he dented the LWM, well Superman's strength was three times higher then that."

Vale takes out his tablet and writes that down. He also transfers the data from the lab tech's pad to his. Lex is going to ask him what he found. "What have I gotten myself into." Vale touches the dent mark and follows the imprint of Superman's fist. He is amazed anyone to do this to metallo. The tests on the metal shown it to stop high powered blasts without so much as a scratch. "What is he?" He walks around the LWM trying to get a clear picture of what happened.

"Hey Dr. Vale." A female lab tech runs over to him, "We need you over here."

"Huh?" Vale looks up from what he is doing and looks at the woman. She is part of the team studying the black box data. He follows her to where her team are working. The black box is the main memory of the LWM's artificial mind and it recorded everything that went on inside and outside the LWM. The team is not working, they are just staring at some data they found looking at it with a dumbfounded expression, "What's going on here?"

The black woman speaks, "Neilla Marsh, team leader. We were studying the LWM's hard drive and the data we got out of it. It becomes more and more erratic the deeper we dive into the memory bank. Look." She puts the data up on the screen for Dr. Vale.

Dr. Vale reads the data, the memory files seem normal, "Pilot engaged targets... we took on the final target putting on a show for the people only we can protect... I engaged the new target, it is a war, to protect the many sacrifices can be made." Vale mutters passages from the data as he reads it and shakes his head when he's done. This is his worst fear, "Damn."

"Is it what I believe it is?" Dr. Marsh asks.

Vale looks up at her, his eyes showing great fear, "And what do you believe this is Dr. Marsh?"

She clears her throat, "I believe that over the course of the demonstration, Corben and the LWM were becoming more and more one mind. It was one of the biggest concerns of the mental link. One of the reasons many scientists found it unethical."

"Indeed. I thought I worked that out. I thought I could prevent that from happening. The simulators with the Neura Link shown that a merger like this would not happen if we were careful. That we could prevent such a thing from happening. I failed."

"Don't blame yourself Doctor." Dr. Marsh says, "Everyone in this project thought you and Dr. Irons were right. We were behind you all the way, still are. We are all to blame."

"Yes but I knew this could happen." He thinks to himself 'I have seen it happen,' but does not dare to say that aloud. "I never wanted to make a mockery of god's work, to play god. I simply wanted to make a new method of data transfer and machine control." Vale knows that science is all about making the impossible possible and he should have looked at every theory and not just his own. "However I must face the facts when John Corben was removed from the machine he acted like a man who lost a part of himself."

Dr Marsh and other members of the black box team look at Dr. Vale. They respect the old man, he has been a teacher to some of them and a mentor to all of them. Marsh was an A student in his class during her days at the Metropolis University of Technology. "We will back you up Dr. Vale. You have our support."

Emmett Vale does not say anything and helps out her team for a while looking over the black box data. He transfers the data over to his tablet while making a mental note. He then walks away from them. He hears his phone ring and answers it, "Vale here."

"Dr. Vale." It is a female voice as cold as ice, Mercy Graves, "I am out side the lab near the door of your office. It is time for your daily progress report."

Vale shutters at the thought as he hangs up his phone. He has to show Mercy what he found and Mercy will then bring it to Mr. Luthor. He slowly walks over to his office door that is connected to the main lab. The way he is walking draws the attention of the lab workers who feel sorry for Vale knowing what is going to happen, "None of you will be fired. Luthor has enough scapegoats." he says trying to ease their worries knowing it won't work.

Vale wipes the sweat off his hands as he opens the door to his office. He turns on the light and locks the door leading to the lab. He sees Mercy's back from the window to the hall. He walks over to his mini fridge and takes out a bottle of water which he opens and drinks a third of. He then and only then believes he has the strength to open the door and face Mercy. Mercy grabs the door as it starts to open and forces it open then walks in, "Took you long enough Dr. Vale." She says coldly.

"I well..." He wipes the sweat off his forehead with a towel then offers Mercy his hand.

Mercy looks at his hand then ignores it and sits down. "No time for that doctor."

Vale was only trying to be nice but Mercy would not have it. He closes the door and then sits down behind his desk, "Would you like something to drink?"

"No thank you. What I would like is your report."

Vale hands her his tablet. She looks over his data, "Good, this is what Luthor wanted. Yes." She pulls out a zip disk and downloads Vale's data into it. "You are making up for your mistakes Dr. Vale."

Vale forces a smile, "Thank you miss Graves. The LWM incident was my fault and I will correct it."

If Mercy feels anything from that apology she does not show it. "Well you owe Mr. Luthor for this. If I had my way you would have been fired along with Dr. Irons. The way I see it you both screwed up." Mercy is always brutality honest, she has no mercy pardon the obvious bad pun.

Dr. Vale lowers his head in shame. "I owe Mr. Luthor everything. I am very lucky." Very pathetic is more like it. He wishes he had half the backbone John Irons has.

Mercy gets up from her chair. "You can return to your work Dr. Vale." She walks out of the door and gets ready to tell Mr. Luthor the news. Dr. Emmett Vale is the perfect stooge for Lex Corp. A brilliant scientist who lacks the confidence to try to do things on his own. The type of man who has everything to lose and will take the blame for everything even when he tried his best to prevent it.

As Lois Lane rides up the elevator at Metropolis County Hospital she is wondering why she even came here. "How did Lucy talk me into this?" The last thing she wants to do is see John Corben, even if she does feel bad for him she just does not like the man. Still she wants to support her sister, if Lucy loves this man there is nothing Lois can do to change it. Still she is hoping John does not wake up while she visits.

Lois walks out of the elevator to the third floor where John is resting and walks though the halls to the break room. There she sees Kent Luthor talking to her father. Lois moans as she walks over to them, "Hello dad."

"Hey Lois you made it. Lucy said you were coming." Sam Lane says.

"Well I am here for her sake, not for yours and not for John's."

The General looks at his daughter, "What is your problem with Sargent Corben?"

She looks at her father with a mean look that says, are you serous? She has told her father her problems about John many times and her belief that he beats Lucy and her father never listens. "John is, gah." Lois walks away knowing there is no explaining this to her father. To her father John Corben will always be the perfect man for his daughters. "I can't deal with this." Lois has every intent to leave right then and there.

"Miss Lane." Kent Luthor calls out to Lois as she starts heading back to the elevator, "Please wait."

Lois stops, "Sorry about that Mr. Luthor. My father, sometimes I don't understand that man."

"Perfectly understandable." Kent says in an understanding voice. "Do we ever truly understand anybody?"

"What are you doing here Mr. Luthor? Do you own the hospital?"

"No, I own the Lionel Luthor Memorial Hospital on the other side of town." he says with a laugh. "I am here because Luthor Corp feels partly to blame for John Corben and everyone else injured in the tragic accident. We have paid the bills for everyone here."

Lois smirks, "Guilty conscience?"

Kent shakes his head, "Do you always think the worst in people?"

"I'm a reporter, when someone is a squeaky clean as you are and as powerful as you happen to be then Yes. No one is perfect Mr. Luthor, not even you."

"That is true Miss Lane but not everyone has some deep dark secret." Kent Luthor almost seems to be enjoying this conversation.

"Actually in my experience Mr. Luthor, everyone has a dark secret." Lois decided now is as good of a time as any to ask that question. "Where did you go during the convention? When the demonstration started you were gone. Are you a coward Mr. Luthor or do you know more then you are letting on."

"Oh that." Kent laughs, "Lois I own all of Luthor Media, I had more duties that day. I had to make it to Veteran Stadium for to throw the first pitch. I had to duck out early. I regret missing the demonstration and if I was there I would have helped."

"Only if it would help stroke your ego." Lois turns away from the elevator. She has changed her mind. She will see Lucy and John after all. Arguing with Kent Luthor has boosted her confidence.

"Well I should go Miss Lane, give your sister my regards." Kent then walks into the elevator as Lois starts walking back to the waiting room.

As Lois passes by the waiting room her father is still there sitting at the same table he was at before. He gets up and walks over to his daughter, "Have you calmed down Lois?"

"Sure dad." She says not looking at him. She tries to give her father credit for trying but it's too little too late. Lois walks ahead of her father by a couple feet and enters John's room first. As she opens the door she can hear two voices laughing, her sisters sweet laugh and a weak laugh mixed with a coughing fit, John. So as she opens the door she knows John is awake so she takes a deep breath as she enters. "Hi Lucy." Lois says as her sister looks at her. Lois says nothing to John and she sits down in a chair.

Lucy's smile brightens, "Lois so glad you can make it. John's up."

"I can see that." Lois says in a cold tone.

John coughs and forces himself up. He is sore all over and it feels like his head was ran over by a freight train. He also looks like he has not gotten much sleep besides being in a coma for the last twenty seven hours. "Lois." he says weakly, "No interviews please."

Lois looks at John with a blank expression, was that a joke? John's sense of humor is pretty none existent so this joke he just made is a surprise. It was a joke right. Lois laughs, "I wouldn't think of it john. How's your head?"

"It's better." He says and mumbles under his breath that he's lonely. "I will recover."

Lois looks away from John, if there is one good thing she can say about John Corben he has a strong will, he will recover and he will fight on. She is more worried about her sister. Lucy is not weak but Lois thinks she might be too dependent on John Corben lately. "How are you holding up?"

Lucy looks up at Lois, she has not changed her clothes or make up since the convention and looks like a mess. "I'm fine." she says in a tired voice.

"You need to get some rest." Lois says. "Let me take you home." Lois tries to grab her sisters hand but she is pushed away.

"No I want to stay with John."

"Lois is right." John says weakly. "You have been by my side this whole time?" Lucy nods. "Thanks for that love, you really should go home, get a good rest, get changed and come back with your best face. I'm recovering." Lois nods in complete agreement with John for once.

"That is a fine idea." Sam Lane says booming from the door. "Lucy we are all worried about you. You're not helping anyone by being here."

Lucy looks at all the faces of the people she loves and folds her hands, "Fine you win." She slowly gets up but falls back into the chair, "Man I'm weak."

"Take my hand." Lois then helps her sister up. "Have you even eaten anything in the last couple days?" Lucy shapes her head no. "I think I should drive you home. We can get you something to eat too." Lucy just nods her head. Lois holding her sister up by the shoulder helps her out of the hospital room. Their father closes the door behind them.

Sam Lane looks at John and wonders back and force, "Son I don't know how to say this." He got the report this morning at ten am. He hates to do this to John, whose one of his best men. Sam looks away from John.

John shallows hard, "Sir?"

"You have been discharged. Your record has been reevaluated after the incident at the convention center and discrepancies were found." Sam is holding back his anger, he was duped, Corben had his full confidence. "I don't know how you did it.."

"Did what sir?" Corben fakes ignorance.

"How you have been fooling us all, sound body and mind? Ha. You have been seeking help for the last few years and have been keeping it a secret. You have anger issues, and the depression. Come on did you think we would not find out? You're not fit to fly a plane let alone a high tech tank." What really makes the general angry is he should have seen it, he knew John was not the same since his briother died.

"I am mentally sound sir." Corben says calmly. "Yes I suffered from depression for a while but I got over it. I am the best of the best."

"You still should not have been piloting that suit. You made yourself look bad and worse you made me look bad. Sorry Sargent you have been relieved of duty. You will be able to fight it but here is some advice. You will lose. Walk away with dignity." Sam Lane loves John like a son and always will. Even if for the first time he is looking at the John Corben Lois warned him about.

John sits up, "Sir?" His voice raises, "I will fight this tooth and nail. You need me."

"No I don't." He shakes his dead. "Drop it."

John reaches for the general but is too weak to do much moving. He has over excreted himself, "I won't let this stand. I am the best." He then passes out.

Sam sheds a tear, John is the closest he has to a son. Sam is thinking he might have to talk to Lucy and tell her to leave John. The man is not fit for his daughters. He laughs as he walks to the door, "Lois was right about John Corben all along." he says under his breath.

Just after midnight on Saturday the twenty first at a Lex Corp weapons storage facility all seems quiet. The roaming guard just made his rounds searching block three where storage units thirteen to eighteen are stored and just moved on to block four. The cameras continue to watch block three and the motion sensors are active. The security system would catch anyone trying to break in and steal these what is stored here. Each unit has an individual camera and sensors. There are five guards in the control room each watching a different block. Nothing will go wrong.

Underneath the storage facility are tunnels used to transport the goods to the different units. The tunnels lead to an elevator for each unit and the elevators are study enough to carry fifty tons of weight at a time or ten walker tanks. These tunnels are also monitored by camera and motion sensors but are watched less extensively since access to them is very limited. There are guards at the ground entrance to the tunnel.

If the guards on duty paid close attention to the cameras they would see a flicker for a second to all cameras leading to storage area sixteen and the ones in sixteen itself. This is someone hacking into the computer system and putting the cameras in a loop for twenty minutes as they steal the walkers in the storage room. With luck the job will be completed by the time the roaming guard returns to the storage block in twenty four minutes.

Down in the tunnels a group of gangsters some of them too highly trained for common thugs are getting ready to pull off a heist. Most of the men are dressed in black suits with high tech glasses with green tints to them. Their leader is a tall man wearing a dark green business suit and has a smirk on his scared face. One of his eyes is dead and there is a nasty looking scar coming down it. This man is Bruno "Ugly" Mannheim the known leader of Intergang. He is a very hands on boss and wants to be there during the big heists, "Alright men here we go. According to my inside source from Lex Corp right above us are some Luthor Weaponry Walkers." Mannheim looks over to his men who have stopped. One a smaller man who is not wearing the special glasses or the black stealth suits steps forward. He is wearing a white tech suit and has a special mechanical screw in his hand. "Neider. Do your thing."

"Yes Mr. Mannheim." Joseph Neider walks over to the controls to the elevator. "Lets see." he takes out a small tool in the shape of a screw driver and finds a small hole. He then inserts the device and the elevator powers up. He then types in potential pass codes. "Humm." Neider is a skilled computer hacker but this is his first time working on a Luthor conputer system. "Luthor computer systems are unlike any in the world."

"What does that mean?" Mannheim asks his patients wearing thin.

Neider types for a few more seconds as the elevator starts to move up and the door above them to storage area sixteen opens up, "It means it will take me a few seconds longer then normal. Luthor is ahead of the game."

Ugly Mannheim had Intergang's last hacker killed after a screw up with a military heist. Neider is just the next up and comer in a long line of hackers. His usefulness lasts as long as he succeeds. "Keep up the good work and there will always be a place for you in Intergang. We know how to reward success."

The elevator takes Bruno and his sixteen men up to the floor level of storage room. The automatic lights turn on one by one, and they see the walkers. Bruno raises his hands up high and looks at his men with a bright smile. "Oh yeah, this is the mother load." As they were told the storage room contained fifteen walkers, one for each of Bruno's trained men. Bruno and Neider are the only ones that can't pilot such a device. "Make sure they are functional mark three walkers. We don't want any junkers on our hands. Be quick we have fifteen minutes before our window of opportunity closes." He says.

His men move out and check the walkers. "Sir, these are not mark three walkers."

"What?" Bruno raises his voice.

"Sir. They are mark five walkers."

Bruno's grim frown rises into an even grimmer smile, "This is my lucky day. The current walker model." Bruno claps. "Alright men get in and take them to the elevator. Eight walkers first then seven down to the tunnels." The Walkers are five tons a piece and the elevator van carry up to fifty tons but it's better to be safe, especially when your stealing such important weapons.

The first eight walkers move over to the elevator and everything moves smoothly. Bruno watching the scene unfold before his eyes takes out his phone, "The plan is proceeding with out a hitch but there was one thing we did not predict." He is talking to his silent partner, the man truly in charge of Intergang. Bruno has only seen his partner a few times. He controls the day to day operations of Intergang and gets all the profit. His partner just gives Bruno the resources and influence he needs to make Intergang the force it is.

"And what was that?"

"The walkers, they are not mark three models. They are mark five models. Your source was off. However this is better." Bruno watches as the second batch of walkers move to the elevator. He walks over to the elevator with Neider and gets on.

"That is a mistake in our favor Ugly. I am pleased."

Bruno turns off his phone and smiles. The Elevator takes them down into the tunnels and the walks move into formation in front of Mannheim. "Okay men we have to move quickly. We have five minutes to get outside. That is when the security system reactivates. Remember while the guards at the tunnel entrance work for us if we are taught they will turn on us. Their cover is not to be blown."

Bruno and Neider walk behind the walkers. The mecha move at a speed just above that of a human walk speeds at normal power. That is all they need right now. Neider can picture in his mind the long career he has working for Intergang in the future. "Thanks for the access to this technology Mr. Mannheim. It improves my hacking techniques ten fold."

"No thanks needed. Oh call me Bruno we are friends." Bruno looks away from the nerdy man. Yes friends so long as you don't fail me Bruno thinks to himself. "For now, fail me and things get ugly. I get ugly."

After he finished is rounds searching all five of the blocks the roaming guard Vinnie Delnora, a young red headed man from new york starts back at block one. Being the night security guard for Lex Corp's weapons storage facility is a boring job. No one is going to steal weapons from Lex Corp, the security system is flawless. Still this is a secure job and an easy one. Much better then what he dealt with in New York. "Everyday I don't see those monsters is a good day for me." Vinnie always tells himself.

He searches blocks one and two looking though the windows of each storage unit as he passes by. There is nothing missing, nothing out of the ordinary. The units in block one contain high tech weapons developed for the average soldier. Some are for cops, some for the military, and some are experimental weapons and prototypes that will never see the light of day. There are lethal and non lethal weapons stored here of various types, guns, grenades, rocket launchers, teasers, blades and more. Vinnie likes looking at the stuff and wishes he could go in there and test them but he would lose his job if he did that. He can't lose this job. Block two also contains weapons but these are higher grade and are mounted weapons for vehicles and tanks. Still stuff like the ground to air missiles and other unique weapons are interesting to look at. There are some perks to this job.

Vinnie makes his way to block three where early model walkers are stored. Vinnie has to keep a close eye on these, especially since they are often sent out to different contractors so the inventory changes all the time. Four of the six units are empty and only two have walkers. Unit thirteen has mark three walkers and unit sixteen mark five walkers. The mark five walkers are scheduled to be sent to the Bialyain government to fight against the rebels. The mark three walkers are scheduled to be dismantled and recycled for parts for modern models.

Vinnie looks into storage unit thirteen and checks the card, "At one fifteen AM all is clear." he says to himself as he checks the list. He walks over to storage unit sixteen. He has check it ten times already this night and knows the fifteen mark five walkers should all be in the unit. Looking though the window he sees nothing, "What?" Vinnie does a double take, looking again, "Nnnno, No walkers." Vinnie presses the red button next to the door and sets off the alarm he then takes out his radio. "The contents of storage unit sixteen are gone."

"Delnora I am looking at the camera to unit sixteen. The walkers are still there. Is this a joke?"

"What?" They actually think Vinnie is pulling a prank? "I am looking in unit sixteen the walkers are gone. There is a problem with the camera. Maybe someone hacked into it."

"Understood Delnora, other security personal will be joining you. The lock to unit sixteen is disengaged."

Vinnie walks into storage unit sixteen slowly. He looks around and his heart sinks. The place is completely empty. He knows someone will be blamed for this, someone will lose their job and it will be him. "Maybe those winged monsters are not the source of my bad luck. Maybe it's me." he says as he drops to his knees knowing the worst is yet to come for him.

Lex Luthor lives in his penthouse apartment in Lex Corp Towers. It is a small apartment directly above his office specially made for his condition. There are no windows for the sun to get in and no florescent lights to hurt him. Lex's eyes are well adjusted to the darkness, he can move around it with no problem. He sees as well in the dark as most people do during the day. He has been up for two hours, since six in the morning and has been thinking and planning. That is mainly what Lex does.

He takes his shower and gets dressed. He wears the same black business suit he puts on every day. Lex gets ready for his day in total darkness and silence with no distractions. He then walks over to the elevator that connects his apartment to his main office and presses the button. Entering the elevator he rides it down to the office with a smile on his grim face. He wants to see if his plans have came together.

As Lex walks out of the elevator he is greeted by Mercy who is standing by the door, "Good morning Mr. Luthor." Mercy is holding a bunch of papers in her hand which she passes over to Lex.

Lex walks over to his desk, "I hope so Mercy." He says as he sits down. He looks at one of the papers, a report on the black box data by Dr. Vale, "The final report I take it."

"Yes it gives us more detail on the power level of the outsider then we had before." The outsider is Lex and Mercy's name for Superman. Lex finds Superman interesting and frustrating to say the least. The man is so powerful yet so perfect. Someone with power like that would not be content protecting people, he would want to rule them. The man can't be bought and seems to help people while wanting nothing in return. Lex wants to ether control Superman or defeat him.

"If he won't join me he must be destroyed." Lex says going over the data. "Interesting. What does Doctor Tourp have to say about this bit of data." He points to a passage on the lasers radioactive surge near the end, the one that gave superman the most trouble.

"Ah Nathaniel Tourp has been going over those findings for the past few days. He refused to talk to me about them until just a couple hours ago." Tourp's obsession with radiation and super powers is strange to say the least and his eccentric behavior rubs Mercy the wrong way. That is saying something given that she deals with Lex Luthor on a personal level. "He said that he does not have any conclusive findings but Superman may have a valnerability to radiation. He needs more evidence before he can prove that hypothesis."

"He will get it." Lex likes Tourp, the man is a genius and one of the few people Lex will even say is close to his own level. Close but not on it. Lex then looks at the second report, this one also from Vale. This one about the reconstruction of the LWM and their progress. "Vale is moving too slow on the LWM."

"He says he's going the fast he can seeing as half his team was fired. He also states that it will take a while to find a new pilot for the LWM."

Lex shakes his head, "Vale is only good for complaining. Anyway you can tell him he does not have to look for a new pilot. We have a perfectly good pilot already. We won't find any one better suited to pilot the LWM then John Corben."

If Mercy is surprised my this she does not show it, "Is that wise sir? Corben clearly is not of sound mind. From the data we are getting he should never have been chosen for the job."

Lex does not let most people talk back to him. Most people are afraid to talk back to him, that is why he likes Mercy. She speaks her mind and is intimidated by no one not even Lex Luthor. "Corben is exactly the type of person needed to pilot the device. Besides I don't think the LWM will let anyone else pilot it. How long did Vale say it would take to create a new AI module for the LWM?"

"Six months." Mercy knows what Lex is getting at.

"And how long would it take for the LWM to be operation with the current module?"

"Four to seven weeks."

"Exactly. I have invested ten million dollars into the metallo project and the AI and mental link cost two million by themselves. It would put Lex Corp and it's investors deeper in the hole if we have to start over. So we go with Corben as the test pilot."

"Understood Mr. Luthor."

Lex then moves on. He looks at the most recent report this one from this morning, it deals with the break in and theft of the walker mark five models. "Idiots. You can't trust thugs and gangsters to do anything right. I had the information on the mark three walkers intentionally leaked to Intergang as those obsolete models were worth more to me stolen and then sold though the black market. What do I care if the criminal underground have obsolete models that are below what the cops and military have?"

"Sir?" Mercy was in on the plan, she helped tip off Intergang. "Those mark fives. They were the ones being sent to Biayla?"

"Yes to the Biaylain government to fight the growing rebellion. Col. Harjavti will not be pleased." Lex laughs, it is a harsh laugh that even sends a chill down Mercy's spine. "Well no skin off my back, we can always send him the mark three models."

"Mr. Luthor that would make the military out gunned by the rebellion. The Colonel would not take that sitting down. He will blame you."

"Yes he will. What do I care who wins a civil war in a Middle Eastern country?" Lex is more powerful then most Middle Eastern countries so they do not scare him. Still Lex seems irritated, his plan did not work. Not even Lex Luthor can win all the time and that frustrates him. Still he has a feeling he will still come up on top in the end.

"The mark five walkers are completely insured for theft and there is nothing connecting you to their theft."

"That's not the point." Lex raises his voice. "The Mark Five models are worth more sold then insured. The Mark Threes however were worth more stolen. I have to give that fool Harjavti a huge discount now just to take them off my hand." That is the worst thing of all, he will lose money over the whole deal due to Intergang's mistake. He must fire the person in charge of the leak.

Lex cools down quickly and looks though the final item on the agenda for the day. "Anyway lets see, warehouse thirty four." Ah yes that detail in his father's will. Lex was for the most part pleased with Lionel's will, he got Luthor Technologies like he expected. However there was one thing Lex was not happy about. One Luthor Technology warehouse that went to Kent, warehouse thirty four. "Have the letters been sent out to Strykers Island and Stonegate Penitentiary?"

Mercy nods, "Yes Lex, the wheels are already in motion for the release of those two. It has been known that Milton Fine and Edward Nashton's special talents are needed for special Lex Corp Project. And that if they work well with the Luthor Criminal Rehabilitation Program it will be a step forward in their release. Fine is a model prisoner at Strykers and already the details for his release into our custody is being looked over by the probation board. He should be released with in the next week.

"Nashton is a different story. His transfer to Stonegate is already being disputed. There are people that believe he belongs in Arkham with the rest of the nuts." Edward "the Riddler" Nashton is a repeat offender in Gotham City known for escaping from jail and committing huge eccentric crimes with the intent and purpose of proving Nashton's mental superiority. He jumps between Stonegate and Arkham all the time between his escapes.

"Yes." Lex closes his eyes and takes a drink of water before opening them again. "I expect he is interested in my puzzle?"

"Nashton strives for mysteries and challenges, what little information he was given has interested him. He also realizes it is of his best interest that he does not escape from jail. That you will only work with him on your terms. That too interests him."

Lex needs the talents of both Fine and Nashton if he is going to get his hands on what is stored at warehouse thirty four. He knows what his father has hidden there Lex wants to know why it was hidden from him. Also is that the other thing Lionel hide from him. "Good. The Riddler must work on my terms."

"Anyway Commissioner Gordon and Bruce Wayne are very adamant to not let Mr. Nashton walk free, even under the best terms like your rehabilitation project. Gordon claims that a man like the Riddler has proven time and again that he is beyond redemption." Mercy knows that is not something that matters to Lex. He does not care that the Riddler can't be redeemed. All that matters is that he serves Lex's purpose. That is all Mercy needs to know. So she will do her job and make sure Edward Nashton works for Lex Luthor.

"So it will take a little longer for Edward Nashton to join us." Lex says unsurprised. "I expect he will be out by the end of August. Time means nothing I am in no hurry as far as Brainiac is concerned."