It had been a frustrating 24 hours for Lex Luthor. One of the wealthiest, most influential private citizens in the world, Luthor had made his fortune with a combination of brilliant scientific intellect and shrewd business acumen. Luthor was the founder and C.E.O. of LexCorp International, one of the most powerful Fortune 500 companies in the world, rivaled only by Wayne Enterprises, and followed closely by Queen Industries and Kord Industries. Luthor was a controversial figure in the press; some viewed him as a benevolent philanthropist, given the billions he had donated to charities over the years. Others viewed him as a ruthless, Machiavellian opportunist who would do anything to keep LexCorp in the black, no matter what corners he had to cut or how many employees he had to lay off. The press and politicians had often accused Luthor of engaging in illegal activities and having connections to organized crime, but nothing definitive had ever been proven, nor had formal charges ever been filed.
Since the arrival of the Superman in Metropolis, Luthor had been an outspoken critic of the Man of Steel in the press, publicly questioning his motives. Lex Luthor was a naturally cynical man, often weary of fully trusting others' motives. Luthor believed that nobody was truly innocent; mainly because he had covertly built his fortune and sphere of influence by deliberately leaking his weapons designs on the black market and to foreign nations in order to obtain government funding and defense contracts. Lex had maintained a degree of control over Metropolis underworld and organized crime via his various hired proxies and lieutenants.
Recently, LexCorp's robotics division had made headlines for its advancement in the use of cybernetics, as part of a joint initiative with the Wounded Warriors Foundation. Publicly, the project was promoted as providing prosthetics to amputees and devices to help those with paralysis, with an emphasis on assisting disabled veterans before taking it to market. In reality, Luthor had been testing his prosthetics and enhancements on international mercenary and smuggler John Corben, via one of his associates, Dr. Dabney Donovan. Corben had previously been hired by Luthor and Donovan in the past, and was gravely injured during a heist in the Republic of Kaznia. Left with no choice but to undergo some of Donovan's experiments to save his life, Corben had become more machine than man, with his cybernetics powered by radiation from a mysterious green meteorite.
Corben had been making progress with his enhancements and had been a useful asset for some of Luthor's criminal operations. On one particular heist of a S.T.A.R. Labs facility near Metropolis, Corben and his men were nearly apprehended by Superman. but his state-of-the-art prosthetics and endoskeleton had enhanced his speed and strength to the point where he posed a potential physical challenge to the super-powered alien. The unidentified green meteor rock which powered his cybernetic limbs and spine had an unexpected side-effect during Corben's initial brawl with the Man of Steel: the rock emitted a radiation which appeared to be harmless to most people, but greatly weakened Superman, to the point where Corben might have been able to kill the alien had it not been for the imminent arrival of the National Guard. Corben and his men had escaped, but not without several security guards, S.T.A.R. Labs personnel, and police officers being killed or injured in the process.
The press had dubbed Corben "Metallo" given his new abilities and mechanically disfigured appearance. Further investigation revealed that the green meteor rock which powered Corben's cybernetic parts was a remnant of the destroyed planet Krypton, where Superman was born, according to an award-winning exclusive expose written by Lois Lane of the Daily Planet. The meteor rock, which had now been publicly referred to as "Kryptonite," had suddenly become a highly-valued commodity sought after by both the U.S. government as well as the international black market. During renegotiations with Donovan, and subsequently, Luthor, Corben went on an absolute rampage in retaliation, targeting Lexcorp facilities and brutally murdering several Lexcorp employees. After a hard-fought battle, Superman eventually engaged Metallo in a wild confrontation that nearly tore Hob's Bay apart. After Superman's victory, Metallo had nearly revealed who he was working for before an unknown self-destruct feature killed the cybernetic assassin instantly.
From the moment John Corben first clashed with Superman publicly, speculation about the source of his enhancements ran rampant in the press. Due in no small part to several investigative reports in the Daily Planet by relatively unknown reporter Clark Kent, both the Metropolis Police Department's Special Crimes Unit and the FBI began to take a closer look into Lexcorp's advancements in the fields of robotics and bio-engineering. While some arrests were made and lawsuits were filed, neither Lex Luthor nor Dabney Donovan had yet been brought up on charges, although Lexcorp's legal team were anticipating a federal subpoena for Luthor and other executives. While Lex had succeeded in avoiding criminal charges against him, Lexcorp's stock was taking a hit, and the speculation about John Corben being on Luthor's personal payroll had been a P.R. nightmare for the company, as well as Lex's public image.
One night, Lex Luthor was in his luxury penthouse on an encrypted call with Dabney Donovan. "You're sure the Feds have not found any traces of further Cadmus tech?" Lex asked Donovan, "We took a big risk here, Dabney. Even with the Kryptonite giving Corben an advantage against the alien, the spinal and prosthetics weren't enough to match that level of speed and strength." "I understand that, sir. Still, we were looking for an accurate assessment of the Superman's strengths and weaknesses. Plus, we managed to obtain some DNA samples during the melee. Off the record, of course," Donovan reassured Lex. "True, Corben's defeat was not a total loss," Luthor mused, "Still, we could have swept a lot of this under the rug a lot more had it not been for those leeches at the Planet. Lois Lane and Perry White's biases against our company and their puff pieces about the alien have exposed them for not being the bastion of objectivity they claim to be. The polls are trending against us at the moment and we need to be more careful about the testing we're doing." "I agree. The labs have already been scrubbed and all materials have been moved to our offshore facilities," Donovan informed his boss. "Keep me posted," Lex replied, hanging up the call. Once the call ended, Lex was approached by Mercy Graves, his personal assistant and head of security. A tall, muscular, physically imposing woman, Mercy was one of Lex's most trusted, loyal associates. Lex picked up a copy of a Daily Planet newspaper and highlighted one article in particular.
"Mercy, do me a favor and contact Mannheim," Lex instructed, referring to reputed Intergang crime boss Bruno Mannheim, "See if he can contact one of the investigators he's referred us to in the past; I think it's time we looked a little closer into this new reporter, Clark Kent. I want to find out more about him, what his angle is; he and Lane must know a lot more about the alien than they're letting on…." Lex suddenly stopped when he saw Mercy's eyes grow wide in horror.
As Lex looked outside his balcony window, he saw a lone caped figure slowly descend from the sky in a blue and red bodysuit adorned with a red cape. The Superman had come to pay him a visit. "Speak of the devil," Lex muttered under his breath. A panicked Mercy Graves began to radio for backup before Lex stopped her. "Don't bother. I want to talk with him alone. I'll signal for you if things go south," Lex whispered as Superman landed on his balcony. Lex's demeanor remained friendly and inviting as he walked out to greet his unexpected visitor.
"I had suspected it was only a matter of time before we met…Superman, is it? At least that's what they're calling you in the press now," Luthor began as Superman slowly approached him, "I'm actually glad you're here. I wanted to thank you for putting a stop to that monster John Corben, and the rampage he was on at my research facilities. Had you not intervened, who knows how many more lives might have been lost? I realize I've been a bit outspoken skeptical of your intentions in the press when you first arrived, but I was very impressed by how effectively you responded to the situation."
"Thank you, Mr. Luthor," Superman replied curtly. "I wanted to speak to you because for some reason, Mr. Corben seemed to blame you for his condition. I have to admit, I found the use of unknown, untested radioactive materials as a power source for robotics to be a curious practice. You told the police that you've never met Corben and had no knowledge of the experimentation on ex-convicts, yet he seemed to target both you and I personally. Do you have any idea why he would want to do that?"
"That is a great question," Luthor replied, feigning ignorance, "Indeed I was not aware of such experiments taking place on criminals. I try my best to stay on top of as much of LexCorp's activities as I can, but when you're in charge of one of the largest multinational corporations in the world, a few bad apples are bound to slip through the cracks. Also, you don't get to the position I'm in without making a few enemies; Mr. Corben was a very sick, disturbed individual even before he became Metallo. Maybe it was some combination of blind rage and envy towards me, maybe he felt he had something to prove, either to me, to you, or to the world. I can't speak to what was in the man's mind; I'd prefer to let the authorities conduct their own investigation and draw their own conclusions."
"As far as why Corben was might have been after you…well, I have a few theories about why that might have been the case," Luthor continued, "You are a fascinating individual, Superman. For as long as I can remember, there have been theories about people with extraordinary abilities living among us. Several theses and journals have posited the existence of Metahumans, but nothing was ever conclusively proven. There have been reports and rumors about costumed vigilantes for decades, but very little has ever been officially documented, especially when it comes to individuals with enhanced abilities…super powers, if you will. Before you revealed yourself to the public, those were chalked up as conspiracy theories, tall tales…but there's no denying you, is there? Sure, people whisper about urban legends like the bat vigilante in Gotham, or the Green Arrow Bandit of Star City, but you're something else entirely! You are living proof that humans are not alone in the universe!"
"You think that because I'm from another planet, that's why I was being targeted?" Superman replied, waiting for Lex to get to the point. "What I'm trying to say is that you represent a fundamental paradigm shift for the human race," Lex explained, "I believe your very existence invites challenge and conflict. There will always be people like John Corben who will want to challenge, or even destroy a being with your abilities. In Corben's case, I had heard about how the radiation from the green meteor rock had a particularly unique effect on you. That is fascinating, don't you think? I doubt Corben knew this when he was rebuilt, but that was incredibly revealing! The fact that it was a piece of your home planet created during its destruction has completely turned the scientific community upside down! But what this really tells me is that there will be always people, organizations, governments who will see someone like you as a potential threat, to the point where they will do whatever it takes to keep you in check."
"That's an interesting theory, Mr. Luthor," Superman observed, suspecting that Luthor was holding something back, "I suspect that a defense contracting firm like LexCorp might see me as a potential threat as well. You haven't been shy about questioning my motives in the press yourself, even after my initial interviews with the Daily Planet. Now, I know you're a man of action, so I assume you have some ideas or recommendation about how we can avoid another John Corben situation in the future? I'd hate to run into more disgruntled LexCorp associates if I can help it." Luthor chuckled. He's witty, I'll give him that, Lex thought to himself. "As a matter of fact, I have given that a lot of thought. If you could humor me a bit, I'd like you to take a look at the city from here."
Lex directed Superman's attention to the Metropolis skyline. Lex's penthouse residence was at the top of the highest skyscraper in the city. "Beautiful, isn't it? You will not find another American city this densely populated with cleaner air, lower per capita unemployment, and a lower crime rate," Luthor explained, "That's not a coincidence. Modestly speaking, my company has revitalized nearly every aspect of this city's infrastructure; we've supplied billions of dollars towards building new hospitals, schools, affordable housing, homeless shelters, not to mention supplying equipment and funding towards our police and first responders. From a practical standpoint, nearly two-thirds of its citizens are working for me whether they realize it or not. Even you have to admit, it's a model of efficiency!
"And yet, I look at a being like yourself and I see limitless potential," Lex continued, "Beyond what I could have ever imagined before. If you and I were to work together, if we could put the LexCorp machine behind the most powerful being our world has ever seen, can you imagine what we could accomplish together? Not just for Metropolis, but on a global scale?" Superman paused for a bit, considering Luthor's proposal. On the surface, it sounded sincere, but he had seen and heard enough to know that Luthor was not what he appeared to be.
"I appreciate the offer, Mr. Luthor," Superman responded, "But I'm not looking for a job at the moment. I'm not looking to work for any particular government, corporation, or any other organization. I'm just a guy who's been been blessed with the ability to help those who can't help themselves. I admire all the charity work LexCorp has done, and I appreciate all your accomplishments, but my services are not for hire." This guy can't be serious, Lex thought to himself.
"I appreciate your directness, but I think you might be misunderstanding what I'm offering," Lex said, with his tone growing a bit more serious, "For example, I've noticed that you haven't gone public with your personal life; your background besides being from another planet. Now, I can appreciate the need for discretion whenever possible, I get that. And there are a lot of people out there who really like you. But you have to understand that it's only a matter of time before someone comes along and starts looking more closely into whatever it is you do behind closed doors. Like I mentioned before, someone like you is going to attract the attention of the John Corbens of the world, and he's already proven to be a formidable foe. What happens when the next 'Metallo' shows up? Maybe you might survive, maybe you won't…I also imagine you probably have people in your life that you are close to, that you'd like to protect. What happens if someone goes after them?" Luthor paused before continuing, "Someone with my resources could provide quite the safety net for the people closest to you. Like your friends at the Daily Planet, for example… by the way, I am curious what your relationship is with Lois Lane and Clark Kent. They seem to be the 2 most knowledgeable journalists in the world when it comes to you; I don't know why that is exactly, or who they are to you, but if we were to work together, I could all but guarantee their safety."
Superman knew exactly what Luthor was trying to do. "Mr. Kent and Miss Lane are already under my protection," Superman retorted, "That's good enough for me. And as far as other potential threats out there, whether they be individuals or organizations…I'll be ready. I'm not trying to start a fight with anyone, but I'm not afraid of bullies or thugs….no matter what they can do or where they come from. In the meantime, have a good evening, Mr. Luthor. I'm sure we will meet again."
As Superman turned to leap from the edge of the balcony, Lex stopped him in his tracks from one final warning. "You know something, Superman? I don't know what it is you're really after, but I haven't gotten to where I am without being able to spot someone who isn't what they say they are. I've met a lot of powerful people over the years, selling the same pie-in-the sky bill of goods you're selling. In my experience, most people who come along claiming to be a savior or a hero are the biggest frauds of them all. I don't know if you're a phony, if you're secretly the Destroyer of Worlds, or if you're some sort of naïve idealist, I really don't know what you are. But one way or another, I'm sure our paths will cross again. If I were you, I would strongly reconsider my offer."
Superman turned back toward Lex, struggling to hold back his anger at the veiled threats. "Since we're laying our cards on the table, I have few theories of my own," Superman shot back, "I think you had a lot more to do with John Corben and his death than you're telling me; I'm willing to bet there are a lot more skeletons in your closet that no one knows about yet. I'm sure the American people would be just as interested in your private activities as they would be with mine. You might have the authorities and most of the press fooled, but you're not above the law, Luthor. And you will never, ever control me." Luthor scoffed at Superman's boldness.
"Wow, now that is quite a theory," Luthor sarcastically responded with a laugh, "I assume you have some way to prove these outlandish claims, right? No? I didn't think so. Let me make this perfectly clear, alien: you have nothing to threaten me with. You have no badge, no authority to judge me, and if you try to physically harm me in any way, all you'll be doing is proving me right about you. For all your physical capabilities, you have no idea what real power and responsibility truly means. Those people down there might call you Superman, they might view you as the new Messiah or the personification of Nietzsche's Ubermensch, but underneath all the bravado, you are nothing but an empty blue suit to me. You might look and talk like a human being, but you are not one of us, and you never will be. Now get the hell out of my house!"
Superman stood his ground as Luthor stood nose to nose with him before floating away. "I'll be seeing you soon, Luthor," Superman warned before rocketing off into the sky.
Luthor stood, angrily watching the skies as Superman flew off in the distance at breakneck speed. "I'm counting on it," Lex said through gritted teeth.