7.05 Threats by MR & ED (Part VIII)

as retold by RepairmanBob

MR: Lex’s office at LuthorCorp. He is watching a tape of the press conference, and talking to a man. Hope is in the background, and Kahloe is sitting on the corner of his desk. On a table to the side are samples of the equipment the gang who attacked the lab used – guns, metal gloves, remote controls, visors, energy whips, and several new devices. “Dr. Hendricks, I need to know everything about this technology.”
ED: “But Mr. Luthor, I told you –“
MR: “Yes, it is like nothing you have ever seen, it is beyond anything we have in the planning stages, I know. I am not paying you to repeat yourself. Dr. Hendricks. I am paying you because you are one of the foremost experts on weapons technology in the world. I want to know everything you can tell me about these devices. How they work. What they use as a power source.”
ED: Kahloe smiles. “How quickly they can be reverse engineered and sold to the military for an absurd profit.”
MR: “Start telling me what you do know, Dr. Hendricks. I will expect a report by the end of the week.”
ED: Dr. Hendricks rushes out. Hope waits for him to leave, and walks over to Lex. Kahloe walks to the table, and examines the weapons, showing special interest in the energy whip.
AM: I…. I am a…. leaf in the …. wind.
MR: Lex suddenly looks much more tired. “Hope, double the budget to Dr. Hendricks. We need results quickly.”
ED: “Yes sir.” She continues to look at Lex. “Sir, is it really necessary? After the press conference today, I thought things were more secure.”
MR: “You are correct, Hope. The press conference was a complete success. We already have thousands of people begging us to join the Salvation Initiative testing program, and our friends at the FDA will approve our application by the end of the week. We have four treatment centers under construction, and Dr. Irons is working on the designs of mobile stations as we speak. We have taken a great step towards resolving the meta-human threat.”
ED: Kahloe looks up from the weapons table. “Tell her the truth Lex.”
MR: “Hope, these weapons disturb me. They disturb me greatly. It was bad enough when normal people had to worry about meteor freaks. But we are not alone in this universe.” (Flashes of the Disciples of Zod, Brainiac, the Zoners.) “We need to be prepared. I thought I had taken steps, that I could keep the world safe.” Lex picks up one of the guns. ”This is proof I moved too slowly.”
ED: Kahloe smiles. “No, it is proof that you were right all along. Aliens are coming to attack the earth. The meta-humans are a menace to regular, innocent people. And what is Lex Luthor going to do about it?”
MR: Lex flashes a determined smile. “I must accelerate my plans, Hope. The Salvation Initiative will turn the public to our side, blunt the effect of the Daily Planet’s article, and deal with the meta-human threat in one swift blow.”
ED: Hope says “And providing access to countless other individuals with powers?”
MR: “You should know by now, Hope, how much I value efficiency. Let us see how Dr. Richards is enjoying Cadmus Labs.”

ED: Martha’s office. She is talking to Lucius Best.
MR: “Senator Kent, the meta-human community is not a disease to be cured! We are not a problem that needs to be fixed!”
ED: “Lucius, I knew nothing about –“
MR: “Senator Kent, do you realize we are just starting to see second generation meta-humans? Meta-human artists, musicians and designers? Meta-human support groups? And now, we are all going to be rounded up like animals by Lex Luthor!”
ED: "I will not allow that to happen.”
MR: “And why should I believe you now, Senator Kent? Your predecessor in this office organized death camps for my people, if the Daily Planet is to be believed. The United States government abducted, tortured and killed my people so they can make better weapons. And now they expect us to willingly march into LuthorCorp labs? How long until I am forced to wear a red M on my clothing!”
ED: “Mr. Best, I want you to look at something. It is a bill for a Meta-Human Rights commission that I am planning on presenting to the Senate.”
MR: Lucius looks suspicious. “The last time we talked, you said something like this would be impossible. That change had to come slowly.”
ED: “The last time we talked, I did not know Lex Luthor was running camps to experiment on and kill meta-humans. I am proposing legislation to protect meta-humans, education for police and government forces on meta-human concerns, an integrated police force for areas with large meta-human populations, and protections for those who do not want to be attacked for their abilities.”
MR: Lucius reads the bill. “Senator Kent, this is… you know, many people will hate you for this.”
ED: Martha looks serious. “I did not come to Washington to be loved. I came to help people.”

ED: Los Angeles. A crowd shot, then pan close on a young woman with blond hair, sitting in an outdoor café reading a magazine. She sets it down, and we see –
TW: Supergirl?
JG: Hawkgirl?
TW: How can it be Hawkgirl? She has no wings?
AoT: Well, how does Superman fly without wings?
TW: What?
JG: Exactly.
MR: It is Lana, Ok? It is Lana.
TW: Would have rather had Supergirl.
ED: Lana looks around, and stands up. We see her walking towards a car, then two men following her.
KK: Lana being stalked. What a surprise.
TW: Allison? You aren’t going to make a crack about that one?
AM: (eyes closed) Look how I soar.
MR: (To TW) Did you drug her?
TW: (To MR) No.
MR: (To TW) I was afraid of that. (To cast) The men come up close to Lana. One of them says “Mrs. Luthor?”
ED: Lana turns around and sprays him in the face with mace. She quickly uses Lana-Fu to disable her attackers, and drives away. She pulls out a cell phone. “Lionel, this is Lana. I am coming back to Smallville.”
MR: “Are you sure about this? What about –“
ED: “This is they third team Lex has sent after me. I need to talk to Lex and finish things between us. It is the only way we can move on.”
KK: “And I want money. Lots of Lex’s money.”
TW: “And a pony.”
JG: Why would Lionel care?
MR: It will screw Lex up to talk to Lana.
JG: Ah, yes. Screwing with Lex. Now I understand.
MR: “Lana, I will text you the direction for a private airport. I will have a plane there in a few hours. I will also be sending James Olson, to help you.”
AM: (Flinches slightly) Watch… as.. I… soar.
ED: Allison?
AM: (Stands up) I think I need more air. (Walks outside)
JG: (Pulls out phone) Security? Yes, we need you back. Send men to the usual spots.
AoT: (Stands up) This is absurd! I will go talk to Allison myself.
TW: You mean body slam her?
AoT: Well, sometimes the first goes along with the second.
ED: Sometimes?
JG: (On the phone) What do you mean you cannot reach the men at the weapons locker? Send another team to check on them!
AoT: (Sits down) On the other hand, maybe Allison just needs some time to cool down.
JG: (On the phone) I don’t care how scared you are! Go do your job!
KK: (Sinister grin) I can hardly wait for next week.

continued...