7.16 Control by ED & MR (Part I)

MR: Start with Hope scanning the LuthorCorp security surveillance feeds as a lackey enters with a folder for her. It's a brief on Lucius and includes a photo with Dr. Richards having a back alley meeting with Mr. Best.
KK: "Thank you for bringing this to my attention." She buzzes Lex's secretary. "I need to speak with Mr. Luthor."
MR: Lex is not in his office.
KK: Hope orders another lackey, "Locate Mr. Luthor now. "This is urgent."
MR: The officer's screen shows a blueprint of Luthor Tower and something about a personal signature not detected. "He's not in the building."
KK: "I know where his is." To the man who brought the folder, "Come with me." They enter an elevator and Hope plugs in a key.
MR: The officer, "Where are we going?"
KK: "Vault Black." Cool. Hope's key unlocks the Lex's super secret levels. 33.1, 98.7, 3.141....
MR: Cut it out.
KK: She pushes the appropriate button.
MR: Cut to Lex inside a dimly lit lab. He stands next to a black steel box...
KK: Vault.
MR: Fine, vault. It's about the size of a large hot tub. As he brushes his fingers across the top the camera tracks back to outside the lab. Dr. Richards is working underneath a bank of high tech equipment. He shocks himself on an exposed wire, "Ow."
KK: Hope's voice, "How many times have I told you we have techs who can do this, Doctor?"
MR: The doctor rolls out from under the equipment. "It's your techs, Miss..." Whatever Hope's last name is, "who screwed this up in the first place!"
KK: "Our techs are the most highly trained..."
MR: "I don't care how well trained they are! I'm the only one who understands the technology behind this project. The containment field has been flaking out ever since your monkeys laid their paws on it."
AoT: Great, he's channeling Zod.
MR: You can't call somebody a primate without crediting Zod now?
JG: Apparently not. It's his catch phrase.
KK: Monkeys don't have paws, do they?
MR: Who cares!?!?
KK: Just wondering, jeez. "If they hadn't stepped in when the power grid collapsed this project may have..."
MR: "They screwed it up, Miss ...." whatever her name is.
JG: Michael, you realize you need to figure out her last name before we shoot this, right?
MR: Of course I do! Do I look like Erica to you?
KK: Oh, that's a low blow. I'll have you know that Erica is...
[KK is interrupted by a the sound of something large hitting the other side of the wall. There's muffled shouting and then something hits the wall again. The cast is silent for a minute.]
BR: Should we go see what happened?
MR: No.
[ED stumbles in holding her shoulder.]
ED: Michael, the big guns better get here soon, I'm running out of change! [ED dumps the ice from the refreshment table into a plastic bag.]
AoT: You're not planning on hitting Bryan with that are you?
ED: It was for my shoulder but that's not a bad idea! [ED exits. More muffled yelling from outside then a loud thump followed by ice scattering all over the floor and then apparently two people falling to the floor.]
MR: You were saying?
KK: Never mind.
BR: Should we...?
MR: No. She has it under control.
JG: She most obviously does not!
MR: Then you go out there, hot shot!
JG: I'm not going out there. You go out there!
AoT: Michael, you're the one who got Tom fired. You should be the one dealing with Bryan.
MR: I did not get Tom fired! Tom got Tom fired. Besides, Bryan will take it easier on a pregnant woman.
BR: She's pregnant?
AoT: No.
BR: But...
JG: Don't ask. It's a long story.
[Something bashes up against the other side of the wall. Causing BR to nearly jump out of his seat.]
KK: Poor Erica.
MR: You want to go out there?
KK: Are you kidding?
MR: She'll be fine. "Now are you here just to harass me or was there actually a point to your visit?"
KK: "I have something for Lex."
MR: "He left explicit instructions not to be disturbed." Richards turns his attention back to the equipment, "Leave it here and I'm make sure he gets it."
KK: But Hope has already put her hand on the ID machine and gone through the automatic door.
MR: Richards glances at the remaining security officer, "Her funeral." Sparks fly again, "Ow!"
KK: Cut to inside the lab.
MR: Lex doesn't turn around, "Doctor, I told you..."
KK: "I'm sorry to disturb you Lex but..."
MR: Lex spins around, "I left specific instructions..."
KK: Holding the folder out, "So I was told but we've found..."
MR: Lex points at the door, "Whatever it is handle it! That's what I pay you for."
KK: "But..."
MR: Lex turns his back on her, "Leave us."
KK: Hope stands for a second, deciding whether or not to say something. "Us, sir?"
MR: Lex turns back around in a rage, "Get the hell out! Now!!!!"
KK: Lex being obsessive. Who would have guessed.
MR: Shut up.
KK: But I'm reading.
MR: Shut up and read.
KK: Hope pauses for a second, "As you wish." She turns and exits.
MR: Richards smirks, "I told you."
KK: Hope ignores him. She and the officer head back to the elevator.
MR: The other officer as they walk, "What is in that lab anyway?"
KK: Once inside the elevator Hope selects the ground floor. As the doors close, "Trust me. You don't want to know." Hope taps her Bluetooth to get a hold of the surveillance room. "Detain Doctor Richards the minute the containment field is repaired. And whatever you do, don't let him out of your sight."
JG: "Don't let him out of your sight?" To LuthorCorp security. I think I see where this is headed.
MR: Don't be so sure. Cut back to Dr. Richards under the equipment. He shocks himself again, "Ow!" When he pulls his arm back his elbow knocks against a tool chest. A pair of pliers fall out and knock over a cup of coffee. The spill approaches a bare wire and when the liquid hits the wire there's an electrical short resulting in a plume of smoke. Inside the lab all but the emergency lights go off. Alarms blare and a computer readout displays "Containment field off-line."
AoT: That can't be good.
MR: Cut to credits and then we open with a scene where Bittleman takes Lois out for drinks.
JG: No Lionel in the teaser? Typical.
AoT: And then we go to Lois and Bittleman!?!? Why are we even here? The only person actually in the room with any lines so far is you!
MR: You will all have lines soon enough.
KK: [Pissed] I better not!!
MR: Except for you, of course.
BR: So why are...?
KK: My character is dead.
BR: So why are...?
KK: It's a pay check. And a way to make sure they don't bring Lana back to life.
JG: The cast has a nasty habit of bringing dead characters back to life. Take Lionel...
MR: Moving on. After Lois and Bittleman we go to Clark in the barn.
KK: No dialog in the first scene?
MR: Plenty of dialog. But I just don't care about it. Now in the barn...
AoT: Does Martha show up in the Barn?
MR: Yes.
KK: I'd like to know about scene one.
MR: Since when?
KK: Since you wanted to skip it.
AoT: I'm with Michael. Who cares about Lois? Let's move on to the barn scene.
BR: You all don't always run through all the lines?
MR: [Eying KK] We only run through all the lines when someone decides to be a bitch. Erica is the only one of us in the scene and she isn't here.
JG: She's out there screwing stuff up. Why read through her lines?
KK: At least tell me what happens. Do they mack?
MR: No they don't mack! Good grief!
AoT: Does Martha mack anyone this episode?
MR: [Rubbing his temples] No!
AoT: [sighs back] I see.

Continued