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The night is marvelous. There's a ballroom and about one hundred million dollars of rich people milling about, dancing, dining, and having an all around good time. The catering is a choice of duck or veal, soft music is sifting through the air, and if this is an attempt to get Lex Luthor some publicity and acclaim for future endeavors, it is probably working.
In the back, Clark Kent is nervous. It is literally his first night as a caterer, which serves as a second job for him. He drew the unlucky straw of being the one to serve Luthor, herself.
There are very few people at the catering company who want to serve Lex Luthor. She's got a way about her. She's intimidating, which seems odd for a woman of her stature and lack of hair. Its how she wears it all. She wears it like it belongs to her. Tonight she's wearing a long and elegant kind of evening dress- the kind of thing fit for royalty. She's wearing a fortune in diamonds, platinum, emeralds, rubies. She looks every bit a queen. Everything is part of the show- including the elegant cigar she has burning in one hand. The reason all these people are here? It doesn't matter- its likely another charity event. Lex runs one almost every week it seems.
As always, she demanded a single member of the catering company to be her personal valet for the night, it always looked better when she could get things on demand. "So.." she offers, turning to look at Clark- who likely stands near by. "What's your name?" She wonders of him quietly.
"Clark, ma'am," the young man says sheepishly. He is simply huge, 6'5" with broad shoulders, but with a boy next door sort of demeanor. "Would you prefer the duck or the veal tonight?" He's wearing a simple black tuxedo, as are all of the other caterers. The blue eyes under his locks of hair look out at the dance floor. Gosh, he really hopes he doesn't mess this up.
"Clark." Luthor says, tasting the name quietly as she ashes her cigar in a nearby ashtray. "Neither." she says then, "That's the meal for people who paid to come here." she offers next with a slow breath, taking another long moment as she watches the people mill about. "Clark, how long have you worked with this catering company. I'm fairly sure I've never seen your name on the employee list, before. Are you a recent hire?" she asks next, a half smile on her lips. "I'd suspect in the last two weeks. That's the last time I checked the employee roster."
Another pause, "As for what I'll be eating, someone will let you know when my meal is ready… So. Where are you from, Clark?"
"Yes, ma'am. I understand," Clark says as he folds his hands in front of him and continues to look out at the crowd. As she talks to him though, his head dips and he speaks to her quietly. "Actually, tonight is my first night. I'm a student here in New York. I come from Kansas." There's a weird feeling of dread. With his powers Clark should not feel endangered or like there is anything that could actually harm him here. Still, the hair on his arms stand on end in goosebumps. Perhaps this was how Miss Luthor got so rich.
Another ash of her cigar. "Kansas." Luthor states, "So, I'm guessing you're a bit of a farm boy. New York City must be quite the change for you." she says next, as she pauses when someone walks up to her, lifting a single finger to Clark to indicate she's pausing this conversation.
"Ms. Luthor!" A large man in a wide brimmed hat states, as he gives a laugh- his Texan accent obvious. "Oh! Hubert, a pleasure to see you. How's the oil business treating you? I trust you're considering my offer?" she asks, feigning a smile. She seem so sweet- a hand coming out to touch the man's arm. "You know its an honest offer, and it'll be good for you too. If I'm correct, you'll come out of it with an easy fifty million dollars."
That's a lot of money. "Well, Ms. Luthor, I'm real glad to see you. See, my company has been in my family for three generations, and while your offer is exceedingly generous, I'm afraid its just not something I'm interested in. I consider my company like my family. My employees are my family, and I know that LexCorp likely wouldn't keep but a handful of them. I can't put them out of work like that."
There's a slight twitch to Lex's left eye. A very slight twitch. "Oh, Hubert, darling…" she coos, as she withdraws her hand. "Here's the thing, sweetie, I've already bought a controlling share in your company. My offer… its out of respect for you and all the hard work you and your family has done." She looks up, towards one of the LexCorp security men. She barely makes a motion- eye movements. He nods and a few other security guards perk as he makes a few hand motions.
"But, since you don't want my generous offer, I guess I'll just take the company anyways." Luthor smiles so very sweetly, as the man across from her seems to go pale. "What?" he asks, "And my offer is withdrawn." The man swallows. His heart-rate skyrockets.
Clark opens his mouth as if he's about to say something, but then stops abruptly as Luthor gives him the signal. He watches in surprise, at first, but then his emotion turns to horror as the CEO businesswoman makes mincemeat of her competition. Clark shouldn't feel bad. That man probably has done the same to his own workers, but the way in which she seems to take delight is shocking to Clark. He makes a mental note to try and remember everything as best he can. He knows what his next article is going to be.
"You can't do that, Lex!" Hubert shouts suddenly, "I'll be ruined! You know I just sunk millions into expansion, I spent everything on taking out my brother's company! I'll kill you, you bald bitch!" the man shouts, his face so very red- crimson red. Lex looks over to Clark, then over to Hubert. "Fabian!" she calls out, "If you'd kindly show Mister Hubert Kincaid the door. I think he's worn out his welcome." The security men are there. They put "gentle" hands on the Texan's shoulders, "Sir. If you'd come with us, you're making a scene."
"I'll get you for this, I swear to god almighty!" Hubert shouts as he struggles against the rather strong security men. "Hubert! Say hello to your wife Margaret for me when you see her next!" Lex calls out loudly as Hubert is dragged out.
Luthor looks over to Clark then, quiet. "So then, Farmboy.. what do you think about the world of high powered business?"
Clark swallows and his eyes search for something to lock on to. "I think you were right when you said that New York was going to be a big change for me." A lot of his sympathy for the man leaves as he threatens to kill Luthor. It was as the young man suspected. Dogs eating dogs.
"He should have taken my offer." Luthor states simply. "You have to understand, Clark, they call this the rat race because businessmen are rats. They hate me because I'm better at this then they are. They hate me because I'm smarter then they are. And most of all, they hate that its a woman that does this to them." Luthor says quietly, as she takes another pull on her cigar.
Luthor smiles quietly, she enjoyed breaking that man. Clark can hear him crying as the security men pull him out of the building… and into the alley behind the party. Clark can hear them as they speak, "We don't like the way you spoke to Ms. Luthor. We suggest you keep your hands to yourself, and leave Ms. Luthor alone from now on. Trust me, " Fabian states, "This can get a lot worse for you." Fabian punches Hubert. Hard. There's a cracked rib. The man falls to his knees, sobbing, as the security men leave him there and walk back to the party to provide security.
"You see, Clark, you can't give men like that in inch. They'll take a mile, every time. You know he left his own brother in the poor house? Who, by the way, will be running the old family business. Although, now, its going to be part of the LexCorp family."
Clark lets out a bit of air as he hears the man's rib crack. It occurs to him that this is a philanthropic event, but even at something like this, Miss Luthor has no desire to take any prisoners. "Did you start off with your money, Miss Luthor? Or did you make it on your own?"
"Oh, no. I was born poor." Lex says, "In Hell's Kitchen, as a matter of fact." as she looks quietly to Clark. "And its Ms. Luthor, Clark." she corrects- she's on a high right now. She won't destroy this poor farm boy.
"My parents died in a fire. They had an insurance policy, and I collected. I started to invest my money. I paid for my own college, continued to invest and invented a new missile guidance system for the air-force. That was Lex-Corp's first contact with the military." Lex smiles quietly over to Clark. "I invent things almost everyday, Clark. I work in every field. Biology, engineering, technology of all kinds."
"Oh, right. Sorry," Clark says at the correction. As she goes over her victories and inventions it occurs to him that she's been doing things like tonight for a very long time. "Do you take enjoyment out of it? The rat race, I mean. And the rat-traps?"
"I enjoy winning, Clark." Luthor states simply. "Who doesn't like to win, though? I take enjoyment in showing these men that a woman is not only their equal, but their better." Lex continues. "After I've proven to the entire world that I- Alexandra Josephine Luthor- am every bit as capable, if not more so, than any man on this planet? I'll go on to save the world. I'll make this planet a utopia."
Clark clears his throat, "A Utopia? Do you mean more of a Lenin type of utopia or a Saint Thomas More sort of utopia?" The question is just a tad defiant. It's as if the young man has finally been put back far enough when it comes to being deferential. "A lot of people on this planet have pushed for a utopia. It hasn't often worked out well."
"No, you podunk simpleton." Luthor says with a laugh. "I'll solve world hunger, cure every disease, and make a world where things like war are wholly unrequired. Capitalism will still be a thing, a very important thing…" Luthor smiles quietly, "But, they'll all know for sure that it was Alexandra Luthor who made it so no one went hungry at night." That bit sounds personal….
"A wise person once told me that you can tell a lot by the way someone treats other people. It's not what they say, it's what they do." Clark puts his hands in his pockets and simply begins to walk away, just like that. How audacious!
Luthor's eyebrow raises as Clark begins to walk off.. she doesn't say a word. She lifts the cigar to her lips, inhales slowly and just chuckles quietly to herself.
Clark comes to a stop in front of his boss and whispers a few words into his ear. They both nod and he exits out of the side door. In a few minutes, another valet arrives to take Clark's place. It seems Mr. Kent is no longer employed with the Davidson Event Company.
"Please see that Mister Davidson ensures Clark is paid for the entire night. College is difficult enough without spending money." Luthor states to her new valet. "Now, I do believe dinner is in order." she says with quiet smile- and off to the rest of the night's festivities.