Part 5 (1/2)

LUTHOR.

The cloning?

HOLLISTER.

We have a cat?

LUTHOR.

You cloned a cat?

(to VAN HYNING) How much money have I spent on this cloning thing?

VAN HYNING.

Two billion, Mister Luthor.

LUTHOR.

Two billion dollars and you have a cat?

HOLLISTER.

Well, we have fifteen hundred cats.

(LUTHOR gives him a horrid look) It's very remarkable. They all are identical when means the matrix- LUTHOR.

Fifteen hundred cats? What am I supposed to do with fifteen hundred cats? If I were in Korea I'd open a delicatessen but I'm not. I'm in Metropolis where fifteen hundred cats are useless to me. I want something better. Dogs, monkeys, French-speaking gorillas. Impress me.

HOLLISTER.

Yes, Mister Luthor.

LUTHOR.

(changing tone and becoming extremely serious) Now to my Legal Department... I have a problem, which in turn means you have a problem.

LUTHOR stands and begins circling the table in a tiger-like stalk looking for something to kill.

LUTHOR.

This afternoon a man stood outside, on my property and looked inside my building. My business. My home. I consider this a grave invasion of my privacy.

(Beat) Now what are you going to do about it?

Several attorneys look nervously at each other. LUTHOR points at WYNN, a young man, who returns a ”who me” look.

WYNN.

Well, he's Superman, sir. He's not the kind of person you issue subpoenas to.

And he was acting with the cooperation of the Police and under The Good Samaritan act of 1968 you can't...

The entire room cringes. LUTHOR looks up with a frightening serene expression.

LUTHOR.

I what?

WYNN.

(very nervous) You can't take legal action- LUTHOR.

I'm sorry, what's your name?

WYNN.

Wynn, sir.

LUTHOR.

And Wynn, how long have you been employed here?

WYNN.

Three months, sir.

LUTHOR.

And can you tell me what qualifies you to work in my Legal Department?

WYNN.

I attended Harvard Law School on a full scholars.h.i.+p and graduated in the top three percent with honors. I worked as a public defender for three years in Gateway City with an undefeated record. I had my own firm for two years in Keystone and decided I wanted to work with the best and came here.

LUTHOR.

Are you familiar with my qualifications?

WYNN.

(nervous) No, sir.

LUTHOR.

Well, let me familiarize you with my resume.

I completed high school when I was fourteen. I had my first Bachelor's Degree when I was sixteen. My first doctorate when I was seventeen. I have four of them. I graduated in the top three of my cla.s.s because I was too busy working on theories for matter destabilization that year but I did manage a n.o.bel Prize nomination in science but I lost to some Mathematician with theories no one will ever use. NASA paid me for the destablizer and I was a millionaire at twenty-four. I made my first billion when I was thirty-one.

(to VAN HYNING) What are my personal a.s.sets?