Part 5 (2/2)

VAN HYNING.

As of four-fifteen this afternoon, your personal worth is one hundred and sixteen point one billion dollars... give or take a few hundred million.

LUTHOR.

Of the other two, one is an advisor to the President and the other spends his nights praying he can defend WayneTech from my corporate raiders.

(Beat) I understand you're new but for future reference, you never tell me what I can and cannot do.

(Beat) VAN HYNING.

VAN HYNING.

Sir?

LUTHOR.

Superman said something about not being able to see through the lead-lined rooms in the radiation labs. Get an estimate to the interior walls painted with a lead content paint.

(Turns toward the window) I'm thinking... beige.

LUTHOR is staring out over the city.

Everyone exits except MERCY. LUTHOR reaches adjusts his jacket and realizes he's missing his sterling silver pen. He looks at MERCY for an answer and she shrugs her shoulders.

CUT TO:.

INT. DAILY PLANET - PERRY WHITE'S OFFICE - 10:45P.

LOIS enters PERRY's office waiving a floppy disk. LOIS I got it.

She drops the disk on his desk.

PERRY.

What's this?

LOIS.

The story on LexCorp bomb for the morning edition.

PERRY holds up another disk.

PERRY.

Clark had his here before he left at seven.

LOIS doesn't say anything. She fumes until she's built up enough pressure she storms out.

PERRY.

(shouting out and holding the disks) And what ever happened to paper?

INT. DAILY PLANET CITY ROOM.

LOIS drops into her chair, consumed with anger. The clock in the background reads 11:00PM.

Cleaning people come and go along with the occasional worker burning the midnight oil. She never moves but the time does.

The clock DISSOLVES to 8:30am. The office becomes alive with people.

CLARK KENT enters with RON TROUPE and they go to their respective desks. CLARK situates his things, opens the morning paper while LOIS glares at him the whole time. LOIS (monotone) How do you do it, Smallville?

CLARK.

(not lowering the paper) Do what, Lois?

LOIS.

You know what.

CLARK.

(lowering the paper and looking up) I'm just doing my job.

LOIS.

No. Getting the stories on the front page is what I do. You're doing my job.

CLARK.

Are you jealous, Lois?

LOIS.

No, I am not jealous of you.

CLARK.

Tell you what. I have a meeting with MAYOR BERKOWITZ to discuss the revamping of the transit system. Why don't you go instead?

LOIS.

Don't do me any favors. Sam Lane didn't raise his daughters to take hand-outs.

CLARK.

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