For The Economy Of Metropolis...

[Lex Luthor]

Metropolis - 9am Monday Morning

The sun shone down brightly over the Bromfield Enterprises Headquarters in Metropolis. The sidewalks were littered with people in business attire walking to or from work and the occasional leisure dresser just running errands. It was rare to find a time when the sidewalks weren’t packed with people in Metropolis. A Black Lexus pulls up to the curb, parallel parking between two taxi cabs. The driver’s door draws open and a chauffer walks to the back opening the door directly behind him. Out of the car steps…

Well, that’s a good question. Whomever it was, we hadn’t seen him before. His build was stocky and somewhat familiar, as too was the style of his black custom made power suit. But this man had a full brown beard, a pair of thin gold framed glasses and a full head of brown hair.

The chauffer shut the door as our executive looking individual turned and said, “Be nearby… I’ll call you when I’m ready to be picked up.”

That voice… It was very familiar.

The chauffer nodded, “Yes sir.”

With that the Chauffer got back into his car and slowly left the curb as our executive looking individual headed into the rotating doors of Bromfield Enterprises. He walked the long lobby floor, people coming and going in business attire all around him. Finally he came to the security counter where two guards were sitting in navy suits with white shirts and navy ties.

Security Guard, “Good morning…”

“Good morning. My name is Marcus Mercer of Mercer consulting and I believe I have a nine fifteen appointment with miss Mary Bromfield.”

Security Guard, “Do you have identification?”

‘Marcus Mercer’ nodded, “Of course, Of course.”

With that ‘Mercer’ reached back into his rear pocket and withdrew his wallet. He reached inside the wallet and withdrew his driver’s license, handing it to the security guard. The guard looks at the license, then to ‘Mercer’ who flash’s a smile… The guard nods and hands it back to ‘Mercer’.

Security Guard, “Kenny’ll show ya up.”

‘Mercer’ replaces his ID in his wallet as the guard radios, “Kenny… I’ve got a gentlemen heading your way to see Miss Bromfield. “

Static.

“Ten-Four.”

The guard motions behind the security counter toward the elevators where another security guard is standing in the same attire as the others.

Security Guard, “Just head on over there and Kenny’ll accompany you right to Miss Bromfield’s office.”

‘Mercer’ nods, “Thank you.”

And with that ‘Mercer’ heads around the security area and to the elevator which Kenny is holding open. The two enter the elevator with a few others and the journey up begins.

-Time Lapse: Hum ‘If You Like Pina Coladas’ by Rupert Holmes and stare at the ceiling to replicate the Elevator Riding experience. -

Ding.

The Elevator opens with only Kenny and ‘Marcus Mercer’ remaining. The two step out as Kenny’s whistling ‘If you Like Pina Coladas’. A Woman is sitting behind a desk.

Kenny, “Hey… Can you let Miss Bromfield know that her nine fifteen is here?”

The Temp’s bubbly voice was as stereotypical as the piece of gum she was chomping on as she smiled and said, “Oh shore… Just have a seat over theah’ and I’ll let hea’ know.”

‘Mercer’ nods and takes a seat as the temp push’s a button on the phone/intercom system and says, ‘Uh, Miss Bromfield… Yea’ nine-fifteen is hea’.”

[Mary Bromfield - Lady Marvel]

Inside the tightly concealed confines of Mary Bromfield's spacious office...

The light fixture in her office radiated nicely and created a shimmering reflection, a marvelous sheen off of the pair of golden armbands that lay perched on her desktop. A soft humming sound echoing softly throughout the confines of her place wall to wall that would only be heard if one were inside Mary's inner sanctum while the C.E.O. herself sat dividing her time between polishing the objects, running her delicate fingers over an outfit consisting of white with gold trim and a golden lightning bolt stretched across the torso of the outfit, the ensemble also including a cowl that would cover enough of the face of it's wearer. That would soon be her. Everything was perfect. In a world that was starting to blossom with heroes, everyone seemed to be getting in on the act.

Soon they, and more importantly the villains that thought they ruled the world would be getting a wake-up call all it's own. Again, dare I say, a marvelous wake-up call.

5 days earlier

Oswald Cobblepot, the mayoral candidate from Gotham, had just left the board of directors meeting room following a meeting with the CEO of Bromfield Enterprises herself. The meeting had gone well and with no reason to suspect the man's true intentions or where he headed after leaving, she was feeling practically invincible. And why not. She had the endorsement for Cobblepot, a gubernatorial candidate, and she had snagged David Patrick away from Lex Luthor. Mary had thought things couldn't be better. Perhaps finally it meant she was on a peak.

The trouble with being on a peak is there is only one direction left to go. And Mary had spent the next week finding out how fast she was making her descent. In her hunger to drive Bromfield Enterprises to the top the engine was starting to run out of gas and it was beginning to sputter. It was the worst of times. And it was the best of times.

As soon as she was alone again following the meeting with Cobblepot, and while events were taking place at Lexcorp that would, unbeknownst to her, change her life forever, another life altering event was taking place, unbeknownst to noone.

Stamina of atlas. Courage of Achilles my ass. I'm sure those powers would get me the Nobel prize but nothing else. It was her initial thought to the revelation awaiting her inside the fed-x package. The scrolls and the gauntlets were a gift but just as shocking was the revelation that her past wasn't what it seemed. Mary Bromfield was truly known as Mary Batson, daughter of Archaeologist parents. Super powers, dead parents, all this and a bag of chips. It was all alot to wrap her mind around but the kicker to it all is when she sought to simply amuse herself by putting the fool things on and slamming her wrists together. What happened next was unbelievable...as unbelievable as the lie Mary had to come up with the explain why she suddenly needed a new desk.

Presently.

It was true. All true. Super speed, the ability to fly. Strength of Hercules, Wisdom of Solomon, courage of Achilles, power of Zeus, stamina of Atlas, speed of Mercury. It was all a fairy tale come true but it was indeed reality. It didn't take her long to decide to put the power to good use as she read further through the scrolls, unlocking as many of the secrets as possible. She had also spent the days that followed worrying not as much about business as she did putting a costume together. She had a purpose. She had a costume well equipped to disguise herself and when she wore the armbands and they were powered by clicking them together she would be gifted with godly powers. All she needed was a name. That had come to her last night during a dream of all things. A dream revolving around one word that stuck out here above everything else in the scroll. [IMarvel[/i]

Lady Marvel was on her way.

‘Uh, Miss Bromfield… Yea’ nine-fifteen is hea"

● Mary Bromfield ● Hell's bells.

Murmured under her breath by a woman that was dangerously close to getting her hand caught in the cookie jar. Mary had in fact been in the process of slipping out of her blouse and skirt to try the costume on for the first time when she was reminded of the appointment. The new temp was nice enough but she lacked professionalism and had a voice that sounded worse than listening to fingernails being scraped across a blackboard.

Rushing around like her buns were on fire, she quickly slipped the outfit back off and replaced them with her working clothes, making a mad rush for the secret closet to toss the gauntlets back on the charger and throw the costume on a hanger. The heroic debut would have to wait.


● Mary Bromfield ● "Fine thank you. Send him in now please, Miss Kiebler." She answered and approached door, prepared to greet him with a firm handshake and to have drinks prepared for the two of them if he so desired. Coffee and juice were as much in supply as alcohol would be, positive he would prefer something non-alcoholic this time of morning. ● Mary Bromfield ● "Welcome to Bromfield Enterprises, Mr. Mercer, please have a seat. May I have my secretary bring you a drink?"

[Lex Luthor]

‘Marcus Mercer’ shook his head, “No, no thank you.”

She nods and shuts the door to her office.

Mary Bromfield, “Well Mr. Mercer… Please… Have a seat.”

Marcus Mercer, “Actually, I’m not exactly Marcus Mercer…”

Mary perks a confused eyebrow, “I’m sorry?”

Marcus grabs at the side of his beard and gives it a tug pulling it off. He grabs his hair and does the same…

Mary, “Lex Luthor?!”

Lex grins and discretely tucks his beard and hair piece into his inside jacket pocket.

Mary, “I don’t understand… Where’s Mr. Mercer?”

Lex Luthor, “Marcus Mercer is an alter ego of sorts. Not every company I run is in my name or under the Lexcorp umbrella. It’s an investment strategy really. It’d take a while for me to explain but Mercer Consulting is a legitimate consulting firm. It’s only the namesake that’s a façade. However, I felt it was the most logical way to set up a meeting.”

Mary Bromfield, “Why not just set up a meeting under your real name? Why the subterfuge?”

Lex Luthor, “I didn’t want it to leak to the press that Lexcorp’s Lex Luthor was meeting with Bromfield’s Mary Bromfield. They’d have a field day with that story. Plus, it might upset a few members of my board of directors and while I may be the dominate share holder of Lexcorp, I’d still rather not rile up the board if I don’t have to. The fact is, I simply don’t believe they’d understand what I’m about to do. See, they see you and I as competitors…”

Mary Interrupts, “Aren’t we?”

Lex Luthor, “No, not really. I mean sure, we dabble in the Survivalist game… We dabble in a lot of things. But Metropolis is a big city. There’s room for more than one major corporation. Matter of fact, I think it’s about time that Metropolis had more than one economic beam supporting it’s weight. You see Miss Bromfield…”

Lex placed up a finger and nodded, coming off very sincere as he continued…

Lex Luthor, “I Love Metropolis. I was born here. I was raised here. And with the exception of the time I spent in Boston at college and working shortly there after, I have lived here all my life. I’ve been very lucky. Through hard work and perseverance I have realized the American dream. You might even say that I’m the exact embodiment of that very dream… A Poor son of a factory worker raised in the Suicide Slums… Orphaned at a very young age due to my mother’s fatal illness and my father’s unfortunate automobile accident… And now, here I stand, one of the wealthiest men in the world. I’ve achieved the American Dream. And because of that, I’ve been able to visit every corner of the world. Hong Kong, Tokyo, Sidney Australia, Frankfurt Germany, Moscow, Paris, London, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Juan… You name it and I’ve probably been there Miss Bromfield. Which is why I can say with absolute certainty that there’s no place in this world that has my heart like our city of Metropolis.”

He pauses, taking a deep breath. Luthor’s passion for Metropolis seemed absolutely sincere and somewhat overwhelming even.

Luthor continued, “The members of my board of directors understand one thing and one thing only; profit. They don’t share my love of Metropolis. And there’s nothing wrong with that. They weren’t born here. They didn’t claw up from the worst slums in the city to their penthouses they now lay host to. They have no reason to have an undying loyalty to this city. They do what their jobs call for them to do. They worry solely but the fiscal success of Lexcorp. You can’t fault them for that. It’s a big part of why we’re as successful as we are. However, I think there are other things equally as important and our city having another major corporation to provide our citizens with jobs… Another corporation paying taxes to boost the Metropolis budget… Another corporation sponsoring charitable organizations and programs in Metropolis… The fact is miss Bromfield, it’s good for Metropolis to see Bromfield Enterprises grow as successful as possible. This city is not too big for the both of us. Which, brings me to why I’m here…”

He glances at the floor, looking heavy hearted as he seemingly searches for the words. Of course this was all an act. Luthor knew exactly what he was going to say but he was a master of deceit and he was laying it on thick today.

Luthor looks at Mary with concern and says, “There’s no easy way to put this… Your ship is sinking miss Bromfield. I’m very good at what I do. The proof is in the pudding. Lexcorp is a multi national empire that only shows signs of continuing to expand and grow more and more profitability. I didn’t get to that position by not paying attention to the financial position of the companies that surround me. I know you’ve been sinking an ungodly amount of money on political campaigns and I understand where you’re coming from. PR. You want to get your name out there. But Miss Bromfield… Politicians are sharks. I know, I’ve been dealing with them for a long time. Thousands of dollars earns you thirty seconds of ‘I’d like to thank Bromfield Enterprises for their generous donation’ and then it’s off to the next meeting. Why, just last week you gave a very generous donation to Gotham’s Oswald Cobblepot.”

Mary seems surprised, Cobblepot hadn’t made it public knowledge yet that Bromfield donated to his campaign.

Luthor nods with a sympathetic expression as he continues, “That’s right Miss Bromfield… There’s only one way I could know that. He came to my office seeking a donation and an endorsement from me immediately there after. Now I believe in Oswald and I believe in his mission for Gotham so I’ll tell you in person that I gave him my endorsement. But, it makes the point that as good a man as Mr. Cobblepot is, he’s still a politician and this is the game they play. They have to. It’s the way they survive. And you’re throwing all of this money their way… It’s like coughing up blood in the middle of the ocean. Every shark for miles is going to hone in on the scent and rush to cannibalize your resources.”

Mary was looking at Lex. He was trying to read her eyes. He knew he’d hit her with a pretty big surprise revealing Cobblepot’s double cross but it was all a part of the plan.

Luthor, “However, what I’d like to do is help you. Bromfield Enterprises needs to stay afloat. It needs to prosper. It’s what’s best for Metropolis and what’s best for Metropolis is what I choose to stand for. I’d like to consult for you. I could bring you graphs and pie charts and show you all the up hill margins of Lexcorp over the last ten years but, you’re a smart woman, you already know Lexcorp’s been wildly successful under my direction. I believe that together, we can pull Bromfield Enterprises up and shoot it back toward the sky, making it just as successful. However, if either of our board members or stock holders got word that we were in bed together, it may cause an unnecessary stir. So I’d like to join your company under the alias of Marcus Mercer. I’d need to be privy to all your records. I’d have to be second only to yourself in authority around here. And I realize that’s asking for a lot of blind trust but… You put that trust in me and I promise you Mary Bromfield… I will do everything in my power to give Bromfield Enterprises the destiny it deserves.”

And that was not a lie. No, he would indeed do everything in his power to give Bromfield Enterprises the destiny that he believed it deserved.

[Mary Bromfield - Lady Marvel]

It would be a natural and only a logical conclusion to jump to. As soon as Marcus shed his disguise and Mary Bromfield saw Lex Luthor standing there, she was braced for war. Hands were curled in fists of rage at the description which she slowly uncurled and stood with a questioning look in her eyes and an authoritative stance. If he had come to attempt to intimidate her over the endorsement of David Patrick then he would learn soon enough this was one country girl turned citified Corporate C.E.O. that would not be intimidated no matter how much more money Lex had at his disposal.

While he began unfolding his life story as though this were a soap opera, Mary's thoughts briefly turned to Metropolis police commissioner and it's Mayor by defeating some villain sleaze named the archer. It took guts to take on someone like that with nothing but his barehands while he risked having an arrow going in one side of his chest and out the other. Her stance softened as did her expression to a degree while she listened. The state of calm starting to wash over her did not last long.

Mary wasn't blind to the way Lex was watching her when he dropped the bombshell. He was probably fearing for his neck and with good reason, the sheer audacity to come into her office and drop this on her at the risk of his own neck. For a moment, just for a moment it made her want to zip to Gotham and make the mayoral election a one man race again by snapping Cobblepot's damned neck into thirds and shattering his spine. That was anger talking however. as tempting as it might be and us nonplussed as she was she could never bring herself to take a life. Although rearranging a few of his body parts didn't seem like such a bad idea.

Luthor was right on in everything. Spot on the mark with his comments which made her blood boil even hotter. She was mad at herself, mad at the world and deathly mad at Oswald Cobblepot. Why was she standing here unable to bring herself to be angry at Luthor himself for making the endorsement and then having the nerve to come to her office at the risk of his safety? In spite of angering her he came anyway knowing she wouldn't be happy and yet he genuinely seemed concerned. She was ruined. her company was ruined and she would live in shame over the guilt of letting her father...who now seemed to be not really her father down.

What he was suggesting could be construed as unscrupulous, and unethical...and she had no choice. She couldn't let it end like this. There was no need to debate it. It should have crossed her mind that Lex had an ulterior motive. Honestly the next question out of any sane person's mouth should have been what do you get out of this? Instead she was blinded by anger and bitterness that she had let this happen because of her own greed. It was greed that drove her to where she was now and sadly it was a touch of greed that caused her to look Lex eye to eye and give him a nod.


● Mary Bromfield ● "Two things. First off I don't give a damn how noble he is or what his intentions are, his betrayal by turning to you have burned any bridge he will ever have back to here. I apologize but I can't forgive him for that. I don't fault you for making the endorsement. My inexperience has nearly sank this place. I need to make him pay. Somehow. As my second in command, you promise me you'll help me deal with this and you have yourself an agreement...Mr. Mercer."

[Lex Luthor]

Luthor bit his lip, looking conflicted. Truthfully, he wasn’t really conflicted at all. He had a lot more to gain from his arrangements with Cobblepot than he’d get out of getting inside Bromfield Enterprises. The fact was, Bromfield Enterprises was likely to self destruct. Luthor didn’t really need to push it along. And odds were, he could find someone inside the company with the delivery schedules to buy off and still let Cobblepot’s goons hijack her shipments. So if he’d really had to choose one way or another, he’d of shrugged, bid miss Bromfield a good evening and made his exit. However, Luthor understood people and he knew full well he wouldn’t have to choose. Bromfield was venting. At the end of the night, she knew she was in no place to be making ultimatums and worse than that for her, Lex Luthor knew that she knew she was in no place to be making ultimatums.

Regardless though, people didn’t always make the wisest moves when they were angry so while Luthor’s ego may have suggested he simply say ‘You need me more than I need you, now make the deal you little bitch’… His intelligence and apathy kept him seeming sympathetic.

Lex Luthor, “Miss Bromfield, If I agreed to do that I’d be no better than you feel Oswald is right now. Would you really want to work with a man who’d so easily double cross someone he’s given his word to? If I’d do that to Oswald, what’s to say I wouldn’t do that to you? No Miss Bromfield, I simply can’t do that. I pride my self on my integrity and the value of my word. I have a lot of things but at the end of the night, all of my material objects could be gone tomorrow. And then what? What would I be left with? My word. That’s it. There’s few things a person has in this life that can’t be taken away but amongst them is their word and their integrity and I refuse to allow either of those things to be tarnished.”

His voice showed an understanding to Miss Bromfield’s position but at the same time, an adamancy to his own position.

Lex Luthor, “I’m not condoning Mr. Cobblepot’s actions but, they were well intentioned enough. He’s a politician, he acted like one. He has to get donations from anywhere he can in order to have a chance to compete against an incumbent candidate. Would you fault a Lion for feeding his pride at the expense of a gazelle? Or an ally cat from catching a mouse to calm his starvation? It’s their nature. It’s how they survive. Mr. Cobblepot is simply surviving the only way a politician in an uphill battle can. I believe in his cause and I can not turn my back on him after giving him my word. My word is stronger than oak. However, I hope that you can get past your anger and realize that if you can get past this, you too are receiving my word and I’d no sooner betray my word to you than I would to Oswald or anybody else.”

Luthor looked at Mary sincerely, his ego left at the door as he says in a non-arrogant tone, “I believe you need me Miss Bromfield. And I believe that Metropolis needs you and your corporation. And I need Metropolis with every fiber of my being. Everybody needs somebody and in this case we all need each other. Don’t worry about Oswald. A business friend of mine once told me ‘You’re not a boss if you haven’t loss’. Meaning that, you don’t get to be where we are in the world without feeling the sting of betrayal or failure. It’s par for the course. You can’t succeed at life without a strong risk of failure. You can’t trust anyone in life without risking betrayal. But the rewards -in my opinion- far out way the occasional sting you may suffer. Rack this up to a learning experience. The next time a savvy politician comes your way, you’ll be ready. That’s worth the price you paid Oswald.”

Actually, there really was some sincerity to Luthor’s statement there. He’d been screwed over far less than the average businessman because of his profound intelligence but, even he’d made some early naive decisions when he was first building Lexcorp. He racked them up to life lessons and looking back, he felt they were well worth whatever price he may have paid to learn them.

Luthor looks at Mary warmly and says, “Anyway… I can’t help you crush Oswald but Oswald shouldn’t be a concern. Rebuilding your father’s namesake should be our primary concern and that Miss Bromfield… That I can absolutely help you do.”

[Mary Bromfield - Lady Marvel]

He was right of course. Snapping Cobblepot in half wasn't the answer. She'd been brought up better than that but she'd always been quick tempered. The day might easily come at some point if she were to lose it and suffer unimaginable consequences were there noone around to help squelch the fire. She did need to vent however. Bl;ow of some steam and now she had an outlet for it. The time for venting would come soon enough but for now she had a business deal to complete and a new employee to take on.

Making a swift stride over to her coffee maker she filled a cup and gingerly moved back to her desk to catch a glance of the security monitor that sat there. ● Mary Bromfield ● ""You're right, Lex. I lost my head and I don't want you to leave her thinking revenge is what I am all about." She answered with a deep sigh of frustration after a sip of coffee. ● Mary Bromfield ● "Consider yourself hired, when and how do we get started?"

[Lex Luthor]

“Now the Serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say ‘you shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it lest you die.’” But the Serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of it’s fruit and ate and also gave some of her husband who was with her, and he ate.” - The Holy Bible - English Standard Version: Book of Genesis.

Lex Luthor was the Serpent, or at the very least he was the closest incarnation on earth. He was a slithering snake in a seven thousand dollar suit and Mary Bromfield just let that snake slither in the door. He was as close to Satan as you were going to find without being cast to judgment and the greatest trick that the great deceiver ever played was to make the world believe he didn’t exist. To date, Lex Luthor hadn’t flashed his true colors publicly and it was clear that he’d just manipulated his way into ascertaining Mary Bromfield’s professional soul.

He sighed and offered a soft smile, intentionally suggesting through his facial expression and body language that he knew what a hard decision it must have been for Mary to make and that he was grateful for her faith in him. He expressed -without saying a word- that she’d made the right choice. That he’d work hand in hand with her to rebuild the Bromfield company… If Val Kilmer or George Clooney had half the ability to play a role that Luthor had, maybe they wouldn’t have sucked so bad in those comic book movies they did… You know the ones? They escape me now but we do remember Kilmer and Clooney killing a great character.

Regardless, none of that mattered now. Luthor was in. It was time to get to work.

Lex Luthor, “Well Miss Bromfield, I only know what I see on MBS:Financial and Fox Business and what I read in the Financial Journal and Forbes… In order for me to really dive in I’ll need all of your financial records. Additionally I need your manufacturing records for the last year or so as well as your prospects for however far ahead you set your manufacturing goals. I need your delivery invoices for the last year as well as your future delivery plans for as far as you have them set up. I need your sales reports.”

Mary sipped her coffee and looked at Lex. He could tell she was wondering what exactly Luthor’s intention where with all of these documents so he didn’t make her ask.

Lex Luthor, “The reason I need all of this stuff is because I have to get in the know. I need to know what you made last year to compare it to this year and what you’re on track to make next year. I also obviously need to know exactly how much money we have verses how much we’re spending and expected to spend by the end of the year. I need your manufacturing records to compare the amount of product we’re producing against the amount of product we’re selling as well as how much we’re producing verses past years and comparatively how much we’re expecting to produce in the up coming year. I need your deliver invoices to see how frequently we’re delivering product. And I need your future delivery plans to determine what areas we can find to sell to, that we’re not already selling to, that’s not too far out of current delivery routes. Gasoline isn’t cheap so if we can start our expansion with areas that aren’t far from where we’re already making deliveries, that’ll be a huge plus.”

Lex Luthor adjusted his glasses. He’d actually forgotten he even had them on. They were purely for show. His vision was perfect. But since he’d left them on this long he didn’t want to seem like a smuck and take them off now.

Lex Luthor continued, “Have your people get all of this stuff together and email it to this address…”

Luthor reached into his jacket on the opposite side from where he stuck the hair piece and beard and withdrew a business card for Marcus Mercer at Mercer Consulting. He handed her the card.

Luthor continued, “Anything that you can’t email, just put together in a Fed Ex and ship it to the address on the card. Send me an email to let me know you’ve sent it and I’ll make sure to get to the Consulting office to pick it up. Other than that?”

Luthor turned around and headed for Mary’s closet… Her eyes grew big as she stood up and said, “Mr. Luthor… What are you doing?”

Lex pulled out his hair piece and aid, “I need a mirror… I assumed you’d have one in here…”

His hand reached for the closet but Mary rushed around and grabbed Lex by the shoulders steering him away.

Mary Bromfield, “Oh no… That’s just paperwork and junk. It’s a mess. I wouldn’t want it all falling out on you. I have a mirror right over there…”

She points across her office. He perks a curious eyebrow… He was a con artist, he knew when he was being conned but now wasn’t the time to worry about it. Whatever she had in that closet wasn’t paperwork but it also wasn’t likely to matter either. Lex had gotten what he came to get, now he needed to get his disguise back in place. He walked across the room to the mirror she mentioned and began to withdraw his hair and beard from his pocket.

Luthor, “I’m sorry I have to do this in front of you. It’s not very gentlemanly but, surely you understand it’s necessity.”

Luthor get’s his hair piece stuck on and then his beard. Looked as natural as could be. That’s what they meant when they said “The best money can buy”. Lex turned around back in his Mercer façade and said, “Other than the paperwork? I believe it’s time that Marcus Mercer have a tour of the building. I need to know every wing of the operation from this office all the way to the loading dock. I need to see everyone’s productivity and I need to see exactly how each position is ran. Through this evaluation process I will be able to determine what’s working and what’s not and more importantly, who’s working and who’s not. Now, I don’t have time right now to conduct this evaluation from top to bottom. It’s Monday morning and I’ve yet to get to my office at Lexcorp… My paperwork there is piling up by the foot I’m sure.”

He laughs.

Lex Luthor, “But if you have a spare security guard or staff member who could give me a general tour so I know where everything is, I’ll be able to get an idea of how many people I need to send over from the Consulting office to do these full evaluations. They’ll report directly to you and I when they’re done and by then I’ll of also had the opportunity to look over all of your books and paperwork and you and I can really sit down and discuss step by step, detail by detail what we need to do and what our short term and long term goals for productivity should be.”

Pleased with the way his rugs have found their place back on his face and head he walks across meeting Mary at the entrance of the room. He extends his hand and says, “Fair enough?”

[Mary Bromfield - Lady Marvel]

Mary Nodded in response, having snagged a tablet and pen from a drawer to jot down the list of everything he needed along with the email address he wanted it sent to. She in fact was wondering why he wanted all of these things and fortunately he seemed to cover it all satisfactorily without her having to ask. She still was far from being in the best of moods and as soon as he hauled himself out of the building she was going to catch some air. It was time for Metropolis to meet it's newest citizen. The city screamed for a hero and they were on the verge of getting one in a godly package. Though she herself wasn't a god, with the gifts she'd received she could literally bear their powers and abilities. She was chomping at the bit...and she nearly lost her dinner from last night when Lex turned toward the closet door.

● Mary Bromfield ● ""It's quite alright, Mr. Mercer. Understandable under the circumstances. It should not take more than a day or two, 3 at the most to have these things prepared and sent off to you one way or another" She nodded abruptly and forced a smile on her face. A fake one was the best she could muster considering the mood she was in and the events of the day. She certainly had alot to think upon. So much had happened so fast and she needed to get her head cleared.

● Mary Bromfield ● ""Miss Kiebler, contact security. Let Kenny I need him up here and I need him up here now. Thank you."" She instructed and turned the device back off before she had to endure the shrill sounding voice of the secretary from hell. One of the things in all the time she'd been at the head of the company she'd had little success with. Perhaps Lex could help find a decent one. ● Mary Bromfield ● "Good help is so hard to find. Present company excluded of course""

She breathed a sigh of relief when Kenny came in, grateful that he was available and would conduct the general tour for her so she could get on to other matters. ● Mary Bromfield ● ""I have a personal appointment I must take care of so I will be out of the office for an hour or two. Kenny will show you the tour and if you have any questions here's the card with all of my phone numbers on it. Office and cell. Do let me know if you have further questions and welcome to Bromfield Enterprises, Mr. Mercer."

[Lex Luthor]

“Welcome to Bromfield Enterprises”… He’d be sure to give himself a good salary as soon as he got his computer clearances set up so he’d really feel “welcomed”. ‘Mercer’ bidded our Mary Matron a fair ado and began his tour of Bromfield Enterprises. Kenny showed him around each floor in what served as a pretty tedious tour. Never the less, Luthor being the genius that he is made sure to make mental notes of anything that he felt might be beneficial to know along the way. By the time they got to the bottom floor Luthor was ready to leave. Which is why he was tempted to say “No” when Kenny asked him if he wanted to ride over to the factory. Luthor contemplated and decided he might as well get it out of the way. He needed to see what kind of productivity they were dealing with so he’d have an idea of how many trucks a month in firearms he could get to Oswald in Gotham. Kenny showed Luthor out back and the two entered the Bromfield Security SUV.

They arrived at the factory and this was a much more blue collar scene then the Bromfield building. They drove around to the loading docks where the Semi trucks were being loaded to make their deliveries. The SUV parked out of the way and Kenny escorted Luthor inside.

Kenny, “This is where we load the product. Be careful of the fork trucks, they go by pretty quick.”

Kenny drew the door open and Luthor entered. There were pallets of various survival equipment all over the place. There were five docks and next to each one of em stood a truck driver watching the workers load their trucks. In the break room across the hall it looked like something was going on. Luthor, intrigued, headed across the hall drawing beeps from the fork trucks as Kenny ran behind to catch up. Luthor drew open the door to the break room and there he was… A Wild eyed, curly haired man slamming a younger scruffy looking guy’s head against the wall. Kenny was about to dart in and break it up but Luthor put his arm in front of Kenny’s chest.

‘Mercer’, “Let it play out.”

Kenny, “I can’t do that sir…”

‘Mercer’, “As we speak your boss is in the process of placing me second only to herself in the Bromfield company. If you want to keep your job, shut up and stay out of it.”

Kenny looks uneasy but he does as he’s told as our wild eyed friend get’s on top of the man he’s beating and starts throwing right after right after right after right.

“That’s it!”

Everyone’s attention moves to the back entrance to the break room where a shorter, older man with a gray beard and gray hair walks in with a sledgehammer in hand.

“Otis! I’ve had it with you and your temper! That’s it! Get out of here!”

The man who’s now been identified as “Otis” stands up, his chest pumping.

“Well alright Tommy…”

He turns around and notices ‘Mercer’ looking him over.

Otis, “What-er you lookin at?!”

Mercer smirked, “A Man who’s wasting his God given talents in the loading docks. Come here…”

Luthor steps to the side and Otis glares but out of curiosity, he steps over with Luthor. Luthor whispers something inaudible to Otis and Otis’ eyes perk right up.

Otis, “Really? Well Hell, that’d be my privilage.”

Luthor whispers again.

Otis, “Oh yeah, I’ll be there.”

Otis turns and looks at everybody staring at him in the break room. He grabs one of the tables and turns it over making everybody jump back.

Otis, “Heh… Kiss my ass Bromfield Enterprises… I quit. Suspend that right up your ass Tommy!”

And with that Otis grabbed a blue lunch cooler off a table and headed out the door. Mercer smirked and looked to Kenny, “Shall we continue the tour?”

-Time Lapse-

It took about an hour but Kenny showed Luthor all of the factory. Rather than riding back to the Bromfield building with Kenny, Luthor called his ride service and got picked up at the factory. Luthor got taken to a remote parking garage where he then moved into a limousine and removed his disguise. From there he was driven back to Lexcorp…

TBC In “Contracts” on the Lexcorp Towers Board

[Mary Bromfield - Lady Marvel]

Some would say that Mary Bromfield was in over her head. Others may call her naive. Her major screw-up regarding the mishandled finances of her own company had done nothing to prove those skeptics wrong but she wasn't totally an epic fail either. There were some things she had a strong handle on, among them were the high level of quality in the goods she sold. Public relations and innovative ideas for the lines of items being manufactured. And then there was security. Mary Bromfield kept a tight grip on the reins with it and would have to double those efforts now considering the secret she was about to carry if the double life she was about to begin would be effective.

Thanks to the latest in state of the art surveillance systems Mary knew practically every step Kenny had taken him on before they left the building and she knew Kenny well enough by now to become keenly aware he was a creature of habit. He'd no doubt use the same route in showing Lex around that he did when making his patrols. Mary breathed a deep sigh of relief When Kenny finallly coaxed the bald billionaire in disguise out of the building and off to the factory.

He was doing his job and now it was time for Mary to start her new one. 3. 5 seconds later she was out of the office, duffle bag slung over her shoulder and a laundry list full of tasks dropped off at the desk of Miss Tori Kiebler.. ● Mary Bromfield ● "I need everything on this list collected and either emailed here or fed-exed here for the things that can't be accessed online and I need them in 72 hours. I'll be back in a few hours. I need to grab some fresh air" She left without room for discussion; down the elevator and stepping out into the street

---

It had to be done quickly and in a city like Metropolis, although busy, wasn't as crime ridden as Gotham. There were plenty of spaces once could go away from prying eyes and Mary Bromfield was standing in one of them now. Making sure that in all direction no eyes were on her and that she wasn't being followed.

Her business attire came off in record time and the young CEO was just as quickly slipping into a pair of yellow boots and white outfit with gold trim. A golden lightning bolt emblazoned on her chest and a mini-skirt to match the upper portion of the costume secured around her waist. The last pieces of the ensemble were a white and gold cowl that would look not unlike Batman's cowl, the biggest difference being that her eyes could be seen. Perhaps infrared vision lenses or something would have been a logical addition but she lacked time and she was aching to catch some air. Finally a white cape that was also trim,med with gold around it's edges hung off her back. And then there were the gauntlets. There were also some secrets Mary felt she had yet to uncover. She merely gave the ancient scrolls that had been miraculously more preserved than they should have been a few glanceovers, picking out the important parts for a general idea of how they worked.

Did she doubt her own sanity for trying such a thing? What if this turned out to be a fantasy? Some sort of dream that turned into a nightmare? All she knew was she had to try. It was almost as though the artifacts and old relics were pulling at her soul and wouldn't let go until she took a bite. Not unlike how the serpent did to Eve when he presented a tasty, luscious piece of fruit before her es in the beginning

On the left gauntlet was etched the word "Sha" and on the right, "Zam" When Mary Bromfield firmly clicked them both together her eyes seemed to literally sparkl;e for a moment. Lit up as though they were flames of fire. A change washed over her. She fely stronger. more powerful. Wiser.

Pulling the cowl down over her head and unfurling the cape that attached around her neck, the bag that contained the charger was securely hidden and Lady Marvel was off and flying. Reaching for the clouds for the first time as the newest caped figure in a growing world of costumed heroes made her first public appearance, spread her wings and hovered high above the city's skyscrapers.

● Mary Bromfield ● "Holy Moley. Oh, what a rush."