Nightwing: Heartache

Part 42: Godfrey Show

January 10, 5:17pm
Los Angeles

"Thank you for joining us, Ms. Opal. Don't miss Shadowblaster in theaters this Friday. And believe me when I tell you, Shadowblaster is the only vigilante I support," Gordon Godfrey grinned into the camera as the red light blinked off, signaling the cut off from recording.

Willa stood up from the plush chair and smoothed the wrinkles out of her dress. She plastered on a smile and shook Godfrey's hand. He really was an atrocious man, with atrocious opinions, but he was on the late night press circuit. So she did her job, she smiled and pretended like the man didn't make her skin crawl.

"Lovely to meet you, Willa," he drawled, "best of luck on the movie."

"Thank you, Mr. Godfrey." They shook hands one more time before Gordon left to rehearse the next segment or get a makeup touch up or some other activity. Willa's eyes drifted off the soundstage, to where Dick waited in the wings. He offered a small wave, relaxing against the wall, blending into the space amidst the chaos of the studio around him. Willa smiled back. She was about to walk over and suggest they get going, when -

"Miss Opal," a smooth voice greeted from behind her.

Willa saw Dick's eyes darken, focusing on the figure behind her. But she gave Dick a reassuring look before putting  on another polite smile and turning around. "Mr. Luthor, nice to see you."

He extended a hand and she shook it. "Always a pleasure," he went on. "Your interview was wonderful. It'll be great once it makes it through editing."

Willa smiled through the dig.

Lex flicked a piece of lint off his shoulder. "I asked Godfrey if my segment on my new meta-team could be in the same episode. He loved the idea."

Ah. The new meta-team. Infinity, Inc. A Lexcorp affiliated rival to The Outsiders. Of course Lex wanted to promote it on top of Shadowblaster.

"Well, best of luck," Willa offered neutrally.

"I was hoping you would make a claim of support on your social media," Lex continued when Willa tried to exit the conversation. "Given your allegiance to heroes."

"I support actual heroes, Mr. Luthor, not capitalist propaganda."

Lex scoffed, "please, Shadowblaster is nothing but Justice League propaganda."

Willa let her smile turn sour, "I didn't have much choice in that did I?"

His smile wavered. "I would think someone of your moral standards would leap at the chance to support new, young heroes."

Willa was aware they were attracting eyes. Godfrey would be back any minute to film Lex's segment and she really did need to go. "I'm sure the heroes you've recruited are wonderful, well meaning people, but, and I say this with all due respect, I hope their contracts end soon."

Now Lex's smile did fade. He took a step closer. "Yours most certainly does not, my dear. I get two more films, and we might not be able to force you to promote our hero team now, but I can assure you-"

Willa held up a hand in Dick's general direction, letting him know not to intervene. She crossed her arms, "you know, I've been looking at my contract, so have my lawyers, and it's binding. All conditions. All pay increases. All requirements. It's locking, probably done by your expert legal council. But it also means you can't add another condition, another area outside the already specified marketing duties. So, no, you cannot assure me, you cannot force my hand, and you cannot control my social media."

Lex dropped his voice, deadly low, but kept a sick smile on his face, to keep up the friendly charade. "When all this is over, when The Outsiders, the Justice League, and all the little heroes are dealt with, you'll wish you picked the winning side."