Titans

Chapter 4: The future is now

"Mr. Luthor" said a chauffeur suited woman seated across from Lex Luthor handing him a glass of champagne, he takes it giving a silent nod as his thanks. He goes back to staring out the window of his limousine watching Metropolis whip by in a blur, he looks on in contempt. He loved his city but not the rats that inhabited it, "Look at them, scurrying to die" he said dryly. "Well we all can't be Lex Luthor" said Lois Lane who was sitting next to Lex's assistant. Lex looked to Lois and chuckled "And thank god for that".

This was the day of Lois' interview with Lex Luthor. She didn't much care for the man due to the past but hey, a job was a job. "So, Mr. Luthor..." Lois began "Lex" he interrupted, "I'm sorry?" she said, "We've known each other for quite some time, Damn the formality, call me Lex" he absolutely insisted. Lois felt quite uncomfortable with the request but she wasn't about to lose this story over some discomfort. "Ok.....Lex" she said with some hesitance, "In recent years you've released several new inventions but you didn't showcase them like you're doing with this year's piece. What's so special about this? Why an expo?" Lois finished her question.

"What I'm revealing today will change Metropolis, no, the WORLD for the greater good. The expo is so this new project can get the introduction it deserves" he answered. "You really think it's that big? After clothes folding machines, and Co2 boxes that can insta-freeze water?", she asked skeptically, "yes, much bigger". Ok, what was he up to? A new type of phone that could teleport you to your favorite pizza place? Ooh now she wanted pizza. Clark was definitely buying pizza later.

"As I said moments before this will be an absolute game changer. It deserves a grandiose presentation. When it is finally available to the public, there will be less worries, less stress, more time. I've already said too much, don't want to spoil the reveal". And then like a horror movie jump scare, camera flashes began to flood the inside of the limo. The source? Ravenous press and tabloids. The car comes to a stop and Luthor's assistant readies to open the door preparing to guard him from the story hungry zombies outside. Lex straightens his collar and then smirks at his public outside. "Showtime" he says and then the trio exit the limo. The camera flashes are blinding and disorienting, that coupled with the deafening volume of voices was almost making this exclusive interview not worth it. "That paycheck better be a big one" she thought as they entered the expo building.

Lex, Lois, and his assistant are all escorted into a dressing room of sorts. The room was way gaudier than it had any right to be. Complete with a wrap around leather couch, a table adorned with a giant fruit platter/center piece, and the most state of the art entertainment electronics money could buy. "A little over the top for a room you'll be spending a short time in don't you think?" Lois asked. "You know me" Lex responded with a cocky tone. Lois wasn't fond of the familiarity Lex had been exhibiting since the beginning of the interview. It was almost as if he was happy to be interviewed by the wife of his arch nemesis. Like meeting a long time friend or something. It was probably just the pageantry of the expo, who knows. Was this paranoia or women's intuition?  For the next half hour or so Lex enjoyed the leisure and lavishness of his dressing room. Watching news coverage of the world's anticipation of his Expo, drinking, and snacking. Lois just sat irritated that her job wasn't so straight forward, when she finally decided to speak up to press the interview forward, Lex stands up and says "We'll continue this interview after the show, my adoring public awaits. Feel free to stay and enjoy yourself". He signals to his assistant and the two of them leave. Lois lets out an exasperated sigh and glares at the tv. Might as well enjoy the show.

Out in the main showroom of the expo building a presentation was being played to an audience about Lexcorp from a large screen. On the screen played a montage of people using every day appliances and electronics branded with the Lexcorp logo. Every last person on the screen was of course grinning from ear to ear and at the end of their few seconds of screen time would look off screen to represent "looking towards tomorrow" as the soothing woman's voice narrated. The presentation then ends with a shot of the Lexcorp logo and the narrator saying "Lexcorp, your choice in innovation". The screen then turns off and sinks into the stage as the showroom lights come on. The audience applauds all the while. The lights then dim again and a spotlight comes on the stage revealing a giant silhouette of Lex Luthor who was standing behind a curtain. The audience begins to cheer as the man of the hour steps out on stage. He's fitted with a mic on his collar and a strange looking watch. He presses the face of the watch, and then spreads his arms as he is enveloped in blue digital pixels that all gather and rise into the air forming a hologram of Lex from the chest up. The audience goes into an uproar again. It was absolutely clear that Lex Luthor was an absolute rock star. Lois rolled her eyes while watching from the dressing room.