The Alternate Adventures of Superman
Written By Victor M. Gil de Rubio
Chapter One: Threats and Promises
As he stepped out of the elevator, every one in the busy newsroom became quiet. They turned from their workstations and looked at him, wondering what would bring the most powerful man in Metropolis to their offices. Had the circumstances been other then what they were he would have been pleased with their response to his presence, but not today, today Lex Luthor was furious.
He walked through the crowded room, his six bodyguards walking with him, and glaring at anyone foolish enough to get too close to Luthor. When they reached the Editor in Chief's office, one of the bodyguards pushed open the door, letting Lex Luthor into Perry White's office.
Perry White was a man who had news print running through his veins and was a man few intimidated. He looked up from his desk; his phone still in hand, a smoldering cigar in his other hand and glared at Luthor. "You ever heard of knocking?" he said his smoke roughened voice adding to his sarcasm.
"There is a certain situation that I believe we should discuss." Luthor said.
"Then call for an appointment like everyone else." White said, adding "Or have you forgotten that's the way things work on a professional level."
"Mr. White," Luthor said his voice coolly neutral. But Perry waved him off, and continued his phone conversation for nearly a minute before finally hanging up the phone. This served to infuriate Luthor to no end, which gave Perry White an infinite amount of pleasure. "Okay now what do you want?" White said.
Luthor took a moment to compose himself then said "It seems that you are planning to run an article of an unflattering nature which I believe would be in our best interest if it never saw print."
"Really?" White said, "You ever heard of the first amendment, or of the term "Freedom of the Press?'" He looked at Luthor and smiled "In a free country like this one, we have those freedoms, and until you buy Metropolis and declare it an independent nation I believe I have the right to see any god damn article I want see print."
"Listen little man," Luthor exploded "I could own this-" But before he could finish Perry White said "But then you'd have a monopoly on the media in this city, and that's illegal in this country, Luthor, so until you buy the constitution and rewrite it, don't threaten me."
Luthor s was livid with rage, and was clenching his fists when Lois Lane walked into the office. She smiled sweetly at him and moved to Perry White's desk "Here's the rewrite on that article you wanted. The way I see it, I should get a banner headline."
"I wasn't finished with you!" Luthor exploded.
"Well you were just standing there sputtering, so I figured you were finished." Lois said.
"White, you keep your reporter's noses out of my business." Luthor snarled "Or next time I wont be so pleasant. "
"Can I quote you?" Lois said, smiling.
Lex Luthor said nothing, he turned to his guards and said, "Lets go."
Perry White sat back in his chair when Luthor had left the office and took a long look at his star reporter. Lois Lane was a beautiful woman, who seemed to belong at high society parties, not here among hard nosed reporters, but her looks were deceptive, She was as hard nosed as the best of them, and had no qualms about getting her hands dirty.
"Lois, I think maybe you should lay off Luthor for a while." He said.
"Why?" Lois said, "We all know that Luthor's not as clean as he wishes people to believe, and it's our job to expose the truth, right?"
"Don't give me that Lane." Perry said "This is personal, and we both know it. I just want you to be careful, Luthor isn't someone you want on your enemies list."
"It's too late for that." She said.
"Just be careful." He said.
Chapter Two: Arrivals and Introductions
"Yeah Mac, that's the Planet." The cab driver said as he pulled up to the curb. His passenger looked out the side window and up at the twelve story building that sat nestled between the glass and steel towers, like some reminder of times past which refuses to allow itself to be forgotten. He smiled and absently adjusted the wire-rimmed glasses he wore.
He paid the cab driver and stepped out onto the sidewalk. The cab driver laughed to himself and lit the stub of cigar that he had in his mouth as he watched his passenger navigate through the midtown crowd towards the Daily Planet. Suddenly there was a knock on his passenger window.
The cabby looked up at the six-foot tall, line backer in a chauffeur's uniform that was looking down at him. "Move it." The man said. The cabby almost opened his mouth, ready with some scathing remark but he noticed the blue-gray limousine with its custom plates. "Sure thing Mac." The cabby said, then pulled out of the spot as quickly as he could, without getting into an accident.
Joseph Clark Kent found himself dodging people as he tried to enter the Daily Planet and thought about how it seemed that no one in this city had the grace to let anyone walk by. Suddenly he slammed into someone stepping out of the building. He looked up in time to see a group of six muscular men in dark business suits converge on him. The man he'd bumped into looked at him, and the expression on his face was an expression reserved for lower life forms.
"Sorry." Kent said.
Luthor didn't answer. He walked past Kent, his men making sure no one came near their boss. Joseph shook his head and watched Luthor disappear into the limousine. He watched as the vehicle went up the street, before entering the building. Joseph walked up to the information board by the elevator banks and finding the floor he was looking for went to the elevator. After almost a minute of travel up the elevator, listening to people discussing everything from stocks to last night's sitcoms, he found himself in the offices of the Daily Planet.
He stood for a minute watching the chaotic newsroom, with its mixture of modern technology sitting on furniture that could be considered antique. "Excuse me." He said tapping a slender African American man on the shoulder who was walking by. The man stopped and looked over at Kent. "Can I help you?" The man said.
"I'm looking for Mr. White." Kent said.
"It's your funeral." The man said.
"What?" Kent asked quizzically.
"Nothing." The man said smiling, "He's in his office." The man pointed towards the south corner office. "Over there."
Kent made his way to the office and knocked on the door. His brow furrowed as the group closest to him started to laugh. Frowning he knocked again. Inside the middle- aged man behind the desk waved him in. Kent opened the door and was assaulted by the hazy cloud of cigar smoke in the room. The man behind the desk looked up at him; his phone pinned between his left shoulder and ear. "Yeah, well you be careful." White said addressing the person on the phone.
Kent waited until Mr. White hung up the phone.
White looked up at the tall man before him waiting. The man was in his late 20's or early 30's in appearance and had short jet-black hair, and strong angular features. He noted the intelligence in the young man's clear blue eyes. When the man said nothing White said, " Can I help you?"
"Hello, my name is Joseph Clark Kent, " The man said extending his hand "I m here for the interview."
White took his hand noting the man's strong grip. "Well for one thing son, in this city you've got to speak up. This isn't Kansas you know."
"Sorry?" Kent asked.
"If you wanna be a reporter you've got to be assertive Kent." White said "Otherwise you ain't gonna have a future here. " He looked at Kent for a long moment considering him. "I've read your resume and it's impressive but you've got no real experience as a reporter, So tell me why I should hire you?"
"Because you won't be disappointed." Kent said.
"Better." White said.
Kent smiled.
"Alright I'll put you on two weeks trial. Prove it to me, and I'll put you on staff." White said.
Chapter Three: Contemplation
Lex Luthor sat back and absently watched the city of Metropolis pass by outside his window. His thoughts though were occupied with Perry White and his accursed Newspaper. Lex Luthor had done everything in his power to control the media in Metropolis and had for the most part succeeded but the Daily Planet remained outside his sphere of control.
Luthor hated not having control of anything, and over the years he had gained controlling interest in the city, having controlling interest in everything from sanitation to city government, and that was how he liked it. The Planet though was something that he couldn't control, nor could he do anything to make it disappear otherwise the Government might become aware of how much of the city belonged to Luthor.
Perry White took a moment to turn his chair around so he could look out of the window to his office. It had become a habit of his around noon every day to take a moment to look at the city that he called home. He reached over and raised the blinds letting sunlight into his office. He blinked for a minute as his eyes adjusted to the light.
He could see the gleaming towers and corporate buildings that dominated the skyline. Perry White had seen the city change over the years and always said that with the modernization of the city, it had lost its character. Modern architecture lacked personality he thought then smiled as he though of Kent, who seemed as out of place in Metropolis as this building did.
Kent had grown up in Middle America and had brought that upbringing with him. White wondered how long before the city stole that from him. He had liked Kent from the moment he'd seen him, knocking politely on his door, and had liked the respect that he'd been shown, and thought that if it wasn't for that he'd have sent Kent packing. Now he hoped that his instincts were right and Kent proved himself.
He got up and walked over to the door. Looking out he spotted Kent looking around the office. "Hey Olson." White called out.
Jimmy Olson was sitting at one of the desks and was adjusting his camera when he heard Perry White calling his name. He got up and walked over to his boss' office steeling himself mentally just in case he'd done something wrong. "Hi Chief." He said, and watched White's face start to flush. "Why don't you make yourself useful and help Kent get settled. " White said.
"Sure thing Chief." Olson said with a grin.
"You keep that up, and you'll find yourself out on your ass." White threatened.
Jimmy Olson walked over to the tall newcomer and clearing his throat said " Mr Kent. Hi I'm Jimmy Olson, Staff Photographer."
"Joseph Clark Kent." Kent said extending his hand.
"Well the Chief asked me to help get you settled in." Jimmy said, "So let me get you a desk, and show you where everything is, and while were at it I'll give you the scoop on how to survive working at the planet."
"Thanks Jimmy, " Kent said "That'll be swell."
"Swell?" Jimmy said incredulously "Who says swell anymore?"