Date: Friday, May 13th, 2011, 5:00 pm
Location: Lex Mansion, Metropolis
The sterile hum of the LexCorp Research & Development labs was music to my ears. It was late, long after my executives had retreated to their sprawling estates, but I thrived in the quiet solitude of innovation. Before me, encased in gleaming chrome and pulsating energy fields, stood my latest masterpiece, Project: Life Cradle. Not merely a medical device but a testament to my newfound genius, a defiance of nature's ultimate decree. I ran a hand over its cool, polished surface, a faint smile playing on my lips.
"Almost done, and when you are finally complete, anyone who dares challenge me would have to be as strong as Superman to best me," I murmured to the machine. Weeks of relentless work, countless billions invested, and the final diagnostic run was almost complete. The regeneration protocols, the cellular restructuring sequences, the bio-scaffolding—all were performing beyond even my ambitious projections. This wasn't just about healing and creating; the implications were monumental. It was a tool that could change the world, or at least the understanding of life itself. It could even bring me closer to one of the strongest things in the DC universe: The Life Equation. And it was mine.
"Sir, I apologize for interrupting your evil internal monologue, but Ms. Graves requests you come home to dinner since it is now 18:00," S.E.B.A.S interrupted.
"I was not internally monologuing S.E.B.A.S!" I argued.
"Sir...you were just sitting there, not moving for a good seven minutes, just chuckling to yourself now and then."
"I was just thinking S.E.B.A.S, greatness takes thought!"
"As you say, master, never the less Ms.Graves and Ms.Lawton are you waiting for you at home," S.E.B.A.S stated
Recently, so that Zoe could feel more included, Mercy and I had made it a rule to start eating together at home more. It was nice; in my old life, I was used to eating at home alone, occasionally eating with friends or on dates. The three of us sitting together recently felt nice.
When I finally arrived home, the two of them were waiting at the table for me. Mercy and Zoe were chatting with each other, with Zoe asking if she could join the of us in the morning before class in our martial arts lessons.
"So, is it cool if I join you guys in your training session tomorrow?" Zoe asked Mercy.
As I loosened my tie, Mercy came up to take my jacket; I asked, "Why the sudden interest in fighting?" I joked, "Trying to be like me?"
"Please, if I wanted to be a corporate capitalist asshole, I rather get advice from Bruce Wayne," Zoe said, frowning.
"Uncalled for, but continue," I said, quite used to her defensive behavior around me.
"No, that was rude and uncalled for, apologize right now to Lex, or else talks of you joining us will never happen," Mercy stated in an upset and angry tone I was not used to. Seeing her like this was very hot in an angry boss-type way.
Seeing how she was in the wrong, Zoe apologized with great difficulty, as she would rather kill herself than say, "Lex... I'm sorry."
I chuckled and said, "Apology accepted."
Mercy, satisfied with the outcome, then instructed Zoe, "Tell Lex why you want to join in the mornings."
She sheepishly looked at me, picking the food on her plate with her fork. Not looking at me, she said, "I saw Mercy fighting against your guards, and she was actually winning. I was told they were former Green Berets. I just thought it would be cool if I could beat up a guy twice my weight like she did."
"Welp, you have no issues from me, though I do have one thing I want in return.
Frowning, she sighed and said, "What's the catch?"
"I want you to join an after-school club."
"What? No, and why do you even care if I were to join one anyway," Zoe said, crossing her arms defiantly and looking at me as if I had just insulted her.
"Look, Zoe, I know your reservations about being in such a new environment. I don't fully understand where you're coming from, but I know what it's like to feel out of place in a completely new environment. I want you to give opportunity and a chance. You are already going through with it; you might as well give it your all."
She studied my face to see if there was any hidden motive behind the words I was saying. She was so accustomed to others betraying her trust and offering things with a secret agenda that she grew to distrust any goodwill toward her. After a moment of contemplation in her eyes, she finally went back to eating and mumbled, "Fine, I'll do it; just don't expect anything."
"I won't. I'm just glad youre giving it a chance, is all."
After we were done eating, I finally asked her something I knew she would not like to hear at all.
"Zoe," I began, "before you go, I would like to talk to you about the charity gala LexCorp will be hosting a month from now in June. It is a significant event that will raise money to build a whole new orphanage here in Metropolis."
She had pulled out her phone and was scrolling through it, showing no interest in her. She indifferently stated, "Okay, good for you for being a decent billionaire; what do you want from me?"
I leaned forward on the table and told her, "Well, I was hoping for you to attend."
She snorted. "You want me to go to some fancy party? With a bunch of rich people pretending to care about charity? No thanks. I hate that stuff." The thought of all those eyes, all that judgment, made her skin crawl.
"I can understand your reservation," I said, "but this isn't just any party. It's an opportunity for me to introduce you to my associates as my new ward. Also, it is an important night for LexCorp and to me." I paused and then tried to appeal to her through another method. "Besides, there'll be food. Good food. Not that… whatever they serve at the academy."
Zoe almost cracked a smile at that, but she held it back. "Still no."
I sighed and stated, "Zoe, I know you resent me. I know you don't trust me, and I accept that. However, I'm trying to make a fresh start here for both of us, and part of that is integrating you into… into this new life. It's not about being 'rich people pretending to care.' It's about demonstrating to the world that LexCorp is dedicated to making a positive impact, and I want you by my side to see it. It would mean a lot to me."
The words "it would mean a lot to me" hung in the air, surprisingly sincere. It wasn't a command or a bribe. It was… an appeal. Zoe looked at him, really looked at him, and saw a man, though clumsy, was trying to do right by her. Maybe it was okay to trust someone for once.
She chewed on her lip, then let out a long, put-upon sigh. "Fine. But I'm wearing combat boots."
I actually laughed a little. "We can discuss the footwear. But thank you, Zoe. Truly."
That is when S.E.B.A.S. reported, "I apologize, sir, but you have an important call from Ms. Queen."
I looked at Zoe and told her, "You can go. We can talk more later."
Zoe looked at me and then left, heading to her room. Once she was gone, I looked at Mercy and nodded at her, then told S.E.B.A.S., "All right, connect me to her."
Once I was connected to Thea, all I could hear was frantic breathing and sobbing, "Lex... Oliver's gone!"
Trying to calm her down, I instructed her, "Thea, take a few deep breaths; who is gone? Are you okay?"
Sobbing some more, I waited patiently for her to answer, "My brother Oliver, he is missing! It's on the news. He decided to go on vacation one last time, and so he took the yacht out to the ocean when a storm hit. Now the boat and my brother are gone! No one knows where he is!"
Listening, I instructed S.E.B.A.S to turn on the television. Once on, it showed the reporter, Vicki Vale. She was on a helicopter where Oliver was last seen. That is when she reported, "This is Vicki Vale, reporting live from the coastline near the site where Queen's vessel, the Gambit, was last seen before it vanished into the tumultuous seas. For days, the waters have been scoured by search and rescue teams after the alarm was raised regarding the missing "party king" and his ship. The wreckage, strewn across a wide area, paints a stark picture of the storm's ferocity. The sight has cast a somber shadow over a city that has grown accustomed to Oliver Queen's larger-than-life presence and extravagant lifestyle. His disappearance marks a dramatic and concerning turn for a man who once helmed one of Star City's most influential corporations. As the recovery efforts continue, the focus remains on finding Oliver Queen. Hope, though fading with each passing hour, persists among those who knew him and the public who followed his every move. The coming days will undoubtedly bring more answers, but for now, Star City holds its breath, waiting for news of its missing son.
After watching the news, I instructed Mercy to prepare my private jet. I then spoke to Thea, "Thea, I'm flying over. I'll be at your place in a few hours. Just stay home and avoid talking to anyone, especially reporters. I'll be there soon."
Sniffling, Thea replied, "Okay, Lex, I will; I just... I just hope he is okay; he is the only living relative I have left. If he's dead...I just don't know what I would do without him."
Knowing what the future had in store for him, I confidently told Thea, "Thea, he will be. I'm sure of it, but I'm going to hang up now. Do what I instructed you to do, and I'll be there soon." Oliver Queen was gone, swallowed by the sea. But what would emerge from the depths and what new opportunities would rise in his wake remained to be seen. My journey to Star City was only beginning.