24: Kryptonite

                                    

                                          
Batman came flying into the office through the window and stopped short as he looked around, everything was calm in contrary to what he had expected. In fact, there was no one in the office, well, no one except Lex Luthor who was sitting in a chair with a wide grin on his face. 
                          
                               "You tricked me!", realised Batman, nowhere near happy at Lex for that. 
                          
                                 "Well, even you have to admit that you're not an easy man to get his attention", replied Lex, beaming a smile at Batman like they were some long lost buddies, "Besides, you wanted to see me, didn't you?"
                          
That definitely took Batman by surprise, he hadn't been expecting Lex to know what he was planning, except if he was the one that orchestrated the whole thing all along. 
                          
                             "You sent me that email about Superman and made it easy for me to find you", he said as he crossed the room with a confident pose and a neutral expression, he knows that everything depended on Lex not being able to read him, "I want to know why you're so invested in the Man of Steel". 
                          
                                   "It's simple really", Lex replied, standing up to close the remaining the distance between the Dark Knight and him, both men looking at each other as if they know each other's deepest secrets, "You needed the help and I offered mine". 
                          
                                    "But what are your reasons for wanting Superman stopped?", Batman asked again, not backing down in the mental battle he had going on with the man in front of him. 
                          
                                      "My reasons are the same as yours, Dark Knight", Lex replied, touching Batman's chest as if that could somehow connect the reasons, "To save the world".
                          
                                     "I don't believe you", Batman replied as he swatted Lex's hand roughly away from him, "I can see behind your mask Alexander Luthor, and I know that saving the world is the last thing on your mind".
                          
A smile suddenly crossed Lex's face as if he had just seen the best trick ever. "Apparently, you're smarter than I gave you credit for", he said as took a step backwards but still smiling, "But now you have to decide which of us is the greater threat to world, I or Superman". 
                          
***
                          
Three minutes in and Batman still couldn't bring himself to a decision. Unfortunately, he knows that Lex has made an excellent point, as much as he doesn't want to admit it to himself, he can't fight both Superman and Lex simultaneously. Problem is, he can't show up with Lex in custody without proof of his crimes, or his plan of them at least. He would need time to find the proof and time is what he doesn't have in his race against Superman whom has seemly disappeared and left the world on the verge of collapse. Besides, Lex is just one man but Superman, on the other hand, is something else entirely.
                          
                                  "You win this time, Lex", he said, turning to take his leave, "But after I'm done with Superman, you're next".
                          
                                   "I look forward to it", Lex replied, "But you can't leave just yet". 
                          
                                    "Why?", asked Batman as he turned back to face Lex who beckoned for him to follow. Batman knew that it would be risky to trust this man who has revealed himself as an adversary but he also knows that Lex has a plan and that plan, whatever it is, does not involve going up against him, at least not yet. 
                          
Lex reached a door where he placed his hand on biometric scanner that immediately granted them access to a room. The room was filled with different weapons which Batman soon realised were from his own armory, only difference being that  these were created from some kind of green crystal instead of steel. 
                          
                                  "What are these?", he asked, inspecting the weapons without giving his thoughts away. 
                          
                                 "Kryptonites, special equipments that will make the difference between victory and defeat in your battle against Superman", Lex replied with a self-satisfied smile as he passed Batman a Kryptonite Batorang, "I even made them to match your weapons". 
                          
True to his words, Batman found out that the weapons were really in correlation to his own, even down to the tiniest details. 
                          
                                   "I'm only letting you go until I deal with Superman", he reminded Lex as he bagged the weapons, "Justice will be coming for you next".
                          
                                 "I can't wait", was the reply. Suddenly, Lex took out a short rod from another part of the table and passed it to Batman. 
                          
                                  "What is this?", asked Batman as he tried to assess it but Lex stopped him. 
                          
                                  "You'll know what to do with it when the time comes", he replied before stepping back and giving a satisfied nod as he gave Batman a quick look from head to toe.
                          
                                  "Be careful, Bat of Gotham", Lex warned as he was about to leave, "gods have not been known to negotiate with men".