May I Help You, Mr. Wayne?

CUT TO OUTSIDE LUTHOR MANSION, NIGHT
Bruce Wayne’s Aston Martin arrives, reporters chatter.
- That's him right there!
- There he is! Get a shot!
- Bruce, over here!
- Bruce, Bruce.
- Wayne, have a shot.
- Mr. Wayne!
- Right here, one second.
- This way, Mr. Wayne!

Clark Kent sees the uproar, turns to a nearby photographer.

CLARK KENT
Who's that?

PHOTOGRAPHER
You must be new to the let them eat cake beat. That is Bruce Wayne.

CUT TO INSIDE THE MANSION

Library president Nicky LeBlanc talks in a microphone.

NICKY
Philanthropist. Bibliophile. True friend of the library of Metropolis. Mr. Lex Luthor.

Applause as the path is cleared for Lex to hit the stage.

LEX LUTHOR
Nikki. You're embarrassing me.

As Lex readies himself, a stunning brunette, DIANA, is offered a drink but refuses. While looking back, she and Bruce stare at each other for a while before she looks forward again.

LEX LUTHOR
Speech. Speech. Uh, blah blah blah. Open bar. The end. The word Philanthropist, comes from the Greek. Meaning a lover of humanity. It was coined about, 2,500 years ago...

Bruce, clearly with other plans, talks to a hidden earpiece.

BRUCE WAYNE
Alright, where am I going, Alfred?

In the Batcave, Alfred looks at a digital schematic of the mansion. Bruce is represented by a blue line.

ALFRED
Approach the elevator, to your left.

Back in the Luthor home, Clark is clearly listening to the conversation with his enhanced hearing, turning around to see Bruce.

ALFRED (VO)
That where it must be. It's in the service corridor in the basement.Go down the stairs.

LEX LUTHOR
Prometheus went with us, and he ruined Zeus' plan to destroy man kind and for that, he was given a thunderbolt. Chooo! Hm. That seems unfair. On the serious note, the library of Metropolis...

Bruce continues walking forward.

ALFRED
Down the stairs. It's the only way in, down the stairs.
He passes by Mercy Graves, who looks suspiciously.

LEX LUTHOR (OS)
But, at one time, Dad could not either. No, my father could not afford the books, so... He had to root through the garbage for yesterday's newspaper.

Bruce has walked down the stairs, passing by waiters…

ALFRED
Now you got the kitchens on your right.

ALFRED (VO)
To the left.

The mansion schematics has a highlighted room near where Bruce is.

ALFRED
Right in front of you, that's where you want to be.

A room full of servers. Bruce has just plugged in his hacking device when Mercy shows up at the door.

MERCY GRAVES
May I help you, Mr. Wayne?

BRUCE WAYNE
Uh, I just... thought the bathroom was down here. I must have... That last Martini was a... too too many, I think.

MERCY GRAVES
Men's room is upstairs.

BRUCE WAYNE
Great, I'm okay. I like those shoes.

She smiles and leaves while talking to a cook who approached her. Bruce talks to Alfred again.

BRUCE WAYNE
I can't stay down here, Alfred.

ALFRED
Go upstairs and socialize. Some young lady from Metropolis will make you honest. [to himself] In your dreams, Alfred.

Upstairs, people are still in disbelief of the nonsense Lex is spewing.

LEX LUTHOR
Books are knowledge, and knowledge is power.And I am... Heh heh heh, no. I, umm. No, what am I? Alright, what am I suppose to say? No.The bitter sweet pain among man is having knowledge with no power. Because... Because that is paradoxical, and umm...Thank you for coming. Please, drink, it's free.

Applause for Lex, as “Night and Day” plays, Bruce enters the room while taking the last glass of Martini from a passing waiter, and Diana goes in another direction as he sees him coming closer. Clark then approaches.

CLARK KENT
Mr. Wayne. Mr. Wayne. Clark Kent, Daily Planet.

BRUCE WAYNE
Oh, my foundation has already issued a statement in support of the... books.

CLARK KENT
I'm sorry?

BRUCE WAYNE
Wow. Pretty girl. Bad habit. Don't quote me, alright?

CLARK KENT
What's your position on the bat vigilante in Gotham?

BRUCE WAYNE
Daily Planet. Wait, do I own this one? Or was that the other guy?

CLARK KENT
Civil liberties has been trampled on in your city. Good people living in fear.

BRUCE WAYNE
Don't believe everything you hear, son.

CLARK KENT
I've seen it, Mr. Wayne. He thinks he's above the law.

BRUCE WAYNE
The Daily Planet criticizing those who think they're above the laws. A little hypocritical, wouldn't you say? Considering every time your hero saves a cat out of a tree, you write a puff piece editorial, about an alien who, if he wanted to, could burn the whole place down. There wouldn't be a damn thing we can do to stop him.

CLARK KENT
Most of the world doesn't share your opinion, Mr. Wayne.

BRUCE WAYNE
Maybe it's the Gotham City in me, we just have a bad history with freaks dressed like clowns.

Lex Luthor arrives.

LEX LUTHOR
Boys! Mm, Bruce Wayne meets Clark Kent. Ah, I love it! I love bringing people together! How are we?

BRUCE WAYNE
Lex.

LEX LUTHOR
Hello, good. [turns to Clark, extends hand] Hi, hello. Lex. It is a pleasure... [Clark presses his hand] Ow! Wow, that is a good grip! You should, not pick a fight with this person. Ha! So, after all these years, we've finally got you over to Metropolis.

BRUCE WAYNE
Well, I thought I come drink you dry.

LEX LUTHOR
Well, you're welcome. You should hop the hub more often though, I love to show you my labs. Maybe we could, be partner on something. My R&D is up to all sorts of no good.

As Mercy approaches Lex from behind, we cut to the basement – the hacking device is finishing its countdown.

In the Batcave, the monitor reads “TRANSFER COMPLETE”

ALFRED
That's 7 minutes. Look likes the transfer's complete.

Clark is again tickled by the hidden conversation, as he and Bruce exchange uncomfortable looks.

MERCY GRAVES
Mr. Luthor.

LEX LUTHOR
Yes.

MERCY GRAVES
The governor.

LEX LUTHOR
Governor. Excuse me.

BRUCE WAYNE
Next time.

Bruce leaves, Lex turns to the bigwig.

LEX LUTHOR
Governor, hi.

GOVERNOR
Lex, it's good to see you.

Clark then turns to see where Bruce went and walks after him.