Miss. Morix

21

      The first thing I noticed in the parking lot this morning was Lex's motorcycle only because I noticed the corner of my mouth turned slightly. In a way, I sort of wondered if I'd get on it again. The handle to the front of the building's door was cold. I stood there for a moment before realizing a muffle of voices coming from around the bend of the building. Taking my time, I stood by the corner of the perimeters of the building. The voices were painfully familiar to me. I stood as quietly as I could, eavesdropping where I shouldn't have.

"She'd do that?" Lois spoke in a whisper.
"Of course she would. You think she cares about anything but this project with Lex?" Mercy whispered back.
"Then what can I do?""
"Expose her as a fraud."
"She's no fraud. She's super smart."
"Her intelligence isn't fraud, but her intentions possibly are."
"Intentions? She wouldn't use it to kill Clark, would she? I mean, she's always barking about her brother."

"That doesn't matter. Once she goes public with her findings, it isn't in her control what its used for, is it?"
"I...I guess not. She'd have rights to using it however, wouldn't she? I can't be against something like her helping her brother in to a rehab. Not when their family and mine have been so close for so damn long."
"Listen sweetie." Mercy paused slightly. I began picking at my nails. "She's going to have to give something up if she wants that stuff mandated for clinical usage. She'll be making profit too. Look at the industry she's working with. Money can corrupt, money can...money can be overpowering."

     Was she really talking shit on LexCorp? No, probably not. For goodness sake she was such a brown-noser when it came to Lex. She was setting the stage for a game, making Lois a pawn. She had back-up plan after back-up plan it seemed. Undeniably, part of me wanted to storm over there and call her out on her bullshit. I still wanted to strangle her, despite the fact I'm supposed to be getting my ID back today. I mean, surely there'd be more satisfaction in watching her give back the piece of plastic she favorably took. I didn't march over there. Maybe I'd regret it later, but I didn't feel the need to justify anything. Loyalties Lois had said. I'm not preaching my case. I'm no dog I had told her.
     Instead, I walked back to the front door and in to the lobby of LexCorp. I scanned for someone to speak to about letting me in to the building. There was no one around. Mercy wasn't at the front desk, and the security were scattered within the building and the outside. I walked over to Mercy's desk in hopes she had my ID card sitting around. She didn't. I wasn't going to shy away, without it; I opted to walk through the building. In the distance I heard the sound of a basketball dribbling steadily. I smiled lightly to myself. Lex must be at it again.
     I noticed a fastened pace. I appeared, at least to myself, to be eager to see his familiar face. I find comfort in it, and it outwardly allows for me to put the drama with others on the back burner. I find myself at home sometimes wondering how different life would be right now, my friendships and relationships would be, if I had never taken this job. It eats away with me only as much as I allow it to. The most efficient way to throw the thought away is to imagine the lack of mutual security Lex and I gradually build with each interaction.
     Come to think about it, I wouldn't have met Harley, and we wouldn't have begun going to gun ranges. Which, let me just say, is more entertaining now that I've actually progressed over sessions. I wonder if she's still sleeping. Yes, she's been sleeping in the extra room at my apartment. I wasn't about to let her, or Mr. J, put her in a hotel room alone. Besides, the company helps when the television brings the drama back to the surface. It's weird to be sitting in the middle of what the television rambles on about without those in the glowing screen knowing. You feel almost detached from people. It's suffocating. It's all one big secret. I'm not looking at it from a legal standpoint as I once was. I'm looking at it from the perspectives of each of the individuals I had met. Letting Harley in on it has been a huge help. Aside from the fact her attitude itself is uplifting.