The cost of doing business. [Lex Luthor]

[Deleted]

CEO and founder of O'Neill Pharmaceuticals Finbar O'Neill was sitting at a table at one of the most expensive restaurants in Gotham city, Liberta del Mar. O'Neill had a very special meeting on what might seem as a rather normal Saturday afternoon in Gotham city. So special in fact, he rented out the entire restaurant. He didn't want anyone listening to his meeting, or maybe it was because he wanted it to be a showing of respect to the man he was meeting. A man that if agreed to his deal, then O'Neill could focus more on his research and less on running a family oriented pharmacy. Now of course he liked his business, he really did. Even if he acquired more fancy tastes over the years, running the all legal business was actually something he rather liked doing. Although Finbar O'Neill was advancing in age. It was time for him to focus more time on his research. So today he was meeting with one of the most influential business men from the same city he grew up in. That city was Metropolis.

And that man was Lex Luthor.

By becoming a partner with someone like Lex Luthor could open many doors. It would also be beneficial to both parties. Lex Luthor had offered to buy the O'Neill Pharmaceuticals name once before. However at that time Finbar didn't want to give up leadership quite yet. Now he was ready to sell at a rather good price. That price being whatever Lex mentioned at first and perhaps after a bit of haggling. The money didn't really matter to him. Finbar did want to receive good money for all the work he put into his Pharmaceuticals company. Even if some of that work was frowned upon by the US Government. Clean or not, he still put his entire life into this. Enough that someone like Lex should have interest in his company. Lex had bought many companies like this before. If Luthor became as good as a partner that Finbar was hoping for then perhaps he would even let him in on his 'other business'

That was still to be seen. He would have at least to meet with him today. If everything went good then he would have some more money and Lex would be able to add one of the more successful Pharmacy businesses in the Eastern United states to his large list of companies. With the aid of Lex Luthor Finbar would be able to continue his research at a rate that has never been seen before. One of his projects included a substance that could prolong life itself. Finbar knew very well that he wasn't getting younger. If he could come up with a procedure or a mixture that could prolong life? Then he would nearly all of his time into such a project.

To do such a thing like that, he had to buy more time. Or better yet sell something to gain time.

"Bring out your very best wine and champagnes. My guest will arrive soon." Finbar told one of the waiters with a smile.
He was very excited for the arrival of Lex Luthor.


A man known so much for preparing for the future could very well be a large part Finbar's own future.

[Deleted]

There was an exciting flurry of activity in Gotham, as of late, with the progress and shifting and buying and selling of assets. Lex Luthor had a deadline now, the inevitable push of time had placed an unavoidable pressure on LexCorp and Luthor himself that was . . . almost exhilarating, Lex loved a challenge and it was the increased pressures and shifts that opened up newer opportunities and more interesting and chaotic shifts in the marketplace and in asset management. While Lex Luthor prided himself a scientist first, he had learned long ago to master the arcane and shallow social game of finance, and perhaps out of some sort of self defense learned to love it just as much. 

The Liberta del Mar, Luthor knew the restaurant well. Hell, he knew it's new owner intimately and he'd hosted a fundraiser here not too long ago. Some of the special equipment he'd set up as part of the decor still remained, frankly, including the holographic emitters in the fish tanks and the walls. The bar area still had the color shifting light features with the flame rooms and the sound system. Luthor left the whole thing in there for his friend, and he was happy that they were getting use out of the damned thing. LexCorp Security had obviously cleared the place beforehand, it wasn't difficult, honestly. They'd come to know it well over the past year with the Metropham project. 

The fact that the restaurant was rented out in its entirety for just this meeting did please Luthor, not out of any sense of pride or a sense of entitlement. He was pleased that O'Neill was taking this seriously, as a serious matter. Lex already had his own thoughts on the proposal, his own research, and as reasonably certain as to the offer he was prepared to make. But that wasn't important. It was good to know the man personally, to meet. To see eye to eye and see the face of another self made scientist turned entrepreneur from his home town. 

Lex Luthor knew the offer he'd make, the financials on O'Neill Pharmaceuticals were immaculate, with just the right amount of market penetration and trusted name brand that made it a high local market retailer and pharmaceutical distributor. With just a bit of development, investment and the right media push, it was prepared to become one of the top national retail chains within the next five years, and another worthwhile purchase to help enter into markets that did not trust the LexCorp name anyway. 

Lex Luthor was dressed immaculately, in one of those custom made suits that he always tended to wear, the cut of it just modern enough to accentuate his figure, the slight bit of bulk in his chest, the width of his shoulders, the tone of his arms and neck. This was a man toned to physical perfection, his bald head reflecting in the light just so. 

Lex Luthor smiled at the choice of wine that had been brought out. It was, in fact, one of his favorites, expensive, to say the least, but more importantly it was a Chat Noir vintage, aged exactly 17 years. The fragrance was familiar, speaking of melancholy and old memories, lost summers and confused directions. There weren't many bottles of that vintage of Chat Noir, and while it was not the best received of wines, critically, it had special meaning to Lex Luthor. He pursed his lips and raised an eyebrow at the choice. It seemed that Finbar O'Neill had an additional ally that he might not know about. Lex wondered what sort of mischief was afoot with that, but it was a question for another dinner at another time. 

Lex Luthor sat at the table across from O'Neill, looking the old man in the eye as the wine was poured as he settled in.


"Dr. O'Neill, a pleasure to finally meet you in person. I've had the chance over the years to appreciate your work, and I can honestly say this meeting has been delayed for far too long." 

[Deleted]

Finbar smiled while leaning forward to extend a hand to Lex. "I couldn't have said it better myself. It is good to finally meet you." He shook his hand before leaning back in his seat. "I am turning sixty-eight this year. I'd say that is a rather decent age, wouldn't you? In those sixty-eight years I ran my pharmaceutical company for about forty years. From my very first pharmacy in our home-town to mass expansion over the past few decades. Needless to say I gave the highlight of my life to this business. Now I remember fairly well the time you tried to buy my pharmacy once before. Do you remember why I declined to even meet you?" He paused for a moment while taking a sip of his wine. "That is because I wasn't ready to take on a new project. At that point I still wanted to run my pharmacy. I felt like I haven't gotten the full experience quite yet. Since then I've given it some thought. I finally decided that it was time to hear you out. And that it was finally time to move on to a new project." Finbar cleared his throat for a moment. He'd have to explain that he'd still like to be a factor in his Pharmaceutical company, for example he still wanted to research other drugs and methods to make such drugs.


"My research is very important to me, Lex. I realized that while I'm busy with running the day to day of my Pharmaceutical business I hardly have any time for my research or any free time for that matter. This October will mark the 40th anniversary of my chain. I myself think I've had a good run. That is why I'm willing to negoiate today. I thought to myself that if I want to continue my research, but at the same time I want O'Neills Pharmaceuticals to thrive? I'd need to find a man that knew what he was doing. Someone that knows business just as much as me. Or dare I say, better than I do? In conclusion, I hope we're able to move past my denial to sell you my company a few years ago. Just so that now I can sell my company for what I believe its worth. Forty years of hard work. Money isn't something I need more of. You and I both have so much money we don't know what to do with it. What I'm hoping to walk away with from here today is a partnership. I need resources to continue my research."


Finbar took a breath, he wasn't usually this long winded. Today was an exception due to the fact that he needed to sell his company if he hoped to ever complete his research.


"I'm willing to finally sell you my company. However I'd like to keep my name on the company. It isn't a necessity its more of a feel of nostalgia for me. You'd own the company from here on out. At least most of it. The whole point is for me to continue my research. For the company as well as Lexcorp. Since the company will now be a subsidiary of Lexcorp I would basically be doing my research for you. As well as my self. For me that is the best course of action. You get another business and I get the resources to continue my research at any pace I desire."

Finbar took another sip of wine to take a break from speaking.


"Questions or concerns so far?"

[Deleted]

He sniffed the wine, and closed his eyes for a moment, as if remembering. He took a short time to respond, before putting the glass down again on the table in front of him. "I've never been 68, Dr. O'Neill, and your legacy is very well established. Your work and your reputation precede you, and frankly the name of O'Neill is synonymous with certain qualities. People see O'Neill, and they think . . . home. They think of sleepless nights with sick family, feeling alone, only to find a lifeline in the dark. They think of hot summers and cooling drinks and ice creams. Why, when people think of O'Neill, they think of nostalgia. They feel trust. . . I respected your decision to not sell at that time. This company is your name, it's how the world sees you. . . in some ways it's your . . . immortality. As a man who has his name at the front of a large company I understand that. I also know what LexCorp means to most people, and I could only wish that when they heard my name they had the same kindly emotions that they feel towards yours." 

He smiled as he drank his wine, putting the glass down. "Then again, I'd hardly think you're near the end of your life, and I knew that eventually, as with all geniuses. . . and make no mistake, you are a genius. . . you would find new frontiers to conquer and new conquests to seek. If nothing else, I am a patient man, and I know that some things are worth waiting for, and while I appreciate and promise that we will take good care of the O'Neill name, expand the infrastructure as the primary pharmaceutical and convenience store brand for LexCorp on a national scale. . . that's not what's of interest to me personally." 

He slides the glass aside and looks over the man in front of him. "The business is important and quite the asset, but the mind of the scientist. That's an investment for a longer term. I've seen your published research, and I can't help but wonder what you would be capable of with the proper. . . investments." He reached into his pocket and pulled out his cellphone, the holographic display popping above the screen as he swiped and entered a number. It was a good sized number. 

"This. . . would be for your locations. . . the stores and the infrastructure associated with them, the supply contracts and worker contracts. Adequate compensation and more than adequate funding for what you hope to accomplish, but . . . what you want is a partnership agreement. A LexCorp Associate Partnership contract. . . tell me, Dr. O'Neill. What is it you hope to research? What resources in bleeding edge technology can LexCorp offer to make that dream a reality?" 

He smiled, ever the pleasant Santa. . . or the pleasant Satan. . . one of those. It's hard to tell when one gets into a contract with Lex Luthor. 

There was a disturbance near the door, an issue of intense conversation, Lex Luthor pretended not to notice, but it sounded somewhat important. 

[Deleted]

Finbar was about to answer Lex Luthor before someone dressed fairly well in an expensive suit approached Finbar. The man bending down to speak into Finbar's ear. "Sir, we lost a shipment. Our rivals now know we're making moves in Gotham." Finbar's face went flat. If Lex understood the vaugeness of Finbar's employee then maybe he would understand why Finbar went from looking fairly happy to rather vexed. Finbar along with his staff used a very simple code. Shipment would mean anything that wasn't exactly legal. The man saying that their rivals now know they are operating in Gotham mostly meant that either a narcotics rival or something like the DEA or other law enforcement agencies. "Who knows that we operate in Gotham." Finbar asked his employee, holding a finger up to Lex to get him to wait for a moment. "Dean Evan Ambrose sir, One of your biggest rivals sir." Finbar was angered but didn't quite show that he was in a very interesting predicament.


How did the shipment get lost? What did the shipment even consist of? Those questions would have to be answered later. Now Finbar had to talk to Lex. He had to sell his pharmaceutical company so he could continue his research. The number that Lex offered was a very generous offer. Almost more than he originally thought it would be. However Mr. O'Neill was fairly flustered with the information he had just received. Dean Evan Ambrose or, DEA knew of his presence in town? Well that wasn't good, not at all. They would most likely be sending someone down to Gotham to investigate. That meant trouble for Finbar and his business. Moreso now when he is trying to sell his company. "Your offer is very good Lex, Give me a minute to think it over. There has been a distribution blunder that I have to iron out." Finbar smiled before taking another drink of his wine.


"While it is important, I need you to understand that our meeting is just as important. That is the reason why it can wait until we're finished here. Now you asked what I want to research. The quick answer to that is I want to develop stronger versions of drugs that already exist. My main goal is to come up with a substance that can prolong life itself. Doing that would need resources. Resources you have. By selling my company to a man such as yourself. I can secure those resources. As well as valuable time." Finbar paused again, still doing his best to fend off the anger. Someone made a very costly mistake. Shit happens sure. But when such an event happens that it tips off a group of people that could be the most dangerous to someone like Finbar O'Neill and his business?


That wasn't something someone like Finbar ever wanted to hear.

[Deleted]

"Yes, I understand the difficulties with distribution and logistical networks. Honestly, the first few years of LexCorp's entry into the consumer electronics business was one nightmare after another in logistics. I ended up having to purchase an airline just to make the entire thing work." He shrugged as he sipped his wine "We were very lucky with the sorting algorithm for deliveries, however, and was able to more than make up the costs through the passenger service." But there was an eye, a consideration, he was watching with intense eyes, even if he appeared to be far to easy and forgiving of the situation. Finbar O'Neill was fully aware of Lex Luthor's reputation, and while he had avoided the pitfalls of Academia, that stable of scientists he employed had been known to talk. It was said by some that Lex Luthor was the smartest man on the planet. It was said by everyone that he was certainly in the top ten. Could he not know? Could it be that he knew and didn't care? Could he suspect? Was that suspicion in his eyes, or a casual relaxed sense. 

He shook his head as he listened to the discussion of research topics.

"Ah, heavier than gold, bulk for bulk, yet easy to be dissolved in any liquid, in which a few grains being taken its operation most wonderfully pervades the human body, to the extirpation of all disorders, prolonging life by its use to its utmost period; and hence it has obtained the appellation of "Panacea," Dr. O'Neill, you've caught the burning desire, the golden path, the glorious purpose, you seek a philosopher's stone." He smiles as if at some sort of strange and old joke that only he would get. "Ever since mankind knew of the existence of death they have ever sought to overcome it. You dream of slaying the demons that haunt the very nature of humankind. Good, those are the only demons worth slaying and spending resources on." 

He leans forward as he says "I admire your dream, but we are people of practicalities. I'll give you the money for the company, that's a worthwhile investment on its own, but the other part. The big dream, now that's worth more than my money. That's worth my attention, and that's worth my assistance. What do you have in mind, Dr. O'Neill? What path do you have towards your panacea?" 

[Deleted]

"When I was a young boy people would always say that I would amount to nothing. I came from nothing so then what would I become? Nothing? That's how people thought back then. That's how a lot of people still think to this day. Can we blame them? No, we can't. We do what we can with what we're given. My goal is to come up with a drug, a substance that can prolong life itself. Research on this subject also includes a medicine that can bring people back from certain death. A substance that can prove to people that life is precious. What happens if someone you love dies? Do you give up? I have seen some give up. I have seen them have goals and then tragedy happens. Tragedy happens and they quit." He said with a breath. This was his passion, not to mention the news about the DEA meddling in his affairs riled him up just a tad.

"What would happen if their loved one didn't die? That would mean that doors that were closed for them would stay open. People would be able to live their lives. They would finally realize how precious life really is. Grandparents could meet their grandkids. Children wouldn't have to lose their parents. This is my dream, my vision. However development of such a dream substance is expensive. However there is progress. I just can't manage the day to day of my company anymore. Not if I want to see real results on my project. I need more time, Lex. You can provide that time." He said with a smile. Even if Finbar had what some would describe as selfish intentions. But what he really wanted to do was to stop what happened to him as a small child from happening to anyone else. He did what he had to, just to get to that point. Even if that meant breaking laws and becoming a soulless shell of who he once was.

"I've been researching this for quite some time now. I just realized that I need more time and resources to continue. That is why we sit here today."