TheDeathOfSuperman
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INT. DAILY PLANET - PERRY'S OFFICE - DAY
Lois walks into Perry's office, closing the door behind her.
Perry is sitting at his desk, reading something on his
computer.
LOIS
Are you kidding me?
PERRY
I haven't said anything. How could
I be kidding?
LOIS
Cat Grant? This is who you pick to
replace Clark Kent?
Perry realizes the seriousness of the conversation and turns
his attention to Lois.
LOIS (CONT'D)
Clark was a damn good reporter. He
was a good man who cared about
telling people the truth about
important issues. He was fair. He
was...
(beat)
Cat is a gossip whore. She doesn't
care about anyone or anything. She
will stab anyone in the back to get
a story. How can you possibly
choose her to replace Clark?
PERRY
I'm not replacing Clark, Lois. I'm
not trying to find someone to fill
his shoes. I'm just trying to find
someone who can fill a page.
LOIS
With the latest scoop on which
celebrity isn't wearing underwear?
PERRY
These are hard times. People like
to read lighter stories during hard
times.
LOIS
People need to have reporters who
will stand up to the politicians,
moguls and thugs during hard times.
PERRY
That's what we have you for.
LOIS
I'm not good enough! I'm not--
Lois is finding it hard to keep her emotions in check. She's
tearing up, so she turns away from Perry to compose herself.
LOIS (CONT'D)
I'm not good enough. I can't do
this alone. I can't be here alone.
PERRY
You're not alone. You have an
office full of people who want to
work with you, just like Clark did.
Having pulled herself together, Lois turns to face Perry once
again.
LOIS
If any of them were capable of
doing the job, they'd have risen to
the occasion long before now. Clark
started out reporting on flower
festivals and school plays. Most of
these people have been here way
longer than him, and none of them
are near his level.
PERRY
I know.
(beat)
I don't know what I can say to make
this better.
Lois takes a seat in one of Perry's guest chairs.
LOIS
I don't know either.
(beat)
Cat Grant. Seriously?
PERRY
She's always been popular. If it
helps any, I could let her work
from home a lot.
LOIS
Could you make her work from
Blüdhaven?
PERRY
It'll get easier.
LOIS
Yeah, if she'd stop stalking me.
PERRY
I don't mean Cat. I mean Clark.
It'll get easier.
LOIS
How can you be so sure?
PERRY
Because there aren't many ways for
it to get harder.
LOIS
Have you looked outside lately? I
saw a woman get mugged last week,
and when the police stopped to help
her, they got mugged too. The city
is falling apart. Intergang has
better weapons than the police.
Hell, they have better weapons than
the army.
PERRY
Any word on where these weapons
come from?
LOIS
Jimmy says that Clark was onto
something, but he doesn't have
details.
INT. GBS BUILDING - HALLWAY - NIGHT
Jimmy is walking down the hallway with OLIVIA. Both are
dressed nicely, and they talk quietly to each other.
JIMMY
Why is it that meeting your father
never gets easier for me?
OLIVIA
Because my father is a lying,
weapon smuggling criminal.
JIMMY
Right. That's it.
OLIVIA
We're close to ending this. We just
need proof.
JIMMY
Maybe if we had help.
OLIVIA
We've discussed this.
JIMMY
I know. We can't get help, because
it'll spook your father.
OLIVIA
He doesn't know that I know. He
doesn't know that you know.
Olivia smiles.
OLIVIA (CONT'D)
Which is weird, because you're just
about the worst spy ever.
JIMMY
Am not. I'm totally sneaky.
OLIVIA
Do you not remember almost choking
on your garden salad the last time
we had dinner with him?
JIMMY
He had a knife.
OLIVIA
He had a steak.
JIMMY
It was a very shifty looking steak.
Olivia stops walking and takes Jimmy's hand in order to stop
him. She looks him in the eye, to calm his nerves.
OLIVIA
You're doing fine. We're almost
done with this.
Jimmy nods, and Olivia gives him a kiss, which seems to calm
him down.
Still holding hands, they resume walking.
When they reach the sitting area outside of Morgan Edge's
office, they find a man, DESI, walking toward them, working
on his PDA. He is a short man, with dark hair and dark eyes.
He wears a black suit with a dark brown shirt and black tie,
making him seem a little out of place in an otherwise bright
office.
OLIVIA (CONT'D)
(smiles)
Hey, Desi.
When Desi speaks, he has a quiet, somewhat raspy voice.
DESI
Your father's still working. He
should be done shortly.
OLIVIA
We can wait.
JIMMY
Hi, Mr... Umm... Desi. Sir.
Desi ignores Jimmy and keeps walking.
OLIVIA
Smooth.
JIMMY
I don't know his last name.
OLIVIA
Just call him Desi, like the rest
of us. You're not on his staff.
(beat)
They really have you whipped down
at the Planet, don't they?
Before Jimmy has a chance to respond to Olivia, Morgan's door
opens, and MORGAN EDGE walks out of his office. He's on his
cell phone, so he holds up a finger before anyone can talk to
him.
Jimmy and Olivia look at each other, getting ready for their
mission.
MORGAN
(into phone)
If I cared what they had to say, we
wouldn't be where we are today, now
would we?
(beat)
I thought it was thirty-five.
(beat)
Fine. Just get the deal through. It
doesn't matter either way.
(beat)
Trust me.
Morgan hangs up his phone and smiles at Jimmy and Olivia as
he walks to them.
MORGAN (CONT'D)
A tycoon's job is never done.
Morgan hugs Olivia. She hugs back, but it's awkward for her.
When Morgan is done hugging Olivia, he turns to Jimmy.
MORGAN (CONT'D)
Hello, Jim.
Jimmy isn't at all comfortable.
JIMMY
Hel-- I mean, hi, Mr. Edge.
(beat)
Sir. Hi.
Morgan seems amused by Jimmy's nervousness. Olivia just
shakes her head at Jimmy's lack of spy-like coolness.
Morgan extends his hand, which Jimmy shakes.
MORGAN
I've told you, call me Morgan.
JIMMY
Right. Sure thing, Mr. Edge.
(beat)
Morgan.
(beat)
Sir.
OLIVIA
I think I might have found a new
place to reopen the center, Dad.
Morgan turns his attention to Olivia.
MORGAN
Really?
OLIVIA
Mm-hmm. It's not too far from our
old spot. It needs some work, but I
think I can get a good price on it.
I asked a contractor friend of mine
what it might cost to fix the place
up. He's supposed to e-mail me
tonight sometime.
MORGAN
That's great, sweetie. You know you
have my complete support. Whatever
it takes to get the center back up
and running, you just let me know.
Olivia smiles.
OLIVIA
Thanks, Daddy.
MORGAN
Now, shall we head down to the
restaurant? I could use a nice
juicy steak right about now. How
'bout you, Jim?
Jimmy gulps.
OLIVIA
Yeah.
(beat)
Wait. Umm... This business stuff's
gonna bug me all night if I don't
check my e-mail. Can I?
MORGAN
Fine. Just hurry up. We'll meet you
in the lobby.
Olivia nods and heads into her father's office. Once she's
gone, Morgan puts a hand on Jimmy's shoulder and leads him
toward the elevator.
MORGAN (CONT'D)
I guess we have some time to talk.
Just us men.
Jimmy gulps once again.
INT. GBS BUILDING - MORGAN'S OFFICE - NIGHT
After she's closed the door behind her, Olivia hurries to her
father's desk and sits down. She quickly starts looking
through files on his computer.
INT. GBS BUILDING - ELEVATOR - NIGHT
Jimmy and Morgan are in the elevator waiting for it to reach
the lobby, as bad elevator music plays.
Jimmy continues to look uncomfortable.
MORGAN
Have you ever killed an animal,
Jim?
JIMMY
Killed?
MORGAN
Y'know, with a gun, or an arrow.
Hunting.
JIMMY
Oh. No. I'm from the city.
(beat)
Sir.
MORGAN
We'll have to go out sometime. You
haven't lived until you've held the
life of another creature in your
hands and felt its warm blood
between your fingers.
JIMMY
I'm not really a hunter. I mean, I
don't mind people hunting. I just
don't think I could... kill.
MORGAN
We can all kill. It's the nature of
all living things, in some form or
another. To eat. To defend
ourselves. It's part of our makeup.
You can do it. You just haven't
tried it.
(beat)
Have you ever even shot a gun
before?
JIMMY
No, sir. I really just stick to
cameras.
Morgan laughs.
MORGAN
Those can be just as deadly, I
guess. Depending on who you're
shooting and when.
INT. GBS BUILDING - MORGAN'S OFFICE - NIGHT
Olivia continues to browse through the files on Morgan's
computer.
As she looks, she comes across a folder simply entitled "D"
and clicks on it. The folder is password protected. When she
is asked for a password, Olivia pauses, trying to think.
After a moment, she is about to type something into the
computer, but the office door opens. Desi walks into the
room, carrying some files, and causing Olivia to look at him
with a somewhat guilty expression on her face.
DESI
Ms. Edge, are you supposed to be in
here?
OLIVIA
I'm just checking my e-mail.
(beat)
Dad said I could.
Desi hesitates, as though trying to determine whether or not
she is telling the truth.
As Desi is hesitating, Olivia moves the computer's mouse,
clicking her way out of the password protected area.
Desi walks toward the desk, and places the files on it.
Olivia still isn't sure what he is going to do or say next.
He is not an easy person to read.
DESI
If you'd like, I could walk you
down to the lobby.
OLIVIA
I have an e-mail to respond to. It
could take a few minutes. You
should go ahead without me.
DESI
(long beat)
Very well.
(beat)
Goodnight, Ms. Edge.
Olivia smiles.
OLIVIA
G'night.
Desi turns and walks out of the room. Giving her one more
quick glance as he closes the door.
Olivia turns back to the computer and tries opening the file
again. When asked for a password, she attempts to crack it a
few times, but fails each time.
OLIVIA (CONT'D)
C'mon.
She tries again. Again, she fails. Not knowing what to try
next, Olivia takes a deep breath.
INT. GBS BUILDING - LOBBY - NIGHT
The elevator doors open, and Olivia steps out. Jimmy and
Morgan are standing nearby, waiting for her. When she meets
up with them, she smiles.
MORGAN
Did your friend get back to you?
OLIVIA
Yup. So far, it's looking good.
MORGAN
Excellent.
Morgan walks ahead of them, to get the door. As Jimmy and
Olivia hang back, Jimmy looks at her, silently asking if she
found anything. In response, she shakes her head.
INT. DAILY PLANET - CITY ROOM - NIGHT
Lois is moving her belongings from her desk, to Clark's. As
she does, she is careful not to move too many of Clark's
things.
Perry walks up from behind her, holding a paper cup full of
coffee and looking tired.
PERRY
Lois? What are you still doing
here?
LOIS
Moving. Cat might be taking Clark's
job, but she's not taking his desk.
PERRY
Why would she take Clark's desk?
Lois pauses, and looks at Perry.
LOIS
I thought...
PERRY
We have a lot of space here, and
Cat's going to be working from home
a lot of the time.
Lois sits in her chair, catching onto the fact that she's
been played.
LOIS
I can't believe her. It's like she
doesn't even have a soul.
PERRY
Give her a break. She's had her
share of hardships too, you know?
LOIS
I really don't care what she's been
through. I just want her gone.
(beat)
I just want things back to normal.
PERRY
This is normal now. Get used to it.
LOIS
I guess I don't have a choice. I
just wish...
PERRY
Wish what?
LOIS
(beat)
It's nothing. You should get home,
Chief.
PERRY
I still have some work to do. If
there's anything you need, you know
where to find me.
LOIS
Thanks. I think I just need to walk
for a while. It's been a long day.
PERRY
Just be careful. It's not the city
that it used to be.
Lois reaches into her purse and pulls out a taser.
LOIS
I can take care of myself.
PERRY
Be careful just the same.
Lois gives him a slight nod, and Perry walks back to his
office.
Once Perry is gone, Lois turns back to the desk. She starts
moving her things back to her own space.
EXT. METROPOLIS STREET/ALLEY - NIGHT
Lois is walking down the street now, with her arms crossed in
front of her, to keep warm. Her purse is at her side.
As she walks, she seems deep in thought. Every once in a
while, she will look up to the sky, as though expecting
Superman to swoop down and offer her a lift home.
Her cell phone rings. Pulling it from her pocket, Lois looks
at the caller ID. It reads : "DAD"
Not feeling a great need to chat with her father, Lois sticks
her phone back in her pocket.
She continues walking down the street, until she passes an
alley. Glancing down this alley, Lois spots a YOUNG MAN
standing around, smoking a cigarette and holding what looks
to be a gun of some sort, though it's too dark to make out
details.
Lois moves past the alley and stops, leaning against the
building so that she can look around the corner without being
seen.
As she watches, the young man checks his watch, and then
tosses his cigarette to the ground. A few moments later, he
aims his gun at the wall and a large ring of red light
appears on it, generated by his gun.
The ring grows brighter, and eventually, the portion of the
wall within that circle begins to move outward, into the
alley.
Once there is a hole in the wall, THREE MORE TEENAGERS step
out of the building, holding bags of loot which they have
just stolen.
Lois looks at the sign for the store which is being robbed.
It reads : VIQUE'S DIAMONDS
As the youngsters laugh and revel in the success of their
latest heist, the young man with the strange gun moves the
wall back into place. Once it's back, the young man turns off
the device, and the wall is back to normal.
Lois is intrigued by this, but doesn't have time to think
about it before the youngsters begin to walk toward her.
Lois moves around the corner, and starts to walk down the
street once again.
Soon, all four young people round the corner and walk behind
Lois, down the street. They're still thrilled with themselves
over the job that they've just pulled off.
Lois can't help but be nervous, knowing that they're behind
her. Each time she passes by a store with a window, she
glances in it, keeping tabs on the thugs.
She pulls out her cell phone, and punches in 9-1-1, and is
just about to hit "send" when she glances in a window to
check up on the criminals behind her.
As she looks in that window, the young man with the gun-like
device sees her checking them out. Lois knows that she's been
spotted and begins to walk faster, pressing "send" on her
phone as she does.
YOUNG MAN
Hey, lady!
LOIS
Crap.
Lois begins running down the street, as quickly as she can,
keeping her cell phone to her ear.
The youngsters aren't far behind.
911 OPERATOR (V.O.)
(through phone)
9-1-1, what's your emergency.
LOIS
I've just witnessed a jewelry store
robbery on Hub Street, near 16th
Avenue. There's a group of four
teenagers with strange weapons, and
they're after me.
As Lois continues to run, she passes a car that's parked on
the side of the street. As she passes it, all of the windows
in that car explode, sending glass everywhere.
YOUNG MAN
I'd stop if I were you, lady!
Another teenager behind her giggles.
OTHER TEENAGER
I wouldn't!
LOIS
(into phone)
Hello? Are you there?
911 OPERATOR (V.O.)
We're sending a car to the area
now. Please stay where you are, so
we can find you.
LOIS
You're joking, right?
911 OPERATOR (V.O.)
Ma'am, we can't help you if you
don't help us.
LOIS
My name is Lois Lane. I'm a
reporter with the Daily Planet.
Unless you want a cover story about
the inept 911 operator who--
Lois can't finish the sentence before a wave of red energy
moves past her, knocking her to the ground. Her cell phone
falls out of her hand, and breaks as it hits the sidewalk.
Lois doesn't waste any time getting back to her feet. She
tries to keep running, but she's grabbed by one of the
teenagers, and thrown against the wall.
The young man with the gun walks up to her and smiles.
YOUNG MAN
You wouldn't be trying to mess up
our fun, would you, lady?
LOIS
Just ordering a pizza.
YOUNG MAN
I love pizza.
Lois is thrown off by the young man's comment.
LOIS
Good to know... I guess.
YOUNG MAN
The question is, what do we do with
you now?
LOIS
I won't tell the cops a thing. I
haven't seen any of your faces.
OTHER TEENAGER
You're looking right at us.
LOIS
Looking isn't seeing, kid.
YOUNG MAN
It doesn't matter what you see. You
think we care if you tell on us?
LOIS
Then, why?
YOUNG MAN
(with a smile)
'Cause it's fun.
There is obviously no simple way of handling this situation.
Lois looks around the street, and while PEOPLE are looking
her way, nobody is willing to help her.
Taking matters into her own hands, Lois knees the guy who is
holding her against the wall. As he stumbles back, Lois grabs
onto the gun-like device that the young man is holding. Just
as she pushes it away from herself, the young man pulls its
trigger, causing a chunk of the wall behind Lois to crumble.
Lois throws all of her weight against the young man holding
this device. As he stumbles back, she twists the device out
of his hand, and whacks him across the head with it.
Before she can do anything else, Lois is grabbed from behind
by a THIRD TEENAGER, who is wearing some sort of exoskeleton
on his hand. This exoskeleton allows him to lift Lois off of
the ground with relative ease.
THIRD TEENAGER
Drop it, lady.
Lois tries to struggle, but she has no leverage, so it's
useless. Finally, she gives in and drops the gun-like device
to the ground.
Just as she does this two police cars pull up, with their
lights flashing. FOUR POLICE OFFICERS jump out of the cars
and aim their weapons at the teens.
POLICE OFFICER
Everyone, freeze!
THIRD TEENAGER
Ooh, cops.
The third teenager is bored with Lois, so he throws her
through the nearest store window, and out of our view.
The third teenager then turns to the cops and smiles, putting
his hands in the air.
THIRD TEENAGER (CONT'D)
Please, officers, don't shoot me.
I'm just a kid and stuff.
The third teenager takes a step toward the curb, where a car
is parked.
POLICE OFFICER
I said, don't move!
THIRD TEENAGER
I'm just gonna put my hands down on
the car. Y'know, so you can arrest
me.
When the third teenager reaches the car, he begins to lower
his hands, as though to put them on the car.
Of course, he doesn't simply put his hands on the car.
Instead, he squats down behind the car, and grabs it with his
exoskeleton-covered hand. As he stands back up, he throws
this car high into the sky.
All four cops look up at the car, which is spinning as it
begins to fall back down, toward them.
THIRD TEENAGER (CONT'D)
Damn. Milk really does do a body
good.
The cops jump out of the way as the car crashes down on top
of their police cars.
The young man grabs his gun-like device, and turns up its
power.
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Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.