View source for 5027/Germination: Wake Up Call

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2018/07/27
|Location=Unknown
|Synopsis=Lex wakes up his kidnappee... and ends up in a cross interview with someone claiming to control the alien fungus threat.
|Cast of Characters=92, 22, 1832
|Tinyplot=Germination
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:92|Lex Luthor (92)}} has posed:'''<br>For a while now, Lex Luthor has been busy with testing and lab work. The fungus trying to eat the planet (literally) has been a cause of concern for Lex Luthor, on a number of fronts.<br><br>The most seriously impacted are his agri-sector Subsidiaries. Even with most farming in hydroponics these days, LexCorp still has considerable investment in the farming belts of the midwest for good PR and contacts. Then there are the mining and manufacturing plants. Those have been minorly hit. All of it put together has been enough of a hit to the LexCorp bottom line for Lex to personally become involved in understanding and countering the threat posed by it.<br><br>Strides have been made... but long term research has made it clear the easiest and most cost effective method to dealing with this space fungus... is a reliable telepath. Luckily, one made himself 'available'<br><br>Sitting in a private LexCorp shell company burn site and surrounded by computerized defenses and anonymous mercenaries, the subject has been kept deep in a cell while Lex Luthor built his trump cards. Normally, Lex Luthor wouldn't dream of meeting the man face to face... but Lex Luthor needs to read the man up close to see if he's a worthwhile investment.<br><br>Sitting in the middle of a dark room, under a clear square set of walls and a roof, the telepath has a decent apartment within. Nursing staff has kept him functional and well during his sleep... and now Lex Luthor is in the room. The only light on him, and on the 'cell' proper. The rest of the room is intentionally pitch black... but there are turrets and guards around, waiting for Lex to give the word to turn the man into red mist if necessary.<br><br>Time for his wake up call.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:22|Tony Stark (22)}} has posed:'''<br>'Ron' the telepath is coming around. The guy without an identity, a telepath who doesn't need one. An elusive man. He's slow to wake, and confused by the darkness, and where he is.<br><br>Immediately, though, his abilities come online. The light touch of telepathy expands outward, seeking other awareness nearby. It is subtle and natural, and merely an automatic thing for Ron, who has yet to know or be aware to not do that.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:92|Lex Luthor (92)}} has posed:'''<br>"Ron." Lex greetings the man amicably as he wakes up, "I'm aware that this is as natural as breathing for you, but let's make one thing clear. Using your abilities is inadvisable right now." Lex smiles genuinely, "you're not in your apartment anymore."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1832|A Dark Presence (1832)}} has posed:'''<br>Ron has a problem, suddenly. He grips his head, in both hands. He is not even aware he is wearing a 'collar' yet at all. He buckles, writhes a little, falls fully off of the cell bed he had been placed on, onto the floor. The grown man, overweight and older, is actually crying, sudden and explosive, as if in horrific torment. Scans of him suggest he's under extreme duress, as if he were the one under mental attack.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:92|Lex Luthor (92)}} has posed:'''<br>"Put him under." Lex says immediately. There's instant sedation gas fitting into the floor in case of anything going on. Lex can see the signs of something he doesn't understand causing serious problems. Time to protect the potential investment. "And get a full medical team in there."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1832|A Dark Presence (1832)}} has posed:'''<br>It passes, pretty soon, though the sedation is also working. The man rolls onto his back, sprawled on the floor, heavily breathing. "What?" Ron asks, out of it, entirely. Still crying some. But whatever the fit was seems to have ebated. The signals show a lot of activity still going on, but the spike of stress ended.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:92|Lex Luthor (92)}} has posed:'''<br>When the attack passes, Lex squints his eyes, "Belay that. Put it back to standby and vacuum what's in there out." Lex continues, before he crosses his legs, watching the monitors... and Ron. If things take another turn for the worse, the gas is still there. For now though, time to see if he got enough to get knocked out again.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1832|A Dark Presence (1832)}} has posed:'''<br>"What the hell, what the hell," Ron is muttering to himself very quietly, but the equipment Lex has in the space will pick it up. He draws his hands in, rubbing his face, and discovers the collar. He starts to finally look around his dark room, but wisely (or because he can't move), remains on the ground. Taking it in.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:92|Lex Luthor (92)}} has posed:'''<br>"Ron. You're not in your apartment anymore. You're in carefully controlled and monitored place. As long as you don't do anything drastic or reckless, you'll be fine." Lex states... and genuinely means it. "Before we continue... do you have any idea what just happened to you?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1832|A Dark Presence (1832)}} has posed:'''<br>"Yeah, stop yelling in my head," Ron mutters to himself, but then clears his throat and actually answers more loudly, "I'm kidnapped, or something?" He calls out. There isn't so much fear as just a sort of exhasperation with the whole situation.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:92|Lex Luthor (92)}} has posed:'''<br>"You offered some useful talents... but given your abilities, there was no way I could do business with you without evening the negotiation field a bit." Lex offers, "when you woke up just now, you gave all the impression of being under mental attack of some kind."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1832|A Dark Presence (1832)}} has posed:'''<br>"Where my girls," Ron asks. Yes, he breathed in some gas. Or he's confused, or mentally fried. All of the above, from the readings, look to be true. He's working to be coherent, though. "Urgh. Yeah. That isn't you? Because you really could stop doing it." Ron pauses, and then laughs. "Of course it isn't. Alright." He sounds crazy, but there isn't a crazy-person tone to his voice. "I sell mushroom things. You're buying?" He's disoriented to a bizarre level.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:92|Lex Luthor (92)}} has posed:'''<br>With no response and a ton of 'other' voices coming into play, best to limit potential exposure. Lex heads into the Psi-nullifier chamber in the next room over, and waits out the episode watching the monitors as he sits down. The chamber has all the anti-telepathy and empathy tech he can bring to bear.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1832|A Dark Presence (1832)}} has posed:'''<br>Ron takes a little time, talking to himself. Then the meters change. It is as if the man died. There's no brain activity. He sits up in the darkness, though. Rests his hands on his knees. And slowly inspects the cell visually.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:92|Lex Luthor (92)}} has posed:'''<br>Watching the display carefully, Lex takes in all the variables. Mental suppression of some kind? Another presence reaching out means the fungal mind taking control, or a hierarchy was established among the voices and someone got curious. Patience.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1832|A Dark Presence (1832)}} has posed:'''<br>Brain waves resume, to a normal rate. Entirely ordinary. No panic, no emotional problem, just a man sitting in there. He begins to examine the collar by feel, though does not make moves to try to pull it off. Just inspect. Then drops hands. And sits there and smiles. Footage of Ron previously suggests... this might not be Ron.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:92|Lex Luthor (92)}} has posed:'''<br>Mental possession is the likely culprit. No matter.<br><br>A voice mask on the microphone is activated, and soon Lex is speaking into it, his masked voice heard in the 'cell' room, "To whom am I speaking?" Making it clear Lex is no fool, and saw the switch.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1832|A Dark Presence (1832)}} has posed:'''<br>"'Ron' still works, let's just pretend that's still the case; give me that for now," Ron answers. "I was busy, doing the things I needed to do. But this could be interesting. How can I help you?" Ron asks, politely.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:92|Lex Luthor (92)}} has posed:'''<br>"I was a party contacted by 'Ron' -one of several, I assume- on the matter of the species attempting to eat our planet, for lack of a better term. I didn't like the position I was in, and leveled the negotiation field by canceling out his telepathy as much as I reasonably could without serious harm." Lex explains to the man, "I appear to have stumbled on something else as well, now." From anyone else, that would be dry humor... Lex makes it sound like a statement of fact.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1832|A Dark Presence (1832)}} has posed:'''<br>'Ron' listens to the description of the logic of what happened. "Interestingly, Ron is a telekinetic. Pretty terrible telepath, all things considered. Crude. But with that telekinetic thing, you'll probably have a hard time containing him if he really loses his mind. Better to keep the lid on, I think." Ron taps a few fingers against the side of his head, and adjusts his seated position to settle to lean back against the bed. "It's rare I get to... commiserate about /tools/. But I can see you'd understand," Ron says, tapping a finger on the collar, now.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:92|Lex Luthor (92)}} has posed:'''<br>There's a moment as Lex considers the... entity... in front of him. The mic is muted, and the intercom is turned on, "I want a full psionic energy scan of the entire complex, especially incoming 'signals', and I want the complex nullifier set to standby." Orders given, Lex looks to the monitor, and turns on the microphone again, "I do what I can, with what I can. There must always be a leader at the top of the heirarchy. I happen to be the top of mine for a reason. Should I assume that you'll be the only entity speaking, and that the man inside that containment unit is overwritten?" Lex inquires.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1832|A Dark Presence (1832)}} has posed:'''<br>There's a snort of a laugh. "Sure. Neat little box. Blocks his feeble telepathy," Ron observes with a dry quality that might be annoyance. "But I can feel the reek of your worry. I mean, how good is a box if you rip the sides off? But we're just talking. Who are /you/?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:92|Lex Luthor (92)}} has posed:'''<br>"No such thing as a perfect defense." Lex states. It's less worry then mild frustration at a potential investment wasted. But a good businessman and leader adapts to the situation... and recreates it to his advantage, "I'm a man with goals and an interest in you. I can only surmise I'm speaking with the fungal intelligence directing the stalks on this planet."<br><br>There's a mental challenge to find out the rest on it's own, if it can. Lex has many plans for the fungus with and without the help of the telepath in the cell, including conversion and taming it for domestic use on the planet. Genetically engineered pollution control is an obvious one... but set it just right, and you weaponize it. One clear goal Lex has is to slow down or stop the fungus eating the planet, though.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1832|A Dark Presence (1832)}} has posed:'''<br>"I don't mind being called that either. Whatever makes you comfortable," Ron says with a grin. And another scan of the dark room. "Can we have lunch? That might be nice. I'm not picky. I'm intrested in what your goals are, how the 'fungal' presence might be of use, and given room to /florish/."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:92|Lex Luthor (92)}} has posed:'''<br>"If you have a better name for it, I'm listening." Lex notes, before he leans back, watching the monitor for both Ron and the stalks in possession of LexCorp, "I need to fully understand your species before I can comfortably say you might be of use. Pollution control and Instant weaponization are the two obvious applications. What you're doing right now? It's destroying this planet. Is procreation your only directive?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1832|A Dark Presence (1832)}} has posed:'''<br>"Do you not want lunch?" Ron asks, ignoring the question since his own was ignored, probably. He shrugs a little bit. Stares at the wall. "I can do anything I please, really. Except maybe convince you that I should have a sandwich. But nobody's perfect."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:92|Lex Luthor (92)}} has posed:'''<br>Another question answered. Vanity and it's own sense of dignity and seeming pettiness. "Bring in the lunch we prepared." Lex states over the intercom, waiting for the automated platform to slide up through the floor with a plate of lunch food. "There you go."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1832|A Dark Presence (1832)}} has posed:'''<br>"So kind," Ron says, polite enough, but it's got a mean tone. He did have to ask twice. He picks up the plate, drawing it to lap, and proceeds to rapidly eat it with a clear fearlessness -- or hunger. Ron's probably extremely hungry. The brain monitors light up like christmas as he eats.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:92|Lex Luthor (92)}} has posed:'''<br>Watching the monitor, Lex can't help but keep a watch on the brain activity. Sure, being hungry is a solid need, but Lex is looking for signs of abnormal activity beyond that as he eats.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1832|A Dark Presence (1832)}} has posed:'''<br>It's abnormal. There's a lot of activity over the eating. It has some larger meaning to whatever is currently in there. Eating is a big deal. And Ron eats quick, and reclines again. "So you don't like destroying the planet?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:92|Lex Luthor (92)}} has posed:'''<br>"I tend to prefer selective destruction." Lex replies, "full planet destruction is excessive. Do you like it?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1832|A Dark Presence (1832)}} has posed:'''<br>"Not really. Not the plan. Just getting to a good comfortable spot, where these other aliens are just annoying, not actual problems." Ron licks a finger and uses it to pick up crumbs. The colors dull out, and his mood returns down to calm.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:92|Lex Luthor (92)}} has posed:'''<br>"What's your goal on this planet, then? Just to grow enough to survive?" Lex inquires. Finally, some progress in the most unexpected places. "How do you define 'comfortable'? Many humans on this world think of you as an aggressive, destructive invader and want to wipe out all of the fungus on the planet. Given time, they likely will succeed too, unless you can talk the nations of the world out of it... or have a contigency plan in place."<br><br>Nothing ventured, nothing gained.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1832|A Dark Presence (1832)}} has posed:'''<br>"Entertainment can be part of it. Did you realize how many governments all over the world are eager to murder their friends and neighbors? I don't really think things are all that different with or without the fungus here," Ron observes. "And cleaner. No bodies left around. Just need to be friends with whoever's winning, right?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:92|Lex Luthor (92)}} has posed:'''<br>"You underestimate the ability for the human creature to unite against outside forces beyond it's control. We're tribal by nature, but will band together those tribes for the greater good of all." Lex states, "if you threaten them all, they'll be a lot more united. If you view world events as entertainment... what's your endgoal? You mentioned aliens?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1832|A Dark Presence (1832)}} has posed:'''<br>"Yes, there was some 'banding' earlier this week. Lots of fungus destroyed. Humans, inventing new ways to kill them. Rather backstabbing of them, really, after the fungus did everything it was /asked/ to do over there. Soooooo accomodating. But it did what -I- wanted, too. You have no idea how many other countries are now interested in making so many more fungus armies. That, of course, they control." Ron picks a bit of lunch out of his teeth. "Just means tactics change. But let's go back to what you want. Why Ron's here. You want the fungus to do something for you."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:92|Lex Luthor (92)}} has posed:'''<br>"Humans are very tribal and fractured. Everything I've seen of your species tells me your kind is very much a mentally linked collective, subsumed by the whole, the greater intelligence. In this case, you." Lex observes over the PA system in 'Rons' cell room, "each human has their own will and ideas. Very charismatic and smart humans can convince others to follow them, but those are rare."<br><br>Lex pauses a moment... before he continues, "What I want is to learn about the fungus that is giving every impression of trying to eat our planet and replace everything with itself. You've given me the impression that all the destruction lately has simply been to reconstitute a central intelligence. You." Lex lets that linger to see the reaction. Whole countries trying to create fungus based armies was completely expected by Lex; the entity in the room wasn't telling him anything he didn't already know.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1832|A Dark Presence (1832)}} has posed:'''<br>"The larger the fungus grows, the /better/ it is, yes," Ron answers in an elusive way, as if the matter was amusing in some manner. "To take in all of the smaller parts, and build a better and grander thing." A gesture takes in the area around Ron. "Can you build without many assets pulled under one leadership?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:92|Lex Luthor (92)}} has posed:'''<br>"You can, though it takes longer." Lex notes, "many hands working together in unison can accomplish many things... but so can one man with the will to see a project through." Lex watches the brainwave monitor as 'Ron' finishes eating. Lex is fairly sure the person Ron was is gone... but maybe this can work, "you're much more mercenary then I envisioned. Are you a servant species, looking for a purpose in life?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1832|A Dark Presence (1832)}} has posed:'''<br>That doesn't go over well. Ron grins a little bit and licks imaginary food off his fingers slowly. Or perhaps there are traces of food there. "Mercenary. What has the fungus demanded? Is the fear too great, to not use the fungus for things? I continually offer to help. Yet am rarely met with anything positive."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:92|Lex Luthor (92)}} has posed:'''<br>"You originally came to our planet and did nothing but destroy the first few weeks. You 'demanded' everything in sight as food. Human children need to grow to maturity as well, but when you were growing, none of the fungus grew or gave any indication of actual sentient thought. You eat far faster then most species do on this planet, and most humans have a hard time conceiving of fungus with sentience, let alone speech." Lex observes matter of factly. "I've only managed to stumble upon a conversation with you via a telepath you've taken for your own. Without this link, it would take far longer for me to design a machine capable of interfacing with you directly, if I ever did."<br><br>A moment passes, "Have you considered trying to build humanoid fungus creatures and using spoken language to talk to humans? Very few of us humans consider telepathy to be real, let alone met a telepath. Given all of this and the fungus' lack of interest until now in actually talking to us... it's hardly surprising."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1832|A Dark Presence (1832)}} has posed:'''<br>Ron laughs. "All right. You caught me in that lie. Very good," Ron compliments, clapping a few times. Lex may feel a little judged: the man is reviewing him just as much as he is reviewing Ron. Just with different game logic, perhaps. "How many other ones have you caught?" Ron asks.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:92|Lex Luthor (92)}} has posed:'''<br>"A number. Obscuring ones nature and goals is not uncommon for sentient species." Lex steeples his fingers in front of himself, "Why you feel the need to lie about anything is a curious subject in it's own." Then, Lex presses again, "So, what this about aliens and your endgame with them?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1832|A Dark Presence (1832)}} has posed:'''<br>"YAY," Ron cheers. It just drips sarcasm. "It's no fun to just be outright. I like going along with what your topics are, though. So yes, let's do this new one. /Obviously/ the fungus will eat them. Nothing is too powerful for the fungus to consume."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:92|Lex Luthor (92)}} has posed:'''<br>"I'm assuming you have a place you take them. Are you interested in more sustenence, or have you had your fill and have other goals in mind?" Lex inquires.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1832|A Dark Presence (1832)}} has posed:'''<br>"I'll take another sandwich," Ron says, in a way that suggests he's fully aware of what the question actually was, but he does want the sandwich. "Things that attack me should be disposed of. Pretty simple. The fungus is going to live here, and won't be contained unless I choose it. There's a learning curve to teach everyone that."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:92|Lex Luthor (92)}} has posed:'''<br>"I think you'll find that humans are a very capable species. We've dealt with alien invasions before against entities far more powerful then you are." Lex notes, coldly, "we were here first, and can and will fight to keep our lives and our existence. You have a learning curve of your own if you think some of the creatures on this planet can be controlled." Lex smiles slightly, "at the very least, you will never contain the Hulk. He's far too much for anyone to control."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1832|A Dark Presence (1832)}} has posed:'''<br>Ron grins all through the description. There's a weird pride there. He can't see Lex, but the grin is just in general at the room. "Okay, so, part of my joke has gone on long enough. I'll tell you something really important, but you have to look me in the eye for it. That's the offer. I'd like you to see the honesty in my eyes. You can blow Ron's head off if you like. Your call."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:92|Lex Luthor (92)}} has posed:'''<br>Taking up the psi-nullifier remote and placing an inhibitor on his head, Lex stands up and hits the 'food' button, putting another lunch in the cell when the creature requested it. Stepping out of the nullifier box, Lex keeps his hands behind his back as he comes into view from a side room... and steps into the spotlight once again, sitting in the chair. A small scale force shield turns on quietly around him, covertly, in case 'Ron' tries anything, "I'm here." Lex states, his demeanor and own mannerisms carefully controlled to give all the impression of a curious scholar sort... not the dismissive controller he really is in this situation.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1832|A Dark Presence (1832)}} has posed:'''<br>"Lex. AHA," the creature/Ron laughs, and claps twice. "I like being /right/. It happens so often and yet is still a thrill, you know?" Ron says. He moves to accept the lunch in the same manner as before. The brainwaves light up the same way as before. Very positively. "Nice hat, Mr. Luthor. And fine. I'm not insulted. Flattered, sort of."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:92|Lex Luthor (92)}} has posed:'''<br>There's nothing of an outward reaction from Lex as he listens to 'Ron'. At this point, he's taking a gamble on slip ups in what the thing has to say, and is giving only the minimum effort required to get reactions.<br><br>Crossing his arms, he waits for 'Ron' to finish eating.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1832|A Dark Presence (1832)}} has posed:'''<br>Ron wolfs half the sandwich in a distracted way, and then stands, bringing the other half along with him. He meanders towards the window that separates them. It is a confident prisoner indeed, to approach the window as if he were coming to the door of his own home to greet a visitor, instead of from inside a cell. He brings over the sandwich, head turned a little to the side, eyes screamingly serial-killer. He comes to the glass, stopping naturally, as if it wasn't there at all.<br><br>"Well, you earned it. I'm not a fungus." Ron winks, and eats his sandwich. "I just do a very good impression, after sorting through their heads for months. Doesn't make them any less /mine/."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:92|Lex Luthor (92)}} has posed:'''<br>"I figured as much when you started talking about what the fungus can do for us, and pretending it cared about the nuances of human politics." Lex offers in return. "And at this point, they're yours only if I allow it. So. What's it going to be?" Lex raises a curious brow to Ron, "are you interested in actual discussion, or should I leave you here to stew for a few weeks?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1832|A Dark Presence (1832)}} has posed:'''<br>"I will kill Ron right now if I feel like it, or every mushroom that's currently in captivity everywhere," Ron says, tone still playful. "I mean. Come on. Let's respect each other now." He directs a hand back, and telekinetically tosses the cell bed into the wall. <br><br>"You stayed in darkness, not showing who you were. I responded in kind. I don't need superheroes all over me, but I can give a little here. The fungus /are/ mine." Ron relaxes his hands. Some possessiveness shown there.<br><br>"We are talking because we both want to. So. I'm a man in search of ideas. Making the fungus dance and eat other aliens appeals. And why shouldn't it? This planet isn't theirs to peacock around on. If you ultimately just want the fungus to die, that's where things end. By asking what people want it to /do/, I discover that. How creative they are. How willing to deal. Does the suggestion outrage them. You haven't said they should be destroyed. So here we still ARE."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:92|Lex Luthor (92)}} has posed:'''<br>"If I wanted the fungus to die, my research has given me more then enough methods to wipe it out from off the planet." Lex states matter of factly, "I'm the best technologist on the planet. My only potential rival is Stark, and he's more obsessed with his suit toys then with actual work." Lex steeples his fingers in front of himself, "this alien fungal species has a number of obvious applications if applied correctly. It can benefit humanity easily once the out of control variety is reigned in."<br><br>Lex leans forward, then, "You can kill all the fungus everywhere... but the DNA blueprints are already out there, for those with the knowledge and ability to decode them. You killing all of them? That's not going to mean a thing to me. So. You have your resources and abilities. I have mine. I have no problem with respecting yours... but I'm pretty sure you understand who you're dealing with now." His eyes narrow slightly at 'Ron'.<br><br>"So, let's talk." Lex continues.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1832|A Dark Presence (1832)}} has posed:'''<br>"Yeah, we can fight over who's got better toys to deal with them. We just have /different/ toys. I'm sure being the BEST technologist is great," Ron says, grinning. "I'm the best at rather the opposite." He draws back from the glass finally, just two steps, and then remains there, at the more polite distance. "I'd rather leave the fungus in the labs than kill them anyway. I like to look in on the labs. Mostly very boring, though. I don't REALLY care for science." He shrugs.<br><br>"You probably wanted Ron here as a pet. He's unstable, got to warn you. But stable people are boring."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:92|Lex Luthor (92)}} has posed:'''<br>"Less a pet, more potential asset." Lex corrects, "I'm not looking for slaves here. I wasn't lying when I said I wanted to level the negotiation field when he approached me as a client." Lex shrugs, "Let's talk about how we can help each other, then."<br> <br>
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