Luthorâs Intern Healer
Metropolis was burned from the new Alien Invasion this month.
With laser beams slicing through the skyline and buildings,Brainiacâs machines crushed everything in their path. Civilians screamed. Heroes and villains alike collided once again against the Invader and his army.
Somewhere in the middle of it all, Lex Luthor crouched behind the rubble of a shattered building, clutching his side. Even his armored suit couldnât fully protect him.
âIâm fine,â he muttered through gritted teeth. But the searing pain told him otherwise. He activated his suitâs comm, expecting a weapon or reinforcement.
Instead, a soft glow appeared nearby. A boy stood there, a baseball bat in hand, grinning. The bat hummed with energy, an unusual, radiant light emanating from it.
âThanks, Daniel. Heal me.â
âLex,â Danny said, his voice sharp as ever, âyou really need to stop throwing yourself at giant robots. For Pariahâs sake, try not to get hurt! Like⊠at least for a week!â After Lexâs last fight with Superman, Danny usually healed him only for minor injuries like back pain, but today he was going all out.
Lex groaned but extended his arm without resistance. He didnât care who was watchingânot the heroes, not Superman, not anyone. Danny tapped the glowing bat against Lex, and the wounds vanished instantly. Blood, bruises, and painâall gone. He was back to before the fight.
Lex flexed his hand, astonished as always. âLike it was never there.â
Danny smirked. âYou owe me more than a raise. And donât get hurt again.â
âYeah,â Lex replied dryly, âdouble the price for working after hours.â
The heroes blinked. Wonder Woman looked confused. Flash froze mid-run. Even Batmanâs eyebrow arched in intrigue.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the battle, the Legion of Doom regrouped after smashing a squad of Brainiacâs drones. Cheetah, Captain Cold, and Gorilla Grodd panted, wiping soot from their armor.
âYou had a damn healer this whole time?â Cheetah spat, incredulous.
Lex adjusted his tie, smug. âHeâs not a hero or a villain,â he said, voice calm, almost lecture-like. âIâm friends with his family, and he needed a summer job.â
The group blinked. âWait, what?â Cold muttered. âLex actually has friends?â
Lex shrugged. âYes. Met them through a business partner. I gave Danny a good summer job. Other people might expect him to heal for free, just because heâs âa hero,â but this way, he earns money before going home.â
Grodd snorted. âSo you⊠hid a healer, used him personally, and didnât let us get patched up?â
Lexâs lips twitched into the faintest smile. âExactly. He heals me and the people working in my company. Itâs like healthcare for themâcheaper than anything else. Danny only wants fifty dollars per session. As long as you donât get hurt twenty times a day, itâs a bargain.â
Back in the heart of Metropolis, Danny glared at a group of terrified civilians trapped under rubble. He tapped his bat twice. Two civilians healed instantly. Then he turned to a burned-out hero, clearly out of commission, and âhitâ him with the bat as well.
âSeriously,â Danny muttered, âyou couldâve, like⊠avoided falling from that building. Try not to get hurt next time!â
The hero flinched, rubbing his head. âYou⊠hit us with a bat?â
Danny shrugged. âYeah, like, a soft hit. Heals you. Youâre welcome.â He spun and sprinted toward another explosion, leaving behind confusedâbut entirely healedâpeople.
Lex watched, shaking his head with a mixture of admiration and exasperation. âYou know, Fenton, one day someoneâs going to get the wrong idea about you and your baseball bat.â
Danny grinned over his shoulder. âLet them. I get paid. Iâm your undefeated summer intern. So you deal with the fallout of it when I go home in a week.â
Lexâs communicator buzzed.
Brainiacâs forces were regrouping. He adjusted his suit, eyes narrowing. âAlright,â he said quietly. âLetâs end this before more of my employees need emergency healing.â
Danny jogged to where he saw a few others injured, the bat glowing again. âTry to behave, Lex. Iâve healed you more times than I can count. For the love of Clockwork, just⊠stay upright for one week, okay?â
Lex exhaled and straightened. âNoted. And Fenton?â
Danny paused, eyebrow cocked.
âYou really are invaluable.â
Danny smirked. âTold ya. Now, letâs finish smashing some robots.â












