The device glowed brighter as Roulette held it closer to Lois’ face. A cold sweat fell upon her as she backed away from its eerie luminescence. Now I know how Superman feels around Kryptonite, she thought.
Just when Lois was certain Roulette would use the artifact upon her, Roulette spun her chair around to face the wall of video screens.
Before the screens had been linked to camera’s scattered throughout the club. Now they showed loading screens for video calls. One by one faces appeared on the screens. They were faces Lois new all too well. These were the faces of various wealthy men who had either been struck a financial blow, or done actual jail time because Lois had exposed their various illegal activities to the world.
Roulette had brought all these people into a single video conference call. On the largest screen, at the center of it all, was a face she new far better than Lois would have liked. It was the face of Lex Luthor.
“Gentlemen, I believe you all know the rules. Let’s start the biding with something simple. Starting at $1000, do I have any bids for hair?”
“Blonde,” about three bidders shouted without hesitation.
“No brunette, I’ll pay $2000 for brunette.”
“3000 for blonde!”
This went on for awhile. Then Lex spoke. When he spoke the other men were silent.
“$50,000! Give her Titian hair, just past shoulder length and curled at the ends.”
Everyone went silent. It wasn’t clear if they were just unwilling to bid higher or afraid to go against Lex Luthor.”
Roulette held up the device.
“Going once. Going twice. Sold for $50,000.”
The device glowed. Lois felt as though her hair was being pulled from her scalp, only it became longer as it was pulled. She saw a crimson red bang hanging off her shoulder, curled at the end.
“Next item up is...
Roulette was interrupted by the sound of a gunshot. The Oil company CEO on the second largest video screen had been shot in the head. A man in a purple suit kicked the dead CEO out of his chair and sat down for the auction. “Sorry I’m late. My invitation must have gotten lost in the mail. Surely you did mean to invite me. Am I correct.”
Roulette gulped. “Uh... yes, she answered. Of course you’re welcome to join in the bidding. In fact, we can start over if you like.”
“That’s fine,” the man in the purple suit answered. “I like red hair. It’ll look festive next to my lovely green hair.” The clown turned. “Don’t you agree Lex.”
“You don’t seriously think you can outbid me, do you clown?”
Roulette grinned as she watched the macho posturing between Lex Luthor and the Joker. This could lead to more profit than she had ever imagined.
“Okay. Next item up is...