AN: Okay, sorry for the delay with this chapter. This one and the next one are going to be hard for me to get out. I've hit a major brick wall where these chapters are concerned. And considering I know exactly what I want to happen in them makes it even more frustrating. But, once I get over that hurtle, the chapters should be a little bit more forth-coming.

Anyway, this is more a filler chapter than anything else, and I am sorry about that. We'll see the Doctor again in the next chapter. Hope you all enjoy! And please review! I like knowing whether you like it or not! Peace!

Disclaimer: *looks for non-existent copyright paperwork* Yep, still nothing.

Chapter 6

We agree to meet at his classroom after school to discuss the drug. He assures me that he will have the drug analyzed by then. I wonder where he keeps this machine and why he even has it. Maybe he's a scientist on the side? In the meantime, I get the joy of going through the rest of Tyler's classes with him and hopefully I'll be able to find more students displaying the behaviors of the drug. I hope to at least see Tim again so I can ask him a couple questions. The difficulty that I'll have with him is being discrete—I don't want him knowing that I am using him to dig for information about Maxmiphil. I guess I'll be testing my skills at interrogation and subtlety.

Fun.

The next two class periods go by without any incident. I mainly zone out because I have never been versed in math, so I didn't really pay attention to the lecture on probability and there was not much I could do in an Art class but watch Tyler mold his clay. His last period for the day is Computer Programming, and I get the distinct feeling it will be just as boring for me as the former two classes were. Tyler has been kind enough to inform me that Tim is in this last class with him, which is the only reason why I am still here. I will be able to use this last hour to not only interrogate Tim, but to also do some further research on Maxmiphil. Just because it is a drug I have never heard of does not mean that it doesn't exist. I need to find out as much information as I can, if it is available. Hopefully I will be able to find something on it.

Tyler and I walk into the computer lab with little more than a minute to spare. The bad thing about this classroom is that it is his only class that is on the upper level of the school. It takes a couple minutes from his previous class to get to this one. The upper level of the school is reserved for upperclassmen as the lower level is reserved for lowerclassmen, with only gym, lunch, and computers being the only time the two mingle. We walk to the far side of the room and take two computers in the corner, away from the other students. I notice Tim sitting in the other corner as well, not socializing with anyone, staring intently at the computer while computer jargon flies across the screen. I look over at Tyler who is doing the same at this point, consulting his textbook periodically.

"So," I start, looking around at all the students then looking back at Tyler, "what are you all working on?"

He glances at me before returning his attention back to the computer. "Our final project for the class is to create our very own computer program. It can be a game or a basic website. Every Monday we spend the entire hour working on it rather than our typical lecture. It's a tad bit difficult, but it is quite fun."

"If you say so." I look back at my own computer and start the web browser. Might as well get started. I pull out my iPod from my backpack and put it on my "Rock" playlist. I stare at the search engine screen for a moment before typing in "Maxmiphil," and waiting for the results. I decide that I will wait until the end of the hour to bug Tim—I really don't want to make him fall behind on his project, especially one that sounds this big. It's probably a really good thing that I never took this course. Computers and I don't have a very good relationship. Kind of like gravity and I; it's mildly abusive and overall exhausting.

The result page pops up while I am distracted by my iPod and I glance back at the screen. There are very few results up and the information is paltry at best. I scroll through the results, clicking on a few promising links and opening them in other tabs. The first website I clicked on was nothing more than a passing mention of the drug. I did learn that it was a new drug, but nothing more. This continues for the first few tabs. Right when I am ready to bag this whole thing as pointless, I come across one really good article in a medical magazine describing the drug in detail. Maxmiphil, apparently, is a very new drug—it's only 8 months old. It is still in its testing phase, mainly being tested on mice and rabbits in an isolated laboratory in some prodigious school. The hopeful outcome of the drug is that it will be an all new mental enhancing drug to help people who suffer from ADHD and ADD to help with their inability to focus. The article goes on to say that testing has still been too early to tell what the side-effects would be, if there are any. They have noticed that the drug leaves absolutely no trace in the test subjects body and blood stream. So, it is virtually untraceable. Other than this limited information, there is almost no more information on it, other than that it won't be ready for public distribution for another few years.

I continue browsing the results for another ten minutes hoping for more information, but none is forth-coming. I sit back from the computer and just stare at it. The last bit of information is the most troubling to me. If this drug is not ready for distribution—and won't be ready for a long time—then why is the school distributing it to the students? It's obviously not safe for them to be taking and is effecting their behavior in bad ways. The drug is nowhere near ready for human testing and scientists would not test on humans until they have all the data from the animal testing. And they certainly would not test on a student population without at least informing the students or their parents. The fact that this drug is even being given to the students at all is completely out of character. I wonder if the headmaster even knows that this is going on? I may need to confront him about this.

First things first: I need to talk to Tim and then I need to see John again to find out what his scan thingie has found out. Then I can talk to the principal and get this all straightened out.

I look at the time on the desktop and notice there is only ten minutes left in the class period. I glance over at Tyler and notice he is completely engrossed in his project. I take a quick scan of the class and notice that there is a small level of excitement and distraction growing as the clock ticks away, a greater sense of frustration and boredom due to their individual projects, and other emotions boiling beneath the surface due to personal influences. I look over at Tim and decide that it is now or never if I am going to talk to him. I get up from my computer, push in the chair and take a seat next to Tim. I look at his code-covered screen for a few moments before addressing him.

"Hey, Tim," I say, giving a slight wave. He stops typing and slowly turns his head to look at me. His eyes appear bored as he looks at me for a moment.

"Hi," he mumbles. "Can I help you with something?"

"Oh, um," I say. I'm momentarily distracted by the girl who is behind me. Her negative emotions are slowly spinning more out of control as the minutes tick by. She has to confront a few people after school gets out and she is not ready to do so. "Sorry, to interrupt but I just wanted to say that I was really impressed with your display of knowledge in Physics this morning. I'm kind of a physics nerd myself and I was wondering what you were studying to gain that knowledge."

He looks at me with such a bored expression I almost think he won't answer. The other students are starting to save their progress and shut down the computers as we speak, talking in subdued but excited tones as they pack up their bags. I can hear the girl in front of me complain to her neighbor about her chores that she has to do. She is completely lying. Her underlying excitement betrays her. She is actually going to go sneak off to snog her boyfriend before she has to be home. The emotions of the classroom— so subdued at first due to their overall task— is starting to grab hold of my thoughts and I have to physically shake myself to keep my focus on Tim. He turns back to his own computer and starts saving his work. "I simply study the given text and research things I don't completely understand on the Internet when I am home. Nothing more."

"So, you don't use any extra books or study sheets? Do you use any study enhancements at all?"

He looks over at me once he is done with the computer, still with the bored look in his eyes. "No. I don't need to."

I look into his brown eyes and really study him to the best of my ability. He appears to be an average student, but there is something really off about this kid, and I can't put my finger on it. I know it's a difference that is glaring me in the face (literally and figuratively), but I just can't think over the cacophony of the other students emotions. Maybe when I am by myself I'll be able to figure it out.

"Okay," I respond finally. "Have a good night, Tim." I get up without waiting for his response and stand in front of my computer. I decide to print out the article I found to show John and then shut down the computer for the day. Tyler is finishing taking care of his things once I grab my documents and walk back over to him. "So," I start, grabbing my own bag while we wait for the teacher to let us all go. "Got any plans for tonight?"

"Yeah, actually," he responds, facing me. "Some of us have decided to go to the arcade and try out some of the new games they just installed."

"When you say 'some of us,' I assume you mean some of the other kids I meet with weekly, right?"

"Of course," he replies, rolling his eyes at me. "You're more than welcome to come along, if you want."

"That's sweet of you, Tyler. But, I can't. I have some things I have to get done before I am able to go back to my flat. Besides, you all will have so much more fun without me there embarrassing you all with my mad gamer skills." I give him my biggest grin while he rolls his eyes at me for the umpteenth time that day.

"Alright, but it's your loss," he says, shrugging his shoulders. The teacher finally lets us all out and we start down the hallway towards his locker. The sheer number of students matched emotions makes me waver for only a moment before I adjust. Everyone is excited for another day to be over and to finally be able to go home. Me included. Too bad I won't be able to leave just yet. It will be better, though, once all the students leave and I won't be subjected to this mental torture anymore. "So, what now, Lily?"

"Oh, well, this is where we part ways, Tyler," I answer, looking at him side-ways. "You go run off with your little friends to your little arcade and I get to go do fun adult stuff, like grocery shopping and going to the bank." I grimace at the end, just showing how excited I am to do all of those things once I am done talking to John. I leave out that part though. I'm not going to tell my kids about what I find out from today. Unless of course they need to know about it.

He laughs at me and gives me a hug when we walk up to his locker. "Okay, then. Well, I'm meeting everyone here so you go do your thing, Ms. O'Shea."

I wrinkle my nose at him. "I wish you would all stop calling me that. Makes me sound old."

He gives me a gentle shove and wishes me a good afternoon while I wave in response. I notice Kendra and Sarah are walking up to him and decide to leave them all alone so they can have some bonding time. This is exactly what I was hoping would happen: they would all learn to lean on each other and become friends, rather than only leaning on me. I'm glad that it appears to be working.

I take a few turns down some odd hallways, watching some of the students as they pack up and head out for their different destinations. The abundance of emotion is slowly deteriorating as I walk farther away from the exits. I welcome the relief. I can finally let go of my weak barriers and just relax. Well, not completely. The only time I completely relax is when I am alone with only my emotions and thoughts to keep me company. There are still plenty of adults in the building to keep me on my toes. Including one odd individual whose emotions absolutely baffle me.

With the printed pages in hand, I walk into the science hallway thinking of the riddle of Mr. Smith.