Chapter Thirty-Five

Lois had her computer open. Everything was ready for her first chat with Brainwave.

If only you put this much effort into Algebra, you wouldn't have to go to summer school tomorrow, her mind shamed her.

But how could one think of stupid Algebra when they were about to have a conversation with a mysterious hacker? Last night she got another email telling her to be ready at her computer. Lois didn't know what to expect. Brainwave could want her help for something or want to help her with the Kent Conundrum. The 'why' was a question she hoped to solve soon.

Her screen went black and words began to appear.

Hello Lois. This is Brainwave. I don't have much time, so keep questions short and to the point. Assume we have 15 minutes.

What do you want? Lois typed back.

To help. Overheard you talking to your friend. I can go through the footage faster. Enter dates and what I'm looing for.

Lois frowned. Dates were easy enough, but she didn't even know what she was looking for. She typed in the dates of Julian's hospital stay and then her question.

Any visitors besides Lex Luthor, Marci Grieves, and Dr. Hamilton?

The night staff and orderlies who helped with the transfer to the Luthor Mansion. Lois' printer buzzed to life. Sending you the list of names and dates they worked along with the list of medications prescribed.

Lois stared at the printer in shock. But she had no time to relish the weirdness happening around her. She had to focus on typing in her next question.

Can you access the security footage at Cadmus Labs before Julian transferred to Metropolis General. Lois cursed her slow typing. It was eating away precious minutes.

Yes. What am I looking for?

Did Julian die?

Yes. An image of Tina Greer's face popped up on her screen. The picture Lois had put in the file she created of all the people Julian had asked about. What's so important about her?

Julian knows her.

A video of a girl, Lois assumed Tina, was sitting in a small cell. Lex entered and tossed a duffel bag full of something to her feet. There was no audio.

What are they saying?

Computers never recorded audio. Don't know. Time's up. Can talk again next week. Be ready.

The computer screen went back to her normal page. Her printer was printing out another page that listed names. The top read: Patients of Level 33.1.

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

"I'm surprised they let you back in."

Chloe looked over at Julian who was sitting in a chair. They had made plans to go the Beanery and spend the day together before she began her internship, but Chloe needed to finish her article on Lex's announcement of the plant reopening. Instead of using her personal computer, out of habit she returned to the Torch office.

"Feels more official here. Like an actual office. You know, you could have given me a heads up."

"I did. This was literally all decided last night." Julian got up and walked over to a filing cabinet. Chloe frowned as he knew exactly where she kept her hidden supply of soda. "May I?"

"Yeah. How'd you know that was there?"

"You always keep a few stashed away. Course lukewarm soda isn't the best tasting thing in the world, but you always say it's for the caffeine boost. Oh." Julian realized he shouldn't have known that. He shrugged. "I still have memories about being on the Torch team."

"Uh huh. I'm curious, who else was on the team? Lois there?"

"No. It was really just you, me, Pete. Freshman year Greg was a member on paper, but never turned anything in. Brendan was a photographer."

"Ah. Even in alternate realities journalism is dying. Staff's smaller here."

"I was hoping to join next school year, but Lex has me going to Excelsior. I don't know if they have a paper."

"Maybe it's for the best. People don't just join the Torch."

"What do you mean? It's a school club."

"Yes, but I'm the editor. And to get a sense of my staff's strengths, I have them submit an article to me upon joining before I hand out assignments. Do well, you cover news stories. Do poorly and you're just typing up the lunch menu."

Julian frowned. "I remember typing up the lunch menu frequently. You know, I never really asked you what you thought of my writing."

Chloe leaned back in her chair. "So why did you join the Torch?"

"My dad never approved of me being on sports teams. The Torch was something I could be a part of."

"So, no interest in journalism whatsoever."

Julian paused before answering. "There were things I liked about it. It was great to a part of something with friends. It gave an excuse to start conversations with people. You get access to places other people don't. Principal Reynolds had me write an essay on where I saw myself in years and I said I'd be studying journalism in college."

"Why don't you write me an article?" Chloe grinned. "Since you won't be joining us here next year, I'd like to get the sense of my boyfriend's journalistic skills."

"Another project." Julian smiled. "Did I mention Lex gave me a summer project to start a business?"

"Yeah, the old Talon building. Any ideas yet?"

"Not really. Lana turned it into a coffee house and it's no wonder she did. There's no room for a kitchen. To do that would require massive renovations."

"Is that what you're going to do? Coffee house?"

"Smallville already has a coffee house. And a cinema. I mean, I guess I could turn it into one of those things, but it feels like unnecessary competition. The Talon did close down the Beanery."

Chloe sighed at the thought of coffee. "Hey, when you were Torch staff, did I ever send you on coffee runs?"

"No, but I'll take the hint you need me to. Be right back."

"Thank you." Chloe grinned and went back to typing. After Julian left, she felt her eyes drift to the filing cabinet where few people knew about her hidden stash.