Chapter Thirty-Six

Lois pounded on the door to an antique shop. And that could describe the store itself. The windows were covered in grim and the items on the floor all shared the same dusty cover.

Brainwave had entered her computer again and this time, knowing a bit more what to expect, she was prepared with questions on what Brainwave could look up.

Like Zatanna's home address.

She chewed her thumbnail as she kept pounding with her other hand. This entire investigation was getting serious. Magic. Anonymous hackers helping her out. The image of the look shared between Lex and Julian during the press conference flashed in her mind. Lois hadn't been sharing news with Julian about what she discovered because it hadn't really been much. Maybe that was a mistake. A mistake she needed to correct soon.

To Lois's relief, Zatanna came to the door. "Lois? How'd you find me?"

"Complicated. No way an ordinary person could, I promise. Can I come in?"

Zatanna opened the door wider, and Lois immediately regretted coming inside. Dust was everywhere, polluting the air. "There isn't a spell for dust?"

"Let's go upstairs." The apartment above the shop was clean and modern. Lois was disappointed at seeing decorations she could buy herself instead of Zatanna living among ancient and mysterious artifacts. "My father's taking a walk so we can talk magic. I assume that's why you're here."

"Yeah. I just want to know if there's an update."

Zatanna sighed. "No. The same answer I've replied to all your texts."

"You have to have some something."

"Fine. I've managed to piece together some of the ingredients my father used for whatever he gave to Lex."

"That's it?"

"That's it? I am a self-taught novice deconstructing a spell from a drop I found in my daddy's cauldron. Which was protected behind security shields, one of which gave me a Pinocchio nose. Forgive me for spending time finding the counter curse. This has not been easy."

"Sorry. But do you have any guesses on what it is?"

"From my research, there's a long list of what it could be. Time travel isn't one of them."

"Are you sure? How do you know?"

"There's a science behind magic. The ingredients, words used, hand gestures. All of them combined in a specific way to achieve a specific end result. Depending on what you want done, some spells require more power meaning rarer ingredients, different hand motions combined with ancient words. The simplest way I can put it is how you know a paperclip can't move a boulder."

"Okay. But it a spell of some kind, right?" Lois pressed.

"Yes."

"Can you please come to Smallville with me and tell Julian that? Pull a rabbit from your hat to convince him. Please. I promise he's an upstanding guy and won't post any unwanted publicity." Lois explained as best she could about how Julian was becoming attached to his supposed jailer. She had to convince him soon that Lex was not as innocent as he seemed. Lois knew all too well the feeling of losing a loved one. Julian loved Lex as a brother, it was plain to see on screen. He had already been hurt by the Kents. If he lost the love of Lex…Lois didn't want to think of the result.

"Ok. Let's go."

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Lex felt good. The papers and experts were calling him a "narcissist humanitarian" but what did that matter? Clark had expressed how Lex was obligated to reopen the plant. And make peace with the Ross's. Was it business savvy? No. There were many financial losses caused by this move. But what did that matter? Clark was beginning to show acceptance of being Julian. Lex slowed down as he approached the conservatory. Clark was talking with some people.

"Lois, Lex isn't a villain. He wants to help people. May I?" There was the sound of rustling paper. "I recognize some of these names. Byron is getting treated. Lex helped Jeremy. I don't know about Sarah Conroy. But I'll ask about Tina. If you ever do see her though, keep your distance. She's dangerous."

"He made a deal with my father." A stranger's voice said. "I don't know what it was yet, but it's highly probably Lex had you hexed somehow."

Lex could guess who the voice belonged to. Clark was just beginning to accept his life as Julian. When that happened, his mind would work towards preserving that fact. But this conversation could slow things down. Or speed things up. "Perhaps I could shed some light on this subject." Lex breezed into the room. Lois looked scared, Clark looked guilty, and the young woman with the long dark hair remained calm. "Zatanna, wasn't it? I remember you from the charity event. Now, what seems to be the confusion?"

"Lex, they think you made a deal with a real wizard," Clark spoke.

"Yes. I did." All in the room were shocked by his admission. "Why don't we all have a seat? It sounds like I'm being accused of something. May I know what? Please," Lex encouraged at their hesitation, "speak freely. I like things out in the open."

His guests remained quiet. "Julian, what do you want to know?"

"Well, what deal did you make? With Zatara."

"Hang on," Zatanna interjected. "We need to know Lex isn't lying. Llet eht hturt."

Lex raised an eyebrow. "Did you just hex me?"

"Yes, and we're asking the questions."

"Of course. I have nothing to hide. How long will the spell last?"

"Until I'm done asking."

"Since you've revoked my free will, I hope you consider this a one-time event. Now, the deal I made with Zatara. I asked him to make me a sleeping potion."

"A sleeping potion?" Lois repeated. Lex smiled inwardly. The poor girl looked confused and disappointed.

"What did my father get in return?"

"I gave him access to a rare first edition of Warrior Angel."

"Why?"

"I didn't ask."

"Wait, the whole reason for that event was to get close to a comic book? Why not just knock on the guy's door?"

"Asking a favor to have a rich man exhibit a prized possession for charity is one thing. To ask him invite two complete strangers into his home and have him touch it is completely different."

"And the sleeping potion was for…"

"Natural science and medicine failed me to revive Julian. I turned to the supernatural for a solution."

Zatanna bit her lip. "It could work. Give a comatose person a sleeping potion, put them under a magical sleep and then wake them up under the terms of the spell."

"Wait, wait. Back up. Magic is real?" Clark looked between Zatanna and Lex. "Actual magic?"

"Why are you shocked?" Lex gave him a pointed look. If aliens were real, why not magic?

"Okay, but what about Tina Greer? It looked like you imprisoned her." Lois said.

"Tina Greer was brought to Cadmus because she possessed a unique quality. Plus, she also impersonated me. I don't take that offense lightly." Lex marveled at how the words were drawn out of him.

"Did you make a deal with her?"

"Yes."

"Which was?"

"She was to volunteer her services to be a part of the Asclepius project." Lex felt exhilarated as he formed the words that were needed from him. He hadn't lied. Zatanna must not be that powerful. Or perhaps he was just smarter.

"What's Asclepius?"

"Simply put, a vaccine for the common cold. Revolutionary. We're weeks away from making this project public."

Lois gave him a hard stare. "Is time travel possible?"

"I don't know. I can promise no man-made device is capable of it."

"Is there something you don't want Julian to know?"

Lex wanted to stay silent, but the spell pulled the words from him. "When Lionel brought Julian home, I hated him. My father showed more love to a complete stranger than his own son." Lex winced as he saw the pain that flashed across Clark's face.

Lois balled her fists and pointed at Clark. "Lex, tell me, who is he?"

"He's my brother." Lex shrugged and smiled. It was the truth after all.

To be honest, I haven't read a comic book with Zatanna in it. Besides speaking backwards I'm not familiar with how DCs magic works. That's why the rules might be different than in the comics.