Page 28 (1/2)

The security guard turns a final corner and continues down a long, plush-carpeted hallway Gone are the glass walls, replaced with dark walnut paneling and stark white paint There are no other offices on either side, but at the end I see light glowing through etched opaque s He stops a few feet fro toward a door

“Knock, then go inside when instructed”

“But… What—?"

He turns on the heel of his glea polished black patent-leather shoes and leaves without another word

I turn back to the door, fussing with the herain of the dark, solid wood in front of me

With a sigh, I knock It is the faintest sound, and I hope maybe the instruction to enter won’t corab my stuff and disappear

To my disappointment, a low voice answers and my stomach drops

“Come in”

My heart thunders There’s so familiar about the voice

It takes a Herculean effort, but I finally open the door, holding onto it for a long ive a perfect view across the city and let in ae leather couch, asilver pot, a modern black desk and a wall of television screens like this is so with his back to s, is a figure of ain from the s around him makes him hazy and hard to define

Maybe it’s Lex Luthor

Sing against the nervousness strangling me, I step inside and the heavy walnut door closes with a swoosh and a click behind me

I stand a few feet inside, unsure what to do withthe to happen A few seconds stretch and warp into what feels like hours ason the inside of my lip

I take a breath and finally squeak out a greeting “Hello”

Theout for sorab to keep my balance