Disclaimer: If I owned them you would know who I am. Though I lay claims on Batman if he ever becomes available ;) I own the people and places you have never heard of and the plot line.

A/N: I apologize. None of the Justice League is in this first chapter. This is background to my story.

BetrayalElysian Fields, NY

George Sheridan was known as one of the most ruthless men in the state of New York. No one dared to challenge his authority in his three businesses or the parent company. Those who had tried to rise against the Sheridan name usually didn't live long. The one guy, who had compared him to the mob bosses of old, never made it home that night.

George had a son named Howard, who was very much like his father. Except Howard had married a nobody. Some little tart, smart enough to get herself knocked up by the heir to the Sheridan fortune. Fortunately, Devlin was the spitting image of Howard as a baby. And looks more and more like him everyday. Otherwise the little tart would have never had a chance.

'Well she wasn't very smart this time. The little whore had to have her affair. And now I have proof.' Oh, the mess was great but her lover finally cracked after hours of torture. 'Poor bastard. Did she really think that she could pass her spawn off as Howard's?' George thought to himself. 'There is no way that HER child is going to inherit MY fortune!' George pushed a button on his desk and a maid came running.

"Sir?" she curtsied at the door.

"Go out to the barn and send me the first worker you see," he ordered. She curtsied again and left.

Five minutes later, the stable master, Frank sauntered in. 'Damn,' thought George. 'He was really good at training winners. Too bad.' "Frank, take a seat. I have a money making opportunity for you. I need you to kidnap the little child masquerading as my son's daughter. I want you to drive out west, kill her, and bury the body in some field."

Frank tried not to let his shock show. Kill an innocent? That was out of the ordinary for George, but Frank would not jeopardize his own family. So, knowing there was no choice, he agreed.

Unbeknownst to them, Devlin was standing outside the office door that Frank had forgotten to shut. His grandfather was going to kill his little sister. He needed a plan. He had to protect Khyrran. Devlin knew that his sister was going to be an important part of his life someday. He turned and tapped on the office door.

George jumped at the sound of someone at the door. "Who is it?" he sneered. His attitude changed almost immediately when he saw Devlin come through the door. "Devlin, what can I do for you my boy?"

'Not kill my sister?' he thought. "Um, I've finished with my riding lessons and need to get home to do my science project."

"Of course. Have the butler take you. See you next week," George replied, obviously distracted.

Devlin went to the butler, Samuel, to get a lift. He sat in the backseat of the car in deep meditation, reaching out to his mentor. Samuel had to reach back and physically bring him out of it. Devlin thanked him and got out of the car. He went inside and headed straight for Khyrran's room. She was taking her afternoon nap; the nanny, Dawn, not far away. Devlin slipped back out and went to his room.

There, locked in a box that no one could find unless they knew how to look, was the green globe Anthanasius had given him. This was an emergency. Devlin closed his mind to the outside world and let the spirit in him take over. Devlin could feel Alastair taking over and transporting them to Mankato, the overseer stronghold.

Anthanasius stepped into the great hall and looked at the two standing before him. "Devlin, you are to use that only if there is an emergency."

"But this is an emergency. My grandfather is going to have Khyrran murdered. She is only a baby. Why would he do this?" Devlin's speech came faster and faster until Anthanasius stopped him.

"Devlin, we KNOW. It will all work out, I promise. I can not tell you what happens but I can tell you that she will be ok."

"But, but…" Devlin stammered.

"No buts. You need to go back now," Anthanasius closed his eyes and Devlin was sent back to Earth. "Alastair, keep an eye on him. Khyrran needs to be taken out of that house if she is to live and fulfill her destiny. Devlin can not, under any circumstance, interfere."

"I understand. He will not interfere," Alastair turned to go but stopped halfway toward the door. "Sir, the lad will need to know the truth no matter how painful it is. I know him. Devlin will not fair well without knowing."

Anthanasius sighed. "Three days after 'the event' you may tell him that she is safe and sound. She will stay that way until he is capable of protecting her."

Alastair nodded. He closed his eyes and appeared in Devlin's bedroom. The lad was lying on his bed, hands clasped under his head. He looked over at Alastair.

"It's not fair, you know. She is my sister. I should protect her."
"Devlin, the longer she is near your grandfather, the more likely it is she will die. And it will be a very violent death," Alastair said softly.

He stopped to think about that. "But won't this Frank guy kill her?"

"We are not sure of that yet. We can not manipulate human free will. Frank will come to a crossroad where he must make a choice," Alastair told him. "Just be patient. The overseers will not let anything happen to Khyrran. Even now as an infant she has too much power to lose."

Devlin nodded, accepting that this was best for Khyrran. But if Frank did hurt her, then he better watch out.

Frank sighed as he snuck into Howard's house. If one could call it that. Three floors, eighteen bedrooms, twenty one bathrooms, a massive kitchen, a library, a family room, parlor, study and living room. And somewhere in all that he was supposed to find one little girl. Frank pulled out a sheet of paper and using a mini-flashlight, made his way up to the third floor. He stood there at the end of the hallway counting doors. There, third one on the right.

He stayed in the shadows while moving toward the door. Frank quietly opened the door and peered in. All seemed quiet. He entered the room, heading for the crib that was on the right wall. Halfway across the room something shifted at the base of the crib. Frank hesitated, then directed the flashlight at the source. There was Devlin, sleeping. Frank leaned over the boy and carefully lifted Khyrran out of the crib. She stretched and curled towards him but made no noise.

Frank turned and left the room. He quickly retraced his steps. Opening the car door, Frank put the baby in the car seat he had left there. He got in the car and took off. As he pulled onto the highway headed west, he let loose a huge sigh of relief. The first part was over, but the hardest was yet to come.

Devlin woke to the soft click of the bedroom door. He rolled over to go back to sleep. And hit his head on the bottom of the crib. Rubbing his head, Devlin stood up. He glanced into the crib then headed for the bathroom. He was almost there, when he turned back toward the crib. Flinging the blankets out of the crib, he searched quickly for signs of Khyrran. Finding none, he quickly went into Dawn's room to see if she had taken Khyrran. Seeing that Dawn was sleeping, Devlin searched the third floor, in case she had escaped the crib in one of her infamous little disappearing acts. He was coming out of his room across the hall from Khyrran's when he felt a breeze.

He stopped in front of the old servant entrance. Devlin opened the door and peered down the stairwell. The door leading to the outside was open. "NOOOOOO!" he screamed. He had failed. Khyrran's death would haunt him to the end of his days. Frank would kill her; he was to scared of George not to.

His grief knew no bounds. The employees of the house who heard him scream were unable to comfort the young teenager. The look on his mother's face when she discovered her daughter missing sent new waves of grief through him. And all he knew was that his life would forever be headed in a different direction.