Chapter 7

The Daily Planet

Clark had been in a great mood all morning and there was a smile plastered on his face. Lois on the other hand, was not in such a good mood. Lack of sleep and seeing Clark practically glowing did nothing to lighten her mood. Her coworkers knew to steer clear of her if they could. Jimmy Olsen had noticed this and figured today was the perfect time to begin his plan. It had taken his team a few days to get the details in place and now it was just a matter of tossing out the bait. By a prearranged meeting, Lisa from the comics would come to his desk to look at some photos he'd careful manipulated. Glancing up from his desk, Jimmy felt a surge of excitement as he saw Lisa nervously walk towards him.

'Hi, Jimmy, what are you doing," Lisa said rather woodenly. They'd rehearsed this, but her acting skills left little to be desired.

"I'm just looking through some of these unused photos from recent crime scenes. I think I found something interesting, take a look," he said, loud enough for Lois to hear. If she did, she gave not indication, so Jimmy nodded to Lisa to continue.

"What's so interesting, Jimmy," Lisa asked in a monotone voice. Sighing at her poor delivery, Jimmy handed her the photos.

"Do you notice anything similar about these photos," he asked.

"Let me see," Lisa said louder than necessary. Jimmy was sure his plan would fall apart now. Lisa was a nice person, but her nervousness made her deliver every line as if she were reading it off a paper. Glancing at her, he noticed her looking down at her hand, instead of the pictures. Looking closer, he realized Lisa was reading her lines. She'd written them down on her hand as a cheat sheet. Oh, God, this is going to be a disaster, Jimmy thought, covering his eyes with his hand.

"Hey, that same guy is in each photo," Lisa read from her palm. "He sure is pale, almost like he's an Albino."

Jimmy wasn't sure which shocked him more, the amateurish quality of Lisa's reading or seeing Lois' head snap around to look at them with interest.

"That sure is weird, Jimmy," Lisa added.

"What," Jimmy whispered to her. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Lois had gotten up and was moving towards them.

"I improved that," Lisa said with a shy smiled.

"Nice," Jimmy nodded.

"Hey, let me see those photos," Lois said, snatching them out of Lisa's hand. The young girl flinched and took a step back.

"Relax, Shrinking Violet, I just want to see the photos," Lois told her.

"Pretty strange, huh, Lois," Jimmy tentatively asked.

"Yeah, it is," she commented, still looking at the photos. "You say these are all from recent crime scenes?"

"Yes."

"I don't remember seeing them in the paper."

"Oh, these are the unused ones," Jimmy offered. "I was just cataloging them when I noticed it."

"Interesting," Lois said, "would you mind if I made copies of these?"

"Copies? Why," Jimmy innocently asked.

"Ah, human interest, nothing to worry about," Lois quickly offered.

"Okay, yeah, help yourself," Jimmy smiled.

"Thanks," Lois smiled in return and then quickly walked away.

"I think she bought it," Jimmy chuckled.

"I have to admit, I was a little nervous," Lisa said. "I haven't done any acting since I was in the high school play."

"You were in your high school play?"

"Sort of, I passed out opening night," Lisa admitted.

"What part did you play that got you so nervous," Jimmy asked.

"Well, it was Jesus Christ, Superstar. I was the woman that yelled, "Stone her". I passed out before the curtain went up, but the show must go on," Lisa informed him.

"You're a trooper," Jimmy said

The Watchtower

Zatanna sat at a computer terminal scanning the League's files on its members. She was interested in only one member, Superman. Since their date, she'd been thinking about Clark more and more. She felt foolish when she got back to her room after their date and looked at the condoms Carmen had given her. If things progressed to that stage in their relationship, regular condoms weren't going to do the trick. Clark was super powered in everyway, she reminded herself. She knew he had a weakness to magic, but also knew that caused his mistrust of it. The idea that perhaps there was a way around the potential problem of them getting closer could be found by finding out more about his weaknesses. She'd come in early for her shift to do some research and to make sure no one knew what she was doing. Red flags would go up if anyone found out she was looking into Clark's vulnerabilities. Questions would be asked and the thought of telling everyone her reason was so she could figure out a way to sleep with him was just too embarrassing to consider. God, I must really like this guy if I'm going to these ends, she thought to herself. She'd printed out a list of weaknesses for Superman and planned to look into them when she was back at her hotel room. Now she just needed to cover her tracks before Bruce arrived.

She was just finishing, when Batman walked in.

"What are you doing," he immediately asked, surprised to see her in the computer room.

"Just a little research," Zee said with a smile.

"Research on what," Bruce asked, moving over to see what was on her computer. Zatanna quickly logged off and let the computer go to black.

"A private matter, Bruce, is that okay?"

"If it concerns the League, perhaps I can assist you," he offered, giving her a rare smile.

"No thanks," she said, getting up and starting to leave.

"I don't think I've ever seen you in here before, Zatanna, if must be something pretty important."

"Fishing, Bruce?" Zee said, turning to look at him.

"Why so mysterious, Zatanna? Are you trying to hide something," he countered.

"You'll notice I used the word private, Bruce," Zatanna said with a grin. "I'm sure you of all people can understand the meaning of that word."

"If you wanted it to be private, you shouldn't have used League equipment, Zee. The information in these computers is highly sensitive. I'm only doing due diligence to make sure it remains safe," he explained. She looked at him for a moment and then broke into a wider grin.

"It's just eating you up that I won't tell you what I was doing, isn't it?"

"Yes," he admitted, giving her a small smile. "So why now put me out of my misery?"

"Oh, that's low, Bruce, playing on my sympathy," she laughed. "This is the League's system, not your personal property."

"Actually, since I paid for most of this stuff, it kind of is my property," he countered.

"I'm still not going to tell you, Bruce."

"Come on, Zee, we both know I'm going to find out sooner or later," Bruce said.

"You seem to forget I've known you a very long time," she replied, moving towards the doorway. "I made sure to wipe the computer before I logged off. This is one time you'll just have to not know everything, Bruce. See ya!"

Bruce had to laugh as she left the room. She did know him very well, but not that well, Bruce thought. Slipping into the seat she'd vacated, he turned the terminal on. He knew he should probably just let it go, but that went against his nature. Besides, he'd always thought of Zatanna as a little sister and someone had to look out for her. She'd practically challenged him, he justified. It took several minutes for him to find anything. She had done a surprisingly good job of covering her tracks, but she hadn't covered everything. He was able learn she'd printed something, so it was a simple process to print another copy. As he was making the last few keystrokes, Wally and Diana walked in.

"What are you up to, Bats," Wally asked, seeing Bruce hunched over the terminal.

"Just printing up some information," Bruce replied, hitting the print key. The machine whirled to life and Wally walked over to take the first sheet from the printer. He stood there for a moment with a strange look on his face as he read what was printed. Diana saw this and went over to have a look. Bruce was just shutting down the terminal and as he glanced over at the two of them he received a strange look from both of them.

"What?"

"Information on feminine hygiene, Bruce?" Wally said, with a smirk. "Not feeling so fresh today?"

Bruce looked confused as he took the printed page out of Wally's hand. It was a list of over the counter products, all related to feminine hygiene. Bruce looked up in embarrassment, only to see huge smiles on Wally and Diana's face.

"It-It was information…. for a friend," he lamely said. Wally turned and looked at Diana.

"Don't look at me, I was made from magical clay and don't need those," she quickly said.

"A friend, Bruce," Wally smirked, "is there something you want to tell us?"

"Shut up," Bruce snapped, glancing at the paper again. He noticed at the very bottom there was a Z and a smiley face. Bruce realized Zatanna had played him.

"Irritable, must be a heavy flow day," Wally said with a laugh. The look Bruce gaze Wally would have shut him up, if Diana hadn't started laughing as well. It was useless; he realized and stalked out of the room, their laughter ringing in his ears.

London

Below the Templar church, in long forgotten chambers, the sound of voices can once more be heard. A woman shrouded by a full black cloak has arrived and demanded to see the Leader. The guards have been warned of her power, so they quickly comply. As they lead her through the labyrinth of hallways and chambers, she casually notices that being this close to the Thames, the whole place smells of dampness and rot. They finally reach a central chamber and the guard asks her to wait while he announces her. As she stands in the shadows watching the guard approach two men she smiles under her golden mask.

"Begging your pardon, sirs, there's a lady…" the guard starts, but is cut off by the younger of the two men.

"You dare interrupt me when I'm speaking to the General? You should forfeit your miserable life for even looking at him! Kneel before …"the younger man started to say, but he is stopped by the older man.

"Hold, I believe Ms. le Fey is watching us as we speak," the General said. "Since you are here, you might as well come out of the shadows, Morgaine."

The guard quickly makes his exit, while the younger man scowls at him. Morgaine steps forward into the light and approaches the two.

"We've been expecting you," the older man says, moving over to sit down.

"We expected you almost an hour ago," the younger man complains.

"What you expect is not the slightest of my concerns," she replies, barely acknowledging him, before speaking to the other. "General? Surely, you're not a representative of some government?"

"No, it's a title from another lifetime," the man says with a wave of his hand. "Now I am but one among many. A leader among leaders."

"And you, young man, are you just a leader among leaders, too," Morgaine playfully asked.

"My name is Nathan Occult, witch, and I am an abomination," the younger man spat out at her. "And yes, I am a leader."

"Interesting," she replies and turns back to the General. "So General, shall we get down to business?"

"Of course, Ms. le Fey."

"You are falling behind schedule," she starts, but is cut off by Nathan.

"You are mistaken. Our dream tanks are being set up all over the globe, at strategic locations. It is you that hasn't fulfilled your obligation."

"Boy, do you dare tell me how to do my task," she said as a warning.

"When you're behind schedule, yes," he responded.

"Have a care, boy, I don't think you know who you're dealing with," she spat out at him.

"On the contrary, I know exactly who you are, witch," Nathan said with a cruel smile.

"Then you should know to mind your manners."

"Nathan does raise an interesting question, Morgaine. What is holding you up," the General asked.

"You are, General, or more precisely, what you promised me. If I am to act as your conduit to the old ones, I need more chaos, more death to reach them. Your dream tanks, as the boy calls them, serve no purpose to that end. Why are you building them?"

The General smiled and didn't reply for a moment. "We have our reasons, just as you have yours, Morgaine. I know why you agreed to assist us. You seek a substitute for Merlin's secrets to replenish your youth and beauty. I know you're siphoning off some of the mystic energy towards that cause."

Morgaine started to protest, but the General waved her off.

"I have no reason to care that you do this. In my experience, the best recruits are the ones with a personal motivation. As for the deaths, I will see to it that their frequency increases. Is there anything else?"

"What is it you seek," she found herself asking.

"To change the world," Nathan answered.

"You hate this one so much?"

"Yes."

"You and I are alike, Morgaine," the General added, 'in our experience, we both know that worlds come and go. The true power is in the ones that decided the shape the new world will take."

Morgaine studied the two men for a moment. They were both dangerous, but in vastly different ways. The General had a calm, cold demeanor about him. He looked on all of this with a sense of detachment, yet there was a plan behind it all. There was also something wrong with him, she thought. He had a pale, grey appearance, and seemed to have lost weight from the way his clothes hung off his body. Nathan on the other hand, had an explosive rage about him. He was young and headstrong, but wounded. Some great wrong had been done to him, or so he believed. His unpredictability nature made him a wild card. He would burn the whole world down if he could. There was madness in his eyes.

"If there's nothing else, Morgaine," the General asked.

"No," she said and then turned and walked out. The two men waited until she left before speaking again.

"I don't trust her," Nathan said.

"You don't have to," the General said, "greed will make her do her part. She is but a tool in our greater plan."

"I still say we should watch her."

"Oh, we will. When I tool is no longer useful, you get rid of it," the General said.

"I must remember that," Nathan replied.

The Watchtower

Zatanna had finished her shift and was having a cup of coffee before she went back to Metropolis. She knew Bruce was still angry with her, but it served him right for snooping into her business. As she glanced up at the entrance, Wally and Shayera came running in laughing. They saw her and immediately came over to her table.

"Hey, what are you two laughing about," she asked.

"Ah, we kind of played a little joke on Bruce," Wally said with a grin.

"I have nothing to do with it," Shayera defended herself. "I just stood watch."

"That makes you a coconspirator under the law," Wally said.

"Human law, I'm Thanagarian," she countered.

"I think Batman's law supersedes both of those, Shayera," Zee pointed out.

"I'll just say Wally made me do it,' she teased.

"Hey! Way to sell out a teammate, Shayera, really nice."

"He's going to think you did it anyway, Wally, why drag myself into it," Shayera asked.

"Because you're the one that put me up to it," Wally argued.

"I did not! I just said it sounded funny," Shayera protested.

"I rest my case."

"Well, as much as I'd like to stay, I should be getting back to Metropolis," Zee said.

"That reminds me, where were you Sunday?" Shayera asked, "I thought it was your day off and called to see if you wanted to do something. I didn't get any answer."

"Oh, Sunday? Um, ah, I was busy, sorry," Zatanna said, nervously.

"Busy with what? Did you have a date or something," Shayera laughed.

"Actually, yes," Zee admitted.

"What? And you didn't tell me," Shayera exclaimed, "I thought we were friends?"

"It was just a sudden thing," Zee offered.

"So who is he," Shayera asked, "I want details."

"Yes, details, Zee," Wally echoed with a smile.

"He's someone I met in Metropolis."

"And what does this young man do for a living," Wally asked. "He does have a job of some sort, doesn't he?"

"What are you my dad? Yes, he has a job," Zatanna fired back.

"That's good, good, and what are his intentions?" Wally teased.

"Go to hell, Wally." Zee snapped back.

"Forget about him, what does this guy look like," Shayera pressed ahead.

"Well, he's tall, well built, handsome," Zee reluctantly offered.

"So what did you and this tall, well built, handsome guy do Sunday," Shayera smiled.

"We just went to dinner," Zatanna said and then added, "and dancing."

"Does this young man have a name, Zatanna," Wally asked.

"Yes, Wally he does," she replied.

"Oh, reluctantly to tell us, I see, I see," Wally offered, "What is he a little shady? Not quite on the up and up?"

Zatanna smacking him now and scowled, "he's a great guy, for your information."

"Sounds like someone has a crush," Shayera laughed.

"I like him, a lot," Zee blushed.

"Did you sleep with him," Wally asked.

"Wally! It was a first date!" she exclaimed, shocked that he would suggest that.

"You didn't answer the question, Zee."

"No! No, I didn't sleep with him! What kind of woman do you think I am?"

"You are blushing," Shayera pointed out. "Why all the mystery? Who is this guy, do we know him?"

"No," Zee quickly said, thinking to herself that they really didn't know Clark Kent, they knew Superman.

"So?"

"So, it's new and I don't want to jinx it. We've only had one date, so far," Zee explained

"Well, don't forget protection, if you see this guy again. I have some extra condoms if you need them," Wally suggested.

"What is it with everybody offering me protection? Do you all think I'm some big slut or something? I mean, come on, really!" Zee protested.

"Sorry, just looking out for you," Wally apologized.

"Well, I can take care of myself, thank you."

Before they could say anything else, the sound of Bruce's voice came reverberating through the tower.

"Wally!"

"Sounds like Bruce found the tampons I filled his locker with," Wally said with a smile.

"I'd make myself scarce if I was you," Shayera laughed.

"On my way!" Wally cheerfully said and then zipped off. Just as he vanished from the cafeteria, Bruce came storming in. He immediately came right to Shayera and Zatanna's table.

"Where is he," Bruce said, in his coldest Batman voice.

"You just missed him," Shayera smiled. Bruce grunted in frustration, then looked at Zatanna.

"This is all your fault, you know that," he said and then stalked off.