Child of the Forest and the Ocean
Chapter 12
Zatanna Zatara found herself floating in a dark void, surrounded by bubbles illuminated with a soft blue light that didn't penetrate the darkness. Peering inside the bubbles, she found that there were different locations inside each one.
Some showed cooks at restaurants washing dishes in the sink, with her staring up at the cook as he dipped his hands in water. Others showed pools of water in famous locations.
She grimaced as she caught sight of a large man in the shower, soapsuds trailing down his protruding belly. She glanced up at Harry, her purple eyes shining with wonder. "Is it like this every time you travel through water?"
Keeping his eyes locked forward, Harry nodded. "Yes, I'm moving slower this time, so you can see what it looks like inside the water when I do this."
Wrapping one arm around Harry, she pulled herself closer to him, while using her free hand to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. "So, where are we going?"
Harry raised an eyebrow. "You mean you don't remember?" He asked a slight smirk on his lips.
Zatanna dug her manicured nails into his arm. "I meant where are we going in this void?"
Harry nodded forward.
Looking up, Zatanna saw a large bubble, giving her a clear view of the night sky full of stars. She could hear the sounds of cars rushing by filtering down through the bubble.
"Where does that come out?"
"A block away from Jason Blood's home."
Zatanna shivered at the tingle that passed through her body when they went through the bubble.
Smog filled air caught in their lungs and the sounds of the city came crashing down upon them. Cars honked, people yelled, and the pop, pop, of gunfire echoed in the distance.
Suddenly, Harry stumbled, his hand flying to his head. The world spun around him in a vision of a blurred mess. He leaned against the wall, the pungent smell of garbage wafting from a dumpster a foot away.
Zatanna's high-heeled boots clicked on the asphalt. "Are you alright?" She asked placing a slender hand on his forehead.
"I'm fine."
Closing her eyes, Zatanna muttered words Harry couldn't quite make out.
A coolness rush through his body, soothing away the pain in his head.
Zatanna's eyes slowly opened, shining a dim purple in the shadows of the alley.
"No you're not," she said dropping her hand from his forehead, "the earth may rejuvenate your body, but your mind needs rest."
Grimacing as the pain in his head returned, thundering like a runaway freight train. Harry pushed off the wall. "I can rest after I get my mother back from the demon that kidnapped her."
Turning, he strode out of the alley, his boots splashing in the puddles they came through.
Zatanna turned, catching up with him in three quick strides with her long slender legs. "You're not going to be any good to your mother if you're too tired to do anything when we find her."
"If it was your father would you stop until he was back safe?" Harry asked keeping his eyes locked forward.
Zatanna cursed at having her own argument turned against her, but nodded in defeat. "Fine, but after we see Jason, were going to find somewhere to rest for the night."
Harry opened his mouth to argue, but Zatanna cut him off. "It's either we find somewhere to rest, or I put you under a sleeping spell until morning."
"It was daytime when we left Metropolis, it's well past dark here, it shouldn't have taken us that long to get from Metropolis to Gotham. You are mentally exhausted, you know you need rest, and you're going to get it one way or another."
Harry knew she was right. His head pounded like someone took a sledgehammer to it. His eyes hurt, and darkness crept in at the edges of his vision. He needed rest, but how could he do that when his mother was in the hands of a demon?
Stopping at the end of the street, Harry turned. Before him was a tall four-story brownstone, the light from its square windows painting the dark brown bricks yellow.
An iron gate formed a square around the property, fat grotesque gargoyle looking demons sat perched on the iron railing, casting deformed shadows on the short manicured lawn behind them.
Harry dropped to one knee placing his hand on the ground, while Zatanna moved forward, one hand outstretched.
The moment Zatanna took a step the gargoyle closest to her turned. Its long tongue pulled back into its mouth, and its eyes burned a deep crimson. "It appears Mr. Blood has some very unique and powerful protections." she eyed the small horns protruding from the gargoyle's head. I've never seen golems made of iron before."
"I'm not sure if there golems, but the feeling I'm getting from them is certainly unnatural."
Harry rose to his feet. "The earth here is outside the control of the green, which shouldn't be possible." His eyes flicked to the short grass on the other side of the iron fence, "every time I try to grab a hold of it the earth slips through my grasp."
"So, how do you want to get in?" Zatanna asked chewing on her thumbnail in thought.
"We can't set foot on the property without setting off the defenses. I have an idea, but it's going to be loud."
Zatanna's eyes trailed along the iron fence. Each of the gargoyles sitting on the fences four corners turned their heads, watching her with cautious eyes, their dark metal lips twisted into snarls.
"I'm okay with loud. By the looks of it I wouldn't want to trip Mr. Blood's defenses."
Backing up into the light of the streetlamp, Harry closed his eyes letting a cool breeze wrap around his body. The faint scent of rain filled his nose as he inhaled. It looked like there was another storm on the way.
Spreading his arms wide, he reached out with his magic, grabbing ahold of the light. The bulb began to flicker, but he ignored it. Forcing his magic through the wires that connected the streetlamps, he grabbed a hold of more light from other streetlamps.
All along the street lamps began to explode, filling the air with a popping sound that mixed with the sound of glass tinkling to the ground.
The street was plunged into darkness, the only light coming from the windows of Jason Blood's brownstone.
Slowly, warmth filled his body, soothing away his aches and pains. Bending his arms, he formed a triangle with his hands. Beams of light shot from his palms and fingers, forming a small ball in the center of the triangle.
During a lesson with his mother, he had learned because of her connection to plant life, his mother absorbed sunlight.
She'd never tried to use it as a weapon, too afraid that she would burn herself to a husk from the inside out. However, with his mother missing, he didn't care about the risk. She was in the hands of a demon. He would do anything to get her back.
He winced, the heat in his body increased, steam began to rise off his flesh. He could feel the green and the clear within his body struggling to heal the damage the heat was doing. His eyes shined a bright green with power as he released the energy in a concentrated beam of bright white light.
The beam shot forward, softening the asphalt underneath it as it moved. A heat wave rose off the ground in its wake.
A cube shaped red barrier flared into existence before the gate encompassing the property.
The beam punched right through the barrier, the barrier having not been designed for non-magical attacks. It continued on sizzling through the iron fence filling the air with the scent of heated asphalt and burned metal. The gargoyles at the gates four corners screeched loud enough to set off car alarms.
Harry fell to his knees. Holes burned into his jacket smoldering with a dull orange glow. The screeching of the gargoyles and the wail of car alarms pounded in his ears, driving him to squeeze his eyes shut.
Zatanna started forward, but stopped when tendrils of water formed in midair flowing into Harry's body. She watched as more tendrils flowed up from puddles on the ground covering his body like a second skin.
As the water disappeared, she moved, watching steam rise off him. Heat radiated off his body even after the water disappeared. Tentatively, she placed a hand on his jacket, causing it to fall into ash at her touch. "Are you alright?"
Exhaling more steam that rapidly cooled his body back down to normal levels, Harry inclined his head a strained smile on his lips, and a sheen of sweat covering his face.
"Yeah, I'm fine, but remind me not to do that again. Apparently plants can only take so much heat before they burn up, my unique physiology makes me partially resistant, but that resistance also allows the heat to stay in my body longer, doing more damage."
"Should we leave?"
"No, I'm already healing. Besides, that would be rude." Rising to his feet, he brushed soot off his light blue T-shirt. Clenching his hand into a fist, he crumpled the gargoyles at the fences four corners into black metal balls the size of pool balls.
Zatanna was going to tell him that they were already being rude by damaging the guy's fence, but then she caught sight of the blackened holes in his T-shirt, giving her a good view of defined tan muscle. Pulling her gaze away, she focused it on the iron fence. A good section of its metal bars were melted, dripping glowing orange molten metal onto the grass. With each drip of hot metal, pale white smoke wafted up from the grass.
With a muttered word, the orange metal cooled into melted iron with a layer of frost blanketing it. Small circles of iron decorated parts of the grass like pimples.
"Good idea," Harry commented starting forward, "we are already dropping by uninvited. the last thing we want to do is burn the guys house down."
Moving beside him, Zatanna noticed the burn holes in his jeans for the first time in the way his hands shook even as he clenched them into fist. "You sure you're alright?"
Harry nodded, shoving his hands into his pockets. "I'm fine."
Their feet scuffed along the stone walkway before clicking off the brick steps leading to the dark wooden front door.
Leaning passed Harry, Zatanna reached for the bronze knocker in the center of the door, but before she could touch it the door swung open.
Standing in the doorway was a tall man in his late twenties. A strip of white went through his dark red hair, but his green eyes focused on them intently.
Thanks to his Atlantean training, Harry watched the muscles beneath the man's dark green blazer twitch.
"You know," he started in a voice with a British accent slipping one hand into the pocket of his khaki pants. "if you wanted to visit you could've just knocked."
Harry nodded back at the gate, "We would have, but we weren't really sure how to get past your defenses, and to be honest, the gargoyles kind of creeped her out."
The man, who they assumed was Jason nodded, pushing himself off the doorframe, "Fair enough."
With a wave of his hand, reality shimmered. When it stopped, the gate and the small burn holes in the yard were repaired.
Nodding to himself, Jason turned his attention back to the teens. "Now, why don't you tell me why you were trying to break into my home?"
Harry's face hardened, his eyes becoming like chips of rock. "My mother was kidnapped by Tala. We need to know what you can tell us about her."
Jason flinched, and his handsome square jawed face fell, his green eyes shining with regret. "I knew darkness was eventually going to find her, but I never thought it would be Tala." He raised his head to look at the teens. "You see Tala has always been the type to seduce with the promise of power."
Turning, he gestured for them to come inside, the sleeves of his dark turtleneck poking out of his blazer. "However, that wasn't what your mother was after, if we're going to discuss the past you might as well come in."
Harry led the way forward. His footsteps were muffled on the long red carpet covering the dark wooden floor. A chandelier bathed the dark paneled walls with its brilliant light.
Small lights fashion to look like oil lamps were mounted in between the three windows on either side of the front door.
A staircase straight ahead of him led upstairs, its curved steps covered in the same red carpet as the one underneath their feet.
Passed the staircase, Harry could see light reflecting off pots and pans in the kitchen.
To the left of the staircase, doors led off into other rooms. Well-worn brass handles accentuating their dark wood.
Stepping into the living room, Harry eyed the curved antique furniture with its expertly stuffed red cushions. Tapestries from history hid the paneling in this room with the help of bookcases packed with books in Gaelic, Latin, and a few other languages Harry didn't recognize.
Jason moved over to a throne like chair sitting at the head of a coffee table in the center of the room and sat down. Crossing one leg over the other, he gestured to the couch with one hand, while gesturing to a set of high backed chairs with the other. "You better sit down."
"You seem to have a thing for history, Mr. Blood." Zatanna said, easing herself onto the couch, but letting her eyes flicked to the suits of armor standing like honor guards in the four corners of the room. There metal polished to a bright sheen.
Jason's eyes flicked around the room. "These things remind me of my home, but I do prefer a brownstone as opposed to a castle," he said his lips forming into a smile, "it's so much easier to heat."
"So it's true then," Harry said from his spot beside Zatanna, keeping his eyes locked with Jason's. "You are immortal and you have a demon in you?"
"Bound to me," Jason corrected. His eyes flashed red and his canines lengthened.
Zatanna threw herself into the back of the couch, her eyes wide.
"Now," Jason said returning his features to normal. "You didn't come here to talk about me. You mentioned something about Tala kidnapping your mother?" He nodded at Harry.
"And you mentioned something about the darkness coming after my mother," Harry countered.
"In my long life," Jason began interlocking his fingers in his lap. "I have come across a lot of dangerous and forbidden magic. Your mother came to me about sixteen years ago now, and asked me if I knew of a way to resurrect the dead. I turned her away telling her doing so would damn one's own soul." he shook his head looking Harry up and down, "but it appears she found the magic she was looking for anyway."
Harry's stomach dropped. A cold chill ran through his veins, setting him on edge. He knew his mother had performed some dark magic to resurrect him, but he never imagined she would sell her own soul to get the job done.
"Are you saying Tala kidnapped my mother to collect her soul!" Harry demanded.
"I suspect Tala collected your mother for another reason, but your mother does have a stain on her soul. The magic I mentioned is the only way for a soul to cross the barrier between here and the afterlife."
Resting one hand on Harry's knee, Zatanna leaned forward, a strand of dark hair falling over one eye. "If Tala didn't take Lily Potter to collect on the debt she owes, do you have any idea what she took her for?"
Jason slowly shook his head, his broad shoulders relaxing into his chair. "Tala has had many schemes over the centuries. I couldn't say for sure which one she's trying to accomplish with Lily, or Pamela as I hear she likes to be called now."
Harry rose to his feet. "Thank you for the information Mr. Blood, but I think it's time we get…" Harry trailed off swaying on his feet.
"Harry?" Zatanna questioned rising to her feet just as he crumpled to the floor.
Dropping to her knees beside him, Zatanna gently patted his cheek with her slender hand, "Harry, Harry, can you hear me. Come on Harry wake up."
Standing gracefully, Jason took a step forward dropping to one knee at Harry's head.
Placing two fingers on his forehead he closed his eyes. A red energy outlined Harry's body. As quick as it came, it disappeared.
"It appears that trick your friend pulled outside put more strain on his body than he thought."
"Will he be all right?" Zatanna asked, keeping her shimmering purple eyes on Harry.
"After a nights rest he'll be fine."
Zatanna released a breath, but her lips twisted. "How am I supposed to get him to a hotel? I mean I can't just appear there, and Harry's the one with the deep pockets."
"You can stay here for the night," Jason said, running a hand down his face.
Zatanna's eyes snapped to the immortal, "Really?"
"Yes, I may have a demon in me, or more precisely be bound to one, but I can't very well let two teenagers, one of them being injured, walk the streets at this time of night." With a wave of his hand, Harry's body levitated off the floor. "Come on, I will show you to your rooms."
"If it's all the same to you, I would prefer to stay with Harry."
Jason arched a dark red eyebrow, but nodded. "I can't imagine your father would be too happy with that arrangement, but then again I'm not him, and I very much doubt you're going to do anything with harry unconscious."
Zatanna flushed as sensual images flashed through her mind, but shook her head.
Zatanna followed Jason up the stairs, holding Harry's head in her hands. "I have to ask Mr. Blood," she nodded at the red carpet covering the dark hardwood. "What's with all the red?"
"Red was Arthur's favorite color in Camelot," Jason replied without turning around. "I decorate my home with it to remind me of old times."
Zatanna's eyes widened and she nearly dropped Harry's head in shock, catching it on a raised knee before she gave him whiplash. "You mean Camelot and King Arthur were real!"
The lips on the half of Jason's face that she could see twitched, "Yes, very real."
Before she could ask any more questions, they reached the top of the landing. Her eyes instantly flicked to either side of her. Doors with the same burnished bronze handles line the landing. A table set at the far end of the hallway, the lamp on it the only thing beating back the shadows.
"Do you have many guests?" Zatanna asked tearing her eyes away from the double doors at the far end of the left side of the hallway.
"A few every now and then when they want to discuss history."
Jason blood, Zatanna, and the unconscious Harry past three doors on his right, his Brown loafers glided across the dark wood with a warriors' grace.
Opening the door, he stepped aside while simultaneously flipping a switch.
Lamps fashioned to look like oil lamps burst to life at the four corners of the room.
Following the unconscious Harry, Zatanna gazed around the room.
Harry settled onto the crimson sheets of a large king-size four poster bed. A matching canopy stretched over the four post half hid him in shadow.
Two nightstands sat on either side of the bed, the shades of the lamps depicting medieval scenes.
Slowly, she turned back to Jason. "Thank you for letting us stay here, Mr. Blood."
Jason waved her away. "It's not a problem, but I need you gone by morning, it's too dangerous for anyone to stay for too long. It could attract unwanted attention."
Zatanna nodded and Jason pulled the door shut with a click.
Sitting down on the edge of the bed, Zatanna unzipped her boots. Kicking them off, she set them side-by-side and wiggled her toes against the cool wooden floor.
Rising to her feet she walked the three steps to the closet and pulled its folding doors open. Finding it empty except for clothes hangers, she shrugged out of her jacket and hung it up.
Walking backwards, she fell onto the bed. With a muttered word, both her and Harry sunk beneath the sheets. Snuggling into Harry's side, she closed her eyes. Another muttered word, and the lights clicked off, plunging the room into semidarkness.
Opening her eyes, she stared out the room's only window listening to Harry's steady heartbeat. For a while, she watched the clouds drift in front of the half-moon until Harry's heartbeat lolled her to sleep.
–XX –
Harry awoke to the feeling of warm sunlight on his face and a weight on his chest. His eyes fluttered open, only for his vision to be filled with a familiar nest of black hair. The scent of jasmine and something he couldn't quite place filled his nose.
His heart rate increased, the muscle hammered against his chest hard enough that he thought his ribs would break. His mind raced, he tried to remember what happened last night. He remembered talking to Jason blood, he remembered standing up, and then nothing.
Shifting under the blankets covering his body, he felt his clothes drag against the sheets. Relaxing slightly, he let the tension drain from his shoulders.
Glancing at Zatanna's face, he felt her breasts press against his chest then withdraw with each breath. Air brushed past her soft pink lips to caress his face.
With supreme effort, Harry unwound his arm from Zatanna's waist and slowly slid out of bed. A chill went through his body as his bare feet touched the wooden floor. Rising up, he stood before the window his arms spread wide, letting the morning sun bathe his body.
Warmth and energy filled him in a gentle trickle, nothing like the searing heat from the previous night when he absorbed the light of the streetlamp.
Glancing around the room he found his and Zatanna shoes leaning against the foot of the bed. Padding across the floor, he headed towards the door at the far end of the room. He stopped before it, glancing at the oval mirror set into a dresser off to his left.
His hair was a rat's nest of dark threads. Faded dark circles stood out beneath his eyes. His gaze flicked down to his light blue T-shirt, taking in the burn marks and holes. "You look like shit old boy."
Stepping back from the dresser, Harry grabbed the curved handle of the door and pushed it open. He found a moderately large bathroom with light gray tiles covering the floor and smaller white tiles blanketing the walls.
Stepping on the tiles he groaned and wiggled his toes against the warmth radiating from them.
A white porcelain toilet was directly off to his left. Beside it was a sink, its polished silver fixtures reflecting light from the glass flower shaped covers on the wall. Moving over to it, Harry found washcloths, soap, and even shaving equipment sitting in neat rows on the shelves inside.
Off to his right, was a large shower. Three pulsating jets that formed a triangle stood out against the dark blue tiles that made up the shower walls. A Square recess set into the wall holding a familiar bottle of Axe bath soap. Sitting beside the soap was a brand of shampoo in a white bottle that Harry didn't recognize.
Stripping off his clothes, he walked towards the shower, wondering how Blood got his brand of soap.
With a flick of his hand, the door slowly swung shut, clicking into its frame.
–XX –
Zatanna awoke to the sound of running water. Without opening her eyes, she groped blindly with one hand, only to fill a rapidly fading warm spot in the bed. Sitting up with a groan, she wiped her dark hair out of her face, tucking the strands behind her ears.
Sliding off the bed, she padded her way over to the closet. Opening it, her eyes widened at what she saw. Inside was not only her jacket from the previous night, but also a variety of clothes for both men and women.
With a muttered word, the filth vanished from her body, unfortunately burning her clothes off in the process, leaving her in a black lace bra and matching panties.
Throwing her now silky dark hair behind her, she began holding up different tops to her chest. She had just settled on a lavender blouse with a pair of skinny jeans when the bathroom door opened. She spun around, only to freeze.
Harry stood there a white fluffy towel wrapped around his waist, water glistening off his broad tan chest and dripping from his tussled hair.
Zatanna's eyes trailed down his stomach, settling on the knot of the towel sitting just below his bellybutton. Heat began to pool in her belly.
Likewise, Harry's emerald eyes scanned her body, memorizing the fantastic feminine curves and tone muscle, but paying particular attention to the curves highlighted by the black lace clinging to her body. His tongue slowly licked his lips, and a certain part of his anatomy began to rise.
Realizing what they were doing. Both turned away, their cheeks burning a bright red. "Sorry about that," they said at the same time.
Cheeks still a bright pink, Zatanna cleared her throat. "Somehow," she gestured to the closet, "we have fresh clothes."
Nodding, Harry turned away Zatanna watched his behind sway as he made his way over to the dresser. Pulling the drawers open one by one, he glanced over his shoulder, making sure to keep his gaze locked on her eyes. "There are socks and unmentionables in here."
Slipping on the lavender top, Zatanna shook her head, a contemplative look in her eye. "There were no clothes in here last night."
Grabbing a pair of light blue boxers, Harry made his way to the bathroom. "Well this is a magic house." The bathroom door clicked shut behind him and Zatanna shoulders relaxed.
Her cheeks burned and her hand shook a little from what just happened, but at the same time she enjoyed the way Harry's eyes raked over her body.
Blowing a strand of dark hair out of her face, she grabbed a pair of leather pants before making her way over to the dresser and grabbing a pair of socks. She eyed the bra and panties lining one of the drawers in neat rows. She really hoped it was magic that provided these things, or that would say some really uncomfortable things about Jason Blood.
Turning, she froze, a chests sat at the foot of the bed. She was sure that hadn't been there a few minutes ago. On top of it sat two bowls of fruit. Padding forward, she plucked an apple and banana from the bowl. After a muttered word to make sure it was safe, she took a bite of the apple, sending sweet tangy juice running down her chin.
There was something not normal about this house, but it sure was useful.
–XX –
Fifteen minutes later, Harry and Zatanna strode down the slightly curved staircase their bellies full of fruit.
Zatanna was dressed in a red T-shirt covered by the leather jacket Harry had made her and a pair of matching pants that showed off her curves with each sway of her hips. Her black hair was draped over her shoulders, hiding her crescent moon earrings from view.
Harry moved slightly in front of her, a light brown leather bomber jacket covering a dark green T-shirt outlined his broad frame. Jeans covered his legs, and his light brown work boots echoed off the stairs.
Jason blood emerged from the living room, a china saucer with a matching cup balance on it pinched between his thumb and pointer finger. He was dressed in the same clothes as the night before, which made both teens wonder if he had multiple copies of that outfit.
His green eyes roamed over them before he nodded. "Good, it got the sizes right."
"It?" The two teens chorused with raised eyebrows.
Jason waved them away, "This house is inhabited by a servant spirit that takes care of the inhabitants, but sometimes it's a little off on the clothes."
Wrapping his pointer finger around the handle of his cup, he raised it to his lips. "Do you two know where you're going?"
"Our next lead is Mirror Master. He's the one who took my mother on Tala's orders."
Jason inclined his head, snapping the fingers of his free hand.
A circular portal made of bright red energy opened in the air beside him. On the other side was a long rectangular shaped building covered in weathered gray wooden siding. Grime covered the two Windows on either side of the front door, and smoke billowed out of the grey stone chimney that was missing a few bricks.
"This is Smokies bar, a known hang out for villains," Jason said drawing the teen's attention back to him. "you'll find Mirror Master here."
Stopping before the portal, Harry glanced at Blood. "How do you know he's here?"
A smirk slid onto Jason's face, and his green eyes twinkled, "Magic."
Zatanna moved beside Harry, causing him to glance at her. "You ready?"
Zatanna nodded and Harry turned back to Jason offering him his hand. "Thank you for your help, Mr. Blood."
"You're welcome. Now go save your mother. I know how it feels to be damned. I would not wish that on anyone."
Slipping his hand into Zatanna's, Harry nodded. Together, they stepped into the portal vanishing in a flash of red light.
–XX –
Gravel crunched under their feet as they landed. A cool breeze bent the smoke rising up from the chimney and sent the duo's jackets fluttering against their bodies.
Cars of various styles lined the small parking lot in front of the bar with the occasional motorcycle in between them. Most of the cars were in states of disrepair, rust decorated their multicolored frames. More than one had at least one door that was not the same color as the rest of the car, and a lot of them had paint missing off the roof or hoods.
Harry started forward, his shoulders set, and his lips twisted into a scowl.
Zatanna jogged beside him, facing straight forward. "So how do you want to do this?"
Gesturing with one hand, gravel floated up forming into a large ball with spikes protruding from it.
Zatanna inclined her head. "Shock and awe then."
With a flex of his fingers, the makeshift mace flew forward slamming into the bar's weathered door, reducing it to a pile of kindling.
The duo picked up the pace, their footsteps reverberating through the wooden porch built onto the front of the building.
Within moments they were inside, their vision obscured by a haze of smoke lingering in the air.
A bar lined the right side of the room, a heavyset man stood behind it, rubbing a pale white cloth on its weathered surface.
Flicking one hand outward, Harry tossed a role of cash onto the bar.
The barman's large hand slammed down on the role of money. Picking it up between a sausage like thumb and forefinger, he raised a white eyebrow at Harry. "What's this for?"
"For any damage I do while I'm here."
The barman nodded, slipping the money into the breast pocket of the black shirt stretched taut across his large belly. "At least you're paying for the things you're breaking," he muttered casting narrowed brown eyes throughout the room. "That's more than most of these jokers do."
Ignoring the barman, Harry surveyed the room.
Circular tables took up most of the floor space in the center of the room. At least three chairs sat around each table. Stuffing poked out of their cushions, and more than one had a railing missing out of its back.
Pool tables sat just past the tables, single naked light bulbs hung over the tables, swinging back and forth in the breeze of the ceiling fans circulating hot air throughout the room, casting a long shadow over the tables weathered green felt.
The clack, clack, of pool balls slamming together tapered off as the people around the tables raise their sticks as makeshift weapons.
His enhanced hearing picked up rapid heartbeats. Atlantean trained eyes watched fingers flex. While others shifted nervously. These weren't the type of people that liked being caught off guard. They were going to act soon.
As if to prove his point, patrons turned at the newcomers, most begin rising from their seats, their hands sliding to various weapons.
With a gesture, Harry sent wooden branches rising from the seats to pull their previous occupants back down.
With a muttered word in a wave towards the rest of the occupants, Zatanna forced their limbs together, causing them to fall to the floor as stiff as boards with a purple glow outlining their bodies.
Harry started forward, his feet making a sucking sound as he pulled them off the wooden floor. His nose wrinkled at the scent of alcohol, smoke, vomit, and piss. This place was a serious health hazard. It would be a public service just to burn it down.
His head swiveled around the room, emerald eyes glowing brightly in the gloom. "I'm going to ask this just once, where is Mirror Master?"
"You can't just come in here and demand answers of us!" A man in red spandex shouted fighting to rise.
Harry turned eying the man. Slowly, he made his way forward, mentally withdrawing the vines holding the man in place.
A belt made of square boxes hung around his waist. Two holsters settled on either hip, both containing large guns with an extended rectangular magazine inserted horizontally just under the barrel.
He stopped before him searching his memory for who this man was. After a moment, he snapped his fingers. "You are Dead Shot, supposed to be the greatest assassin in the world."
The silver helmet adorning the man's head showing one white eye, and one red eye with a crosshair design in the center shifted as the man dipped his head. "That's right."
Raising his arm, Dead Shot aimed a square box attached to his wrist at Harry's head.
Lashing out, Harry wrapped his fingers around the device and crushed it.
Sparks shot from the device and bullets rain down to the floor. He watched them fall for a moment his head cocked to one side. "Strange gun you got there, but I guess assassins do get the best toys."
Red gloved hands twitched slowly moving towards the guns on each hip, the metal disk over each knuckle flashing in the daylight coming through the broken door.
Stretching forth his hand, Harry reached out with his mind freezing Dead Shot in place. Slowly, he made his way forward. "You know, for an assassin you're not very smart."
Placing two fingers on the man's forehead, Harry stared into the masks eyeholes.
Dead Shot's back arched, his head snapped back, his legs kicked, and his hands flexed.
Images flowed into Harry's mind at an accelerated rate too fast for a normal human to make sense of.
After a good two minutes Harry pulled his hand back and dead shot collapsed to the ground.
Placing one hand on the grimy floor, Dead Shot rose to his feet, his other hand going to his gun.
With a gesture, Harry willed wooden tentacles to rise up from the floor, and wrap around his body, pinning him to the floor.
Without saying a word, Harry turned stalking towards the back of the bar, his eyes locked on the occupant in a booth half hidden in shadow.
The man shifted, his tan overcoat falling open to reveal his orange and green spandex suit.
Never breaking his stride, Harry thrust his hand forward, alcohol in glasses or bottles on nearby tables rose up forming into ice spikes that shot forward.
Mirror Master cried out as they slammed into his arms nailing him to the wall.
Sliding into the booth, Harry locked eyes with mirror master. A cold smile twisted his face, one that promised pain. "Hello Evan, you and I need to talk."
"How do you know my name?" Mirror Master grunted.
Harry leaned forward, exhaling frost that dropped the buildings temperature enough for the occupant's breaths to steam on the air.
Frost climbed up the windows and the ceiling fans whined to a stop, smoke billowing out of the small motors and sending the scent of burned wires wafting throughout the room.
"I know a lot of things," Harry rotated one finger, causing the spikes in Mirror Master's arms to mimic his actions.
Mirror Master screamed, causing the other occupants to flinch. Some tried to rise, but a muttered word from Zatanna froze them in place, even as Harry's actions twisted her insides.
Rivulets of blood flowed from Mirror Master's wounds painting the arms of his trenchcoat red. "What do you want?" He gasped out beads of sweat running down his face, sticking his brown hair to his head.
"You kidnapped my mother on the orders of a demon, called Tala. I want to know where you took her."
Evan's brown eyes grew wide. "Your Poison Ivy's kid?"
Harry opened and closed his hand, causing the ice spikes buried in Mirror Master's arms to grow tiny barbs. He cried out flailing as the little thin ice needles punch through the flesh and nerves to explode out the end of his fingertips.
"Among other things," Harry answered ignoring the shouts of pain coming from the man across from him.
Parts of the arms of the suit flaked off revealing the blackened frostbitten paths the needles had taken through the villain's arms.
"Now, where is my mother?"
"I dropped her off at Arkham Asylum," Mirror Master panted, beads of sweat running down his face. "that bitch has got something planned there."
Keeping his eyes locked on Mirror Master, Harry raised his hand. Splinters from the wooden door rose into the air and slowly weaved their way towards him through the air. "I just have one final question."
"What are you going to do kill me, heroes don't kill!"
A dark smile twisted Harry's face. "Whoever said I was a hero? Now why did you kidnap my mother?"
Watching the wooden needles draw closer, Mirror Master's head dropped onto his chest. "That demon Tala was supposed to help me with my cocaine addiction." he shook his head. "instead she made it worse," he turned his head to meet Harry's gaze.
For the first time, Harry noticed the partially glazed look in the man's eyes in the way his hands shook even as they were pinned to a wall.
His tongue darted out across his lips, his eyes flicked to the knocked over bottle of booze on the table. For a moment, he just watched the amber liquid drip off the edge of the table. Slowly, he raised his head and Harry could see just how broken he was inside. "So at this point killing me would be a mercy."
Harry stared at the man's downcast eyes. He was right, killing him would be a mercy, but at this point he didn't care, this man had stolen his mother, he would serve as an example for anyone else who tried something against his family. "Good to know," he moved his hand, but the splinters wouldn't move.
Zatanna moved over beside him and shook her head. "That's enough, we've got what we needed now heal him and let's go."
Harry sprang to his feet. "This piece of filth kidnapped my mother and gave her to a demon he's got to pay."
"So don't heal his arms. Leave him the way he is so he can't ever pick up is mirror gun again, but leave him with his life. Don't stain your soul."
They stared at each other for a long moment, but eventually Harry dropped his arm, letting the wooden needles rain to the floor.
Nodding, Zatanna led the way out of the bar. Everyone watched them go. As they passed, the wooden tentacles holding people in place withdrew and the spell keeping them from struggling vanished, but after the scene they had witnessed no one dared challenge them.
Just before they reached the door, a feminine figure slid off a barstool, her pale blonde pigtails brushing the shoulders off her tight T-shirt. Her red lips pulled back in a smile, showing off perfect white teeth. Her slender hand with glossy pointed fingernails dropped to the gold-plated gun on her hip.
Zatanna raised her hands, but Harry stepped past her, his eyes sweeping up the long pale legs poking out of the very small blue shorts, before resting on the startling eyes decorated with light blue eyeliner.
"Aunt Harley?"
Harley Quinn smiled, her blue eyes twinkling. "Hey sugar long time no see."
Quick as a flash, she drew a golden plated gun with Joker etched into the side. A shot rang out through the club. Spinning around, Harry saw Mirror Master slumped in his booth, a bullet hole in his forehead. Blood, brain matter, and bits of bone decorated the wall behind the former villain.
He turned back to his surrogate aunt just as she holstered her gun. "Now that that's over with, let's go save your mama."
Harley led the way out of the bar, her behind dancing in her short blue shorts.
"Your aunt just killed that guy," Zatanna whispered.
"Harley is very protective over her family," Harry shrugged, "besides I had already tortured him."
"Yeah, that something we're going to need to be discussing in the future."
Shoving his hands deep into his pockets, Harry nodded knowing that was not a conversation he was going to enjoy.
