PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT!
(Not really, but it's important to the story.) Remember that part about Artemis knowing that the Joker is Ryan's uncle? Yeah, forget all about that! If Artemis were to know it would only leave three people who don't know: Roy, Connor, and M'gann. That's not very many people. I will be taking that part out of the corresponding chapter. Thank you for listening to this public service announcement and enjoy the chapter! :)
Mount Justice, Rhode Island
November 5, 2010
20:23 E.D.T.
Recognized. Kid Flash B-0-3. Artemis B-0-8. Iron Bat B-0-6. Miss Martian B-0-5. Superboy B-0-4.
The group walks out of the zeta-tube and walk up to Aqualad and Robin, who have been waiting. "We're ready to broadcast." Kaldur says.
"You go on without me. I have to check on something." Ryan says, walking away. He walks to the TV room and sits on the couch. He takes out the sphere and presses a button on it. A holographic screen shoots out of it. The screen shows the levels of power and energy of the suit. All of them are in the green zone. He presses the button again and the screen disappears. He puts it back in his pocket. Zatanna walks in.
"So, this is quite the situation we have here." She says.
"Yeah, the adults are gone, leaving us to clean up the mess." Ryan agrees.
"Well, let's hope that we can clean it up before it becomes permanent." Zatanna says.
"Yeah… let's hope." Ryan says.
"What is it?" Zatanna says.
"What? What makes you think something's the matter?" Ryan says.
"Ryan, I've known you for nine years. I should know, better than anyone, when something's wrong with you." The magician's daughter says.
Ryan sighs. "In Star City, I came across Maria."
"Really?" Zatanna says. "Did you get to introduce yourself?"
"Even if I had the chance, I wouldn't have." Ryan says. "Not in the midst of all of this chaos."
"Why didn't you have a chance?" Zatanna asks.
"She was unconscious." Ryan says. "Her leg had a huge gash in it, one arm was broken and the other was bruised everywhere."
"What? Is she okay?!" Zatanna says, worried about someone she hasn't even met.
"I gave her to two Boy Scouts. I just hope they were able to help her." Ryan says.
Zatanna sits next to him. "Maria will be fine. I'm sure of it."
Ryan smiles. "Thanks, Zee."
"No problem." She says. She then kisses him on the cheek. "Come on, I'm ready to try my father's locator spell." She walks toward the door then stops. "Egnahc sehtolc otni ym mrofinu!" Zatanna casts this spell to change into her hero outfit.
Ryan chuckles to himself and heads to the command center. Zatanna, Wally, and Kaldur follow shortly after. A holographic globe appears in the middle of the room. Zatanna walks up to it.
"Etacol retnecipe fo yrecros!" A red dot appears on the east coast of the U.S.
"Coordinates locked. Roanoke Island. You did it!" Robin says.
"You sound surprised." Ryan says.
"Shut up!" Robin says.
Ryan smirks. He then walks up to Zatanna. He sees that she's frowning.
"I promise, Zatanna. We'll fix this and get Giovanni, and all of the adults, back." Ryan comforts his adoptive sister.
"We should get ready." Robin says.
November 6, 2010
00:02 E.D.T.
The Team, and Zatanna, are going over the plan when they hear a lightning bolt strike and some kid yelling "Shazam!" behind them. They all turn to see a boy in a red hoodie behind them. "It works!" He says.
"Where did you come from? Who are you?" Aqualad says.
"Quick, read my mind!" The boy says to M'gann.
The Martian reads the boy's mind. "He's Captain Marvel!" She says.
"Yeah, and I'm Speedy Gonzalez. Look, just because he believes he's Cap-" Wally says.
"Gee, Wally, do I really have to bring you nachos and pineapple juice to get on your good side?" The boy says.
Wally just stands there, astonished.
"Wait. Can you hear that?" Ryan says.
"What is it?" Robin asks.
"It's… it's the most amazing thing: the sound of Wally not talking!" Ryan says.
"Shut up!" Wally says.
"Aaaaand it's gone!" Ryan says, snickering.
Wally just scoffs.
"Anyway, back to business." Ryan says. "What's your name?"
"Billy Batson." The boy says.
"Okay, Billy, how is it even possible that someone your age is Captain Marvel?" Robin asks.
"That's a story for another time." Billy says. "What's important now is that the adults aren't gone, just in another dimension."
"And you know this, how?" Wally asks.
Artemis slaps him in the back of the head. "Because he can obviously travel between the two. How do you think he got in here in the first place?!"
"Exactly." Billy says.
"But how can you turn from child to Cap?" Ryan asks.
"When I say… uh…" Billy starts before motioning to M'gann.
"When he says 'shazam,' he turns to Cap, and vice versa." M'gann says.
"Yep!" Billy says.
"You know, this means we can communicate with the adults." Robin says.
"I'll go tell them!" Billy says. "Shazam!" Lightning strikes and he's gone.
"That's gonna take some getting used to." Wally says.
Later that night, Ryan is in his room at the Cave. He is watching a slideshow of pictures of him and his father. He hears a knock on the door and he turns the slideshow off. "Come in!"
Robin walks in. "We're ready to head out to Roanoke. C'mon." He says.
They both head to the hangar where M'gann is waiting with the bioship.
"Come on, you two! Get in!" M'gann says.
Once inside the ship, they take their seats and the bioship straps them in.
"Ryan, could you…" M'gann starts.
"ARIAS, override Cave controls. Emergency code K-V-7-3-9. Open hangar doors." Ryan says.
"Code accepted. Opening hangar doors." ARIAS says.
The hangar doors open and M'gann flies the bioship out of the Cave.
That's the chapter! The next chapter will be coming out literally minutes after this one. Please remember to favorite, follow, and review!