Misplaced
The Bio-ship landed back in the hanger, Superboy came out with a large crate on his back while Miss Martian levitated two boxes above each of her hands
"Did you get everything?" Batman asked
"Everything on your list batman, plus groceries" She set down one of the box's as wally came up to it
"Cookie vixens?"
"Snicker doodles"
"Babe you rock my world"
The elevator to the hanger opened up letting Artemis and Zatanna out
"So how you liking the team so far?"
"It's been great; you all are really fun to be around"
Zatara said a spell levitating two crates away while Red Tornado formed a small tornado under a much larger crate carrying it away
"But my dad is still being really overprotective about some missions and a certain team member" Zatanna glanced over to see black bat was talking with batwoman while helping carry a few boxes
All of a sudden Batman, Batwoman, Zatara, and Red Tornado vanished making the crates fall to the ground spilling all of the stuff inside
"Dad!" Zatanna yelled
Dick's eyes widened too both of his parents just disappeared before his eyes
oOo
Outside an apartment building in Fawcett city, a woman was sitting on the concrete steps as she watched the two children play on the sidewalk in front of her
"Not in the street please"
A boy watched the scene from the window of his apartment building across the street hearing the news play on the TV behind him
"To day Fawcett City, Captain Marvel defeated an attack by the creatures known as I-back and Sawback"
Uncle Dudley rubbed Billy's head when he suddenly vanished
"Uncle Dudley!" Billy jumped to the front of the couch "Don't know which of my enemies is behind this, but I know a job for Captain Marvel when I see one….Shaz—" he glanced at the TV to see Cat Grant had disappeared too "Whoa looks like uncle D isn't the only one who's gone missing"
"Look out!" a crash came from outside so he ran to the window to see a car had crashed into a lightpole near where the two kids were playing
"Are you ok?"
"Forget me where's mommy?"
Billy stepped back from the window "All the grown-ups are gone and Cap's a grown up if I change I could disappear too"
oOo
Black bat and Zatanna were in the mission room looking over multiple holographic screens while the others went to rescue kids who were all alone
Wally reported "We've set up a refugee center at the high school gym any luck with—"
"Negative" black bat cut him off "Contact is unavailable to the Batcave, Hall of Justice, The watchtower, or any adult heroes including Red Arrow"
"Guess we're on our own, Kid Flash out"
"Traditional media's offline but kids worldwide are all posting the same thing every adult 18 or older has disappeared. The sorcery necessary to pull this off" she glanced over to him "Scary big"
"We will require you to locate the source"
"How am I supposed to—"
"I pulled this footage" he typed in a few commands pulling up a video "Zatara locating wotan and the Injustice League last month"
She felt flattered that black bat though she had that kind of power "B-but the words, I mean that's only part of it, the rest takes training and….B-Black bat I'm just not at zatara's level"
He turned to face her "I know that it may be difficult but you have to keep a level head. We need your assistance to bring back Zatara, batman, batwoman and the rest"
She smiled nodding
oOo
Superboy heard a baby crying from the inside of a car to ripped off the door, finding a small child and unbuckling him from his car seat
oOo
M'gann and Wally entered the high school gym with another child. Inside artemis was trying to entertain the children by singing twinkle twinkle little star but she didn't know all the lyrics so mixed in words from other songs
The boy in wally's arms handed him his Sippy cup "Aw for me? Thank you"
"Did you call home?" artemis asked
"No answer"
"You could zeta there"
"I've been collecting kids all day, I don't need to see another empty house"
The gym doors opened letting Conner walk in, two boys were in each of his arms and a girl on his shoulders "Got three more"
oOo
Billy ran across a road "Ok batson, make sure the coast is clear….and….go!" he lifted up a board to a fence and slid through running to an old photo booth "Captain Marvel 15" he waited but nothing happed glancing at the zeta camera "Captain Marvel 15…Override HOJ/ Watchtower priority red Captain Marvel 15"
A scanner flashed over Billy- NOT RECOGNIZED: ACCESS DENIED
/later/
Billy saw the television broadcast of the team sending out a message to the kids around the world and came up with another plan to get to Mount Justice. "it's up to Billy Batson to find a way to the cave" he climbed over a fence "No matter the risk"
"Please help in any way you can" Aqualad finished
"Which is how exactly?"
"That depends" Billy called to the woman inside "Do you have a pilot's license?"
oOo
Wally looked to the Helmet of Fate on his showcase of souvenirs
"I finally got through to Atlantis, no adults there either" aqualad came to join him
"So, just how desperate are we?" both of them glanced at the helmet
"We both know anyone who dones the helmet and allows nabu to possess him may never be released from being Doctor Fate"
"So not that desperate"
"Not yet"
"Guys" they turned to see Zatanna in her uniform "I-I'm ready to try my father's locator spell"
oOo
Black bat brought up a holographic 3D image of earth. Zatanna stepped up to it and resided the spell her father used with a small wand
"Coordinates locked, Roanoke Island"
oOo
"I cannot believe I let you talk me into this" Billy managed to convince her into taking a plane and flying him to happy harbor
"You did the right thing amber I know I don't look like much but I have to get to happy harbor to help"
"We're almost there, should arrive just after midnight. On my birthday"
Billy's eyes widened "Wait. Are you telling me you turn 18 at midni—" amber had already disappeared from the driver's seat "I'll take that as a yes"
/oOo/
"Cookie vixens?"
"Snicker doodles"
"Babe you rock my world"
The elevator opened to the hanger as Zatara said a spell to move some crates with Red Tornado
"So how you liking the team so far?"
"I'm glad your letting Zatanna come to the mountain more often" Batman looked to Zatara
"It was a difficult decision knowing who is also here" Zatara glanced over to dick who was helping move some boxes while talking to Selina
"You know he wouldn't hurt her"
"That's not really what I'm worried about"
Dick carried a small box in his arm filled with mostly groceries
"That does remind me we need to go out for groceries too, Agent A is still away in England"
"Well we can go a little later once we get home"
All of a sudden Miss Martian and Kid Flash disappeared from the side of a box; Superboy disappeared too making the crate he was carrying fall on the hatch spilling everything out.
Dick disappeared next making the box he was carrying fall to the ground too at selina's feet "Dick!" she tried seeing if he was just invisible by waved her hand where he was standing but only met air
Batman and Zatara's eyes widened, Zatara turned just as Zatanna and Artemis disappeared too "Zatanna!"
oOo
A car swerved around the road smashing into a car and making the van behind him smash into the bumper "Dude who taught you how to—"
"My son! My son's gone!" the man inside yelled seeing the empty car seat in the back seat
oOo
"Zatara do you know what's happening?" batman asked
"This must be an act of socercery; the children have most likely been teleported to another location"
"Selina see if you can locate dick with his tracker" Bruce turned to her, she nodded pulling up the holographic computer of the mission room and inputting the commands for the tracker in Black bat's belt
But instead of scanner the earth for him it came up with: BLACK BAT: UNKNOWN
"WHAT!" Selina yelled
"It would have come up with a signal if he was on another planet. But this means he doesn't exist" Zatara said
"Of course he exists you saw him just a few minutes ago!" Selina yelled
"Calm down Selina we won't solve anything by fighting, I checked for the other members of the team it came up with the same thing for all of them" Bruce informed them
A transmission came to Batman's com-link "yes?"
"Bruce we have a big problem" Superman reported
"We have a problem of our own, surely you can handle it can't you"
"This is world-wide have you see the news!"
"The news?" batman looked to batwoman and she nodded pulling up to local news on the holographic computer screen
Cat Grant had a worried look on her face and a small image behind her with the silhouettes of a small boy and girl titled "Where are the Children?"
"World Wide reports are all the same: Every Child under the age of 18 has disappeared, parents are desperate for answers. From secular and religious leaders, from the heroes of the justice league and from scientist at faculties like Star Labs"
After hearing the report the three league members turned to each other seeing this didn't just involve the team
"Something like this would require a massive amount of sorcery" Zatara informed them
oOo
Outside of Star Labs in Gotham city the police had made a barricade around the entrance to protect the scientist from a mob of parents outside
Lance Crock was at the front of the mob "Those Egg heads in there know what happened to our kids. For all we know they're responsible. Make them tell us the truth!" they got the mob even more fired up and began going forward
Lance smirked and began backing away at the mob was going toward the police
"Citizens of Gotham, please return to your home, rest assure the best minds here and around the world are working on this and only this" Commissioner Jim Gordon yelled to the mob through a bullhorn "Everything possible is being done to recover your…our children. Violence will not get them back so all your creating is a dangerous distraction to what really matters here tonight"
Because the police were busy holding back to mob of parents none of them noticed the man walk out of star labs dressed as a scientist with a case and then be picked up by a car smirking at lance as he patted the case
oOo
Batman and Zatara were looking at the Helmet of Fate on the showcase of souvenirs
"So how desperate are we?"
"I informed the watchtower you located the focal point at Roanoke. But the rest of the league is deployed to divert the chaos. Tornado, Batwoman, you and I are on our own"
"I would do anything to get my daughter back"
"Yes. But we both know there are many ways for you to lose her"
"So not that desperate, not yet. The entire league is unavailable?"
"Except perhaps for captain marvel, He's missing" Although he and Selina already knew he was probably in his child form when the children disappeared
oOo
Billy was struggling to keep hold of the plane's flight "I can't if I say it, I'll be an adult and maybe disappear forever. Captain Marvel may have the courage of ukuleles but Billy Batson …..has the courage of Billy Batson. Shazam!"
Lighting striked and he turned into his adult form driving a nonexistent plane before falling but catching himself by flying "Hey I didn't disappear!" he heard a scream from below "Amber!" he flew down and caught her in his arms "Gotcha!"
RECOGNIZED: CAPTAIN MARVEL 15
The three league members turned to the zeta tubes as soon as they heard the announcement of the arrival of their missing member
"Alright guys I'm here to—" Captain marvel's eyes widened at the sight of the adults and flew over getting batman and Zatara in a bear hug "You're back!" he then moved to batwoman and gave her a big hug "Is it over where's the team!"
"Haven't you heard? Every child in the world has—"Zatara began but batman cut him off
"Zatara wait, captain where have you been?"
"On a world without grownups. Holy molly there are two worlds!"
"Two dimensions, one for adults—"Batwoman began
"And one for kids" Captain Marvel finished
"And you can travel between them?" Zatara asked
"I think I can..i know I can…Shazam!"
/oOo/
Captain marvel turned back into ten year old Billy Batson "It worked" he turned to see the team
"Where did you come from? Who are you?" aqualad asked
"Quick! Read my mind" he told M'gann
Her eyed began glowing and scanned his mind, she gasped once she was done "He's Captain Marvel"
"Yeah an I'm speedy Gonzales" wally scoffed "Look just because he believes he's Cap-"
"Gee Wally do I really need to bring you nachos and pineapple juice to get on your good side?" Billy smirked and put his hands on his hips
The others eyes widened and turned to each other
/oOo/
"There will be threats in both dimensions" Batman stated "And we may not be familiar with our opponents"
/oOo/
"The key to this mission is a coordinated simultaneous attack"
/oOo/
"Agreed. The best chance against socercery is to strike fast, disrupt their efforts"
/oOo/
"And hope the two dimensions merge naturally back into one"
oOo
Klarion sensed something wasn't right teekle sensed it also and ran away. Dicks and arrows came at klarion from behind but he put up a shield to protect himself from the attack making the weapons fall at his feet "That's the best you can do?"
Klarion sent a lighting strike down at artemis and Black bat but they jumped out of the way before it could hit. Superboy, Aqualad, and Kid Flash came at him from all sides but he put up another shield making them bounce back
Zatanna stepped in and said a spell to try and break the shield but all it did was phase it a bit
"Tch baby magic" klarion said his own spell flinging Zatanna into the air but Superboy ran and caught her before she could hit the ground
Miss martian levitated some rocks to try and break through the shield so Klarion sent fire through his mouth at her but she flew away before it could hit
"Listen, when fate possessed my body he defeated klarion by attacking the cat" Kid flash told artemis
She looked to see it was licking it's paw "Good not the big cat fan anyway" she fired an arrow at it but klarion turned into a green ball of yarn as it feel at teekle's side
"Show em' what the familiar lord of chaos can do teekle" klarion hands waved over to the cat and it turned into a large beast. Superboy ran at it but was flicked away by its paw but was able to dodge when it tried to stomp him but not the next hit sending him skidding across the ground
/oOo/
Captain marvel landed behind Wizard, Batman landed behind Felix Faust, and batwoman landed behind blackbriar thorn both of them throwing batarrangs at them but the sorcerers made vines grow from the ground tying them up
Red Tornado landed and sent a tornado at one of them but he used a blast of fire to push RT back, Zatara said a spell making lighting strike each of the sorcerers, the gem in the middle of the circle began glowing and the lighting was diverted into it
/oOo/
Klarion gasped "Oh so you've teamed up with the grownups? Teams are so overrated" klarion sent the lighting building up in the gem at the team pushing back artemis and Black bat but aqualad diverted it into his hand
Artemis fell to the ground unconscious but Black bat groaned and slowly got up gritting his teeth as the electrum begun doing its work on where he was shot. Zatanna came up to them from behind "Artemis! Are you alright Black bat?" she saw he was gritting his teeth so though he might have been seriously injured
"Fine"
She glanced at the others and saw they weren't faring well against klarion, then to a rock behind her, she moved her hand to it and said a spell making the Helmet of Fate appear
/oOo/
Wizard levitated rocks out of the ground sending them at Captain Marvel but he was able to smash them easily, as he was about to attack Zatara came up to him from behind "Captain wait. That mystic Gem" pointing to the stone in the middle of the circle "Without it nothing may keep apart two worlds from becoming one once again"
"I'll tell the team…Shazam!"
/oOo/
Billy arrived to see klarion was electrocuting aqualad "it's the ge—"Miss Martian covered his mouth from behind
"Don't shout Billy I've linked you telepathically to the others"
"That's so cool, I mean…it's the gem at the center of the circl, destroy it and we win!"
Zatanna finished making the Helmet appear "That's all I needed to know" she picked the helmet up and held it above her head
"Zatanna!" aqualad yelled
"Stop!" Kid flash yelled
Black bat turned a bit to see what she was doing just as she placed the helmet on her head and was consumed in golden light letting Nabu possess her body
"Klarion! This ends now!"
"Billy tell Zatara!" Miss martian turned to him
"Right….Shazam!"
Klarion sent a ray at Fate but he sent his own back at him
"Why didn't you stop her?!" Kid flash yelled at Black bat. He was still in pain from the electrum
'Funny I should be used to being electrocuted by now'
/oOo/
Batman and Batwoman broke free from the vines and sent their batarrangs back at them to destroy them before running to join the fight
"She did what!" Zatara yelled after hearing captain marvel's report "Go back right now and-"
"No the sooner we end this the sooner we can help your daughter. Keep the bad guys distracted I have an idea" he flew through the air "Speed of mercury, Power of Zeus!" he began twisting before drilling into the ground
/oOo/
Klarion gathered energy blasts and fired them at Fate while he was flying through the air to avoid them before he stopped over the shield and sent his own ray of lighting to break through it as Aqualad used water hammers to burst through and Miss Martian levitated rocks at it
Suddenly Doctor Fate disappeared and Zatanna almost fell out of the air before Fate took over again and it switched back and forth a bit. "Hah there see, with the worlds divided the helmet splits too you're not all here nabu and your losing hold of that soon to be dead girl. Aw she gave herself for nothing"
"No witch boy! Fate decreased her sacrifice will not be in vain!" he sent a final powerful ray at the shield and with everyone working to break it, it finally started to come down
Fate imprisoned klarion in an arnk symbol binding his head and arms
"Now kid!" wally sped by and grabbed the gem out of the ground
"Doc catch!" he threw it up to Fate
/oOo/
Captain Marvel burst out of the ground below the gem and threw It up "Zatara catch!"
/oOo/
Both Doctor fate and Zatara said a spell at the same time merging the two world back into one. The four adult sorcerers fell to the ground
"Boy they sure don't make evil immortal sorcerers like they used to" klarion stated "Oh well, fun while it lasted" he snapped his fingers and the symbol binding him began dissipating and wiping some dust off his sleeve "Teekle!"
The cat was still wrestling with Conner until it was called and it jumped off the boy of steel turning back into its small form and running to klarion "See you later armadillos, unless I see you first!" he called before jumping into a portal he made behind him
Kid flash skidded to a halt below Doctor fate "Aren't you gonna stop him?"
"To what end? Klarion is chaos personified, he cannot be contained"
Batman finished tying up the four sorcerers while Batwoman reunited with her son. Zatara stepped up below Doctor Fate "Fate! Great Nabu, release my daughter"
"No, Witness the havoc rise in these hours the world needs doctor fate and the girls natural affirmation for the mystic arts makes her the perfect candidate"
"You can't do that she had her own life to live!" artemis yelled
"Kent would never allow you to—" wally began but Fate cut him off
"Kent nelson did object strenuously so I released his spirit to the afterlife, he is gone"
"Take me instead" Zatara spoke up after everyone looked at each other "My skills are already at their peak, my body is physically stronger better able to withstand the strain of your power"
"All true but if I remove the helmet, what guarantee do I have that you will don it?"
"My word" Zatara said a clarification
Doctor fate began to lower down to the ground in front of him and removed the helmet, releasing Zatanna "Dad" she hugged him
"Zatanna" he hugged her before placing a kiss on her forehead "Remember I love you" he turned over to batman "Take care of my girl"
"You have my word"
Zatara held the helmet above his head and zatanna's eyes widened "No wait this was my fault please don't dad!" but he ignored her placing the helmet on his head and letting Nabu possess his body
Doctor fate turned away from Zatanna and held his hand out to the four sorcerers "Leave these to fate" he levitated them with him as he flew in the air then vanished
Zatanna dropped to her knees while her fellow team members tried to comfort her
oOo
M'gann and Artemis were helping Zatanna move into a room at Mount Justice
"And my room is right next door if you need anything" M'gann offered
"Thanks I um could use a little alone time ok"
"Ok course" Artemis nodded and both girls left the room
To be continued
I at first wanted Dick to put the helmet on instead of Zatanna, then Zatara would see her hurt expression and take his place as Nabu's host but I didn't think all the circumstances would have gone right with that situation