"Sometimes I feel like I know everything about you, and sometimes I feel like I don't know you at all." Lois to Clark – Season 10 begins now!

Chapter 12: Zatanna Returns

The day started out normally enough, well as normal as any of our days did, Chloe thought. She and Oliver had been getting along swimmingly. She hated to admit it, but Chloe had fallen for the big green hero. He was certainly no Clark Kent, but then who was? She mused.

Oliver sat reclining on the big black leather couch near Watchtower's center. He'd been sipping a glass of red wine, and pouring over the Watchtower's more legitimate expenses, like electricity. They used a phenomenal amount to be sure, but well worth it in his estimation.

A brilliant flash suddenly lit up the dimly lighted room. Chloe was used to reading by the glow of the multiple monitor's light. A thick ooze of greenish blue smoke filled the area. She'd thought that she'd blown yet another circuit, or drive unit up.

As he grappled for the small fire extinguisher, Oliver noted a familiar set of long legs. "Zatanna!" He exclaimed as Chloe bolted towards them. After the beautiful young sorceress had zapped her and Lois into a bizarre exchange of lifestyles, she never fully trusted the raven-haired magician.

"What the hell do you want?" Chloe snarled. "Well, it's good to see you, too, Chloe." Zatanna's large, darkly shadowed eyes narrowed. "Oliver." She greeted him coldly. "Well, Z, you're looking positively scary, as usual." He needled her. "Why are you darkening our door again?"

"Because you have a problem." Zatanna said menacingly. A chill ran down Oliver's spine, as Chloe finally relaxed her confrontational posture. Oliver smiled at the pretty magic user. "Do I?" He grinned thinly. "Why do I get the feeling that my problem is actually your problem?"

"Not this time, sweetie." Zatanna flirted, purposely to annoy Chloe. Of course, she knew that Oliver and Chloe were seeing each other, as well as were Lois and Clark. "Remember how I warned you that there were scarier magical beings out there than me?" She teased.

"Yes." Oliver gulped, all seriousness again. "Well, let me put it to you this way…the proverbial 'it's about to hit the fan' rings true." Zatanna began. "It's all over the Ethernet." Chloe's eyes widened. "The what?" She encouraged. "The Ethernet. It's like the Internet for the magical community." Zatanna explained.

"I wasn't aware that we had a magical community." Oliver remarked. "Of course not." Zatanna sauntered across the floor in her six-inch heels, leaping easily onto a nearby desk. She took a seat, and elegantly crossed her legs. "The magical community remains hidden from what we call 'the mortal realm'."

"It may have something to do with burning witches at Salem." Zatanna's voice was filled with sarcasm. "The mortal realm?" Chloe parroted. "Wait. You mean to say that witches and warlocks exist, and they're immortal?" Oliver scoffed. "Some are. Only the most powerful wizards can cast a spell of that magnitude." Zatanna explained.

Chloe's eyes narrowed. "Are you sure that you haven't seen one too many Harry Potter movies?" She heckled. Zatanna chuckled. "I only wish. I've been reading my father's magic book, and it told me how to get in touch with the magical community. It was exceedingly simple, actually."

"Oliver, you'd better be ready for this." She warned, also casting a glance at Chloe.

"What? What's going on?" Chloe prodded impatiently. "Okay. Kent Nelson…" Zatanna began. "Kent Nelson?" Oliver echoed. "As in the late Dr. Fate?" The leggy young sorceress nodded. "Yes. Dr. Fate, if you prefer, not only possessed the Magic Helmet of Naboo, but was a sort of gatekeeper." She hesitated, as if to make sure she had her story straight.

"Gatekeeper?" Chloe repeated. "Yes. One of Dr. Fate's responsibilities was to keep the Veil of Secrecy closed between the magical realm and the mortal realm, or human realm, if that sounds more appropriate. When Kent Nelson died, the Helmet was corrupted." Zatanna continued.

"How is this my problem, again?" Oliver sniped. "Hello!" Zatanna flicked her finger, and one of Oliver's accounting report binders jumped up off the couch and smacked him in the back of the head, causing Chloe to snicker. "Think about it, Ollie!" Zatanna snapped.

"Don't tell me…the Veil of Secrecy was left unguarded." Oliver contributed. "Exactly." Zatanna shook her head, allowing her lengthy black hair to flow freely. "This is a bad thing, I take it?" Chloe put in. "Yes. Very bad." Zatanna deadpanned. "How bad?" Oliver's brow furrowed.

"Oh just the usual. The Veil is torn and the magical realm and the human realm intertwine, causing chaos of apocalyptic proportions. Powerful magical beings enslave the known world." Zatanna answered sarcastically. "Oh, so it's no big deal then?" Oliver added his sarcastic tone to the conversation. Chloe gasped. "How do we close it again?" She asked excitedly.

"Someone has to take ownership of the Helmet of Naboo, and mentally instruct it to reseal, thereby keeping the two realms separated." Zatanna explained. "Well, we know where it is…or was." Oliver's eyes narrowed. "The Hall of Justice, along with Carter Hall's other souvenirs."

"Dr. Fate warned us that the Helmet was too powerful for a normal human. It literally drove him mad." Zatanna shook her head. "No, Ollie, the Helmet can be controlled by a logically trained human. Hence the name: 'Doctor'. Maybe a doctor of Psychiatry?" She suggested, as a blast of wind enveloped the area. "How about a space alien?" Chloe smirked.

"Do you know one?" Zatanna asked with a puzzled expression on her face. "Three or four, actually." Chloe replied confidently. "Who?" Zatanna wondered aloud. "Duh! Right behind you." Clark's voice suddenly echoed through the Watchtower base. "Clark, did you just 'out yourself' to Zatanna?" Oliver asked with concern. "She already knew." Clark said with disdain.

Immediately, Zatanna hopped off the desk and quickly kissed Clark on the cheek, making him redden. Oliver's eyebrows rose, as Chloe shook her head. "The problem is that our Clark is just as susceptible to magic as anyone else, as you've proven, Zatanna."

"I take it that you've been listening to our dilemma?" Oliver questioned Clark. "Yeah, I caught the last half of the conversation." He admitted. "Just out of curiosity, why don't you wear the Helmet of Naboo? You're already a member of the magical community."

Clark was testing Zatanna to see if she'd learned anything about craving absolute power. "No, I can't." She glanced down with despair. "I'd go on a world destroying power trip." Clark smiled. Zatanna had passed his little test. "How long would it have to be worn?" Chloe inquired.

"As long as it takes to mentally close the Veil." Zatanna's answer was vague at best. "No, Chloe! You can't!" Clark snapped immediately. "Hopefully, it would just be a short time. Believe me Clark, I've had my share of power trips…need we mention BRAINIAC?"

next: The Veil