"Well, John?" Oliver asked as John Stewart's ring scanned Barry who fidgeted in his seat.
John shook his head, "Ring doesn't pick up any residual psychic traces, either this guy's good or we're dealing with some other force."
Barry scratched his head as his left leg bounced, "So if we don't know how this person is infiltrating people's minds then we can't stop him from doing it again."
"Not yet, Barry we're gonna figure this out." Kendra rested a hand on his left leg making it still. "We'll make sure you won't hurt anyone else."
"This might be magical in nature." Oberon says as he entered the main hall.
"How'd you figure?" Carter asks as Oberon clicks a button which makes a monitor descend from the ceiling. A woman with bags under her eyes continues her reporting, "-reports come in from Asia and Europe of accidents and disasters from people falling asleep on freeways, planes crashing…"
"This all happened last night!" gasps Kendra.
"We should've guessed it was a global phenomenon, especially with each of our cities across America it makes sense the bastard was targeting everyone." Green Arrow growled leaning back in his chair. Why weren't John, Carter, Kendra and him infected like Barry was.
"From our known database and cross references with Argus and DEO there are no known telepaths with this kind of strength." Oberon says turning the monitor off. "We're also getting requests and demands for our help, or knowledge of this phenomenon. Even Waller left a…very demanding voice message."
"No sleep related incidents since this morning, right?" John asked his ring.
"No sleep anomalies detected."
"It could be the person could only use their gift during the night." John theorizes.
"Then we have twelve hours to find this bastard and stop them." Barry said.
"Do you know what time it was when you attacked Iris?" asked Oliver.
Barry looked at him shocked.
"Oliver?" Carter asked.
"I have a theory but I need to know when the situation happened?" Oliver said removing his hood.
"I guess it was about…" Barry closes his eyes focusing on that memory of seeing Zoom in his room. The rage and fear was still fresh and Barry buckled to his knees.
"We're right here, Barry." Kendra encouraged. Sweat beaded on his head, this wasn't a memory, it was like the nightmare was now engraved in his soul. Barry opened his eyes to see the Hall of Justice was not filled with his closest friends but his worst enemies: Zoom, Reverse Flash, Gorilla Grodd, and Captain Cold.
"I don't like that look in his eyes." Muttered Captain Cold his hands inching to his freeze gun.
Barry almost choked in shock. I'm in the hall of Justice with my friends. I'm in the hall with my friends. I'm with my friends. Friends.
"Barry" said reverse flash who slowly faded back to Oliver Queen. "Do you remember the time?"
"It was midnight, like 12:15 or something."
"Okay so 12:15 PM, how does this help Arrow head?" asked Oberon crossing his arms.
"That would be 12:15 PM central time." Oliver said.
The lightbulbs went off in John Stewart. "Ring what time did we encounter the sleeping jumpers, pacific time?"
"10:15 P.M."
"And I encountered my sleep deprived mother at 1:15 AM eastern time." Oliver said.
"So it all happened within that one hour?" Kendra concluded.
"Could be, Oberon can you look up at all the major incidents across the globe and see if they did happen around the same time?"
Most people would crumble under the weight of such an assignment but Oberon grew in stature. "You bet your ass boss."
"I also know someone who does magic who could help with this case, if it is magical in nature." Oliver says rising from his seat.
"I know an old magical friend who I used to work with that can help." Carter said surprising everyone in the room. Carter wished he could put his foot in his mouth. An old teammate from his previous life, something he tried to keep the justice league from knowing about. He didn't know why the idea of his current team and his past one interacting made him so uncomfortable. Might as well see it through.
"OK we'll call on your friend." Oliver says with a small chuckle. He was relieved, he'd rather not have John Constantine to not have any interaction with the Justice League.
"Call your friend too, two heads are better than one, right?" Carter said. Oliver's smirk faded, me and my big mouth.
"I should head back to Central City, try to apologize to Iris, don't want to leave her and Wally alone without some explanation."
"I'll go with you." John says.
Oberon smacks his hand on the round table, "That's just great and leave me to do some research. I swear, we really should add a library to this place."
Kendra smiles at her friend. "One day Oberon, one day.
"Okay, so who's this magical old friend of yours and how come I never got to meet them?" Questioned Hawkgirl soaring behind Hawkman.
"It just never came up." Hawkman said. Nice avoidance, thought Kendra as Hawkman dipped a little lower in the sky.
"Fine but if we're bringing them in, you might as well tell me their name." Kendra persisted dropping next to him.
Carter's shoulders sagged. He really didn't have much of a choice since he brought them up in the first place.
"Giovanni Zatara." Carter answered.
"WHAT!?" Kendra said slow rolling, "Gi-oh-vahn-nee, that Giovanni, my god I can't believe you tried to keep that a secret."
"Ok you can stop with that faux reaction." Carter said with a soft smile.
"Laid it on a bit thick there, huh?" Kendra giggled.
"Yeah." Carter held on to the smile a second longer. "He was maybe still is a prominent magician."
"A big act in Las Vegas."
"The master magician Zatara drew large crowds" Carter allowed himself to drift back into the past. "People started going to Vegas for his magic acts then their casinos."
"Sure." Kendra humored the man.
"No lie, a casino boss put a hit on him." Carter begun to flap his wings harder making him soar faster. It was a good idea to see his old chum. God knows how many friends he still had left from their "Golden" age.
"Whoa! Wait up!" Kendra flapped her wings furiously.
They landed in Vegas with much fanfare. They were instantly swarm by fans and pedestrians.
"That's some sweet cosplay."
"Is this a free promo for a magic act?"
"Are you the real Hawkman and Hawkgirl and if so are you married?"
Kendra smiled and signed a few t-shirts, foreheads, and even a …baby?
Hawkman was able to focus his inquiries on a middle aged tourist couples. "Have you heard of a magic act being performed by Zatara?"
"Zatara?" asked the middle aged man removing his cap to scratch his balding head. "You ever hear of a Zatara, hun?"
His wife shakes her head at her husband, "Stefan we were just there last night at the MGM Grand."
"No, no, that was uh…Zatanna, he's asking for Zatara." Her husband said furrowing his brow.
"Zatanna…" Carter said to himself.
"That was her name Zatanna Zatara." The wife said impatiently, "remember we talked about the alliteration of her name."
The image of a young girl with raven black hair came to Carter's mind. Of course Giovanni had a child and she would be an adult by now and obviously following in her father's footsteps.
"You said the MGM Grand?" Hawkman caught the couple's attention.
"Yes, but I'm sad to say you just missed her." The wife said, "Last night was her last show."
"Well thank you for your help and enjoy your stay." Hawkman ended the conversation. He grabbed Kendra's arm before she could sign someone's iphone and took off into the air.
"Hey I forgot to give them back their sharpie." Kendra whined matching Carter's flight.
"I doubt they mind much."
Down below the young person complained, "That flying bitch took my sharpie."
Zatanna watched the news with rapt attention her breakfast laid in her lap cooling.
"More and more reports are coming in from across the country of bizarre late night activities and it seems we can't blame a full moon for last nights bizarreness. We're going to Jack Ryder who is reporting live from the Argus headquarters in Star City."
Steven appears in front of a large silver building with a wire fence around its perimeter. Steven is shoved back and forth like in a mosh pit as he tries to speak. "Hello Bethany Snow, I'm here outside of Argus with a bunch of other reporters and concerned citizens wanting to know what is happening in our Country. As friends and family are doing bizarre and dangerous acts as if their sanity were stolen or being puppeted."
"Has ARGUS made any statements about our sleep crisis?" Asked Bethany.
"No Bethany, they have not, it is radio silence from ARGUS some people here believe they are waiting for the Justice League to solve the problem."
"Do you think our tax dollars are being wasted on an organization designed to handle these crisises are sitting on their hands, expecting a group of heroes to save the day." Bethany hypothesized.
Jack ryder tugged at his tie. "The longer Argus keeps quiet the more this crowd is coming to and believing that same conclusion."
Zatanna shook her head. I could teleport into Argus and probably force them to talk to the public. She shook the thought away, she be riddled by bullets as soon as she appeared. Dad taught me to respect my powers.
Three knocks echoed through her suite. She glared at the door. There was a "do not disturb" on her door. Hopefully it was a mistake and the maid or whoever was moving on.
She shoveled a forkful of cold scrambled eggs into her mouth. MMM, cold eggs her favorite.
Three more knocks crashed her eardrums.
Zatanna shot out of bed and marched to her door, "Okay are you blind or an asshole, because there is a do not disturb sign on my fucking door, and you bet your pension I'm gonna complain to your manager and then to every freaking hotel and casino in Las Vegas so the last thing on your mind is not receiving a goddamn tip, you…" Zatanna wrench opens the door to see Hawkman and Hawkgirl.
"Sorry to disturb." Kendra says elbowing Carter, "but it is an emergency."
"Can I ask what happened back in the Hall?" John finally asked as he and Barry raced to Central City.
"What?" Barry asked slowing down by a hundred miles per hour. John soared closer to Barry's height. "I asked what happened back in the hall?"
Barry missed a step and almost fell.
"I – I don't know how to explain it but whatever happened last night somehow transferred to this morning."
John studied Barry, he's really struggling not to think about it. John knew he should let it go, but so far Barry was the only one who was infected by this madness.
"Was it the thought of last night or the memory that triggered this second hallucination?" John asked.
Barry grimaced, "Can we just let this go. I…I need to apologise to Iris and I already feel like shit for what I did, I don't… I don't need to think what might have happened again."
John landed in front of Barry making the speedster fall in order not to crash into the green lantern.
"You want to die John!" Barry yelled out rising from the ground. "Don't make a deadstop in front of a speedster."
"I'm not Hal, and I'm the new guy on the team but I can't let you see Iris if I'm not a hundred percent sure you can control yourself."
"Of course I can control myself." Barry said angry, "Why are we doing this now?"
"Because I'm an idiot, and I thought you'd be more comfortable talking about this away from the group maybe to a person who won't hold you to a certain standard and the only person on the team who could stop you."
Barry sighed, "you won't let this go till I give you something." John stared into Barry's eyes. Barry sat down on the ground.
"What triggered this second hallucination."
"It was weird, when I tried to recall, relive what happened it was like…it was like it wasn't a memory but I was in that moment again. My whole body flooded with rage and terror. Then when I opened my eyes I was living in a new nightmare, everyone was one of my worst villains ready to kill me."
John whistled and stared up at the sky. Can I say it? Can I tell him to his face that… John looked down at Barry whose long face and doleful eyes reminded him of a sad puppy. I'm about to kick a puppy thought John.
"Barry, I don't think you should see Iris or be near her until we solved this dream issue." John finally said not looking the speedster in the eyes.
Barry chuckled like a drowning clown. "I was just thinking the same thing, I… just didn't want to admit it out loud, like I'm giving in to this fear."
"That's not fear Barry." John offered his hand, "That is courage." Barry took it and rose up.
"Plus I think Oberon wouldn't mind an extra pair of hands." John added.
"Race you back!" Shouted Flash hitting Mach 1 toward the Hall of Justice.
"No fair!" shouted John zooming after the scarlet speedster.
John Constantine AKA the British Bastard, AKA the Laughing Magician, AKA the World's Greatest Con Man, AKA Hellblazer, was in his favorite place in the world: a bar.
"Alright gents." Constantine twirled his pool cue as two bikers watched through narrowed eyes. "Eightball right side pocket." Biting his lower lip, and closing his right eye, Constantine took aim. The lead biker nodded to his companion who jumped off his stool and banged into the pool table just as Constantine took his shot.
"Oops" muttered the companion. Constantine made an odd hand gesture and muttered. The balls trajectory drastically changed direction and slammed into the right corner pocket.
"No skin off the nose, mate, still made my shot." Constantine smiled and offered his hand for his compensation.
"You – you…" began the biker his face growing redder than the scarf around his neck.
"Cheated?" Constantine asked fauxing hurt, "after your own man clumsily knocked the table, surely if one was to accused it be me of you."
"Listen here you brit faggot" Growled the biker grabbing Constantine by his lapels, "If you think I'm giving you even a red cent of American then you're more fucked in the head than I thought."
"If you wouldn't mind taking your hands off my friend and leaving the premises that be great." Said a voice from behind.
The biker turned to see Green Arrow behind him. "Who the fuck are you supposed to be? Robin Hood."
"Oh hey there greenie what impeccable timing you got, I seem to be in another barroom brawl."
The biker tossed glances between Green Arrow and Constantine. His anger overriding his logic, the biker threw a fist at Constantine. Green Arrow caught the biker's elbow stopping the punch.
The companion had grabbed his stool and swung it at Green Arrow. Green Arrow dropped below the stool and punched the companion in his solar plexus. Constantine used the diversion to headbutt the biker in the nose. Constantine was very satisfied by the audible crack like a cracker being crushed for soup.
Green Arrow whirled around to see the bartender aiming a shotgun at them.
"Put it down!" Green Arrow said using his voice.
The Bartender's determination shattered. "I – I just don't want any trouble in my bar."
Green Arrow eased up on the man, "You won't now put it down." The bartender conceded and put the shotgun under his bar.
Green Arrow turned to see Constantine unbothered by the shotgun affair and was rummaging in the biker's leather jacket.
"John." Green Arrow said.
"Just a sec, mate." Constantine pulled out a wallet and retrieved $20.
"Are you serious, you were gonna fight over $20?"
"What? No, it was $500, but I did break the bastards nose, so we're even." Constantine headed to the bar with Green Arrow following.
"So what do you need, Arrow?" Constantine waved at the bartender. "Do you have another secret mission for our secret team?" *
"No." Green Arrow said already agitated. How does he do it, barely a few minutes and Oliver wanted to kick Constantine in the shins. "Have you been watching the news?"
"Oh yeah the sleep hysteria, the world just needs to pop a few melatonin and half a bottle of rum and that'll solve that problem real quick." Constantine said as he received his mug of beer. He took a sip and sighed gratefully. "Guys got good stuff but not as great as back home."
"We think its magical in nature." Green Arrow said.
Constantine almost choked on his second sip. "Dream Magic is like impossible and hard to control and on this level it would most definitely have to be science fiction, greenie"
"Would you…please come to the Hall of Justice and help out in case its magical in nature."
"I don't know, I got like a lot of day drinking to get done." Constantine took a third drink, "I mean this is barely my third drink this morning."
"Lets make it a bet then." Green Arrow said.
Constantine whirled his chair around to face Green Arrow. "Deal, if I'm right and its one of your alien punchy things I get to have your private jet for a month…" Green Arrow narrowed his eyes.
"A week…" Green arrow didn't move a muscle.
"A day…" Constantine swore Oliver's eyes turned black.
"Okay a one way trip."
"Deal." Green Arrow offered his hand. Constantine took it.
Green arrow got off his stool and headed out.
"Wait, what do you get, if, big if, if you win?"
"I get that 20 dollars."
A dark smile spread, "Its my last $20." John said.
"Well lets hope I'm wrong then."
"Uncle Hall?" Zatanna gasps before hugging the man.
"Ooh, uncle Hall huh?" Kendra says crossing her arms. She enjoyed seeing the smile that Zatanna's hug had on Carter but she was quickly became uncomfortable and jealous. Uncomfortable because she had no memory of her past life hanging out and being the aunt to Zatanna. Jealous because she wanted to enjoy the reunion as much as Carter was.
"Its good to see you Zatanna." Carter waved about the luxurious suite, "And you're doing well."
Zatanna twirled her hand, and an amaryllis red queen appeared in her hand, "Following in my dad's footsteps." She offered the flower to Kendra.
"These…" Kendra started.
"Are your favorite." Zatanna smiles.
"Speaking of your father." Carter started.
"We need his help." Kendra finished letting the flower down on the bed. "This whole sleep situation seem magical in nature."
Zatanna leaned against the tv stand. "Dream magic is a tricky beast, to operate on this scale, it has to be god level."
"It wouldn't be the first time we had to tussle with gods." Carter said confidently. Kendra gaped at Carter, "Gods, like zeus and such."
"Yeah those guys are still kicking around mostly taking a more subtle role but every now and then they get cranky about the changing of times." Zatanna says with a straight face. Kendra almost wanted to throw her mace out the window. She was barely accepting the idea of reincarnations and aliens. Kendra took a deep sigh. "Well can I at least hit them with my mace?"
"Oh hell yeah." Carter said with a smile.
"Can you take us to your dad?" Kendra asked.
The amused look on Zatanna's face faded. Oh fuck, thinks Kendra already knowing what Zatanna was going to say. "I'm sorry." Kendra responded.
"Sorry?" Carter asked tossing looks between the two women.
"My father died about ten years ago." Zatanna says with a shrug but Kendra could see the tears forming. Kendra marched to Zatanna's side and wraps her up in a hug.
Carter fall into a seat on the bed. Regret and pain playing on his face.
Zatanna pulled herself from Kendra's arms and wiped the tears from her eyes. "But I can help you."
"No, Zatanna, I – we can't ask that of you." Carter tried to gather his voice.
"Well good thing I'm offering my services." Zatanna said and with a snap of her fingers she was dressed in her magician outfit. "Free of charge I might add."
"Ooh Carter hear that its free, we gotta take the deal." Kendra said trying to lighten the mood in the room. Carter looked down at his hands.
"Carter?" Kendra asked. Was he saddened by losing a friend that he might have had time to spend with but didn't because he didn't have his memories then. Kendra then wished her memories would return quicker so she could find her loved ones before it was too late but then she wished they never came so she didn't have to grieve for the people that she lost when she didn't know.
"Yeah, lets head back to the hall." Carter finally said.
"Should I portal us there?" Zatanna asked, pulling a typical black wand with white tip from inside her waistcoat.
"Hell no." Carter said.
"Carter come on." Kendra said feeling the odd painful stress in between her shoulder blades. "It be so quick."
"Come on Carter, I am way better at making portals then my dad." Teases Zatanna.
Carter groaned, "fine but if I throw up its on your shoes."
"Sure." Zatanna accepted. She waved her wand in a circle. "ecitsuj fo llah ot latrop" A black and purple oval the size of a door appeared before them. They stepped through to enter the Hall of Justice.