I really hope you like the chapter, I had a lot of fun writing this mission, and I've been wanting to bring in more DC characters for a while. Please review with thoughts!
The girls found the building in the nicer part of Gotham, pausing at the front to read the number. "909 Park Row. This is the place," Rocket announced unnecessarily.
Zatanna nodded, but instead of opening the door, she narrowed her eyes and cast a backwards glance at the building across the street.
"You ok?" Inferno asked, tilting her head as she looked at her friend, concern on her face.
Zatanna nodded. "Yeah, I just can't shake the feeling that someone's watching me," she said cryptically.
Inferno and Rocket exchanged a glance. "You want us to go check it out while you talk to this guy?" Rocket asked.
Zatanna shook her head. "No, it's probably nothing. Come on, let's get this over with." The magician pushed open the door, and the girls climbed the stairs to the floor they wanted, walking along the hall until they reached the right number.
"Seems kind of weird that other people live here and they don't even know what their neighbor is," Rocket mentioned. Zatanna didn't respond.
She knocked on the door, and a strong male voice asked who it was. Zatanna glanced at the others, then said, "My name is Zatanna Zatara. I was sent by a mutual colleague of ours."
There was a pause, then the door swung open, and the girls stepped into the dimly lit apartment. Mallory resisted the urge to light their way, contenting herself with lighting her eyes. There was a man sitting in a chair across from the short hallway by the door. Mallory glanced behind them, curious as to who opened the door, and it closed behind them without any help. She turned her attention back to the man, who had his hands steepled in front of him.
"Zatanna Zatara, Raquel Ervin, Mallory Desdemona-Johnson, welcome to my humble abode," he said, his voice slow and deliberate.
Mallory narrowed her eyes, and she felt Raquel tense beside her. "How did you know who we are?" she asked, her tone just a hair away from being threatening.
Jason Blood chuckled, and instead of answering the question, he said, "I assume that this mutual colleague you spoke of is Batman."
Zatanna nodded. "He said that you could help us with a problem I'm having," she said.
"Well, I'll certainly try. Can I offer you girls anything? Tea, perhaps?" They glanced at each other, and each shook their heads. "Very well. Please, sit, tell me what your dilemma is," he said.
Mallory stared at the white streak down the middle of his otherwise red hair and wondered vaguely if it really grew like that or if it was an aesthetic choice. They sat down on a sofa and Zatanna told him exactly what they needed and why they needed it, and at the end of the short story, Jason glanced around the room.
"I believe I do have the Blood Stone tucked away somewhere. But do you really think you have what it takes to wield it?"
Zatanna narrowed her eyes, and Mallory almost couldn't tell if it was defensiveness or determination that was on her face. Almost. "I know I do," she said, her voice strong.
Blood nodded slowly, and his gaze shifted to Inferno and Rocket. "I do not sense any magical potential in either of your companions. I presume they're only joining you in the capacity of bodyguards?" Zatanna shrugged as an answer, and Blood continued, "and you think that they are capable enough to face the wrath of the dimension that you seek?"
"We know what we're doing," Rocket said confidently.
Jason cocked his head to the side. "You may be needing more help than a simple gem. You will need a magic user in the dimension with you, someone who knows the terrain and will watch your back. Your companions hardly seem up to the task."
Mallory narrowed her eyes challengingly. "Try us and find out," she said.
Jason shook his head. "No, I will not, however I believe that you should have a taste of what is to come, so…" he stood up, and the girls followed suit, eyeing him to see what he would do and staying prepared for anything. Blood went to the middle of the floor, where Mallory saw some scorch marks on the wood floor. She summoned her fire, letting the energy simmer just under the surface. Jason Blood closed his eyes and started reciting, "Gone, gone, the form of man, rise the demon, Etrigan!" He started to morph into a creature twice as big as the man.
Inferno and Rocket looked at Zatanna for direction, but when the creature was finished forming, Mallory no longer gave her a choice, she had a fireball ready and aimed before the thing even opened his eyes, and she threw two back to back at its face, but he wasn't even phased.
"Fight me with fire?" he asked, then he laughed and said, "a foolish trier. What halfwit hits demon with blasts of hellfire?"
He raised a fireball of his own, and Mallory narrowed her eyes and looked at her friends. "Any suggestions?" she asked.
"Just one," Rocket said, and they went into action. Rocket tried to trap Etrigan in a force bubble to give Zatanna time to come up with a spell, but the demon was able to break free without much trouble. Mallory's attack came next, combining strength and fire to try to overpower him, but she was smacked across the room in no time.
"Z, we could really use an assist right about now," Mallory said as she and Rocket jumped back into the fray, their attempts at best holding their own against the demon.
"I'm working on it," she said, then her face lit up and she said, "Rocket, put him back in the bubble!"
"But it didn't hold him before," Rocket protested.
"Just do it," Zatanna insisted.
Rocket nodded, and without speaking a plan, the girls went into action. Mallory continued to fight Etrigan while Rocket backed up and got ready to put the shield over their attacker. Zatanna stood beside Rocket, ready to recite her spell. As soon as Rocket's shield started to form, Mallory punched the demon hot and hard, forcing him to stumble backwards into the half-formed bubble. As soon as it was fully closed, Zatanna started reciting her spell, the backwards words flying too fast for Mallory to make them out. The bubble turned from blue to purple, and the demon was not able to force his way out of it.
"What did you do?" Rocket asked.
"Not much, I just reinforced your forcefield with my magic. There's no known antidote for that combination," she explained.
Mallory backed up to be alongside her friends, panting as she regained her breath from the fight. "Cool," she said.
Zatanna looked at Etrigan. "Jason Blood said that we would need a guide to help us through the magic dimension. Will you be that help?"
Etrigan eyed them critically, then said, "Very well, my lady... I will aid thee... But there are rules to be obeyed! A demon may not be commanded as one would a servant. A bargain must be made!"
The girls exchanged a look, hesitant to accept any offers coming from him.
"Ah, save your time, luv. I wouldn't recommend Etrigan for a picnic in the park, unless you like having everything answered in a bloody rhyme."
The girls whirled around at the unexpected voice coming from the doorway, and Mallory instantly had fireballs in both hands aimed at the newcomer. He stepped into the apartment, kicking the door closed behind him.
"Name's Constantine. John Constantine," he said, his Yorkshire accent adding charm to his detective-like attire. He was blonde, and wearing black pants, a white shirt unbuttoned at the top, and a red tie that was loosened. He wore a tan trench coat over that, and he had an easygoing air about him. Still, the girls stayed on alert as he sauntered over to them. He pulled something out of his pocket and walked up to Mallory, then leaned closer to her fire. It took her a full second to realize that he was lighting a cigarette with it.
"Thanks, luv. Now be careful where you're pointing those things, at least half the artifacts in this room can blow us all to kingdom come." He took a drag on the cigarette and walked over to Zatanna. "Now, I couldn't help but overhear a bit of your conversation earlier," he started.
"That'll happen when you eavesdrop," Rocket shot back.
He smiled a little, like he was proud of being caught. "That it will, luv. Now, I happen to be familiar with the realm that you spoke of, and for a fee I'd be glad to show you the way through it."
Zatanna narrowed her eyes at him. "It was you. I knew we weren't alone out there. I could feel the darkness collecting around you."
John shrugged. "Now, let's not quibble over whose demons were haunting you. Are you in or not, lass? I haven't got all night to chat it up with a couple of mortals and a half primed witch, not to mention the rhyming bloody demon you've got trapped in there."
"I'm a magician, not a witch," Zatanna snapped.
Constantine shrugged. "Same thing, luv," he said.
Zatanna looked like she was going to argue the point, but Mallory put a hand on her arm, stopping her. "What's your price?" she asked.
"Ah, there's a smart girl, thinking about what's important. For all this one knew, I was bargaining for her very soul."
Zatanna narrowed her eyes, annoyed. "Just tell us what you want," she said.
"Well, you've clearly got some bargaining power with the demon's better half. I want you to get me a few things once the deal's done."
"Why don't you just get them yourself?" Rocket asked.
"Well, you might say I've run out my welcome, as it were. In any event, it won't really cost you a thing. Do we have an accord?"
The girls looked at each other, wishing Megan was there with them to provide a link. Zatanna clearly didn't love the idea of having the newcomer going with them, but as far as the others were concerned, he sure beat the competition. Zatanna sighed, sensing her defeat. "Fine," she said.
John smiled. "Well, that's hardly the enthusiastic welcome I'm used to," he snarked.
"Once we get the Blood Stone, we can go get the dreamstone back, and catch whoever stole it," Zatanna said, ignoring the quip.
"Just a moment, luv. I want to hear a little more about this before I go running into the mix."
"I thought you heard everything," Rocket said.
Constantine shrugged. "I did, but there are some things that don't add up. Such as, how did the bloke get in the house if you put a blood spell on it? And how did he know you were the one that had it in the first place? Your dear old dad may have been well known in the mystic community, but you're basically an unknown."
"I don't know how they got in the house. All I know is that it's gone, and it's in the pocket dimension. Now are you going to help us or not?"
Constantine thought for a moment. "I'll help you, but it'll be on my terms. Once we get in the other dimension, you listen to me, and you don't question anything I do. That understood?"
The girls shared one last look, and Zatanna sighed. "Fine."
Constantine smiled, taking his cigarette out of his mouth. "Great. Now, bring me to this house. I want to see what kind of a spell you put on it that could be broken so cleanly."
They let Etrigan out of the bubble, and he changed back to Jason Blood, who immediately went to a shelf and found the Blood Stone. He didn't look thrilled to be seeing Constantine in his home, but he didn't address it as he handed the gem to Zatanna and said, "be careful, and do not lose the gem in the other dimension. It will be your only way back once you're in there."
Zatanna nodded and thanked him for his help, and the four of them went down to the street. "We'll have to go by zeta tube," Zatanna said.
"Anything you say, luv," he replied easily. They found a tube without much trouble and Zatanna granted their companion guest access, sending him through first. Before the girls followed him, they took the precious few seconds to have a quick discussion in private.
"Can we really trust him?" Raquel asked, looking between her companions.
Zatanna shrugged. "I don't know if we have a choice. I've heard of him, he's good at what he does, and we need a guide. I've never been to the pocket dimension, and we don't know what we're going to be facing in there. It could be empty, or it could be filled with demons like Etrigan. We barely managed to contain one of him."
Mallory sighed. "Z's right. Besides, he's getting something out of this, too. As long as everyone sticks to their side of the deal, it'll be fine."
They nodded and stepped up for the reader to scan them, ending up in an abandoned boathouse not far from Zatanna's old house. Constantine was waiting for them outside.
"Charming neighborhood. Hardly feels like a storage place for mystic junk."
Zatanna shrugged. "My dad didn't want me to grow up in the middle of all that. That's why I'm a magician, not a witch." He shrugged and stuck his hands in his coat pockets, following the girls down the street and to the house. "This is it," Zatanna said when they got to it.
John threw his cigarette on the sidewalk and stepped on it, then he took a step forward and muttered, "all right, let's see what we're working with here." He put his hands up and muttered something, and the shield directly in front of him became visible. He muttered something else, and her shield glowed red and shot something at him, making him fly backwards into the street. Zatanna and Rocket went to help him up, but he shook his head and cursed under his breath as he pushed himself up painfully.
"Well, no one's getting in or out of that barrier. Whoever got in there shared some DNA with you, luv."
Mallory and Raquel looked at Zatanna sharply, considering the possibility. "Z…?" Rocket asked, the unspoken question hanging over them. "No, of course not," Zatanna said after a moment. Her teammates nodded, not questioning her. Unfortunately, their new companion wasn't as trusting, or as subtle.
"You sure dear old dad never stepped out on the town? You'd be surprised at how often it happens." He looked at her closer and added, "or maybe you wouldn't."
Zatanna narrowed her eyes, her anger at his insinuation about her father rising to the surface. "Listen, you son of a-" she started, but John cut her off.
"Well, now, no need to get testy. It was only a suggestion, luv." He tilted his head a moment. "Would you mind if I dug around in your head a bit? There might be something in there we can use."
"Yeah, that's not gonna happen," Zatanna said firmly.
"Oh, come on, luv. We haven't got time for you to be stubborn about this," he said.
"What do you expect to find?" Mallory asked, leaning against a street light and crossing her arms.
"Oh, I don't know, really. Won't know until I find it," he replied.
Rocket shrugged and looked at Zatanna. "Go ahead, Z. Like he said, we don't have much time, and we're here on the outside to make sure nothing happens."
"Yeah, I'm sure you'd be saying just the same thing if a stranger wanted to go inside your head," she hissed.
"Oh, if that's what you're worried about, I'll let you in mine first and you can find some juicy bit of blackmail to hold over my head until judgment day," Constantine said.
Zatanna's eyebrows rose at the invitation. "Alright, deal," she said.
Constantine nodded and muttered some choice words about difficult females, then he faced Zatanna squarely. "You know the spell?" he asked. Zatanna shook her head hesitantly. Constantine sighed heavily. "Fine, I'll do it for you," he said, and he grabbed her wrist roughly and pressed her palm firmly on his forehead, holding it in place while he muttered a spell, his eyes going white while he spoke. He kept chanting until Zatana's eyes went white as well, and Rocket moved to Inferno's side.
"How long do we leave them in there?" she asked.
Mallory shrugged. "No idea," she replied.
"Great," Raquel muttered, and she leaned against the other side of the lamppost.
It took about five minutes for the two magicians to come back to reality. Constantine let Zatanna's hand fall, but there was a definite shift between the two, mainly with Zatanna. She'd seen something in his head, and Mallory could tell it wasn't what she'd expected.
"You all right, luv?" John asked, but his voice was gentler than it had been before. Zatanna nodded. "All right, you ready to go again?" he asked. "Yeah, go ahead," Zatanna replied.
Constantine put his palm firmly on Zatanna's forehead and started mumbling again. This time, though, when he went in her head, the memories were projected so that Mallory and Raquel could see them as well. The friends pushed off the lamppost and moved closer to see. He sifted through the last few hours, until they got to that morning when she'd discovered that the artifact was missing. Then he went further back, to the night before. Suddenly, he chuckled and said, "Bingo."
"What?" Rocket asked, but when she saw the memory he was looking at, she suddenly understood. It was Zatanna, in the house the night before she found the gem gone. She went straight to a shelf in the living room and plucked the dreamstone, Mallory recognized it immediately, from its perch, tucking it safely into her pocket. Then she went to the front door, which Mallory thought was odd, considering there was a zeta tube in the garage.
Constantine ended the spell, and Zatanna came out of the stupor immediately, though she seemed a little groggy at first.
"Well, what did you find?" she asked. When she saw her three companions looking at her with the same expression on their faces, she snapped to attention and tilted her head, searching their faces for an answer. "What?" she asked.
"Z, when was the last time you went to the house before this morning?" Mallory asked gently.
Zatanna thought about it for a moment. "Um, I don't know, I guess it was back when Gar decided he was going to sell the sanctuary," she said. "Why?"
"You went to the house last night, and you took the dreamstone out yourself," Rocket told her.
Zatanna's forehead creased as she thought about that possibility. "No, I couldn't have," she protested.
"Sorry, luv, but your memories don't lie," Constantine said.
"But I would remember if I did. I went to bed early last night, I was catching up from the last mission I did with Dr. Fate."
Mallory looked at her friends, not wanting to say what was on her mind. From the looks on Zatanna and Rocket's faces, though, they were thinking the same thing.
"Well, I guess it's up to me to say the elephant in the room. The world's full of people who can control you, just find one you have beef with and we'll pay 'em a little visit," Constantine said.
Zatanna shook her head. "I don't have beef with anyone," she said.
John looked at her with pure disbelief. "Oh, come on, you don't really expect me to believe that rubbish, do you?" he asked.
Zatanna shrugged. "You said it yourself, I'm pretty much an unknown. Most of the people I fight make their problems with the League, not me."
"Huh, must be nice," John muttered. Louder, he said, "Well, if you can't think of anyone, do you have any clues we could follow, anything?"
Zatanna shook her head just as the Leaguers' comms went off. They answered the call, and Batman said, "are you near a TV?"
"No, not really," Mallory replied.
"I'm sending a link to Inferno's suit, it might be connected to the dreamstone," he said.
Mallory saw the link come up in her mask and she watched the short news clip, her eyes narrowing as it recounted people dropping in the street in sudden comas, some suddenly getting up, going to store windows, and stealing displays. Suddenly, she recognized the stores, and a sense of dread built in her as the live feed turned up to the sky, people clamoring around them as they tried to get out of the way of the falling figure. "Uh, Z…?" she said slowly, looking at her friends as she projected the video for them to see. "I think we're running out of time," Inferno said grimly. Her companions' faces reflected her surprise and dread as the unmistakable form of Superman crashed onto the streets of Metropolis, completely unresponsive.