Part XIX
Zatanna Zatara strode into her long, rectangular dressing room and took a seat in front of a large mirror bordered on all sides by rounded light bulbs. She leaned over her make-up table to switch the lights on, then reached for the cleansing pads.
"If you have something to say, just say it," the magician said out loud, as if to the air. She set down her shiny top hat, pushed her hair back, and began scrubbing off her heavy stage make-up. "Save the jump scares for your friend, Commissioner Gordon."
A dark shape broke from the shadowed corner between her bookshelf and her sofa, and Zatanna's lips quirked.
"Bruce. I thought you were keeping your distance on this one," she teased without turning from her mirror. "Letting me and Superman break the new guy in with some investigative work while you offer input from afar?"
Batman grunted. "I've never been…comfortable…with magic."
"Tell me something I don't know," she said with a smile. Her face clean, she added back a light touch of mascara and lipstick, pressed her lips together a few times, then swiveled toward the cowled figure. "So, what's changed?"
"Changed?"
"Why swing down from the catwalk now?" she asked. "Still concerned about the Captain and his powers?"
Batman frowned.
"Knowledge is power," he said grimly. "I don't like unknowns."
"You consider Shazam an unknown?"
"I consider the Shazams a special case," Batman said. "Metahumans generally have a specific weakness. Some definable way of mitigating their superhuman abilities should things go wrong. Magic is different. Until I…we…know more…"
"Metahumans," Zatanna repeated. "You mean like Wonder Woman, Flash, Aquaman, Superman—"
"Yes," he rumbled, bringing a hand to a lead-lined pouch on his utility belt.
Zatanna quirked an eyebrow.
"What about me?" she challenged. "Have you thought up a way of containing me should my powers happen to go rogue?"
Batman's mouth tightened.
"This isn't personal," he said. "It's a necessary safety measure, for everyone. You know how it is: the greater the powers, the greater the risk. No one is infallible."
Zatanna narrowed her eyes at him, not liking the way he'd evaded her question.
"Then, what exactly are you after?" she pressed. "Are you asking me to test the Captain's powers? Find some weakness you can weaponize against him? Like, say, that shard of kryptonite you pack in your belt?"
"I'm not saying it would be intentional," Batman said. "But imagine the danger should Shazam or any of his Family go off the rails, for any reason. Given a scenario where a criminal agent somehow absorbs or steals his powers…gains control of his mind… Do you think your magic could safely contain him?"
Zatanna's jaw tightened and she looked away.
"The Captain is Magic's Champion," she stated. "Chosen from among all others by the Immortal Elders to wield the primordial powers of S.H.A.Z.A.M.! in service of understanding and justice – I believe rightfully."
She raised her gaze to meet the detective's solemn stare.
"I met a good man on the Watchtower, Bruce," she said. "An intelligent, trusting, openhearted man. I don't—"
"I'm not talking without precedent, Zee," Batman insisted, stepping closer. "You must remember, despite his magical gifts, the Captain is still very young. Very human. And similar scenarios have happened before. To nearly all of us. Whether it's Parasite or Luthor, Savage or Darkseid, Trigon or even that imp Mxyzptlk… We all know what it's like to have our greatest strengths turned against us. To be forced to fight our closest friends." He straightened. "Jason Blood warned us to beware a trap."
"Yes, you told me this morning." She sighed. Her dark hair curtained over her face, and she pushed it back behind her shoulder.
"I get what you're saying, Bruce," she said somberly. "I do. Our new team member is greener than grass, and his powers are way off the charts. I can totally understand why you picked me and Clark to oversee his first mission with the League. Still, for you to be here, now, asking me these questions…"
She looked up at him. "Just tell me: what have you learned? What's changed since this morning?"
Batman inclined his head, but before he could speak the sound of familiar voices in the outer corridor made them both turn toward the door. Batman stepped back, but Zatanna stood to open the door for her guests, giving Batman a warning stare.
"It's them," she said. "Don't disappear."
"And you're saying these 'nightmares' struck before you came here? While you were in your own home?" Clark said as he led the way down a long back corridor. He looked far more disturbed by their story than Billy, Mary and Freddy had expected.
"All of us except the Captain, here," Freddy told him.
"Whatever it was didn't seem to affect him," Mary said, looking up at Billy. "But Cap, didn't you say you lost some time in the casino when we first arrived?"
Billy nodded. "Yeah. I won fifteen bucks on video poker, but I honestly can't remember playing. I must have, though, because according to the print-out from the machine I was there for, like, twenty minutes." He reached into the pocket of his long, red coat. "Here, I can show you…"
"I believe you," Clark said, glancing at the crumpled slip of paper through his glasses.
"So, do you think it's Sivana?" Freddy prodded. "Do you think the creep's found some way to mess with us from his cell?"
Clark frowned. "I don't know enough to say," he admitted. "Not yet. But, I do agree it seems you're being targeted." Stopping outside a door marked with a golden star, he raised his hand to knock. "You're right, Captain, this is definitely something we should discuss with—"
The door opened before his fist could make contact, and Clark gasped, "Zatanna!"
"Glad to see you didn't get lost," the magician greeted, and smiled. "Nice costumes. I almost didn't recognize you."
Billy returned her smile with a broad grin of his own, then noticed the questioning look she was giving him.
"Oh, right – Zatanna," he said, and gestured to his siblings. "I'd like you to meet my, uh, my lieutenants. I was told I could call in anyone I might need, so... Yeah. This is my sister, Mary, and my brother, Freddy. Guys, this is Zatanna Zatara."
"A pleasure," the magician said, fixing them each with her intense gaze as she ushered the disguised group through the doorway. "I've been curious to meet more of your Family."
"We've been curious to meet you too," Freddy said, glancing around the long, elegantly furnished space with its stage props, books, and flowers. "That show of yours was pretty impressive. I don't get why they put your dressing room so far from the stage."
Mary elbowed her brother's side, but Zatanna seemed amused.
"That's not my typical venue," the magician told him, pulling the door shut and securely sealing the room with a softly spoken spell. "Weekend matinees are generally for kids, to raise awareness about our oceans and sea life – and, of course, the aquarium here." She smirked a little. "If you want to see something truly spectacular, you should check out my After Dark performance. Adults only, due to the fright factor. Definitely not for the faint of heart," she said, and winked.
Freddy snorted at their reflections in Zatanna's mirror. "No problems here, right Cap? Hey, who's this?"
"Freddy, come on. Maybe we shouldn't—" Mary started, but he was already examining a rather weathered photograph Zatanna had taped to the wall. It showed a blond-ish man with a tired, haggard look and a rumpled trench coat to match. Yet, despite his obvious exhaustion, the man's eyes twinkled with mischief and his scruffy face wore a wickedly cheeky smirk.
Zatanna quickly removed the photo from the wall and stuffed it in a drawer. "God, I forgot that was still there…"
"Is that your boyfriend?" Freddy asked her.
"More like a splinter lodged too deep under the skin to pull out," she said as she slammed the drawer shut. Taking bracing breath, she turned to face the little group.
"All right. We're all here, so why don't we take a seat," she said, indicating the overstuffed chairs and the long sofa arranged around her coffee table. "There's a coat rack and hangers in the closet if—"
"On it," Freddy called, happily using his hyperspeed to collect his siblings' coats and vests and hang them up. In the blink of an eye he was back for Clark's hat and trench coat, but to his surprise Superman had already changed.
"How…" Freddy blinked, staring all around in baffled confusion. "Dude, what did you do with all those clothes? You had, like, an entire suit: shirt, tie, jacket, pants, shoes, a belt—!"
"There's a special pocket in the cape," Superman told him. "Holds practically anything."
"Right, like that camera," Billy realized, remembering the photo they'd taken together on the moon.
"Whoa, wait! What are you saying," Freddy said. "The cape's, like, dimensionally transcendental? Like a TARDIS!" He zipped closer to examine the cape's deceptively thin red fabric. "Oh my god, Superman has TARDIS pockets? In his cape!"
"Not exactly…" Superman said, starting to seem sorry he'd brought it up.
"TARDIS?" Zatanna repeated curiously.
"It's an alien space and time ship, from Doctor Who," Mary explained. "From the outside it looks like a narrow blue phone box, but inside it's way bigger. You know, sci-fi stuff."
"No 'fi' about it if it's real," Freddy countered.
"Enough. We should get started," a grim voice rumbled, and Batman stepped out of the shadows to claim a seat at the table.
Freddy's eyes widened dramatically and he sat down hard beside his brother. "Total ninja stealth," he breathed, gripping the fabric of Billy's cape. "Dude, that's the stuff we need to be learning!"
"Batman," Superman said. "I was wondering when you'd decide to come out and join us. I must admit I'm a little confused - didn't you just tell me you had other business?"
"I did," Batman grunted. "The situation has changed."
Superman frowned. "In just these few minutes?"
"Batman, tell us what's going on," Zatanna demanded.
"Ibac and Dr. Sivana are not in their cells," Batman reported grimly, watching the group's dismayed reactions. "They escaped last night and did not return. My initial intelligence was wrong."
Superman raised his eyebrows. Freddy looked stunned.
Billy jumped to his feet.
"What do you mean, it's wrong?" he said angrily. "You told me this morning you had them under surveillance! If they're not in their cells, then where the hell are they?"
Mary gasped, standing to grasp his arm. "Billy! Those nightmares! If they've been out since last night...!"
"You're right," Billy said. "There's no question now. They had to be behind those attacks." He shook his head, his firm jaw set tight. "I'm sorry, Mary. I should have listened to you back at the house. We should have been on top of this from the start!"
"Attacks?" Zatanna repeated, her eyes deep with concern. "Captain, have you and your Family been targeted?"
"Twice, we think," Billy told her, sitting back down along with Mary. "Once here, and once at home. The attacks were mental, not physical – lost time, nightmares we can't remember. We told Superman about it, and we were meaning to ask you."
"We fought it off both times," Mary said. "But if it is Sivana..."
"He'll probably try to target you again. Dammit," Zatanna swore under her breath, casting a sullen glare at Batman. "I really hate it when you're right."
Freddy furrowed his brow, looking from Zatanna to Batman.
"But…how did those two creeps get out?" he asked. "And who's been in their cells all this time?"
"Androids," Batman told them.
"Androids!" the group exclaimed in surprise.
"Exact robot duplicates," Batman confirmed. "Cyborg and Oracle discovered the ruse. They were monitoring the cells and noticed the frequency at which the prisoners blinked their eyes was far too regular. Their subsequent scans revealed strong residual energy traces within the walls of both cells – traces that correspond with my own scans of energy residuals projected from within the Rock of Eternity."
Billy swore between his teeth, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"Dude," Freddy agreed. "This is so not good."
"So, let me get this straight," Mary said. "You're telling us that, last night, Ibac and Dr. Sivana both escaped to the Rock of Eternity, and left two robot doubles in their place so no one would suspect they were gone?"
"That's certainly what it sounds like," Superman said grimly.
"But, who built the robots?" Freddy asked.
"Unknown," Batman said. "So far, their construction and programming don't match up with any of the usual suspects. That includes WayneTech, LexCorp, Morrow, Magnus, Ives…"
"What about Sivana Industries?" Mary suggested.
"The investigation is ongoing," Batman told her. "In the meantime—"
"In the meantime, we need to get moving on this, and fast," Zatanna said urgently. "If Sivana has escaped to the Rock of Eternity, he may be seeking access to the Source." She turned her sharp gaze to Billy and his siblings. "And he might be trying to hack your powers to do it."
"Would that explain those strange attacks?" Mary asked.
"It might," Zatanna said. "We need to learn more. And I know just who to ask. The Wizard S.H.A.Z.A.M.!"
"Billy's Wizard?" Freddy exclaimed. "But, he's dead. Billy saw him die!"
Zatanna shook her head. "Old S.H.A.Z.A.M.! may have shed his mortal form, but he remains part of the Source," she told them. "Captain, as the Wizard's heir, you should be able to summon his spirit for guidance."
Billy raised his head and blinked, his face a blend of surprise and discomfort. "What, here? Now?"
"NNoo," another voice said, speaking along with Zatanna like an echoing chorus. "FFrom your throne in the Rock of Eternityy."
"Wha…?" Billy said, standing up to look around. "Did anyone hear that?"
"Hear what?" Mary questioned.
"It was like…someone else was talking… There!" Billy exclaimed, pointing to Zatanna's mirror. "Holy moley, please tell me I'm not the only one seeing this!"
"A woman's face," Batman said, reaching for his scanner. "Translucent, as if made of glass."
"You see her too?" Billy said.
"No," Batman said, his eyes on his readout screen. "But, she appeared once before. If I'm right, she's come seeking you, Captain, from the heart of the Rock of Eternity."
"I think I see something," Freddy said, moving closer to squint at the glass.
"So do I," Mary said. "But it's more like a ripple than a face."
Zatanna frowned. "My security spell should scramble any transmission to or from this room, whether it's mystical energy or electromagnetic waves," she said. "None of you should be seeing anything."
"But, I do see her," Billy said. "She looks like…like she's part of the mirror."
"Can you hear what she's saying?" Batman asked.
"There is a voice," Mary said. "It's really faint. I think… I think she's saying her name is Francesca. Billy, can you hear any better?"
"Yeah…" he said. "Everyone, be quiet a minute." To the face in the mirror, he said, "I'm here. I'm listening. Go ahead."
"Please," the glassy face spoke. "My name is Francesca. I appear in this Earthly realm to deliver an urgent warning to Billy Batson, chosen heir of the Wizard S.H.A.Z.A.M.!"
"That's me," Billy told her. "I'm the Wizard's heir."
"Yes…yes, I can see that you are," Francesca said, her glassy expression tight with desperation. "Oh, Champion! I feared I would never get through. Your powers are sorely needed!"
"Are you the one who's been calling me?" Billy asked. "Because I felt... That is, I felt something, but I didn't know... I mean, I didn't realize..."
"Champion, you must hear me," Francesca said. "I have seen the Monster Society reformed! The Thrones of Eternity are under assault. Malevolent forces threaten the Source. Return, Champion. Return and defend the Magic Lands from those who would abuse their power to shift Reality - unbalance the Orrery of Worlds!"
"I will," Billy told her. "I'll come, Francesca, I promise. But I need you to tell me more! Who's threatening the Source? What's the Monster Society? Where's the Orrery of Worlds?"
But, her message delivered and her energy spent, Francesca had already disappeared.
"I think she faded out," Freddy said.
"Don't look at me," Zatanna said. "I dropped the security spell."
The Captain stared at the mirror for a long moment, then closed his eyes and rubbed his big hands over his adult face.
"Billy?" Mary asked, stepping up to rest a hand on his shoulder. "Captain, are you all right?"
"Holy moley," he said quietly. "Holy moley, this is my fault. It's all..." He shook his head and looked up, pounding his fist into his palm. "I...I thought I could wait, you know? That I could put it off until I...I felt more..." He swallowed hard. "But, I messed up. I took my eye off the ball, and now..."
"Captain," Mary said. "You didn't know."
"More like I didn't want to know," Billy said. "I felt that something was wrong...felt the magic pulling at me, trying to get me to go back to the Rock. But I ignored it. I hung back like a scared kid, I avoided my responsibility and now..."
"It's not too late," Zatanna said. "Whatever Sivana may be plotting; whatever this 'Monster Society' might be - they haven't yet tapped into Magic's Source. I would know."
"That Ibac guy was like a monster," Freddy said musingly. "Maybe Sivana's starting a new gang?"
"Or, it might not even be Sivana," Billy said grimly. "We never found out where Ibac came from, or how he got his powers."
"You mean there could be someone worse out there?" Freddy said. "Some, like, evil wizard who wants to - what did that mirror-lady say? Reshape reality?"
"She told me to defend the Magic Lands, whatever they are..." Billy muttered into his folded hands. "God, I've wasted so much time... I need to get back to the Thrones. Right now."
"Not without a plan," Mary said, stepping firmly into his path. "Don't forget, the bad guys will already be there. Probably waiting for us to show up."
"We must anticipate a trap," Batman agreed. "But, we can't build on speculation. To move forward, we need facts."
"Batman's right," Superman said. "Let's lay out what we know. Then we can decide where to start. Now..." He paused and frowned. "Does anyone else hear a phone?"
Billy's eyebrows raised and he flashed over to Zatanna's walk-in closet, opening the door to dig through the pockets of his long, red coat. Yet, despite his hyperspeed, "Damn, missed him..." he muttered and glanced at his siblings. "Guys, Pedro just tried to call me," he said. "No message, though. Do you think—"
"Wait," Batman said, holding a hand to his ear. After a moment, he straightened, his jawline even grimmer than usual.
"That was Nightwing," he said. "I had him monitoring your house while you've been here, just in case. Bill..." He met the Captain's worried gaze, along with Mary's and Freddy's. "Your family is missing. Nightwing insists no one entered or left through the doors or windows, but there were reports of screaming and he found evidence of a struggle inside the house."
Billy's face hardened, and he stepped away. "They're not missing," he said, his gaze distant. "I know where they are."
Holding the closet door shut, he closed his eyes and took a long, slow breath. When he pulled the door open, Zatanna's costumes and props had disappeared. In their place, all they could see was the dim grayish haze of a direct portal to the Rock of Eternity.
Zatanna stared in amazement. "Oh my god," she whispered. "You did that instinctively! No symbols, no incantation... You just thought, and..." She pressed a hand to her chest. "This is super-advanced. You guys have no idea..."
"Billy, wait," Mary said. "You can't just charge in blind like this!"
"I waited, OK, and now Sivana and his creeps have our family. They took our family!" Billy said, his voice rough with emotion. "Look, I get that we're basically operating in the dark here, and you guys don't have to come. But this is my responsibility, don't you see? I was chosen by the Wizard to defend Magic's Source against the monsters who would abuse its power, and if Francesca's right that's exactly what this Monster Society is trying to do! I have a duty to return, and if there's a trap, it's my job to face it."
"Yeah. With us," Freddy said, zipping to his side. "Come on, man. We're Shazamily too."
"You're not doing this alone, Billy," Mary said.
"I'm in," Zatanna said, grabbing her shiny top hat. "Your powers may be off the charts, Captain, but strength doesn't always cut it against experience. And I didn't spend the whole morning going through my father's magical lore books for nothing."
The magician glanced over her shoulder at Superman and Batman. "Well boys?" she asked. "You coming or what?"
"I'm glad to offer what help I can," Superman said, walking closer to peer warily at the blinding haze. "I just can't help wishing we knew more about what might be waiting on the other side of this fog."
"Whatever it is, the Justice League can handle it," Freddy said. "Oh, and what do you know - we're the Justice League!"
Batman grunted darkly, but he joined the others by the closet door.
"Thanks, guys," Billy said, his jaw set with determination as he led the way into the haze. "Seriously, though, be careful. The Rock of Eternity is a crazy-weird place, even when you're not on the lookout for traps and monsters."
To Be Continued...
References Include - Justice League: Doom (demonstrates Batman's emergency contingency plans to take down the most powerful Justice League members, including himself); Justice League: Dark (Zatanna has a photo of John Constantine); Shazam! (1974 - intro partially quoted/paraphrased); Action Comics #412 (May 1972 - demonstrates/explains Superman's cape pocket); Shazam! (1981); Justice League vs. Teen Titans; Justice League/Justice League Unlimited; Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; Batman: Bad Blood; Young Justice; Justice League: War; Justice League: Gods and Monsters; Star Trek: TNG - Inheritance; Justice League Action; Batman: The Animated Series; Justice, by Alex Ross and Jim Krueger; The Multiversity, by Grant Morrison; Doctor Who: An Unearthly Child; Shazam! (movie); Shazam! Volume 1, by Geoff Johns; Shazam! #10: Gingerbread War!, by Geoff Johns (yet, despite the cover and title, there is a notable lack of gingerbread warfare in this issue... LOL!)
I don't know why, maybe it's because I'm still sick, but this chapter took forever to finish! I'm still not sure it's quite right, but I have a bunch of other stories piling up and I want to move on to the next chapter here so I'm posting what I have and I'll cross my fingers and hope you like it! More story will be coming soon. Thanks so much for reading and for your reviews, and please stay tuned! :D
