watchtower_rebirth | Suddenly Somerwhere Else

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Suddenly Somerwhere Else

And then, the world turns, and they are somewhere else. Someplace impossibly old. It's a dizzying spin, even for the mightiest among them, but in an instant, Elijah Snow, Jakita Wagner, Abdullah El-Amin, Black Adam, Freddy Freeman and Jay Garrick find themselves in the market of an ancient city, its towers reaching high toward the sky, it's buildings opulent and clean ... but empty.

At first, there appears to be no life in the city at all. But then, a cat appears, perched in a window. It is black and sleek, and it regards the visitors curiously, but makes no move to either run nor greet them.

Elijah takes a moment to take stock of the situation. The timely intervention of Shazam (note to self: Not the one he thought it was at first) seems to have quelled the fight between Jakita and Adam. Jakita looks a little banged up, but none the worse for wear. And then there's Abdullah ...

"Mr. Garrick," says Elijah. "It's an honor to meet you in person. I've followed your exploits since the '40s. In fact, I was in Keystone in '43, tracking down the Shade, and saw you two go at it. Quite inspiring."

He had actually interviewed the Shade, afterward, for that year's Planetary Guide. Both encounters caused him to believe that the number of superhumans would only escalate in the years to come. Still ... He shakes off the nostalgia, and turns to Adam.

"Lord Adam," says Elijah, cordially. "I apologize that this whole situation has gotten out of hand. We meant no offense. We were simply trying to make contact with this young man here."

He nods toward Abdullah, who is still wound tense, but seemingly not preparing to attack immediately.

"Abdullah El-Amin," he says, not making any sudden movement toward the boy. "My name is Elijah Snow. I've been looking for you for a long time now. We have some things in common."

Abdullah regards the man, but it's difficult to read his reactions beneath the mask.

"They call me the Ghost of the Desert, now" he says, levelly. Elijah chuckles, and nods.

"Heh. They call me the Ghost of the Twentieth Century," he says. "Maybe they're running out of cute nicknames."

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Adam looked levelly at Snow, then at Jay. "The vision you saw regarding Doctor Fate." Adam said. "You mentioned a "Ghost of the Twentieth Century."

Adam trailed off, then refocused on Abdullah. "What was your business in Kahndaq?"

Elijah Snow has many tactics for extracting himself from bad situations, force and subterfuge being the most commonly employed. But sometimes, you find yourself in a situation where you have to pull the card most rarely used: the truth.

He calmly asses the situation, particularly Adam, and knows that neither force nor lying are going to work here. Also, he still doesn't know exactly where here is.

"My associate and I," he says, nodding toward Jakita, "are what we call 'archaeologists of the impossible.' I've spent the better part of the past century exploring and cataloging the Earth's mysteries and secret history, such as ..." he gestures to the city around them.

"We came here with one goal, to seek out and make contact with Mr. El-Amin here, although I'll admit, I was secretly hoping to find this city. I came looking for it once in the '30s, and came up empty handed."

Elijah stops to catch his breath, and take in his companions. Adam's might and fury. Garrick's nobility ... they impress him, but he's still uneasy around metas this powerful.

"Anyway, I came looking for our Ghost of the Desert because I have reason to believe he has a role in protecting the world sometime in the course of this century, and that role has put him and others like him in danger."

Abdullah tilts his head slightly at the news, as though he were trying to get a read on Snow.

"We call Mr. El-Amin and others like him 'Century Babies,' born at the stroke of midnight on the first day of the century on the Western Calendar. He was born at the beginning of this century, I'm the last remaining of the previous crop."

"That explains the nickname, then. You and I need to talk, Mr. Snow, about a few things - but first, can someone fill me in about all this?"

Jay looks around, and gestures at the city.

"Where are we, and why did Adam and I stumble into an active firefight?"

"We are in my home," says Abdullah. "The Lost City of Ubar. I have lived here since I was a child, orphaned by an al-Qaeda attack in Kahndaq. These two ..." he gestures toward Elijah and Jakita .. "stumbled upon an ISIS cell, one that was set upon wreaking havoc in the city of Shiruta."

Abdullah lowers his head a bit, signifying a modicum of sorrow.

"I am cursed to see evil, where it lives. I sense no evil in these two, nor in Mr. Garrick. I am sorry we had to fight."

He then lifts his chin again, and straightens his back.

"But this is a war I fight. And victory is measured in blood."

Edited 2016-12-29 03:30 (UTC)

Jakita has no such compunction to stay still, roaming to the edges of the market making certain that they are indeed alone.

This also provides her the opportunity to evaluate her health, as that fight had taken more out of her than she'd like to admit.

Elijah is a little surprised to hear that he and Garrick have to talk .. briefly, he wonders if he'd stumbled upon some Planetary Guides from the '40s where he left his observations about the man's powers and his suppositions about what would eventually be called "The Speed Force." But this doesn't feel personal.

Jakita's parameter inspection doesn't escape his attention, either. And she's correct ... there HAS to be more people here than just the cat, if this is where Abdullah grew up. Surely, he didn't live here alone. The thought chills him, which is not a sensation he's accustomed to.

"The Century Babies are one of the planet's autonomic defense systems," he explains. "They're here to shepherd the planet from one century to the next, to protect it. Although from what isn't usually apparent until the moment. A slew of them died in the 1950s, defending the Earth from an extradimensional incursion by ..." He pauses, glances at Garrick, and continues "...superheroes from an alternate world, come to eradicate the population of our world and replace it with the people from their own, which was about to be destroyed. Another one, Jenny Sparks, died in space at the stroke of midnight on Jan. 1, 2000. She electrocuted a giant space monster that was coming to transform the Earth into its new home."

He pauses to see how his companions are taking the story. It would all sound a bit far-fetched, except ... well ... check them out.

"The last survivor, besides myself, Doc Brass, was murdered by an assassin from a fictional universe a few weeks ago. His missions done, he had dedicated himself to research, learning how the Earth's myriad defense systems worked. Brass had no surviving enemies, so I can only assume he was killed for that research ... research which would have lead the murderer to Abdullah, and the others."

Freddy wished he could say he was surprised at this turn of events. But as his adolescence has been infused with the power of six deities, and spent chasing colorful metahuman schemes, he simply wasn't.

A trip to what appeared to be an ancient city, turned after a bolt of Despot-summoned lightning? It was probably Tuesday. Brushing himself off of any airborne dust and residual magic static was first priority. Second was to get down to the story so far. And he knew exactly who was responsible.

Turning to Kahndaq's monarch, he steeled himself for the likely violent retort. "SERIOUSLY! What did you do now!?" As soon as he was upright, he rotated his left foot around. The Power of Shazam was slowly healing his mortal self, but not fast enough for the young hero. "Came to find answers. Got a fistfight, and you trying the bolt on...on...whoever!" He flailed his arms in animated frustration.

"I was defending my country against intruders, and she wasn't exactly holding back." Adam almost said that with a smile. "She fought with honor. What were you doing here, Freeman?"

Jay leaves Adam and Freddy to their discussion, as he focuses on Elijah.

"The spirit of God's vengeance used to make the coffee at our weekly meetings, so you'll have to forgive me if I don't find much of what you said all that far-fetched, Mr. Snow. But the Helm of Nabu needs a new bearer, and Green Lantern and I had a vision shared with us that suggests you're the fellow to help us."

"I was following a lead. Since Billy and Mary haven't been seen since the Conflict, any possible idea or trace of them is MY priority. The Marvel family takes care of its own, and as much as I hate to say it...You're family too, Adam."

Powers or no, Freddy is closing the space in on Black Adam and not backing down. "But I guess that's not priority to you, is it? Lets use our gifts instead to slug it out with anybody who looks at you wrong. Its typical Black Adam." He punctuates his words by getting in almost touching distance of the elder, finding himself nose to abdomen.

If Freddy's intent was to provoke Adam, it didn't work. Adam instead looked at Freddy evenly. "My first responsibility is to my people. To Kahndaq. Elijah's associate presented herself as the immediate threat, and I acted accordingly. I broke no laws in my country...I should know, I make them."

"As far as the Batsons, I have not seen them since the Conflict. I truthfully have not seen much outside of Kahndaq since the Conflict...it was particularly devastating to Kahndaq and we have focused on rebuilding. The visit from Jay Garrick was the first I've had from a Westerner since the conflict."

"If you look around you, we have more immediate issues than Billy and Mary. I am working with Jay currently out of the respect I hold for him and for the Justice Society. Perhaps we should have this discussion later. Unless, of course, you would like to "slug it out", since you're currently looking at me wrong. If that's the case, Freeman...just say the word."

"And that's the biggest problem. Making, judging, executing those rules." He finally realized that he was slightly out of his weight class with an Omega level like Adam. Especially de-powered. But the statement was far too inviting.

"We'll have our rounds again. I'm sure of it. For now, my word is easy. SHA-ZAM!" The sky opened up and sent the summoning bolt downward, striking and then activating the Younger Marvel into his re-powered form.

"Now? Now we've got to figure out where and when this is..."

Returning from her loop around the market, Jakita just sighs and looks around at the assorted men currently posturing at each other.

"Don't worry boys, you're all appropriately studly. And...", addressing this to Elijah, "it appears that we are the only ones here, at least from what I was able to see, aside from that cat."

Adam nods, then turns to Abdullah. "It would appear that if you are fighting terrorism in Kahndaq, we should discuss some things when this is over. I welcome those who would stand for the people of Kahndaq."

He looked around. "You will pardon my staring...I have been familiar with this land for...let's say a long time...and I never knew this existed."

"Indeed. Like I said, I've been looking for it since the '30s," says Elijah. "It appears to rotate between parallel Earths. Legend has it it was a refuge for those fleeing violence. Which matches up with the last time I got wind of it, back when our young Ghost of the Desert first disappeared."

Elijah glances at Abdullah, who says nothing.

"But the first time I tried to find it, I was also looking into other old legends ... the Wizards Nabu and Shazam, and rumors that their champions were going to reappear."

Snow turns his attention toward Garrick.

"I'm more than happy to assist the JSA in any way I can," he says. "Or, well, I'm happy to help you, and maybe together we can help these youngsters. Still ... Funny coincidence all of those pieces from the '30 all rearing their heads here at once. I'm not usually fond of coincidences."

Edited 2017-01-05 01:08 (UTC)

Abdullah starts at the realization that Elijah has been watching him his entire life, but does not respond. Instead, he turns to Adam.

"Lord Adam," he says, bowing his head in the deferential manner of a soldier. "I hold you as the true and rightful Lord of Kahndaq, and my service to you is second only to my service to the Gods."

Adam nods his head. "Then your first duty to me will be to assist myself and Mr. Garrick in getting to the root of what's going on...and by extension, the others gathered around here."

Adam looks at Jay. "This realm is here, as are champions of Shazam. It would follow that the new champion of Nabu is somehow connected to here as well."

Jay nods, half-smiling.

"Can't help but agree with that. It seems like I'm exactly where Fate needs me to be."

"Connected?" says the cat, who has been watching this whole time.

"Everything is connected, Teth-Adam. There is a great danger coming, and those who foresaw it hid their weapons well. But now we must prepare for war."

Edited 2017-01-05 02:55 (UTC)

Elijah isn't immediately aware of how everyone else has reacted ... he's a little too distracted by the talking cat. Which is a new one, even for him.

Abdullah, on the other hand, seems entranced, as though he's put something together, but can't quite admit what he's realized.

Quickly, he falls to one knee.

"Lady ... Lady Bastet."

Jay turns to the cat, raising an eyebrow in slight bemusement.

"Well, that's a little strange, even for me. You're the Egyptian cat goddess?"

Abdullah looks almost scandalized at Jay's directness -- really, it's the first time anything seems to have penetrated his stoicism -- but the cat herself seems amused.

"I have been many things, Jay Garrick," she says. In Egypt and Kahndaq, they called me Bastet, and that name will serve again."

The cat is sleek and black -- no bigger than a normal feline, but she holds herself regally, a fierce intelligence burning in her eyes.

"Each of you six has a role to play in this unfolding drama. The God Anubis has begun to marshal his forces, to bring the world of the living under his control. To this affect, he has recruited and influenced agents in this world."

The cat glances into the darkness out the side of her eyes, as though she'd spotted a mouse, and then returns to her audience.

"I used what little power I have left in your world to bring you six together, to oppose the rising darkness. The Children of the Century, the new Dr. Fate and the captains of the Thunder and the Lightning are destined to protect the world, but they have been scattered and hidden."

The cat's muscles tense, and then it pounces to the top of a broken pillar, as though to get a better look at the assembled heroes. She seems to scan them all, one by one, until her eyes lock with The Flash's.

"Yours is the most important task, Jay Garrick," she says. "You must reforge the circle. Only the Justice Society can train the next generation of heroes to defeat the darkness."

Adam doesn't question that the cat is who she claims she is. He does not kneel, however. "We have recently undergone great upheaval at the hands of our recent Adversary. The Justice Society is scattered across the globe. Can you direct us?"

The cat turns its attention to Adam, and for a moment, it's easy to believe that she's really a god ... there's a power and regal quality about its stare that's preternatural, even by cat standards.

"Anubis has taken advantage of the Adversary's work to obscure the players on the board. I can only see a few ... The Sentinel of the Emerald Fire is near someone who MAY be princess Chay-Ara ... The Mid-Nite Surgeon is closer to the danger than he realizes ... a dark shadow is watching his actions. The Spirit of the 21st Century is in China, where man and Superman will soon face the evil to protect her. The Helm of Nabu is being guarded by a laughing magician, whose face is obscured to me, and the next of the Children of the Century ... the one who stands between the worlds of the living and dead ... is being hunted by a madman."

The cat lowers its head.

"Much is still hidden. The darkness is growing strong in the chaos that the adversary has sown."

The allusion to Dr. Mid-Nite sets Jay to thinking, but he's not so distracted that he misses an opportunity for additional inquiry.

"That's the second time I've heard reference to the 'Laughing Magician' - I don't suppose any of you happen to know who that might be?"

"Anybody else hoping its not the Joker? Just me?" King Marvel adds with a shrug.

"Psycho-Pirate, Felix Faust...the Shazam family has our own problem children, but not many magicians." A pause. "No offense Adam."

The cat sits up straight, and closes its eyes.

"The Magician is guarded from me. Both his own wards and Anubis'. But I see him ... he is holding the Helm of Nabu ..."

The assembled group sees a vision of a handsome blonde man in a rumpled suit, holding Dr. Fate's helmet. A knife wielded by a shadowy man falls down on it, and then there's a blinding light ... and then the vision's gone.

"The magician lives, but more I cannot say. But his attacker ... his attacker is one that should not be in this world."

"The Fictional Man," says Elijah, coldly. "Jakita, that's the thing that got out of the Four's fictional universe. That's the bastard that killed Doc Brass."

The cat lowers its head, mournfully.

"You and he were the last children of the 20th Century. Now, Elijah Snow, you are all that remains. Jakita Wagner, your father was a Child of the 20th Century. He died to protect the world. Now there are children of this young century, beginning to come into their adulthood."

The cat glances at Abdullah, who averts his eyes.

"They will save the world. They will change the world. But they need to be guided and protected."

Elijah takes a deep breath. There's a lot at stake, and the path is quickly becoming clear.

"I know where two of them are," says Elijah. "Whitney Winters is in California. Planetary checks in on her still periodically. And Jenny Quantum ... she's been spotted intermittently in Shanghai."

"It appears that we will need to work in tandem to get to the bottom of this." Adam sighs. He's not know for his teamwork, but he knows when he can't solve a problem with direct violence. "We have three places to go - California, Shanghai and wherever this Laughing Mage is. My going to Shanghai would...not be advised due to political reasons. I have no issues returning to the US covertly, however."

He looks towards Snow. "Your people seem to have a better idea of the why these things are happening. It may be prudent, if we split up, for one of yours to accompany Jay, Freeman and I, however we choose to split it up."

Jay conceals a grin at Adam's words - reminding him as they do of some of the Justice Society's earliest cases, pairing off to go gallivanting around the globe..

"If we can find this Laughing Mage.. maybe John Zatara's relatives would know? Zatanna, and that nephew, Zachary. They're tuned into the magical world, might recognize the name."

Elijah's wary of this plan. He's not a superhero, and this isn't what Planetary does. But then he looks at the cat, and sees there are still mysteries to solve.

He looks at his eclectic company, and decides the stakes are too high not to act.

"All right, How about Shazam and I head to Shanghai, Adam and Jakita go to California and Mr. Garrick and Abdullah seek out the magicians. Our third man, The Drummer, is back in the desert. He can arrange us transportation for any who need it."

Abdullah looks angry.

"I'm a child of the century," he says, like these women you've named. I should go look for them with you."

Elijah shakes his head.

"No," he says, if someone's hunting you, I don't want to give him multiple targets just yet. Not until we know what's going on."

And really, he thinks to himself, exposure to Jay's temperament could only be a good example.

"And it can be helpful to have someone that can move that fast to get you out of trouble."

She's giving Elijah a look, a look that might just burn his head from his shoulders given the chance.

But, she reasons, she can behave, and will have to assume that this Adam character would do the same.

Is that a...smirk on Adam's face?

"Then lets get to work.

Jakita will forgive him, eventually, thinks Elijah, and frankly, he wants his own people's eyes on the "Children of the Century" at all times. He trusts Garrick implicitly, but they all have their own agendas. And of course, he has his own, too.

"All right. What we're looking at is two incredibly powerful teenagers. Jenny Quantum is the Spirit of the 21st Century, and that's literal. She can manipulate energy on a quantum level, thus the name. This means she can do practically anything, if she sets her mind to it. Whitney Winters ... there's no real easy way to describe it. She's the Gateway Between the Living and the Dead."

Edited 2017-01-19 14:06 (UTC)

"Since I doubt Abdullah will want to be carried along at several times the speed of sound, we will take you up on that offer of transportation - as soon as we know where we need to go. "

He pauses, looking to Abdullah.

"If that's alright with you, young man."

"Following your lead Mister Snow. Just point me at what needs hit." A side glance to Adam, and back an overly heroic pose.

Abdullah gives Garrick a steely, almost-petulant look, but nods affirmative.

Elijah takes a deep breath before speaking, glancing at Bastet, who watches them with interest.

"Assuming we're returned where we started, our third man, The Drummer. will have our plane handy, and the Planetary Foundation has suitable vehicles at its Dubai location, if needed. We can get everybody transported."

Three super-powered teenagers, two honest-to-goodness superheroes, and a monarch who's usually more villain than hero. With him and Jakita in the middle. Yep, this is going to go well.

"Lady Bastet," he says, addressing the cat. "Is there anything else we need to know before we're returned home?"

"Only this," says the cat. "There are monsters, villains governments and gods between you and the safety of the Earth's future, and I cannot tell you which of them is worst. All is in your hands. Do not fail."

And with that, the world begins to spin again, and the city begins to disappear, and within a few moments, everyone is back in the desert.

The Drummer stands outside the Planetary plane, which he's landed. The terrorists are unconscious, and he seems to have secured them.

"Wow," he says. "Looks like you guys had a great time!"

"It was fantastic, Drums. There's an empty city, I almost got my ass handed to me, and we got to talk to a goddess."

She gives him a quick side hug, glad to see him (even though it might take a miracle... most common than most folks would think... for her to say it out loud).

"Basically business as usual."

"We should begin as soon as we are able. If we require rest, I invite you to be my guests at my home for a few hours before we begin our various journeys. I personally require no rest, but I understand if some of you may."

He looks at Jakita. "Kahndaqian transport in LA would be too conspicuous. I imagine you have more covert ways into the city?"

"Whoah," says the Drummer. "I'm both glad and sorry I missed that."

He looks around at the restrained terrorists.

"Uhm," I landed when you guys disappeared. They were already out. I didn't know what else to do, so I tied 'em up."

Elijah rubs his temples and aches for a cigarette.

"Jakita, you can use the car at the Planetary LA branch, but you're actually heading a about 30 minutes north. Coastal town called Sunnyville."

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Suddenly Somerwhere Else

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