1.8

10:21 AM, 23rd March 1989.

Red umbrella…

There are no umbrellas.

Just people passing. It is a busy street, but no one seems to fit that one little detail. I settle into a cafe to wait. And wait.

Three hours and several cups of coffee later I was getting jumpy… although it was equal parts caffeine and apprehension. I think the pretty waitress found me amusing, suspecting I was waiting for a date since she was frequently passing my table offering encouragement.

Turns out, the umbrella wasn't an object. It was a tattoo. On the arm of a burly guy, the image being a type of burlesque performed by a blonde using said red umbrella.

The waitress who it seemed had been taking a break, looked this way and nearly choked on a cup of tea, when he sat down opposite me. Apparently a thirteen year old kid stands out, on a school day. The guy in question is quite stiff, probably because he knows who I am. He isn't armed, but a big guy is a big guy.

Just to be cautious, I have the cutlery drawer of the cafe ready to descend on him like a biblical plague at the first sign of aggression.

But he simply slides a manilla folder to me under the table and walks away.

Flicking through the pages of documentation within confirms I am (Illegally) Victor Ignatius Magnus, born in… 1974. I'm apparently fifteen years old on paper… whoops.

Meh. Doesn't matter. Makes it harder to trace me back to one Count Vertigo.

Passport looks real, it even has a previous use… apparently I've briefly visited Spain.

Born in a hospital in the south of Paris… parents deceased, a tropical disease and accident claimed my fake mom and dad respectively. I'm legally emancipated too. Nice touch.

I don't know how well these will hold up to scrutiny but they look good. Beyond that how can I really know?

Calling the waitress for a final snack to go, I mess with her a little.

"That'll teach me to look for a date on the internet..." I add aloud. Yes, a dating horror story meme years ahead of schedule! Mission accomplished.

Afterwards I make a visit to the American Embassy and apply for a change of citizenship and immigration. Surprisingly easy to do, all things considered. Perhaps too easy? The Cold War is still active and shouldn't that make this much harder? Am I overthinking this?

Answers come soon enough.

As a tall blonde woman throws an arm around mine at the entrance and hauls me toward a car.

"We meet again, my White Knight." She teases.

"How did you find me Fleur?" I asked.

"Who do you think helped hush the rumours of your visit to the shadowy side of the tracks and ensured you received genuine identification?" She asked. "Those papers are all as genuine as an alias can be. Did I get your age right?"

"Actually I'm thirteen."

"So young, I was convinced you were older." She stated as I was dragged into a small car. "I must also say, I am saddened you wish to leave our beautiful nation so quickly. You could do much good here."

"It is complicated." I finally replied.

"Is this related to your family?" She asked sliding into the driver's side "Because France will do much to protect her heroes."

"Not entirely. I'm most worried about what happens when the next Superman reveals themselves and proves rotten."

She blinked. "You know about the red blur and the giant bat?"

"You know about The Flash and Batman?" I asked surprised.

"I have seen intelligence reports of these beings. The Flash would be an old man by now." She replied. "But you know them better, don't you?"

"Just a little. Not all of it reliable." I admitted. "This is technically the second Flash. The name is a legacy."

"How do you know?"

"Supernatural means. Some low accuracy, long term precognition." I finally said.

"You are evading the truth. But anything you would elaborate on would be appreciated, for the good of the nation if nothing else." Fleur looked at me closely.

"There are many more coming. With them they will bring rivals and enemies and disasters of global significance. Some are old faces from World War Two. Most are new or finally emerging from the depths of the past. The world is going to become a very strange place and I speak as a man who nearly electrocuted a talking Gorilla the other day." I looked at her. "You have seen or heard of some nasty figures of great power? The League of Shadows, an immortal named Savage, Circe the witch of Greek Myth to name ones you may know. They will become active as those who would battle the darkness become visible and successful. The chaos from the conflict is ever expanding; Earth will learn it is not the lone source of life."

"I have seen photos… reports of things that were inhuman." She admitted.

"Heaven and Hell exist as tangible places. Alien life already exists on Earth, some benevolent some malicious. Even places of legend and myth, the lost city of Atlantis and an island of Amazons wait to reveal themselves." I chuckled.

"I will listen to these warnings, but they are outlandish. What next, fairies?" She asked laughing.

"The Fey exist too." I winced. "Soon we will need teams of people like the Superman to face the greater threats of the universe at large. That is why I'm going to America. It is where they will form."

"Ah. I see."