John Constantine Part 4 Shazamo makes his move

Max hung up the phone. Finishing a conversation with the others planned on doing for the day. The competition was first thing in the morning. Around 9:00 for sign in. And 10:00 the matches start.

"Hey!" John waved from an alley. "This way!" Max walked over joining him. "The locater spell found something. It is either my mum, or someone close to her appearance at least." The flickering image was breaking apart due to John's nervousness. "Maybe you will have better luck."

"No." Max declined outright. "You need to focus and figure out if this is her. I told you, reinforcing you mind was the way to go. If we do find her in your current condition, you will be useless to get her free."

"This is my mum man!" He grabbed Max by the shirt. Unable to lift him do to the strength difference. "If this was any of the others.."

"I would not have this problem." Max gave him a hard stare. Not bothered in the slightest. "I am sure Claire and Selina can tell you times I was strict on them. Much worse than anything you have seen yet. You spend to much time on Giovanni's studies and not mine. Which is fine by me."

John let Max go, knowing he was right. Only reason he was currently with Max, was due to the fact Giovanni was getting nowhere for him.

"Try the spell again, and take a deep breath. Focus on your memory of your mother, hopefully, it will help you." Max's gaze was critical as he watches the spell form. 'An emotion based spellcaster, Raven should tech him more. Then again, that might be really bad. Oh well, I have provided more than enough already.'

*Boop Boop!* The spell broke down twice before finally turning stable. John was sweating from the magical waste. More mana spent than needed 3x over.

"Ha..ha.. ha.. I did it.. that.." John caught his breath after a few minutes. "That is her! She looks.. so bad." Seeing his mother haggard and so dazed, caused John to almost lose it. "I am not going to let her suffer anymore!"

"Have to find her first." Max scratched his chin in thought. "Send the spell on for we can find out."

*Fwish!* The spell enlarged unnoticed to regular people. Max and John followed behind slowly. Through several streets and down into the subway system. Always the subway system.

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Abandoned Area-

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*Fizzle!* The locater spell tapped against a barrier. Dissolving in an instant.

"Well shit, this is about to get really dangerous." Max felt a small shiver run through him. Powerful magic behind this. "You better be prepared for the worse." John nodded. "Then let's get this show on the road."

*Snap!* With snap of his fingers, Max looked like the Watcher once more. John received his clothes that he wore in the future. A coat and suit tie set. A hat to help mask his presence the same as Max.

"Or would you prefer to dress like Gio?"

"This works fine. Strangely enough.. it fits really well." John moved his hand over the clothes happily. Touching against the magical enhancements. A wand attached to his backside. It could double as a bostaff with a small bit of magic added to change the size. "Works fine. Time to do some damage."

Max shattered the barrier. No sense in leaving it up since they would know they were around. Especially since the locater spell hit against it. The two walked forward keeping their eyes open looking out for anything. Small wisps of magic poured around. John's natural body mixed with the Cultivation manual Max gave him, absorbed it. Turning it into power for later.

"So this cult.." John mumbled to Max. He knew he could hear him. "Do you know who they are?"

"I think.. this is a different group than before." Max eye finally calmed down enough for him to piece things togethor. "I think your mother and the others were traded to another group. The magic on the wall and ground reeks of the Cult of the Cold Flame. Which, Giovanni use to be a part of."

"People are not livestock to be traded!" John said angered. His voice echoing in the tunnel. Max kept walking with a care. "Do you think we matter that little?!"

"Sometimes. Passing thoughts in study. But on a daily basis, hell no. Well, my people anyway." Max gave a small grin to John. "people only have as much value as you put on them. If you had the choice to save a child, 5 years at that, and they were blind and deaf, over a healthy 30 year old woman, who would you choose?"

John did not answer right away. He didn't like the questions Max asked at the weirdest times. The two kept moving only stopping to let a few mud dolls pass by. Control by one of the cult members no doubt.

After a few minutes, they started moving again. Max flicked his hand creating two copies. Having the two move down another path than them. Max was linked to the two and could see what they would see with a thought.

"Who would you save?" John asked as they pressed against a wall. Asking a question instead of answering himself.

"The 30 year old woman." Max said simply. "With the information given, she is the better bet. Her life has touched more people odds are. her loss would hurt more most likely to other people. Such as her parents and possible children. The child.. is just that, a child. Most likely death only hurting the parents. Plus a better chance for the soul to move on."

"That is some one's child." John said upset.

"And when we get down to your mother.." Max said frowning. ".. if there are kids, will you save them over your mother?" John was taken back a bit. Gripping his arms tightly as he thought it over. "Of course you wouldn't. It takes a weird sense of mentality to prioritize things that are needed."

"Have you done that before?" John felt a sick sensation in his stomach at the thought of choosing some stranger over his own mother.

"I have." Max moved forward down a ladder. "Several times. You learn to live with it or let it kill you. I recommend the first part. Several friends killed themselves over it." Landing down below, he made sure the surface didn't trigger a trap.

*Tap!* John jumped down once it was clear.

"I hope I never have that issue come up." He said gravely. max just shook his head as he walked forward. "Disappointed?"

"Absolutely. But it makes this easy." Max pointed to the left. "There are a bunch of 30 something old women over there getting drained for a blood sacrifice it looks like. it has been going on for awhile it seems. They can most likely last a few more days. To the right are a bunch of "Runaways" kids."

In total about 40 or 50 people. Max knew they were also kidnapped kids. The runaway was a cover by someone. California had a really bad problem about this around the current time frame. All kids from homes that had child molestation cases in the area.

"We cannot just leave them here." John said. Looking at Max sternly. "I think we can save them all."

"Of course you do rookie." Max frowned. "The two copies were caught. I made them disappear like an escape attempt. So it should buy us some time to get out." The flux of magic was defintely not something Max would want to deal with short-handed. "You are not equipped to fight.."

"I cannot after coming so close!" John said. He jumped down despite Max reaching to grab him. 'I will save my mother and all of them myself!'

'Haa, for boots in the cold!' Max pulled on his face exasperated. The chance of them succeeding just dropped drastically. 'A little more ritual blood loss would not kill them jeez! Not like they would be traumatized more than they already were!'

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Before John jumped down-

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Sargon the Sorcerer, Mister E, and Tannarak were gathered. In the center of the room was a pit. A small gathering were the blood would pour into. A few mud dolls would dumped sacks inside. Blood pouches were stolen from a hospital most likely. Not as good as blood from a body for blood magic, but it would help with the vast quantity they dumped in.

Sargon stood tall in the center. A turban on his with a gem in place that shined brightly. he was either the master of the spell or just the guiding of a part of it. Not to far behind was a little girl. Most likely his daughter who was also a fledgling magic user. The child stared coldly at things going on. unbothered by the moaning of the people.

Another man stood to the side, it was Mister E. Eyes covered from his eyes burning out recently from a spell going awry. This did not stop the magician from trying to keep going. The hook cane in his hand doing wonders for the loss of his eyes. The metal it was made of, heavily enchanted.

Then there was Tannarak. Covered in runic incriptions to allow him more magic control. His eyes looked out steady as the spell kept going. He was the first to notice a problem in the barrier.

"The mud dolls, have lost the intruders. They have seemed to escape." Tannarak told his cohorts.

"That is good. The spell is not ready anyway." Mister E said. "A small problem could cause it to go haywire. Bad enough we worked with that hedgewitch." His voice was disdainful in memory of the witch. "I say we should have taken her for everything she was worth.

"No, we are still building our forces. No need to make so many enemies." Sargon answered. He turned to his daughter and told her something with a whisper. "Go to bed. Just because school is out, does not mean you can do what ever you want. Go before I tattered your butt."

"Grr, fine!" The child growled upset. 'Old geezer always hides the good stuff. How will I get better if I do not see everything?' The child's anger was already in a bad place lately. Especially since Giovanni left. He was always nice, a little boring at times, but he made sure she understood the dangers of magic. 'I wonder when I can Zatanna again? Bet she has gotten better with her magic!'

As the child stew, she messed what was going on behind in the chamber.

*Fwip!* John let loose a advance wind spell. Cutting the chains on both sides that held the people. They dropped down and almost slid into the blood pit.

'Dammit!' John waved his hands creating some wind sending them up to the side. 'Close call!'

"Intruder!" Tannarak yelled. "I will deal with him! Make sure the spell stays stable!" Mister E assisted Sargon in calming the spell that started to act up. The blood boiling as the magic increased.

"Damn you monsters!" John yelled seeing the state of the people. They only groaned and didn't do much else. Almost unresponsive. As Tannarak created a magical sword, John drew the wand and attacked. Stabbing the man in the chest. "You will pay for this!"

*Fwoosh!* An air current gathered around the tip, sending out several magical arrows. They bombarded Tannarak carrying him back several feet.

*Babump!* Max felt his blood run cold as the ritual was not something he could allow to happen. Even more so sense it started to effect the topside of the area. He sent a message to Morgan Le Fey to mask it into a storm to block it out.

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At the entrance-

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A man dressed in roman armor walked forward. Power coursing through his veins as he felt the evil down below. One word escaped his lips as he moved with detemination.

"Shazam!" A bolt of lighting shot through the sky through Morgan's spell concealment. Hitting The Son of Vulcan and changing him with the power of something. Something of a Marvel. 'I will purge this evil and protect the people!' His eyes were cloudy and a bit controlled by another.