Yue

 11th January

09:31 GMT -5

"Recognised, Orange Lantern, B zero six. Identity confirmed."

School day today, so Kon will have already-.

"Good morning, Paul!" Amon beams as he sees me, flying across the room and landing just in front of me.

"Good morning, Amon. I didn't know that you were starting with us quite yet."

"Adom has been discussing it with Captain Marvel and the Batman for some time. My.. public profile makes some things a little difficult." I nod. "It was a matter of finding an appropriate investigation."

"Which of the sites the angels visited did they send you to?"

"Ethiopia. Their government were polite to me, as they are hoping that my sister will help them with their farming."

"Find anything interesting?"

He shakes his head. "The Orthodox Patriarch was insensible and the church was empty. It was supposed to house a Jewish holy artefact called 'The Ark of the Covenant', but if it did then it is not there any longer. Miss Zatara checked with her magic, and there did not appear to be any lingering effects, other than the consecration of the church itself."

"Miss Zatara?"

"She is my…" He frowns for a moment. "Personal development coach? I am.. still not sure why I need a mentor other than Adom…"

"Several plausible reasons. First, while I have the greatest respect for Adom, he isn't a 'superhero' in the modern sense. And he knows it. He has instincts which were right for the era of his birth, and he is still not always sure what the correct way to act is. And while he has people advising him and teaching him, he knows that learning… Basic things like that on the job isn't ideal when that job is running a country."

Amon nods. "So I am to learn the correct way from the start, while I am not running a country. That is wise, but Miss Zatara is not older than me."

"She grew up as the daughter of a superhero. She knows the attitude and comportment which the role requires, and while many of our other more experienced team mates have school her schedule is flexible enough to fit in with you. And.. it.. sometimes helps to have someone to go to who isn't your main mentor."

"Because I am a teenager, and therefore must be argumentative and disruptive." He shakes his head. "If that habit was ever in me, then it was beaten out of me."

"Everyone has bad days, Amon. Sometimes it helps to get things out of your system with someone else, so that you can talk to the person with whom you have a disagreement with a clearer head. And I'm not sure that Zehuti can really serve in that role."

"Ah…" He looks away. "No."

"Problem?"

"Adom… He says he hears the gods literally speaking with him. But Captain Marvel does not."

"As I understand it, Jebediah used different versions of the empowerment spell on them."

"I do not hear them as Adom does. I have.. tried.. setting the power aside, and I am wiser with it than without it, but I do not hear a voice."

"You see? This is the sort of thing you could talk to Zatanna about."

"Ah…" He glances back over his shoulder, towards the corridor he flew out from. "O.. kay?"

"But since you're asking me… The augmentation clearly works. Adom shares his power with you because he loves and respects you. If he wanted to talk to Zehuti he'd just do it himself; he doesn't need you to do it for him." He nods. "Now, Adom worshipped Zehuti for decades before Jebediah put them in direct contact. You’ve-. Sorry, I realise that I don't know whether you actually worship them or not."

"I don't know. 'God' was just something the older prisoners talked about when the guards weren't listening. I pray as Adom does, but I haven't.. really…"

"Couple of options, then. We could perform a ritual to put you in direct contact with them, or we could visit Jebediah and ask him what's going on."

"Captain Marvel said that the wizard does not wish to see Adom. But I suppose that he has not said anything-"

"Hey Paul!"

"-about me."

We both turn as Zatanna strolls into the training area, Staff of Love in hand, violet smoke wafting around her.

"Good morning, 'Miss Zatara'."

She blinks, then rolls her eyes and shakes her head. "Amon, stop calling me that."

I wave as Leonid and Kaldur walk in behind her. "Anything official to do today?"

Kaldur nods. "Rocket Red has informed us of a marked increase in petty thefts in western Russia, and Batman has confirmed that countries in central and eastern Europe are experiencing a similar crime wave."

I nod. "Canis, Tula, Garth?"

"Canis found the idea that someone would steal precious metal from a museum to be most profoundly offensive."

I nod. "Unless they were stealing to order, unique pieces would only be useful for the value of the metal."

"Garth is… Visiting his family. Tula is accompanying him."

"Relatives who.. didn't have anything to do with him getting exiled for having purple-?"

"No." Kaldur bows his head. "It is a… Delicate time for him."

Pshfffffffff. If it was me, I wouldn't bother. I mean, sure, King Orin can't pretend his home city doesn't exist, but after what they did to him I'm astonished that Garth's giving them the time of day. But, of course, up to him.

"Alright. Where to first?"

Zatanna smiles. "Bucharest. Have you ever visited it?"

"Yes, I went to see quite a few places when I was getting used to flying around with my ring. I actually visited the Museum of Art Collections in twenty ten."

"Maybe if we get time you could show me around?"

"Ah… Sure, though the tour guides would probably be better." I turn to Kaldur. "So… Boom tube to Ankara, or is Canis actually answering his radio this time?"

Zatanna shakes her head. "No need. I've finally gotten the hang of group teleports. Everyone ready?"

Amon and Leonid nod, Kaldur puts his right hand up to stop her. "I need to speak with Orange Lantern for a moment. Please, continue on."

She frowns for a second, then shrugs, lifting the staff with her right hand and pressing her left down on the Star Sapphire itself. There's a swirl of mist and then she, Amon and Leonid are gone.

No backwards chanting?

"What is it?"

He looks.. mildly uncomfortable for a moment. "I need to ask you to tell me whether or not you are in secret discussions with the government of Venturia."