DC Hellblazer: I'm Constantine

C13. I'm Constantine

It doesn't take long before the Bat rings me up, talking about a mysterious fire consuming an entire building. My response is simple. It's time we set up that Justice League Mystical Faction – The Justice League Dark.

A few days later, after Vegas, I travel to Washington. No flashy spells, no magic. Just an old mate, a taxi ride, and the kind of travel that leaves you wishing for a Keshanti Key. Might as well be a bloody tourist.

The Hall of Justice. It's everything you expect. Families snapping photos with holograms of the Flash, kids tugging at Superman's cape statues, and mothers staring at Wonder Woman displays, probably imagining themselves as warrior queens. Ordinary folk in an extraordinary place, blissfully unaware of the shadows lurking behind the scenes.

Inside, I stand at the centre of the Hall, staring at a door, trying to decide whether to knock it down or just knock on it. Funny thing about doors – sometimes you're better off knocking, other times you need to make a bloody statement.

I'm stuck in thought for a good while, brow furrowed. People probably think I'm just some lost bloke, caught in a trance. But if anyone actually looks, they'd see I'm not lost. Just waiting for the right moment to make my move.

It doesn't take long before a gust of wind snaps me out of my thoughts. I turn, and there he is—too cheerful for my liking. The Flash.

"You must be Constantine," the scarlet speedster says, practically bouncing in place.

I barely hear him. My eyes are still locked on the door, the one no one else can see. It's right there in the middle of the Hall, blending into the background, unnoticed by the crowd and the superheroes milling around like they're just another bunch of ordinary folks.

"You've got balls, I'll give you that," I mutter, though I'm not talking to Flash. The door's the one that gets my attention. "But I'm not looking for trouble just yet."

"Sorry, what was that?" Flash asks, brow raised, looking at me like I've gone daft.

I finally tear my gaze away from the dimension no one else sees and meet his eyes. For a second, my mind wanders. _The Flashpoint._ I need to deal with that eventually.

"Nothing, mate," I say, rolling my shoulders like I've just been carrying the weight of the world. When did I get so bloody tense? "Just admiring the view." I gesture vaguely toward the crowd, though I'm not really looking at them. My mind's still on that damn door. The thought of knocking on it sends a chill down my spine.

Flash cocks his head, his eyes narrowing a little. He's catching on to something, but he's still too chipper. "You, uh, okay there?"

"Yeah, mate. Right as rain," I lie, the words slipping out without a second thought. "Just thinkin' this place is a bit too... pristine for my tastes. All this hero worship. Makes you forget there's darker things out there."

He chuckles, shrugging it off. "Ah, don't worry, we've got the bad guys covered."

I glance at him, just the right amount of sideways. "How many in the basement?"

Flash laughs like I'm cracking a joke. "We don't have a basement. The bad guys are usually taken to Arkham or—"

"How did you know about the basement?" a voice cuts through his explanation. Batman. The man himself, standing there like he's always been in the room. And right beside him is Wonder Woman. She's all grace and strength, like someone who could take on the entire universe.

I flash them both a grin. "Just intuition, mate," I say, like it's no big deal. "But my gut says you'd be more worried if I didn't know."

Batman grunts. I take that as a win.

"We're all talking figurative, right? There's no actual basement... right?" Flash asks, still trying to piece it together.

Wonder Woman gives him one of those looks, the kind that says, _You're adorable but also a bit thick._

I turn to her, putting on my best grin. "And I see you've brought the Woman of Wonder," I say, giving a nod toward the statues. "I've been admiring your sculptures since I walked in. They pale in comparison, of course."

She raises an eyebrow, but her smile doesn't fade. Batman doesn't care about any of that. He's all business.

"Follow me," Batman says, already turning to walk away.

"To the basement, right?" I call out, flashing a look at Flash, who still doesn't know whether I'm joking or not.

I don't wait for an answer. He'll catch on eventually.

"We have a basement!?" The Flash blurts out, zipping around beneath the Hall of Justice. "No one told me we had a basement."

"Must sting, being kept out of the loop," I smirk, watching Flash buzz past me.

"Sting? This is _so_ cool," Flash says, excitement clear in his voice. He zips around a massive dragon skeleton displayed in the center of the room, marveling at it. "But I gotta admit, it stings a little that no one thought to tell me about this."

"Don't touch that," I warn, my voice sharp as Flash's fingers hover too close to one of the bones.

Flash pulls back, eyes wide. "What? It's dead, isn't it?"

"Drakkul Karfang," I murmur, a bit of ancient knowledge slipping through. "An ancient dragon with a temper worse than mine after a few pints. Sure, it looks dead, but in magic, the line between life and death's about as thin as a bloody whisper."

I glance at the dragon's remains, half-expecting it to twitch. Magic's funny like that, isn't it?

"Impressive," Wonder Woman says, calm but curious. "You know your stuff."

I smirk. "Nah, luv. What's impressive is the warrior who put the bloody thing down and stashed its bones in this fancy basement. Takes someone truly wondrous to make a statement like that."

She smiles subtly, taking the compliment in stride, while Batman remains laser-focused.

"Following the incident with Dr. Destiny and several other events, including the fire in Vegas, the Justice League has decided it's time to form a team capable of handling mystical threats," Batman briefs.

"Count me out if the name's as dry or boring as 'The Team,'" I say cockily.

"You're not in it," Batman responds without hesitation.

"Mh?" I'm thrown off, glancing between Batman and Wonder Woman. Batman doesn't flinch, but Diana's attention is elsewhere, toward the Flash, still lost in the wonders—and curses—of the basement.

I sigh, feeling a bit betrayed. Technically, this whole thing was my idea, so why the hell am I not in the bloody team?

"If I'm not in, what the hell am I here for then?" I ask, keeping my voice cool, though it's a little harder than I'd like to admit.

"You'll serve as a consultant," Batman says, his tone as businesslike as ever. "With a fee, of course."

"And as consultant, you'll handle the recruitments, while Wonder Woman will be the Team Leader," he adds, not missing a beat.

I want to bristle at the idea of being reduced to 'just a consultant,' but something about the arrangement sticks. Maybe I wasn't looking to be a leader. Consultant, though? That sounds like a sweet spot. Flexible. The kind of gray area where Constantine thrives.

"Right then," I mutter to myself. "Perfect spot."

I turn my attention to Batman. "Got any leads on that Vegas attack, or are we just winging it?"

He gives a sharp shake of his head, lips pinched tight. "Not yet. But I suspect it's connected to a string of similar incidents worldwide. Random, violent attacks. Buildings burning to ash, with no sign of life left. Something's happening here. Something bigger."

I nod. Yeah, I'm getting the picture. "And that's where we come in, yeah?"

"Exactly," Batman says. "With the Justice League Dark set up, we'll investigate. Find a pattern if there is one. If there's something larger at play, we'll stop it. Before it's too late."

He gestures to Wonder Woman, a silent cue for her to continue.

"You could start off by looking into Khalid Nassour. Kent Nelson's apprentice. Took over the mantle of Doctor Fate after his uncle. Been missing for a while, though. Not sure where he is now, but he's got potential." She looks at me.

I think about all the rest: Zatanna, Deadman, Jason, Detective Chimp... and my terrible reputation with most of them.

"Charming," I mutter.

I glance around the basement. Flash is standing by a dark corner, totally mesmerized by a suspicious-looking diamond. And when I say 'suspicious', I mean, 'we're all gonna die if he touches that thing.'

He's muttering to himself, hands inching toward it like he's drawn to it. "It's telling me... it needs to be closer to that mirror... over there."

I shake my head. "Magic 101, mate—if it ain't breathing and it's talking to you, best leg it before you end up as someone's pawn."

I cast a quick spell, sending a pulse of magic over him. Flash drops like a sack of potatoes, unconscious but unharmed. The spell wraps around his mind, shielding him from whatever influence that cursed diamond was trying to work on him.

"That'll keep him down for a while," I mutter as I levitate him gently, moving him out of harm's way. "So, I'm guessing this is going to be our base of operations?"

Wonder Woman just nods, like it's no big deal. She's probably not even aware of the dangerous power buzzing in the room. But, hey, we'll see if we're dealing with gods and demons every hour.

I give a quick glance around before turning to head out. "Well then, better get to it. Can't have the world running short on mages."