Chapter 1: Prologue

a/n: anon fic meme fill, trigger warnings for implied (and later graphic) violence against children, along with other disturbing themes. when the time comes to bump up the rating, I will.

"Well, I'll give you one thing – this is awful," Wonder Woman said heavily, shoving the newspaper back to the center of the table. HOMELESS BOY, 10, LATEST VICTIM IN STRING OF CHILD MURDERS, the headline accused, front and center. Weighing on them like lead. "But I don't know what you expect us to do, Bruce. We're not exactly experts at tracking down serial killers on the streets." She gazed at him evenly. "I'm assuming you've already tried."

"I've investigated every criminal syndicate in Blüdhaven," Batman confirmed, eyes narrowed to slits behind his cowl. "No leads. The killer is acting alone, and no one seems to have any information on his identity or whereabouts."

Green Arrow hummed thoughtfully, staring down at his hands folded on the table. "We could dispatch a few League members on full-time watch," he offered halfheartedly. All of them knew it was merely a token suggestion – the League simply didn't have the numbers for that.

"Even if we tried, we'd stand out too much," Wonder Woman said after a moment. "I'm sure all the criminals in Blüdhaven are already on high alert, what with Batman snooping around, sniffing for clues. We go in, make a spectacle of it, and the killer vanishes into the woodwork until we give up and leave."

"And then he comes out from hiding. And the cycle begins anew," Martian Manhunter said, gravely.

They all sat quietly for a moment. The newspaper continued to sit heavily at the center of the table, demanding their attention every spare moment that went on without conversation. The boy on the front page smiled blithely out at them, a years-old picture relic that betrayed nothing of the gruesome truth: Scott Okum, ten years old, African-American, Indiana native. Abandoned by his mother in Blüdhaven, four months prior to the date of his death. Dismembered limb from limb; blood samples tested positive for extensive drug dosage. Identified only by his dental records.

"We would need a covert effort," Batman finally said. Superman looked at him sharply.

"You mean the Team," he accused.

"I do," Batman said.

Aquaman slammed both hands onto the table, scowling. "This is a criminal who preys on children!" he said, forcefully. "I will not send Kaldur'ahm into danger of this nature! Have you not seen what that monster does to his victims?"

"I have," Batman said darkly.

Flash, sensing the rising tension in the room, held up his hands and motioned for the two of them to calm down. "Hey, chill," he said to Aquaman, quickly. "This sicko doesn't target teenagers. He goes for younger kids: nine, ten years old, tops. Even Robin would be well out of his usual range." He shuddered. "Thank god."

Wonder Woman spoke up next. "But that does beg the question: if we sent the Team in, what exactly would they be doing?" she asked cautiously. "They can't simply wander around Blüdhaven for weeks, searching for clues. And we can't well have them tail every homeless child in the city, waiting for the killer to strike."

"Maybe not every homeless child," Batman said levelly.

Wonder Woman narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "And just what do you mean by that?" she demanded.

"He means me," came a new voice from behind them. The assembled Justice League members turned around in unison, eyes widening as they recognized the speaker.

Ten-year-old Billy Batson stood in the nearby doorframe, scruffy in faded jeans and a threadbare sweater, holding a worn yellow backpack loosely in one arm. The boy looked unusually thin, as though he hadn't eaten in several days, and the faint hollowness in his cheeks made his large eyes all the more pronounced, blue and bright. His shoes were torn; hair disheveled and dirty, but carefully so. The overall effect was that of a battered, pitiable, but nonetheless comely child, with sharp angular features and something hard and unfamiliar lurking beneath his smile.

"...Captain Marvel," Wonder Woman said, caught by surprise.

Billy smiled wider, unsettlingly. "Can't catch a wolf without a rabbit," he said, calmly – and before him, the Justice League erupted at once into a chaos of furious shouting and argument.