Hey guys! So this is pretty random, kind of came up with it out of the blue. It's supposed to be creepy and I'm sure if you just imagineit all it will be. Just so you know this might be a little bit OOC but hopefully not too much. This will be a three-parter, by the way.

Disclaimer: All recognizible characters belong to DC Comics, not me.

They had been called to one of the most elite private schools in the country by the President himself. It had taken the JLAall of five minutes to beam Wonder Woman, Superman, Flash, Green Arrow, and Martian Manhunter to the site of the hostage situation. Superman had expected Batman to demand they either leave or simply back off on their arrival but the man was nowhere to be seen.

"Superman!" came the shout of Jim Gordon over the many voices of the parents, media, faculty, police officers, Secret Service agents, FBI agents, and curiously enough, protesting students. "Finally, we could really use your help."

"What's going on with them?" Flash asked jabbing a thumb over at the screaming students. Gordon groaned aloud, looking tired and scattered. For the normally calm and professional cop to be as frazzled as he looked, it had to be bad.

"The students are refusing to leave the campus," Gordon said. "Something about Spartan pride."

"Spartan pride?" Arrow asked.

"Yes, they were warriors of great skill from the land of Sparta," Wonder Woman rattled off. "Even for men they were highly proficient."

"It's also the school's mascot," Gordon replied. "Look, I've got an entire max security wing of Arkham in that school holding about ten students hostage."

"Where is Batman?" J'onn broke into the conversation.

"In the building," Gordon replied. "Along with Nightwing. They went in about an hour ago with radio communications but everything went dead twenty minutes ago. Don't even bother to try using your powers, they won't work."

"Why not?" Flash asked a little shocked at the sudden exclamation of canceling powers.

"Calculator managed to get his hands on a device that would cancel out the powers of the metahumans. He sold it to the Joker for a huge sum."

"Do you know who's being held hostage?" Superman asked.

"No," Gordon said shaking his head and sighing in exasperation. "The teachers can't get a head count and the students are not complying in any way."

"Let me see if I can get something," Flash said and popped up in front of the fence being used to restrain the students a mere second later. A blond haired girl with blue, purple, and hot pink streaks jumped back from the fence in shock before regaining her high society composure.

"What do you want?" she snarled.

"I want to know what you think you're going to accomplish with this demonstration," Flash said looking over her shoulder at the screaming students.

"We aren't leaving," she said.

"Why not?" Flash asked her.

"It's not right," she replied.

"What's not right?"

"Leaving them to die," she said. "We won't just stand by and let it happen. Everyone who wanted to leave already has. Run off with their tails between their legs." A dark haired boy beside her gave a cold smile but didn't make any sound.

"These agents just want to take you to safety," Flash responded not sure how to reply to that. He really did hate Gotham City; the people just weren't all there in the head. Too much Joker gas still floating around he guessed.

"No, they want to take us from our school," she said icily and turned to the boy beside her to whisper something in his ear. He gave a coy smile at Flash then disappeared into the crowd. "You should go find Batman. He probably needs your help." With that she disappeared as well and Flash went back over to the group a little weirded out.

"Well?" Green Arrow asked.

"She said they won't leave their school, that anyone who wanted to leave already has, and that we should go help Batman," he said.

"Then you'd better get inside," Gordon said quickly and they all looked at him. "When these kids talk, it's best to listen."

"What do you mean?" Arrow asked and Wonder Woman nodded.

"We got a call a few days ago with a tip about this attack; only the Sergeant who answered the phone didn't take it seriously. Thought it was just some kid crank calling the station. Turns out the call came from one of the phones in the school and somehow the students found out. That's partly why they're in the state they're in."

"You're saying someone knew this would happen?" Superman asked, feeling a bit indignant. Gordon nodded but said nothing else.

"C'mon, let's get in there," Arrow said and all five of them made their way inside.

"This place is creepy," Flash breathed, looking at the vast entrance hall of the private school. It was done in a Victorian style, for that was the era the school had been built in, with dark mahogany floors, dark red paint, and creepy portraits of men they'd never heard of. The Feds had already cut the power off and somebody had closed most of the curtains leaving the room in shadows despite all the light coming from outside. There was a huge staircase directly in front of the door and on the wide, first step sat a crystal vase with a single red rose. They had no idea who left it there or why.

"I agree," Arrow said in gruff voice. Wonder Woman was just about to shush them when they heard a small chuckle. Superman felt the hair on his arms stand up at the creepy sound coming from the shadows. He would have used his super hearing to pinpoint their location but Gordon had been right, their powers didn't work in the building.

"Who's there?" Wonder Woman asked calmly as Green Arrow aimed his arrow at a random spot in the shadows. They saw a faint movement and J'onn quickly grabbed Arrow's wrist to force him to lower his weapon. Superman saw why a moment later.

A young boy of about thirteen was slowly inching towards them. They saw his multicolored shoes first then his made-to-look old shorts, the black short sleeved hooded shirt, and lastly his face. He had jet black hair with piercing blue eyes.

"Who are you?" Superman asked cautiously all too aware that the boy could possibly be a trap.

"Tim Drake," he said. "I go to school here." He crossed over to stand in front of them; he didn't look scared and he didn't have that usual look of awe on his face they normally got with kid civilians.

"Are you one of the hostages?" Wonder Woman asked, in Arrow's opinion, unnecessarily. However, the boy shook his head.

"No," he said simply. "Not really."

"What do you mean?" Superman asked.

"You should find Batman or Nightwing, they'll explain it to you," he said then started to walk towards the stairs.

"What do you mean by that?" Flash asked.

"What do you think I mean?" the boy shot back, crouching on the first step and peering into the vase as if looking for something.

"Do you know where Batman and Nightwing are?" J'onn asked. The boy looked up at him and straightened up before answering.

"I'm not their keepers," he said a bit harshly.

"Where was the last place you saw them?" Wonder Woman asked coldly. The others were taken aback by the boy's demeanor but she would not put up with insolence. The kid just shrugged, a gesture she'd always found distasteful.

"The hostages are hidden," he said. "So are the crazies. They went to go find them."

"What do you mean hidden?" Superman asked. The boy gave them a rather creepy looking smile. He crossed from the front stairs to stand just before the all consuming shadows he'd come from.

"Well, jeez, Mr. Kent. How should I know?" With that he disappeared into the shadows leaving a shocked group of heroes behind him.

They had attempted to follow the boy but he'd literally disappeared. To Superman's credit he'd let the identity thing slide for more pressing issues. They were missing ten hostages, two teammates, an unknown number of super villains, and now a young boy who knew more than he should. They started with a search of the basement opting to stay together because, as Flash pointed out, the worst thing you could do in a creepy building filled with creepy people was split up. Wonder Woman thought he was being ridiculous, as did Green Arrow, but Superman privately agreed feeling a little freaked about how quiet the place was. J'onn gave no indication that he'd even heard the speedster.

They found two police radios that Batman and Nightwing had been using sitting side by side on a crate of old drama department props. They were halfway up the basement stairs when they heard a high pitched scream that could have come from a young girl. Cursing their current lack of powers, they raced back to the entrance hall but found it as deserted as before.

"Look," Flash said quietly. He pointed to the vase which had held a red rose before. However, the rose was now gone and in its place was a finger. A human finger. Superman approached the vase and picked it up before going back to the group. He up turned it and the finger slid into his hand. It was white, not just pale, but pure white.

"Is that the Joker's?" Green Arrow asked.

"I think so," Superman said. "Flash take this to Gordon would you?" He asked the speedster because he knew this place was already freaking him out. There was something about this building that had them all on edge, something that made them nervous. Something just wasn't right. Flash nodded and took the finger heading for the door. When he attempted to open it, it refused to budge.

"Um, guys?" he called back gaining their attention. "The door's locked."

"You're kidding?" Arrow exclaimed while Wonder Woman went to check it out. After proclaiming it a lost cause she and Flash rejoined the group.

"What do we do now?" Green Arrow asked.

"I think we should search the rest of the school and see what we can find," Superman said.

"We would cover more ground if we split up," J'onn pointed out.

"Fine," Superman said ignoring the Flash's obvious nervousness.

"Fine." Came the reply form the other two. Flash, for once, just kept his mouth shut.

They searched the school top to bottom but found nothing. No hostages, no bad guys, not Batman and Nightwing, and certainly no creepy little boy. At least that was what they thought at first.

Superman and Flash had taken the third floor to search but without their still nonfunctioning powers it was slow going. When Flash turned a corner to a hallway he stopped dead, eyes wide with unexpected shock. Superman ran right into him but instantly registered his teammate's sudden stiffness and looked in the direction he was gaping. He too, froze. He couldn't help it, the entire situation was as creepy and strange as it could possibly get.

The boy, Tim Drake he recalled, was standing with his back to them at the very end of the hall. He was standing directly in front of a large portrait of a young girl no more than eleven, his head tilted up to look into her painted, black eyes. In his hand was a bloodied knife.

"You're late," he said simply and turned to look at them. Superman moved halfway down the silent, dark hall Flash right at his heels.

"Why does that knife have blood on it?" Superman asked and the boy shrugged.

"I found it Mr. Kent," he said a little mockingly.

"You found it?" he asked disbelievingly. He really had no reason to disbelieve the boy other than he was creepy but he couldn't help it.

"Yes," Tim nodded. "In the kitchens. I needed something to protect myself with. Have you found Batman?" The last part came out almost desperate and Superman realized that the boy was scared. It was then he noticed the kid's arm had nasty gash.

"Are you all right?" he asked moving forward slowly.

"Yes," Tim replied then turned back to the portrait. "I take it by your lack of answer, you haven't found them."

"No, we haven't," Superman said. So far Flash had stayed silent for which Superman was grateful for. He preferred to handle the boy on his own. "Can I ask you something important?" Superman inquired as he drew level with the short kid. Tim nodded.

"How do you know my name?" Superman asked and Tim gave a small smile.

"It was easy once I knew Batman's," Tim said and Superman was momentarily shocked into silence. "There are more trails between the two of you than you realize. Don't worry though; once I found them I destroyed them."

"You know who Batman is?" Superman asked not sure he wanted to hear the answer. Tim nodded.

"I've known for years, Superman," he said. "I recognized Robin."

"How?"

"That's a story for another time," Tim said. "But for now, you have a job to do."

"What do you mean?" Superman asked.

"I paid good money for that finger," Tim said. "In case you haven't noticed, this isn't a real hostage situation."

"You brought us here?" Superman guessed not sure if it was true.

"I did," he said. "I told several of the big villain's henchmen that it was a good idea to get their bosses to lay low. When they asked why, I told them there was going to be an influx of heroes for a night. Since it's only been a week since the breakout at Arkham they saw no reason not to lay low for a night."

"What about the Joker?" Superman asked.

"He's been missing for awhile now," Tim said. "He wasn't a problem and I know the guy who was sells body parts. He died the finger white for me. Then I had a few friends spread some rumors, called in a tip, and the rest took care itself. The students are mad about one of the rumors, which is why they were practically rioting when you came in."

"Why go through all this trouble? What do you want?" Superman was shocked that a boy so young could do all of that. Even the Titans would never have thought of something like this in their day.

"I need your help," Tim replied.

"With what?" Superman asked.

"You see this girl," Tim said pointing at the portrait. Superman nodded. "She's a metahuman and she's supposed to be dead."

"Supposed to be?" Superman asked.

"Yeah, two years ago they found her body on the bottom step of the front stairs, you know, where the rose was."

"Okay, are you saying she's not dead?" Superman asked. Tim shrugged.

"Her parents had her body exhumed last week because a detective found reason to believe that they missed something on the original autopsy," he said. "The coffin was empty and for months there have been rumors that she's haunting the school."

"That doesn't answer the question," Superman said taking in the information.

"I don't know if she's dead," Tim said. "That's why I lured you here."

"Why not just ask?" Superman asked and Tim gave snort of laughter.

"And say what? A supposed to be dead girl, whose body is missing, might be haunting my school, administration won't take us seriously, students are angry, and the murderer might still be here? Tell me, would you have honestly answered that call, assuming I could have gotten through?" The sarcasm was heavy and his tone challenging.

"We would have believed you," Flash said suddenly and Tim looked sharply at him.

"I doubt it," Tim said.

"Where are Batman and Nightwing?" Superman asked suddenly. He'd been so wrapped up in the conversation he'd almost forgotten them.

"Alyssa has them," Tim replied.

"Alyssa?" Flash asked confused. Tim pointed at the portrait.

"That's Alyssa," he said and Superman focused on the painting for real this time as did Flash. The eleven year old had blue eyes, a bright smile, and long blond hair; she looked like the perfect American girl. Smart, pretty, full of life, but Superman saw something in those painted eyes, something dark and secretive. He couldn't be sure if her eyes had actually held those emotions or if the painter had put them there. Flash gasped suddenly and Superman turned to look at him.

"I know that girl," he said.

"You do?" Superman inquired. "How?"

"She was outside," Flash said staring at the painting. "She was the girl I talked to. The one who said we should find Batman. She's older and looks a little different but that's defiantly her." Superman turned back to say something to Tim but the boy was gone.

When they got back to the meeting place Superman reiterated his conversation with the boy to the rest of his team.

"You mean these kids are playing with us?" Green Arrow said his temper flaring after hearing that the girl in the portrait was outside.

"I do not think that is what they are doing," J'onn cut in. "I think they are actually in need of help."

"Okay, but we're here," Flash said. "Why continue disappearing on us and yanking us around?"

"There's something else going on," Superman said. "I don't think it's anywhere near what Tim said it was."

"Why? Because his ghost is alive and outside?" Green Arrow said.

"No," Wonder Woman said. "Superman's right, something else is going on. I don't think the boy can simply tell us what's happening."

"What's stopping him?" Flash asked.

"Many things," a voice growled and everyone started. They looked at the hall next to the stairs and saw both Batman and Nightwing emerge, finally.

"Where have you been?" Green Arrow practically shouted by way of greeting.

"Trapped in the attic," Nightwing said.

"There's an attic?" Flash said.

"Apparently," Batman answered.

"What do you mean by that?" Superman asked his friend.

"It means we were in the library one second and in the attic the next. We didn't open any doors or secret passageways, and the library is on the first floor."

"So, what, you were transported there?" Flash asked.

"That's the only answer we can come up with," Nightwingsaid. "We just found a way out five minutes ago."

"Do you know what's going on?" Superman asked and to his immense disappointment, Batman shook his head no.

"Tim's lured us all here for some reason," Batman said.

"Yeah, we know that," Green Arrow told him. "He talked to Superman."

"He talked to you?" Nightwing asked for some reason sounding surprised.

"Yes, why?" Superman asked arms crossed across his well muscled chest.

"Did he know your real name?" Batman asked.

"Yes, how did you know that?" Superman asked wondering if the answer was actually going to tell him anything.

"Tim knows much more than he should," came vague reply and Superman resisted his urge to roll his eyes.

"So you know this boy?" Wonder Woman asked as the two Gotham heroes finally joined their circle.

"Yes," Batman said shortly. "For a few months now, he helped us on a case." Knowing he'd never tell them about it, they moved on.

"Should we just leave?" Flash suggested. "Like, go back to the police lines and say enough with the games?"

"Can't do that," Nightwing said shaking his head.

"Why not?" J'onn asked his first words to either of them.

"We're locked in," Nightwing said. "All doors and windows locked tight, nothing will budge, hell, nothing will break. All communications are a down too. And I'm assuming you've found you're powers gone?" They nodded.

"We spoke to Tim briefly several hours ago before he disappeared again," Batman took over. "He said Alyssa was blocking all metahuman abilities."

"Do the cops have any way of figuring out that the hostage situation isn't real?" Green Arrow asked. Again, Nightwing shook his head.

"The students are practically rioting out there and with the one's who have already run off it's impossible to tell who's where," Nightwing said. "Plus, Tim managed to get tips to all the super villain that tonight's a great night to lay low if they want to stay out of Arkham."

"How did he possibly manage to pull that off?" Green Arrow asked.

"We have no idea," Nightwing said. "He has some sort of connection." Green Arrow looked as if he was about to say more when a dull thunking sound made its way to their ears. They looked at the stairs, which were completely dark half way up, to see a soccer ball bouncing down. Batman quickly grabbed a flashlight from his belt and shined it at the top of the stairs but there was no one there.

"There's a note on the ball," Flash said noticing the sharpie on the ball when he picked it up.

"What's it say?" Green Arrow asked removing the arrow from his bow that he'd drawn when first hearing the noise. Flash instantly began to read.

When something is done,

That's evil and sour,

And the light is gone,

And the exits shut forever.

Do you run and hide?

Or is there a reason to fight?

Now a child hides,

Forever afraid of the night.

What do you do,

For the weak and broken?

Will you go?

Is there hope for the hidden?

"Well that's just weird," Green Arrow scoffed.

"What does it mean?" Wonder Woman asked, not quite understanding what the poem was saying. She looked at Batman for an answer but he remained silent.

"I think they want us to stay," Flash said.

"They?" Nightwing questioned and Flash sighed in annoyance.

"They, he, she, it. Doesn't matter; whoever just rolled this to us doesn't want us to leave," he said.

"I agree with Flash," J'onn said. "Whoever is keeping us here wants us to do something for them and it does not look as if they will allow us to leave before we have completed that task."

"What do we have to do?" Flash asked him but this time Batman answered.

"Whatever Tim has brought us here to do," he said.

"That could be anything," Nightwing pointed out.

"No, Tim wants us to find out something about this girl, Alyssa," Batman said. "He's led us to her twice now."

"He said she was haunting the school," Superman said.

"Yeah, and that they found her body on that bottom stair," Flash said pointing to the bottom stair that still held the empty vase.

"Something is very wrong with this building," Wonder Woman said suddenly, shaking her head.

"What do you mean?" Flash asked.

"I feel it too," J'onn said.

"Something very terrible has happened here," she continued. "This boy knows it and now he wants us to know it too." She looked at the vase on the stair and gasped. They turned and saw that another rose had appeared, this one black.

Well, hope you enjoyed that. Let me know what you guys think. Review!

Part 2: Who is Alyssa? What does Tim want them to figure out? Is there really a ghost in the school?