The Unseen Masks

The city’s neon glow painted the rain-slicked streets in a lurid, artificial light. Zatana Hori watched from the rain-streaked window of a cafe, the warmth of her tea doing little to thaw the chill that had settled deep within her.

Four years of high school had shown her the rot beneath the surface—the carefully constructed facades people used to hide their true selves.

When Shirayuki Lin slid into the booth opposite her and asked whether she could see the masks, Zatana’s life changed. Shirayuki described the Red Mask, an organization that manipulated, destroyed, and preyed on the vulnerable.

Zatana agreed to join the Strikers for one reason: to make the world a better place. Shirayuki became her mentor as the rain continued to fall and the unseen masks waited in the shadows.