The Amazon Princess..... "Plans are Made" "Gang War, Part 2"
Wonder Woman #2 - February, Year One	by Des Davies

"Mr.Holliday sends his regards and has asked us to bring you to him immediately."

The tall, well built man in the expensive suit looked over the man he was supposed to pick up. At well over six feet tall himself, with a physique that a pro-wrestler would have been envious of, he was not easily impressed. However, the man that had just climbed down from the private jet stood close to seven feet tall and was built like Schwarzenegger on steroids. He found it hard not to just stare, but he'd been doing this job for the boss for a long time and he knew how to keep his face straight.

The tall black man stared briefly at the man sent to escort him before nodding his assent. He shouldered the large army surplus duffle bag and picked up a metal case before moving to follow his driver.

Behind dark shades his eyes scanned the surrounding area. The escort was carrying a pistol under his jacket while there was another man in the car. The second man was much smaller that the first and the fact he was in the rear of the vehicle made him the brains of the operation, most likely the one who had contacted him in New York.

The car was sitting heavily on it's wheels so it was obviously armored, and the rear tires needed air. There were two security guards standing at a gate who were studiously ignoring what was taking place at the plane. "Guy has plenty of pull," the black man thought.

He lowered himself into the door that the escort held open. A soft chiming sound filled the air as the small steel blades attached to the ends of his dreadlocks clicked together as he sat facing the other man.

"Sir," the man said, "My name is Kenneth Smithe. You come heavily recommended and as we discussed on the phone we hope that you will be able to assist in the event of someone becoming a problem."

In reply he merely nodded his head once then watched as Smithe turned and instructed the driver to take them to their boss.

Diana stood in the shadows of the stage and watched as the principal of the school addressed the assembled body of the students. At her side, Isabel sanDaran leaned slightly towards her and whispered, "Princess, this is the first of the dates I've set up for you. What you do here will determine what happens in the future."

Diana looked at the other woman and smiled. "I've told you many times to use my given name Isabel, but it seems that my request falls on deaf ears. Now, worry not. I've spoken to many public assemblies and I have a message that this one will be happy to hear."

There was a faint note of rebuke in her tone, but it was mixed with enough humor to have its sting removed.

To anyone looking at the two women, they could almost have been taken to have been related, maybe even sisters. Each had the raven-dark hair that was a mark of their respective races, and they both bore their peoples sun-darkened complexions. However, where Diana could have graced the pages of any magazine, Isabel was boy-slim and shorter. Additionally, while Diana was clad in the costume of Wonder Woman, Isabel wore a pale cream pants suit over a pale blue blouse.

Diana looked back to the stage just as the principal was introducing her, "We here at Elmridge High are proud to welcome Princess Diana of Themiscyra. The hero known as Wonder Woman."

A small amount of applause greeted the announcement, but as Diana stepped forward she heard the gasps of surprise followed immediately by the applause swelling to a crescendo. Diana stood calmly at the podium and swept the student assembly with a smile that included every person present and excluded none.

Letting the noise die, she allowed the silence to hang heavily in the air for long moments sensing the air of anticipation for her words. Finally she spoke and her voice drew the hall's attention like iron to a magnet.

"Peace."

She paused for another long moment, allowing her first word to hang in the hall before continuing.

"That is the reason that I entered what we on Themiscyra called Patriarch's World. To bring, and spread, the message of peace that we on the Island have found. Many of you here can stand and say that you are tired of the battles that rage around you. Whether they be between groups of youths, criminals attacking the places you and your parents work at, or many other sources."

The tone and passion in her voice drew the audience in, and she carried them with her as she continued, "I have been blessed by the ancient deities of Greece, but you do not need those blessings to bring peace to your lives and the lives of those around you. Each of you has within you the ability to reach the highest limits."

After another short pause Diana went on, "Some of you might wonder how I can talk about being an emissary for peace when I seen to do my own share of fighting."

Diana let the soft swell of laughter that had accompanied her statement die down and then added, "Fighting in defense of the freedoms that everyone is entitled too is important. That is why it is so very critical that we know what is worth fighting for, and how to fight for it."

Diana's voice rang out around the hall and the students and teachers alike listened attentively. When she finally finished talking she invited the audience to ask questions and with unflappable grace she remained long enough to answer all.

Helena Sandsmark watched the two Chinese officials leave and then turned and looked down at the boxes they had entrusted in the care of the Gateway Museum of Antiquities. She fingered the rough wood of the closest, and largest, of the boxes. She wondered for a moment why these treasures weren't carried in a more luxurious container, but put it down to a need for security.

The boxes in front of her contained some of the most precious treasures found at the Dingling tomb in China. It had taken almost two years of negotiations to get this small part of the findings on loan. It was going to cost the Museum a lot of money simply for the extra security that the Chinese had insisted upon, but she thought that the draw of the items would more than compensate for that.

With reverent care she reached down and began to open the containers.

Carlos Florestano was out of his element. He was over-weight, dressed in suit pants and jacket over a white shirt that was wisely open at the collar, and standing in a jungle clearing. He could feel the sweat trickling down his neck to add to the already soaked back of his shirt. He would have told anyone that asked that the sweat was due to the heat but that wasn't entirely true. Standing before him, on the steps of an ancient, ruined Aztec temple was the man he had been told to talk to.

Carlos had been confused when his boss had told him to talk to the man wearing the mask. He had expected some sort of super villain, instead he was looking at a bone thin old man who was wearing two things - a long grey-blue robe decorated with seashells and a large wooden mask. The mask had been carved in such a way as to almost make it look like the old man had on large round glasses and a long moustache.

It was also taking a lot of self-control on the Carlos' part not to look behind him at the group of men that had brought him here. The stone-tipped spears that they had been carrying would do a lot of damage if he didn't give the correct answers here.

He was further surprised when heavily accented English issued from behind the mask.

"What do you want?"

"Uhhh, the boss wanted you to know that he had a visitor yesterday. Wonder Woman."

"Why should this be of concern to me?" asked the old man with obviously rising irritation.

Carlos swallowed before answering, "Because he was forced to tell her about you."

"I ask again. Why should this concern me?"

The question took Carlos aback. In his mind he reminded himself that he was dealing with savages and they probably didn't know what a bathroom was let alone Wonder Woman.

"Wonder Woman has recently moved into Gateway City. She's a hero and she seemed to be annoyed about the panther she found. She made the boss tell her about you. He didn't have any choice."

The last sentence was added hurriedly as he could sense the change in the other man's attitude.

"Your boss," the word was spat out, "should have kept his mouth shut. That was part of the deal."

"He had no choice," the Carlos replied quickly. "She used her lasso on him when he wouldn't answer her."

"What is this lasso that it can make a man talk when he was sworn not to?" asked the old man with a certain amount of curiosity coloring his voice.

Carlos managed to avoid rolling his eyes as he answered, "Wonder Woman has a magic lasso that forces whomever it holds to answer any question she asks with the truth. He had no choice."

The old man nodded his head once before asking, "That still does not explain why she should be of concern to me."

Carlos breathed out loudly then said, "She's a hero. The boss thinks that she'll try to come here to prevent any more animals from being sent to us. He thought that he should warn you."

"That was wise. I would have been unhappy if she had appeared here without warning."

The words were said simply, but Carlos was left in no doubt that the boss had been wise in sending him down here. No threat had been spoken but Carlos heard the meaning loud and clear.

"Tell me," began the old man, "why did your master not turn the animals we have sent loose against her?"

"He did," Carlos replied, "or at least he tried. None of them would attack her. It was like she smiled at them and they became instant friends."

Sitting down on the steps of the temple, the old man looked down on the man before him and said, "Tell me more of this Wonder Woman."

Diana flew over Gateway City searching for a location that she could use as an arena for the two youths to fight in. In her mind she went over the events of the last few days in another attempt to move the pieces into a better arrangement.

The information she had gathered from the Mexican criminal had convinced her that she would need to fly down to the location in Mexico that he had given her. However, she also needed to resolve the issues between the two gangs of youths. Of course, she also had to fit this all into her schedule at the museum and her own speaking engagements. That was without the calls that the Justice League placed on her she mentally added as she remembered the 'try-outs' for new members that were to soon take place.

"This task was never meant to be easy," she stated aloud in her native Greek. "If it were there would be no need for me, as there would already be peace."

Focusing back on her current task Diana marveled at the size of the city below her. It covered more ground than the whole of Themiscyra. However, where the architecture of the buildings of her home was uniform across the island, here there was a huge variety.

Diana had learned recently that the city had gotten its name because it had served over the years as an entry point into the United States. The Mexican border was only 15 miles to the south, and the natural harbor had seen thousands of Asians arrive via ship. The tag that it was a gateway had stuck and eventually it had grown to become Gateway City.

As a newer city, in comparison to her old home in Boston, she had expected to find the city to be very modern. In places, like the business district and the newest suburbs, it was. However, like most other cities it also was home to poorer neighborhoods. The largest, called simply Southside, lay on the southern side of the city and consisted primarily of Latinos. Many of the residents had crossed the border to find a better life only to end up living in a slum. Many had entered the country illegally and that made it even more difficult for them to find good jobs. There were always those businesses that hired them, but they paid the bare minimum in wages as their employees had no one to complain to. However, many of the people living in Southside were legally entitled to live in the country but they had decided to live close to others of similar racial background.

Two other poor neighborhoods could be clearly identified. One ran along the southern edge of the harbor and another spread out around the old warehouse district. The latter area was severely rundown and even included tents and lean-to shanties.

Diana shook her head sadly wishing there was a way she could make people understand the truths that her people had found over the centuries. Cooperation, sharing, learning, helping others. They were the universal truths that life - happy life - revolved around. However, they were things that had taken the Amazons centuries to learn. It also helped that the Amazons were immortal and they were able to learn from their mistakes. Plus they had the guidance of the Greek goddesses to help them.

"I don't understand why they will not help each other," Diana thought aloud. She didn't think about the tensions that had occurred when the other group of Amazons had returned to Themiscyra.

While her thoughts continued to work at the problems, her eyes scanned the city below her. There were no obvious locations that she could use as an amphitheatre so she focused her mind on the new problem. It would need to be inside, or away from curious eyes, as the police would probably frown on the solution she had initiated.

Then with a smile she had the answer to the problem. Angling her body to the ocean she rode the night winds towards her destination.

Four men sat in the simply furnished room. None spoke and it was almost as if each were ignoring the others. There was an air of expectancy about each of the men, as though they were waiting for something.

All four looked up as one as the door leading into the bedroom opened. The man that entered stood six feet tall and had the build of a professional athlete. He was dressed in black pants and a purple round-neck shirt. His face could have been carved out of ice for the amount of emotion present in it and the white hair and beard only emphasized that.

He pushed the door closed behind him while he focused his attention on the man sitting on the couch closest to the door. He looked to be in his mid-thirties and appeared to be in good condition. He was dressed casually in black jeans and polo shirt. The only thing that looked out of place was the silver bracelet on each wrist.

"I've completed the tasks you assigned. Everything went as smoothly as you suggested they would," he said calmly.

Without showing any sign that he had heard the information imparted, the newcomer turned his gaze on the second man in the room. This one was the tallest man in the room at six and half feet, but he was also rail thin. An unruly mop of black hair cascaded off his head and his clothes tended to match, as they were a mix of expensive gray pants and a Gateway Conquistador football shirt.

His eyes darted from the icy gaze of the newcomer to cover the room and then back again as he said, "We encountered the expected complications, but they were dealt with. Everything completed within your given parameters."

Once again the man made no response and simply focused on the next man who was sitting on the stool in front of a piano. He was the oldest in the room and looked to be in his sixties. His dress also reflected his age as he wore blue pants and white shirt with a tie.

Pushing small, round glasses back onto the bridge of his large roman nose he answered in a surprisingly deep voice, "The first two are in place. The final code will be completed by the end of the week."

Even before the man's gaze fell on the final man, he had begun speaking.

In a very rapid voice he said, "I had a problem with the final objective. I ran into an unexpected problem, but I can get it complete tonight."

He dwindled into silence as the gaze stabbed into him. For long moments the silence held the room in its thrall before the man turned his head and allowed a small smile to invade his face.

Looking around the room quickly but with deliberate purpose he spoke one word.

"Good."

The strength in the voice reverberated around the room and Stefan Holliday, the last man to be questioned, released the breath he had not realized he had been holding.

The man then dropped a manila envelope into the hands of each of the men before turning and exiting through the bedroom door.

Without opening the envelopes each of the men stood and headed for the other door in the room. All except one left without so much as a glance back. Stefan Holliday looked greedily at the door to the bedroom before turning and leaving as the others had.

Detective Mike Schorr and his partner, Orin Scrivello, exited their car. Walking around the car to join his partner on the sidewalk, Scrivello said, "One of these days Mike you're going to push too far. What are you going to do when one of these guys calls your bluff?"

Mike Schorr snorted loudly before replying, "None of them has the guts to do it. Look Orin, I've been working the streets in Gateway for years and before that my dad did the same thing. The key, as I've told you before, is confidence. If these mugs think you're serious then they'll treat you that way. Give them and inch and they'll walk all over you."

It was natural for Mike to be so sure of himself, Scrivello thought as he rounded the front of the car. He watched as Schorr scanned the area in what appeared to be a natural action. As he watched, time seemed to slow as he saw his partner reach for his gun and shout something in his direction. He began to turn in the direction that Schorr was facing and then found himself flung back in the other direction. He landed on the hood of the car with a thump and then the pain erupted in his shoulder. His numbed brain tried to work out what had happened and he wondered absently why he had heard no gunshots. As if to emphasize his thoughts, two shots filled the air close to him and then he felt strong hands dragging him across the hood and down to the sidewalk.

It was then that he realized that the scream of pain was coming from his own mouth.

Schorr's rough voice said, "Shut up. I need to think."

Mike Schorr had seen the two men get out of a car further up the street that had pulled in after them. When one of them had reached under his jacket, Mike had seen the shape of a gun underneath and had called out a warning while drawing his own weapon. However, he had not spotted the two other men that appeared on the opposite sidewalk until his partner had been thrown onto the car.

Dropping to the side of the car he fired two shots at the men in front of him and dragged his partner down beside him. He could keep the two in front away, but he had no way of knowing what the other two were up to. No doubt coming around from behind he thought savagely.

He considered the option of trying to get into the car but he knew immediately there was no way to get his partner into the car safely. Leading with his gun, he slowly poked his head over the hood of the car and got off two more rounds at the advancing gunmen before ducking back into cover.

Using an autoloader he quickly reloaded his gun and again glanced to the front before checking the rear. There was no one approaching in either direction so he quickly checked his partner. Scrivello had managed to remove his jacket and had it balled up over the wound but he was deathly pale. Schorr pulled a radio from his belt and was about to call for backup when a voice made him stop.

"Too late for that," laughed the man who had appeared from behind the car. Pointing the gun at Schorr he pulled the trigger.

Mike Schorr tried to throw himself out of the path of the bullet but he was aware that he had little chance of doing so. He was surprised when he landed on the sidewalk and then recognized the sound of a bullet ricocheting of metal. Looking up he saw the costume that could only belong to Wonder Woman. In amazement he watched bullets be deflected into inanimate targets from the two men standing behind the car. He shook himself free of the shock he felt at being still alive, in time to roll and shoot one of the men that had approached from the front of the car. The man went down clutching his shoulder and was quickly followed by his companion as Schorr shot him through the upper leg.

When he turned around he saw the two men behind him lying on the floor unconscious and Wonder Woman looking down at him with anger evident on her face.

"There was no need to shoot them. I could have ended this without resorting to that."

Mike Schorr got back to his feet and replied, "Sorry but they were about to shoot me and I didn't have time to stop and hope that you'd get to them first."

Without waiting for a reply he knelt at the side of his partner and examined the wound. Blood was flowing freely and Scrivello had passed out.

Looking up he said urgently, "He needs a doctor fast."

"I will take him. You see that they get medical help" she said in a tone that brooked no argument while indicating the two men that the detective had shot.

"Sure," he answered with a raised eyebrow and then added, "Go."

Without another words Diana reached past Schorr and gently lifted his partner into her hands. With a nod to Schorr she leapt into the air.

"Orin will kick himself for being asleep for this one," he stated aloud with a laugh that held a certain amount of concern. Then he picked up his radio and called for help as he walked over and began to examine the four men that had tried to kill him.

Next Issue: I'm guessing that people are wondering where the action is. Well next issue should be a little more action oriented as Diana heads south to confront the people selling animals. All this plus we find out what the next move of this issues mysterious villains is.

Author's Notes

This is my 25th story in fanfiction, and while I'd planned on making an issue of Warbird have the place, I'm pleased with the way this story is turning out. Hopefully, I'll be able to drag people along for another twenty five.

Sounding the Horns

A letter from Russ Anderson graced my mailbox:

Well, it took me awhile, but I finally got around to reading Des's Wonder Woman #1.
About time too!

I'm tentatively pleased so far. Des is starting from ground zero here, and I like how he's mixing these old plot elements up and putting his own more down-to-earth spin on it to give us something new.
Glad to hear that. I realise that the first couple of issues are going to be slow to start, but I need the platform for what comes later. The new supporting cast will be appearing, and I have ideas that will take Diana in hopefully new directions. I'm not planning on remaking Diana, simply focusing on other aspects of the characters.

The romantic interest (at least I assume he's a romantic interest, tho 65 seems a little old for Diana) was introduced nicely. The romance aspect of WW is perhaps the hardest one for a writer to deal with. You want her to have real human relations with a man, but at the same time all her previous romances have seemed to cheapen the character in one way or another. I'm not sure how he's doing it, but Des managed to introduce this new guy without it seeming contrived or unnecessary. Phil Jimenez is also pulling this off in the "real" WW title currently, so maybe it's not as hard as I've always thought it would be. In any case, good show.
I'm glad you enjoyed this scene as it was my favorite to write. As for the romantic aspect, all I'll say is wait and see...

I also appreciate the nods to the cast WW had in the "real" timeline, including Mike Schorr and Cassie Sandsmark. It'll be interesting to see whether Mike takes these guys in new directions.
Hey! The name is DES!
I have little idea how these characters have been written in the DC title, but I felt that they were characters that could add interest and contrast to Diana.

My only real problem with the issue was Diana's decision to let the gangbangers duke it out. It was a rough choice and honestly, I'm not sure how she could have handled it better. She's an Amazon, and she understands the rite of battle, but at the same time she's supposed to be preaching peace. This lies at the heart of the dichotomy that is WW, and Des is perhaps addressing that, but it still seemed slightly... off to me.
Patience grasshopper. This will be addressed in the upcoming issues and to me it is the whole premise of Wonder Woman. Hopefully what I'll be able to pull off what I have in mind.

All in all, Des is doing some nicely original work on the character. WW can't be the easiest to write, but he's handling it well so far. Keep up the good work, Des.
Thanks Russ. I'm fast discovering the trouble that Dinos had with Superman. WW has so many complex aspects to her personality to balance and is an icon. I've constantly wondered if grounding her in the affairs of the city is the right course, or if she should be involved in larger things. However, my course is set and maybe I can pull it off. It's certainly more of a challenge to write her than any of the other titles I've done to date.