[LOCATION: GATEWAY CITY POLICE HEADQUARTERS]

He placed the freshly brewed cup of coffee on the table in front of Wonder Woman and took a step back.  “I’m sorry for the accommodations, but my superiors felt placing you in an interrogation room was proper procedure until the business at the Sandsmark home gets worked out.  You shouldn’t have to stay here much longer.”

Diana wrapped her hands around the cup.  A shiver went down her spine as she swallowed the steaming liquid.  She shook her head, failing to expunge the events of the last few hours.  “The Cheetah, Mike.  Where is she?”  Diana’s voice was soft yet angry.

“I figured that would be the first thing you would ask,” Detective Mike Schorr responded.  “You’re predictable, Diana.”

“That may be, but it doesn’t answer my question.”  The comment was more forceful than intended, but Diana bit back an apology.  She wanted answers.

“A team from the Department of Meta-Human Affairs took the Cheetah into federal custody a little over an hour ago,” Mike answered.  He could see Diana’s body visibly calm.  “It’s over.  The Cheetah isn’t going to hurt anyone else.”

Diana swallowed a hearty amount of the coffee in her mug.  “It’s like a living nightmare, Mike.  I’m trying to stay strong but it’s getting harder.  And now with Helena’s disappearance—”

“We’re going to find Helena Sandsmark,” Mike interjected.  “You don’t have to worry about that.”

“You’re only going to find a body,” Diana replied, her words marred by the ceramic of the coffee mug.  “Helena is dead.”

There was a loud groan as Mike pulled out the chair across from the Amazon.  He took a seat and clasped Diana’s hands.  “You don’t know that, Diana.  Maybe she was moved somewhere safe and the Cheetah lied to you.  Super-villains do that, you know.”

“I know all about truth and lies,” she replied, her eyes wandering to the Golden Lasso fixed to her waist.  It was glowing dimly compared to its usual brightness as if mourning the series of deaths that were plaguing Diana’s thoughts.  “I’ve forced enough people to tell the truth that I know when they are lying.  Barbara Minerva did not lie to me once tonight.  Helena is dead and the Cheetah killed her.  Just like she murdered Julia Kapatelis.”

“You’re blaming yourself,” Mike observed, “but there’s no reason for it.  You’re the queen of a country now.  Before, when you were just an Amazon princess working with the Justice League, you barely had time to live your life between the constant world threatening crises.  Now that you have to oversee a nation, nobody expects you to be everywhere at once.  I don’t.  Helena didn’t.  And I’m sure this Julia woman didn’t either.”

“But these women were my friends,” Diana retorted.  “I should have at least checked in on them.”

“Don’t play the ‘woulda, coulda, shoulda’ game.  It’s not a fun one.  I know from personal experience.”

“Everything is so bleak now,” Diana said.

Mike jumped to his feet.  “Then you need to focus on something cheery.  How about the fact that had you not been in Gateway, Cassandra probably would have ended up dead too?  You do make a difference, Diana.  You always have.”

“Cassandra,” Diana whispered, her protégé’s name fluttering across her lips.  “The poor girl.  Where is she now?”

Checking his watch quickly, Mike replied, “Finishing up giving her statement, most likely.  Cassie has been through a lot with her mother’s disappearance, but her house is still a crime scene and this department still needs to do its job.  When she’s finished, I’ll make sure she’s released back into your custody.”

“Thank you, Mike.  I know I kind of just up and disappeared from Gateway one day, but your helping me means a lot.”

Schorr waved off the comment.  “De nada, my liege.”

There was a knock at the door.  Diana sighed.  “Back to real life.”

Schorr moved to the door.  He opened it, immediately recognizing the man on the other side.  “What’s up, Murph?  Is the Sandsmark girl finished yet?”

The tall, dark-skinned officer shook his head.  “Not yet.  It took us a bit to get her to stop crying before we could actually talk to her.  The girl is heartbroken over her mother.”

“With good reason.”

“Yeah,” Murph replied, crossing his arms.  “That’s not the reason I’m here though.  Some of the guys and I were watching the news and all the news stations are reporting the same thing.  It seems some radical group began attacking random locations in New England.  The death toll is big and getting bigger.”

“That’s unfortunate,” Mike replied, “but why are you telling me?”

Murph shook his head.  “I’m not.  I’m telling her.”

The police officers looked over to Wonder Woman, whose head rose from her now empty coffee mug to level on them.  She feared the answer to the question she had yet to speak.  “Why me?”

“The news is saying that the attackers are all female,” Murph explained, “and that they came from Themyscira.  Is there something you’re not telling us?”

 

The Amazon Queen.....

Wonder Woman

Brawl For All

*This issue takes place before the disbanding of the Justice League in JLA #41*


Wonder Woman #31 - June, Year Five
by Matt Hrubey

[LOCATION: CAPE COD, MASSACUSETTS]

J’onn J’onzz looked down upon the tourist spot turned battlefield.  From where he was levitating in the air, the Martian could see everything.  The battle was fiercely raging as the newest rendition of the Justice League struggled to put down the indomitable will of the invading Amazonian army.  The only positive of the situation was that, though the Amazons had spread their attacks along the coast initially, they now recognized the threat of the League and were beginning to converge on Cape Cod.

Beatriz DaCosta flew past J’onn, a little too close for the Martian’s comfort.  It was well known by his friends that J’onn was not a fan of fire.  Beatriz unleashed a stream of emerald flame from her palms which broke through the Amazon ranks and wrapped around a fair amount of the invading women.  There were shouts of anger and frustration as the Amazons attempted to free themselves and discovered that the fire was more than just a show. 

And then, slowly but surely, the ring of fire began to condense.

“Fire, we’re not here to harm the Amazons,” J’onn said to Beatriz through the telepathic connection he had created between the quartet of heroes that comprised the current Justice League.  “This is a very delicate situation and dead Amazons will not help anything.”

“I wish they would show us such concern,” Fire replied, turning to her head to make brief eye contact with the telepath.  “Don’t worry, J’onn.  I know exactly what I’m doing.  Some of these steroid addicted bitches might be a little crispy but I’m not killing anyone.”

J’onn shook his head, but knew he had to trust Beatriz if this new League was ever going to survive the disbanding of its previous incarnation.  His eyes searched the scene, looking for the final two members of the League.  He found them each without a problem.

Jefferson Pierce, code-named Black Lightning, had been surrounded on all sides by warrior women.  J’onn moved to help until he saw the smile etched on Black Lightning’s face.  One of the Amazons reached out and grabbed Pierce by the shoulder, spinning him around until they were face to face.  In response, his body lit up with electrical energy that coursed through the body-to-body contact and into the Amazon.  Due to the close proximity, the lightning charge went from Amazon to Amazon until Black Lightning was the only one left standing.

The last League member, Hawkman, was curiously on the ground battling hand to hand.  Usually the winged warrior opted to swoop down from above but today it seemed he was relishing the physical contact.  A quick telepathic scan revealed the excitement Hawkman was experiencing.  His adrenaline was pumping as he swung his mace, cleaving an Amazonian sword in half.

The battle was far from over, but J’onn had high hopes that the Amazons’ invasion would be put down.  Especially in the wake of the new arrivals.

The Flash was nothing but a crimson blur, running offense through the Amazons.

The kids from Young Justice were huddled together, defending themselves against attempts at boxing them in.  They were newer to the costumed world of super heroics, but they were still managing to hold their own against women who were warrior born and bred.

Like Hawkman, Power Girl had given up her flight advantage in favor of hand to hand combat.  The Amazons were skilled in their martial arts, but Karen Starr’s hide was nearly invulnerable to their attacks.  The Justice Society member was making quick work of Wonder Woman’s sisters.

And there were more arriving from every direction.

The National Guard had been deployed and had formed a makeshift barrier around the battlefield, hoping to keep the Amazons contained.  Thus far, the Amazons were preoccupied with the superheroes and hadn’t attacked the guardsmen.  J’onn hoped it would stay that way for the duration of the battle.

With all the extra hope at hand, J’onn finally had a chance to explore the psychic plague that had caused the Amazons to turn on America.  He searched the crowd and spotted Phillipus, the general of the Themysciran army.  As much as he detested using his powers on others without permission, the situation called for it to be done.  Phillipus had just become a guinea pig.

It was a simple matter to enter into the woman’s mind.  It was like an open book.  She knew everything that was going on, but she could not stop herself from acting out.  The anger radiating from her mind was distracting but J’onn pushed back it and dug deeper.  There were strings of manipulation in place, but it was like no psychic assault he had ever seen.  The reason why was soon apparent.

Phillipus’ mind was completely intact but it was covered by some teal colored sludge that was attempting to worm its way in her brain.  Right now, the sludge had stolen Phillipus’ ability to choose her actions, but it was attempting to completely usurp the woman’s life.  She was being turned into a mindless soldier.

J’onn surveyed the sludge closely, careful not to touch it.  If it was having such a reaction to the Amazons, who knew what it would do to him.

Whatever the stuff was, it definitely wasn’t psychic in nature.  And then it hit him.  J’onn had just assumed right off the bat that the Amazons’ actions were a result of an outside psychic influence.  That wasn’t the case.

It was magic.

J’onn snapped out of his trance and fingered the earpiece he had outfitted himself with.  “This is J’onn J’onzz to the Watchtower.  Sue, do you copy?”

[Loud and clear, J’onn,] Sue Dibny responded from her spot in the Watchtower.  Since her husband’s death, she had been acting as an operator for the Justice League.  [What do you need?]

“I need you to track down Zatanna Zatara and teleport her here,” J’onn replied.  “Tell her I’m calling in a favor.”

[LOCATION: GATEWAY CITY POLICE HEADQUARTERS]

“Let me through!”

The crowd of officers huddled around the ratty old color television parted, allowing Diana to get through.  She refused to believe what Detective Murphy had told her about the Amazons attacking New England.  However, when she finally reached the television, her worst fears were proven true.  Her sisters—women she had grown up with on Themyscira—were needlessly assaulting and killing American citizens without any apparent provocation.

“What’s going on, Diana?” Mike Schorr, on the queen’s heels, asked.  “Is this supposed to be some declaration of war?”

“Yeah, what the hell, lady?” another officer asked.

“What did we ever do to you?” a third spoke up.

The color drained from Diana’s face.  “You all have to believe me…I have no idea what’s happening.  This must be a trick of some kind.”

“It’s a live feed, Wonder Woman,” Murph pointed out.  His arms were crossed; he wasn’t going to accept any bullshit excuses.  Diana suspected Murph would attempt to arrest her if the need arose.  ‘Attempt’ being the key word in that scenario.

“I have to get there, Mike,” Diana said, facing Schorr.  “I have to stop my sisters.”

“The Justice League is on the scene now,” Murph added.

“Good,” Wonder Woman replied, “but I have a feeling I’m going to be needed to stop this.”

“I’m going with you.”

Diana and Mike turned to find Cassandra Sandsmark making her way through the spacious room, heading in their direction.  The girl’s handmade costume was nothing more than tatters in some places, but Cassie hardly seemed to notice.  It was clear she had done a fair share of crying, but no semblance of sadness could be found.  Only rage.

“Cassandra, are you—?”

“Fine, Diana,” Cassie interjected.  “I realized crying was not going to bring my mother back.  Now I just want to hit something.”

“I’m going to solve this problem without violence, Cassie.”

“Sure,” the girl replied, clearly not impressed by Diana’s confidence in the outcome of the Amazon’s irrational attack.  “And when that plan fails, I’ll be there to back you up.”

Diana was flabbergasted.  Never before had her protégé spoken to her in such a tone.  The girl was an open sore; ripped apart by her mother’s disappearance and perceived death.  Wonder Girl was ready to go off at any moment.

Diana nodded.  “Alright.”  She turned to Mike.  “I’m sorry to run off in the middle of your investigation.  We will return when the situation is over.”

“No rush,” Mike replied.  “Good luck.”

Mentor and protégé moved for the exit, both weary of battle but ready for the coming onslaught.

“Are we flying to New England?” Cassie asked, jaw set in determination.

Diana tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and pointed to a device lodged there.  “I’m going to call in a favor to the Watchtower.  I may not be a member of the League anymore but I still share some of the perks.”

Cassie, in the lead, pushed open the doors of the police department headquarters.  As the cool night air hit her face, she froze.  Diana nearly barreled the girl over.  The Amazonian monarch looked at her protégé’s surprised face and followed her line of sight.  Diana stopped.

As far as the eye could see, armed men and women leveled their weapons at Wonder Woman and Wonder Girl.  They all wore similar uniforms, black and topped off by bullet proof vests and enough weaponry to fill Diana’s throne room on Themyscira.

Wonder Woman placed herself in front of Wonder Girl.  “What is the meaning of this?”

“By executive order of the President of the United States and the authority of the Department of Meta-Human Affairs, Wonder Woman, you are under arrest,” a hefty black woman explained.  “You and the girl are ordered to stand down so you can be taken into federal custody.”

“On what charges?” Diana asked.

The black woman stepped forward, eyebrows cocked.  “Do I really have to explain?” Amanda Waller asked.  “I figured that would have been obvious by now.”

[LOCATION: WHITE HOUSE SITUATION ROOM]

The Secretary of Defense put down the telephone.  “Waller and her team have Wonder Woman surrounded.”

“Good,” the President responded.  “Is she fighting back?”

“Unknown at this time, Mr. President, but we should know very soon,” the secretary replied.

“What about the missile launch?  You placed it on standby?”

“As per your orders, sir.”

“Very good,” the President said.  “If Wonder Woman is going to try and escape, I’m going to blow Themyscira out of the water.”

“That may not be a wise course of action, sir,” the President’s Chief of Staff said.  “We still have no idea why the Amazons are acting the way they are.  There could be a reason for it.”

“American citizens are dying,” the President shot back.  “I don’t need a reason.”

“But the rest of the world might.”

The President eyed the man who was both his best friend and Chief of Staff.  “Excuse me?”

“I can’t stand by again while you bring this country to war.  The United States is already looked upon unfavorably in the global community.  Attacking a small, independent nation with ties to the United Nations will not be acceptable in the eyes of the UN.  Especially if our reasoning for the attack is faulty.  We have to cover all our bases or launching a missile at Themyscira will come back to bite us in the ass.”

“And this is how you feel,” the President responded, the comment a statement and not a question.  “You think I’ve lost face, John?”

The Chief of Staff nodded.  “As much as it pains me to say it.”

“It probably hurts just as much as it hurts me to say this,” the President replied.  “Get out.  You’re fired.”

All movement ceased.  Breathing was momentarily halted.  All eyes were resting on the two most powerful men who worked in the White House.  The President’s eyes were serious, betraying a greater anger that he refused to unleash.  The Chief of Staff was flabbergasted; his jaw was slack and his eyes wide.

“Mr. President?”

“You heard me, John,” he said to his former Chief of Staff.  “Leave this room, pack up your office, and get the hell out of this building.”

“You…you can’t do this.”

“Why not?” the President asked, his shoulders shrugged.  “You’re in an appointed position, not an elected one.  For the sake of this administration, I have to surround myself with people who believe in what I’m doing.”  He crossed his arms.  “Get. Out.”

There were no words as the Chief of Staff collected his suit jacket and made for the exit.  He stopped on more than one occasion, looking back to the President as if hoping his old friend would say he was just playing a cruel joke.  But it never happened.  The Chief of Staff walked out of the Situation Room.  He would never see the inside again.

When the door was closed, the President turned back to the rest of the room.  They were still quiet.  The President cocked an eyebrow.  “Does anybody else share John’s beliefs?”  No one spoke up.  “Good.  Now could somebody get me Amanda Waller on the phone?  I want to know what’s going on in Gateway City.”

[LOCATION: SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA]

Zatanna Zatara had just laid down for an afternoon power nap when she heard a muffled beeping.  It was a familiar sound, but one she hadn’t heard in a while.  Zatanna sighed, annoyed as she rose from the couch in her living room and moved into the bedroom.  The beeping grew exponentially louder with every new step toward her nightstand.

It was the Justice League communicator she had received upon her first day in the League.  It was old technology, akin to a walkie-talkie, but it more than served its purpose.  Even after she had left the League, Zatanna had kept the communicator, stashing it away in the top drawer of her nightstand.  It was an “in case of emergency” safeguard.

Zatanna pulled open the top drawer, dug to the bottom of its contents, and pulled out the communicator.  It was a small rectangle, the size of a lighter.  Zatanna sat on her bed.  If the world was ending, she was going to be pissed.

“This is Zatanna,” was all she said.

“Zee!  Thank god.  I was hoping I could reach you this way.”
   
The voice was from her past; back from her days in the Justice League.  “Sue?”

“Yes.  I’m working for the League now.  We need your help.”

Zatanna felt her shoulders sag.  She could never get away from that life.  “With what?”

“Have you turned on your television recently?” Susan Dibny asked.  She was definitely in a hurry.  Her words were starting to slur together.

“Not since this morning,” Zatanna responded.  “What’s going on?”

“Do it.  Turn it on.”

The daughter of the great magician Zatara reached for her remote on the nightstand and flipped on the TV.  “What channel?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

The picture appeared and Zatanna had her answer.  The camera shot showed a battlefield, littered with a growing number of bodies.  Members of the Justice League, past and present, along with heroes who had never been in the League’s ranks, were fighting back against an all women army.  The women were dressed in stuff from history books.

The video feed of battle was replaced by a beautiful ethnic woman, her hair as dark as night.  “This is Linda Park reporting from Cape Cod.  As you can see behind me, a battle is raging between the Justice League and the Amazonian women of Themyscira, the island from which Wonder Woman hails.  No reason has been given for why the battle is taking place or why the Amazons attacked without provocation but—”

“Do you get it now?” Sue asked.

“Yes, but why are the Amazons—?”

“We don’t have a reason yet.  J’onn thinks there’s magic involved.  That’s where you come in.  J’onn told me to tell you he’s calling in a favor.”

Zatanna gritted her teeth; so much for a nice, relaxing day.  “Give me five minutes and I’m all yours.”

[LOCATION: GATEWAY CITY]

“I don’t have time for this, Waller.”

“Then I suggest that you make the time, Wonder Woman,” the Director of Meta-Human Affairs replied, “because you have a lot to answer for.”

“You’re talking about New England,” Diana inferred, taking a step toward Waller.  “You have to believe me that—”

“Freeze!” the agent at Waller’s side exclaimed.  He placed himself in front of Waller, the laser from his rifle aimed squarely at Wonder Woman’s forehead.  “You come any closer and I’ll shoot you!”

For a moment, Diana was taken aback.  Though she loathed admitting it, her presence tended to have an awe inspiring effect on those that she didn’t know personally.  It was a reaction that she unconsciously banked on.  However, this man standing before her, weapon trained on her person, showed no sign of being deterred.

“This is ludicrous!  These weapons are unnecessary.  You have my word that I’m not going to hurt anyone.”

“I’m sorry if we’re a little cautious, Wonder Woman,” Waller retorted, “but you’re sisters are tearing up American citizens on American soil.”

“I know.  I’m trying to get to them to put an end to this.”

“Or just maybe you’re going to join in on the fun.”

Diana took a step back, eyes wide.  “I have never given anyone a reason to doubt my trust.  I’m going to stop my sisters.  You have my word.”

Amanda Waller shook her head.  Her arms were crossed across her rotund belly.  “I don’t think so, hero.  The only place you’re going is back to Washington, D.C. with us.  You have a lot of pissed off people to answer to.”

“I have diplomatic immunity.  You can’t take me anywhere.”

“Like hell that’s going to work under these circumstances.  The citizens of your damn nation are attacking America.  The United Nations will side with America.  They’d be too afraid not to.”

And the worst part was that Diana knew it was true.  In the little bit of politics that she had been witness to, she had found that power equaled control.  America was powerful; more powerful, at least, than Themyscira.  The vote for Themyscira’s UN initiation had been close and had barely passed in Themyscira’s favor.  If the world community believed that the Amazons’ first act as a recognized country was to wage war, then Diana would lose all favor that she had gathered from the delegates.  “This won’t end unless you let me go.  I’m the only one who can stop my sisters!”

Waller motioned for the quartet of agents closest to her to move forward.  They obeyed, taking each step carefully, waiting and prepared for any reaction that Wonder Woman could offer.  “You think so much of yourself, Wonder Woman.  The Justice League, if you can even call them that, is on the scene now.  Federal agents are moving into position as well.  This situation will be ended one way or another.  I’m sure you understand what I’m saying.”

There was an anger quickly building inside of Diana.  She remained calm, however, eyeing each of the federal agents moving toward her.  One of them held out a pair of handcuffs.  “Make this easy, Wonder Woman,” the lead agent said.  “We can have this problem solved faster that way.”

“People will die if you don’t let me go,” Diana pleaded.  “The Amazons are being controlled.”

“You would jump to that conclusion,” Waller responded, “but you can’t prove anything.  And I would feel safer if the ringleader of your band of thugs wasn’t reunited with the masses.”

The lead agent grasped Diana’s wrists, strapping the handcuffs around each.  “Amanda, I know you and I have past together and that we don’t think highly of each other, but don’t let that influence your decision here.  I am the only one who can stop the Amazons.  They trust in my judgment.”

“I have news for you, Queen Diana,” Waller shot back.  “A lot of people used to trust in your judgment.  And then the League disappeared and the world went to hell*.  And then they return and you disappeared**.  And then, you reappear with an island in the middle of the Atlantic***.  People aren’t saying it, but they think you’ve turned on humanity and are now the world’s most infamous super-terrorist.”

(*Detailed in the “Twist of Fate” storyline that ran in JLA #25-28;
**Diana disappeared because she was sent to Olympus at the end of Wonder Woman #16;
***Themyscira returned to Man’s World in Wonder Woman #23.)

“I’m here to protect the world.  I would never destroy it!”

“The world doesn’t want your help!” Waller responded.  “Take her now!”

The lead agent was just finishing the tightening of the handcuffs around Diana’s wrists when he felt a tap on his shoulder.  He turned and found a fist moving quickly to meet his face.  A fist that belonged to Cassandra Sandsmark.  Wonder Girl was on the remaining agents before their lead counterpart had even hit the ground.

“Cassie, no!” Diana shouted.

“Open fire!” Waller demanded, pulling out her own firearm and taking aim.

The quartet of agents now defeated, Wonder Girl grabbed the handcuffs and broke them in half.  “Go,” she told Diana.

“What have you done?”

“What needed to be done.  You are already guilty in their minds.  They aren’t listening to reason and they won’t stop until you’re in custody.  You have to go to New England and stop the Amazons.”

“You’re coming with me,” Diana ordered.

Cassie shook her head, flashing a smile that Diana hadn’t seen in some time.  “No, I’m not,” she replied.  “Now go!”

Diana watched on as Wonder Girl lunged into the crowd of agents and began fighting with a rage and ferocity that Diana wished the girl didn’t possess.  She was hurting, emotionally vulnerable, and looking for a fight.  But even in her current state, Cassie was right.  She was the Queen of the Amazons and her sisters needed her.  Wonder Woman would have to deal later with the consequences of her actions, Cassie’s actions, and the violent actions of her sisters.  Diana took to the air and flew straight up.

She continued to climb until the scene below was miniscule and the people nothing but ants.  And that’s when the flood lights blinded her to a stop.

{{By order of the United States government, Wonder Woman of Themyscira is hereby ordered to stand down.}}

There were two helicopters, one to her left and one to the right.  The gun turrets strapped to the bellies of the helicopters were trained on her, ready to go off at the drop of a dime.

{{Put your hands in the air.}}

For the moment, Diana would do as she was told, but she would not surrender under any circumstance.  Her arms rose above her head.

{{You are ordered to return to the ground immediately.}}

Diana shook her head, the action exaggerated so that the men and women manning the helicopters would be able to see it.  Her arms sank and looped across her chest.

It was at that moment that Diana realized the government was playing for keeps.  The guns on both helicopters opened fire, spitting enough lead at her to temporarily blot out her vision.  Diana raised her arms, her bracelets flashing.  If she survived this attack, she would run.  But first she had to survive.  And as the bullets closed to the distance between Diana and the helicopters, that reality was looking less and less likely.

However, before the first bullet could even reach the monarch of Themyscira, she disappeared in a flash of light.
 

[LOCATION: TEMPORARILY UNKNOWN]

Diana was blind following the flash of light.  Her eyes shifted back and forth but she couldn’t see anything over the white light obscuring her eyesight.

The light had been a teleportation beam, she was sure of it.  After all the times she had used the Watchtower’s teleportation system, the tingling sensation of her atoms realigning was distinct and familiar.

Her present location would remain a mystery, at least, for the couple of seconds.  However, Diana knew that she was no longer flying.  Her legs were curled under her as she sat upon the cold steel ground.  She didn’t know where she was, but she could definitely make an educated guess.

“Are you alright?” a voice, gruff and masculine, asked.

Diana’s vision cleared enough that she saw the hand extended in front of her face.  It was sheathed in black.  Diana took the hand and rose to her feet.  “I’m fine.  I was teleported out just in time,” she responded to the question.  Her vision cleared fully and she looked up into the masked face of the Batman.  Looking past the Dark Knight, she spotted Superman standing just off the teleportation pad.  “My heroes.”

“Don’t thank us,” Superman replied.  “Sue was the one who got you up to the Watchtower when she did.”

Sure enough, Sue Dibny was standing before the bay controls, a smile on her face.  Diana returned the gesture.  It was nice to see Dibny smile; she hadn’t done so much since the Elongated Man’s passing. 

“Thank you, Susan.”

Sue waved off the comment.  “No worries.  Just glad I could help.”

The Batman turned to Sue.  “Superman and I need to speak privately with Diana.  Could you—?”

Pushing herself away from the control console, Sue moved to the door.  “Say no more.  I need to get back to my station anyway.  Someone needs to coordinate all those heroes planetside.”

The doors to the Teleportation Bay closed shut upon Sue’s exit, a slight hiss of compressed air letting the three heroes know that they were alone.  None of them said anything at first.  Diana knew that they both had questions for her; with everything that was happening, she wasn’t surprised.

“Explain,” was all the Batman finally said.

“I wish I could,” Diana replied, shrugging her shoulders.  “The Amazons’ attack is just as surprising to me as it is to you.  I have to find out what’s wrong.”

“We will,” Superman replied, “but I want to make sure you’re up for this.  J’onn told us about your friend in Boston.  I’m sorry for your loss.”

Diana wrapped her arms around her body and turned away from the two men she called friends.  “If only it were Julia.  I was in Gateway City at the behest of Wonder Girl and it seems that her mother, another friend, has gone missing.  The Cheetah claims she is dead.  I’m inclined to agree.”

“I’m not sure you should go down there.  Your Amazons are small in number but putting up a hell of a fight.”

“I’m going, Bruce.  Whatever troubles I have had to deal with in the past few days, I am their queen.  My sisters’ actions are my responsibility and I must deal with them, even if I have to take down each and every one of them myself.”

The Batman nodded.  “We saw what happened in Gateway City.  Wonder Girl was defeated and taken into custody right before you were brought up here.  What are you going to do about that?”

Wiping a tear from her eye, Diana shook her head.  “I can’t think of that right now.  She sacrificed herself so that I could deal with my sisters.  I can only solve one problem at a time, especially right now.”

“You’re blaming yourself for this,” Superman observed.  “You can’t do that.  You weren’t even there.”

“I am well aware.  Recent tragedies have kept me from Themyscira the past few days.”

“Maybe that was the point.”

Superman and Wonder Woman turned to the Batman.  “What are you talking about?” Diana asked.

“Look at everything you’ve gone through the past few weeks, Diana.  Two deaths.  This situation in New England.  The aftermath of your encounter with Phobia in New York.”

“How do you know about that?”

“Donna,” Superman answered.  “She called us.  She was worried about you.  She said that she had never seen you in such a state before.  I was planning to come talk to you, but Metropolis was put in danger…again.”

“What I’m getting at,” the Batman interrupted, returning to the matter at hand, “is that maybe this isn’t all coincidence.  Maybe someone’s been playing you, weakening you, and making you emotionally unstable.”

“Not everything is a conspiracy, Bruce.”

He shrugged.  “I call it like I see it.”

Diana thought about it.  “It’s possible, I guess.  Before I left Themyscira, one my sisters mentioned to me that the Amazons were acting strangely, not like themselves.  If your hypothesis is correct, whoever is responsible has been dictating my life to me for days…weeks…maybe even longer.”

“What do we do then?” Superman asked.

“We have to stop my sisters,” Wonder Woman replied, her body suddenly tired and heavy.  “That is our top priority.”

“There is a chance we can also get the Amazons to tell us who is manipulating them,” the Batman added, “but Diana is right.  Stopping the Amazons is priority number one.”

Superman gave a nod.  “I’ve been watching the events from up here and it’s bad.  We need to get down there now.”

“Let’s,” Wonder Woman replied, stepping back onto the teleportation platform.  Her face was stern, disguising an anger that both the Batman and Superman knew was there.

“Are you alright?” Superman asked her.

“Not yet,” Wonder Woman replied, “but I’m going to be soon.  Somebody is going to pay.”

Next issue:  Guest Stars galore as Wonder Woman learns just what she is up against.

Story © 2008 Matt Hrubey and may not be reproduced without permission.