[LOCATION: CAPE COD]

The white light faded and Diana found herself standing in Hell.  It wasn’t a literal Hell, of course.  Diana had traveled many times—usually against her will—to the dominion of Hades and this little slice of New England was incomparable to the pits of Tartarus.  However, looking out over the battlefield where her friends were fighting her sisters, Diana felt like this situation was some form of punishment for her.

Seeing the battle first hand, watching her sisters fight with a violence rarely seen, Diana knew immediately that the inference Bruce had made on the Watchtower was true.  Somebody was manipulating the Amazon Queen, striking out at her through those closest in her life.  Diana could see the subtle imprints of an outside force on the recent events in her life, but she hadn’t the slightest idea who could be responsible.

Diana spared a glance left and a glance right to take in the expressions of the two men that had accompanied her from the Watchtower.  Though a mask obscured most of the Batman’s face, Diana could still see that Bruce’s jaw was set firmly, his mind most likely searching for the best option to end this brawl.  On her other side, Superman looked a bit taken aback.  This was not the first time he had come in contact with the Amazons, but never before had they appeared so rabid and unforgiving.

“We need to find who is responsible,” Wonder Woman stated.

“We may be able to help with that.”

The three former members of the Justice League turned, discovering two fellow heroes moving toward them.  J’onn J’onzz looked rigid and tired.  He had been on site since the battle had commenced hours ago, directing the resources and heroes at his disposal.  To his credit, he had managed to keep the Amazons contained, but the fighting was still going.  Next to him stood a woman in a top hat, tuxedo jacket, and fishnets.  Zatanna Zatara could not have looked anymore out of place on the battlefield.

“What have you found out?” the Batman asked.  He was studying the cuts on the body of the Martian Manhunter, calculating J’onn’s present physical health.  Fortunately, nothing looked too serious.

“There is definitely magic involved in this,” Zatanna answered.  “I felt it the moment I was teleported here.  I should be able to track it back to its source, but I’m having trouble finding a safe place to work.”

Superman stiffened.  “Look alive, people.  We have company.”

The quintet looked to their rear and found a trio of Amazons moving in their direction, bloody weapons ready to dish out more death.  Diana recognized the women immediately and wondered what force could turn these usually amicable women into bloodthirsty murderers.  She stepped into the Amazons’ path, her body shifting into a battle stance.

“Go,” Wonder Woman told her friends.  “Find out what is plaguing my sisters.  I will take care of these three.”

The next sound was an Amazonian axe scraping off of Diana’s bracelets.


 

The Amazon Queen.....

Wonder Woman

A Friend in Need

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


Wonder Woman #32 - July, Year Five
by Matt Hrubey

[LOCATION: SOMEWHERE ABOVE THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES]

“I don’t care what you have to do, Amanda.  Just fix this!”

The line went dead before the Wall could make a response.  Amanda Waller sat still for the merest of seconds, calming herself down after being treated with such blatant disrespect.  She then subsequently shut her cell phone and replaced it in her pocket.

She had been ordered by the President of the United States to bring Wonder Woman in for questioning.  That order in itself was difficult enough to achieve because of the Amazon’s UN immunity, but taking into account that the woman was resourceful and had the backing of both a sovereign nation and the Justice League, she was nearly untouchable.  However, Waller had resolved a long time ago that she would retire from her position if she ever let the odds deter her from accomplishing a goal.

The Wall had had Wonder Woman in her sights but an hour ago.  She had believed her goal reached and accomplished.  But then she had intervened and Wonder Woman had escaped.  Now, the President was on her ass and he was not a happy camper.

It was all her fault.

Waller turned to the girl sitting handcuffed at her side.  “You’ve caused a lot of trouble, you know that?”

The helicopter headed for the Nation’s Capital held four individuals: the pilot, Waller, an agent from her Department of Meta-Human Affairs, and the teenaged blonde girl that wanted nothing more than to be Wonder Woman. 

Cassandra Sandsmark stiffened at the question poised in her direction.  “I did what I needed to do.”

“No, what you needed to do was put your hands up like I told you to,” the Wall retorted.  “What you decided to do blatantly disregarded federal law.”

“The only way that fight in Massachusetts is going to be stopped is if Diana is there to stop it,” Wonder Girl replied.  “I did you a favor.”

“So you think.”

Wonder Girl turned back to Waller, the fear that had filled her since her arrest dying away.  “Diana has no idea what is causing her sisters to freak out like they are.  That means you don’t either.  If you send the army up against the Amazons, a lot of lives are going to be lost.  Diana is trying to find a peaceful means by tracking down the cause of the disturbance to its source.”

“Haven’t you people considered that maybe the Amazons are fed up with Wonder Woman’s rule?  That maybe they are rebelling against their basic nature of peace and harmony?”

Wonder Girl shook her head.  “I know a lot of the Amazons.  They wouldn’t do that.”

“People do a lot of things that would never be expected of them,” the Wall replied, pulling out her cell phone once more.  “The sooner you learn that fact, the sooner you’ll realize that the world cannot be seen in just black and white.  Here’s a lesson that I’m sure Wonder Woman neglected to teach you: there’s always a hidden motive.”

[LOCATION: THEMYSCIRA]

“Ah, there she is.  It’s about time.”

Donna Troy looked up from the spot she had been staring at on the floor for hours.  The sorceress, Circe, was huddled over a makeshift looking glass, blocking Donna’s view of the events transpiring in Man’s World. 

Circe looked to Donna, a giant smile on her face.  “She’s finally arrived.  I was beginning to think instigating this whole battle had been a waste of time.”

The muscles in Donna’s arms tensed as she once more tried to rip herself free from the magical restraints she had been placed into.  The tricky thing with magic was that it seemed to be fluid unlike normal metal restraints.  Just when Donna felt she was about to be free, extending the restraints to their breaking point, an exhaustion overcame her.  Freedom was ever elusive.  Unsuccessful once more, Donna sighed and looked back down to the floor, never saying a word.

“Getting discouraged?”

Donna kept her eyes downward.  The condescending smirk on the sorceress’ face would have done nothing but rile her up.  Again.

“It’s only a matter of time now,” Circe said, sitting once more upon Diana’s throne.  “Once Diana learns I’m responsible, she’ll come running back and… and—”

Now Donna looked up, just as Circe’s babbling died away.  The smile on the sorceress’ face was now a confused gaze at the looking glass.  She jumped up from the throne, her eyes glowing a faint indigo.  The looking glass changed from showing the battle at the cape to showing the airspace between the United States and Themyscira.  Donna’s eyes grew wide while Circe simply smirked.

“They think that’s going to be enough to end this war?”

The quartet of missiles was gaining in speed as they cut through the air toward Paradise Island.  Mere miles away, inside the White House, the President nodded his head, satisfied for the first time since Themyscira had appeared off the shore of his country.

“Themyscira is going to be destroyed!” Donna exclaimed.  “Let me go and I can—”

Circe rolled her eyes.  “I’m a sorceress, you idiot.  Shut up and let me concentrate.”

A wave of indecipherable words came forth from Circe then.  She knelt down to the ground, laying her hands upon the floor of the Throne Room.  Her fingers glowed indigo.  The fluorescence expanded to her palms and began spreading outward across the floor.  In a few seconds, the entire floor was indigo.  The color spread up the walls and moved outward from the Throne Room, covering the palace and more.  In sixty seconds, the entire island was bathed in the indigo mysticism of Circe.

Circe gritted her teeth and spoke a single word.  The color began to rise straight up from the shores of Themyscira, curving and forming a dome over the island.

“And that’s going to be enough?” Donna asked.  The looking glass had changed to show her an overhead view of Themyscira.  She looked to the sorceress, who was still kneeling on the ground.  Circe said nothing.

The missiles were close.

Donna braced herself for what was coming next.

[LOCATION: CAPE COD]

The public library had been all but deserted after the Amazons attacked.  It was here, between rows and rows of classic literature, that Zatanna knelt above the head of an unconscious Amazon.  She looked up to the two men standing around as she wiped a bit of perspiration from her forehead.  What she was about to do had the potential to be extremely difficult and even hazardous to both the health of the Amazon and herself.  Fortunately, Zatanna had been taught by her father never to shy away from a challenge.  “I’m going to need you guys to keep a look out for me.  If the spell is interfered with, it could be disastrous.”

“Focus on the spell,” the Batman retorted.  In almost a cliché maneuver, he was standing deep into the stacks, avoiding the light streaming in through high set windows around the library.  The cape was wrapped around the Batman’s body, almost like a protective cocoon.  It was obvious he was uncomfortable with the situation.  It was a known fact Bruce Wayne detested magic.  “We’ll worry about the rest.”

“Geez, you don’t have to be rude.”

“Time is of the essence, Zatanna,” J’onn J’onzz interjected.  “Please begin.”  The Martian was hovering above the floor, his eyes darting all around.  No doubt, his telepathic mind was searching the inside of the library, making sure for the umpteenth time that the trio was alone.

Zatanna nodded her head, inhaling deeply.  “Right.  Work to do.”  She rested her hands atop the Amazon’s head, making sure to place both thumbs in the middle of her forehead. Without concentrating, Zatanna could already feel the immense magic manipulating the woman lying beneath her.  Zee gritted her teeth.  The Amazons had been turned into playthings.  That didn’t sit well with her.

She envisioned the dark magic she was facing as a maze.  Zatanna began making her way through it, searching for the middle where the answer was that she sought: the identity of Wonder Woman’s tormentor.

The further into the maze that she traveled, the more her head pounded.  Zatanna found herself working with a newfound haste.  Whomever she was facing had been alerted to her presence.  It was only a matter of time before the magician faced some sort of reciprocation.  She could feel the blood dripping from her nose as she worked, her fingers now weaving intricate symbols above the Amazon’s head.  Zatanna gritted her teeth; she would not be denied.

It was then that Zatanna was overshadowed by darkness.

“Sisters, tell me who is making you act this way.”

The demand went unanswered as Diana ducked to avoid her head being cut from her body.  Her foot lashed out, striking the attacking Amazon below the knee, causing the woman to buckle and fall to the ground.  Diana’s other foot struck her sister in the jaw.  She was careful to use only enough force to knock the warrior out and not break anything.

Wonder Woman flipped back up to her feet with just enough time to grab the wrists of the other two Amazons who had focused on her.  She twisted both of their wrists, causing the women to flip from their feet to their backs.  The move was graceful and timed perfectly.  Diana bit her lip as she muttered a silent prayer to Athena and her wisdom of battle.  She was going to need all of her god given gifts to survive the day.

“Stay down,” Diana told the Amazons.  “This will all be over soon.”

She reached for the Lasso of Truth.  When she touched it, the Golden Lariat began to glow more intensely as if it knew its truth seeking capabilities were needed.  Diana knelt down, prepared to wrap the tool around the wrists of all three Amazons.  She hoped that the Lasso would be capable of disrupting whatever madness had claimed her sisters.

A cry broke through the air of battle.  It was bloodthirsty, and as Diana listened, it was coming closer.  She paused in her movement, her eyes scanning the environment.

She looked skyward as the ebony figure of the Fury broke through the haze of dust that had begun to shower the cape.  Diana took a step back, trying to determine how the Fury would attack so she could best prepare herself.  However, there was no time as Helena Kosmatos speared her, gripping her around the sternum.  The Fury then flapped its wings and took off back into the air, Diana in tow.

Below, the fighting continued.

The Batman was in motion the millisecond after the windows shattered.  The batarangs that he had been fisting in his palms flew from his fingertips.  It was true that he had expected the intrusion.  That was why he had opted to stay behind with Zatanna when Superman had returned to the bigger battle.  Zatanna was messing around with forces superior to her own.  Whoever it was that was controlling these forces had a huge ego and would not let Zee work against them unopposed.  The Batman just hoped he and J’onn were enough to protect the magician from the wave of newly arrived Amazon warriors.

His eyes darted over to the Martian, who lashed out at a pair of Amazons that had gotten too close.  J’onn had increased his density to its utmost extreme, making his body as invulnerable as diamond.  The fists he struck the women with hit like battering rams, knocking them down and out of the fight.

Bruce ducked under a blade seeking his throat.  The batarangs had been batted away uselessly as he had figured they would be.  He was facing a race of born warriors.  His toys were not going to aid him here.  The Batman had to get creative.  Or else Zatanna would pay the price.

He grabbed the hilt of the next blade that came too close for comfort.  The Batman pushed the weapon back into its owner’s jaw, causing her to release it to him.  He spun around, clashing his new weapon with another clenched by the Archon Phillipus.  He looked up into the eyes of Diana’s most trusted sister.  Her rich brown irises looked almost pale as she fought.

“Stop this,” he told the Archon.

Phillipus pushed the Dark Knight back, taking up a battle position, her blade hugged to her breast.  She then leapt forward, her Amazonian sword a flurry of movement and it sought to gain purchase on Bruce.  As he dodged again and again, he questioned why he had yet to be impaled.  He was good, but he knew Phillipus’ reputation.

Then it dawned.  The woman was fighting, so far unsuccessfully, against her unknown manipulator.  The Amazon’s moves were lethargic by his standards.  The inner struggle was made even more apparent when the Archon left herself open for a strike to the kidneys and a subsequent blow to her face.  Phillipus went down and, for the moment, stayed there.

However, there was no rest for the weary, as more Amazons surrounded him, weapons ready to kill.
!laeveR

The voice cried out from his rear.  The Batman feared he had failed in his assignment to protect the youngest Zatara but when he mouthed the backward word to himself, he knew immediately that Zatanna had reached a critical junction in the spell.  The Batman pushed himself, fighting as hard as his body would let him.

[LOCATION: THEMYSCIRA]

The missiles struck the indigo dome surrounding Paradise Island.  They hit in a diamond pattern, all four exploding upon impact.  The sonic boom was so intense that it could be heard by those awake on the eastern seaboard of the United States.

A lucky few even saw the fires from the explosion.

[LOCATION: CAPE COD]

Diana was struggling in the Fury’s grip when the explosion above Themyscira happened.  Her fighting ceased and her eyes turned eastbound toward her home.  Her eyes widened as the reality set in.

“No!” she exclaimed.  “Helena, let me go!  I must return to Themyscira!”

But the Fury wasn’t listening.  The sneer on Helena’s face was perpetual as they rose higher and higher into the air.  Thus far, other than taking Diana, the Fury had not tried any further attacks, choosing instead to stay silent as they flew.

“Helena, release me!”

Diana brought her hands together in a ball and brought it down between the Fury’s shoulder blades, between the joints of her wings.  A cry came from Helena’s mouth as she fumbled in mid-flight.  Diana managed to pry her hands apart, freeing herself to the open air.

There was a hiss in Diana’s ear as the Fury regained control of her bearings and lunged for an attack.  The ebony claws of Helena Kosmatos caught Diana above the chest plate she wore, leaving behind a trio of bloody cuts.  Diana winced in pain.  The Fury tried to the same attack again but her claws were met this time by the Amazonian bracelets on Diana’s wrists.

“I don’t want to fight you, Helena!” Diana said.  “You are being manipulated.  I must return to Themyscira now!”

The Fury lunged.  With the Speed of Hermes on her side, Diana dodged, grabbed Helena’s wrist, and head butted her.  Disoriented, the Fury left herself wide open to the right and left hooks that followed.

Tears streamed down Diana’s face, both from the explosion and the fact that she had been forced to endure fighting her sisters and friends.  She grabbed for the Lasso again and wrapped it around the Fury’s throat, pulling it tighter and tighter until Helena was gasping for air. 

“I’m sorry that I have to do this,” Diana said, “but I have to make you see the truth.”

Inside the library, Zatanna’s body went stiff.  Her eyes fluttered beneath closed eye lids as she was assaulted by perverse and obscene images.  It was a distraction tactic but Zatanna pushed even further into the magical essence that clung to the Amazon like a second skin.  Finally, with a deep sigh, she saw the face of the sorceress that had evaded her view for so long.

Zatanna suddenly gasped, her eyes opening wide.  “Oh no!”

The reaction was a response to the realization of what the perpetrator’s identity would mean for Wonder Woman, but also an answer to the sudden shift in the air at her back.  She curled into a ball at the sight of the sharpened spear darting at her.  It was irony that Zatanna had worked so hard to discover Circe’s part in the Amazons’ constant tragedies and now would never get a chance to tell Diana.

Her body began to tingle all over.  Zatanna looked around for an answer to the sensation.  It wasn’t until she looked down at herself that she saw the face of the Martian Manhunter looking back at her as he rose from the ground, through her body.

The sudden appearance of J’onn’s ‘ghost’ shocked the Amazon back a step.  It was more than enough time for J’onn to become solid again and club the Amazon in the chest with his palms.

Hand on her chest, Zatanna took a deep breath.  “Cutting it close, J’onn.  I could see the bright light at the end of the tunnel.”

“I told you I would protect you,” J’onn responded.  “We’re surrounded.”

Zatanna rose to her feet.  “Not for long.”  Sure enough, a good portion of the Amazons inside the library had surrounded Zatanna and J’onn, cutting them off from Bruce who was still out there fighting somewhere.  It was a sound strategy but Zatanna was far from impressed.  These women were tremendous fighters but they fought with their hands and their weapons.  Zatanna had much greater assets at her disposal.

Closing her eyes, arms outstretched, Zee spoke a single backwards word—!peelS—and the Amazons did as they were told.

“You couldn’t have done that before?” J’onn asked.  He scanned the library telepathically, finding the Batman a few stacks over, finishing off the last of the Amazons.  Zatanna’s magical whammy had taken care of most of their numbers inside the building, but a few had evaded the attack to continue the battle.

Zatanna shrugged.  “I needed to conserve my strength.”

“And now?”

“Now, we need to find Wonder Woman.”

“You know who is behind this?”

Zatanna nodded, replacing the black top hat on her head.  “I do.  I also know that Diana’s about to walk into a whole world of trouble.”

[LOCATION: THEMYSCIRA]

One second, the missiles had struck Circe’s mystical shield and the world had went bright.

The next, Donna Troy found herself face down on the ground, happy to see that Themyscira was still in one piece.  There was a tremor passing through the earth upon which the Royal City sat, but paradise had managed to survive the attack from the mainland.  The Amazons had Circe to thank for that.  If Donna wasn’t so pissed off, she might have laughed at the irony.

She climbed to her feet, her muscles tired and unsupportive after hours of inactivity.

Circe was in the Throne Room still, lying prone upon the floor.  She had been so sure of herself and her abilities but it seemed that the weapons that the United States possessed had managed to take even an ancient mystic by surprise.

Seeing the woman in such a state, Donna half considered putting the woman out of her misery.  She was not a murderer but the argument could be made that Circe had caused too much pain in her existence to be allowed to live any longer.  Donna shook the thoughts from her head.  Her conscience, which sounded strangely like Diana, was having a field day, berating her for even considering the idea.

Donna walked to the balcony of the Throne Room, looking out for the Royal City.  It was quiet.  Empty most likely as it seemed that all of the Amazons had been deployed to the mainland.  Donna couldn’t even begin to think of a way to get the Amazons out of this situation unfazed.  Diana’s mission of peace was seriously in doubt already after the recent conflicts between Themyscira and the United States.  She wasn’t sure the Amazonian ideals could survive in Man’s World after Circe’s tampering.  But then again, that had been the point of Circe’s actions.

There was a soft snicker at her back that caused Donna to turn around.  Circe was on her knees, no longer unconscious.  “You imbecile.  You had your chance to stop me and you couldn’t even do it.”

Donna did something at that moment that caused Circe’s eyebrows to rise. 

She ran. 

The former Titan jumped off the balcony, confident that her flight would protect her from harm.  As fast as she could, Donna departed the Royal City and Themyscira, heading for the mainland.  She would never be able to stand up to Circe alone.  She needed help in the worst way.

[LOCATION: CAPE COD]

For what seemed like the first time in ages, Helena Kosmatos viewed the world through her own eyes.  Under Circe’s influence, she had been privy to her actions but had had no control over anything that she did.  It was almost like watching a movie through 3-D glasses.  It was an awkward sensation that Helena hoped she would never again have to experience.

She gagged, a terror overcoming her body as she was denied the slightest bit of oxygen.  Helena, as the Fury, clawed at the Golden Lasso around her neck but knew she had no hope in disengaging it.  She began to revert back to her human form, praying to any god listening that Diana would see the move as a form of surrender.

Sure enough, the Lasso went slack.  Helena felt herself begin to fall from the sky, but Diana’s arm around her waist kept her safe.  She took in a deep breath.  The darkness in her vision began to recede.

“Helena?” Diana asked.

“Ouch.”

“I’m sorry for that.”

Helena rubbed at the raw skin on her neck.  “You did ::cough:: what you needed to do, Diana.”

“I need you to tell me who is behind this,” Diana said, motioning to the battle beneath them.  What sympathy she had been displaying was gone.  She was all business now.

Looking down, Helena was shocked.  The battle appeared to be nearing its conclusion, but the battleground was in shambles.  Buildings lay in tatters; fires had broken out everywhere.  It looked like a bomb had gone off.  “I wish I could tell you,” Helena responded, glancing back to Diana, “but I remember very little.  One minute, I was sitting in my quarters like you had requested.  The next, I am here with your lasso wrapped around my neck.”

Diana would have screamed had she not been holding Helena in close proximity.  “Curse the Gods!  All I need is a name and they dangle it so close but still beyond my reach.  This is their payback for defying their wills.”

“Lucky for you,” J’onn J’onzz responded, levitating up next to the two women, “we do not worship the same deities.  The name you are looking for is Circe, Diana.  The mad sorceress is behind all your troubles.”

Diana closed her eyes, lowering her head.  “I should have known all along.”

“And now you do,” J’onn said.  He crossed his arms.  “The question is what you are going to do now that you know.”

Wonder Woman, Helena in her arms, began to descend from the sky.  “First, I’m going to reclaim my sisters.  Then, I’m going to reclaim my home.”

LATER

Diana watched as her sisters sat upon the dirty and war torn ground, their eyes darting around, eyeing the men and women of the American military that had their weapons trained upon them.  They were of right minds once again—the Lasso had seen to that—but that didn’t mean the ordeal was over.  The American governmental officials dispatched to the cape seemed to reluctantly accept that Circe had mystically manipulated the Amazons into attacking the East Coast, but they weren’t about to let the Amazons go free while Circe was still on the loose.  It was only because of her past service to the states that Wonder Woman was allowed to go free temporarily.

Diana stepped back from the shades, letting them fall back into place.  “They’re not happy,” she said to the men and women sitting around the room.  “And, truth be told, I’m not either.”

“People are dead,” Bruce responded.  “Lots of people.  How did you think they were going to respond?”

“My people were not responsible for their actions.”

“At the moment, there’s no one else to blame.  If it weren’t for the fact that there are too many of them, your sisters would already be on their way to Blackgate or some such place.”

“As much as I hate it admit it,” J’onn interjected, “Bruce is right.  The Americans want blood.  Right now, all they see is the Amazons with blood on their hands.  It is pivotal that you bring Circe back here so that people can shift their blame accordingly.”

“That may not be enough,” Hawkman replied.

Diana nodded her head.  She took a moment to wipe away her tears.  “I concur.  I believe it is time to accept that I have failed.  As an ambassador of peace.  As a queen.  As Wonder Woman.”

Hands grasped Diana by the shoulders.  She looked up into the beautiful blue eyes of Superman.  “This is just an obstacle in your path.  It doesn’t mean you’ve failed.  Look at all the good you’ve done.”

“But nobody will see that anymore, Kal.  Not anymore.”  Diana shrugged off Superman’s touch, wrapping her own arms around herself.  “I acted brashly.  I saw all these things my mother did as queen that I considered ineffective.  Bringing Themyscira into Man’s World was done too quickly.  I didn’t even take the time to see how my sister’s would react.  And now, so many of them are gone and the world hates them.  They hate me.”

“Maybe if we say something—”

“No, Wally,” Diana retorted.  “That is the last thing I want.  If the League involves itself in Themysciran affairs, it will only be worse off for it.  I refuse to smear the name of the Justice League too.”

“She’s right.”  All eyes, sans Wonder Woman, turned to the Batman.  He could see the obvious looks of distain but ignored them all the same.  “Acting in the shadows is one thing.  Publicly coming out in favor of Themyscira would have only negative results for the League.”

“Then what are you going to do?” Zatanna asked.  She was sitting with her legs huddled to her chest.

Diana smiled upon the woman thankfully.  If it wasn’t for her skills, the fighting would probably still be going on.  Zee had managed to subdue the Amazons long enough that she could use the Lasso on them.  “I can’t even begin to think about that right now, Zatanna.  Circe is my number one concern at the moment.”

Hawkman smashed his mace into his palm.  “Then let’s go kick her ass back to Ancient Greece.”

Smiles broke out.  Once again, Diana didn’t partake.

“None of you will be accompanying me,” she stated.  “This is an Amazon matter that I will resolve on my own.”

“It’s suicide to do this by yourself,” the Flash said.

Superman nodded.  “I don’t know if that’s a smart tactic, Diana.  Your Amazons may be stuck here for the time being but that doesn’t mean you have to face Circe on your own.”

“I have before.”

“But—”

“No, Dinah,” Wonder Woman said to the Black Canary.  “This is personal.  Each of you has some enemy that has caused you pain time and again.  Some enemy that goes out of their way to make your lives a living hell.” 

She looked to the Batman.  “The Joker.” 

She looked to Superman.  “Lex Luthor.”

Next to the Flash.  “Any of your Rogues, Wally.

“The funny thing is that I always considered Ares that enemy.  It seems I am mistaken.”  She laughed a bit, but it was a weak, dejected sound.  “I appreciate what you all are offering to me, but this is something I have to face on my own.”

“Diana.”

She sighed.  “Please, J’onn, I—”

“It’s Donna,” he interrupted.  “She’s here.”

Wonder Woman pushed off the wall she had been leaning against.  She began moving for the door outside but stopped halfway there.  “Thank you all again.  You stepped into the crossfire by taking part in this battle.  Now, I need you all to stay here and make sure the fighting doesn’t start again once I’m gone.  That is how you can help me.”

“Consider it done,” Superman replied.  “Be careful, Diana.”

She heard Hawkman mutter “watch your back” as she stepped outside.

Donna Troy spotted Wonder Woman standing on the shore of the cape, staring out at the setting sun.  It was clear even from a distance that the Queen of the Amazons had been crying.  Donna landed next to Diana and the women made no effort to hide their tears.  The two women embraced.

“I’m glad to see you,” Diana said.  “When I didn’t see you among our sisters here, I worried for you.”

“Circe kept me for herself,” Donna replied.  She laughed a bit, but it was a strained effort.  “The strange thing is that I have the over-eagerness of the President to thank for being free.  The explosion—”

“America attacked Themyscira?”

“Missiles,” Donna answered, nodding her head.

“Things have escalated,” Diana said.  “Circe has pushed Themyscira into a very compromising position.  I’m not sure we’ll be able to recover from it.  I don’t even want to know what the world thinks of me.”

“You have to fight this.  Circe is doing this to make your life a living hell.”

The tears started streaming again.  “It makes me sad that anyone could hate me that much.”

“It’s Circe,” Donna responded, grasping Wonder Woman’s shoulders.  “Don’t get sad.  Get pissed and kick her ass.  I’ll help.”

“No, Donna, I have something else that needs your attention.”  Any weakness in Diana’s body language was gone, replaced by a rigid form.  “Cassandra was taken by Amanda Waller, to where I don’t know.  I need you to get her out.  Through any means necessary.”

“I can do that, but I really think you’re going to need my help.”

Diana shook her head.  “No.  Circe has targeted me for a reason.  She has been directing my life for who knows how long, breaking down everything I’ve built up.  If she wants me that bad, she can have me.”

“What then?  There’s so much to do.”

“We’ll worry about it when it comes time,” Wonder Woman replied.  “If Circe isn’t stopped then we have a lot more to be concerned with than just Themyscira and the Amazons.”

“I have faith in you.”

Diana pulled Donna into another hug.  “Thank you, sister.  That means more than you could possibly imagine.  Especially now.”  They separated and Diana floated up into the air, headed back toward Themyscira.

“Good luck,” Donna said.

“Donna, do me another favor.  If I don’t return from this,” Wonder Woman said somberly, “tell the world… tell the world that I’m sorry.  I’m so very sorry.”
Next Issue:  The last few issues have been leading up to this: WONDER WOMAN versus CIRCE with Themyscira hanging in the balance!  But even if Diana somehow manages to come out alive, where does that leave her in a world that now hates and despises everything she stands for?  Find out at least some of the answers in “GRUDGE MATCH!”

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