Wonder Woman

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Reopened to renovate

 

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[Maid of Marvels]

Diana Prince

http://www.Bibracte.dreamwater.org/ATWAS/ww14.jpg
"Send the letter. Come with me. Who does this guy think I am... Wonder Woman??" Diana mumbled to herself. "Coming, Major Trevor!" she called out from her little corner of the office, as she grabbed her jacket and slipped it on.

The jeep and driver were out front waiting as they stepped out of the building. "Dismissed, Private!" Trevor bellowed to the skinny young GI who was standing at attention next to the vehicle. He looked as though he were going to protest, but after one look at the Major's no-nonsense face, he thought better of it and hurried away without a glance back.

Chuckling, Major Trevor slid behind the wheel. "No. No. I'll get that," Diana muttered as she let herself in on the passenger side.

"Excuse me?"

"Nothing. Nevermind." Looking at her watch, Diana suggested that they not waste much more time if they wanted to be on time for their meeting.

 

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[Maid of Marvels]

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I can't help shaking my head at the sight of the jeep lying on its side, wheels spinning. Reaching past the steering wheel, I turn off the ignition then squat down next to the semi-conscious Major Trevor.

"Steve?" I call out, slapping his cheek. "Wake up, Steve."

The major opens his eyes slowly and looks around groaning. "My head... Wha... ? Where's Diana?"

"I stopped a passing car and sent her home. I told her I'd stay with you. Looks like a tree got in your way, huh, Major?" I couldn't help chuckling as I helped him to sit up. "Let's right the jeep and then we'll talk."

Standing, I offer him a hand and pull him to his feet. "Good to see you too, by the way."

 

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[Maid of Marvels]

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Driving the jeep toward our original rendezvous point, I listened to Steve explain why he had asked for this meeting. When he reached into the back for his brief case, his hand brushed against my bare shoulder, sending tingles through my body. As he apologized profusely, I couldn't help wondering if he knew, or if he felt it too.

I could still remember the first time I saw him. The first man I had ever seen, he was barely clinging to life after his plane crashed near Paradise Island.

I worked against time, trying to develop a healing ray to save the Lieutenant's life, but to no avail. He passed through the veil before it was completed, but I kept working and finally was able to bring him back to life... to me.

Aphrodite bade my mother, Hippolyte, to arrange a Tournament. The Champion was to escort Lt. Trevor back to America and act as an inspiration for his country as it entered WWII. My mother forbade me to enter the contest because she disapproved of my infatuation with the young intelligence officer, as she referred to it.

I defied her by disguising myself and competing anyway. It wasn't until I was declared the Champion of the Tournament that my identity was revealed. Bestowed with several gifts from the goddesses, I accompanied Steve back to America and brought him to a hospital in Washington, DC. That was five years ago...

"Wonder Woman? Is something wrong? Are you listening?"

"I was just thinking... " I said with a smile as I turned the jeep down a deserted road to a secluded area where we would be able to speak without being observed or overheard.

I turned off the ignition and turned to him. "Show me what you brought."

I knew that he was right. Red tape had a way of hindering things, but we would find a way to get around it.

"Do you think you can you get time away?"

 

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[Maid of Marvels]

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The scent of Steve's cologne and the feel of his breath warm on my neck as he read over my shoulder, sent shivers down my spine. My entire body felt flushed and I couldn't help thinking that I should have parked in the shade as tiny beads of persperation formed on my skin.

Concentrate, Diana! I admonished myself, realizing that he had just asked me a question.

"Hmmm?" I asked, turning toward the handsome Major. He was so close that our lips almost brushed against each other.

"Your plane. I asked if you still had your plane... " he repeated.

"Plane?" I said sounding dumber than dirt as my eyes traced the lines of his face, the set of his jaw. The slight touch of gray in his hair at the temples. His lips. Sweet goddess, I thought as I gave myself an internal nudge. Aphrodite must be having a field day with me over this.

"Yes, I have the plane," I nodded. "It would be a good idea to go scout out the island."

For a moment his eyes bore into mine and I wondered again if he knew... Or could tell.

"Yes?" I asked in response to the question in his eyes.

 

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[Maid of Marvels]

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I listened to Steve's account of the missing informant and the technology that Dr. Doom had developed to detect incoming aircraft. I doubted that my plane would be seen, the scientists on Paradise Island were leagues ahead of anything that men had created to date, but there was always that chance. Slim as it was.

"Let's get this jeep somewhere that no one will come across it while we're gone," I said, turning the ignition back on. "There's a cave just ahead, and we can cover the entrance with branches and such." Steve nodded as I drove in the direction I had indicated.

Thirty minutes later, no one would have known that a vehicle had ever been in the area. Let alone realize that one was hidden right before their eyes. Steve and I grinned at each other, pleased with our handiwork.

"The plane?" He asked, squinting as he looked around the clearing.

"Right here," I grinned, tapping its side. The sound of my hand on the metal echoed loudly though the aircraft was not visible to him. "Come on. Time's a wasting! Jump in."

I couldn't help chuckling as Steve made his way over toward the invisible plane, arms stretched out feeling the air before him.

"Great Hera!" I walked over to the intelligence officer and guided him to the hatch. "Here you go. NOW jump in."

 

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[Maid of Marvels]

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The quiet hum of the engines was almost soothing as we headed for our destination. There was still the consideration that we might not slip through the anti-aircraft devices Steve had told me about, but I had to stay hopeful.

We didn't talk much, lost in thoughts of what would happen once we set down to recon the area until a large green land mass loomed on the horizon.

"There! There it is. See the clearing?" Steve pointed toward the western end of the island.

Nodding, I adjusted our coordinates, lowering the flaps and dropping the landing gear. "I've got three green," I said to my companion. "We're going down."

It seemed as though we were going to brush the top of the trees as we made our approach, and I chuckled when I heard a low gasp.

"Relax. Almost there." I circled once, crossing all my parts in anticipation of a successful landing.

Thump... thump... thump...

The small plane bounced as it landed and taxied to a halt. I turned off the engines and leaned back against my seat.

"We made it. So far, so good. Now what do we do?"

 

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[Maid of Marvels]

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I wasn't over-pleased that Steve suggested we split up, but he was the intelligence officer here and I was... What was I? The cheerleader? The mascot? He doesn't even know I' m alive for goddess' sake! Get over yourself, girl... You've got some scouting to do.

"So off we go. Take good care, will you?" I said, agreeing to meet back in two hours time.

The information I had was sketchy at best, but I hoped that whoever was on this island would not exactly be expecting company to just drop in and not been over-cautious in covering their tracks. I gave a quick wave to the Major and wished him godspeed as I headed into the dense underbrush.

I moved quickly but silently beneath the canopy of trees, looking and listening as I moved along. Any paths I found were nature's handiwork and not man-made. In fact, it wasn't long before I realized that no one had come this way in a very long time. Long enough for the jungle to have swallowed up all evidence of their presence.

It was entirely too quiet. Where were the birds and animals, I wondered? Great Hera! What was Doom doing that all the wildlife had deserted the island? The thought was mind boggling.

A nagging thought at the back of my mind began to pester me as I turned back in the direction I had come from. Something was wrong. Something was definitely wrong.

 

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[Maid of Marvels]

Gauging the situation, I look from the soldiers to Steve and back. I knew that I could deflect a bullet aimed at me, but could I stop one from hitting Steve at the same time? He just wasn't close enough, no matter how fast I could move. No. I couldn't risk it.

When the soldier told me to lie down and relinquish my lasso, I hesitated only for a moment. The look in Trevor's eyes... No. We would take our chance in escaping later. They were bound to make a mistake or look the wrong way. It just wasn't worth endangering his life to make a foolish move now.

"Very well," I said, resignedly. No use letting them know that I wasn't anything but defeated. Steve started to protest, but I stopped him with a look as I dropped my lasso and lay down on the ground beside him.

"Don't worry," I whispered quietly. "We'll get out of this somehow."

 

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[Maid of Marvels]

Great Hera! What is going on here??

Looking up at Steve... Doctor Doom? This has to be a hoax. Doesn't it?

I struggle as the two goons yank me to my feet, though I know it is just a waste of my energies at this point. Stay calm. Think. These men may have bound my body, but they will never bind my mind.

"You won't get away with this," I say quietly. My voice is low and controlled and the blue of my eyes is as cutting as the steel of a blade.

 

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