Ultimate Wonder Woman #12: Bruises

[jackalope]

Ultimate Wonder Woman #12
The Wonder and the Vision: Bruises

The Pentagon

“There is not enough evidence.”

“There is plenty of evidence, you've seen the files. They have them, they're dangerous.”

“We are not doing this again. You know what it was like last time.” Commander Kathleen McNally turned the page of the document in front of her and clicked her pen. “I'm not taking this to the President.”

“Well I am bringing this to General Kirkwall; I just thought you might like to be informed before he takes it to the President.” Colonel Jack Lyre leaned back and sipped his coffee. “Bialya has the weapons, we practically sold them to them. They are a very real threat and have refused to allow the U.N. in.”

McNally shook her head. “If you haven't noticed there's a recession, we can't go in guns blazing. If the media got hold of this they'd eat us...”

“The media already have hold of this. What we need to be worried about is if they find out that they have weapons and we're not doing anything about it.” Lyre smiled, showing his white teeth. “It's almost as if you want America to be attacked by a hostile nation.”

“You don't get to question my patriotism!” McNally's voice rose higher than she planned. A couple of officers walking by looked into the window. She whispered harshly, pointing at him angrily, “You know this information is shoddy. You make this recommendation; I'm going to recommend your resignation.”

Lyre frowned unconvincingly. “Well I guess we'll find out who has the most influence around here.” A knock at the door made them turn.

A young man opened, “Colonel Lyre, there is a call for you on line one.”

Jack looked to Kathleen. “I'm afraid we'll have to continue this later.” She scowled and made to pick up the file. He grabbed it and held on until she let go. She stared at him for a moment before leaving the room, the door slamming behind her. Jack Lyre waited a moment before picking up the phone. “Colonel Jack Lyre, Deputy C.S.A. speaking...”

“It's Zeus.”

“Shit, Zeus, what the hell are you doing? Calling the Pentagon, you know they screen calls right?”

“Don't worry, you don't think that Maxwell Zeus hasn't got something that masks his calls?”

Lyre leaned forward over his desk. “What do you want?”

Maxwell Zeus's voice echoed clearly through the phone. “We need to meet.”

*

Dr.Yeong walked into the waiting room where Sgt. Harold Champion paced and the other cops sat. The huge man turned to the doctor and stood with a grim expression. The Chief joined him.

The doctor smiled. “Sgt. Schorr should be fine. The bullet hit nothing important and we got it out. He's all sewn up now but he's doing well. He'll probably be awake in a few hours, you should probably let him sleep though.”

Harold cracked a large smile and slapped the doctor on the arm, making him wince. “Thanks doc, you're the best,” he said as he bear-hugged the doctor, lifting him off his feet a little and putting him back. The doctor nodded and backed away. Harold turned to the Chief, who briefly let a smile slip. “Told you he was tough.”

“He's a lucky bastard...” The Chief moved back to the other officers, who stood, shaking each others' hands, relieved at the news. “Many weren't.”

A woman rushed into the room, running through the policemen into Harold. He turned. Her panicked face, framed with short brown hair, looked up at the tall officer with trembling eyes. He bent closer to her. “Jodie, he's fine.” The tears rolled down her cheeks and she smiled. He put out his arms towards her.

She punched his arm, then beat her hands against his chest. He looked at her bewildered. She hit him again. “That's for letting go up there.” He rubbed the back of his head, embarrassed. She swung her arms around him. “That's for staying with him.” He patted her back, softly. She stood back and looked up at him with fiery eyes. “Where is she?”

The Chief walked up beside her. “She got away. Tore a hole right through the ambulance, where she is now is anyone's guess.”

The pretty but angry woman turned her glare to the Chief, who for a second almost looked intimidated. “And the other one?”

Champion put his hands in his pockets. “She's holed up here in a secure wing. She's being kept here while she heals.”

The Chief took out a cigarette and put it in his mouth which she pulled out and put in hers. He frowned and looked to Harold. “We're going to talk to her now.”

*

Veronica Cale, lying back in her bed, rewound the footage. The metallic head bounced on the concrete and up on to the body, the spinning sword flying back through the throat of Dr Cyber, sparks being sucked back into the metal as the head reconnected itself. She let the footage play through again and watched the head fly up, followed by oil and a collapsing body. She squirmed slightly, touching her own throat. A beep over the intercom. She hit pause.

“Yes?”

“Mr Haverly is here to see you, from S.T.A.R.”

“Really?” She switched the image of the terrorist to Football, and sat back. “Let him in.”

A knock on the door signalled Derek, who tentatively stepped in. “Sorry if this is a bad time... I just thought you'd like any new...” He paused looking at Veronica lying, in her white dressing gown with one shapely leg bent, on her large bed. She turned to him, her heart shaped face warmly smiling. He swallowed and continued, “...news.”

“Derek, sorry, I didn't realise you were coming over.” She swung herself out of bed and stood up. “Can I get you a coffee or something?” As she walked over to the small kitchenette his head followed her around.

He pushed his eyes closed. “Ah, coffee would be great. But I came up here,” he said, reopening his eyes, “because I thought you'd like S.T.A.R.s analysis of the situation. I mean, I'm sure you've got your team looking through what happened, and it was a pretty traumatic experience but I...”

“Sure,” she cut him off. “I'd love to hear what you know. I'm ok Derek, really.” She filled up the kettle and switched it on.

He relaxed. “Good. So, transmission on the broadcast drone went silent as soon the Dr. Cyber body was beheaded. I saw it stick around for a bit longer, but I don't know why. Gathering information probably. As far as Dr. Cyber himself, I believe the robot we encountered on the roof was not the original person.”

“Really?” She poured the hot water in to the coffee plunger.

He nodded. “Yeah, I'm sure someone somewhere was controlling the robot we saw, there was no AI chip as far as our guys could find, all we know was it was made by a genius. Anyway everything was remote, even the explosive jackets he made us wear. The part I don't understand is they didn't go off when we removed them in the stairway on the way down. You'd think you'd rig them to explode if tampered with, as a fail-safe, but nothing I don't know. There's a lot that doesn't make sense.”

“Nothing made sense that day...” She sat down at the table and put the cups out with the coffee plunger. He walked over and sat down opposite her. She pushed her short blonde hair behind her ear. “What about the women? They looked like something out of Roman times.”

“Closer to ancient Greek, as far as we can tell. They were speaking a variant of ancient Greek, what they were saying; as far as we could tell was mostly gesturing and the like. We've got no records on them, except a few hints in the police database over the last month or so. From what we've heard the red-headed one has escaped already.”

Veronica looked puzzled. “Escaped?”

“I know. Everyone thought she was too injured. The other one is being held at St. Bridget's, so I guess we'll find out more soon. The media's got hold of it, another addition to the 'Age of Superheroes'.” Veronica rolled her eyes, then smiled at Derek, pushing the plunger down and pouring him a cup. He picked it up, “Thanks. We were lucky she was there though. Who know what would have happened if she hadn't shown.” He put the cup to his lips, sipping, then coughed, splashing the coffee slightly, and put the cup down. He looked down at her barefoot that rested against his leg. He looked up at her coy smile.

“We were lucky for a lot of things,” she said standing and leaning over him, “especially that you were there.” Her hand gently landed on his chest. Her eyes became round. “I just want you to know how grateful I am that you were there. You kept everyone calm, you saw us through.” She leaned forward and kissed his lips.

*

Diana's eyes fluttered open. Most of the swelling had gone down in her face now, but her skin was still dark blue with bruises.

“You're awake.”

Diana looked up to see a nurse standing beside her bed. She squinted, trying to focus on the woman's face. The nurse, felt under her chin then wrapped the blood pressure meter around her arm and pumped. “You're looking good, considering.” The woman's voice was rushed. She stripped the band off Diana's arm and shone a small torch in her eyes. “Now, are you ok to walk? I can get you out of here.”

Diana's face was confused. “What?”

“Look we don't have much time. I need your help. I can help you get out of here. Can you move?” Diana raised her arm but it stopped, she looked down to see the handcuffs on each of her arms, attached close to her elbows above her wrist braces, connecting her to the bed. She braced her arms and pulled. The arms of the bed napped off with a clunk and the nurse helped her sit up.

She looked down. “<Where is my armour?> Where ... my armour?”

The nurse walked over to the door, peaking out the window and walking back. “They took it off after they injected you in the ambulance. They couldn't get the wrist things off though. I don't know where it is, I think the police are probably holding it.”

“Who arre you?” Diana's voice was croaky, dry from all her previous shouting and fighting.

“Valarie Prince, I treated you when you got shot and came in here last time.” She poured Diana a plastic cup of water and handed it to her. “Now there are cops and other people on the way up, I don't know what they'll do with you, they were saying you murdered people before on the news. I need to know, did you?” Diana stopped drinking the water, and looking at her, shook her head. “Ok, but you fight, you help people?” Diana shrugged and nodded. Valarie looked into her eyes. “Will you help me?”

“What you do want me..,” Diana shook her head frustrated, “how do I halp... you?”

The nurse wiped her eyes, “I know you've probably got bigger things on your plate. It's my sister, she's missing. She's been gone for over a week, the police say they're looking but. I just thought, I saw you fighting on TV. And then you came here. I thought maybe it was God's plan or something. He sent you here, to help.” Tears continued to roll down her cheeks.

“Gods?” Diana pushed herself up slowly onto her feet. “Ok, I will halp. How you will get me out?”

Valarie opened the door of the small closet in the room and pulled out a bag. Unzipping it, she takes out some clothes. “Put these on.”

*

Aria walked to the staff desk, Iris following close behind. Behind them a crowd of policemen filled the lobby, along with distressed families and friends. The black lady at reception briefly looked up then back at the computer screen.

“Yes?”

“Uh, we were wondering...” Iris leaned over the desk.

“You'll have to speak up Honey, it's busy down here.”

“We are looking for a woman,” Aria said with a firm voice, “with dark hair. She was brought in here, from the explosion in the city.”

“You're going to have to be more specific, that describes half the women brought in today.”

“She was wearing armour, had a sword.” The receptionist looked up, directly into Aria's eyes, which calmly looked back. Iris looked around, making sure no one else heard.

The receptionist’s eyebrow arched. “You family?”

“Yes,” said Aria.

“No,” said Iris simultaneously.

“Well if you are or if you're not there's probably a few people that would like to have a word with you.” She nodded to the policemen. One of the cops caught her eye and started to walk over. Aria and Iris looked to one another.

Aria looked pleadingly to the receptionist. “Please just tell me she's fine.”

“We should go,” Iris whispered.

The receptionist pursed her lips. She typed on the computer, then looked back up. “It says here, she's stable. She's ok.”

The cop stepped behind the two women. “Excuse me; can I help you ladies with anything?”

“Yes,” said Aria.

“No,” said Iris simultaneously.

*

“What are we going to ask her?” Sgt. Harold asked the Chief as they walked.

“Well for a start- what the fuck was going on.” The two cops turned the corner of the corridor, followed by a middle aged bearded man- the translator, and a blond, suited woman- the lawyer. Midway down the corridor, two uniformed men stood at either side of the door. The Chief squinted at them. “Anyone in or out?”

“Just the Doctors and Nurses, we've checked everyone's passes.”

The Chief grunted, nodding. He turned to the woman. “Now the Commissioner doesn't want this coming back to bite us on the ass, so you're here to make sure we do not step on any rights she may or may not have.” He looked at the translator. “You're here to make sure everyone understands one another, understood?” They both nodded. He turned to Harold. “You, you're here to shut up.”

Harold nodded. The Chief pushed the door open and walked in.

“SHITADICK!”

Harold followed. “Crap.”

The window was open, the lock broken, the wire ripped.

*

The noise of the television woke him. Mike Schorr frowned, slowly pushing open his eyes. Adverts were blaring on the screen. He tried to move his head, but found it was too heavy and could only manage his eyes. He spied a familiar brown haired woman sitting to his left.

“...H...hey.”

Jodie looked around and smiled with wet eyes. “Mikey!” She hugged him, then kissed his cheek and forehead. She bared her teeth. “What were you thinking!?” She pinched his arm.

“Ow, quit it sis.” She let go and fell back into a hug. He winced, but smiled, moving his fingers to pat her arm. “I'm ok.”

She remained hugging. “Was she worth it?”

He coughed. “...Who?”

That moment a young woman in a red baseball cap stopped at the doorway, still looking ahead of her down the hallway. He squinted. She was wearing a grey tracksuit, and was carrying a blue jacket wrapped up around her arms. Her hair was done up in a ponytail. She looked about, looking confused, until she caught sight of Mike and his hugging sister. She smiled softly, raising a hand in a hesitant greeting. He lifted his fingers in reply.

“Don't be a dick. I know there's a girl.” She sat up and looked at his face. She turned and looked at the empty doorway, then back at him. “What's she like?”

On the television an interviewer held up a microphone to passing people. On the screen a title said 'Your Reaction: on the street' and had a picture of the Amazon, leaping with her sword drawn. An old woman stopped. The interviewer turned to the camera, “And what do you think of the new sword wielding woman, vigilante of justice, or menace to society.”

The old woman smiled. “I think she's wonderful.”