They went about ten steps without Shep speaking and Chase stopped walking and looked at Shep impatiently. "Shep, is there something I can do for you? You have things to take care of before we leave and so do I."

"I just wanted to make sure you were all right. You’ve been all over the place lately and Jen and I have been more than a little worried about you. Especially since you ordered us to move in broad daylight. Chase, are you sure about this? It’s so dangerous."

"Shep, if you can’t do this, tell me, and I will find someone who can. I don’t have time for your doubts."

He didn’t answer immediately and Chase turned to walk away. His hand on her arm stopped her progress and she looked down at his hand before looking at his face. Shep took his hand off her arm slowly and dipped his head.

"Sorry, Chase. It’s not doubts... it’s concern. I don’t know who or what Diana is to you, but something happened to you during that week you were gone. And it only got worse when Diana got here. I just want to know that you’re all right... that you’re ready for this."

Chase smiled and took Shep’s arm, turning them around and walking them back towards the center of the encampment. "Shep, I appreciate your concern and I do understand where it is coming from. What is or isn’t between me and Diana is private and has nothing to do with the rebellion or this offensive. We have to leave in the daylight so we get there in the dark. Don’t worry, Shep... I have worked the schedule and the flight paths to draw the least attention possible to our departures. But we need to arrive after dark so we can traverse the countryside safely."

He nodded, knowing Chase was absolutely right.

"Trust me, Shep. I’ve made the adjustments to compensate for the changes, all right?"

"All right, Chase... thanks."

Shep saluted and took off at a fast jog to get back to the hut he shared with Jen. She had promised to pick up lunch for the two of them while he talked to Chase. Chase turned back and made her way to the laboratory, anxious to get this offensive started so they could get it over with.

Hans stuck his head out the door when he heard the footsteps. He wondered what had taken Chase so long to follow him, but a look at the frustration on her face kept his mouth shut until she spoke.

"Hey, Hans. Sorry for the delay. You got the stuff I asked for?"

"Yes. Chase, are you sure about this?"

Chase smiled wryly at Hans, then gave him a brief, reassuring hug before retreating enough to look at the things he had laid out for her perusal. "I’m as sure as I’m gonna get, Hans. No time for doubts and second guessing."

"But Chase, the fuel is untested outside the lab, and we’ve only tested the tweaks we did on the motor in short flights."

"Have a little faith, Hans. We do good work together. We always have. I’m gonna come back and tell you what a rush it is to fly that fast, and then you’re gonna go joy riding... maybe even invite Ty along for a little thrill."

He blushed slightly, but nodded his agreement. "All right, Chase. I’m gonna hold you to it. And I will tell you, if you make me worry like I did the last time you went off... if I have to come over there and save your butt, I will call you Annabelle until the day I die."

Chase mock-shuddered, appreciating the banter for the stress relief it was. She picked up her armor and the few special accoutrements she’d had him add strictly for her. "That’s reason enough for me to bring her home without a scratch." A beat. "Thanks, Hans. Hold down the fort for me, will ya? And don’t let that Amazon Queen and her council run you ragged."

"They’re staying here?!?"

"I guess. Since she handed over the leadership of the army to Diana, I doubt she’s gonna be going. I haven’t really had a chance to find out. But if they do stay, be nice, but not indulgent."

Hans smiled. "Got it. And you be careful. I want to visit that farm of yours... maybe learn how to milk a cow or sow oats or bake bread or whatever it is you do on a farm."

Chase looked down at her hands and smiled sadly. "All right, Hans. When I get back, we’ll see about making a farmer outta you. BUT, you have to ask Ty out, too." She held up her hands before he could protest. "If I have to teach you how to farm, the least you can do is ask the woman to dinner."

Hans chuckled. "Chase, if you both come back, I’ll ask her out. I enjoy my laboratories too much to be a real farmer." He opened his arms for a hug and she stepped into the embrace. "Thanks for being my friend, Chase, and thank you for saving my life."

"It was a life worth saving, Hans, and I’m proud to count you as a friend."

Hans kissed both cheeks and released her, and Chase picked up her gear and left without a backwards glance.

Chase crossed the threshold into her hut... and stopped dead. On her desk sat a steaming hot bowl of soup and two thick sandwiches accompanied by a tall glass of what appeared to be iced tea. She blinked at it a minute, fully expecting it to disappear. When it didn’t, she looked around for company, but she didn’t have that either.

She carefully placed her equipment on the bed, then turned back to the desk. There was a note next to the napkin and she picked it up with a smile. Figured one of us needed to make sure you got a chance to eat. See you shortly. Diana

Chase smiled at Diana’s thoughtfulness and thought about cramming a sandwich into her mouth on her way to the showers given how hungry she suddenly found herself to be. She shook her head. Her enjoyment of the meal was warranted given the time and effort Diana had made to insure she had a meal to eat before they left. Instead she covered the soup bowl and snatched up her towel and clean underwear. She would set a world’s record for getting clean, and then come back to her hut and enjoy the meal with a rarely felt luxury.

Chase rushed through her ritual bathing, though she was careful to follow every step. She was even completely dry before slipping into her clean clothes, but she moved with greater speed than she normally used. Then she was back in her hut enjoying soup that had cooled to a comfortably warm temperature and eating sandwiches so big she could barely take a bite out of them.

Ty briefly wondered what had happened. She had never seen Chase go in and out of her traditional shower that quickly before, but then the Amazons came back in from the direction of the river obviously scrubbed clean. Ty shook her head, speculating if Chase realized her ritual to be clean before an upcoming mission was based in Amazon tradition. Then she shrugged and decided it didn’t matter as long as it worked Chase’s normal voodoo magic.

Ty nodded at them on her way back to her hut, needing to go prepare her armor and dress before time ran short. The Amazons filed into the mess hut with single-minded determination. Diana broke apart from them and headed towards Chase’s hut.

"Diana?" She sighed and her shoulders dropped, before she turned and face her mother. She waited quietly, unwilling to address Hippolyta as her mother and uneasy about calling her by her name after being put in charge of the army.

Hippolyta was a little disappointed that Diana didn’t address her at all, but she was gratified that Diana held her gaze evenly and without rancor. That was something that hadn’t happened in over a hundred years, and Hippolyta let herself relish the experience... until Diana’s gaze became piercing and one eyebrow arched sharply.

"Oh... my apologies, Diana. I just wanted to ask if it was all right with you if I went along on this mission as well. Not as the queen and not as your mother," she continued before Diana could protest. "I would like to go as an Amazon warrior."

Diana blew out a breath and turned away from Hippolyta. The truth was, she could understand Hippolyta’s desire to go. She had been one of their greatest warriors before the Nation had been relocated to Paradise Island. Diana had actually been a little surprised that Hippolyta had handed over leadership of the army for this mission.

"Why did you make me the leader of the army for this operation?" not turning around to look at Hippolyta as she asked the question. "You would have gone as the queen and as a warrior."

"Diana, I have made a mess of everything I have done in the last hundred years where you are concerned, but not about this. This is your fight, Diana. You deserve the right to lead the army against Orana. You, more than anyone, have the right to retribution – not just for what she did to you, but for what she did to your mate as well. I would never stand in the way of that."

"Chase is not my mate," fiercely, turning to look at her mother with a burning look in her eyes.

"Maybe not yet, daughter, but she will be."

The confirmation was unlooked for and it unexpectedly warmed Diana’s heart just a little. Hippolyta saw it, but she wisely contained her reaction, not wanting it to disappear on her account. Instead, she answered the plea she could just see hidden at the very back of Diana’s eyes.

"I’ve seen the way she looks at you." Hippolyta took a deep breath. "Diana... daughter... I wouldn’t lie to you about this. Despite everything else I have managed to do wrong, I wouldn’t lie to you about anything. Trust me, Diana, please." A brief pause. "I know there are some things between us that no amount of time or apologies or regret will ever be able to repair. But you can trust me, Diana... especially about this."

Diana blew out a deep breath and turned back towards Chase’s hut. "I won’t stop you from joining us on this offensive. You are one of the best warriors the Amazon Nation ever produced, and I am not stupid enough to not utilize every asset at my disposal. I’ll leave the decision up to you."

"I would like to go, Diana; I just don’t want to make things tough for the army with my presence. Not that I think they would have difficulty following you; you’re a natural leader and a greater warrior than even I was. But it is hard to break thousands of years of ingrained protocol and tradition."

Diana remained silent, not wanting to influence Hippolyta’s decision, but she did turn to look at her.

"How would you feel if I went as an assistant healer?" Diana didn’t answer and Hippolyta realized she wouldn’t. Diana really was leaving the decision completely up to her, and somehow, that knowledge made the choice easier.

"I think I will stay here and prepare for the victory party, because you know if we leave the rebels in charge of that we will get...." Here she made a face. "Coffee and fried sugar bread."

Diana smirked. "You mean donuts?"

"I suppose. Now really... where did they come up with such a thing?? No – I will stay here. Amazons *know* how to throw a good party, and no one is better suited for doing that than the queen, right?"

"As you say," Diana agreed without actually committing herself.

"Good! Then it’s decided." Diana nodded and started for Chase’s hut once more. "Diana...." She stopped walking but didn’t turn around. "Thank you for giving me the choice. I appreciate the consideration."

Diana didn’t answer except to nod again, then she walked away with a purposeful step. Hippolyta smiled, watching her go, thanking the goddesses for sending Chase to Amazons and Diana to Chase. Already Chase had changed Diana’s attitude towards her mother and for the first time in a long, long time, Hippolyta was looking towards the future.

Knock, knock.... "Chase?" Silence. "Chase, it’s Diana." Still no answer. Diana bit her bottom lip in contemplation, then opened the door a crack, just to see if Chase was actually in the hut. What she found surprised her.

Chase was sitting at the desk, eyes half closed in meditation. The dishes in front of her were bare of food, including crumbs and the napkin had been neatly refolded and was covering the bowl. Chase didn’t move when Diana slipped into the room, and Diana took the opportunity to remove the tray from the desk. When she turned back to Chase, she found bright green eyes focused intently on her.

Chase didn’t speak; she simply held out her hand and Diana took it. Chase led her around to sit on the only clear corner of the bed, then released her grip and folded her own hands together. "What can I do for you, Diana? Shouldn’t you be getting ready? Have you eaten?"

"Nothing... I just wanted to make sure you ate. I am ready, and yes... Cookie fed me while he was preparing your tray."

"You just wanted to make sure I ate, huh? Well, I did and it was very good. Thank you for thinking of me. I would have just grabbed a couple trail bars to chew on the way out."

Diana smiled and looked around nervously. Chase was exuding a raw energy now, a feral sense of danger that Diana was accustomed to wearing, not seeing in someone else, and Chase didn’t even seem aware of the change in her demeanor.

"Diana, are you all right?" wondering why Diana seemed so uncomfortable. The question was full of concern and it made Diana smile. Diana straightened and put her warrior face on, letting her own dark energy rise to the surface. Chase watched the change take place and shivered in pure reaction. Diana turned and gave Chase a feral smile.

"I am fantastic, thank you for asking. I can’t tell you how I’m looking forward to this."

Chase grinned. "You don’t have to – I know."

Diana motioned to the bed. "Yours is different. And you have more accoutrements."

Chase nodded. "The parameters of my mission are a little more restrictive than everyone else’s. I have to prepare for it a little differently."

Diana looked over each piece of Chase’s equipment, noting the thicker guards she had added to her thighs and back. She picked up the belt that held half a dozen syringe vials, and understood instantly just exactly what Chase’s plan was and just exactly how close to Orana she would need to get. Diana turned and met Chase’s eyes squarely.

"You are planning on coming back, right? Because if you’re not, I am coming with you."

"Actually, I was planning on you coming with me regardless."

Diana blinked and then scooped Chase into her arms for an exuberant hug. "Thank you, Chase."

Chase smiled and returned the embrace fervently. Whatever doubts she had about herself and about the Amazon situation and even about the upcoming mission, this felt right.

They pulled apart after a long moment and Chase held on to Diana’s hands. "Diana, you have proven to be a worthy ally and a very capable warrior. Even if we weren’t trying to be friends... even without our souls having a past together or you having a personal reason to extract justice from Orana, I know you are the best choice for a partner to watch my back. All the rest just gives you added incentive."

Diana didn’t respond verbally, but the fierce light in her eyes and the feral smile on her lips was an answer all its own. Without warning, she leaned down and brushed her lips over Chase’s, feeling Chase freeze before she pulled back.

"Sorry, Chase. I just...."

"Shh...." Chase said, covering Diana’s lips with her fingers. "It’s all right, Diana. I’m just not... I’m not ready... I’d like to be, but...."

"Shh...." Diana said, returning the favor. "My fault, Chase. I didn’t mean to, it’s just... that’s the first time in forever that someone - that *you* - has looked at me with such trust and confidence and...."

"Diana?"

"Hmm?"

"You’re babbling." Diana blushed and Chase chuckled. It was nice to know Diana was as discombobulated as she was about the whole situation between them. "That’s okay, Diana. I think it’s cute," and got to watch the slow blush travel up Diana’s face.

"But I’ve got to get ready to go and I’m running short on time. Maybe we can finish this when we get back?"

"You bet we can," Diana smiled. "I’ll see you in the courtyard?"

"Ten minutes."

Diana pulled away from Chase and left before she could do anything else rash. They had a war to finish and an Amazon to destroy. Then they would have plenty of time to investigate this wonderful, giddy feeling that felt old and new again at the same time. And there was no way on hell she was going to let Orana or anything else on earth stop that from happening.

Then Chase stepped from her hut and a cheer went up from the hundreds of rebels gathered in the square. It was time.

Chase had been the last to leave the rebel compound, and no one had seen her since. Her plan had been ingenious, though and Ty knew Chase was somewhere ahead of them.

It was an eerie feeling. Ty knew she wasn’t alone, but due to the rain and the darkness and the silence surrounding her, she felt isolated. She wiped the rain out of her eyes and blinked rapidly. Then she checked her watch and smiled. With any luck, she and her squadron would reach their safe house within the next few minutes and then they would have the daylight to rest in before darkness fell again and they made the final short journey to the barracks they had been assigned to destroy. Ty only hoped they were as successful as Chase’s plan had shown they could be.

Shep and his unit were making their way to the northernmost resistance stronghold. It was slow going in the darkness, but he had peace about this mission. Chase had planned well, and the changes she had made along with the addition of the Amazons had put the odds firmly in their favor. Not just to put an end to this war, but for most of them to survive it to begin a brave new world together.

His biggest concern was that no one except Chase was privy to what Chase’s part in the plan was, and no one had seen her since they had departed the compound. He sent a prayer up for her safety, then picked up his pace. Making this work depended on him and his team making it into the stronghold before daylight; it was up to them to coordinate the rest of the world for the attack. In silence they pushed on, keeping to the trees and the bushes so as not to be seen by the dim moonlight that cast its waning light over the land.

Diana was torn between concern and anger. She hadn’t been allowed to ride in the plane with Chase; Hans had forbidden it and given his reasoning, Diana had been unable to argue. The modifications they had made to the airplane had been based strictly upon Chase’s height and weight specifications. So Diana had ridden across the ocean with some of her Amazons.

That hadn’t been bad; it had helped Diana forge a deeper bond between her and the leaders of the Amazon army. To their delight, they found that the warrior princess they remembered had returned to them at last. And they were excited by the prospect of being led by her. Their part in Chase’s plan was right up their alley.

But Diana hadn’t seen Chase since they had arrived on the continent. They had been the first to leave as they had the farthest to travel on foot; Diana knew that Chase had been the last. They had missed the worst of the weather so far which had helped them make good time towards Berlin. Chase had promised to find her, and Diana believed Chase had meant her words. Yet they had been traveling for several hours on foot and she had seen neither hide nor hair of Chase.

"Do not worry, Princess," one of her captains commented quietly. "She will find you."

Only the warrior stoicism Diana wore kept her startlement from showing in her expression; even her eyes were kept carefully blank. She did turn and look a question at the woman who spoke, recognizing her as a priestess of the temple. The woman nodded when she realized Diana knew who she was.

"I believe, Princess. I have faith in what you are to be together."

"How does that help me in the here and now, Anya?"

"For there to be a future, there must be a foundation of trust. If she breaks her word to you now, how can there be trust between you? Therefore, she will find you." A beat. "I’ve read the stories, Princess. I know who she is... and who she was... and who she will be once more."

"Does everyone? Is this common knowledge?"

"No, Princess. The only reason I am aware is I helped Mala with the research when you started asking questions about soulmates. I helped her put all the pieces together." Diana nodded, but didn’t speak. Anya felt compelled to reassure her further. "Princess, no one within the Nation knows beyond the council and myself, and I would never betray that trust. Besides, this news it not mine to share... it’s yours, if and when you feel compelled to do so. I wouldn’t have mentioned it if it wasn’t obvious to me that you were searching for her and that search is taking your attention from our mission."

The rebuke was mild, but Diana felt it sharply. She nodded briskly. "You’re right, Anya. Thank you for the reminder. I’ll keep my mind focused and trust Chase to keep her word."

Anya might have answered, but suddenly Diana stopped walking and held up her hand. The Amazon army halted and melted into the trees as a Nazi patrol made its was towards them. The soldiers had no time to appreciate the fact that they were dead men walking, as in very short order, they were simply dead men. The Amazons dropped in behind them, snapping their necks and letting the bodies fall silently to the ground. Diana looked at her hands, clean of blood, and wondered how there could be no mark upon her for the life she had just taken. She thought she should feel some sort of guilt or remorse for the death she had caused, and maybe later she would, but for now she only felt relief and gratitude for her skills and being alive.

The flick of her wrist and the Amazons cleared the road, moving the men out of sight and up into the trees where they wouldn’t be found. Mankind had lost the ability to think and fight three dimensionally and the Amazons were happy to use that to their advantage. Then they started back towards Berlin at a double time jog. The brief fight and subsequent clean-up had cost them precious time and even with the head start they’d had, they were going to be cutting it close. And since they were infiltrating the capital city itself, they definitely wanted to be in place before the sun came up.

Diana sent a prayer up for Chase’s safety, then she picked up the pace, the outline of the buildings coming into sharp focus. Diana felt the fire stir in her blood and smiled. She was looking forward to this.

Chase drew a deep breath. Even though it was dark out, the square in front of the Reichstag was well-lit as though in defiance of the resistance and any rumors of a rebellion uprising. There were a number of workmen trying to accomplish several different tasks. There were some who were scrubbing and cleaning the streets around the square. Others were busy painting the buildings and polishing the brass fixtures. A third group was busy stringing wires and lights in preparation for Orana’s announcement that evening.

Chase sat in the bell tower over looking the square. Behind her sat the tower guard, asleep at his post, compliments of Chase’s and Hans’ efforts in the lab. If it had been later in the day, he would be dead, but she couldn’t risk the exposure... yet. Soon it wouldn’t matter, but for now, discretion was definitely the better part of valor. Chase had to live long enough to take care of Orana.

Her vantage point gave her an excellent view of everything going on below, which would be extremely useful when the Amazons arrived. Chase looked at her watch, squinting in the waning moonlight, then nodded in satisfaction. She could just make out the beginnings of a lightening of the sky in the east. And only because she was looking for it, and knew exactly what to look for did she see the Amazons enter the city. She wondered if Diana would find her before she could get to Diana.

Chase smiled. Diana had been cute about her frustration in being separated from Chase after Chase had assured her they were going to go against Orana together. Only when Chase promised to find her before she went after Orana did Diana relent and leave with the first wave.

A commotion in the square caught her attention and she looked out to find Orana outside investigating the progress that had been made by the workers. They doubled their speed, not wanting to be punished for lax or shoddy work. Surprisingly, Orana simply looked around, pointing out a few things that remained and then turned and walked back into the Reichstag with studied nonchalance. It was obvious to Chase that she was trying to give an appearance of calm control. She wondered if the woman who was Fuehrer had any idea how truly despised she was or how hated her reign had become.

Chase’s eyes continued to watch the preparations being completed at a fairly quick pace while her mind wandered back to the stories that had been passed down through her family for generations – since they had happened a hundred years before when Orana had become the Fuehrer.

"Fuck!"

The whispered expletive from Chase brought Diana from her musings with a jolt. She raised an eyebrow and Chase smirked, though she couldn’t stop the blush that crossed her face. They were slowly making their way towards the Reichstag itself across the same rooftops Chase had walked hours before when she’d been searching for Diana. They planned to be inside waiting for Orana when she returned. Given the number of people on the stand with her, there would be plenty of time to get in and disable her security and safety measures before she returned. This was obviously supposed to be something of a celebration to reinforce Orana’s message of who exactly was in control.

"Sorry," she muttered. "Is that who I think it is?" Diana nodded. "Dammit! That changes everything."

"Maybe not," Diana commented softly. "I don’t think he knows we’re here. He isn’t looking around for anything; he just seems to be enjoying the adulation from the handpicked audience. He can’t scry here so he won’t be able to find us."

"Doesn’t matter, Diana; he is still an immortal... still the god of war. And when we go after Orana, he’ll still be able to defeat us with the flick of his wrist."

"Not this time," Diana answered confidently. She stopped moving and slid the pack from her shoulders and opened it, showing Chase the blade that rested inside at the top. There was no change in Chase’s expression, no sign of recognition at the significance of the object it held inside.

"I’m sorry... I don’t get it; guess I’m missing something pretty important, huh?"

"That’s okay, Chase. We’ll have plenty of time for you discover everything about your heritage later," Diana assured her with a smile. "This is a dryad bone knife."

Now Chase blinked in recognition. "Waitaminute – you mean the kind of bone that can kill a god? But how...?"

Diana slipped the pack back on and they readied themselves to start the next phase of their mission. They had reached the roof of the Reichstag and moved inside. They didn’t see Ares look around with a frown on his face. Fortunately, he couldn’t see them either, and after a long moment, turned his attention back to the general who was presently singing the praises of Orana and the Reich.

"My mother, and we know it can kill immortals and lesser gods. Not sure it can destroy Ares given the powerbase he has, but it will hurt him. Given his history, if we can manage to hurt him, he will disappear. He’s never been one to stick around when the odds aren’t in his favor."

"All right, but that means we’re gonna need to split up... at least for a little while."

"Maybe not," Diana said again. She looked down. "The records are spotty, but given what I know of Orana from before she came here, she will celebrate her ‘victory’ when this announcement is over. If you noticed, the set-up out there was for some sort of party; obviously there’s at least part of her Amazon heritage she’s kept."

Chase looked at her askance. Diana smirked. "I’ll explain it to you later." She looked around and her whisper became nothing but mouthed silence. "Ready?" Chase nodded and motioned to the guard on the right. Diana returned the nod and watched as Chase counted down on her fingers. Simultaneously they moved and in seconds, two guards were dead, compliments of broken necks. They didn’t make a sound and Chase and Diana were quick to move the bodies out of sight. Then with a glance at one another, they padded silently through the halls, disarming the cameras and leaving a string of dead guards hidden in the recesses as they made their way towards the lab.

"This was just the first, my friends! From this day forward, the rebellion will be systematically destroyed. We will annihilate every village and town that harbors rebels and resistance members and when we are done, we will set our own house in order! We will go after the Jews! We will go after the Negroes! We will go after the homosexuals! We have been lax too long... but no longer. We will wipe out everyone who does not fit the mold of an ideal member of our Supreme Race!" She naturally didn’t mention it also meant the destruction of their one semi-ally in the Japanese. Time enough for those details later, after their obvious enemies were eradicated. "And when we are done, we will have a New World Order! The Third Reich will be stronger and better for the purging! It is time we realize the dream of prosperity we fought and struggled for! It is time we reward the faithful!! It is time we take care of our own... no matter the cost to the rest of the world!!"

The specially chosen audience stomped and cheered. And the Amazons manning the cameras carefully captured it all, though not a word of it was broadcast beyond the square. Mitch had made it into the control room, and sent out a technical difficulties message to the outlying stations, thought they understood the meaning clearly enough. What it meant – reading between the lines – was that Orana wanted complete control over what went out to the masses and would need time to edit it accordingly. They had no way of knowing that Orana wouldn’t be editing anything at all.

Eventually, Orana held up her hands and the crowd dutifully quieted and waited expectantly. "So this is a celebration of the beginning of a new era in the Reich. Please, join me in commemorating this event and enjoy the refreshments provided here. VICTORY!!"

At this the crowd roared and returned her salute. "VICTORY!!! Zieg HEIL!! Zieg HEIL!! Zieg HEIL!!!"

Orana stood and absorbed the adoration of the crowd for long moments before she allowed them to disperse to the tables that had been set up around the square. Those on the stage with her removed themselves to join the party at her nod, leaving her alone with only Ares for company staring out at the gathered throng. He put his hands on her shoulders and she stiffened, but he didn’t pull away. Instead he began kneading with all the strength in his hands, and he felt her relax into his touch almost immediately.

"What’s the matter, baby? You’re too uptight for a warrior who has conquered like you have... especially one with such great battle prospects on the horizon."

Orana shrugged and leaned back into him. "I don’t know, Ares. Something doesn’t feel right. I expected more of a reaction from the rebellion. I expected *some* sort of reaction from them at any rate. And yet, I got nothing, and it’s making me antsy. I cannot honestly believe they would let something like this go by without making some sort of effort to stop it. I made sure the world knew I was making an announcement tonight; I even let leak what happened to those twelve villages."

Ares dropped his hands from her shoulders and let one run over his beard. "Well, considering the fact that the rebellion has been around for a century, give or take, I’d say it was one of two things. Either they have already gone underground in preparation for the latest siege OR they are biding their time waiting for the right moment to strike – some time when you are distracted and won’t see it coming."

Orana bit her lip in thought. "I suppose. It’s just that my thumbs are prickling and I hate that feeling. I especially hate feeling like those cretins have gotten one over one me."

"Nobody’s gotten anything over on you, babe," Ares said, putting his hands lightly on her waist. "It’ll be their funeral when they do make a move because we are going to be ready for them. They won’t even know what hit them." He felt her laugh under his touch and allowed his own dark chuckle to bubble up. "Now, c’mon... you and I have some serious business to attend to," rubbing up against her.

Orana permitted a small, satisfied smirk to cross her lips. "We do indeed, and Adelia should be waiting. Let’s go."

Diana and Chase worked in tandem together without exchanging a single word. It was as if they had been doing this together forever, they were so smooth in their interactions. Diana went through the crude computer records while Chase disarmed the first of three self-destruct mechanisms Orana had set throughout the Reichstag. These were the triggers that would set off other devices hidden around the globe, and Diana’s searching had turned up the locations of those. Finding them would be one of their first tasks once Orana and the Reich were finally defeated.

First though, they had to destroy the lab and make it to the kitchen to take out the second bomb. That would be more difficult as there should be people working and that meant more killing because there were no innocents here. And Chase was tired of killing; she had been doing it since she was twelve years old. However, it had to be done, so with a signal to Diana, they soundlessly slipped into the kitchen and within minutes, there were six more dead. Diana moved the bodies into freezer while Chase disarmed the second trigger bomb.

Fortunately, since the food had already been prepared and a majority of it had already been set out for the event outdoors, they weren’t interrupted and in short order, they were walking down the hallway to Orana’s private chambers. This was the tricky part.

Orana was more than a little paranoid and had the most state-of-the-art security she could manage... not that it was anywhere close to what Diana and Paula had developed. So cracking through it was fairly simple. The guards were dispatched easily enough; they simply weren’t expecting intruders to be wandering around that far inside the inner sanctum.

There were no bodies to move; Orana kept the guards in her hallway out of sight. Diana disarmed and unlocked the doors – they like the rest of the alarms were set to Amazon milestones and markers. Then they slipped inside Orana’s suite. It got harder from here. First they had to disarm the cameras and the monitoring stations in her office area and then they had to move on to the bedroom. The third mechanism was on the bed and it was the one device that connected to each of the triggers around the world. That meant it could still detonate the self-destruction devices Chase had not disarmed yet.

The cameras and monitors were a cake walk for Diana and once they were disabled, they crossed the office floor and stood listening at the bedroom door for a long moment. When they didn’t hear any sound coming from within, they opened the door slowly then looked around the empty room.

Chase gave a sigh of relief, relaxing just slightly. Given the rollercoaster ride her life had been lately, she half expected some sort of hidden surprise. But this time, it seemed, their intelligence had been right on the money. Even Ares unforeseen presence hadn’t changed the outcome of their work and very shortly, all hell was going to break loose outside the Reichstag as well as at other Nazi strongholds around the world. When Orana left the square, Mitch would let Shep know; then resistance fighters across the globe would attack the Nazis in full force. The Amazons in the square were looking forward to that event, but then, so were the rest of the rebels.

Chase went to the far side of the bed while Diana stayed on the near side, both of them carefully searching for the final trigger device. Without warning, the bathroom door flew open and a very naked Adelia stepped out and strutted towards the bed. She was halfway there before she realized she was not alone... and not with the couple she anticipated sharing the night with.

"Who are you?? What are you doing here??" She froze, and that hesitation was what cost Adelia her life. Chase reacted immediately and the first needled vial of Orana’s evil poison struck Adelia in the heart. The effect was abrupt and Adelia fell to the floor, clutching her chest in agony and gasping for air. Unlike Orana’s version, meant for prolonged torture, Hans had concentrated the mixture so death was almost instantaneous.

Chase and Diana exchanged glances, and without a word they scooped Adelia up and tucked her into the bed to die. It would save them from having to clean up the mess before Orana and Ares returned. Then they went back to their search.

Much to their surprise and chagrin, there were two triggers and they were tied together by a complicated series of connections beneath the bed. They looked at each other and with soundless sighs, slid beneath the bed.

Diana watched Chase’s actions, mimicking her precisely. Chase nodded her approval and together they disarmed the last of the self-destruct mechanisms. Then the door to the bedroom opened and Ares and Orana stumbled in, tossing bits of clothing carelessly around the room.

Diana opened the pack she still carried and removed the dryad blade, then motioned to Chase, who shook her head violently. "Why?" she mouthed. Instead, Chase gestured to her side of the bed, asking Diana to follow her out. She figured it would buy them a little extra time. Meanwhile, Orana and Ares separated long enough to notice Adelia was already in the bed waiting for them.

Ares chuckled. "Guess she’s anxious, huh? But what is that smell?? It smells like...."

"... death. Something’s not right; wait, did you unlock the doors when we came in?"

Ares answer was interrupted by the sound of gunfire in the square and several things happened at once. Orana crossed to the window, heedless of her partial nakedness. Diana and Chase rose from beside the bed simultaneously. Orana turned, the needle of the poison vial piercing her chest. She wailed and dropped to the floor, writhing in agony. Chase rushed over to Orana and snatched the belt of strength and the golden lasso from around her body.

At the same time Chase threw the vial, Ares saw Diana and hesitated, caught unaware by her presence here in this room. That hesitation gave Diana the opening she needed and she tossed the blade in Ares direction. He didn’t move, incorrectly assuming it was of no consequence and wanting to drive that point home by allowing the blade to penetrate his skin even as he threw a fireball full-force into Diana’s torso. Diana crumpled and Ares screamed as he realized just exactly what he’d been hit with.

Chase turned from Orana as Ares pulled the blade from his gut. He threw it at her in his rage, but Chase ducked it easily, having already been in motion to cover Diana’s body. He held closed his wound with his hand and shimmered out of sight, needing to find a private place of power to heal.

Chase took Diana’s face in her hands and cradled it carefully, completely unaware of the tears streaming down her face. "Oh no, you don’t," she said angrily. "NO! You don’t get to leave this time. You promised me a future! You promised me forever, Goddamnit!! Don’t you *dare* fucking die on me now!!" She reached down and picked up the accoutrements she had dropped in her haste to protect Diana’s body from further attack. "Look, Di... we got them away from her."

"Not for long," a weak and shaky Orana said. She was holding a gun pointed in Chase’s direction. "I’m an immortal, remember? You can’t kill me... even with that lovely noxious poison I created. Uh uh," she said, blinking rapidly. "Hands where I can see them."

Chase placed the belt and lasso onto Diana’s chest, glad to see it was still moving, albeit slowly. Then she turned and stood, and in a movement too quick for Orana to process, threw two more vials – one that hit her in the belly and one that embedded deep in her thigh. Orana dropped the gun to reach for the vials, only to fall to the floor again. This time, Chase got up and stuck the two remaining deep into her spine, watching without feeling as the woman stiffened in anguish.

Then she moved to kneel back down at Diana’s side, scrambling through the backpack trying to find a way to fix the damage Ares had done. Her heart cried out to goddesses she wasn’t even sure existed, hoping for a miracle from somewhere to keep Diana alive.

A hand came into her line of vision, easing her down with a gentle touch. The cool cloth on her forehead was both familiar and comforting. She closed her eyes and concentrated on breathing, willing the pain to subside. Where was she? And why? And how did she get here anyway? Then a voice cut into her musing. "Take it easy, Diana. How do you feel, Princess?"

The voice was recognizable and yet not as she remembered. "Drea?"

"No, Princess. Open your eyes."

Diana blinked open her eyes and forced them to stay open, then blinked again when a face came into view. "Aunt Jasmine? But how?? You’re dead and I’m...." breaking off as the implications of what she was saying sank into her mind.

"... going to be if you don’t make up your mind to be differently."

Diana moaned. The pain was making it hard to focus and harder still to think clearly. Jasmine waited; she needed Diana to be full cognizant of what was going on around her. She felt when Diana turned to her meditation for relief, and after a few eternal minutes passed, Diana relaxed and turned her attention back to her aunt.

"Gods, this hurts."

"I’ll bet it does," Jasmine agreed pragmatically. "It looks pretty nasty."

Diana looked around at the emptiness again. "I have to tell you, Aunt Jasmine, for an afterlife, this place leaves a lot to be desired... especially if it hurts like this all the time."

Jasmine smiled at her sadly. "This isn’t the afterlife... at least not yet. This is an in-between – a place between life and death, and as long as you can feel the pain of your injury, you are still alive in the real world. Once it’s gone...." She let the thought trail off.

Diana smirked wryly then grimaced. "Guess I should be counting my blessings then, huh? ‘Cause this hurts like a bitch." She closed her eyes again, missing Jasmine’s startled look at her choice of words. "What am I doing here, Jas?" feeling a wave of lethargy wash over her. "Better yet... what are you?"

"Well," rinsing the cloth and gently applying it to Diana’s face and neck. "I’m here because you are. You’re here because Annabelle is refusing to let your soul go and your spirit is refusing to let your body die while she holds on."

"So as long as she holds on, I’ll live, but as soon as she gives up I die?"

"That depends on you."

"Huh? Aunt Jasmine, I know I’m not running on all cylinders here, but life and death has never been about choice – especially when a god takes a pot shot at you."

"Do you want to live? Would you be willing to give up your title, your immortality, to live as a mortal woman in man’s world with my daughter for the rest of your natural, normal life? Not as a warrior hero or an Amazon princess or Wonder Woman, but simply as her mate?"

"In a heartbeat, Aunt Jasmine. I have missed her... so much. I would give up everything to be with her again."

"Then live for her, Diana. Make the decision to live for her... and then do it."

"Simple as that?"

"Simple as that."

Silence reigned for a while after that. Jasmine continued to bathe Diana’s face and neck and Diana simply lay still trying to breathe through the pain. In all of her immortal life she couldn’t remember hurting like this and she wasn’t really thrilled with the prospect of doing so now – even knowing she had suffered as badly or possibly worse in her last trip through the karmic cycle. Finally, though....

"Aunt Jasmine?"

"Hmm?"

"Will you tell me about Chase? What she was like growing up – things she did?"

Jasmine laughed... a full bodied laugh, and Diana smiled in reflexive sympathy. "You want to hear stories, hmm? Well, Drea is the only one who’s heard any of those before, but sure. I imagine I can remember a few things about what Annabelle was like growing up."

Diana laughed briefly, then curled up into herself as agony pierced her body in reaction. "Ow, ow, ow."

Jasmine smiled compassionately. "A little less laughter, maybe? I’ll try not to tell the more outrageous ones, though for the first few years of her life she was a mostly quiet child. Very bright, and she certainly had her moments, but.... Her best friends were her books and her daddy. When he died, she changed. My Annabelle - my brilliant, quiet daughter – became a hellion. That’s when she started going by the moniker Chase. And she started taking unimaginable risks. She was seven years old."

Diana opened her eyes and looked at Jasmine in shock. "Chase became a rebel fighter when she was seven?"

Jasmine nodded. "Little things at first, and against my wishes and explicit orders she did. I knew, even though she was unaware, that she had a different destiny to fulfill, but nothing I was able to share with her was enough to deter her strength of purpose. I knew she was resolute about avenging her father’s death, but looking back at it, I wonder if perhaps she became so reckless because of who she was."

"You mean as your daughter... as an Amazon?"

"No, I mean as your soulmate – one half of a whole. Maybe her father’s death showed her the unexplainable loneliness in her soul. I know it left a huge hole in her heart and in her life."

"How could you let her do that, Jasmine? How could you let her run the risk of being killed?? After all it took to get her here...." Diana shook with anger and pain and frustration. "After how long we’ve been apart from one another, you just let her...."

"No, Diana. I didn’t just let her." Jasmine’s head dropped. "But I couldn’t stop her either. I tried, you have to believe that, and up until the time she was twelve, I had a little success. There were only a limited number of jobs she could do, and most of those required her to simply walk information from one point to another. No one suspected a cute kid like her to be dangerous." Jasmine met Diana’s eyes, both sets filled with tears. "But she was the most stubborn, hardheaded child ever born, though given her soul and her heritage, I don’t think she could help that." They exchanged watery smiles.

"What happened when she was twelve?"

"Annabelle killed her first man."

"At twelve?!?"

"Yes. She discovered a double agent living among us. It was how she found out about Hans, but that’s another story. Anyway, he tried to rape and kill her and she killed him first, but not before she got proof of his duplicity. They lauded her as a hero."

"What happened then? And what is the story about Hans?"

"She became more involved in the rebellion then, started doing a lot more undercover work. And as bad as I hated it, as much as it scared me... gods, Diana – she was the best operative we had. She found out things... well, she’s the reason the rebellion is winning, the reason the war will soon be over. Her determination to find Hans is the reason we were able to, and he was one of the few that understood and appreciated her mind first. Together they were able develop many of the weapons and advancements the rebellion has."

Silence. Then Diana broke it. "Then what?"

Jasmine sighed. "Then I died. Just after Annabelle turned seventeen, I was sent out on a mission based on intelligence she had gathered. I was killed, and Annabelle... Annabelle went a little crazy."

"Is that when she became the leader of the rebellion?" Diana asked, knowing what the partial records Paula had managed to cull had said, but curious about the truth.

Jasmine shook her head. "No. Paula’s records – those she managed to find – were accurate. Annabelle took on the impossible missions. She went out and met with resistance groups, formed new cells and started a network between them and the rebellion in America. She really was the glue that brought and held everything together."

"Kind of like what she’s doing for me now."

Jasmine nodded. "A little bit. What she did for the rebellion was business; what she’s doing for you is completely personal. I have never seen her put anyone or anything ahead of the rebellion like she has you, Diana."

Diana blushed. "Then why am I still here, Aunt Jasmine? If she’s holding on to me so tightly that I’m not dying, why am I still here?"

"I don’t know, Princess. Close your eyes and focus. Maybe she’s just waiting for you to decide to come back to her."

Diana nodded, then took Jasmine’s hand in hers and squeezed it. "Thanks, Aunt Jasmine. Do we... may I ask for her hand? Can we have your blessing?"

Jasmine returned the squeeze and smiled into Diana’s eyes. "Diana, you have always had my blessing. Just promise me that you’ll protect her and love her with everything you are. She is fragile underneath that core of strength she’s got and she has had those walls up for the better part of her life. She really doesn’t remember what it is to look at life with the wonder and amazement of a child. You will need to be patient and teach her, but above all else, you will need to love her. Love is not something she’s permitted herself in far too long. It is one reason she keeps pushing you away – one reason she asked for time. She has no idea what to do with all she feels for you."

"Loving her is easy, Aunt Jasmine. It is part of who I am, and who she is to me. The rest we will make up and learn together as we go. Thank you for giving birth to her, Jasmine, and for loving her. You gave up everything for her... so we could have another chance to be together. No wonder Chase is such an incredible woman – she had an incredible mother."

Jasmine leaned down and brushed a kiss over Diana’s cheek. "Go to her. And kick Ares ass once for me, all right?"

Diana chuckled and nodded. Then she closed her eyes and focused her attention on Chase and the feelings of panic she could feel rising from her direction.

Chase growled when she couldn’t find any first aid supplies in the backpack. She snatched up the communication device she and Hans had developed for emergencies and took a deep, calming breath to keep from screaming at Mitch.

"Mitch, this is Chase, over."

This is Mitch, boss. Go ahead, over."

"Mitch, I’m in... we’re in the Fuehrer’s room and she’s been subdued. I need... I need a squad to take her into custody and... and I need the Amazon healer, Drea. I need her fast, Mitch. Hurry, over."

There were a million questions he wanted to ask, but he shoved them aside for the moment. He could feel the urgency in her controlled voice. He figured he’d get his answers soon enough. "Will do, Chase. The squad will be easy; the healer will take a little longer, but I’ll find her, Chase. I’ll see to it personally, over."

"Be quick, Mitch... and thanks. Out."

Orana stirred and Chase turned her head, then grabbed the lasso. Much as she hated to leave Diana’s side, there was no way she wanted to be caught unaware again by the Amazon Fuehrer. Chase wasn’t deliberately cruel, though she certainly wanted to be – given what both she and Diana had suffered at Orana’s hands. However, she wasn’t gentle in her treatment of Orana and she trussed her up like a calf, tying her hands and feet together with the lasso looped around her neck so that any movement by Orana to free herself resulted in her choking. At the moment, though, Orana was in pain too intense to allow her to struggle. Simply breathing was unbearable.

Chase left her where she lay, semi-naked and in agony. A thought occurred to her and she slid into place beside Diana. She took the belt of strength and looked at it a long moment, then apologized to Diana softly for any pain she might cause. Then Chase semi-wrestled the belt around Diana’s slim waist, doing her utmost not to further damage Diana’s burned and bleeding torso.

When that was done, Chase sat back on her heels and looked for something else she could do. She spotted the dryad knife sticking from the wall where Ares had thrown it and grabbed it, shoving into the backpack with the rest of the things Diana had brought. Then she went into the bathroom looking for something... anything... that might help.

Chase tore up the bathroom quickly, then realized as she looked at the lone bottle of aspirin in the medicine cabinet that she didn’t know enough about Diana’s immortal body or the damage an ancient god’s power could do to be able to treat her without possibly inflicting further injury. Frustrated, she blew out an exasperated breath and grabbed a washcloth from a folded stack, wetting it before rushing back out to kneel beside Diana’s prone body.

The silence and lack of distraction narrowed Chase’s focus to the pain she was feeling for Diana. Without analyzing the need, she cradled Diana’s head in her lap and started talking to her in soft, soothing tones while gently wiping her face while they waited for help to arrive.

"Diana? C’mon, baby. You can’t die on me... not now. You promised me, remember? You promised me immortality; you promised me we couldn’t die... that we would be together forever. You don’t want me to have to come looking for you in the afterlife, Di. I promise you if I have to, I will make your afterlife completely miserable. I swear I will."

Chase took a deep, shuddering breath to keep from sobbing. She didn’t need or want anyone to witness the privacy of her pain. "Don’t make me go through this again, Diana. I won’t survive the separation this time. Despite the fact that we are new to one another in this lifetime, Diana, my soul remembers. Regardless of my repeated denials to myself and my trying to keep some distance between us, there are parts of me that know and recall who and what we were to each other... before. Please don’t leave me to that aloneness again."

Chase tenderly wiped Diana’s face and neck, letting her fingers trace the features that were so familiar and yet that she was just coming to know. Diana was an admittedly beautiful woman and in spite of her disheveled state, Chase was honest enough to admit to the surge of animal attraction she felt for her. She smiled wryly.

"Ya know, I was attracted to you almost immediately; that was one of the things about you that scared me senseless, if I‘m gonna be completely honest about it. I’ve never really been drawn to someone like I am to you. Not just the physical, though you are gorgeous," Chase said with a blush, "but your mind and your soul are equally appealing. Come back to me, Diana, and I promise not to push you away again."

At that moment, a mixed squad of Amazons and rebels entered the room and froze, taking in the scene with practiced eyes. Seeing Chase completely preoccupied with Diana, Ty immediately assumed command of the unit, directing their efforts. Some of the Amazons went to Orana, marveling at the binding Chase had contrived for her. They were much rougher in their handling of Orana than Chase had been. They removed the lasso and secured her in the forged shackles Aphrodite had given them. Then they took up positions to guard the woman until they were ready to move her out.

Another small group began constructing a travois to carry Diana wherever they were directed and hoping it would be soon. Some of the things they had seen in the Reichstag were more than a little disturbing, and they were anxious to remove themselves and the injured Princess from the vile evil they felt emanating from the place.

A third group assumed a perimeter around Chase and Diana, providing them with both protection and security. Ty was in this group and she dropped to one knee next to Chase, putting a hand on her arm and waiting until Chase dragged her eyes up to meet Ty’s.

"Chase?"

"Ty, where’s Drea?"

Ty shrugged. "I dunno, Chase. Mitch sent us over and we got here as quickly as we could. It’s a mess outside. Not to worry," she added quickly, seeing immediate concern in Chase’s eyes. "We have things under control. We ran into more pro-Nazi forces than we expected to, but they are being dealt with. According to the initial reports, quite a few battalions of foot soldiers are simply surrendering. Daylight will give us a better idea of where things stand, but for now, we seem to be ahead of where we expected to be at this point."

Chase nodded, but didn’t respond otherwise, her attention focused on the still body in her lap.

"Do you have any orders, Chase?" Ty prompted. She hated to ask, but they still had work to do, and like it or not, Chase was the one in charge of it until and unless she removed herself from the responsibility.

"Yes. Put the soldiers who have surrendered under the command of the resistance leaders whose jurisdiction they are quartered in. They are *not* to be tortured or killed; they will need to be tried and sentenced accordingly once we have things under control. Anyone that fights back or tries to run away dies by their own choice – kill ‘em all," said flatly with no emotion.

Ty’s eyes widened, but she nodded her agreement. She hadn’t expected such unemotional disassociation from Chase at their moment of triumph, but victory seemed to have lost its savor in light of what had happened to Diana. "I’ll get the message to Mitch and Shep." She motioned to the woman cradled so carefully in Chase’s arms. "How’s she doing?"

Chase looked up at Ty briefly before returning her attention to Diana. "Still breathing, but I don’t...."

Whatever else she had been about to say was interrupted by the arrival of Drea and Mitch. The healer made her way to Diana’s side, stifling a cry when she saw the damage Ares had done to Diana’s body. Immediately she dumped her bag of supplies out and began barking orders to those who were standing around as if waiting for instructions; they started doing her bidding as quickly as her directives were issued. Ty removed herself from the area and went to have a word with Mitch. The war was still raging around them, despite the calm at the center here, and they had things left to do.

"Don’t worry, Chase. I’m not going to let my daughter die. She has too much left to look forward to in this life."

"I’m sorry, Drea. I never meant for something like this to happen."

Drea smiled, even as she winced at the wound that covered so much of Diana’s upper body. Drea could only imagine the pain that was causing her. "I know you didn’t, Chase, and Diana knows that as well. Putting the belt around her was genius – that will actually help her heal. It channels her immortal strength, something she wouldn’t be able to tap into here otherwise."

"Will she be all right, Drea? Can you make her better?" The last was a plaintive whisper and it tugged at Drea’s heartstrings. She smiled with all the confidence she could muster.

"She’s survived this long by your combined wills; I don’t think making her better will be a problem. You both want it too badly. We need to get out of here though. I want her moved to the triage unit we have set up until we are ready to go home. If you could manage to get the location of the invisible plane out of her," motioning to Orana, "that would help immensely. I’ll explain it to you later," seeing Chase’s uncomprehending look.

"I’ll see what I can do for you. Can you... give us a minute?"

Drea nodded and rose. "Anya, let’s get the litter ready. We’re going to need to move Diana to the triage unit in the warehouse." She gestured the rest away from the couple to give them a little privacy.

"Diana," Chase leaned down and whispered into her hair, wrapping one arm around Diana’s collarbone and running the other the length of her arm to clasp their hands together. "I’ve got to go out there and finish what we started, but I’ll be back soon, I promise. We have unfinished business between us, so you damn well better straighten up and fly right. I expect you to be up giving orders by the time I get back, and I’m not gonna be gone very long, all right? I love you, Diana. Come back to me now."

Her eyes didn’t open and her breathing didn’t change, but Chase felt Diana’s grip tighten briefly. She smiled into Diana’s hair and brushed a kiss across the top of her head. "That’s my girl," she whispered. Then she eased out from behind Diana’s body and headed out to finish up the business they had started together.

"Chase? What are you doing out here? We’ve got this under control. You need to get back in there with your girl. We can handle this, honestly."

"I know you can, Ty. But I also know that the resistance needs to see me, even if it’s only briefly. They expect it... I can’t be hiding out taking care of someone they know nothing about. Leaders don’t have private or personal lives, ya know."

Ty smirked. "Well, you never have before. Guess that means I’m gonna win that bet, huh?"

Chase ducked her head and spoke softly. "She touches my soul, Ty, like nothing or no one ever has... in this lifetime anyway."

Ty crinkled her forehead at Chase’s wording, then shook her head and pushed on Chase’s shoulder. "G’wan. Go do your leadership thing so you can get back to Diana. The rest of us can handle the details, all right? Let us do our part, too."

"Ty, if it was up to me, I’d let ya’ll finish the whole damn thing without me and the hell with the consequences. But we have all fought too long and too hard to get here to lose because of my selfishness. Make sure Orana is moved to the torture room in the basement, and keep her guarded and manacled to the wall at all times. I’ll be back shortly to take care of moving her for judgment."

Chase turned and walked off before Ty could formulate a reply. Ty watched her go, then started whistling, a somewhat incongruous sound given the gruesomeness of her surroundings. But even that ugliness couldn’t dampen her spirits at seeing Chase complete. Then she headed back into the Reichstag to carry out Chase’s orders.

Chase scampered around the square, dodging the random gunshots that still rang out across it, though there had been very little resistance to their coup so far. They had planned well; however, they all expected there to be at least one serious fight from the Nazis once they were able to organize something against the rebellion. It was Chase’s job to try and insure that didn’t happen.

She rounded the corner and realized she was in trouble almost immediately when she ran into a leather-clad chest. She backed up just enough to look into brown eyes that flamed with hatred before a hand covered her mouth and the world disappeared around her.

Ty jogged back into the Reichstag unimpeded by anyone or anything since Chase and Diana had secured the building. With a very few words on her part, the Amazons formed an honor guard for Diana while the rebels surrounded Orana to transport her down to the torture chamber. She exchanged a few words with Drea, then went with the rest of the rebels down to the basement. She was going to take responsibility for Orana personally until Chase arrived to take over. Orana was going to be the final piece of business the rebellion took care of before the resistance governments took their place in the new world order.

Meanwhile, the Amazons made their way unmolested to the triage unit Drea had set up in the warehouse area they had been quartered in. It was a little unnerving – almost as though the Nazis were chasing something else or had disappeared underground. But they didn’t take time to consider the reasons for their easy passage; they were too happy to get Diana back under cover.

As soon as they arrived, the Amazons spread out, having already been given their instructions by Drea before they left the Reichstag. Soon, everything physically possible had been done for Diana’s body and it was time to focus their spiritual energy on healing her as well.

Anya took her position at Diana’s head and Drea stood at her heart. Mala took Diana’s belly with the belt of strength and Nubia was located at her feet. The remainder of the Amazons, except for those assigned guard detail, filled the spaces in between the four placed strategically at Diana’s power points.

First Drea, then Nubia, Anya and finally Mala placed their hands on Diana’s body and the rest linked them together. Then they started channeling their immortal strength into Diana’s body through the belt of strength. And before their eyes, Diana’s immortal body began to heal from the damage Ares had done to it.

Though visible, it was a slow process and they faltered when Ty came rushing in frantically close to the end. It took them nearly another hour to finish, and by then, Ty was beyond frantic and the Amazons were exhausted. Diana’s sleep had turned natural. She would need a good stretch of normal sleep, but when she awakened, she would be as good as new, and possibly better, given the fact that she was wearing the belt of strength.

The Amazons scattered throughout the warehouse to catch a few hours of sleep themselves and Drea moved to talk to Ty. When Ty explained the situation, Drea dropped her head into her hands. Ty tugged on her arms, trying to convey the sense of urgency she felt, until finally Drea sat her down and clarified the realities of the circumstances surrounding Diana’s healing. They would move as soon as they were able, but there was nothing to be done until Diana woke from the final stages of the healing sleep she was currently in. Ty recognized the truth in Drea’s words, knowing Chase would never forgive either of them if Diana was put in harm’s way unnecessarily. Ty explained what the rebels were doing, and how Drea could contact her once the Amazons were able to move out.

Morning was just peeking over the horizon before Diana stirred. By that point, the Amazons had gotten a short few hours of rest and were already geared up and ready to return to the fight. Drea had shared Ty’s emergency with them, and they desperately wanted to be out helping in the search and not here waiting for instructions from their princess. But they were loyal, well-trained troops, and so they waited.

Diana’s blinked her eyes opened slowly to let them adjust to the streaks of daylight shining in the roof vents, fully expecting to see Chase’s green gaze waiting for her when she woke up. Instead she immediately focused on the uptight, pensive looks of the Amazons surrounding her and shot up into a sitting position. She closed her eyes momentarily to allow her equilibrium to catch up to her body’s motion, then she turned to sit on the edge of the pallet.

"Report!" The command was whispered, but the fierceness behind it was felt by every single one of them and every Amazon eye turned to Drea. The healer took a seat beside Diana and touched her forehead with the concern of a mother before taking Diana’s hands in her own.

"How do you feel?"

"DREA!!"

"All right... what do you remember?" trying to gauge where she needed to start from.

"Orana and Ares...." Diana looked down at her chest. "He tried to kill me, but Chase wouldn’t let me die. I talked to Aunt Jasmine, and Chase told me...." Diana looked around before letting her eyes and her voice drop. "Drea? Where is Chase? She promised to be right back. I heard her. And I know the damage he did to me had to take at least a little while to heal, even with...."

Diana blinked rapidly. "Where did the belt come from? Is Orana...?" Diana trailed off and rubbed a hand over her eyes and face. "Drea, please... report." Her voice was a mixture of confusion, frustration and defeat.

Drea blew out a breath. "All right – short version? You and Chase managed to defeat Orana and injure Ares. Then you were brought here for healing and Chase went out to assure the rebels about things." Drea swallowed. "She was supposed to go from the Reichstag to the control room; Mitch was going to broadcast her words to the rebellion. She never made it."

"What?!? What is being done??" Diana grasped Drea’s arm so tightly, the healer had to bite the inside of her lip to keep from flinching. Drea eased Diana’s grip from her arm and held her hand, rubbing her thumb lightly over Diana’s knuckles.

"Shh, Little One. The rebels have been out all night searching. Unfortunately, they haven’t found anything – not a trace."

"What are the Amazons doing?"

"Waiting for your orders, Princess." She held up a hand to stop Diana from exploding. "Breathe, Diana. We all needed rest once you were healed; it took a lot of energy to repair the damage Ares did. None of us has been up very long, and we decided to wait for you once we did."

Diana took a deep breath and nodded her head. "All right. Nubia," motioning her mother’s advisor. "I want you to take the army and work with Ty... try to find any sort of clue what might have happened to Chase. Someone had to have taken her for a reason – odds are the Nazis have her somewhere and are looking to trade her for Orana. So we need to find out who took her and where they have her before they start making demands. We can’t give them the upper hand; it has taken too long for the rebellion to get it back."

"By your will, Princess," Nubia nodded. She and the rest of the council had been very impressed with her leadership. She had made sure Chase was aware of the Amazons strengths, then had handed out assignments, trusting in their training to get the job done without her having to hawk over them every second. That’s what had enabled them to defeat Orana.

"Diana, if Nubia is leading the Amazons in their search, what are you going to be doing?"

Slowly Diana stood to her feet. "I’m going to go talk to Orana, and then I’m going to find Chase."

"Diana, wait...." Drea stood up and held Diana’s arms. "If you’re doing that, why don’t you simply lead the Amazons? Why are you going alone?"

"Because I’m not going as Princess Diana." She removed Drea’s hand from her arm. "I am going as Wonder Woman."

Diana stood in front of the safe in the Fuehrer’s room for a long moment before twirling the dial with long, tapered fingers. Thanks to Chase, Diana already had the belt of strength and the lasso of truth, even if Chase hadn’t realized exactly who and what they represented at the time. She was simply aware that Orana never took it off because it made her invincible, having been told so by Orana herself during her time in captivity. Part of Diana was surprised Orana had kept the costume, but a bigger part of her knew that Orana considered this her greatest trophy. Hence her reasoning for keeping it protected in the safe.

Avoiding people to get to Orana in the torture chamber and then to her rooms had been simple enough. Practically everyone was out searching for Chase, and Diana was beyond ready to go do her part... especially since she now knew exactly where Chase was. She only hoped she had guessed right about Wonder Woman’s abilities against a god, or this could turn out to be a very short, very ugly rescue.

She swung the door opened and held her breath. Everything she’d once earned, everything she needed to be Wonder Woman was here, and Diana removed each piece reverently, then donned them and covered the outfit with her civilian clothing. She needed to get out of the Reichstag as Diana Prince, just as she had arrived, so she tucked the tiara into her shirt and resettled the belt and lasso at her waist. Then she walked back out the door, headed for the temple to retrieve Chase.

"Well, well, well," Ares taunted. "Not all that tough now, are you, miss thing? You wanna explain to me how a bit of nothing like you has managed to destroy the best thing I had going in a very long time? Do you realize how long it will take me to rebuild anything like the Reich was? It will take months just to get Orana back into a position of power."

His tone was conversational enough, but the hatred that burned out of his eyes belied that tone. Chase didn’t deign to answer him, refusing to give him the satisfaction, which only served to make him angrier. He backhanded her for the umpteenth time, watching dispassionately as another trickle of blood ran from yet another cut on her face caused by his hands.

They had been hours at this and Chase had yet to speak a word. In some ways it made Ares angry, but in others, he couldn’t help but admire her fortitude.

Chase was shackled to a wall in the temple Orana had consecrated to him years before. It was at the edge of the city and off the beaten path. By the time the search parties got here, assuming they even found it, Ares and Chase would be long gone. He had only come here because he was still weak and suffering from the effects of the dryad blade. Only his need for revenge on Chase had prompted him to leave his sanctuary in his still weakened condition. He would take care of Diana and his sisters when he was stronger.

For now, though, he was content to torture her physically with his bare hands, taking a rest between blows to recuperate. He walked back over to his throne and collapsed into it, holding his belly.

"You know," he suddenly said conversationally, breaking the silence that had fallen over them like a pall. "I just realized something - I don’t need Orana anymore. I was going to force them to trade her for you, though of course, you would have been dead by the time they actually got to you. But I really have neither the time nor the inclination to bother with all the effort it would take to make things work with her again." He chuckled at his own twisted sense of humor. "However, I think I can destroy you and the rebellion at the same time by using this little coup of yours to my advantage." Ares rubbed a hand over his beard. "Hades, I *know* I can. Sometimes, I am just sheer genius in action."

Chase maintained a bored, disinterested look on her beaten face, though fear gripped her heart and a sinking feeling formed in the pit of her stomach. She had the unhappy feeling she knew *exactly* what Ares was hinting at, and could only hope she was wrong.

"Just imagine how your friends will feel when they find out that you used them to become the next Fuehrer. Any sort of rebellion will be dead in the water. And the Nazis will think the slaughter tonight was just a purging to get rid of the dead weight in the government and it will be *easy* to bring the rest back in line because of it." Ares laughed. "I think you actually did me a huge favor."

When he got no reaction from her whatsoever – not even an attempted glare - he lifted a hand to heal her enough to make her cognizant, thinking he had done too much damage to her for her to appreciate the irony that was going on. And more than anything, he wanted her to appreciate the fact that he was going to defeat her with her own so-called victory. Lifting his hand from his belly, though, very quickly brought home the fact that he was still in quite a bit of pain himself, and he hissed as the wound stretched and bled sluggishly with his movement. His hand dropped back to cover his belly and he stepped back from Chase a pace.

"However, I’m going to go rest a recover for a little while," he said with a groan. "This damnable thing is not healing and I’m going to need all my strength to put this plan into action. You just...." He twirled his wrist at her a few times. "Hang around and think about things. I’ll be back." His mocking laughter lasted longer than the sparkles that marked his disappearance did.

When she was sure he was gone, Chase let her shoulders drop, allowing her wrists to support her weight briefly. Her broken ribs were making it nearly impossible to breathe and she wheezed slowly through her busted lips as she tried to find a position that wasn’t agony to be in. Every change in position made her lightheaded though, and clear thinking was becoming more impossible by the moment.

"Aww wight, Chase," she slurred out loud. "This is a helluva mess ya lann’d in an’ no’ne’s gonna bail yer ass ou’. I’s all upta you so kick star’ those few brain cells ya got lef’ an’ figger a way oudda here. Ya got yerself inta this so yer on yer own wid this ‘un."

"I wouldn’t bet the farm on that if I were you, Annabelle," came a familiar voice out of the darkness. Chase strained to see past her bloodied, swollen eyes, and when the figure stepped into the light, Chase couldn’t do anything but blink before letting a silly grin cross her face.

"Hi, Di. Ya look diff’rn’t. Wha’s with the costume? Who ya s’posed to be? An’ how’d ya fin’ me, anyway?" She grimaced in pain as she shifted to see better.

"Annabelle, I need you to focus. My name is Wonder Woman, and I’ve come to get you out of here." She knew the use of Chase’s first name and that of her own alter-ego would get Chase’s attention quicker than almost anything else. And Diana didn’t want Chase to inadvertently alert Ares to her presence – not yet anyway. She wanted Chase free from the shackles and ready to escape this dreary place before possibly having to encounter Ares here.

"Wunner Wom’n? Huh... ya look a lot like my frien’ Diana. She’s more’n my frien’ though," Chase’s voice dropped conspiratorially. "She’s my soulmate," each word clearly and carefully enunciated.

Diana gently cupped Chase’s broken face in her hands. "What does that mean to you, Chase? Is that important?" She knew it was unfair of her to ask Chase in her current condition, but Diana needed to know that Chase felt the truth in her heart and soul, not just understood it in her mind.

Chase’s brow furrowed in concentration. With all the damage Ares had inflicted on her, thinking and rational thought was becoming more difficult; having someone who looked so much like Diana asking her questions about her relationship with Diana was even more confusing. But she forced herself to concentrate on giving Wonder Woman an answer.

"Very ‘po’tent," she slurred. "Mos’ po’tent thin’ in m’life."

Diana smiled. "Most important thing in my life too, love," the last whispered under her breath. "Come on... I’ve got to get you out of here," breaking the shackles that held Chase and catching her in strong arms as Chase fell forward with a groan. Diana cradled Chase against her chest and just held her tightly for a long moment and Chase relaxed into the warmth.

"Wunner Wom’n? Where’s D’ana? Is she okay?"

"Diana is just fine, Annabelle. I’ll explain everything to you as soon as we get out of here, I promise, all right?" A sound from behind her made Diana tense and mutter an ancient curse under her breath. Then she turned to face the mocking smirk the god of war wore to hide his own pain and discomfort.

"Don’t tell me you’re leaving so soon, Princess. We haven’t even had a chance to get acquainted yet. Surely you weren’t going to leave without saying hello."

Diana eased Chase to the floor. Wonder Woman or not, there was a dark part in her soul that was looking forward to this. Ares was going to go down and it was only fitting that she was going to be the one to do it. Sometimes it rocked to be the Amazon warrior princess.

Diana didn’t deign to answer, choosing instead to simply glare at him. He was the first one to look away.

"So why are you here? Surely you didn’t come here expecting to walk off with my new Fuehrer. Chase and I have a new future to begin together. You certainly don’t think I’m just gonna to let you come in and destroy that just because you put on a skimpy little costume, do you? Please, you could have at least donned the leather if you wanted to impress me."

"I’m not here to impress you, Ares. You’re not worth that kind of effort. Now," stepping closer to him and putting her hands on her hips. "I’m going to pick Chase up, and we are going to walk out of here free and clear. And you’re going to leave us and the rest of the rebellion alone."

This time Ares doubled over in laughter, stopping almost immediately and clutching his stomach in pain as agony rolled through his body in unaccustomed waves. "Damnation, that hurts! How is it that I am still suffering here even though I’m a god and you, immortality notwithstanding, seem to be fully recovered?"

"Karmic revenge?" Diana smirked.

"Don’t push me, Amazon. I am still the god of war."

"And? I’m not still recovering from a god’s blast and I’m not the one bleeding like a stuck pig from a dryad blade."

His reaction was fast, but it was also predictable. Diana’s response was completely unexpected and left Ares gasping for breath. He lifted a hand and Diana didn’t flinch. Diana didn’t move, even when he let loose with a volley of fireballs, except to bring her wrists up in front of her chest. She deflected the barrage right back to Ares and he flinched beneath the repercussion of power that hit him on the return.

Diana watched dispassionately as Ares fell off his throne and hit the ground face down. He moaned a long moment before he went completely silent, and Diana nodded in satisfaction. Then she turned back to Chase who had closed her eyes. Diana’s ire grew when she was reminded of the abuse Ares had perpetrated on Chase, but she put it aside temporarily. She was more concerned with getting Chase out of Ares’ temple and back to Drea’s healing skill. It wasn’t like Ares was gong to be able to come after them any time soon.

Diana knelt down and slid her arms around Chase’s body. When she stood up, Chase moaned and blinked her swollen, bloodshot eyes open. "Wunner Wom’n? W’ere we goin’?"

Diana smiled down at Chase. "We’re going to find Drea to heal you, and then we’re going to go home."

Chase struggled as much as her battered body would allow her to do, and Diana cradled her closer to keep them both from toppling over as she walked out of the dark sanctuary and into the sunlight of morning. Chase tried to beat on Diana’s chest, but her injuries made it more of a tapping than anything else. But it was enough to get Diana’s attention focused on Chase.

"We can’ leave yet," Chase said , shaking her head slowly from side to side to emphasize her point. "We can’ leave til D’ana is okay."

"Diana is fine, Chase. *I* am fine. Drea and the Amazons healed me."

Chase squinted, though it was hard to tell the difference as swollen as her face was. "D’ana? Yer Wunner Wom’n? Then h’come...? Why...?" She put her head down on Diana’s shoulder. "My head hurts."

"I know it does, sweetheart. Let me get you to Drea and we’ll talk about all this later, okay? I promise. I’ll explain it all when you feel better."

"’Kay... I’m gonna res’ now." And she was out before Diana could formulate a reply. Just as well, Diana thought, since I have no idea what I’m going to say to her about this. Then she picked up her pace and moved into a jog, heading back into the city.

The rebel watch saw her before she got into the square and they sent up the alert. By the time Wonder Woman reached the square, every rebel and every Amazon that wasn’t involved in clean-up and repair was waiting. Four Amazons met Wonder Woman with a litter and Diana tenderly, reluctantly placed Chase’s body on it. Ty was at her side immediately and covered her mouth with one hand while the other clamped on to Wonder Woman’s wrist.

"Who are you and what happened to her? Oh God, Chase!" She turned accusing eyes to Diana. "Did you do this to her?"

"NO!" Diana cried out in horror. "I would never... not to anyone – especially...." Diana swallowed the words she wanted to say. "I am called Wonder Woman and my job is to defend freedom and protect the innocent. Ares did this to her; the Amazons called me in to help with the search."

"You’re an Amazon?"

"Yes, I am. And any of the Amazons here will vouch for my character. But first, do you think we could let Drea start her magic on Annabelle? I’d really rather she didn’t have to suffer any longer than necessary. Ares was brutal."

Ty nodded and stepped aside to allow Drea to approach the pallet. Drea did a cursory examination and motioned for the Amazons to lift the travois. "I’m going to take her to the infirmary." Both Ty and Wonder Woman nodded.

"Do your best for her, Drea. I will be back to check on your progress shortly." Drea gave her a succinct nod that was also like a bow, then the Amazons moved off towards the infirmary at a double time jog.

"Where are you going, Wonder Woman?" Ty asked. There was a nagging familiarity about the woman, but Ty knew if she had ever encountered this particular Amazon before, she would have remembered.

"I am going to go talk to Orana. I have some questions and she has the answers."

Ty nodded. "I see. Think I’ll come along. I have a couple questions myself."

Diana sighed. She had been afraid of something like this. Orana would expose her and she didn’t want that. If she was going to stay in man’s world with Chase, she couldn’t afford to lose the secret identity of her alter ego. It had been simple when she had snuck into the dungeon in the early part of the morning. It had just been her and Orana, and her only objective then had been to find Chase’s location. Having Ty along now would only complicate matters immensely.

However, there wasn’t a good way to put her off, at least not out here in the open, so Wonder Woman nodded her head, and Ty gave a signal to the rebels to return to their work. Then together she and Ty began to make their way into the Reichstag and down to what had once been Orana’s torture chamber and was now her prison.

They walked downstairs together and once they were out of sight of the first set of guards and before they got to the next set, Diana slid the lasso off her belt and wrapped it around Ty’s torso. "Ty, when we get to the door, I want you to wait outside for me. You can say that you accompanied me downstairs for Chase, all right? But I need to see Orana alone."

"All right."

"And as far as you’re concerned, all your questions got answers... at least for the time being." Ty nodded and Diana removed the lasso from Ty’s body, coiling it and reattaching it to her waist before Ty came back to her surroundings with a start.

"Sorry, Wonder Woman... what was I saying?"

"You were just bringing me up-to-date on the progress that has been made here." They stopped in front of the dungeon door before Diana could continue. Ty nodded at the guards.

"Let her pass. She needs to speak to the prisoner." Both guards snapped to attention. "I’ll wait here for you, Wonder Woman."

"Thank you, Ty," Diana responded, before she opened the door and crossed once more into the room that had haunted her nightmares for more than a hundred years.

Orana lifted her head and sneered when she saw who her visitor was. "Diiiiannnnnna," she drawled in a screeching tone that scraped raw every nerve Diana had left. "So good of you to come visit me in my loneliness. Still pretending to be a hero, huh?" jutting her chin out in Diana’s direction. "Too bad you had to *take* it from me instead of earning it for yourself. Although," Orana chuckled hatefully, "I guess I took it from you first, didn’t I? I never cared about being a hero, though. I just wanted to get away from you and your oppressive mother, and being able to steal Wonder Woman right out from under you just made my victory that much sweeter."

Diana bit her lips until they bled. She wanted to beat the shit out of the woman who hung before her manacled like the animal she was, but it was neither the time nor the place for her to exact that kind of revenge. Instead, she decided to get some answers she needed – some for her own personal closure and some just because.

She took the lasso of truth from her belt and for the first time Diana saw fear in Orana’s eyes and she wondered. Orana had been brutal in her adherence to the truth, even when she had disregarded every other principle she had been taught to revere and respect. So why was the woman who had given up her Amazon heritage to become a ruler in man’s world suddenly so afraid of the truth?

Orana pushed back into the wall as though by doing so she could keep Diana from using the lasso. "No, no, no... you can’t do this to me again. I have rights you know, Diana. You can’t just come waltzing in here and take the answers you want from me. You can’t use the lasso against me." Diana ignored Oranas’ ramblings and looped the lasso over Orana’s head. Then her ramblings turned to screams of outrage. Fortunately, Orana had built her torture chamber well and the walls were soundproof. And Diana and Chase had put the cameras out of commission when they had destroyed the lab, taking perverse pleasure in the destruction.

Diana held the lasso firm, letting Orana scream and squirm until she wore herself out. It didn’t take very long actually – the poison was still saturating her system and causing untold pain and damage to her body and internal systems... including her mind. Finally, Orana’s head dropped to her chest in defeat.

"What do you want to know, Diana? Isn’t it enough that you won? There – I said it... you won. You beat me. Are you happy now or do you have to rub it in? You never seemed the vindictive type," Orana taunted, "though I suppose a century of anger and hatred could change a person."

That statement was a little too close to the truth and Diana clamped her lips together briefly to keep from lashing out. Then she spoke in a calm voice.

"Why, Orana?"

"Why what, love? Come on, Diana. You’ve got to be more specific than that if you really expect me to give you an answer."

It hadn’t been the question Diana had intended to ask first, but since she had.... "Why did you really want to be Wonder Woman? Why did you give up your birthright... your heritage... to become the Fuehrer in man’s world? Why do you hate me so much? I thought you were my friend."

Orana leaned her head back as if in contemplation, because these were the questions she didn’t really want to answer. But the lasso compelled her to tell the truth and the desire to speak burned in her soul until the words just poured from her.

"I wanted to be Wonder Woman because you wanted it so badly. I *knew* it was you under that mask, just like I knew you wouldn’t be able to stay away from those games. Competition is too much a part of your make up, and your entire future was at stake. I wanted to mess that up."

Diana expected as much, but it didn’t make it any easier to hear. She waited for Orana to continue. Orana waited for a reaction from Diana, but it never came. Finally she gave a disgusted sigh and resumed speaking.

"As for the birthright... the heritage... what birthright? Being an immortal? I’m an immortal here in man’s world, and here, I don’t live by someone else’s ridiculous, archaic rules. I make the rules here; *I* am the boss. As for being an Amazon – what exactly did that get me? I was never quite the best once you came along. It was always ‘Diana this’ and ‘Diana that’; I was always in second place – me... the one who taught you everything you knew! I made you who you were and what did I get from you in return? Nothing... that’s what!!!"

"Here, I was *never* second best! I kicked ass and took names and then I took over the world. I got everything." Orana took a deep breath and gave Diana a sick smile. "I’ll tell you a secret," dropping her voice to a whisper, forcing Diana to take a step closer. "I knew who Annabelle Chaser was when she was captured. I knew she was the soulmate you had been waiting for."

Diana’s hand clenched on the lasso and the muscles clenched in her jaw. But Orana had leaned in even closer... as far as her shackles would allow, and Diana knew Orana wasn’t finished speaking.

"She was important to me as the leader of the rebellion, but she was of immeasurable value to me once I knew who she was supposed to be to you."

"You KNEW?" The whisper was ground out between her clenched teeth.

"Oh yes, my dear... DEAR Diana. I knew. I had done my homework. I figured there had to be a reason you were so drawn to Steve Trevor that you were willing to risk Hippolyta’s wrath, so I started looking. Imagine my surprise when I found out there was actually something to that whole soulmates theory you had always played into. So I had people looking for her." Orana grit her teeth together. "I was going to destroy her."

"Oh," she continued without missing a beat, "I knew that killing her would have made her a martyr to the rebellion, but it would have been worth it just to know I had succeeded in keeping the two of you apart. I was going to make her suffer, and then she was going to die. But she got away from me before I could finish."

Diana reacted from her heart before her mind had a chance to engage itself. She transferred the lasso to her left hand and pulled back hard and fast with her right. Then she cut across Orana’s face, catching her in the jaw and feeling the bones shatter beneath her fist. The second hit went to Orana’s belly and the third brought a crunching sound from the ribs Diana broke. Then she took a deep breath, and two steps back, never losing her hold on the lasso. There was a sense of dark satisfaction on Diana’s face as she looked at the damage she had done and could see the pain in Orana’s broken face.

"Why? Why do you hate me so much, Orana? I never did anything to you, except look up to you and respect you."

"Exactly!" Orana hissed.

Diana frowned. "What do you mean?" her brow furrowing. "How could respect make you hate me?" Her question was met with silence and Diana tightened the lasso painfully until it bit into Orana’s skin. "I want an answer."

Orana rolled her eyes and took a shallow breath to respond, having already learned the hard way that deep breaths were out of the question. "Gods, Diana... are you really that stupid or just that naïve?? I wasn’t about to let you have something I couldn’t... especially since you never wanted what was right there in front of you."

A look of disgust crossed Diana’s face, but Orana didn’t see it. She had closed her eyes and was lost in her own little fantasy world.

"It would have been so perfect, Diana - you as the princess and heir apparent with me as your consort. I would have done anything for you... anything to be with you." Her brown eyes popped back open and they were filled with the venom of hatred. "But I wasn’t good enough, was I? No – you didn’t want me... you didn’t want *anyone* that way. You had expectations of finding your soulmate. Why should you get to have a soulmate? None of the rest of us did!! What made you so goddamn special?!?"

Orana forgot her pain in the heat of her anger and took a deep breath, spittle and blood flying from her mouth as she continued to rant. "So I decided I was going to take away everything from you – your good name, the respect people had for you, your chance to be Wonder Woman, even your goddamn supposed soulmate if I could manage it – whatever it took to make you realized you were no more special than the rest of us. To make you see me!!! To make you love me!!!"

Diana’s face hardened. "When I leave this room, you will no longer remember that the Amazon princess, the woman who goes by the name of Diana Prince, is actually Wonder Woman." Then she pulled the lasso from Orana’s torso and carefully coiled it up, keeping her back turned to Orana until the task was completed. When she turned, her face was set into hardened lines and her eyes were chips of ice so cold, Orana couldn’t control the shiver she had in reaction.

Diana walked right into Orana’s space, so close that the ex-Fuehrer could feel the heat emanating from Wonder Woman’s body, but not quite touching, then she leaned in until their faces were only a hairsbreadth apart.

"Not even if we were the only two people alive on the whole planet," Diana said succinctly.

Diana stepped back from Orana with a grim expression on her face and walked to the door. She reached out for the handle, then hesitated before opening it. "Where’s the plane?"

Orana blinked. That certainly hadn’t been the segue she’d been expecting and it took her by surprise – enough that she blurted out the answer. "At the temple... in the back area behind it." Then a sneer formed on her face. "Not like it matters – that plane will only answer to me."

Diana looked over her shoulder with a smirk. "Apparently not, or you would have summoned it already." She opened the door when Orana’s voice stopped her one more time.

"What’s to be done with me?"

"You will stand trial, and if I have my way, you will walk the gauntlet as a mortal being. I figure there are enough Amazons and rebels eager to have a shot at you that you will be dead long before you get close to the end."

"Do you get to take another shot, or do the three you already gave me count for something?"

"I will not hit you again. My contribution to your punishment will not be physical." Then she crossed the threshold and closed the door firmly behind her, leaving Orana alone with her thoughts and the implications of Diana’s words.