"If that meddlesome Amazon bitch has been removed from the equation then let me lead the assault on the capital!"

The undead Nazi commander General Hanawalt, Ares' right hand, was growing tired of Cameroonian General Ogas' complaining. Hanawalt was still feeling damned good from killing Queen Hippolyta himself; he'd impaled her to her throne and written that sign around her neck in her own blood for her slave of a daughter to see. Queen Hera had definitely informed them of Wonder Woman's reaction; it was priceless. Ares, in his usual martial genius, might very well have broken Zeus's top whore. Of course Hanawalt had faith in his divine commander - unlike his former ruler Hitler. Hitler had ultimately proved a disastrous fool that had led all of them to ruin; and Germany was still paying reparations generations later. This disgusted the undead man. Ares had promised him Germany for his continued undead service. He couldn't wait to rule where Hitler never could again; and this time he would rule Germany forever. Hanawalt didn't want the universe; he just wanted Germany. The universe was for the likes of Ares. But for now that business would have to wait.

"General-"

Hanawalt held up a hand and silenced the pressing Cameroonian general with his power. The living general choked on his words and fell to his knees while clutching at his throat. It was funny how being dead made him loathe the living. They seem so small to me now... "You will do as you're commanded; mortal."

"Yes...sir..."

Ogas had wanted the capital for some time; but it hadn't been the Nigerian radicals alone that had made all this possible; it had been War that had done that; and the mortal general needed a reminder of who had made that possible. His growing political opponent had been President Hawabu. But Hawabu was no saint either; he was suspected of great corruption. It was also rumored that the use of child soldiers and blood diamonds had also been responsible for the president's suddenly strong rise to power; especially when he'd been thought to lose early on. Now that was not the case.

Hanawalt didn't care for this crap any way one looked at it; he was just carrying out War's plan. He released him; Ogas fell to all fours and coughed and gasped.

It was time for the next phase of War's plan to go forward.

XXX

Poseidon emerged from the dimensional sea and found the last Amazon and her American companion seated on the beach beside the wonder plane. Trevor spotted the god of the sea first. "Diana..."

"It's Poseidon."

"The real Poseidon?"

Poseidon looked around at all the fallen Amazons before setting his eyes on Zeus's daughter. "I felt their deaths..."

Diana gave a small sorrowful nod but didn't make eye contact or say anything.

"This was the work of Ares," said Trevor to Poseidon.

The god of water nodded agreement. "But that is not all. Diana - Hera aids him against you as well."

Diana had only met Hera a number of times. Zeus had created her to keep him company; but he'd often fooled around with other women (he was God after all and could do whatever the hell he wanted to; even play dirty old man). Diana had many half siblings, but only she was considered the most powerful after the father of all. But it was no secret that Hera hated her; because she'd hated Hippolyta for having sex with Zeus and conceiving Diana. Such things might seem perverse to man's world but that was another world altogether. Diana traversed all the worlds.

"I am sorry for the loss of your mother and sisters, my sister," said the water god.

Diana nodded and only then met Poseidon's gaze for the first time. "I need to burn them all..."

She started to stand but Poseidon held up a hand. "I have a better idea." Poseidon also noticed that her mortal companion carried her tiara. "I will plunge this once Paradise Island beneath the ocean's waves; where I will most certainly rip this entire cursed thing apart."

He hadn't meant it in an insulting way; and she took it that way. It was all dead now anyway; what did it matter now?

"Thank you brother." Demigoddess and god embraced; Trevor watched on. She then looked back at him. "Come Steven; I'll take you home."

There was something in the way that she said that that bothered him. It was definitely obvious and understandable that she would feel a certain way, but it wasn't even the attack on the island nation that had truly done it. It had happened before the island attack; Trevor had sensed it from the night they'd spent together as lovers. A lover would recognize such a thing right away when it should happen. And Ares had sensed it too; and as War had used it to his decisive advantage to win over his avowed enemy. Something super bad had taken place here - and it went beyond the obvious destruction of Themyscira. In fact none of it had even been about that; it had been about Wonder Woman. It had always been about her where Ares was concerned.

Once aboard the wonder plane Diana ordered the computer to fly them back to man's world - now her home. As they did so Poseidon summoned the waves and the water to devour the dead island nation for its own. It was consumed in rapid order due to Poseidon's raw power. Diana didn't watch it; Trevor did. Soon Themyscira was rendered no more.

Upon returning to the dimension of man's world she went into the back living area to change into plain clothes. She returned with her WW gear in hand. She opened a closet and set it in there and then sealed it.

"Diana - what are you doing?"

As it closed she set her hands against the wall shook and then cried. "It's over for me Steven. My days of being Wonder Woman are now over."

He was tempted to place supportive hands on her shoulders but did not. She wiped some tears from her face with back of her hand. "Once we return to London I am going to leave all of this behind. I'm just going to be Diana Prince, professional artist from now on."

He didn't know what to say. Strange as it was they still didn't know each other that long, but it already felt like they'd known each other for years. He cared about her deeply, already. Still, he was a soldier and he couldn't leave duty overseas behind. There was still work to be done in that region; it wasn't over yet. But he didn't want to leave her side yet either. And for now being by her side was all that mattered.

XXX

They'd landed in a London park in the night to better mask their return. The plane had also created better clothes for Trevor to use to blend in with the London crowd. They appeared like any other people now as they prepared to make their way to her apartment. The plane vanished; but it didn't look the same as before to Trevor. Something had changed...

"I sent it back to my father. I've also renounced my powers."

Trevor remained quietly stunned by everything. He didn't know what to think or feel. He'd actually slept with the most beautiful woman the world had ever seen; and a divine woman at that. But there was so much more to her. She'd been right; a link had been created between them. It wasn't just like a normal coupling experience; it was more. There was a deeper bond of intimacy that had already been created between them. He wasn't an expert in anything telepathic or the like, but he'd be damned if something deeper hadn't happened.

He wanted to remind her to rethink this whole thing. That, yes, it was horrible beyond words what had happened to her - but she was still WW to him - and the world needed her. There was no one else like her. There was no such thing as Batman, Superman or Spider-Man; they were comic book characters. Wonder Woman was real; the only real superhero there would ever be. She was what had inspired all those writers to create theirs. She was a beacon of hope to all - especially females. How could she not be? She represented the untapped potential in all to be better than they were. But if she were to truly hang up her tiara for good...

"Diana; it's best if I don't come with you to meet Jenny; just yet."

She nodded agreement. "Where will you go?"

He didn't answer; she read between the lines. "You're going back."

"I have to Diana. It's my job."

Diana looked off into the nighttime London skyline. "I thought Wonder Woman was all I could ever do too..."

"It's not all you could do - but it meant a damned lot to so many."

She bowed her head and looked at the ground. "For a time it did; not anymore."

He wanted to say that was total BS but how could he? Her entire world had been obliterated. Ares had done his work well; but why wouldn't he have? The concern from Trevor's perspective now was what did Ares have in mind next. Surely this wasn't the end of his goals - hell it was just the beginning. But Trevor wouldn't be able to reach her - no matter what he did. For now he had to let things go. He moved off without saying anything.

"Steven."

He turned to face her. She walked up to him and hugged him; he returned it. He then left Diana to ponder her new future; a future that would not benefit humanity in the WW sense.

XXX

General Ogas had moved off to assemble his force. General Hanawalt awaited word from his master. It came in a way that he wasn't expecting but the undead member didn't find it a bad thing. Ares emerged from the bush out of thin air...and walking beside him was a sight that surprised even the dead Nazi. It was Queen Hippolyta - now dead and enthralled to their mutual master, War himself. Hanawalt couldn't help but laugh at the irony of it all. Ares shared an evil smile with the undead general while Hippolyta remained blank. "Do you like my new little pet?" War said.

"Of course master." Wanting to test what the head bitch of the Amazons had become Hanawalt pulled out his sword and swung it at Hippolyta; the undead queen jumped back hissed and shrieked at him. She only looked like her old self outwardly, and even that didn't do what she was now justice. She was now a hellish thing...like himself in most respects.

"I think you and I are going to get along just fine your majesty," said Hanawalt, bowing to her and giving off an evil laugh to go with it.

"I believe so as well," said War. "In fact - she will serve with you and under your command."

Hanawalt gave a demonic hiss at that.

"In the event that Diana should get second thoughts to be Wonder Woman again keep her late mother by your side as extra leverage."

"Yes my lord."

"Now, go and conquer this region." Ares vanished. Hanawalt rallied undead Hippolyta and others to his banner to link up with the regional mortals that would be the grunts (and cannon fodder) to producing results that War would approve of.

XXX

CIA HQ

Langley, Virginia

"You can't be serious Trevor."

"I am sir."

Standing by the large window to his office agency director Jason Ogden was still trying to process his top agent's revelatory words - WW was out of the game. Obviously Ogden had dealt with WW many times; but this had surely taken the cake - and ran off with it to no return. He didn't know WW's real identity and didn't need to; the last thing he wanted was someone of WW's power coming after him. But she had always been an invaluable friend/ally to the west; particularly America. She was an "adopted" member of the Greatest Generation; she had done her part to save the world many times over.

Ogden sighed turned and faced the field operative. He slowly ran a hand over his mouth in thought; not yet making eye contact with the agent. "Chatter is picking up where you were."

"It's no surprise sir. It's been a growing hotspot for some time. It could well end up being the next Afghanistan if we don't move decisively to stop it."

Ogden cleared his throat and then took his desk chair while the agent remained standing. "And that's just it Trevor - how can we? Especially now that you've confirmed that the god of war himself is orchestrating it."

"Sir, I'm not an expert in such things but I can tell you that Ares has been behind most of the issues of world history and conflict. Humans are imperfect to say the least but Ares is the fuel to that fire that keeps that inferno mentality going. Wonder Woman is literally the only being that can counter him."

Instead of replying to him Ogden picked up Trevor's field report and skimmed over it again. "It seems like there are parts of this report from the time you linked up with Wonder Woman in the bush that don't seem to add up."

Trevor held his hands together behind his back. "I don't follow you sir."

"Your timeline is off Trevor. That's not like you."

"It must have been an error..."

While dropping the report firmly atop the desk the director demanded, "Out with the truth Trevor - all of it."

Ogden was no political appointee director like so many others had been. Ogden was a former field man, as Trevor was now; and a damned good one. He could smell deceptions omissions or anything similar from a mile away. When Trevor still refused to answer Ogden made firm eye contact with him. "Do I need to make it an order?"

"Wonder Woman and I...slept together."

"That's it?"

"It didn't seem..."

"What? Professional? Ethical? We're spies Trevor. We do whatever it takes to win."

"Yes sir."

Ogden did manage a small smile. "You lucky bastard."

Trevor kept any other thoughts on such matters to himself. They did have a war to fight; and a bad situation pushing it forward. Ogden thought similar and was all business again. "I'm sending you back in."

"I don't know how we can win this without her sir."

"You'll have to make do Trevor."

"What about military aid?"

"I'm speaking to potus about it right now. We'll see what happens."

In other words - you're on your own as usual Steven. What else is new, right? It wasn't a surprise; America was overextended like the Roman Empire as it was; and suffering a similar fate. It couldn't even secure its own borders from "migration." And what would happen once the stealth invaders took over the nation? They'd turn on each other of course until there was a new hemispheric top dog; it was simple human nature (Trevor had learned more about human nature from reading the Bard than he ever had sitting in a classroom). Trevor honestly didn't want to live to see America become that next Rome; but it was seriously looking that way. And WW was the only one who could save it - again.

XXX

Diana's apartment

London

Diana didn't wear her heart on her sleeve; Jenny King had learned that about her girlfriend early on. And once she learned she was the legendary WW then it had made even more sense. But in the time Jenny had been with her she had never see her as withdrawn as she was now. She had definitely returned to her none the worse for wear, but there was definitely something heavy on her mind. If Jenny hadn't known that Diana was WW she might have pressed more for an answer but knowing the truth had made Jenny take a different approach on the matter. Still, it had been a day since Diana had returned to her; and still there was some distance between them. Yet Diana had told her early on in their intimacy that Amazons were not like mortal women; they were humanoid females in fact. There were similarities yet striking differences too. It didn't seem that way outwardly; those differences were more like subtle ones but were nonetheless critical.

Jenny gave Diana her space. Now in bed together that second night after Diana's return Jenny felt as though she could finally nudge Diana a little to reveal something. Diana looked up at the ceiling; eyes locked onto the slowly turning fan. Jenny, initially resting on her side and away from her partner, finally turned over in their bed and faced her on her opposite side. Jenny hoped Diana would use that special link created between them to open up.

"I appreciate your patience," Diana began; as Jenny hoped she would. Jenny's belief had been right.

"Of course. I knew something was wrong from the moment you came back."

Diana sighed then sat up in bed and folded her legs together. Jenny remained on her side, but her eyes followed her partner. Diana set her hands into her lap, one into the other, palms up, and looked down into them deep in thought. "My mother and all of our people are dead."

Jenny was speechless few a long moment. When she felt she could speak again, she asked, "Ares?"

Diana gave a slow nod of confirmation. "I'm done Jen; I'm done being Wonder Woman."

Jenny processed what her partner was saying and then stood from their bed. She walked over to a nearby window and pulled the curtain aside to check out the nighttime tireless London traffic activity. Diana didn't have to explain to Jenny why Ares had done it; it all made perfect sense.

"There's no changing my mind."

Jenny only had one reply/question to that. "Won't Ares win if you don't?"

Diana was a peerless tactician/strategist; of course she knew the answer to that. And the operation in Cameroon was far from finished; she'd just scratched the surface on that one. And Trevor was going back.

Trevor... How would she explain her night with him in the bush to Jenny? She had hoped to introduce him into their lives in a beneficial manner, not to mention the fact she hadn't mentioned him at all to her; and now Diana didn't know if she should. But even if she wasn't WW anymore shouldn't she still tell the truth to her? Didn't Jenny deserve that? Was Diana simply afraid of Jenny leaving her life if she did?

I've slain monsters and punched mountains and moons with my bare hands...but I can't tell Jenny the truth...

Diana bowed her head closed her eyes and sighed. "I met someone in the bush. We slept together."

That hit Jenny like the asteroid that hit earth and destroyed the dinosaurs; and mostly because it was random and totally out of the wild blue yonder.

Jenny turned toward her. "A local?"

"No. A CIA operative working deep cover."

"And your magic rope told you he was trustworthy?"

"It was indeed a 'he', and yes the Lasso of Hestia did prove that; but it proved more than that..."

Jenny sighed and sat on the other end of the bed. "You were going to bring him here, weren't you?"

Diana managed a small smile. "Yes. You remembered how I operate."

"Well, you aren't from our culture; you're not human in that sense of it either. Just as you weren't really sculpted from clay."

Diana frowned at that. "So...you're not hurt?"

"I am; but you've been through so much in so short a time. Plus I have to remember who you really are - the freaking daughter of Zeus. You're essentially the female Jesus. How many people can say they date the female Christ?"

Diana took her point plain...but Christ wasn't divine; he was deified by his followers to explain his unusual visionary approach to things and for seeking power/money for themselves in his name. He was rather the "hippie of antiquity". How did she know this for a fact? She'd traveled back in time with the wonder plane to find out; she was an explorer at heart.

"I'm no messiah Jenny."

"No...but you need to be 'her' again." When Jenny's idea hadn't sunk into Diana's heart Jenny put her hand over Diana's. "How many look up to you? This is man's world, right? Amazons represent the ultimate in liberated women, right? How many of us look up to you? All people - but especially women and girls. Thank about it Diana. The only real superhero in the universe is a woman. Isn't your father saying something by doing that? And are the Amazons truly gone? They never replenished their ranks via reproduction - and they sure as hell weren't sculpted from clay-" They shared a laugh at that. It helped to lighten the mood; and Diana couldn't help that Jenny was indeed making good points. "Couldn't you...rebuild the Amazons yourself? Wouldn't you be queen now? Wouldn't your mother and sisters want you to do the same? And surely as daddy's girl you could get him to build another paradise island - even out of thin air, right?"

My father is Zeus after all...

"Don't make any permanent decisions yet. Grieve...but continue to serve if you can; make it temporary until you can make those bigger decisions with a clearer head."

Diana nodded readily. "I can do that."

"Good."

"What about us?"

"We'll deal with that as we go too. For now, get back out there and make this right somehow."

They hugged tightly. "Forgive me Jenny."

"I knew what I signed up for. Now go out there and get that bloody monster...and save us all, again."

WW, for now, was back in action.