WONDER WOMAN : THE MEASURE OF A HEROINE
Chapter 3.
Dinah Drake Lance is known as the Black Canary. As super heroines go, she is largely ignored and under-appreciated by a public more enamored with meta-human powers. Aliens Supergirl, Hawkgirl and Starfire garner considerable media attention. Zatanna was a stage performer and celebrity before she ever chose to devote her mystical talents towards the fight for justice. Wonder Woman is the most celebrated of all. Her incomparable combination of power, courage, intelligence, dignity, and beauty earn her the unofficial, yet rarely disputed, designation as Earth's most fascinating personality.
Dinah could easily resent her relative lack of prestige, but she is more than content with her standing. Black Canary is very highly regarded where it matters most, amongst her colleagues. She has earned the full respect and confidence of her fellow Justice League members, many of whom are not easily impressed. The many villains she's corralled over the years would also grudgingly attest to her capability.
The heroine has endured many injuries. Sprains. Concussions. Pulled muscles. It's a running joke amongst the JLA which malaise will befall Dinah each week. Leaguers marvel at this overachiever. She perseveres and constantly manages to keep pace with her super-powered friends and foes. Until now.
22,300 miles below, her planet faces perhaps its greatest crisis ever and Dinah is forced to sit idly by. She is physically unfit to join her allies in the field. Communication lines are still down, thus she can not even assist in the coordination of the rescue efforts. One might surmise that the Black Canary, a woman of action, would be driven a bit stir crazy by her helplessness. Such a surmise is most accurate.
Images cascade back and forth in her mind. Black Canary is worried about her world and her fellow heroines fighting long odds to save it. Concern about Ollie and the missing men never strays far from her foremost thoughts. She also can't help but ponder her own future. Her colleagues all offered encouraging words, but Dinah could sense their true feelings. Her knee injury is very serious and will likely end her Justice League career.
As Ms. Lance broods over the situation, she is startled by the hum of the Justice League transporter. She looks on as the battle-weary form of the Huntress takes shape before her. The Huntress explains to the surprised Justice Leaguer that she is on board the satellite through the initiatives of Oracle. Like Dinah, the injured heroine is unable to partake in the Earthside activities. She is therefore ready to help Black Canary should communications be restored. The Huntress is not a member of the league. Oracle has overridden the JLA computer to allow for her transport to headquarters.
Dinah finds her visitor's story to be a bit too convenient. Huntress is not well established in the super heroic community. She wonders how and why Oracle would make the effort to single her out for satellite duty, given the limited resources and demands on her time and talent. A stunning thought occurs to Black Canary. Huntress is from Gotham City and Oracle has ties to the Batman. It suddenly seems so clear to Dinah ... Oracle and the Huntress must be one in the same! The Justice Leaguer keeps her suspicions to herself, but she plans to use their time together to surreptitiously confirm her hypothesis.
*****
While heroines throughout the globe do their part to avert the death of their world, Wonder Woman momentarily concerns herself with a far more personal death ... her own! Dragged against her will to the hub of Gateway City, the Amazon stares up at a frightening sight. Doomsday hovers above her prone form and readies to crush the Justice Leaguer with a cement mixer. Diana's ankles are still tightly bound by her golden lasso. Although the monster has released his grasp on the line, she hasn't the mobility to elude the impending hammer-like blow.
The cement mixer smashes to the ground with a thunderous roar. To the normal human eye, it appears the famous super heroine has been horribly crushed to death. Even Wonder Woman, powerful as she is, couldn't survive such devastation. Unbeknownst to the few brazen and rather foolhardy on-lookers, the Amazon has avoided certain demise. In the blink of an eye, the super heroine uses her tremendous upper body strength to burrow through the street itself and into the sewer system below.
Thinking his adversary has been vanquished, Doomsday maliciously smashes vehicle after vehicle. Bystanders flee for their lives as the behemoth lays waste to a city block. For a few moments, he appears oblivious to the defenseless women. Cars, trucks and buildings are more enticing targets, until the heinous beast suddenly recaptures a thirst for carnage.
Doomsday zeroes in on several terrified citizens scurrying from the fray when the ground begins to tremble. With that, the very pavement beneath the monster's feet explodes upward as though a volcano has just formed on Perez Street. Huge chunks of concrete and pavement scatter throughout a quarter-mile radius. Doomsday hurtles fifty yards into the foundation of an office building. Amidst the dust and debris, a determined Wonder Woman emerges from the enormous opening in the road which she has just created.
"Everybody clear the area! NOW!" Diana bellows at a volume loud enough to be heard for dozens of blocks. Onlookers are shaken up by the Amazon's latest initiative, but fortunately no one seems to have been seriously injured by the flying rock. Wonder Woman intersperses herself between her enemy and his closest potential victims so as to best ensure their safe getaways.
Doomsday relishes the city. There are lives for him to take. It is a steel and concrete playground to demolish. He senses the princess' desperate desire to remove him from these surroundings and he won't stand for that. The behemoth is prepared for the Amazon's attacks and will not allow her the opening she craves. Regardless of the heroine's inimitable skills, conventional fighting techniques will not expel her foe from Gateway City.
Well aware that she needs a new avenue of attack, the Justice Leaguer opens her mind to possibilities. A "crazy idea" occurs to her which she deems to be worth a try. Wonder Woman allows herself to the get the worst of a sequence of punches. She is blasted clear through the front and side windows of a corner doughnut shop and into a back alley. The heroine deftly tucks her body such that she rolls with the impact against the back wall and garbage disposal bin. Back on her feet, the Amazon darts behind the far end of the building so as to further distance herself from the beast. Doomsday rumbles down the alley in pursuit of his quarry.
To the few frightened women left in the immediate vicinity, Diana's next action would seem to defy logic. Wonder Woman whips out her magic lasso and begins to twirl it directly over her head. The golden yellow noose encompasses her entire frame. Swiftly and deliberately, she lowers the spinning lariat down over her head and shoulders. In what can only be described appropriately as magic, the super heroine's facial appearance changes markedly. Her beautiful, long, wavy hair style gives way to a vastly more conservative ponytail arrangement. Her tiara and red earrings vanish; in their place are matching bronze eyeglasses and earrings. The fantastic transformation continues as the lasso drops down her torso. Her golden brassiere is slowly replaced by an attractive woman's designer suit. Above the current level of the enchanted lasso is a portion of a navy blue suit jacket and white pullover blouse; below is the remainder of the heroine's signature halter top. Her star-spangled shorts are supplanted by the matching navy blue skirt as the lasso descends to knee level. The heroine soon steps out of her lariat as it strikes the sidewalk. She now sports a perfectly nice pair of dark blue, high-heeled shoes which have replaced her scarlet boots, the left one of which had been noticeably damaged in the battle. The very last identifying remnant of Wonder Woman disappears as the Amazon tucks her golden lasso inside her suit jacket. Curiously enough, its telltale glow should be easily discernible even under the cover of the clothing, yet astonishingly it too is gone.
Given the dire circumstances, Wonder Woman has no concern whatsoever in safeguarding her secret identity. Compromising Diana Prince is readily acceptable, especially if the payoff proves to be as great as she anticipates. In her unique and colorful costume, Wonder Woman stands out like a beacon. As Diana Prince, she goes unrecognized by friends and general public alike. The heroine reasons that the same should hold true for Doomsday. Diana pretends to be startled and terrified by Doomsday's appearance when he emerges from the alley. She screams in horror and her knees quake. The Amazon drops to one knee while cowering and helplessly pleading for her life. The color fades from her face to further sell the scene. "That's it. Try to kill defenseless little me." Ms. Prince thinks to herself as the monstrosity towers over her.
Suddenly the disguised super heroine springs up from her kneeling position. Using her legs to provide extra thrust, she unloads a vicious uppercut. The blow connects solidly and Doomsday is sent flying. To the Amazon's dismay, however, his trajectory is very low to the ground. His momentum is therefore stopped after crashing through the foundations of several office buildings. Diana has not reckoned on the brute's super senses. He has managed to see through her secret identity and braced himself for the impact of her blow. "Great Gaea! He smelled me?!" the Amazon exclaims incredulously as she quickly changes back into costume.
*****
High above the Gateway City fray flies the news helicopter from local television station WSLT. With pilot trainee Debra Mulvihill at the helm, this is the only such craft covering the breaking story. Initially reporting on the disappearances of the men, the news chopper now responds to unconfirmed sightings of Doomsday within the city limits. Spotting the intense brawl, Mulvihill wisely keeps her distance despite the overanxious prodding of her passenger.
"This is Heide Rockwell with an exclusive report for WSLT!" the newswoman trumpets. "If things weren't bad enough, the heart of Gateway City is now the battleground for a fierce confrontation between Doomsday and Wonder Woman! The monster seems to have the Justice Leaguer decisively outclassed. Possessing clear advantages in size and power, Doomsday punched the Amazon right through the front wall of the Marston Comics building."
The 32-year old Rockwell relishes the moment, for this could be her opportunity to make a big name for herself. A former beauty queen from the heartland, Rockwell once had high ambitions of Hollywood stardom. Those dreams were repeatedly dashed by harsh reality, but the attractive and persistent blonde gained employment in the WSLT news division in her native Gateway City. Regarded by both colleagues and competitors as merely a pretty face, Heide has been relegated to fluff pieces to fill out the newscasts. "No more!" Rockwell thinks to herself. While it is probable that her live broadcast will be disrupted, the recorded version will be aired expeditiously. This is her chance to shine.
"Doomsday is storming into the building in pursuit of Wonder Woman!" Rockwell exuberantly announces. "The combatants are out of our camera range, but we can still hear the brutal action all the way up here. The whole structure seems to be trembling at its very foundation. We can't be sure, but this reporter's instinct is that Wonder Woman is in serious trouble!"
Instead of collapsing, an eerie calm soon befalls the Marston building. Rockwell and Mulvihill are confused by a series of thunderous clasps which sound like small explosions. Each one seems slightly less intense than its predecessor. The newswoman momentarily struggles for words until she suddenly understands what is happening. "They're on the move!" Rockwell screams for the benefit of both the viewers and her pilot. "Doomsday's so fast that he must be a half dozen blocks south of us by now!" she marvels.
To a television audience, Heide Rockwell's vivacious delivery is a touch overbearing, yet tolerable given the drama which is unfolding. It is quite another matter for Debra Mulvihill. The unassuming young aviator is the brunt of constant badgering and tongue lashings from the oppressive reporter. Even the most experienced of helicopter pilots would be unable to keep up with this fast-paced fight, much less a trainee. This matters not to Rockwell, who makes it a point to lambaste Mulvihill at every moment she is not broadcasting directly to her viewers. The flustered pilot copes with Rockwell's ranting as she maneuvers through the skyscrapers in search of the deadly behemoth.
*****
Theirs is a jagged path emanating from Marston Comics Inc.. The massive arms of Doomsday feel like a combination of granite and steel as they apply a vice-like grip upon her torso. Clutching the Amazon in a bear hug, the monster rams his way through the street level foundations of building after building, leaving gaping holes and scattered debris in his wake. Eventually Diana manages to trip up the rampaging monster. Still in his grasp, she suffers more pain for her efforts. Doomsday lands with a thud thus driving the heroine into the pavement. Bringing him to a stop gives Wonder Woman the leverage to reassert herself and she kicks the monstrosity away.
Doomsday's momentum carries him into a solid brick store front. The structure is weakened considerably by the jolt and it takes but one punch for the beast to bring the facade tumbling down. Given the prospect of people on the inside, Wonder Woman tries to prevent the wall from falling. This action proves hopeless, for it begins to crack apart under the strain.
Diana quickly changes tactics. She redirects the crumbling brick so that it lands on Doomsday instead of the inside of the store. To catch the falling structure initially, she turns her back to her foe. The heroine struggles to heft the great weight. She shifts her feet accordingly to attain maximum thrust from her legs, but in so doing she leaves herself further vulnerable to counterattack. This proves to be bad news both literally and figuratively. A mere fraction of a second after throwing the wall towards her foe, the Amazon is felled from behind by a newspaper vending machine hurled at a velocity exceeding the speed of sound.
Disorientation overwhelms the princess as she instinctively, rather than consciously, attempts to stand. She is dazed and her sleek, powerful frame is betraying her. Her back, which has often shouldered tons weight, rebels in excruciating pain. Compassion is not in Doomsday's nature. The towering monster recognizes his courageous adversary's distress and he is quick to take advantage. Grabbing her by her long dark hair, Doomsday violently whirls the Amazon a few dozen times overhead before whipping her through a department store window.
Shards of loose glass roll off her person as she forces herself to rise. Mercifully, there is no one in the store to be harmed, but there easily could have been. The heroine is gravely concerned over the peril the monster poses to the public. Her frustration grows as her physical injuries mount. She is not only fighting Doomsday, but also her own pain and exhaustion. Her ability to protect the innocent is waning. This makes the Amazon champion angry. Very angry.
Despite herself, the gallant super heroine is overcome by total, unadulterated rage. She viciously and recklessly charges her enemy, intent upon annihilating him. A primitive, vile brawl is precisely what Doomsday craves, yet even he is momentarily startled by the sheer ferocity from his opponent. Her blood boils with a fury that momentarily blocks out her intense pain. Wonder Woman applies a two-handed choke hold around the beast's throat. She fires him through a foot thick concrete wall. Diana's uncalculated, savage assault continues as she repeatedly pounds the prone creature with debris from damaged buildings. The final blow is delivered from afar as the Justice Leaguer levies an enormous section of concrete on her nemesis via her magic lasso.
Wonder Woman is breathing rather heavily when she snaps out of her frenzy. "Great Athena! What am I doing?" she exclaims aloud. The Amazon privately chastises herself for allowing her emotions to run wild. Diana knows that she can't expect to survive another such lapse of control. Regardless of her personal feelings or Doomsday's unchecked brutality, she must maintain her composure from here out. In the blink of an eye, the super heroine removes her tiara and rolls her hair up in a bun. This style, which she often wears as Diana Prince, virtually precludes unprincipled Doomsday from further hair pulling initiatives.
The two formidable warriors briefly stare one another down in Marston Square. Despite the fever-pitched battle, Doomsday appears unharmed and as powerful and energetic as ever. By contrast, Wonder Woman is wearing down. Cuts and bruises scar her face, arms and thighs. Her injured right side remains very vulnerable and her back rebels in knife-like agony with her every movement.
The wild west-like standoff ends with Doomsday hefting a taxi cab with one arm. Surprisingly Diana is pleased to see him resorting to such an attack. Through her knowledge and firsthand experience, the Amazon understands that the monster often assaults powerful adversaries with inanimate objects. He does this to soften up an opponent before finishing him off with his bare hands. Apparently Doomsday doesn't realize just how wounded she really is. This revelation invigorates Diana who is determined to battle aggressively and deny her enemy even a glimpse of weakness.
Wonder Woman deftly dodges the thrown automobile and goes on the offensive. A combination of punches and kicks are followed by the crushing impact of a four-door passenger car. Doomsday is momentarily off his feet. The Amazon opportunistically seeks to capitalize. Magic lasso in hand, she swoops in to ensnare the monster and hoist him from the city streets. Ever conscious of the sharp bony protrusions on Doomsday's extremities, Diana is caught flush by a brutal kick which connects directly against her wounded side.
The extraordinary healing resulting from her meta-human metabolism is undone in the blink of an eye. Her ghastly wound is reopened. Blood once again gushes from her side and she fears he may have cracked another rib. Her agony is too great to disguise. Doomsday knows she is seriously hurt.
The dazed super heroine wills herself to rise. She senses the presence of her nemesis hovering over her, but she fails to notice the noose of her golden lasso until it goes taught around her neck. Diana gasps for breath as the monster mercilessly yanks the opposite end of the rope. For Doomsday, this conflict is now a game. It's fun. The magic lasso is a new toy which he uses to torture its former owner.
On the verge of blacking out, Wonder Woman remains remarkably level-headed. She twists her body such that she can propel herself towards her monstrous assailant. Simultaneously, Diana grabs the lasso with her right hand. She manages to create slack in the line, thus allowing herself to breathe freely. Revitalized, the heroine connects with a powerful left-handed uppercut. This affords the Amazon the brief moment necessary to remove the noose from her neck before she is swatted away by a retaliatory fist.
Wonder Woman expects Doomsday to pounce on her while she's down; instead the heroine is dumbfounded by what she sees next. The behemoth has found himself a new challenge, namely breaking the magic lasso. Clutching multiple strands of the lariat in each of his gigantic hands, Doomsday growls loudly while exerting his unfathomable might. The golden lasso is a rather thin cord and, other than its radiant glow, it appears strikingly unremarkable. Nevertheless, Diana's famous weapon passes the ultimate test. It has never so much as been damaged, much less severed, and that still holds true despite Doomsday.
The rage within the beast increases as the golden lasso remains impervious to his power. Diana sees a "golden opportunity" to use this distraction to her advantage. The heroine lifts a previously damaged sedan high above her head with the intent of using it as a pile driver. Her goal is to pound Doomsday through the street and into the sewer system underneath the city. Alas, the Amazon's body balks at the super-human exertion. Diana attempts to compensate for her injured ribs, but her strained back proves very uncooperative. Hefting a car should be laughably easy for her; instead it seems like one of the twelve labors of Hercules. Wonder Woman staggers as she summons all of her remaining might. Her mark is true as Doomsday disappears beneath the mangled wreckage.
Princess Diana collapses to her knees at the crest of the huge crater which the monster has fallen through. Dizziness and weakness threaten to plunge her into unconsciousness. The majority of white stars on the front of her patriotic shorts have been overrun by red blood stains. The continued blood loss is too much for even Wonder Woman to withstand. To control the bleeding, she tears a seat belt out of the totaled car to serve as a temporary bandage. Diana firmly wraps the belt underneath her breasts to both patch her grisly wound and provide marginal support for her broken ribs.
The Amazon boldly descends into the eerie darkness below. Oddly, Doomsday is nowhere to be seen or heard. Visibility is very poor and honing in via scent is impossible given the stench of the sewers. Diana can't imagine what he's up to. She would be very willing to back off if she believed her foe is content to remain down here. To the contrary, the heroine is sure that the monster will soon grow bored with his new surroundings and look to resurface up top.
As Wonder Woman cautiously traverses the tunnel, she suddenly notices that the water level is rising. Initially it had been ankle high. In a minute's time, the filthy sewage has climbed well up her shins and within a few inches of her knees. She notices water gushing in through a back wall. Suddenly the wall explodes towards her. A tidal wave of liquid waste engulfs the super heroine. She instinctively leaps upward to shed the awful sewage only to find herself face to face with her nemesis.
Doomsday is overanxious in his assault. Despite being caught off guard, the skilled Amazon capably recovers. She manages to wrestle her magic lasso away from her monstrous foe, but she compromises her defense in the process. The beast effortlessly flings the Amazon princess over a railing where she plummets 30 feet down into a flooded runoff channel.
Diana emerges from an outlet after a mile long swim. By all logic, she is a beaten woman. The Justice Leaguer has lost Doomsday, whom she presumes has resurfaced above ground. She looks every bit as terrible as she feels. Disgusting sewer water drips off her person as she rises to her feet. Her hair is a mess, rank strands hang haphazardly, her bun long since unraveled. She isn't sure which is worse, the stench or the taste of the vile sewerage. The blood loss continues to take its toll. The Amazon feels light-headed and feverish. Her body seemingly screams from head to toe, begging for rest. From this point on, Wonder Woman faces the grim reality that she will be fighting herself every bit as much as Doomsday.
*****
"Heide Rockwell ... WSLT news. After losing sight of the fast-paced battle, Doomsday has reappeared on Bolland Boulevard. Wonder Woman is nowhere to be seen however ... a bad sign indeed for the famous super heroine."
The television helicopter hovers 150 feet above street level. The ambitious Rockwell insists upon getting closer to the action, but Debra Mulvihill refuses to oblige. She harbors serious reservations about their close proximity to the monster. Regardless of Rockwell's seniority and excessive prodding, Mulvihill is the pilot and she will not take any further risks for the sake of news.
"While her demise is merely speculation at this point," Rockwell continues, "Wonder Woman's legacy will be forever tarnished by the events unfolding today." The reporter inaccurately opines "The Amazon encouraged a full scale confrontation within our fair city, recklessly putting countless lives in peril while battling a foe she couldn't handle."
Heide's callous, biting commentary is abruptly interrupted by a loud crashing sound within the helicopter itself. Obscenities spew from the mouth of the unnerved and confused reporter. Mulvihill realizes that the back end of the craft has been struck by an object hurled at them by Doomsday. To her chagrin, the damage is such that she can not control the helicopter. The novice pilot is frightened, but remains surprisingly composed. She instinctively looks to make an emergency landing when their prayers are answered by the arrival of Wonder Woman. The super heroine guides the stricken helicopter to a nearby rooftop, but in her beleaguered condition she is unable to set it down smoothly. As a result, the landing struts are twisted and the front underbelly is crushed.
Although both women survive the impact unscathed, Rockwell is livid. The helicopter is out of commission and its television camera was smashed in the impact. Having blamed Debra Mulvihill for virtually everything during their tumultuous flight, the reporter now directs her ire towards the super heroine. With nary a word of thanks for the rescue, she chastises Diana. "Don't you know who I am?" Rockwell asks rhetorically. Furthermore, she asserts that the Amazon owes her an exclusive interview to atone for undermining her news coverage.
The princess pays no heed to the reporter's selfish ranting. Her attention is focused upon the condition of the helicopter, for she reasons that she may need it to airlift Doomsday out of the city. Mulvihill informs her that the engine is still fine; it's the directional controls that are inoperable. Wonder Woman considers this to be good news, for she can bend the damaged tail end in such a way as to make the controls passable for a pilot with her experience.
Rockwell does not take kindly to the notion of Wonder Woman commandeering the news chopper. "You need it!?" the newswoman bellows. "Listen here, I'm Heide Rockwell! I'm covering a major story!" she argues. Diana isn't the least bit swayed by the reporter's pleas. "Miss Rockwell, I don't care about your story." the Amazon sternly responds. "There are lives at stake here," the heroine explains, " including yours!"
Excessive ambition overrides common sense for Heide Rockwell. She envisions this crisis as the ultimate opportunity to erase years of frustration and disappointment. Her name will no longer be the subject of water cooler gossip; rather she will finally be taken seriously as a journalist and public figure. Alas, this lifelong dream once again seems to be eluding her grasp. Adding further insult, the apparent harbinger of the reporter's misfortune is Wonder Woman. The princess is the world's most famous and glamorous woman. Rockwell has long resented Diana for her near-perfection qualities and the adulation she constantly draws. It is more than she can take to now have that same heroine close the door and deny her chance at fame.
"What's the matter Wonder Woman? Is your super ego bruised?" Rockwell asks sarcastically. The reporter blatantly accuses the Amazon of deliberately endangering lives by choosing Gateway City as the locale for battling Doomsday. Heide charges that the super heroine is subsequently covering up her poor judgment by precluding media coverage. She taunts "Heaven forbid your adoring public should see their sexy Amazon princess as the filthy, stinking defeated mess she is now!"
Heide Rockwell's hair momentarily flutters in the breeze created by Wonder Woman's speedy departure. Even if duty did not mandate her swift pursuit of Doomsday, the Justice Leaguer has too much character to stoop to a petty war of words with her detractor. "I haven't time for this nonsense!" is the extent of her retort. Rockwell, however, is not finished with her tirade. "I'll do an expose on you Wonder Woman! Count on it!" she threatens. Debra Mulvihill respectfully attempts to calm the cantankerous newswoman. "Ease up Ms. Rockwell. She's doing all she can in a terrible situation." Mulvihill need not be tactful with her private thoughts. "What a total jerk!" she muses in disgust.
*****
Thunderous din reverberates throughout the midtown as Wonder Woman flies towards the outskirts of the city. Each loud crash increases her temptation to engage Doomsday immediately, but she stays the course because it is her only realistic option. With her injuries mounting, Diana knows fighting the beast is increasingly fruitless. She is one blow away from being incapacitated and, should that happen, Gateway City is doomed.
The Amazon has devised an alternative plan which she prays will bring the mayhem to a halt. It will take several minutes to implement, thus leaving Doomsday unchecked in the interim. Fortunately, news of the monster's presence is spreading throughout the area. Wonder Woman's gallant efforts have afforded citizens the time to take cover and by now the streets are essentially deserted. The behemoth's rampage is thus resulting in extensive property damage, but few human casualties.
The super heroine locates a large tanker truck which she recalled seeing while initially being dragged into Gateway City. In normal circumstances, the large vehicle would be a considerable test for her vaunted Amazon strength. Given her current condition, Diana is reduced to driving the big rig into the heart of the city. She travels a few miles before vehicular wreckage makes the roadways impassable. The Justice Leaguer could clear the way, but she dare not allow her quarry to continue unabated. Instead, she opts to seek out Doomsday and lure him into her trap.
Doomsday is in his glory, smashing everything in sight. He greets the return of Wonder Woman with little enthusiasm. The colorfully clad human female has given him an incredible fight. In his own perverse way, he is extremely grateful for this, but their battle is over. He has already stomped her. The monster no longer views the heroine as a challenge; rather she is merely a nuisance. It is readily apparent to Diana that her enemy no longer respects her power. As such, she has no chance of springing her surprise attack unless she can once again command his attention.
The noble warrior grits her teeth and charges the towering monstrosity. Her golden lasso is wound tightly around her lower torso, thus serving as both a flak jacket and back brace. The added protection affords her the confidence to fight more effectively. "You dare turn your back on me?" Wonder Woman barks in a long shot attempt to goad him psychologically. "There's a whole lot of fight left in this Amazon champion!" With her legs squarely underneath her, Diana unloads a wicked left-handed punch which knocks her surprised opponent off his feet. She follows with a sharp kick to his jaw before he is able to retaliate.
The super heroine in unusually encouraged, given she has just been tossed one hundred feet and landed painfully on her buttocks. Doomsday is in pursuit. He once again considers her worthy of annihilation. The Amazon hasn't the might or stamina left for a sustained confrontation. To compensate, she falls back upon her experience and savvy. Wonder Woman conserves her remaining energy, strategically initiating just enough powerful bursts to deceive the beast into thinking she's at full strength. All the while, she steers the action closer and closer to the intersection where the tanker truck is parked.
The dueling pair finally reach Diana's intended destination. The heroine is backed up against the rear of the truck. Doomsday closes in on the inviting target. He unleashes a violent overhand right. Wonder Woman desperately evades the blow and shoots skyward as her foe's fist connects with the truck. The protective casing is penetrated, thus releasing its contents. The colossal brute is bombarded by a frigid shower of liquid nitrogen. Even the ridiculously powerful Doomsday is frozen solid in his tracks.
Wonder Woman must act swiftly, for she knows not how long the beast will be contained. Her magic lasso can withstand the intense cold; hence she uses it to hoist her prone nemesis out of the city. Since the lariat no longer supports her injured ribs, Diana makes use of the helicopter. As Gateway City fades into the background, the Justice Leaguer feels considerable turbulence at the end of the line. To her amazement, Doomsday is still conscious and he's struggling to move his frozen limbs. The heroine's sense of urgency heightens for she understandably fears that time is running out.
Chapter 3.
Dinah Drake Lance is known as the Black Canary. As super heroines go, she is largely ignored and under-appreciated by a public more enamored with meta-human powers. Aliens Supergirl, Hawkgirl and Starfire garner considerable media attention. Zatanna was a stage performer and celebrity before she ever chose to devote her mystical talents towards the fight for justice. Wonder Woman is the most celebrated of all. Her incomparable combination of power, courage, intelligence, dignity, and beauty earn her the unofficial, yet rarely disputed, designation as Earth's most fascinating personality.
Dinah could easily resent her relative lack of prestige, but she is more than content with her standing. Black Canary is very highly regarded where it matters most, amongst her colleagues. She has earned the full respect and confidence of her fellow Justice League members, many of whom are not easily impressed. The many villains she's corralled over the years would also grudgingly attest to her capability.
The heroine has endured many injuries. Sprains. Concussions. Pulled muscles. It's a running joke amongst the JLA which malaise will befall Dinah each week. Leaguers marvel at this overachiever. She perseveres and constantly manages to keep pace with her super-powered friends and foes. Until now.
22,300 miles below, her planet faces perhaps its greatest crisis ever and Dinah is forced to sit idly by. She is physically unfit to join her allies in the field. Communication lines are still down, thus she can not even assist in the coordination of the rescue efforts. One might surmise that the Black Canary, a woman of action, would be driven a bit stir crazy by her helplessness. Such a surmise is most accurate.
Images cascade back and forth in her mind. Black Canary is worried about her world and her fellow heroines fighting long odds to save it. Concern about Ollie and the missing men never strays far from her foremost thoughts. She also can't help but ponder her own future. Her colleagues all offered encouraging words, but Dinah could sense their true feelings. Her knee injury is very serious and will likely end her Justice League career.
As Ms. Lance broods over the situation, she is startled by the hum of the Justice League transporter. She looks on as the battle-weary form of the Huntress takes shape before her. The Huntress explains to the surprised Justice Leaguer that she is on board the satellite through the initiatives of Oracle. Like Dinah, the injured heroine is unable to partake in the Earthside activities. She is therefore ready to help Black Canary should communications be restored. The Huntress is not a member of the league. Oracle has overridden the JLA computer to allow for her transport to headquarters.
Dinah finds her visitor's story to be a bit too convenient. Huntress is not well established in the super heroic community. She wonders how and why Oracle would make the effort to single her out for satellite duty, given the limited resources and demands on her time and talent. A stunning thought occurs to Black Canary. Huntress is from Gotham City and Oracle has ties to the Batman. It suddenly seems so clear to Dinah ... Oracle and the Huntress must be one in the same! The Justice Leaguer keeps her suspicions to herself, but she plans to use their time together to surreptitiously confirm her hypothesis.
*****
While heroines throughout the globe do their part to avert the death of their world, Wonder Woman momentarily concerns herself with a far more personal death ... her own! Dragged against her will to the hub of Gateway City, the Amazon stares up at a frightening sight. Doomsday hovers above her prone form and readies to crush the Justice Leaguer with a cement mixer. Diana's ankles are still tightly bound by her golden lasso. Although the monster has released his grasp on the line, she hasn't the mobility to elude the impending hammer-like blow.
The cement mixer smashes to the ground with a thunderous roar. To the normal human eye, it appears the famous super heroine has been horribly crushed to death. Even Wonder Woman, powerful as she is, couldn't survive such devastation. Unbeknownst to the few brazen and rather foolhardy on-lookers, the Amazon has avoided certain demise. In the blink of an eye, the super heroine uses her tremendous upper body strength to burrow through the street itself and into the sewer system below.
Thinking his adversary has been vanquished, Doomsday maliciously smashes vehicle after vehicle. Bystanders flee for their lives as the behemoth lays waste to a city block. For a few moments, he appears oblivious to the defenseless women. Cars, trucks and buildings are more enticing targets, until the heinous beast suddenly recaptures a thirst for carnage.
Doomsday zeroes in on several terrified citizens scurrying from the fray when the ground begins to tremble. With that, the very pavement beneath the monster's feet explodes upward as though a volcano has just formed on Perez Street. Huge chunks of concrete and pavement scatter throughout a quarter-mile radius. Doomsday hurtles fifty yards into the foundation of an office building. Amidst the dust and debris, a determined Wonder Woman emerges from the enormous opening in the road which she has just created.
"Everybody clear the area! NOW!" Diana bellows at a volume loud enough to be heard for dozens of blocks. Onlookers are shaken up by the Amazon's latest initiative, but fortunately no one seems to have been seriously injured by the flying rock. Wonder Woman intersperses herself between her enemy and his closest potential victims so as to best ensure their safe getaways.
Doomsday relishes the city. There are lives for him to take. It is a steel and concrete playground to demolish. He senses the princess' desperate desire to remove him from these surroundings and he won't stand for that. The behemoth is prepared for the Amazon's attacks and will not allow her the opening she craves. Regardless of the heroine's inimitable skills, conventional fighting techniques will not expel her foe from Gateway City.
Well aware that she needs a new avenue of attack, the Justice Leaguer opens her mind to possibilities. A "crazy idea" occurs to her which she deems to be worth a try. Wonder Woman allows herself to the get the worst of a sequence of punches. She is blasted clear through the front and side windows of a corner doughnut shop and into a back alley. The heroine deftly tucks her body such that she rolls with the impact against the back wall and garbage disposal bin. Back on her feet, the Amazon darts behind the far end of the building so as to further distance herself from the beast. Doomsday rumbles down the alley in pursuit of his quarry.
To the few frightened women left in the immediate vicinity, Diana's next action would seem to defy logic. Wonder Woman whips out her magic lasso and begins to twirl it directly over her head. The golden yellow noose encompasses her entire frame. Swiftly and deliberately, she lowers the spinning lariat down over her head and shoulders. In what can only be described appropriately as magic, the super heroine's facial appearance changes markedly. Her beautiful, long, wavy hair style gives way to a vastly more conservative ponytail arrangement. Her tiara and red earrings vanish; in their place are matching bronze eyeglasses and earrings. The fantastic transformation continues as the lasso drops down her torso. Her golden brassiere is slowly replaced by an attractive woman's designer suit. Above the current level of the enchanted lasso is a portion of a navy blue suit jacket and white pullover blouse; below is the remainder of the heroine's signature halter top. Her star-spangled shorts are supplanted by the matching navy blue skirt as the lasso descends to knee level. The heroine soon steps out of her lariat as it strikes the sidewalk. She now sports a perfectly nice pair of dark blue, high-heeled shoes which have replaced her scarlet boots, the left one of which had been noticeably damaged in the battle. The very last identifying remnant of Wonder Woman disappears as the Amazon tucks her golden lasso inside her suit jacket. Curiously enough, its telltale glow should be easily discernible even under the cover of the clothing, yet astonishingly it too is gone.
Given the dire circumstances, Wonder Woman has no concern whatsoever in safeguarding her secret identity. Compromising Diana Prince is readily acceptable, especially if the payoff proves to be as great as she anticipates. In her unique and colorful costume, Wonder Woman stands out like a beacon. As Diana Prince, she goes unrecognized by friends and general public alike. The heroine reasons that the same should hold true for Doomsday. Diana pretends to be startled and terrified by Doomsday's appearance when he emerges from the alley. She screams in horror and her knees quake. The Amazon drops to one knee while cowering and helplessly pleading for her life. The color fades from her face to further sell the scene. "That's it. Try to kill defenseless little me." Ms. Prince thinks to herself as the monstrosity towers over her.
Suddenly the disguised super heroine springs up from her kneeling position. Using her legs to provide extra thrust, she unloads a vicious uppercut. The blow connects solidly and Doomsday is sent flying. To the Amazon's dismay, however, his trajectory is very low to the ground. His momentum is therefore stopped after crashing through the foundations of several office buildings. Diana has not reckoned on the brute's super senses. He has managed to see through her secret identity and braced himself for the impact of her blow. "Great Gaea! He smelled me?!" the Amazon exclaims incredulously as she quickly changes back into costume.
*****
High above the Gateway City fray flies the news helicopter from local television station WSLT. With pilot trainee Debra Mulvihill at the helm, this is the only such craft covering the breaking story. Initially reporting on the disappearances of the men, the news chopper now responds to unconfirmed sightings of Doomsday within the city limits. Spotting the intense brawl, Mulvihill wisely keeps her distance despite the overanxious prodding of her passenger.
"This is Heide Rockwell with an exclusive report for WSLT!" the newswoman trumpets. "If things weren't bad enough, the heart of Gateway City is now the battleground for a fierce confrontation between Doomsday and Wonder Woman! The monster seems to have the Justice Leaguer decisively outclassed. Possessing clear advantages in size and power, Doomsday punched the Amazon right through the front wall of the Marston Comics building."
The 32-year old Rockwell relishes the moment, for this could be her opportunity to make a big name for herself. A former beauty queen from the heartland, Rockwell once had high ambitions of Hollywood stardom. Those dreams were repeatedly dashed by harsh reality, but the attractive and persistent blonde gained employment in the WSLT news division in her native Gateway City. Regarded by both colleagues and competitors as merely a pretty face, Heide has been relegated to fluff pieces to fill out the newscasts. "No more!" Rockwell thinks to herself. While it is probable that her live broadcast will be disrupted, the recorded version will be aired expeditiously. This is her chance to shine.
"Doomsday is storming into the building in pursuit of Wonder Woman!" Rockwell exuberantly announces. "The combatants are out of our camera range, but we can still hear the brutal action all the way up here. The whole structure seems to be trembling at its very foundation. We can't be sure, but this reporter's instinct is that Wonder Woman is in serious trouble!"
Instead of collapsing, an eerie calm soon befalls the Marston building. Rockwell and Mulvihill are confused by a series of thunderous clasps which sound like small explosions. Each one seems slightly less intense than its predecessor. The newswoman momentarily struggles for words until she suddenly understands what is happening. "They're on the move!" Rockwell screams for the benefit of both the viewers and her pilot. "Doomsday's so fast that he must be a half dozen blocks south of us by now!" she marvels.
To a television audience, Heide Rockwell's vivacious delivery is a touch overbearing, yet tolerable given the drama which is unfolding. It is quite another matter for Debra Mulvihill. The unassuming young aviator is the brunt of constant badgering and tongue lashings from the oppressive reporter. Even the most experienced of helicopter pilots would be unable to keep up with this fast-paced fight, much less a trainee. This matters not to Rockwell, who makes it a point to lambaste Mulvihill at every moment she is not broadcasting directly to her viewers. The flustered pilot copes with Rockwell's ranting as she maneuvers through the skyscrapers in search of the deadly behemoth.
*****
Theirs is a jagged path emanating from Marston Comics Inc.. The massive arms of Doomsday feel like a combination of granite and steel as they apply a vice-like grip upon her torso. Clutching the Amazon in a bear hug, the monster rams his way through the street level foundations of building after building, leaving gaping holes and scattered debris in his wake. Eventually Diana manages to trip up the rampaging monster. Still in his grasp, she suffers more pain for her efforts. Doomsday lands with a thud thus driving the heroine into the pavement. Bringing him to a stop gives Wonder Woman the leverage to reassert herself and she kicks the monstrosity away.
Doomsday's momentum carries him into a solid brick store front. The structure is weakened considerably by the jolt and it takes but one punch for the beast to bring the facade tumbling down. Given the prospect of people on the inside, Wonder Woman tries to prevent the wall from falling. This action proves hopeless, for it begins to crack apart under the strain.
Diana quickly changes tactics. She redirects the crumbling brick so that it lands on Doomsday instead of the inside of the store. To catch the falling structure initially, she turns her back to her foe. The heroine struggles to heft the great weight. She shifts her feet accordingly to attain maximum thrust from her legs, but in so doing she leaves herself further vulnerable to counterattack. This proves to be bad news both literally and figuratively. A mere fraction of a second after throwing the wall towards her foe, the Amazon is felled from behind by a newspaper vending machine hurled at a velocity exceeding the speed of sound.
Disorientation overwhelms the princess as she instinctively, rather than consciously, attempts to stand. She is dazed and her sleek, powerful frame is betraying her. Her back, which has often shouldered tons weight, rebels in excruciating pain. Compassion is not in Doomsday's nature. The towering monster recognizes his courageous adversary's distress and he is quick to take advantage. Grabbing her by her long dark hair, Doomsday violently whirls the Amazon a few dozen times overhead before whipping her through a department store window.
Shards of loose glass roll off her person as she forces herself to rise. Mercifully, there is no one in the store to be harmed, but there easily could have been. The heroine is gravely concerned over the peril the monster poses to the public. Her frustration grows as her physical injuries mount. She is not only fighting Doomsday, but also her own pain and exhaustion. Her ability to protect the innocent is waning. This makes the Amazon champion angry. Very angry.
Despite herself, the gallant super heroine is overcome by total, unadulterated rage. She viciously and recklessly charges her enemy, intent upon annihilating him. A primitive, vile brawl is precisely what Doomsday craves, yet even he is momentarily startled by the sheer ferocity from his opponent. Her blood boils with a fury that momentarily blocks out her intense pain. Wonder Woman applies a two-handed choke hold around the beast's throat. She fires him through a foot thick concrete wall. Diana's uncalculated, savage assault continues as she repeatedly pounds the prone creature with debris from damaged buildings. The final blow is delivered from afar as the Justice Leaguer levies an enormous section of concrete on her nemesis via her magic lasso.
Wonder Woman is breathing rather heavily when she snaps out of her frenzy. "Great Athena! What am I doing?" she exclaims aloud. The Amazon privately chastises herself for allowing her emotions to run wild. Diana knows that she can't expect to survive another such lapse of control. Regardless of her personal feelings or Doomsday's unchecked brutality, she must maintain her composure from here out. In the blink of an eye, the super heroine removes her tiara and rolls her hair up in a bun. This style, which she often wears as Diana Prince, virtually precludes unprincipled Doomsday from further hair pulling initiatives.
The two formidable warriors briefly stare one another down in Marston Square. Despite the fever-pitched battle, Doomsday appears unharmed and as powerful and energetic as ever. By contrast, Wonder Woman is wearing down. Cuts and bruises scar her face, arms and thighs. Her injured right side remains very vulnerable and her back rebels in knife-like agony with her every movement.
The wild west-like standoff ends with Doomsday hefting a taxi cab with one arm. Surprisingly Diana is pleased to see him resorting to such an attack. Through her knowledge and firsthand experience, the Amazon understands that the monster often assaults powerful adversaries with inanimate objects. He does this to soften up an opponent before finishing him off with his bare hands. Apparently Doomsday doesn't realize just how wounded she really is. This revelation invigorates Diana who is determined to battle aggressively and deny her enemy even a glimpse of weakness.
Wonder Woman deftly dodges the thrown automobile and goes on the offensive. A combination of punches and kicks are followed by the crushing impact of a four-door passenger car. Doomsday is momentarily off his feet. The Amazon opportunistically seeks to capitalize. Magic lasso in hand, she swoops in to ensnare the monster and hoist him from the city streets. Ever conscious of the sharp bony protrusions on Doomsday's extremities, Diana is caught flush by a brutal kick which connects directly against her wounded side.
The extraordinary healing resulting from her meta-human metabolism is undone in the blink of an eye. Her ghastly wound is reopened. Blood once again gushes from her side and she fears he may have cracked another rib. Her agony is too great to disguise. Doomsday knows she is seriously hurt.
The dazed super heroine wills herself to rise. She senses the presence of her nemesis hovering over her, but she fails to notice the noose of her golden lasso until it goes taught around her neck. Diana gasps for breath as the monster mercilessly yanks the opposite end of the rope. For Doomsday, this conflict is now a game. It's fun. The magic lasso is a new toy which he uses to torture its former owner.
On the verge of blacking out, Wonder Woman remains remarkably level-headed. She twists her body such that she can propel herself towards her monstrous assailant. Simultaneously, Diana grabs the lasso with her right hand. She manages to create slack in the line, thus allowing herself to breathe freely. Revitalized, the heroine connects with a powerful left-handed uppercut. This affords the Amazon the brief moment necessary to remove the noose from her neck before she is swatted away by a retaliatory fist.
Wonder Woman expects Doomsday to pounce on her while she's down; instead the heroine is dumbfounded by what she sees next. The behemoth has found himself a new challenge, namely breaking the magic lasso. Clutching multiple strands of the lariat in each of his gigantic hands, Doomsday growls loudly while exerting his unfathomable might. The golden lasso is a rather thin cord and, other than its radiant glow, it appears strikingly unremarkable. Nevertheless, Diana's famous weapon passes the ultimate test. It has never so much as been damaged, much less severed, and that still holds true despite Doomsday.
The rage within the beast increases as the golden lasso remains impervious to his power. Diana sees a "golden opportunity" to use this distraction to her advantage. The heroine lifts a previously damaged sedan high above her head with the intent of using it as a pile driver. Her goal is to pound Doomsday through the street and into the sewer system underneath the city. Alas, the Amazon's body balks at the super-human exertion. Diana attempts to compensate for her injured ribs, but her strained back proves very uncooperative. Hefting a car should be laughably easy for her; instead it seems like one of the twelve labors of Hercules. Wonder Woman staggers as she summons all of her remaining might. Her mark is true as Doomsday disappears beneath the mangled wreckage.
Princess Diana collapses to her knees at the crest of the huge crater which the monster has fallen through. Dizziness and weakness threaten to plunge her into unconsciousness. The majority of white stars on the front of her patriotic shorts have been overrun by red blood stains. The continued blood loss is too much for even Wonder Woman to withstand. To control the bleeding, she tears a seat belt out of the totaled car to serve as a temporary bandage. Diana firmly wraps the belt underneath her breasts to both patch her grisly wound and provide marginal support for her broken ribs.
The Amazon boldly descends into the eerie darkness below. Oddly, Doomsday is nowhere to be seen or heard. Visibility is very poor and honing in via scent is impossible given the stench of the sewers. Diana can't imagine what he's up to. She would be very willing to back off if she believed her foe is content to remain down here. To the contrary, the heroine is sure that the monster will soon grow bored with his new surroundings and look to resurface up top.
As Wonder Woman cautiously traverses the tunnel, she suddenly notices that the water level is rising. Initially it had been ankle high. In a minute's time, the filthy sewage has climbed well up her shins and within a few inches of her knees. She notices water gushing in through a back wall. Suddenly the wall explodes towards her. A tidal wave of liquid waste engulfs the super heroine. She instinctively leaps upward to shed the awful sewage only to find herself face to face with her nemesis.
Doomsday is overanxious in his assault. Despite being caught off guard, the skilled Amazon capably recovers. She manages to wrestle her magic lasso away from her monstrous foe, but she compromises her defense in the process. The beast effortlessly flings the Amazon princess over a railing where she plummets 30 feet down into a flooded runoff channel.
Diana emerges from an outlet after a mile long swim. By all logic, she is a beaten woman. The Justice Leaguer has lost Doomsday, whom she presumes has resurfaced above ground. She looks every bit as terrible as she feels. Disgusting sewer water drips off her person as she rises to her feet. Her hair is a mess, rank strands hang haphazardly, her bun long since unraveled. She isn't sure which is worse, the stench or the taste of the vile sewerage. The blood loss continues to take its toll. The Amazon feels light-headed and feverish. Her body seemingly screams from head to toe, begging for rest. From this point on, Wonder Woman faces the grim reality that she will be fighting herself every bit as much as Doomsday.
*****
"Heide Rockwell ... WSLT news. After losing sight of the fast-paced battle, Doomsday has reappeared on Bolland Boulevard. Wonder Woman is nowhere to be seen however ... a bad sign indeed for the famous super heroine."
The television helicopter hovers 150 feet above street level. The ambitious Rockwell insists upon getting closer to the action, but Debra Mulvihill refuses to oblige. She harbors serious reservations about their close proximity to the monster. Regardless of Rockwell's seniority and excessive prodding, Mulvihill is the pilot and she will not take any further risks for the sake of news.
"While her demise is merely speculation at this point," Rockwell continues, "Wonder Woman's legacy will be forever tarnished by the events unfolding today." The reporter inaccurately opines "The Amazon encouraged a full scale confrontation within our fair city, recklessly putting countless lives in peril while battling a foe she couldn't handle."
Heide's callous, biting commentary is abruptly interrupted by a loud crashing sound within the helicopter itself. Obscenities spew from the mouth of the unnerved and confused reporter. Mulvihill realizes that the back end of the craft has been struck by an object hurled at them by Doomsday. To her chagrin, the damage is such that she can not control the helicopter. The novice pilot is frightened, but remains surprisingly composed. She instinctively looks to make an emergency landing when their prayers are answered by the arrival of Wonder Woman. The super heroine guides the stricken helicopter to a nearby rooftop, but in her beleaguered condition she is unable to set it down smoothly. As a result, the landing struts are twisted and the front underbelly is crushed.
Although both women survive the impact unscathed, Rockwell is livid. The helicopter is out of commission and its television camera was smashed in the impact. Having blamed Debra Mulvihill for virtually everything during their tumultuous flight, the reporter now directs her ire towards the super heroine. With nary a word of thanks for the rescue, she chastises Diana. "Don't you know who I am?" Rockwell asks rhetorically. Furthermore, she asserts that the Amazon owes her an exclusive interview to atone for undermining her news coverage.
The princess pays no heed to the reporter's selfish ranting. Her attention is focused upon the condition of the helicopter, for she reasons that she may need it to airlift Doomsday out of the city. Mulvihill informs her that the engine is still fine; it's the directional controls that are inoperable. Wonder Woman considers this to be good news, for she can bend the damaged tail end in such a way as to make the controls passable for a pilot with her experience.
Rockwell does not take kindly to the notion of Wonder Woman commandeering the news chopper. "You need it!?" the newswoman bellows. "Listen here, I'm Heide Rockwell! I'm covering a major story!" she argues. Diana isn't the least bit swayed by the reporter's pleas. "Miss Rockwell, I don't care about your story." the Amazon sternly responds. "There are lives at stake here," the heroine explains, " including yours!"
Excessive ambition overrides common sense for Heide Rockwell. She envisions this crisis as the ultimate opportunity to erase years of frustration and disappointment. Her name will no longer be the subject of water cooler gossip; rather she will finally be taken seriously as a journalist and public figure. Alas, this lifelong dream once again seems to be eluding her grasp. Adding further insult, the apparent harbinger of the reporter's misfortune is Wonder Woman. The princess is the world's most famous and glamorous woman. Rockwell has long resented Diana for her near-perfection qualities and the adulation she constantly draws. It is more than she can take to now have that same heroine close the door and deny her chance at fame.
"What's the matter Wonder Woman? Is your super ego bruised?" Rockwell asks sarcastically. The reporter blatantly accuses the Amazon of deliberately endangering lives by choosing Gateway City as the locale for battling Doomsday. Heide charges that the super heroine is subsequently covering up her poor judgment by precluding media coverage. She taunts "Heaven forbid your adoring public should see their sexy Amazon princess as the filthy, stinking defeated mess she is now!"
Heide Rockwell's hair momentarily flutters in the breeze created by Wonder Woman's speedy departure. Even if duty did not mandate her swift pursuit of Doomsday, the Justice Leaguer has too much character to stoop to a petty war of words with her detractor. "I haven't time for this nonsense!" is the extent of her retort. Rockwell, however, is not finished with her tirade. "I'll do an expose on you Wonder Woman! Count on it!" she threatens. Debra Mulvihill respectfully attempts to calm the cantankerous newswoman. "Ease up Ms. Rockwell. She's doing all she can in a terrible situation." Mulvihill need not be tactful with her private thoughts. "What a total jerk!" she muses in disgust.
*****
Thunderous din reverberates throughout the midtown as Wonder Woman flies towards the outskirts of the city. Each loud crash increases her temptation to engage Doomsday immediately, but she stays the course because it is her only realistic option. With her injuries mounting, Diana knows fighting the beast is increasingly fruitless. She is one blow away from being incapacitated and, should that happen, Gateway City is doomed.
The Amazon has devised an alternative plan which she prays will bring the mayhem to a halt. It will take several minutes to implement, thus leaving Doomsday unchecked in the interim. Fortunately, news of the monster's presence is spreading throughout the area. Wonder Woman's gallant efforts have afforded citizens the time to take cover and by now the streets are essentially deserted. The behemoth's rampage is thus resulting in extensive property damage, but few human casualties.
The super heroine locates a large tanker truck which she recalled seeing while initially being dragged into Gateway City. In normal circumstances, the large vehicle would be a considerable test for her vaunted Amazon strength. Given her current condition, Diana is reduced to driving the big rig into the heart of the city. She travels a few miles before vehicular wreckage makes the roadways impassable. The Justice Leaguer could clear the way, but she dare not allow her quarry to continue unabated. Instead, she opts to seek out Doomsday and lure him into her trap.
Doomsday is in his glory, smashing everything in sight. He greets the return of Wonder Woman with little enthusiasm. The colorfully clad human female has given him an incredible fight. In his own perverse way, he is extremely grateful for this, but their battle is over. He has already stomped her. The monster no longer views the heroine as a challenge; rather she is merely a nuisance. It is readily apparent to Diana that her enemy no longer respects her power. As such, she has no chance of springing her surprise attack unless she can once again command his attention.
The noble warrior grits her teeth and charges the towering monstrosity. Her golden lasso is wound tightly around her lower torso, thus serving as both a flak jacket and back brace. The added protection affords her the confidence to fight more effectively. "You dare turn your back on me?" Wonder Woman barks in a long shot attempt to goad him psychologically. "There's a whole lot of fight left in this Amazon champion!" With her legs squarely underneath her, Diana unloads a wicked left-handed punch which knocks her surprised opponent off his feet. She follows with a sharp kick to his jaw before he is able to retaliate.
The super heroine in unusually encouraged, given she has just been tossed one hundred feet and landed painfully on her buttocks. Doomsday is in pursuit. He once again considers her worthy of annihilation. The Amazon hasn't the might or stamina left for a sustained confrontation. To compensate, she falls back upon her experience and savvy. Wonder Woman conserves her remaining energy, strategically initiating just enough powerful bursts to deceive the beast into thinking she's at full strength. All the while, she steers the action closer and closer to the intersection where the tanker truck is parked.
The dueling pair finally reach Diana's intended destination. The heroine is backed up against the rear of the truck. Doomsday closes in on the inviting target. He unleashes a violent overhand right. Wonder Woman desperately evades the blow and shoots skyward as her foe's fist connects with the truck. The protective casing is penetrated, thus releasing its contents. The colossal brute is bombarded by a frigid shower of liquid nitrogen. Even the ridiculously powerful Doomsday is frozen solid in his tracks.
Wonder Woman must act swiftly, for she knows not how long the beast will be contained. Her magic lasso can withstand the intense cold; hence she uses it to hoist her prone nemesis out of the city. Since the lariat no longer supports her injured ribs, Diana makes use of the helicopter. As Gateway City fades into the background, the Justice Leaguer feels considerable turbulence at the end of the line. To her amazement, Doomsday is still conscious and he's struggling to move his frozen limbs. The heroine's sense of urgency heightens for she understandably fears that time is running out.
