With short-term provisions on hand, the trio embarks upon what they expect to be a full day's scouting trip. Although it would be a shorter trek navigating the mild passageway between Parasite Desert and the forest, the women decide it is safer to go the longer route. They use the buffer separating the desert from Mr. Freeze Corner. From there, they trudge through the damp, grimy swamp to reach Lex River.
Wonder Woman leads the way as the threesome walk in a northwesterly direction along the river bank. They wish to cross the waterway so they can explore the steep ridge on the opposite side of the waterfall. This proves tricky, because the terrain on the distant side is uninviting. The violent Storm Lands is out of the question; therefore the ladies must cross before it.
Lex River widens considerably as it approaches the falls. It is a half mile wide at the crossing site and its strong rapids and undertow pose grave risks. The heroines find a nearby high point situated ten feet above the running water. Wonder Woman wraps her magic lasso firmly around her waist. She anchors the opposite end to the trunk of a sturdy tree atop the embankment. Over modest objections from her friends, the Amazon confidently dives into the water. Utilizing flawless technique, Diana swims vigorously towards the opposite shore. She occasionally finds her lithe frame dragging downstream. The Justice Leaguer refuses to succumb to the forces of nature, however, and she continues her steady course. Within minutes, a triumphant hand grabs hold of a solid rock facade on the northern side of Lex River.
Wonder Woman secures her end of the golden lariat to another tree. The enchanted lasso retains all of its special properties on Perdition Isle. It is indestructible and boundlessly elastic. The lasso expands its length as per Diana's mental wishes. As such, the glowing rope extends the entire width of the river, thus providing a means by which to climb over the raging waters.
Invigorated by her successful swim, the princess ventures out over the flow. Her body dangles atop the rapids. The line angles sharply downward towards her, meaning she is climbing uphill to reach the opposite side. The 5' 11" Amazon's toes dangle a mere foot above the river current, but the taught golden lasso holds fast. Diana swiftly and calmly makes her way back to her friends, who are rightfully impressed.
Batgirl anxiously maneuvers out above Lex River. Having had occasion to span Gotham rooftops in a similar fashion, this effort is child's play for Babs. She makes a special point to slow her pace for Supergirl, who trails several yards behind her. At first, the climb is a smooth one, but it grows increasingly tedious as they get further out on the line. Minus her Kryptonian powers, Kara's upper body strength labors to support her weight. Barbara fears that she may have to make a desperate plunge to save her struggling friend, but to her pleasant surprise, that does not come to pass. Highly motivated to prove her worth, Supergirl grits her teeth and slowly, but safely makes her way across the channel.
With Batgirl and Kara having reached their destination, Diana unties the magic lasso from its south side mooring. She fastens it about her middle and again dives into the water. Supergirl and Gordon tug the opposite end of the lariat to assist the princess as she swims. With nary a sign of trouble, Wonder Woman traverses the distance expeditiously.
The girls climb a short, yet steep rocky hill to reach a plateau. As has so often been the case on Perdition Isle, the landscape is a scene of marked contrast. They find themselves standing on a plain with rich green grass similar to their makeshift home base of Paradise Cove. Adjacent the lawn is a bubbling hot tar pit. The smell of the boiling tar carries considerably in the cool breeze, but strangely enough, the spattering of tar is virtually nil. The thick black liquid is almost entirely contained within its oval shaped pool, thus preserving the beauty of the grass. Forming the background of this curious setting is a large pond with remarkably tranquil waters.
With no signs of hostility, the heroines deem their new surroundings an ideal locale to break for an early lunch. Exercising caution, they keep their distance from the tar. The ladies take a seat on the lawn fifteen feet from the pond. Batgirl passes out apples from the bag she's been carrying. She and Kara delve right in while a dripping wet Diana looks to dry off first.
Wonder Woman graciously accepts the offer of Supergirl's cape and wraps it about her torso. The temperature is mild, but a steady breeze off the pond makes the damp Amazon shiver. Diana remarks that it is almost unprecedented for her to feel discomfort from the weather. "When I have my Amazon powers, the cold never bothers me. It could be 20 below with a minus fifty wind chill and I'm perfectly fine. I don't really start to feel the cold until about 100 below." Wonder Woman chuckles aloud. "I can't tell you how many good intentioned souls have suffered needlessly because they think I should be freezing on a cold day. Without the slightest sign of anguish and nary a goose bump on my arms, men will drape their coats over my unsuspecting shoulders. They were uncomfortable to begin with and stand there shivering, yet they refuse to acknowledge that I neither need or want their generosity. It's funny how male chivalry works!"
"Sticking with the subject of men, Diana." Supergirl begins in an intentionally leading fashion. The Amazon assumes a slight look of angst while Babs listens on intently. "What is this rumor we're hearing about Diana Prince walking down the aisle?" The princess smiles sheepishly. She would like to avoid the question, but her expressions betray her. "She's blushing!" Kara exclaims giddily. "The great Wonder Woman is blushing!"
Diana laughs at Kara's genuine excitement on her behalf. She tempers the moment by noting that nothing is definite yet. She explains that as Diana Prince, she has been juggling a standing marriage proposal for the past six months. Wonder Woman explains that after much deliberation she had finally built up the courage to accept it. "I had arranged a long getaway weekend for us." she recalls somberly. "I was planning to tell Steve then, but Phranyx showed up and ruined everything!"
There is silence as the mood changes from playful to melancholy. Diana is momentarily lost in thought. Supergirl angrily mutters as she struggles for words. Batgirl, a listener until now, appropriately sums up everyone's feelings. "This gives us all another damn good reason to get out of this God forsaken place and take Phranyx down!"
Having completed their short rest, the ladies are all the more determined to reach the apex of the cliff side. From their current location, they can see what lies ahead. The ridge is rocky and steep with weeds and brush sporadically positioned along the incline. While it will be a dangerous thousand foot ascent, no special climbing gear is needed. They are all convinced they can make it.
To reach the foot of the ridge, the super heroines must cross a small brook that runs from the pond to Lex River. The brook is thirty feet wide, but the water only reaches a maximum of six inches in depth. Wonder Woman leads the way as the trio quickly marches through the creek. Diana is nearly halfway when the calm abruptly comes to halt. The ground trembles around them. The severity and suddenness of the tremor causes all three women to lose their balance and fall into the stream.
The cause of the disturbance becomes frighteningly apparent as the heroines stagger to their feet. An enormous sea monster emerges from the depths of the pond. A cross between a giant cobra and a Tyrannosaurus Rex, the beast glares menacingly down at the tiny women. Poised at the end of an excessively long neck, its head hovers nearly one hundred feet above the water.
Instinctively, Wonder Woman takes charge of the perilous situation. She quickly barks instructions to her friends to remain motionless. Diana slowly backs up towards the grassy plain as the giant threat watches. The Amazon will draw the beast's attention, after which Batgirl and Supergirl are to dash for the ridge. She will join them upon eluding the creature.
Once she has solid ground underneath her, Diana sprints without hesitation towards the tar pit. Although minus her great powers, the Amazon champion possesses the speed of an Olympic caliber athlete. She needs all of it to outdistance the enormous reach of her pursuer. As anticipated, its focus is entirely upon her. Wonder Woman's motion is accentuated by her long hair and Supergirl's cape, both of which trail behind her as she runs.
The monster's enormous head swoops down out of the sky intent upon snaring its small prey. Diana is ten yards short of the boiling tar. Instinctively she stops her full speed sprint and makes an evasive dive to her right. Her agility allows her to avoid the large mouth and razor sharp teeth of the beast. Unfortunately, the creature possesses a tongue every bit as swift as that of a snake. Like a cat-o'-nine-tails, the fifteen-foot long tongue whips itself around Diana's left leg. She is jerked into the air as the tongue recoils towards the deadly maw.
Were it not apparent that she is being dragged by her leg, Wonder Woman would fear the beast's forceful attack had torn the lower limb from the rest of her body. Her pain is intense, yet her peril takes precedence. Desperately Diana removes her tiara and uses the sharp pointed peak of the crown to spear the powerful tongue which holds her. At a meta-human power level, she could extricate herself with ease. In her current condition, she is only able to open a small wound. The behemoth's grasp remains firm and the super heroine draws to within two feet of her doom.
A thick cloud begins to emanate from the giant throat. The Amazon fears that this is an unforeseen poison gas the animal uses to kill its prey. She quickly understands otherwise when she notices that her attacker finds the gas as unpleasant as she does. "That's tear gas!" Wonder Woman thinks to herself as the monster frantically whirls its head up and down in an effort to breathe. It loosens its grip on Diana and she slips out of its clutches when the head drops down close to ground level.
Wonder Woman limps noticeably as she scrambles away. Batgirl stealthily approaches from behind but the Amazon calls her off. The monster does not see the masked heroine and understandably presumes Diana is the cause of the vile tear gas. Infuriated, the beast seeks to annihilate its wounded quarry.
The super heroine strategically and daringly stops in front of the pool of tar. Showing no mercy, the creature's head dives towards Diana and its ferocious tongue lashes outward. Wonder Woman sidesteps the assault. The strike misses its intended target; instead the tip of the monster's tongue plunges into the piping hot tar. The giant beast wails in agony. It loses all interest its quarry and frenziedly retreats to the cool waters of the pond where it will likely remain for some time, nursing its wound.
"Mighty quick thinking with that tear gas!" Wonder Woman marvels as Batgirl helps her to her feet. "I'm not too proud to admit that I owe you one!" Batgirl enjoys the plaudits, particularly given the source, but she is quick to deflect it. "If anyone deserves praise, it's you Wonder Woman. I wasn't the one inviting a Jurassic Park relic to make lunch out of me!"
Taking no chances on a quick return by the creature, the women hastily rejoin Supergirl along the rocky grade. Kara is relieved that they are both safe, but she expresses concern over Diana's condition. The Amazon attempts to disguise her discomfort, but it is clear her left leg is troubling her. A cursory examination by Batgirl reveals that the Amazon is suffering from a severely strained hamstring muscle. "I had one a couple years ago." Babs recalls. "They're painful and take forever to heal!" she warns. Wonder Woman nods grimly and appreciates Batgirl's candor.
It would be unwise to leave the ailing Amazon alone at the base of the ridge in close proximity to the pond; therefore Batgirl suggests they turn back. Wonder Woman won't hear of it. She insists that they all must ascend the rugged bluff. Diana dismisses the objections of her colleagues. "I can make it," she vows, "with a little help from you two."
Batgirl deftly scales the sharp incline ahead of the others. She finds a safe breaking point one third of the way up. The masked heroine secures the noose of Wonder Woman's magic lasso around a solid rock formation. Clutching the opposite end of her mystically elongated lariat, Diana mentally commands the lasso to slowly contract. This action takes much of the strain off of the Justice Leaguer's legs as she is aided up the hillside. Supergirl climbs beside the Amazon in case she encounters difficulty.
The journey is long and trying, but the three super heroines successfully reach the summit. They are disappointed to discover, however, that their trip has been mostly for naught. There is very little land on this mesa for they have reached what amounts to the northeast corner of Perdition Isle. The barrier of blackness limits the plateau to merely one acre of barren, rocky topsoil with nary a tree to dot the landscape. Down below to the west is what the heroines now call Devastation Pond. To the south is the stunningly beautiful sight of the waterfall at the mouth of Lex River. Unfortunately, the picturesque view does not reveal anything else about the geography which they don't already know.
It is early evening and the sun will soon be setting. The heroines will not travel at night if at all avoidable. Their current surroundings provide no shelter, but the weather is such that they should be fine. There is no water in the immediate vicinity, but no threats can come from the north or east. The girls agree to spend the night on the ridge, which Supergirl tabs Danvers' Peak, and plan to be on the move right at dawn.
*****
Despite her grueling day, Wonder Woman volunteers to sit the first watch. She would like to apply ice water to her throbbing thigh, but there is nothing remotely passable. Diana wraps her golden lasso around her leg to serve as an ace bandage. She elevates the leg slightly in a further attempt to minimize swelling. Batgirl was right; she has much discomfort ahead of her.
Wonder Woman glances at Batgirl as she rests alongside Supergirl. The Amazon considers the talents of the dominoed heroine and ponders how her hamstring trouble changes the dynamics of this three way partnership...
From the moment we arrived on Perdition Isle, I assumed a leadership role. As the Amazon princess and the lone JLA member, it was my place to take charge. It was also logical, for Kara is young and inexperienced while Batgirl is accustomed to working alone.
While we have all performed well together in extremely tough circumstances, I sensed from the outset skepticism from Batgirl. She seemed reluctant to follow my lead. At first she doubted my competence in the absence of my Amazon powers. Having proved myself, she more willingly acquiesced to my strategies, but I have never sensed real faith from her.
Batgirl is truly an enigma. I'm still trying to figure her out. Our past encounters have been rare and short. Her modus operandi is very much like the Batman, if not more extreme. She is a loner. She is not affiliated with any crime fighting group and, outside of Batman and Nightwing, she rarely teams up with anyone. By contrast, even the Batman is a member of the Justice League because he recognizes the added good that he can accomplish.
The Batman is a peerless example of what one can achieve via effort and determination. He is a man to be respected and admired, but he is not really a true leader. Bruce Wayne will assume the responsibility when necessary, but he is driven to push himself, rather than inspire others.
I always presumed Batgirl was the same way, for her outward persona suggests such. Spending so much time with her the past three days has given me pause. I suspect that the woman underneath that dark cowl is very different from Bruce Wayne. She has confidence, not only in her own capabilities, but also in her ability to make sound group decisions.
I sense growing tension between she and I over the course of action we must take to get off this island. My intuition tells me Batgirl wants to make those determinations. As senior heroine, I see that duty as mine. Granted, constructive discussion is vital, but fighting amongst ourselves will undermine our efforts.
My hamstring pull is doubly problematic. Not only does it severely hinder my effectiveness, but it also raises doubts about my suitability to lead our expedition. My tolerance for pain is quite high and I will stubbornly press on despite my leg. Will I be wise enough to recognize and accept my greatly reduced limits or will I try to do too much to the detriment of us all?
The prudent approach may well be to defer to Batgirl, but I can't bring myself to do so just yet. Eventually there may be no choice, but until such time I must remain in charge. Batgirl is very capable. She is courageous, skillful and resourceful, but I don't fully trust her. The three of us are trapped together facing perilous unknowns. These circumstances should inspire bonding, yet Batgirl still shields herself behind her mask. Perhaps I naively expect too much, but it troubles me that this woman, whom I want to consider a friend and a sister, refuses to reveal her true self. I want to know who she is before I'm willing to entrust our mutual welfare in her hands.
Wonder Woman leads the way as the threesome walk in a northwesterly direction along the river bank. They wish to cross the waterway so they can explore the steep ridge on the opposite side of the waterfall. This proves tricky, because the terrain on the distant side is uninviting. The violent Storm Lands is out of the question; therefore the ladies must cross before it.
Lex River widens considerably as it approaches the falls. It is a half mile wide at the crossing site and its strong rapids and undertow pose grave risks. The heroines find a nearby high point situated ten feet above the running water. Wonder Woman wraps her magic lasso firmly around her waist. She anchors the opposite end to the trunk of a sturdy tree atop the embankment. Over modest objections from her friends, the Amazon confidently dives into the water. Utilizing flawless technique, Diana swims vigorously towards the opposite shore. She occasionally finds her lithe frame dragging downstream. The Justice Leaguer refuses to succumb to the forces of nature, however, and she continues her steady course. Within minutes, a triumphant hand grabs hold of a solid rock facade on the northern side of Lex River.
Wonder Woman secures her end of the golden lariat to another tree. The enchanted lasso retains all of its special properties on Perdition Isle. It is indestructible and boundlessly elastic. The lasso expands its length as per Diana's mental wishes. As such, the glowing rope extends the entire width of the river, thus providing a means by which to climb over the raging waters.
Invigorated by her successful swim, the princess ventures out over the flow. Her body dangles atop the rapids. The line angles sharply downward towards her, meaning she is climbing uphill to reach the opposite side. The 5' 11" Amazon's toes dangle a mere foot above the river current, but the taught golden lasso holds fast. Diana swiftly and calmly makes her way back to her friends, who are rightfully impressed.
Batgirl anxiously maneuvers out above Lex River. Having had occasion to span Gotham rooftops in a similar fashion, this effort is child's play for Babs. She makes a special point to slow her pace for Supergirl, who trails several yards behind her. At first, the climb is a smooth one, but it grows increasingly tedious as they get further out on the line. Minus her Kryptonian powers, Kara's upper body strength labors to support her weight. Barbara fears that she may have to make a desperate plunge to save her struggling friend, but to her pleasant surprise, that does not come to pass. Highly motivated to prove her worth, Supergirl grits her teeth and slowly, but safely makes her way across the channel.
With Batgirl and Kara having reached their destination, Diana unties the magic lasso from its south side mooring. She fastens it about her middle and again dives into the water. Supergirl and Gordon tug the opposite end of the lariat to assist the princess as she swims. With nary a sign of trouble, Wonder Woman traverses the distance expeditiously.
The girls climb a short, yet steep rocky hill to reach a plateau. As has so often been the case on Perdition Isle, the landscape is a scene of marked contrast. They find themselves standing on a plain with rich green grass similar to their makeshift home base of Paradise Cove. Adjacent the lawn is a bubbling hot tar pit. The smell of the boiling tar carries considerably in the cool breeze, but strangely enough, the spattering of tar is virtually nil. The thick black liquid is almost entirely contained within its oval shaped pool, thus preserving the beauty of the grass. Forming the background of this curious setting is a large pond with remarkably tranquil waters.
With no signs of hostility, the heroines deem their new surroundings an ideal locale to break for an early lunch. Exercising caution, they keep their distance from the tar. The ladies take a seat on the lawn fifteen feet from the pond. Batgirl passes out apples from the bag she's been carrying. She and Kara delve right in while a dripping wet Diana looks to dry off first.
Wonder Woman graciously accepts the offer of Supergirl's cape and wraps it about her torso. The temperature is mild, but a steady breeze off the pond makes the damp Amazon shiver. Diana remarks that it is almost unprecedented for her to feel discomfort from the weather. "When I have my Amazon powers, the cold never bothers me. It could be 20 below with a minus fifty wind chill and I'm perfectly fine. I don't really start to feel the cold until about 100 below." Wonder Woman chuckles aloud. "I can't tell you how many good intentioned souls have suffered needlessly because they think I should be freezing on a cold day. Without the slightest sign of anguish and nary a goose bump on my arms, men will drape their coats over my unsuspecting shoulders. They were uncomfortable to begin with and stand there shivering, yet they refuse to acknowledge that I neither need or want their generosity. It's funny how male chivalry works!"
"Sticking with the subject of men, Diana." Supergirl begins in an intentionally leading fashion. The Amazon assumes a slight look of angst while Babs listens on intently. "What is this rumor we're hearing about Diana Prince walking down the aisle?" The princess smiles sheepishly. She would like to avoid the question, but her expressions betray her. "She's blushing!" Kara exclaims giddily. "The great Wonder Woman is blushing!"
Diana laughs at Kara's genuine excitement on her behalf. She tempers the moment by noting that nothing is definite yet. She explains that as Diana Prince, she has been juggling a standing marriage proposal for the past six months. Wonder Woman explains that after much deliberation she had finally built up the courage to accept it. "I had arranged a long getaway weekend for us." she recalls somberly. "I was planning to tell Steve then, but Phranyx showed up and ruined everything!"
There is silence as the mood changes from playful to melancholy. Diana is momentarily lost in thought. Supergirl angrily mutters as she struggles for words. Batgirl, a listener until now, appropriately sums up everyone's feelings. "This gives us all another damn good reason to get out of this God forsaken place and take Phranyx down!"
Having completed their short rest, the ladies are all the more determined to reach the apex of the cliff side. From their current location, they can see what lies ahead. The ridge is rocky and steep with weeds and brush sporadically positioned along the incline. While it will be a dangerous thousand foot ascent, no special climbing gear is needed. They are all convinced they can make it.
To reach the foot of the ridge, the super heroines must cross a small brook that runs from the pond to Lex River. The brook is thirty feet wide, but the water only reaches a maximum of six inches in depth. Wonder Woman leads the way as the trio quickly marches through the creek. Diana is nearly halfway when the calm abruptly comes to halt. The ground trembles around them. The severity and suddenness of the tremor causes all three women to lose their balance and fall into the stream.
The cause of the disturbance becomes frighteningly apparent as the heroines stagger to their feet. An enormous sea monster emerges from the depths of the pond. A cross between a giant cobra and a Tyrannosaurus Rex, the beast glares menacingly down at the tiny women. Poised at the end of an excessively long neck, its head hovers nearly one hundred feet above the water.
Instinctively, Wonder Woman takes charge of the perilous situation. She quickly barks instructions to her friends to remain motionless. Diana slowly backs up towards the grassy plain as the giant threat watches. The Amazon will draw the beast's attention, after which Batgirl and Supergirl are to dash for the ridge. She will join them upon eluding the creature.
Once she has solid ground underneath her, Diana sprints without hesitation towards the tar pit. Although minus her great powers, the Amazon champion possesses the speed of an Olympic caliber athlete. She needs all of it to outdistance the enormous reach of her pursuer. As anticipated, its focus is entirely upon her. Wonder Woman's motion is accentuated by her long hair and Supergirl's cape, both of which trail behind her as she runs.
The monster's enormous head swoops down out of the sky intent upon snaring its small prey. Diana is ten yards short of the boiling tar. Instinctively she stops her full speed sprint and makes an evasive dive to her right. Her agility allows her to avoid the large mouth and razor sharp teeth of the beast. Unfortunately, the creature possesses a tongue every bit as swift as that of a snake. Like a cat-o'-nine-tails, the fifteen-foot long tongue whips itself around Diana's left leg. She is jerked into the air as the tongue recoils towards the deadly maw.
Were it not apparent that she is being dragged by her leg, Wonder Woman would fear the beast's forceful attack had torn the lower limb from the rest of her body. Her pain is intense, yet her peril takes precedence. Desperately Diana removes her tiara and uses the sharp pointed peak of the crown to spear the powerful tongue which holds her. At a meta-human power level, she could extricate herself with ease. In her current condition, she is only able to open a small wound. The behemoth's grasp remains firm and the super heroine draws to within two feet of her doom.
A thick cloud begins to emanate from the giant throat. The Amazon fears that this is an unforeseen poison gas the animal uses to kill its prey. She quickly understands otherwise when she notices that her attacker finds the gas as unpleasant as she does. "That's tear gas!" Wonder Woman thinks to herself as the monster frantically whirls its head up and down in an effort to breathe. It loosens its grip on Diana and she slips out of its clutches when the head drops down close to ground level.
Wonder Woman limps noticeably as she scrambles away. Batgirl stealthily approaches from behind but the Amazon calls her off. The monster does not see the masked heroine and understandably presumes Diana is the cause of the vile tear gas. Infuriated, the beast seeks to annihilate its wounded quarry.
The super heroine strategically and daringly stops in front of the pool of tar. Showing no mercy, the creature's head dives towards Diana and its ferocious tongue lashes outward. Wonder Woman sidesteps the assault. The strike misses its intended target; instead the tip of the monster's tongue plunges into the piping hot tar. The giant beast wails in agony. It loses all interest its quarry and frenziedly retreats to the cool waters of the pond where it will likely remain for some time, nursing its wound.
"Mighty quick thinking with that tear gas!" Wonder Woman marvels as Batgirl helps her to her feet. "I'm not too proud to admit that I owe you one!" Batgirl enjoys the plaudits, particularly given the source, but she is quick to deflect it. "If anyone deserves praise, it's you Wonder Woman. I wasn't the one inviting a Jurassic Park relic to make lunch out of me!"
Taking no chances on a quick return by the creature, the women hastily rejoin Supergirl along the rocky grade. Kara is relieved that they are both safe, but she expresses concern over Diana's condition. The Amazon attempts to disguise her discomfort, but it is clear her left leg is troubling her. A cursory examination by Batgirl reveals that the Amazon is suffering from a severely strained hamstring muscle. "I had one a couple years ago." Babs recalls. "They're painful and take forever to heal!" she warns. Wonder Woman nods grimly and appreciates Batgirl's candor.
It would be unwise to leave the ailing Amazon alone at the base of the ridge in close proximity to the pond; therefore Batgirl suggests they turn back. Wonder Woman won't hear of it. She insists that they all must ascend the rugged bluff. Diana dismisses the objections of her colleagues. "I can make it," she vows, "with a little help from you two."
Batgirl deftly scales the sharp incline ahead of the others. She finds a safe breaking point one third of the way up. The masked heroine secures the noose of Wonder Woman's magic lasso around a solid rock formation. Clutching the opposite end of her mystically elongated lariat, Diana mentally commands the lasso to slowly contract. This action takes much of the strain off of the Justice Leaguer's legs as she is aided up the hillside. Supergirl climbs beside the Amazon in case she encounters difficulty.
The journey is long and trying, but the three super heroines successfully reach the summit. They are disappointed to discover, however, that their trip has been mostly for naught. There is very little land on this mesa for they have reached what amounts to the northeast corner of Perdition Isle. The barrier of blackness limits the plateau to merely one acre of barren, rocky topsoil with nary a tree to dot the landscape. Down below to the west is what the heroines now call Devastation Pond. To the south is the stunningly beautiful sight of the waterfall at the mouth of Lex River. Unfortunately, the picturesque view does not reveal anything else about the geography which they don't already know.
It is early evening and the sun will soon be setting. The heroines will not travel at night if at all avoidable. Their current surroundings provide no shelter, but the weather is such that they should be fine. There is no water in the immediate vicinity, but no threats can come from the north or east. The girls agree to spend the night on the ridge, which Supergirl tabs Danvers' Peak, and plan to be on the move right at dawn.
*****
Despite her grueling day, Wonder Woman volunteers to sit the first watch. She would like to apply ice water to her throbbing thigh, but there is nothing remotely passable. Diana wraps her golden lasso around her leg to serve as an ace bandage. She elevates the leg slightly in a further attempt to minimize swelling. Batgirl was right; she has much discomfort ahead of her.
Wonder Woman glances at Batgirl as she rests alongside Supergirl. The Amazon considers the talents of the dominoed heroine and ponders how her hamstring trouble changes the dynamics of this three way partnership...
From the moment we arrived on Perdition Isle, I assumed a leadership role. As the Amazon princess and the lone JLA member, it was my place to take charge. It was also logical, for Kara is young and inexperienced while Batgirl is accustomed to working alone.
While we have all performed well together in extremely tough circumstances, I sensed from the outset skepticism from Batgirl. She seemed reluctant to follow my lead. At first she doubted my competence in the absence of my Amazon powers. Having proved myself, she more willingly acquiesced to my strategies, but I have never sensed real faith from her.
Batgirl is truly an enigma. I'm still trying to figure her out. Our past encounters have been rare and short. Her modus operandi is very much like the Batman, if not more extreme. She is a loner. She is not affiliated with any crime fighting group and, outside of Batman and Nightwing, she rarely teams up with anyone. By contrast, even the Batman is a member of the Justice League because he recognizes the added good that he can accomplish.
The Batman is a peerless example of what one can achieve via effort and determination. He is a man to be respected and admired, but he is not really a true leader. Bruce Wayne will assume the responsibility when necessary, but he is driven to push himself, rather than inspire others.
I always presumed Batgirl was the same way, for her outward persona suggests such. Spending so much time with her the past three days has given me pause. I suspect that the woman underneath that dark cowl is very different from Bruce Wayne. She has confidence, not only in her own capabilities, but also in her ability to make sound group decisions.
I sense growing tension between she and I over the course of action we must take to get off this island. My intuition tells me Batgirl wants to make those determinations. As senior heroine, I see that duty as mine. Granted, constructive discussion is vital, but fighting amongst ourselves will undermine our efforts.
My hamstring pull is doubly problematic. Not only does it severely hinder my effectiveness, but it also raises doubts about my suitability to lead our expedition. My tolerance for pain is quite high and I will stubbornly press on despite my leg. Will I be wise enough to recognize and accept my greatly reduced limits or will I try to do too much to the detriment of us all?
The prudent approach may well be to defer to Batgirl, but I can't bring myself to do so just yet. Eventually there may be no choice, but until such time I must remain in charge. Batgirl is very capable. She is courageous, skillful and resourceful, but I don't fully trust her. The three of us are trapped together facing perilous unknowns. These circumstances should inspire bonding, yet Batgirl still shields herself behind her mask. Perhaps I naively expect too much, but it troubles me that this woman, whom I want to consider a friend and a sister, refuses to reveal her true self. I want to know who she is before I'm willing to entrust our mutual welfare in her hands.
