"I'm not accusing you of anything Superman." a worried, yet confused Queen Hippolyta reassures the visiting hero. "I just find it difficult to believe what you are saying. Circe has been an enemy of the Amazons for centuries and in recent years she has transferred her hatred almost exclusively towards my daughter. She has tried to kill Diana on numerous occasions; this has become an obsession to her. If Circe truly has overpowered my daughter, why does she allow things to drag on?"

"Unfortunately, we all seem to have more questions than hard facts, your majesty." the man of steel responds. "Circe nearly killed the majority of my Justice League comrades. They have all survived the disease she inflicted upon them, but the non meta-human members will still be recovering for several days. That witch is devious and deadly, yet now she extends an apparent olive branch our way by returning valuable JLA property she has stolen?!"

"She is not to be trusted!" Hippolyta vehemently interjects. "There must be a motive behind these actions. Circe has never been one to value integrity or fair play. She will resort to any and all means of deception and dishonor to achieve her goals!"

"But Wonder Woman is as virtuous as Circe is not." Kal-El notes. "Circe admitted that Diana is still fighting her mind control. Perhaps your daughter's moral strength compromises the witch's evil to some extent?"

Queen Hippolyta's facial expression offers a first trace of optimism. "IF (heavy emphasis) your theory is correct Superman, we may be able to subdue her right here and now." Kal listens intently as the Amazon matriarch quickly hashes out her plan. "We can utilize Hestia's lasso against her. Ordinarily, Circe is immune to the lariat's magic, but as you know Diana is not. If my daughter is resisting Circe's domination, she will readily allow herself to submit to the compelling power of the golden lasso. Having merged with Diana, my hope is that Circe has unwittingly incurred my daughter's vulnerability to her lasso. If not, she should at least be forced to release her hold upon Diana."

Superman approves of the queen's strategy. Given Circe's long-standing hostility towards Hippolyta, it will be easy for the Amazon leader to distract her attention. He will swipe the magic lasso from Wonder Woman's side and bind her with super speed before she can retaliate.

"We had best make our way to Olympian Ridge." Hippolyta solemnly suggests. "She will arrive in five minutes."

*****

"Resuming Wonder Woman personal log ... " Princess Diana records. "As I speak, I am flying towards Paradise Island, taking extra care to vary my course. By keeping a low altitude and occasionally descending beneath the sea, I should be able to avoid detection from the JLA. I have arranged to meet Superman and my mother, supposedly with the intention of surrendering the Hawkship. While I will do just that, there are two equally important tasks I must also accomplish."

Diana looks over her shoulder at the unwilling passenger seated behind her. Shackled and gagged, the Joker is quite infuriated. He can not hear her dictation, but he can see her in the cockpit. The Amazon momentarily pauses her journal and groans in anguish. She too is not pleased to have the nefarious villain aboard, but her bizarre predicament leaves her with little choice. The Joker's knowledge of her weakened physical condition makes him especially dangerous. He is not aware of the effect this revelation has upon the sane, but he would stumble across it simply by voicing this secret to anyone. Given the Joker's hopelessly warped mind, she shudders to think of the havoc he would gleefully inflict upon the masses in that event. As such, she must keep the criminal madman isolated from everyone other than herself.

"It is nearly two full days since I left poor Shayera, Magda, and Dalma sealed in aboard the Hawkship." Wonder Woman continues. "Each is secured such that she can not escape or do harm to herself or the others. Our Amazon doctors will be helpless to treat the insanity, but at least they will get the proper nourishment to remain physically healthy."

"If my ailing friends were my only concern, I would simply turn over the new access codes to the JLA. Unfortunately, the Hawkship computer contains records of my research and testing. That information can not be seen by anyone; therefore I must board the craft and destroy all of that data. This will be tricky. Knowing both my mother and Kal, they don't intend to stand idly by while I'm in their midst. They will be looking for an opening. Every moment I spend on Paradise Island gives the League and my Amazon sisters more opportunity to devise an attack."

*****

Princess Diana knows every square foot of Themyscira as well as its surrounding waters. This familiarity is particularly vital given the circumstances. Having chosen the pretense of being possessed by Circe, she should not appear dependent upon her invisible plane for transportation to her homeland. Below the waves, the Amazon approaches a remote beach opposite to Olympian Ridge. The plane surfaces just long enough to allow her to disembark a mere twenty yards from land.

"Well, well, Hippolyta. I wish I could say it was nice to see you!" Diana mockingly trumpets upon emerging from a wooded area adjacent to the Hawkship. "I decided to take a little tour of your island sanctuary prior to our little gathering. I hope you don't mind." Wonder Woman deliberately delivers her every sentence with the unabashed arrogance she has grown to expect from the conniving witch. "I can't help but agree with your daughter." the heroine continues. "Over these last few centuries, this place really has gone to hell and a hand basket under your leadership!"

"Enough of your petty insults, Circe!" Queen Hippolyta snaps defiantly as Diana steadily walks towards she and Superman. The monarch is about to continue her stern retort when her train of thought is abruptly broken. Hippolyta recognizes a disturbing sight, one which Kal-El's super vision had noticed moments earlier. "Circe isn't carrying Hestia's lasso! She must have anticipated our plan?!" Hippolyta thinks to herself in disbelief.

Superman draws the same conclusion as the queen. Based upon this unexpected turn, both he and Hippolyta independently decide to delay any aggressions against the villainess. They patiently bide their time as Wonder Woman rants for several minutes. In between boasts and threats, the heroine mixes in various cruel insults directed at Hippolyta, the Amazon race, Krypton, the Justice League and Lois Lane.

As she had promised earlier, Wonder Woman hands Green Lantern's power battery over to Kal-El. Although he is remains skeptical and ready to respond, Superman allows the Amazon princess to board the Hawkship unattended. Diana claims she will also surrender the alien craft, but she insists upon handling a "private matter" within the ship first.

Once Diana is safely on board the Thanagarian vessel, its hull shields her activities from the outside. She busily deletes her research. The Amazon knows how clever Katar Hol can be, so she must take extra care to ensure that every trace of her testing and self diagnostics are 100% eradicated. As she works, the princess utilizes the ship's extensive surveillance equipment to monitor the proceedings outside. Wonder Woman continuously verifies that only Hippolyta and Superman are within close proximity of the ship. She also eavesdrops on their conversation and chuckles at the irony regarding her magic lariat. "If I still had my lasso, would I have actually had the foresight to leave it on the plane?" she briefly ponders.

The super heroine removes Hawkgirl, Dalma and Magda from the brig. She glances at the time. "39 seconds left." she quietly notes. Despite their considerable restraints, the trio is difficult to contain. She fears that, in their insane states, her Amazon sisters have managed to exasperate the injuries they sustained upon capture. Diana passionately pleads with them to stop struggling, but she knows it's fruitless.

"I've got to synchronize this just right." Wonder Woman reminds herself as she mans the computer console. "Once I relinquish control of the Hawkship, I must be gone!" The seconds count down. Five. Four. Three. Two. One. Her right index finger decisively depresses a button, thus triggering a multi-step program. The vessel's energy shields deactivate. Within a fraction of a second, the three missing women are teleported directly before the feet of Superman and the Amazon queen. Simultaneously, Diana transports herself to pre-arranged coordinates at one mile's depth in the Arctic Ocean. Upon completion of the transport, the computer restores Hawkman's prior access codes.

*****

Wonder Woman breathes a sigh of relief upon materializing in the cockpit of her invisible plane. She dons her goggles, thus allowing her to once again see the controls. The Joker growls at her. Although the deep sea is a true curiosity for him, he complains that plane's environment is inadequately heated. "You'll live!" she grins as she plots a course for their next destination.

*****

A sporadic series of low groans drowns out the staggered shuffling of footsteps. Were he anywhere other than in the sanctity of his own home, he would make every possible effort to mask his exhaustion and discomfort. Instead there is but a single pair of watchful eyes which observe a scene that is all too familiar within this hallowed manor.

"Sir, I would be remiss in my duties were I not to point out the obvious." Alfred Pennyworth notes. The butler sighs in frustration for he knows his words are fruitless, yet continue he must. "The medical report was quite specific. You require two full days of bed rest to recuperate and regain your strength. Many of your colleagues still remain hospitalized as a precaution. Suffice it for me to say that it would be most prudent to heed your physician's orders."

Bruce Wayne refuses to debate the matter. As always the responsibilities of the Batman take precedence. "Alfred, I take it that the item I requested has arrived?" he asks, although already aware of the answer. "In that case, I have plenty of work to do!"