How Much is the World Worth?
Chapter 2: Trouble
By: Babs Laumer
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, I get no money from this, blah, blah, blah...you know the drill. ;)
A/N: Sorry this took so long; death in the family, monster homework... Anyway, I hope you all enjoy.
"That was hardly fair, tying me up with my lasso."
"Expect the unexpected."
I sighed. Now I had to come up with a dinner and then MAKE it. This was going to be a problem.
"So, what do you like for dinner?" He drew up short, almost as if he was startled.
"You don't have to."
I crossed my arms and furrowed my brows.
"Are you telling me something about my cooking?"
We finally came up with a sort of system for dinners around here, particularly as some of us sort of live here. I'd made dinner once since the system was set up, and it was a mild success. At least no one threw up afterwards. Somehow Superman had convinced Batman to do dinner (don't ask me how), and he came up with a mouth watering dinner that, every so often, I crave for. I planned to ask for the recipe, but he was always conveniently gone. After the dinner, I overheard Superman talking to Batman. Something involving 'dinner' and 'butler'. Unfortunately, I was noticed, so I didn't get any more than that. Rats.
Batman shook his head.
"No. Anything you make should be fine." He turned all the way to face me. "Is that all? I have monitor duty."
Well, there was one little detail...
"What time is good for you?"
Considering today was 'every person for themselves', I wouldn't worry about offending anyone. Starting with Superman, everyone went in rotation (when we were all here), and then there are a couple of days where everyone does their own thing.
"8:00PM EST is fine." I did some math in my head. Hmmmm...can't go for anything taking longer than six hours. That still covered enough different choices that was acceptable. And that I had a chance of making without poisoning him.
"Okay." He disappeared down the hallway in a swirl of cape and shadows. Almost makes me wish I had a cape. I slapped myself and started off toward the kitchen to see if I couldn't cook something up.
I was just ready to add the noodles when the alarm went off. Half of them fell over the stove and onto the floor when I jumped, startled. Sighing, I turned off the stove, left the mess, and flew toward the monitor room.
Just as I arrived, so did Superman. Everyone else showed up seconds later.
"What happened?" Superman was hovering in back of Batman's chair, staring at the lit up screen. Batman didn't turn. He merely pointed at the screen and told us, "The U.S.S. Corona, Europa, and Gaela are sinking. They're large passenger vessels."
"Where are they now?" A low beep sounded, and I looked for the source. It seemed to have come from...
Batman pulled a cell phone out of his utility belt with his left hand, expertly flipped it open so it looked casual, and continued typing with his right. I wonder what else he keeps in there...
"Yes?" Did his voice sound different, or was it just me? I looked at the others, and while Superman didn't seem to notice, Hawkgirl was staring at him oddly and Flash's head whipped around from staring at a computer screen in the corner. I stared at the computer screen, curious. What was Ages of the Empire anyway? It appeared to be more colorful than an encyclopedic web page. Batman's voice distracted me, and I turned to face the main screen again.
"One moment." Batman hit a button on the phone and his voice became the same deep voice I recognized.
"They're here [location]."
Superman studied it. "Okay." As Superman turned to us, Batman turned his head around the big chair.
"Go on ahead. I'll meet you in 15 minutes. I have some things to take care of."
His head disappeared around the chair again. Superman shrugged.
"All right, team, let's go!"
Hawkgirl rolled her eyes, but we all followed. I smiled inwardly.
The trip down in the Javelin was relatively uneventful. I watched the clouds rush past as we descended towards our destination. Suddenly Superman pulled the ship to a halt, unstrapped, and made for the door. I noticed that the Javelin hung gracefully in the air as I flew out to the ships below. They were a horrible mess. Flames rushed out of two, and the other was sinking into the wide expanse of blue ocean. People screamed on the decks, trying to escape as quickly as the life boats could be lowered. My mouth set itself in a firm line, and I swept towards the worst off boat, landing lightly next to Green Lantern. The others had paired up and went for the other two vessels. I set my eyes to sweep the deck, looking for that which must be done first. My eyes lit on a harried looking man with a captain's air as he ordered his men around. I advanced on him, and saw Green Lantern follow closely. The captain broke off in mid yell as he noticed us.
"How may we help?"
The captain stared at me a second, his jaw dropped a bit. Suddenly realizing what he was doing, he pulled it closed into a scowl.
"The third class passengers are trapped two "floors" down. The corridor collapsed, and the fire started in the engines, the level underneath them."
He passed a hand nervously across his forehead, wiping away the sweat. I closed my eyes. Great Hera. Without another word, I flew at the door to the bowels of the ship, Green Lantern pulling off the door before I smashed through it. I landed just inside the door, as the smoke prevented me from seeing clearly. Coughing, Green Lantern touched my shoulder, indicating the stairway. Nodding, I followed. The smoke was, if possible, thicker at the third level. I could hardly breathe at this point.
"We're here." Squinting into the smoke, I coughed again.
"Where?" Green Lantern used his ring as a light, and the collapsed corridor showed faintly in gleam of the green light.
We soon cleared it, and got to the other side. A door stood to our left, and there were crying sounds behind it. I opened the door and we rushed in to find...nothing. It was the main part of a comfortable cabin, and there seemed to be a door going off from it, but no one was in there. That didn't make sense...
"Where are they?"
"I thought someone was in here..." The cry sounded again, and Green Lantern opened the other door and looked in. He soon popped his head out, shaking his head.
"No one's in there, either." He looked suspicious, and I must admit I WAS starting to wonder. Wonder. Wonder Woman. Heh. Something was bothering me.
"That cry couldn't have been from out of this room." Green Lantern looked grim.
"It wasn't." He held up a speaker. My eyes widened. Then it hit me. I could see.
"Where did the smoke go? I thought this part of the ship was supposed to be the worst."
"Maybe it's because the door is shut." I turned and looked at the door, and sure enough it was closed. That's strange, I don't remember closing it...
"Di..Diana? Green...Lan..Lantern...trap... Uhhhh." I felt my insides go cold.
"Superman? Come in!" Static greeted us. Green Lantern started for the door, but, instead of getting smaller as he should when going farther away, he was getting bigger. When he hit the floor, the room started swirling. I gripped my head to keep it from falling off, but it wasn't working. Breathing was...getting difficult.
"Diana? What's the status?" What? I thought foggily. Let's see I was gripping my head and...
set off the communicator. I was never so happy to hear his gravely voice. If only I was alive enough to appreciate it.
"ETA 5 minutes." No! I was on my knees now, and closed my eyes to keep me from getting sick.
"No...trap...gas.....oh, Hera..." Then I hit the floor, and the last thing I remember before blacking out was his voice yelling in my ear.
"DIANA!"
By: Babs Laumer
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, I get no money from this, blah, blah, blah...you know the drill. ;)
A/N: Sorry this took so long; death in the family, monster homework... Anyway, I hope you all enjoy.
"That was hardly fair, tying me up with my lasso."
"Expect the unexpected."
I sighed. Now I had to come up with a dinner and then MAKE it. This was going to be a problem.
"So, what do you like for dinner?" He drew up short, almost as if he was startled.
"You don't have to."
I crossed my arms and furrowed my brows.
"Are you telling me something about my cooking?"
We finally came up with a sort of system for dinners around here, particularly as some of us sort of live here. I'd made dinner once since the system was set up, and it was a mild success. At least no one threw up afterwards. Somehow Superman had convinced Batman to do dinner (don't ask me how), and he came up with a mouth watering dinner that, every so often, I crave for. I planned to ask for the recipe, but he was always conveniently gone. After the dinner, I overheard Superman talking to Batman. Something involving 'dinner' and 'butler'. Unfortunately, I was noticed, so I didn't get any more than that. Rats.
Batman shook his head.
"No. Anything you make should be fine." He turned all the way to face me. "Is that all? I have monitor duty."
Well, there was one little detail...
"What time is good for you?"
Considering today was 'every person for themselves', I wouldn't worry about offending anyone. Starting with Superman, everyone went in rotation (when we were all here), and then there are a couple of days where everyone does their own thing.
"8:00PM EST is fine." I did some math in my head. Hmmmm...can't go for anything taking longer than six hours. That still covered enough different choices that was acceptable. And that I had a chance of making without poisoning him.
"Okay." He disappeared down the hallway in a swirl of cape and shadows. Almost makes me wish I had a cape. I slapped myself and started off toward the kitchen to see if I couldn't cook something up.
I was just ready to add the noodles when the alarm went off. Half of them fell over the stove and onto the floor when I jumped, startled. Sighing, I turned off the stove, left the mess, and flew toward the monitor room.
Just as I arrived, so did Superman. Everyone else showed up seconds later.
"What happened?" Superman was hovering in back of Batman's chair, staring at the lit up screen. Batman didn't turn. He merely pointed at the screen and told us, "The U.S.S. Corona, Europa, and Gaela are sinking. They're large passenger vessels."
"Where are they now?" A low beep sounded, and I looked for the source. It seemed to have come from...
Batman pulled a cell phone out of his utility belt with his left hand, expertly flipped it open so it looked casual, and continued typing with his right. I wonder what else he keeps in there...
"Yes?" Did his voice sound different, or was it just me? I looked at the others, and while Superman didn't seem to notice, Hawkgirl was staring at him oddly and Flash's head whipped around from staring at a computer screen in the corner. I stared at the computer screen, curious. What was Ages of the Empire anyway? It appeared to be more colorful than an encyclopedic web page. Batman's voice distracted me, and I turned to face the main screen again.
"One moment." Batman hit a button on the phone and his voice became the same deep voice I recognized.
"They're here [location]."
Superman studied it. "Okay." As Superman turned to us, Batman turned his head around the big chair.
"Go on ahead. I'll meet you in 15 minutes. I have some things to take care of."
His head disappeared around the chair again. Superman shrugged.
"All right, team, let's go!"
Hawkgirl rolled her eyes, but we all followed. I smiled inwardly.
The trip down in the Javelin was relatively uneventful. I watched the clouds rush past as we descended towards our destination. Suddenly Superman pulled the ship to a halt, unstrapped, and made for the door. I noticed that the Javelin hung gracefully in the air as I flew out to the ships below. They were a horrible mess. Flames rushed out of two, and the other was sinking into the wide expanse of blue ocean. People screamed on the decks, trying to escape as quickly as the life boats could be lowered. My mouth set itself in a firm line, and I swept towards the worst off boat, landing lightly next to Green Lantern. The others had paired up and went for the other two vessels. I set my eyes to sweep the deck, looking for that which must be done first. My eyes lit on a harried looking man with a captain's air as he ordered his men around. I advanced on him, and saw Green Lantern follow closely. The captain broke off in mid yell as he noticed us.
"How may we help?"
The captain stared at me a second, his jaw dropped a bit. Suddenly realizing what he was doing, he pulled it closed into a scowl.
"The third class passengers are trapped two "floors" down. The corridor collapsed, and the fire started in the engines, the level underneath them."
He passed a hand nervously across his forehead, wiping away the sweat. I closed my eyes. Great Hera. Without another word, I flew at the door to the bowels of the ship, Green Lantern pulling off the door before I smashed through it. I landed just inside the door, as the smoke prevented me from seeing clearly. Coughing, Green Lantern touched my shoulder, indicating the stairway. Nodding, I followed. The smoke was, if possible, thicker at the third level. I could hardly breathe at this point.
"We're here." Squinting into the smoke, I coughed again.
"Where?" Green Lantern used his ring as a light, and the collapsed corridor showed faintly in gleam of the green light.
We soon cleared it, and got to the other side. A door stood to our left, and there were crying sounds behind it. I opened the door and we rushed in to find...nothing. It was the main part of a comfortable cabin, and there seemed to be a door going off from it, but no one was in there. That didn't make sense...
"Where are they?"
"I thought someone was in here..." The cry sounded again, and Green Lantern opened the other door and looked in. He soon popped his head out, shaking his head.
"No one's in there, either." He looked suspicious, and I must admit I WAS starting to wonder. Wonder. Wonder Woman. Heh. Something was bothering me.
"That cry couldn't have been from out of this room." Green Lantern looked grim.
"It wasn't." He held up a speaker. My eyes widened. Then it hit me. I could see.
"Where did the smoke go? I thought this part of the ship was supposed to be the worst."
"Maybe it's because the door is shut." I turned and looked at the door, and sure enough it was closed. That's strange, I don't remember closing it...
"Di..Diana? Green...Lan..Lantern...trap... Uhhhh." I felt my insides go cold.
"Superman? Come in!" Static greeted us. Green Lantern started for the door, but, instead of getting smaller as he should when going farther away, he was getting bigger. When he hit the floor, the room started swirling. I gripped my head to keep it from falling off, but it wasn't working. Breathing was...getting difficult.
"Diana? What's the status?" What? I thought foggily. Let's see I was gripping my head and...
set off the communicator. I was never so happy to hear his gravely voice. If only I was alive enough to appreciate it.
"ETA 5 minutes." No! I was on my knees now, and closed my eyes to keep me from getting sick.
"No...trap...gas.....oh, Hera..." Then I hit the floor, and the last thing I remember before blacking out was his voice yelling in my ear.
"DIANA!"