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"The entry points for the three of you are located in three of the cities where the major quakes took place. Each has a chasm that extends well into the Earth and very nearly reaches one of the focal points we discussed earlier. However, make no mistake! There will be excavation required in every instance. A crew of humans could get through if there was enough time, but there is not enough time! Only you three with your super-human strength have a chance to beat the clock on this, so don't dawdle."
"What kind of deadline are we facing, Chester?" asked Phyllis. "Have you actually been able to calculate that?"
"Well, to tell ya the truth, Phyll, er, uh..." Chester was having trouble getting used to seeing his neighbor in super-herogetup and it showed."It's pretty much a guesstimate. We've run computer sims based on the data we've already gathered and the nearest we can come up with before the point of no return is four to six hours, give or take a coupla hours. After that, there is no way to guess how long it will be before the planet explodes. That is something involved with the core and we just don't know enough about that to make an educated guess. But be assured, annihilation is inevitable if even one of you is not successful in this mission."
"Where are the entry points and who goes where?" asked Jimmy.
"One is right here in Metropolis. It's the one Joe and I were exploring when we first found the purple stuff. An adult human can go down about fifty feet, but thanks to our new ELMAs, we now know that another tunnel was formed by our mystery element about fifteen feet below and to the northwest from the floor of the lowest level. That, I believe, would be ideal for you, uh... Phyllis. Ya know, maybe I should be callin' you Wonder Woman instead. Would ya - would ya be more comfortable with that?"
Phyllis/Wonder Woman blushed a bit as she answered, "Things may have changed a little, but I'm still the same person you've known the last twelve years. Besides, the name 'Wonder Woman' is just a tag someone stuck on me to sell newspapers years ago. 'Phyllis' is just fine, Chess." Phyllis broke into a wide smile and added, "Or maybe you'd like me to call you 'Rock Man?'"
"Yep, you're still the same Phyllis all right. Anyways, I think this one is best for your situation. There are fewer areas to dig through to get to your focal point, and since you're not invulnerable like Jimmy or Gary..."
"Gary...?" asked Phyllis.
"That would be me." answered Guer-On. "At first I thought it was a bit... rustic, if you will. But it's been growing on me. That is the expression, isn't it?"
"That's it all right. Gary, your entry will be in a chasm created in Sydney. Jim, your chasm is in Moscow. We'll give each of you special equipment that will allow us to keep track of you, and stay in voice contact. This equipment also includes a special ELMA sensor that will wirelessly interface with our main computers and pinpoint your focal point. Without it, your odds of guessin' the right spot to irradiate are worse than breakin' the bank at Monaco."
"'Breaking the bank...?'" asked Guer-On.
"Don't worry about it. Just means it will be really hard to do!"
"Oh..."
"Once you three are in position and set, we'll give the command and you will use the special emitters that Gary has helped us build on your assigned focal point.
"George, you've got what appears to be the easiest job on this project. You'll be in Gary's ship and once the command is given, you'll emit a wide beam burst of the radiation from space. You will need to continue this until you have managed to orbit the planet and affected every inch of it. This might take as many as three to five orbits, but from what I hear about that ship, that won't take long at all."
Chester stopped talking and looked about the room. "Okay, that's the plan! Any questions?"
"I have one!" said Noel. "What do I do?"
"You're with me!" answered her dad. "You can help me in Gary's ship. I've always wanted to take my little girl flying through space with me. Now, I can."
"Cool! Will you let me run the controls? Mom let me fly a little in her plane on the way back here! Did you know her plane is invisible?"
Chester asked, "Well now, if - if it's invisible, how do you know if it's a plane?"
Noel said nothing, she just stared at her neighbor like he was a strange visitor from another planet.
"Okay!" he said, breaking the silent standoff. "Let's go save the world. Pick up your gear in the outer area of the lab as you go out the door. Bonnie will issue each of you a pack that you must wear at all times in order for us to stay in contact with you. George, Gary already equipped his ship with a special com link to us, but take a mobile pack with you just for safety's sake, okay?"
George nodded his assent and the five adventurers charged with the mighty task of saving a planet from utter destruction headed out. Noel was almost out the door when she turned and ran to Chester and gave him a big hug. Joe was nearby watching this and was totally surprised when she came over to him and gave him the same treatment.
"Thank you both for being heroes!" she said and then scurried away back to her family.
"Cute kid!" said Officer Kubert as he brushed away a tear. "And all your friends seem like good people."
"They're the best, Joe. They're the best."
Once everyone had their gear, the Kents lingered a moment and gathered together as a family once more. The goodbyes were different than the usual "Have a nice day at work, Honey!" that often took place in the kitchen before George would head off to co-pilot a shuttle to the red planet. This time it was a little more intense. A group hug ensued and it seemed like only an atomic bomb would pry them apart, but in a moment or two, the grip was lessened and Phyllis kissed each of her children in that way only a mother could, conveying her love and concern for them. Then she and George embraced and kissed passionately. Jimmy kept expecting Noel to make a face and say, "Awww, Mom!" But she kept her silence for a change.
"At time like this," said George as the husband and wife slowly began the process of parting, "the hero is supposed to come up with a really deep and thought provoking comment to his leading lady, but all I can think of right now is... I love you, Princess. And I don't care if your name is Phyllis or Diana or whatever. I love you! Just be careful and come back in one piece!"
"I'll do my best, hon. I love you, too. Even now that my memory has returned, I know I've never met anyone as... super... as you." She was fighting back tears now. "George, when this is over, we have a few things we'll have to discuss..."
"I... kind of expected we would. But if we don't get going, it won't matter anymore, anyway. So we'd better head out. I love you!"
"I love you!" answered Phyllis, who then turned to her children and added, "And you! And you!" There was one more hug for each of them and then the Kents went their separate ways to revive the family heritage.
Guer-On accompanied Jimmy in flight to Moscow. Jim was still a bit erratic in mastering the flying, and asked Guer-on to see that he landed without putting anyone on the ground in jeopardy.
"I just don't know if I'll ever get the hang of this thing. And I'm afraid to practice! If I should lose control and fall on someone and hurt them..."
"I understand your worry. When I entered your yellow sun's range and found my ability to fly, I was quite inconsistent as well. I was fortunate, however, that my tiny size afforded me the luxury of practicing without that particular concern. But you'll get better at it eventually. You'll find areas that are sparsely unpopulated where you can practice - even on this rather densely packed world. The ocean is good place I hear..."
Jimmy looked at Guer-On at the mention of the ocean. Had he heard the story of his ill-fated attempt to fly on the way to Paradise Island? Jim thought he saw just the hint of a smile on the Kryptonian's lips. Then Guer-On did something he must have learned from his dad or Chester - he turned to Jim and winked!
They continued on in the air with Guer-On helping Jim to correct his course occasionally until they finally approached Moscow. Cutting their speed, they began to lower towards the chasm which was right in the middle of what was once known as Red Square in the twentieth century. Police tapes and inspection crews lined the perimeter of the gaping abyss. Jim began to lose control once again as they neared the ground, but Guer-On steadied him.
"Hello!" said Jim as armed security crews quickly surrounded them with guns drawn as they touched down. "Uhm... We... er... hereski to go into holeski!"
"Don't be insulting, Jim. Please allow me," said Guer-On and he began speaking what sounded like perfect Russian to the group. Presently, the guns lowered and one of the men, presumably the leader, returned a little conversation, gave a smile, and flashed an 'okay' sign. "He said he'd heard someone was coming, but he never expected anything like us. He said you can proceed on down into the tunnel. It has been evacuated, and these people will see that no one else enters until either you emerge or they hear that they need to send a search party for you."
"I think I like option one better." Jim took a quick look around at thecrowd of people surrounding the cordoned off abyss. They seemed to gaining new interest in the goings on."Well, I guess there's no time like the present. Thanks for your help, and good luck on your mission. Will you come back to pick me up after you're through?"
"No, I think not. It's time you went solo, I believe. But for now, just be careful and don't get toocomfortablewith your powers. You could run into anything down there that could get you in trouble, and it could besomethingthat evenyour abilities can't help you get out of.All right?"
"All right!" He looked around once again at the people lining the perimeter who were eying him with just as much intensity. One young lady was mouthing the words, 'soo-per-mahn?' which gave Jim cause to smile. "Be seeing ya!"
"Be seeing me? You're doing that now... Oh! Of course! Yes! Goodbye until later and good luck!" With that, Guer-On disappeared into the sky. Jim looked at the crowd once more and waved at them all. Cheers and chants of "Soo-per-mahn! Soo-per-mahn!" erupted as they waved back, and Jimmy, the new Superman, hopped into the rift.
I feel like Alice dropping into Wonderland, thought Phyllis as she descended the tunnel. The day was warm, much warmer than Metropolis usually was this time of year, and She was glad at first to be wearing the short-shorts version of her famous red, white, and blue uniform. But the deeper she went into the quake formed chasm, the cooler it got, and she began to wish she had worn something a little heavier. At her side, along with the unbreakable golden lasso of truth, was the magic sword of Theseus - the same sword that had brought her such amusement years ago when her friend Kal had failed to cut the magic rope. Now, she was using it to cut through the rock and clay of inner Earth in order to reach the tunnel Chester had told her about.
As she continued to hack through the hardened soil, she thought of her conversation with Artemis on the island before she left. As Princess Diana of Paradise Island, she had a responsibility to her homeland. Artemis may have been right that the news of her return could bring the wayfaring amazons back home. From what she had seen, the island needed them more than ever. Ironic, thought she, how guns and bombs couldn't destroy the Amazon nation, but a bump on her head almost had.
On the other hand, centuries of her life had been spent for the good of the land of her birth. She had been a warrior, ambassador, beneficent monarch, world icon, nurse, secret agent - all in the name of the Grecian gods of myth, her mission in Patriarch's world, and Themyscira. Wasn't it time she lived for herself and the fulfillment of her new family?
It was a battle she had to fight within herself, but the time for that must come later. Right now, the survival of the Earth itself was paramount in her priorities. Right now, her focus needed to be on digging her way through the hard, densely packed limestone and soil.
"Phyllis, this is Chester," Her communicator announced.
"Hello, Chess... (Mmmmmph!) What's up?"
"Just watching your progress. It looks like you should be breaking through any second. I don't know what you're using to cut through all that rock, but it really is somethin'! I don't suppose there are many more of 'em, are there?"
"Sorry, Chess (uhhh-ahhh!). But this is the only one (Ah-mmmph!). I think you're right, though, about breaking... through. Just one more lunge, I think and...(Urrrrgh!)!" The wall of dirt and rock she had been cutting through suddenly gave way to a tunnel just in front and below. Along with the wall went part of the floor supporting her, dropping her backside on a ledge ten feet below.
"Owwwww!" said the princess.
"Phyllis!" cried Chester through the two-way. "Are you all right? We're reading thatyou had a bit of a sudden drop just now."
"Your monitoring system is working fabulously, Chess. Yes, I'm fine. Nothing hurt but my pride. It's been so long since I've done anything like this that my reactions are a bit slow is all. But, I've cracked into the tunnel and I'm about to descend. You... failed to mention that it runs almost straight down."
"Didn't I ? Must've slipped my mind. Sorry, neighbor, but I knew you could handle it!"
"Right...!" she said as she carefully stood up on the ledge. I guess I'll see if I can remember my flying lessons now, too. "Okay, Chester. I'm descending... now!" And with those words, Wonder Woman stepped off the ledge and began to float effortlessly down through the narrow tunnel towards her mission target.
Guer-On was running into considerably more resistance as he burrowed down through the Earth. He had found the entry point in Sydney and checked in with the crew there before entering the chasm. His progress went unimpeded for about a mile or so, but then, with Chester's guidance, he had to begin forming his own way. According to the Earthling scientist, he would be breaking through to a new tunnel any minute.
As he continued to work his way through down into the planet's innards, he reflected on these acquaintances and how open and friendly they had been. More open than I have been with them, he thought. I probably should have told them that I had not yet fully recovered from my encounter with kryptonite earlier.
In fact, Guer-On was still experiencing moments of dizziness, and during the work of burrowing through this planet's insides he was feeling somewhat weak. When he had been flying with Jimmy, he felt very strong. Probably due to the effects of the yellow sun recharging my cells, he thought. And he felt no ill effects until he had to crash through one earthen wall that caved in atop him. Since that moment, he had begun to feel weaker and weaker. But he continued on, knowing what was at stake and the consequences were if he could not fulfill his part of the mission. But maybe if I just rested a moment...
"Gary, this is Chester. Our monitors show your progress has stopped. Are you all right?"
Guer-On, startled by the transmission, looked at the chronometer he had been issued and realized he had stopped digging at least three minutes ago. "I'm fine, Chester. I... simply was... reassessing my position. How much further need I dig to reach the final corridor?"
"I guess that's why we were concerned,. The wall you're working is about to go. One more of those super-powerful punches of yours and you'll be through. Once you've done that, you're only about three hundred feet from your goal. About a football field away."
"A what...?"
"Earth American game. Never mind..."
"All right..."
"Gotta check in with George, but you stay in touch, okay?"
"Okay." Guer-On resolved to continue and drove his hand into the wall of stone and hardened soil. His punch had been less than super-powerful. It had only penetrated about six inches through. This was going to take longer than anyone thought.
"Okay, George. Everyone's just about ready. How're things looking for you and the little princess?"
"Everything's looking good up here, Chess. I've been taking advantage of the situation to teach her about her Kryptonian heritage."
"Speaking of Kryptonians... Y- your friend, Gary... Is he okay? He sounded a little strange when I talked at him awhile back."
"What do you mean, strange?"
"Well, ta be honest, he sounded like he was kinda sick or somethin'. You guys didn't run into anything out there in the cosmos that would do that to him, did you?"
"Actually, Chess, we did. He was exposed to a pretty healthy dose of kryptonite while we were dealing with... a situation. It was awhile before I could help him. But that was long enough back that he should be fine now."
"I see. Well, maybe I was hearin' somethin' that wasn't really there, but he sounded like a man who needed to be in bed... or a doctor's office. Ya know, those portable emitters being carried by everyone down there are powered by some of that kryptonite you two brought back. He has a pretty good sized lump of it in his backpack."
"You think he could have had an accident?"
"I hope not. He didn't say anything about it last time we talked, anyway. In any case, let's just hope we're all just worried about nothin'. We're almost at zero hour, here, and there isn't much leeway on our time to fudge with."
"How much time is left, Chess?"
"It's been about two and a half hours since you all left me in Metropolis. I'd say that if Gary isn't able to complete his part of the mission, The Earth has about an hour to live."