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Batman 1939: Swimming in the Styx
Chapter 26: The Monroe Doctrine
Southern Maryland
Batman and Wonder Woman kept silent through their midnight drive to Washington.
A part of Batman would have been been ecstatic to interview a woman whose mere existence overturned so many assumptions of reality, who had walked in the darkest circles of government skullduggery and who might hail from a genuine lost civilization. But he said nothing.
Likewise, Wonder Woman had a powerful urge to pick Batman's thoughts. Here, finally, a man who fit the myth of Man. A figure of larger-than-life ambitions and ruthless capacities, immune to lesser obstacles, direct and severe. And he was so monstrously intelligent: his mind was more frightening than the rest of him. Yet somehow he was no leader here but a pariah – more alien to mankind than she was. But instead she kept her peace.
The silence was only broken in the trip's penultimate hour, shortly before dawn. The Packard was low on gas, so Batman found an all-night Texaco station at the edge of a little town. He told Wonder Woman that she would drive in. She questioned this, and he explained that she was better dressed to be seen in public; she should make the transaction while he hid. The Packard pulled to the curb, whereupon Batman moved to the backseat and Wonder Woman took his place behind the wheel.
Wonder Woman voiced her doubts at his plan. Namely, she didn't know how to drive. Batman assured her that it was a mere fifty yards forward, then a gentle turn into the gas station. Simple. Wonder Woman deftly put the Packard in reverse and knocked over a mailbox. She quickly determined her mistake and set forward, swerving into the Texaco lot at twenty miles an hour. She pumped the brakes, digging the nose of the car into the pavement as it skid. The car stopped just shy of the last pump, parked so crooked it was almost perpendicular. Wonder Woman cut the ignition with a smile. She took some coins from the ashtray and stepped out to find the attendant.
Batman crouched low in the backseat, invisible under the weak roof lights of the little station. He spied Diana through the corner of the window. The station's night manager jogged out to meet her, glancing in shock at the Packard. As she talked, Batman took out a small flashlight and opened the bag she had brought from her boarding room in Gotham. Inside he discovered some clothes and a sword. He examined the sword then closed and returned the bag.
Of all the tools one might pack for a rescue mission in the 20th century, why bring a sword?
It was a short steel model with a single edge and a wide blade, a cutting sword. He guessed it was a falchion, though he wasn't an expert on the subject. Whatever the name, it wasn't a very refined design, more a machete than anything, but the metal was strong and the edge sharp. This wasn't some toy or decoration; this was a weapon, a killing instrument. Perhaps acquired where she found her fitted bronze armor, and that was still an open question. He didn't like it at all.
Wonder Woman finished her transaction. Once the Packard was fueled, she raced out of the station, driving partly over a lawn, then continued until the Texaco sign was out of sight. Batman said nothing as he took his place again behind the wheel, and they continued south.
The pink dawn was breaking across the sky as they entered Washington DC. Wonder Woman spotted the Washington's great white obelisk in the distance with a grim heart. The District had become her home in Man's World, and now she was an outcast.
Batman noticed her pensive expression but paid it little attention. His informers said that Amanda Waller was at the Fremont Hotel. They didn't know her room number, and he had never seen inside the Fremont before. This would take some delicate investigation, and if the mission went off rails, he was operating on unfamiliar turf. Gotham was unique in many ways, and he had adapted to survive in that special environment.
He was also adapted to work at night, but the sun would be out in minutes. Batman originally planned to arrive earlier. He wished he had refused Wonder Woman's detour. He was forced to consider changing into a disguise, though he found the idea distasteful. It aggravated him on a primal level to remove his cowl mid-mission for any reason, and he was especially reluctant to wear a less-concealing guise around his new associate. Also, the logistics of changing were cumbersome. To start, the inner layers of his mask were glued to his skin.
Batman decided to delay changing as long as he could. The Fremont Hotel was near downtown, and though downtown Washington was a sleepy suburb by Gotham standards, the area was hardly deserted, and traffic was already brisk. As he turned onto the street of the Fremont, he had to brake at a sudden traffic jam. The pair saw the source of the jam instantly: halfway down the block, a building was on fire.
It took a moment to see that the fire was very small: the smoke only poured from one end of the third story.
Wonder Woman turned to Batman. "Is that-"
"Yes."
"Might-"
"Go."
Wonder Woman burst out of the Packard, straining her door's hinges. Batman watched her sprint down the street. There was no path through the gridlock, so he drove onto the sidewalk and followed. He didn't know which room Amanda Waller occupied, but he didn't trust coincidences.
Wonder Woman reached the smoking building. Its white stone facade was full of elaborate masonry: fancy joints and ridges and columns and other obvious handholds. Wonder Woman took a mighty leap, catching a balconet halfway up the second story, and quickly clambered up toward the origin of the smoke. She found it was pouring out of a single window. Wonder Woman took a deep breath and climbed inside.
The hotel suite was large for its type but small enough to comprehend at a glance. A kitchenette on one side was engulfed in deep smoke, and flashes of flame spat regularly from within. A haze of smoke sat in the air throughout the room, but the open window near the kitchenette served as a escape value for the worst of it. Amanda Waller was slumped motionless on a chair nearby. The wallpaper outside the kitchenette was starting to char and peel. Suddenly, a power outlet burst, showering the carpet under the chair with hot sparks, and a line of flame shot up the wall along unseen wires. The carpet began to sizzle.
Waller was a sturdy lady, not built for easy transport. Still, Wonder Woman lifted her under the armpits and dragged her away in a hurry. More embers ignited a bed as she passed. They reached the door to the suite. It was locked. Wonder Woman kicked it open, breaking off the knob. The knob hit another door on the other side of the hallway, and moments later an old man in pajama bottoms peeked his head out. He watched Wonder Woman exit the burning room and take her first big breath.
"Land sakes! Your lodgings' aflame!"
Woman Woman gasped and, with some difficulty, hefted Waller into a cradle carry. She glanced at the old man, but before she could respond, he was running barefoot down the hall, knocking on other doors.
"Fire! Fire! Inform the Brigade! Fire!"
Woman Woman found a staircase and descended. At the first floor, a loud bell sounded elsewhere in the building. She entered the lobby and found the room in a panic. Guests were streaming out of other doors and staircases toward the main entrance. She followed the crowd. Outside, she saw the Packard idling on the sidewalk. Both passenger doors were open. Somewhere in the distance, sirens began to blare. Wonder Woman rushed forward and tossed Amanda Waller across the Packard's back seat. She slipped into the front, and before her back touched leather, Batman gunned the engine.
A convenient telephone pole shut both doors as they passed. At the corner ahead, two fire trucks turned into sight. Batman let them go by them then eased off the sidewalk.
A few turns later, they were in regular traffic. Batman turned his head and looked at Waller.
"Well done."
Wonder Woman brushed some plaster dust from her shins. "Thank you."
"She was unconscious when you found her?"
"Yes. She was insensible in a chair, though there was a fire growing just beyond. We made a narrow escape."
"No bodyguards?"
"No. Does she often keep guards?"
"Often enough. Any idea what happened to her?"
"Her clothes did have an odd smell under the smoke." Wonder Woman turned and climbed partway over her seat to take a sniff of the limp body. "I recognize it now. Wine." She sat forward again. "She reeks of wine." Wonder Woman made a noise of disapproval. "Clearly she was intemperate last night."
"Mm."
"What?"
"Waller doesn't drink."
"I doubt she poured it on herself and fell asleep."
Batman conceded a head-shrug. "And no sign of other guests?"
"I don't believe so. The door was locked."
"The window was open."
"That's true. What shall we do with her now?"
"Now we talk."
"You seem … eager." Do you relish speaking with captives?"
"I find it productive."
Amanda Waller's wrinkled eyelids shifted in the breeze and her eyes blinked open. She muttered a flat "Uheh?" and smacked her tongue, wincing at the blurred world. She was so dazed, even pain kept at a distance. Her skin was too dry and her brain felt pickled. She was nauseous. She wanted to sleep or wash her face or die.
Then she saw the a dark figure looming over her. She closed her eyes again.
"Ug."
Batman replied. "You're welcome."
Waller winced. "Turn off th' light, boy."
"That's the sun."
Waller opened her eyes to wince again. She was laying on cool pebbles in a wooded clearing. She couldn't hear any cars around. That was a bad sign. Waller tried to sit up. She felt a piercing headache, like a cow was standing between her eyes. She lay back down. "Don't suppose anyone would hear if I screamed?"
"Doubt it."
"Wha … what happened?"
"I pulled you out of a fire in your hotel room. You tell me."
Waller's expression showed a mind strained in thought. She puzzled in silence for a span of seconds, gently cross-eyed. Then a shock of recollection hit her face. "No. Ooo." She curled and vomited. When her mouth was clear, she struggled to catch her breath. "Dear God, no. Not like this." She vomited again, dirtying her blouse. The effort left her weak, but she managed to lift an arm to cover her face from the sun. "God. I-," she dry-heaved and winced again, "Not like this."
"Looking pitiful doesn't make you innocent."
Waller, still bent on the ground in anguish, muttered, "How on God's earth d'you find me?"
"I'm B-"
"Don'tcha dare say it." She rubbed her mouth and squinted up at him. "No time for this, boy. You gotta get me to a phone. Ish'a, a national emergency."
"So you drink all morning."
"Listen." She tried to sound candid and plain, a voice that did not sound natural, "We're in danger. Our county's on the edge, you understand? Need t'alert the President."
Batman folded his arms. "
Waller pounded the ground, her voice almost hitching into sobs. "Damn ye-you! We're all dead! Ge-get that? If I don't-"
"You're a lying coward, Waller, but I don't care about your excuses today."
She let out a frustrated wail and moaned, "What do you want?"
"Guess."
"What?" Waller was nearly hysterical.
Batman took out a canteen and shook it. Liquid sloshed inside. "Guess what I want, and I'll give you some water."
Waller took a deep breath. She tried to sneer, but she eyed the canteen with obvious thirst. "An' how'm I supposed to guess what some lunatic wants?"
"Because you're not stupid. How have our lives intersected that puts me in a bad mood?"
She snorted. "Fancy that, the violent madman in a bad mood." But despite her words, Waller considered the question, the concentration obvious on her dissipated features. "I've heard of you going after some big meatball crooks in that garbage city of yours."
"Keep talking."
"Weeks ago, you got in a fight."
"What fight?"
Waller coughed and wiped her mouth with her hand. "People are gonna die if I don't go, understand? I don't have time for this."
Batman unscrewed the cap on the canteen and poured some water out. He crouched beside her, casting a shadow. "What fight, Waller?"
She frowned at the wasted water. "You were putting the hurt on some bozo, and a lady broke up the fun. You and the lady end up tussling near a slaughterhouse. That's what the stories say."
"How are you involved?"
"Why ask questions if you already have your answers?"
Batman stood and stepped back, clearing the way for the sunlight that made Waller flinch. He tipped the canteen again, splashing water on her face. Waller gasped and sputtered, shocked by the cold and teased by refreshment so close to her mouth.
"You met this woman the same night I did. Outside a police station."
Waller feebly wiped her eyes. "How- How do-"
"Because I'm Batman!"
"Fine! I was. I did."
"Why am I angry, Waller?"
"Because you think that woman worked with me. Maybe you think I sent her after you."
Batman screwed the cap on the canteen and dropped it next to her. She opened it and started to drink.
"And?"
Waller emptied the canteen and tossed it aside. Invigorated, she sat up and propped herself against a nearby tree. "No, I didn't send her after you. I've ignored you for most of a year. Why start now?"
"Then explain your meeting."
"It's not worth my time to chase after you, but if someone is willing and able to pummel you on their own initiative? Those two virtues catch my interest."
"You were recruiting her."
"I've told you before: I'm a manager. I'm on the hunt for talent. Think of yourself as an audition in violence."
"Then why did she attack me? Who is she?"
"Those answers are state secrets."
"If you're sanctioning her then we have a problem. I don't like strangers promising to kill me."
Waller frowned and rubbed her forehead. "Is that what she told you? Listen, you don't need to worry."
"No?"
"She's not a threat to you. I've made sure of that. There's a reason you haven't seen her a second time."
Batman got in Waller's face, so close she could feel his breath and so angry he nearly shouted. "So I should feel safe because she swore an oath to you? Did she sign a pledge? I don't know one iota about this woman's history or intentions, and you expect me to put faith-"
Waller yelled back, "She's out of the picture, Batman! Get it now? She's gone."
Batman paced away then turned back. "Why should I believe you?"
She looked at him calmly. "Logic. You've seen what she can do; frankly, I have no clue how you survived throwing down with her. Do you expect someone with that much physical power at their whim can coexist with our national defense?"
"Yet you recruited her."
"I gave her a chance. Keep your friends close and all that." Waller shrugged. "The girl blew it."
Wonder Woman stepped out from behind a tree. "Or perhaps it is you who is blowing it!"
Amanda Waller stared slack-jawed at her. Wonder Woman marched to Batman side, standing over Waller. The pair crossed their arms. Waller faced back and forth, looking at each of them with disbelief. Finally, she coughed and coughed and stared to chuckle and then to laugh. She laughed so hard her eyes watered.
Wonder Woman raised an eyebrow. Batman did nothing.
Waller wiped a tear from her eye. "Another? You sure have a way with the ladies, Batman."
Wonder Woman opened her mouth, then closed her mouth, then turned to Batman and asked, "What does she mean by 'another'?"
Batman remained stationary, though she could see the muscles in his jaw flex.
Waller laughed again. "Oh dear, ask him what happened to the last one!"
Batman sounded bored. "Finished?"
Waller snickered through her teeth. "Well, Diana, well-played. Lord knows how you got this stubborn loon on your side, but nicely done. If my head didn't feel like a crushed melon I might say something witty."
Wonder Woman stuck her chin up proudly. "We are allied for a righteous cause, as I once though you possessed!"
Waller rolled her eyes. "No gloating, please, just kill me. Something quick, if you don't mind."
"Kill you?"
Batman shook his head. "We're not here to kill you."
Waller looked confused and exasperated. "What then? What do you indestructible freaks of nature want so badly that you went through all this trouble? Go ahead, I'm a captive audience." She snickered again and covered her eyes with her hand.
Wonder Woman answered in her most regal voice, "We're finding Steven Trevor! And you will help us!"
Batman added, "I have some questions about Argentina."
Amanda Waller's weary face went slack. She didn't move her hand from her eyes. But after a moment, her mouth crept into a dark grin. Soon it stretched from ear to ear.
Wonder Woman leaned toward Batman and whispered, "I do not like her expression."
Waller awkwardly stood. She returned Batman's serious stare. "Deal, and I'll do you one better."
"How?"
"You get to save the free world."
The three looked at each other.
Batman responded. "You mean from you?"
Waller smiled without mirth. "Oh, that's rich. Now shut up, ears opens."
Batman frowned distrustfully. Wonder Woman discreetly tried to wiggle her ears.
Waller said, "I bet you already know more of this than you should, but this is complicated and crucial, so I'll start from the beginning. For years, Nazi Germany has waged an aggressive espionage campaign across the Western Hemisphere. Until recently, that campaign seems to have been orchestrated by two ringleaders, a Spanish diplomat to Argentina, Carlos Salazar, and a figure that we knew only by codename, Der Wehrwulf. This Salazar ran activities in South and Central America, while Der Wehrwulf ran North America. The two were fiercely competitive and interfered with each other at every opportunity.
"Now, Carlos Salazar was just a man. He built one of the largest and most capable spy rings on the planet, but he was a regular human being like me and," Waller glanced at Batman and Wonder Woman and hesitated, "… Regardless, he was human. Der Wehrwulf isn't. Batman, I trust by your familiarity with Miss Diana that you'll believe me when I say some people in this world have unexplainable abilities."
Batman answered, "I've noticed."
"Corralling them is my responsibility. I'm good at it, and I say with no exaggeration that Der Wehrwulf is by far one of the most dangerous cases I've encountered. I'll use 'her' and 'she' to describe her, though you'll understand in a moment why those terms are imperfect. Der Wehrwulf is like a nasty spirit out of a bad folk tale. When she's herself, she looks like a little blonde woman, all done up in Nazi tattoos. But she steals bodies."
Wonder Woman asked, "She kidnaps them?"
Waller shook her head. "No, she occupies bodies. If she touches you, she turns into a vapor and seeps into your skin. Then her mind attacks your mind. She puts you in a corner. You can still see and hear and feel, you can still think, but you can't act. You can't do. You're possessed. She takes over your body like a squatter and stays as long as she wants. And while you're trapped in a corner, she reads your memories. That way she can talk your talk and walk your walk. She's very convincing."
Batman said, "You sound awfully familiar with the process."
Waller gave him a vicious smirk. "Oh, I ought to be. She did it to me. But I'll get to that. We don't know how long Der Wehrwolf has been active in America or how many people have been under her spell. See, she has this vicious method to stay unnoticed. She'll find someone useful, possess them, then when she's finished, the last thing she'll do in the body is set up an accident or suicide, something you can't escape, then she'll vapor out of you, you'll die, and she'll be on her way. I only found this because of two victims who survived to tell the tale, both by sheer luck."
Batman sounded grave. "The fire. You don't touch alcohol, but she drank until you were helpless, then started a fire to kill you and destroy the evidence."
Waller scrutinized him. "Ignoring how you could know that about me, that's right."
"The fire was only a few minutes old. She's still here in Washington."
"No, not likely. But as I said, I'll get to that."
"She knows everything that-"
Waller snapped her fingers at his face. "Down boy! Hush!"
Batman glared at her. She continued. "As I was said, that's her method. She can assume the identities of powerful individuals and learn their secrets. Recently, she was in control of Carmine Falcone, a big gangster in Gotham City." Waller saw Batman's neck stiffen but he didn't interrupt. "He was part of a military program to use criminals to root out Nazi spies. By your lack of surprise I guess you've heard of it. Well, since this Falcone was controlled by a Nazi spy, the program was obviously a failure. Falcone fed the military a lead that Carlos Salazar was a spy. Ironically, this lead was true. Salazar was a spy, though Falcone said that Salazar was person behind the Der Wehrwulf codename. You can see how this was a nice move for the actual Der Wehrwulf."
Wonder Woman explained to Batman, "She would be manipulating the powerful American commanders to hurt or even vanquish her southern rival while simultaneously burying their suspicion toward her own misdeeds by placing them at her rival's feet."
Batman didn't look at her. "I get it."
Waller went on, "I had my suspicions, so I had Falcone arrested." She saw a minor change in Batman's posture. "That's new to you?"
"Arrested citizens have a right to a lawyer and a trial."
"Fine, 'arrest' may not be the legal term. Let's just say he cooled his heels at my involuntary hospitality. Don't pretend he's some saint. This was a lucky move, since we snared Der Wehrwulf at the same time. Though we had no idea she existed, so she managed to escape. The good news is that Falcone survived her escape, and he was happy to explain who she was and what she's been up to. That's why she has to kill her victims: not only can a survivor squeal about her, but the survivor's seen everyone she's spoken with. Falcone names just about every Nazi agent she had. We've made a huge wave of arrests, and the FBI turned the screws on these fools to give up others we missed. Der Wehrwulf built this incredible spy ring for years, and we swept it away almost overnight. Hell, if we could do that to the Soviets, our counterespionage office would be out of work. Unfortunately, there's bad news. Shortly after she escaped, Der Wehrwulf possessed me."
Wonder Woman gasped. "Wait! Were you under her thrall when you ordered me to be put out of the picture?"
Waller sighed and shook her head. "I'd lie, but you'd realize the time lines don't match up. At least he would." She gestured at Batman. "No, that was me. But I'm getting to that. Once she had me, Der Wehrwulf was in an awkward position. Her precious crew was down the drain, and we were setting up protocols to spot her sort of infiltration if she tried again. And it's a struggle for her, keeping up appearances. You can fight her, make her stumble from the inside, now my colleagues are watching for just that sort of slip. You have no idea how many false alarms that's caused, but that's beside the point. The last thing she did before she tried to kill me was make arrangements to flee the country. Looks to be almost noon now, so she's already gone. She wants back in the game; she lost her team, but there's a big team in South America that's missing a coach."
Wonder Woman asked sharply, "How does this help Steven?"
"Here's how it helps your boy, missy: you told me weeks ago that Salazar revealed to Captain Trevor many clandestine projects that only he knew about. Shortly afterward, Trevor shot him dead. Now Trevor's the only one who knows, assuming he hasn't revealed anything during the numerous interrogations I'm sure he's endured by now. You told me about these secrets, so Der Wehrwulf learned it from me. She's off to find Captain Trevor, read his mind for Salazar's secrets, and resurrect his spy ring. Afterward, she'll almost certainly kill him."
Wonder Woman lips went tight and she looked at the ground, but she said nothing. Batman asked, "How does Der Wehrwulf know where to find Trevor?"
Waller made a slow clap. "Excellent question as usual. You wanted to know about Argentina? Here's where things get fun."
"Well?"
"After Captain Trevor shot Carlos Salazar, he was arrested. We have a few contacts in the area, so we were able to suss out where he was kept. I sent a rescue team to recover him. By sheer bad luck, our team was narrowly beaten to the prison by what turned out to be a German recovery team."
"German."
"Presumably agents of Salazar who wanted to understand why an American killed him. Salazar's role with the Reich was an open secret to the Argentineans, but we didn't know until Falcone tipped us off. The assassination must have been an awful surprise.
Wonder Woman interrupted, "A German team has him now?"
Waller shook her head. "Calm down. My boys freed him, but he wasn't in a condition to take back, so they had to leave him for the Argentinians to recover."
Batman looked thoughtful. "If Salazar was openly tolerated, then Germany and Argentina must be allies. Why risk bad relations by staging a prison-break?"
"Well, that's just the thing. Argentina's politics are at a very sensitive place-"
"The civil leaders support either America or neutrality; much of the military wants an open alliance with the Axis powers."
Waller shrugged. "Simplified but not wrong. The different groups have acted more and more independently. No one's really in charge, but neither side has made a decisive move for all the marbles. By sheer good luck, it seems Trevor fell into the hands of the friendly Argentinians."
Wonder Woman smiled. "So they will return him home."
Waller clucked her tongue. "He killed a diplomat on their soil, kid. Friendly just means he's not in Berlin. Or Madrid."
Batman said, "So Der Wehrwulf is off to an Argentine prison to find him."
Waller frowned and didn't answer for a few moments. "After his aborted rescue, the Captain was brought to a second, more remote site safe in the hands of the neutrality faction. One of Der Wehrwulf's contacts somehow learned his whereabouts, so she made me propose another rescue mission with more manpower. It happened yesterday … or today … whatever time it is. Naturally, it was a set-up. We sent a platoon, but Der Wehrwulf tipped off the pro-Axis faction, so they're standing by with a much bigger force. Our platoon storms the base, does the dirty work, takes the causalities, then the fascists march in, slaughter one of our finest units, and snatch the spoils. Just her little goodbye present before leaving me to die."
Wonder Woman scowled, "So now the evilest Argentinians have Steven."
Waller nodded. "And therein lies our mutual interest. You want to rescue Captain Trevor. I'll tell you where my little Nazi friend believes he is."
Batman asked, "In exchange for what?"
Waller gestured to him. "You're good at finding people who don't want to be found and getting places you don't belong." She gestured to Wonder Woman. "She's good at breaking things. Find Der Werwulf. Kill her."
"Why?"
Both Wonder Woman and Amanda Waller stared at him. Waller exclaimed, "Why?"
"Why should we kill her?"
Waller sounded as serious as a sermon. "Do you know what I hate about chess? It's a game of perfect information, but it has the gall to call itself war. Nothing could be further from the truth. War is ignorance and doubt. War is blind. The side who manages to stay a little less blind usually wins, and now Hitler's little angel has seen our team with a damn magnifying glass." Waller tapped her forehead. "Do you have any idea how much I know? Names, cyphers, schedules, reports. I supervise dozens of agents, foreign and domestic. I've seen bases that aren't on maps. I've seen weapons that aren't in catalogs. I keep drawers of blackmail. Boy, I am a big deal. Do you understand what she's run off with? Der Wehrwulf is the greatest single threat to our way of life and must be neutralized at any cost – no matter form she inhabits."
Batman slowly responded, "No. I meant: why should we kill her when you have so many resources at your command. Why entrust this to us?"
"Two reasons. One, this would be a big, delicate mission. it would take time to convince my superiors and more time to prepare, and that leaves precious few options. She might be in the wind before we get our boots on. And two, she's read my mind from cover to cover, so she's going to expect all the responses I could possibly prepare. If we send soldiers, she knows where they'll land. If we hire a killer, she'll recognize his face. But you two! Oh, Batman, you wouldn't work with me in a million years. And Diana, you're dead." Waller smiled again, "Oh yes, you two would be the last move she'd expect. Isn't it brilliant?"
Wonder Woman nodded bravely. "We'll do it!"
Waller turned to Batman with curious eyes. "Is that so?"
Batman looked past her, expressionless. "Yes."
"Oh good, we all get what we want. Although..." she eyed Batman. "What do you get out of all this?"
"That's my business."
"Well, I'll find out soon enough." she turned to Wonder Woman. "I have to hand it you, dear. For someone who can hardly tie her shoes, you really have a way of wrapping men around your finger."
Wonder Woman looked confused. "Just strength, but I would use several fingers."
"Right."
"And I tie shoes very securely."
"There's an airfield in Northern Virgina where I keep a plane crewed and fueled. If you head there, tell them I sent you, say it's condition double red, and give them a destination, they'll fly you south and call ahead to ready connecting flights down to Argentina. Oh, and Diana?"
"Yes?"
"One other thing about Der Wehrwulf. She knows about the Amazons."
"What? How?"
"Good question. She plucked it from my mind and said it was familiar. Go find her, and you can ask her yourself."
