WW4
The Return of the Baroness
Paula Von Gunther sighed. To a casual observer, assuming one had managed to make it to the hidden room and fight past the armed sentries, one would have seen an ordinary woman grading papers in a classroom. Paula was not a teacher, at least not in the conventional sense.
Her proper story began some years ago. She had married into the Von Gunther family. To what the Rockefellers were to America, the Von Gunthers were to Germany. From the Hapsburgs to the Bismarcks, there had been always a Von Gunther behind the scene.
Her husband Gottfried was no exception. He had been a rising star in the German Army, but he felt his services could have been better spent elsewhere. Getting into Army Intelligence, he had quickly mastered that field as well. He was one of Germany's top espionage agents before the war ended. After the crash, the Von Gunther family was wiped out. The estates were dismantled, the savings deemed worthless. He was a proud man, and such a disgrace was hard to bear. He shot himself before a portrait of a distant uncle one bright May morning.
Paula thought, briefly, about joining him. The only thing that stayed her hand was her daughter Greta. She sought out her husband's contacts and found a job with the newly structured government as a typist.
When the new party came into power, she was approached about a position. She accepted on the spot. Her life changed to one of constant danger. She was taught languages, combat techniques, and the art of interrogation. In just little than two years, she had risen from a struggling office drone to a master spy.
And in the course of one night a star spangled lunatic had stripped it all away.
She knew if her last name were anything else, she would have been better off staying in the burning car she had been trapped inside. Escaping, she made her way to the coast and from there reported back to the German High Command of her failure.
They were less than believing. It took the so-called 'Wonder Woman' to stop more of their plans before they released her from prison. It was from there she found herself now in West Virginia, posing as a headmistress for an all girls' school. Her task was simple: Train new agents and test out the new brainwashing techniques.
Normally such a simple assignment would cause her annoyance. Instead, she felt fear, for as she accepted the task in Berlin it was made clear to her what would happen to Greta if she failed a second time.
His shoes clicked on the marble floor. Steve Trevor made his way past the various guards and stepped into a private elevator. He mentally collected himself as the box descended down into a specially armored basement.
Entering the special briefing room, Steve flashed his id and made his way past the final checkpoint. Stepping into the darkened room, Steve stood at attention until he heard the gruff voice speak.
"At ease Trevor." Colonel Darnell's voiced called to him. Steve sat down at the table as a projector clicked on.
"What you are about to see doesn't leave this room." Images flashed on the screen. "This footage was shot by an FBI agent last week in the hills of West Virginia." The picture was grainy, but Steve could see a familiar woman milling about the grounds.
"So, the Baroness survived, eh? I knew it was too good to be true."
"Yes, and what's more, she seems to be recruiting."
"A spy school?"
"We think. The agent was discovered before we could get anymore information."
"Sir, why was the FBI getting involved in this anyway?"
"That brings me to my next point." The picture changed to footage of various young women. "In the past month, nearly a dozen young women have been reported missing from the East Coast. This footage matches with the description of several of the women."
"Some kind of brainwashing scheme?"
"Possibly." Darnell leaned forward. "Steve, I want you to handle this with kid gloves."
"I was planning to, but is there a particular reason I should know about?"
"Senator Clover's daughter went missing three days ago, and we have reason to believe that she may have been abducted."
"And you want me to break up a spy school, rescue the girl, and attract no attention what so ever?"
"Can you do it?"
Steve chuckled. "I can do it, but I would like to bring some outside help."
~WW
Inside a nondescript office building nestled deep within the heart of the nation's capital, there was a special room. Inside the room were artifacts of a curious and unique nature. Chief among these objects was a small radio.
It was roughly the same size as a regular radio. Rotund in shape, it resembled a small building in the classical design. Flipping open the dome, he pulled out a set of headphones and began to tune into the right frequency.
The device was, as best as he could tell, just a means of communication that allowed him to see whom he was talking to as they spoke. The only catch it seemed to be personalized. Some of the best minds in America tried to decipher it. Half of them couldn't use it and the other half couldn't even see it.
Slipping the headphones on, Steve dialed the one person he knew could help. "Calling Angel, this is Uncle Sam, over."
"Steve, I told you, no one can hear us on this line." Hippolyta smiled as her face filled the small screen.
"Sorry, force of habit. Look your highness, we have an emergency on our hands and we could use your help."
"Oh?" She didn't look thrilled. Would she accept? Steve decided to make a hard sell. "What of Diana Prince? She seemed equal to any task you could ask of me."
"I'll tell her you said that; no, we need you." He gave her rundown of the Baroness's plans.
Hippolyta was not pleased. "So, my enemy has returned." The line was silent for almost a minute. "I shall meet you in our usual meeting place." The line went dead.
Steve whistled softly to himself as he put the Mental Radio away. The look in her eyes suggested that maybe the Baroness would have been better off staying in that burning car…
Hippolyta brought her plane down in the empty field. She marveled at the repair work as she killed the engine and stepped out the cockpit. "Io does amazing work for one so young." The plane, invisible to the naked eye, left only a few indentions in the grass as she closed the canopy.
Steve adjusted his tie for the umpteenth time. Waiting by the car, he couldn't help but jump when a hand tapped his shoulder. "Were you waiting long?"
"No angel, just nervous about the assignment."
"Understandable, but where is von Gunther now?"
He showed her the folder. Aside from a few mutterings, the queen of the Amazons was silent. Shortly, she put the papers down. "Enslaving the minds of young women? I trust you will give me no undue grief if I were to end her miserable life?"
"Not a problem here angel, but listen, I think we have something deeper going on here. Girls have been missing. For the most part they were girls that wouldn't have been missed. But now that she's moving up in the social circles it means she must be planning for something. We need to find out what, understand?"
Wonder Woman patted the golden lasso at her hip. "Have no fear of that. There isn't a mortal alive who can resist the Lasso of Truth."
For the next forty-eight hours, Hippolyta made the transformation from Amazon Queen to prospective teacher. Taken to a small apartment south of Washington, she was overjoyed to meet with Diana Prince again. The trio worked to make her able to pass as a regular American.
"That daffy Kraut knows me all too well, so I can't go." Diana lamented. "But with a little bit a work, you can slip in."
All the while, Steve had his doubts. "Think you can handle sneaking about? This mission doesn't require guns blazing you know."
All it took was one look from her to quiet his doubts. "An Amazon is more than brute strength." To demonstrate, she picked up a fallen hairpin. With a few twists and turns, she changed it to a small representation of Greece. "Do not fear, I will not fail." She looked at the single telephone in the room. "May I use that device first?"
~ Two days later
The tutoring went by fast. It took some work, but they managed to cover up Hippolyta's accent to help her pass as a Northeasterner. Giving her flats helped to hide her height, as well as a few lessons in slouching. The weapons were an issue. The bagginess of her clothing helped hide the lasso (which she insisted be taken with her, no matter what), but they were unable to find a way to hide anything bigger than a dagger on her person.
Diana couldn't but notice an odd occurrence. Steve tried to remove the thick bracelets covering Wonder Woman's wrists. Hippolyta caught his hand in a terrible grip instantly. He said nothing, but she took her side. "What was the meaning of that?"
Hippolyta looked away. She almost looked ashamed. "I…cannot say. Amazons are not permitted to have a man handle their bracelets. It is an old custom, and I fear I do not have the time to explain."
"I understand culture, but a prospective teacher may attract some unwanted attention if they were sporting some fancy jewelry." She reached over. "If a man can't touch them, how about a woman?"
She flinched. "I'm sorry, but no. No one is permitted to remove an Amazon's bracelets."
Diana exhaled loudly. "Alright, I understand that, but this is may compromise our mission. Now I think we can just roll your sleeves down to cover them, but I have to know if we're going to keep working together."
Wonder Woman fidgeted. "Very well, but alone." She cast her eyes at Steve, who got the hint and left. Once the door was closed, she leaned in close to Diana and talked. "It is not a story we Amazons are proud of, but I suppose I can trust you with it."
~A
"Back when we roamed the mortal world, we ran afoul of the man Hercules. I was smitten with him, and despite the warning of my advisors, sought an alliance with him and his men. They betrayed us, burned our great city, and slew many of my sisters."
Diana paled. "I…I didn't know."
Wonder Woman placed her hand over hers. "It is not a story we relish in retelling. The gods saved us, but at a cost." She held up her other hand. "The bracelets are unbreakable and must not be removed. It is the will of the gods themselves."
"So, wait, the gods helped you, but you have to wear those?" Diana tried to rationalize the strange whims of the divine. Wonder Woman sadly nodded in agreement.
"Yes, as a form of punishment for our weakness." She looked at Prince's unbelieving eyes. "The gods can be cruel in their kindness."
Steve's knocking on the door broke the moment. Letting him in, the briefing continued as planned. The whole time, however, Diana kept finding herself drawn to the strange blue bands around Wonder Woman's wrists.
~WW
Wonder Woman found herself standing before the arched doorway of the St. Triennia's School for Underprivileged Gentlewomen. She had a briefcase with all her cover information inside. Opening the door, she noticed the camera hidden in the far corner.
Making her way towards the main office, she walked past classrooms that were empty. Her heels clicked and echoed on the ancient tile floor. Rounding the corner, she saw the headmistress's office and heard voices inside.
She was not able to make out the entire conversation, but the fact it was being conducted in German told her enough. She knocked once before opening the door. The voices went silent.
"How do you do, my name is Polly King, I came here regarding the job posted?" She repeated the lines spoken to her, but when she looked up she nearly froze. Behind the desk was none other than Paula von Gunther.
She looked different. Her hair was much shorter and it had been dyed a faint reddish hue, which contrasted greatly with her blue eyes. "Ah, Miss King, yes, I have your information here." She spoke in a perfect American accent, with only a slight Southeastern twang to her speech.
"We here at St. Triennia value patriotism and respect above all else." She stood up and led her to a second door. "Allow me to show you the grounds."
Wonder Woman agreed, but said nothing. Walking down another hallway, they passed a crowded classroom. Wonder Woman caught a glimpse through a crack in the door. The students were all sitting neatly at their desks. The only odd thing was the large head phones strapped over their ears as they read from their books.
Paula noticed her looking and smiled. "As I said, we value patriotism and respect. As each student reads from her text, we play specially made audio recordings, designed for the purpose of fostering a healthy respect for this great land."
"I see, but doesn't that interfere with the teacher?"
"Oh no, not at all; In fact it can be quite inductive to a respectful atmosphere." They continued their walk, going deeper into the building. Paula held up a hand. Wonder Woman stopped. She warily eyed Paula. What did she have planned?
Paula seemed to eyeing her just as critically. Did she suspect? "Your references were in perfect order Miss King. I would be honored to have you on staff. There is just one simple thing left before we start."
"Really? What would that be?" Wonder Woman stepped into the dim office as Paula walked up behind her and struck the back of her head with a blackjack. She was barely fazed, but she didn't wish to reveal her hand just yet.
With a slight whimper she dropped to the ground. She heard Paula's chuckling and felt rough hands grip her by her ankles and drag her into the dark. She kept her eyes close until she was sure she was alone. Opening them, she heard Paula instructing someone she couldn't see.
"Bind her, and then take her down to the mine. I want her prepped for the procedure at once."
"Understood." The voice was gruff. The fact it was German was no surprise. Wonder Woman weighed her options. If she acted now, then her cover would be blown and the captives would be as good as dead. If she did nothing, then her greatest weakness would be exposed.
"Hera, guide your daughter!" She silently prayed as a man entered the room. Taking a length of chain from the wall, he tightly wrapped it around her wrists. At once, Wonder Women felt something she had not felt in ages: weak.
Her head throbbed as she was casually swung over the guard's shoulder and carried into an elevator. Her vision swam as she was dumped onto a dirt floor and chained to the wall. Paula loomed over her. "Well now, Miss King, or whoever you really are, I want to congratulate you."
Wonder Woman weakly struggled against her bonds as Paula continued. "Oh, we will hire you, but there is a small matter. I like my girls to know their place. This little procedure will ensure that, and it will also ensure your unquestioning loyalty to the Fatherland."
Her hands hover tantalizingly close to Wonder Woman's bonds. Wonder Woman knew if a man bound her wrists, she would be powerless. If freed by a woman, however, she would regain her strength. As Paula's fingers lightly danced on the polished metal, a voice broke the scene.
"Mistress, we have guests!"
Swearing loudly in German, Paula turned to the helpless lackey. "What do they want?"
"They say they wish to enroll."
"What?" Unseen by her, Wonder Woman smiled. Before she arrived at the school, she had placed a phone call to Holliday College. The Holliday Girls had arrived, and that was the answer to her prayers.
~E
Etta Candy drummed her fingers on the reception desk. Behind her was only a small group of Holliday Girls, the fetching females of Holliday College. When Paula entered the hall, Etta stepped behind the desk and boldly strolled up to the woman. "Hi! We're the Holliday Girls, and we couldn't but notice this campus didn't have a Beta Lambda house. We were wondering if you'd be interested in allowing us to open a branch of our sorority here."
Paula almost hissed her answer. "No, this is a serious campus and our students do not have time for such nonsense. Please leave or I'll have security throw you out."
Etta cast a sideways glance at the girls. They all moved back, some of them covering the door, others taking positions near the windows. Paula, the recent actions having taken a toll on her concentration, cursed herself and went for her pocket when she finally noticed what they were doing.
Her hand never made it that far. Etta jumped and crashed into her, holding her down with her larger body. "Get her girls!" Several of the Girls rushed forward, each of them taking a limb and binding Paula soundly. A large sock was shoved into her mouth to prevent her from crying out. "Ok gals, two of you stay here and call for help, the rest of you watch little miss rat here." Etta stood up and dusted herself off. "I'm going to rescue Wonder Woman."
~WW
Wonder Woman was in trouble. Her wrists being bound together had sapped her strength. Shaking the cobwebs free from her mind, she moved as best she could when she heard the door open. Tensing up, she was ready for the worse when the familiar face and form of Etta stepped into the light.
"Woo, what happened here?" She was at her side in a second. With ease she freed Wonder Woman. She almost fell backwards as the warrior queen leapt to her feet.
Tearing the chains from her wrists, Wonder Woman shredded her disguise. "I thank you Etta. Your aid has done more than you know." Uncoiling her lasso, she moved with a confident grace towards the door. "Take your girls and leave. This foul place shall not stand." Etta said nothing and left, having felt she was missing something, yet too scared to ask what.
~WW
Wonder Woman entered the main reception area. Paula thrashed against her bonds, but it did her no good. With one loop of the Golden Lasso, she spat out of the sock and answered every question put to her. She told of the commands given to the students, the steps needed to reverse the brainwashing, of the exact number of guards, and even where the radio was hidden to contact her superiors.
Wonder Woman undid the lasso. "Girls, take her and leave. Get as far away from this foul place as you can." Her manner was even, but the icy tone made even Paula pause. Shoving her into the waiting arms of the Holiday Girls, Wonder Woman vanished into the deeper recess of the school.
In a flurry, students were deposited outside, their expressions confused. Guards appeared, tied to trees. Etta gave a low whistle as she hustled Paula into a ditch across from the school. Helping the students and dragging the guards, the Girls took cover as the windows of the school suddenly imploded.
A deep rumbling noise made everyone duck. Seconds later, the roof collapsed as the walls caved in. Out of the dust and smoke walked one figure: Wonder Woman.
~Later
Steve and Diana sat with the Amazon Queen in a small café. The debriefing had been a record fast one. With Paula in custody, the mood was a happy one. The girls had been cured of their brainwashing and returned home, including Senator Clover's daughter. Hippolyta was quiet.
"Penny for your thoughts?" Steve asked as he down his glass of champagne.
"This situation in Europe, do you think it will blossom into war?"
Neither could answer. "Not sure Angel." Steve put his glass down. "Anything is possible."
"I am not sure if that answer will satisfy my people. Already their faith in me is weak due to my travels."
"So we can't count on your aid?" Diana asked. Her tone was level, but her eyes showed her concern.
"I never said that." Even with her silence, Hippolyta was still a queen. "You have both shown me much of Man's World, but my people come before all else." The trio decided to change the topic of conversation, but the tensions still remained. For now, at least, Wonder Woman had once again vanquished her foe and saved the day.
The end
Wonder Wonderings
From They Call Me Bruce
Like the way you're doing this.
Yeah, it is a bit different.
From Darci
That was an excellent retelling of "Diana Prince-Framed for Espionage" from March 1942. Were you inspired to cast Hippolyta as Wonder Woman from John Byrne's stories?
Actually no. The idea for Earth-25 came from the blog Pretty Fizzy Paradise, which included the new Wonder Woman.
And finally, from Tiffani
Great work Cambot. I know I've said it before, but I really feel like I'm reading a classic story when I read your stuff. Excellent job, thanks for sharing.
And again, thanks for reading (and Darci, thanks for the proofread!)
This story was based on "The Coming of Paula Von Gunther" which first appeared in Sensation Comics#4 (April 1942), with credits to William Moulton Marston (script) and Harry G. Peter (pencils/inks)
All characters owned by DC comics and all rights reserved.
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