Sensation Comics 11

"The Great Milk Swindle!"

"So, that's it then." Warden Grimley rarely oversaw the removal of an inmate's affects, but when the inmate in question was the infamous Paula Von Gunther, he wanted to make sure nothing slipped through the cracks or ended in someone's collection.

All told it wasn't much. A few boxes and one duffel bag. The books and all her writings were being shipped to Military Intelligence. Her personal items were being taken to the incinerator. The clothes were going to be thoroughly inspected before being laundered and put in the warehouse. All that was needed now was a few phone calls and Von Gunther's file could be officially declared closed.

-WW

"Yes, thank you for your effort warden." Colonel Darnell hung up the phone. "One more spy to check off." He sighed. He was happy for once. "Rarely get a case so open and close." He leaned back in his chair as Steve Trevor entered. "Ah, Steve, glad to see you. Got a new assignment."

"Back into the valley of death, eh?" Steve grinned. "What's it this time? Spies in Washington? Some new super weapon?"

"Milk."

Steve blinked. "I'm sorry. Is that an acronym?"

"No, a drink, comes from cows."

"I'm aware of milk sir, but what do you want me to do with it?"

"There's a new group getting into the dairy business, calls itself International Milk, we suspect something…well, we suspect something."

"Can I have more to go on than that or is this a need to know case?"

"My housekeeper was saying her son hadn't had milk in a week, said the stores were charging too much. I thought she was bucking for a raise, but I asked. The local stores are charging upwards of one dollar a gallon." He pointed to a small stack of papers. "And I've seen reports of stores charging even as high as a dollar fifty."

Steve whistled. "I knew things were tough, but that is a bit much."

"Indeed. I did some checking. All those stores signed exclusive contracts with International Milk, and the dairy farms too. They seem to pay the farmers outrageous sums, then sell the milk at inflated prices to the store, which in turn have to sell it at a higher price."

"Sounds lousy, but how does it concern us?"

"It might not, but price gouging is pretty serious, plus look who's being hurt-children and the poor. No Steve, it might not affect us personally, but it does affect us as people. Check it out, and let me know what you find."

Steve saluted before he left.

-WW

Several weeks ago

The body on the slab wasn't moving. Corpses were a still bunch on average, but this one was special. Baroness Paula Von Gunther has left explicit instructions on what to do in the event of her death. A special solution, devised by a disgraced medical student from New England, was injected at key points minutes after her body was pulled from the icy water.

Bribing the corner wasn't hard, nor was taking her body away from the prison. Once safely secured, electrodes were inserted into her body and the large machine that took up most of the lab was activated. Power hummed as current raced into the body. Muscles jerked and twitched as her eyes snapped open.

"Is she alive?" One of the slaves cautiously looked up.

The doctor shut the machine off and rushed to the table. Placing a stethoscope over her heart, long seconds ticked by before he jumped back. "She's alive!"

Getting the Baroness up to speed wasn't difficult. After checking to make sure there were no lingering side effects, a coded communication was sent. The reply was received minutes later. Von Gunter looked over the message before burning it. "We have a new mission. Ready the workers." She slid off the table and readied herself for the new assignment.

"We may not win the war, but we will plant the seeds for the next one, and we will make sure we will win!"

Presently

Steve arrived at International Milk's main office. "Looks legit" Steve looked around and saw nothing out of the ordinary. Trucks were leaving and arriving, workers were loading various cans and crates. All told it looked like a perfectly run dairy. So naturally he was suspicious.

Steve adjusted his tie as he walked into the main building. The secretary at the desk was pretty, not gorgeous, and more focused on filing her nails then talking to him. Strolling past her, he walked into the office door over her protests.

Inside was more of the same. A desk, a few filing cabinets, and a sour looking fellow behind said desk. "What do you want?" it was more of a statement than a question. The name on the desk said de Gyppo.

"Hi! Name's Steve Tanner, just got a dairy farm going upstate and I hear you're the dude to talk to about sales."

The man's frown turned upside down. "Well, in that case come on in!" He pointed to a chair directly in front of the desk. "So, Mr. Tanner, what can International Milk do for you?"

"I need to get my product on the shelf, and I'm told you guys pay higher than anyone else."

The man's grin grew larger. "That we do. And we're not just in dairy. Nope, soon we'll be in beef, vegetables, the whole barnyard! So, how many cows do you have?"

"Twenty." Steve heard the door open behind him. The look on de Gyppo's face changed. He was still smiling, but with his mouth only. The door closed again, and Steve had the distinct feeling he had been made.

"Twenty? That's small time. Most of the farms we do business with have three times that."

"Really?" Steve's attention was drawn to a milk truck pulling up outside. He watched as workers approached the truck and opened the valves, dumping hundreds of gallons into the sewer. "Hey, what are they doing?"

"Hmm?" de Gyppo glanced at the window. "Ah, just some of our drivers disposing of unsold product."

"But there's so much!" Steve found himself growing angry. "How can you afford to dump so much food?"

He shrugged. "It went unsold. Guess the people don't want to pay our prices."

"Yeah, I heard that, but aren't you charging too much? Seems if you lowered what you paid the farmers you could charge less at the store."

"What are you, some kind of Bolshevik?" he closed the curtain. "In fact, your name isn't Tanner, is it Major Trevor?"

Before Steve could act, de Gyppo reached under his desk. The floor gave way, plunging Steve into darkness. He fell for a second before landing with a splash. "Enjoy yourself Major. You won't have long to wait." The trap door closed, sealing Steve in darkness and foul milk.

Queen Hippolyta watched Steve enter the office. He had radioed her before he had left the office. "I think if I went it would be more effective than a simple disguise" she had argued, but she could see the need for being low key.

When Steve failed to return, she hopped down to the street. Disguised as Polly Prince, simple college student, she walked up the gate as a milk truck barreled out and roared away. "Hmm, odd that a simple delivery would require that much speed." She broke into a sprint and caught up with the truck. Leaping onto the back, she hung close as it raced through the streets and left Capital City.

The truck was still driving, going deeper into the countryside. "Strange, where could they be going?" Wonder Woman was about to make them stop when she heard a sharp tapping against the metal. "What's this?"

The tapping went as three short bursts, three long ones, and followed by three short. "Great Hera, there's someone trapped inside!" She stood up and braced herself. Tearing a strip of her sweater off, she wrapped it around the rear bumper before leaping from the back. Spinning around, her college student clothes vanished in a flash of light. Clad once more in the armor of Wonder Woman, she landed on the dirt road. She snagged the strip of cloth before it vanished and gripped the truck's rear bumper with all her strength. The metal tore apart in her hand.

The truck swerved and ran off the road, crashing mightily into a tree. The drivers staggered out, one holding a gun. Wonder Woman uncoiled her lasso and easily snagged the man as his partner collapsed. "Who are you kidnapping?"

"Don't know" the man grunted. "Some spy the boss wants us to dispose of!"

"Thank you, now sleep!" Wonder Woman released him. Walking past their crumpled forms she punched a hole in the truck's top. "Steve?"

Steve looked up from his milky tomb. "Angel! I never thought I'd be sick of milk!"

Once Steve had been pulled out and dried off, he told what he had learned. "Diabolical! There must be something we can do now!"

"Well, attempted murder is still against the law, but I have a hunch this is part of something bigger. They knew who I was, and no price gouger would know that."

"True. Steve, let me handle this. You can watch, but please stay back."

"No problem there Angel. With that security, I doubt I could walk a block from that place and not get recognized."

"Wonderful. Now, I'll need the help of some of the Holliday Girls…"

"So, have those two knuckleheads reported back?" de Gyppo leaned too close to his secretary.

"Nein" she hissed. "If the mistress's plans fail, it will be your head!"

"Yeah, yeah, I heard it before," he waved his hands. "Look, I'll be in my office-" another worker barged inside.

"Boss, we got trouble!"

'International Milk unfair!' read the signs as the Holliday Girls marched in front of the gates. "Thelma, help Lita with her end of the banner!" Etta barked like a born drill sergeant. "Tina, slap more of those posters on that wall!"

"What's the meaning of this?" de Gyppo marched outside. Armed guards were at his back. "Look, why don't you roll along little girl, I'm very busy."

He expected to get slapped by her purse. He wasn't expecting the purse to have a brick in it. The guards were stunned into silence as their boss dropped like a sack of garbage. "Let's get 'em!" A guard shouted, but Wonder Woman landed between the two groups.

"There's no need for violence" she shot a glance at Etta. "But I'll have words with your master."

"Ask him." The closest guard pointed to the moaning de Gyppo.

"No, I meant your real master." She unhooked her lasso and wrapped it around the prone man's form. At once de Gyppo snapped his eyes open. "Who are you working for?"

"I…I don't know. She gave me five grand to start this business. I never saw her face!"

"Is she here?"

"Y-yes. She lives behind my office, never leaves the plant." There was a slight rumble under their feet. Releasing him, Wonder Woman charged into the office, tearing her way through wood, plaster, and mortar. Punching her way into the main office, she found an empty room, the only contents a cot, a file cabinet and a few loose clothes.

Steve came in behind her, gun in his hand. "Who do you think it was angel?"

The Amazon queen looked around, her eyes falling on the cabinet. "Odd, it seems built into the wall."

Running her hands along the side, her fingers felt a small indention. Pressing it, the cabinet rolled on two tracks to the side, revealing a tunnel and ladder. "So that's how they escaped!" Jumping down the hole, she landed quietly. Her foot clanked against a rail. "Steve, there is a track down here! Is there is a railyard nearby?"

"There is" his mind raced. "Wonder Woman, you think whoever this is lit out on those tracks towards the trainyard?"

"They would have to, the wall dead ends here but I see a light at the other end." She pointed east. "Go that way. Hera willing we'll meet up."

"You got it!" he dashed out of the office. Crouching down, Wonder Woman leap up back into the office. Going to the window, she traced a straight line from the office to the trainyard.

"Only one way I'll get there in time!" She pressed her earring as she jumped, punching her way through the ceiling. Climbing onto the roof, she waited as she heard a familiar humming.

Her invisible plane landed gently on the roof. Climbing in, she took off towards the trainyard. Her thoughts traveled back to the room. "He mentioned 'she' who could he be working for?"

Von Gunther sighed in annoyance as her men loaded the money onto the train car. "Hurry fools!" she swore in German. "We may have eluded those pathetic police, but I know Wonder Woman will be here!"

She stopped, drawing a pistol. "Quiet!" None of the men had said anything. Von Gunther spun around, seemingly trying to draw a bead on the air itself. She fired several shots, apparently at random. "Hurry!"

"Leaving so soon?" Wonder Woman appeared in midair. "I confess baroness, you were the last person I thought I would see again."

"A pleasure to see you as well!" Von Gunther fired. Wonder Woman blocked it easily and jumped her plane's wing. Landing in the center of the group, she grabbed a large cashbox and swung it into the first two men. They dropped with a thud as the box broke open, money flying everywhere.

A few of the thugs tried to grab the flying dollars as Von Gunther emptied her pistol at the Amazon. Wonder Woman blocked the bullets easily with her bracers. "I thought you had died."

"I recovered nicely." She drew another gun.

"You know that won't work. Why don't you give up?"

"This isn't for you fool!" Von Gunther pointed the gun at her own head. "If you don't leave, I'll pull the trigger. I know how you heroes treat life. Let me go or I'll end it!"

Wonder Woman was silent before putting her hands up. "Bind her fools!" Von Gunter ordered. Two of the men walked over with a heavy length of chain and bound Wonder Woman's hands together.

"Blast! I've lost my strength!" Wonder Woman was dragged over to a tree and bound there. Out loud, she asked. "So, you're taking a train to escape?"

Von Gunther holstered her pistol. "I've decided a retreat might be the best option."

"Stealing milk from school children? You've come down in the ranks baroness."

A flush appeared on Von Gunther's face. "Quiet! True, this assignment isn't as glamorous, but I'm thinking long term. I've caused strife, malnutrition; the next generation of this country will be weaker, more…supple and not ready for another war."

Wonder Woman shook her head. "Pathetic."

"Shut up!" Von Gunther threw her gun at Wonder Woman's face. She grinned as the weapon struck the Amazon's face and tumbled to the ground. Taking a deep breath, she turned away. "Once I'm away from this horrid place I'll work on destroying you, you blasted meddler!"

Unseen by her, Wonder Woman slid to the ground, her head hanging low. With her hair covering her face, she turned her head and raised her shoulder to her ear. Her earring was hanging low enough that the metal was pressed against her skin.

In the sky, the invisible plane turned from its holding pattern and started to fly directing at the trainyard. It picked up speed, filling the air with an all too familiar hum. Von Gunther was the first to notice it. "No, no, what have you done?"

Wonder Woman raised her head and grimly smiled. Von Gunther's men fired wildly in the air, trying in vain to hit the source of the noise. The plane crashed into the boxcar, sheering the wings off as it plowed into the ground. Half of the men were knocked prone by an unseen force as the ground ripped open. Wonder Woman kneeled as the plane's body crashed into the tree, shattering the chains.

Wonder Woman rubbed her wrists as another sound filled the air: police sirens. Von Gunther didn't even resist as she was tied up. "You had another chance of life and you wasted it on hate." Wonder Woman sighed as the police and the Army rounded up the spies.

"Just take me back to prison." Von Gunther spat. "No jail can hold me Amazon!" She shouted as she was taken to a police car.

Picking up an empty milk bottle, Wonder Woman was looking at it when Steve arrived. "Great work angel!"

"Steve, with the Baroness arrested, will the people be able to afford milk again?"

"I…I suppose so, once the proof that the prices were altered. What are you getting at?"

"Maybe a surprise. I'll have to return home quickly though." She pointed to the visible (via mud splatter) plane sticking out of the ground.

"That might be a problem, but I think I can help with that." Steve gestured to his car. The two left as clean-up crews arrived

The end

Based on "The Great Milk Swindle" which was first published in Sensation Comics I#7 (July 1942) with credits to William Marston (script), Harry G. Peter (pencils/inks)

Be here next to witness "the Battle of the Bullfinch Store!"

Sensational Mail

They call me Bruce

This is a great Wonder Woman fanfic. Good thing I subscribe to you

Thanks!

From Darci

Those who haven't read Wonder Woman#1 might be puzzled by the story title "the Greatest Feat of Daring in Human History!" Several plot points were omitted in this retelling, the major one being that the Japanese had established a secret base on the Eastern shore of the Gulf of California. Using Pepita's confession, Wonder Woman was able to capture the base singled handed. That's the 'greatest feat' referred to.

Unfortunately, there's a lot of 1940s-era stuff in the original story that we're grateful was left out of this retelling. It makes this version a lot more fun to read.

True, and thanks!

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