DEVASTATION

CHAPTER 11

Diana Prince was dating Adam Butler. It was reported in the society pages and gossiped in the halls of St Theresa's.

Sophy Butler found herself the butt of many unkind jibes about getting a stepmother who looked like an owl to being a teacher's pet. Georgiana and her tribe were especially unkind.

Aid came from unexpected quarter in the form of Jena Jones,who was going through a rough patch herself. Her New Year had started out with the knowledge that her parents were to divorce. Her father had already left the family home and her mother was too wrapped up in her own pain to see that her daughter was struggling with the fact that her already dysfunctional family was splintering apart.

The class was in the lab;the Biology teacher had stepped out for ten minutes;leaving them to draw bones. Sophy was trying to concentrate but the voices from the other side of the room were clear and tinged with giggles.

"My mother says she's only after him for his passport. She's not even American!"

"Well,you'd think she'd get some advice on how to dress. Did you see her at the Easter Parade?Where did she pick up that dress?I swear our maid has one like it."

"Mr Butler is a bit of a weirdo, isn't he?He dates the strangest girls. Do you remember he was going out with some artist. She had a unibrow like a caterpillar and wore the craziest things."

"Well,maybe he just likes ugly women. But what does it matter if Sophy gets all A's..."

Some of the other girls looked at Sophy sympathetically,but said nothing.

"My grandmother says it's a crying shame. The Butlers were from good stock and he never took notice of what he owed the family name. He married beneath himself,you know."

Sophy had enough and, holding a femur,went around to them."How dare you speak about my parents and Miss Prince in that manner?"

Georgiana looked at her friends."Do you hear something?"

Sophy cried,"It's none of your business what he does..."

Georgiana crinkled her nose."It must be the wind. Look,girls,look at my new ring. Paul Davis asked me to go steady,you know. He's a senior..."

Sophy threw her bone on the blond girl's tabletop to catch her attention. Georgiana looked up at her with a gasp of astonishment."How dare you,you flat-chested,goggled eye suck-up!Did you know that your father killed your mother?"

"You liar!"

"Oh,it's true. While he didn't exactly murder her,he broke her heart. It was quite the scandal. Your father was having an affair and your mother discovered it and ..."

Sophy's eyes glistened with sudden tears.

One of the tribe exclaimed,"I heard that too. She thought he was busy building the firm,but he was in fact sleeping with someone's wife!"

"That's not true!"

Jena Jones was staring out the window..She decided she had heard enough. She looked over and snapped,"Why don't you all shut up and leave her alone?"

Georgiana rolled her eyes."Oh, here comes Marilyn Manson's daughter. How's your father doing sleeping in the Marriot?"

Jena folded her arms."Don't go there,Barbie."

"I heard your mom is so high on painkillers and vodka..."

The words were barely out her lips,when Jena flew at her. She had her by the throat against the wall and picked up a scalpel from a box on a nearby shelf. Some of the fashionistas squealed,others ran,as she put it to the queen-bee's cheek and snapped,"You want to see me cut your tongue out and eat it?"

Georgiana blanched."You must be out of your mind!"

She grinned."No,I just worship the devil..."

"JENA JONES!What are you doing?"

The Biology teacher entered and the goth girl released the shaking blonde girl at once. Georgiana ran to the woman."She's trying to kill me!"

"Are you insane,girl?Do you know how much trouble you can get in for threatening violence to a student?"

Suffice to say,Jena was dragged to the Principal's office. After much confusion,and much dramatics,the story unfolded. Mrs Perkins was a discerning woman,and knew better than to swallow all of Miss Howard's story. Especially after Sophy Butler came in strong defense of the goth girl as well as several other students who claimed to be witness to the incident. Misses Lopez, Stein, Mutamba,Chen and Gregory all substantiated Sophy's story and to the Principal's knowledge these girls were exemplars of the school. So,after a long thorough investigation,Mrs Perkins decided to give Jena Jones two week's detention.

Miss Prince heard about the incident via an upset Sophy after Literature class.

"I'm sorry,Sophy,it seems it's been a hard time for you since I started seeing your father. Maybe I should stop."

"Oh no,Miss. I like you. It doesn't matter to me what they think. It's just when they say nasty things about my father...He didn't kill my mother,you know."

"I know. But people gossip and make up things especially when they don't know the truth."

"I feel bad for Jena. She stood up for me and got into trouble."

"It was very brave of her but foolish to threaten Georgiana. We're lucky Mrs Perkins is a fair woman."

"I wish there was something I could do to make it up to her. But she's very moody and hardly ever talks these days."

Diana looked troubled."Yes,I know."

Jena Jones' detention was from three to five pm It was held in an old classroom at the back of the building. As she entered,her brows flew up in surprise. The teacher sitting at the desk was Miss Prince and there was one student sitting in a chair before her. It was Sophy Butler!

Jena asked,"You are supervising me?I thought it was Mrs H's turn."

Diana smiled and waved her in."I volunteered. Come in and sit down."

Jena looked at Sophy queerly."What are you doing here?Did you get detention?"

Sophy smiled."I volunteered too."

Jena looked suspicious and stunned."What?You must be both mad. It's Friday afternoon. You could be at home ..."

Sophy said pleasantly,"My dad was taking me to the pictures but I told him I had something to do. He understands."

Miss Prince shrugged."I thought it better for Mrs Holmes to go home to her family."

Jena sank onto her chair."Well,I won't say I'm not glad she's not here."

Sophy said,"I want to thank you for sticking up for me...You could have been suspended,you know."

"It would have been worth it just to see Georgiana's face."

Diana sighed. She would have to teach Jena that was not the way to solve problems. She had to bide her time,and chip away slowly.

Jena asked ironically,"So what do we do?Stare at each other's face for two hours?"

"Well,you are allowed to do school work."

"Oh joy."

Diana said briskly,"We could talk about the three chapters we read today in "Far from the Madding Crowd."

Jena yawned."I'll just count the bricks on the wall."

Sophy looked delighted."Oh yes. Those were good chapters. Imagine three men to choose from!"

Diana said,"Well,with the entrance of Captain Troy,I don't think our Bathsheba has an option."

"She's got a crush on him,hasn't she?But why?It's obvious Farmer Oak is the better man for her."

"Well,he's constant and Troy is unpredictable. It's a case of a farmer against a against sophistry. Youthful passion against tested love."

Jena spoke up."Troy is just a show off."

Diana looked at her with a smile."So you did read it."

"I read that book months ago."

"Really?Well,what do you think?"

For the next hour Diana had her young charges discussing the most interesting topic in the world. Love in its myriad forms. Jena had an almost cynical view of it,reflecting her own feelings about her current life. Sophy was more inclined to be accepting of human folly and redemption.

Diana had given them a break to use the bathroom or grab a drink,when Sophy came back in first. She sat down and suddenly blurted out,"Do you love my Dad?"

Diana was taken aback."Sophy,I like him...It's too early to know...We have only been dating four months."

"Oh. Okay."

It was fortunate Jena had come back in ,thus saving Diana from having to deal with the disappointed look on the girl's face.

Diana and Adam had just come back from seeing a play. She had invited him up for coffee. They sat on the sofa,discussing the acting and the merits of doing modern interpretations of Shakespeare.

She had gone in the kitchen to get him a refill. When she came back out,she found him looking at the ornaments on her space-saver. Her turned to her and said,"You know something?I haven't seen any pictures of your family or friends."

She said quickly,"I haven't really gotten around to putting any out. They're still in bubble wrap and in a box in the closet."

He gave her a queer look."I find that strange that you of all people would organize your ornaments and books and forget your photos."

Diana had photos. Many of them left back on Themyscira. Now she kept only a few shots,hidden with several letters and cards,in a drawer in her bedroom.

She said sheepishly,"I take bad photos. Here's you coffee."

They sat back down. He said teasingly,"You looked pretty nice in the Boston Star."

Diana looked serious."That's one aspect of dating you that I find uncomfortable."

He said wryly,"They do it out of courtesy,not really interest. My dating tendencies are pretty tame,say in comparison to Lex Luthor or Bruce Wayne. Besides, after the first few dates,when they realize one is sort of going steady,they get bored. They like break-ups and drama."

She said slowly,"Adam,I'm wondering if we ought to take things slowly."

He wrinkled his brow."Am I going too fast for you?I still have to chase you down to get to see you more than once a week."

"It's Sophy .I'm thinking she might be building her hopes up;thinking that maybe we're in something deeper than what this truly is. I mean we barely know each other..."

"She likes you,Diana. I can't stop her from that,"he interrupted,"And just for the record,I like you too. Yes,it's early days,but I think we have something here..."

She looked uncertain."I know. I like you too,but if this doesn't work out,I don't want her to..."

He reached out and put a finger to her lips."You think to much,Diana."

He put his mug down and bent and kissed her. She kissed him back. It was a something she had gotten use to doing within the last few weeks. It was something her Amazon sisters would be scandalized at. But this flirting and physical caressing was part of the courting ritual of men and women in the Patriach's world. So far in her life she had kissed three men.

She and Bruce had locked lips but it wasn't exactly out of passion. And her kisses with Clark had been one sided. He had kissed her first,and she had been too stunned to respond. And then she kissed him. So technically she hadn't really shared a proper kiss with either men. Adam made her feel warm and special,but in the back of her mind something seemed to be missing. He was only kissing Diana Prince,a fraction of who she really was.

His hands were moving to her glasses. He said huskily,"Let's take this thing off, shall we?"

Diana shot to her feet and exclaimed,"Trash !"

He looked at her bewildered."What?"

She hustled to the kitchen."I must put out the trash tonight. The collectors come very early tomorrow. I cannot afford to let it remain. I am an avid supporter of recycling,you know."

He watched her begin to pull her recycling bin and bags out. He shook his head ruefully. The woman had some strange ways!And there was no surer way to cut a man's desire than talking about rubbish!

Sighing,he got up."I expect,you'll be busy sorting out your, er, recycling. Maybe I ought to go."

She looked up."Do you mind?it's just it's later than I imagined and I need to do this."

He shrugged."It's nearly midnight. Well,I'll be seeing you."

After she shut the door on him,she let out a breath of relief. That was a close call!

Since Jena's detention,Kate Gregory had no one to hang out with after school. The lanky red head found herself avoiding anywhere Georgiana and her gang would be;this left her few places of interest one could go to. Unless it was the public library or civic center.

So she found herself going to the old cemetery,one of her and Jena's haunts, to sit behind an old tomb and smoke a cigarette. She had her earphones on,listening to the heavy rifts of Slipknot when a slightly plump, red haired girl peered over a headstone at her. Kate felt the pale blue eyes on her and her skin goose pimpled.

She took off her phones and said,"Beat it,squirt."

The girl looked baby faced and innocent and was strangely dressed. She had what looked like a crown of thorns around her head. On her black tunic was a gold plate with an archaic symbol. She also had a sword hanging from her hip.

The girl smiled at her."Maybe I'd like to join you. You look like you need company."

Kate scowled."This is no place for a kid. Beat it."

"I'm twelve. And I big enough to know that you shouldn't be smoking either."

Kate stubbed her cigarette out."What's with the get-up?You going to a costume party or something?"

"What's with yours?"She gestured to her purple nail polish and heavy kohled eyes and black ensemble.

"It's a statement of sorts. Come on,it's dangerous here. This place is full of tramps who don't eat for days and if they catch a small girl like you they'll gobble you for dinner."

The child laughed."You are droll. Come,tell me,where is the Princess?"

Kate looked perplexed."What?"

"The Princess. I know she is here. I feel her presence. I have to find her. You have her essence around you."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"It's like a scent. She has been seen in this city,championing the Amazon cause but she is concealing herself. You will take me to her."

Kate picked herself up."Look,you weirdo,I'm not taking you anywhere..."She hurried away amongst several headstones to get towards a small opening she had crawled in through the fence.

Before Kate knew what was happening the child had appeared in front of her. Kate stifled a scream."How did you do that?"

The child smiled."It's my gift from my father. Now,you will give me your form to hunt the Amazon."

To Kate's astonishment,the child laid her hands on her and she screamed. It felt like her energy was being sucked out of her. The goth girl fell asleep at the child's feet. The child shape-shifted into the form of Kate Gregory,and with her new found appearance also had all of Kate's memories.

The chaos started that very moment Kate Gregory stepped onto the compound of St Theresa's the next day. It began slowly and subtly,that no one took real notice. The intolerant fashionistas were just that much more cruel. Their jibes that harsher. Diana walked passed several plain girls sobbing and sighed. She had to talk to Mrs Perkins about that clique.

She went into the staff room to find two normally good tempered teachers quarreling because one had the effrontery to use the other's stapler!

Diana looked at Mrs Holmes in disbelief."Are they for real?A stapler?That's a bit petty."

Mrs Holmes said stiffly,"I wouldn't know since you under minded me with Jena Jones last Friday! It was my job."

Diana looked stunned."I what?But you said you were glad to go home..."

"No,you just want the girls to think you're the nice one and I'm the battle-axe. Well,your soft spoken ways are just spoiling them!"

It was lucky that the bell rang then for the first period. Diana left the History teacher grumbling. She passed several girls who were littering as they went along the corridor and when she rebuked them,they laughed and said,"Make us,Four-eyes."

Diana walked into her classroom to find her girls were all traipsing in when they wanted. She said acidly,as they were finally assembled,"It's very nice of you to finally remember you have lessons. Half the hour has gone and you are all sitting here smirking and...will,you stop speaking when I am,Miss Howard!"

Georgiana gave her a scathing look."Oh, go back to your own country."

"I beg your pardon?"

She turned to Grace Chen and Doris Mutamba."You two as well."

Christina Lopez stood up and threw her books on the floor."This school blows. I'll tell my father to take me out."She walked out the class.

Jena Jones began to graffiti the walls with her marker pen.

It was when Rachel Stein and Sophy began to argue that Diana knew something was wrong. It took a minute before the whole school erupted. Insults on race,class and religion were being tossed back and forth, fights began over handbags and cell phones,catfights broke out over this or that boy:even the teachers were squabbling.

All the while,Kate Gregory was standing in the main corridor,a smile on her face,waiting.

Diana hurried out of her classroom. She looked about in bewilderment. There was a crash and she saw students breaking the glass panels on the wall. Squeals echoed as the fire alarms rang and water sprayed down from sprinklers. She slipped into a broom closet and transformed.

She pressed her JLA transmitter."J'onn.I need help. The students and staff at St Theresa's are going crazy."

Kate Gregory saw the Amazon Princess as she tried to quell the mayhem.

She used her lasso on a group of students in the corridor."You must snap out of what ever is possessing you. This isn't you. You are better than this."

The girls emerged out of their spell. They looked about in confusion. Wonder Woman gestured."Get outside. Now."

While they obeyed,she turned to see the red-head looking at her from the end of the corridor. She began,"Kate,are you okay?"

Kate transformed into the twelve year old girl from the cemetery.

Diana stared."Who are you,child?Where is Kate?"

"Oh,she'll wake up in time. I came to find you ,Princess,at the behest of my father."

"Your father?"

"Yes,you know him very well. He wants to send you a message."

Wonder Woman was still in the dark."What message?"

The child came at her,at a speed she was only used to seeing in the likes of a meta-human,and punched her into the wall at the end of the corridor. The wall crumbled and Diana slithered to the floor dazed.

The girl came over her and hauled her by the neck."Cronus sends his regards from Tartarus."

Diana felt a punch to her jaw. She tumbled onto the floor. She gasped,"Cronus is your father?"

The girl was about to to kick her in the gut. Diana caught her boot and tossed her down the corridor. She fell into a glass door and seemed stunned for a minute. Students,who had been fighting,suddenly seemed to come to their senses. Diana shouted,"Get out!All of you!"

Wonder woman watched the girl pick herself up.

A locker came flying at her. Diana punched it away."Why are you doing this?"

The girl ripped the fire extinguisher off the wall and flung it at her."I am doing this because I am Devastation."

Diana ducked and stared in dismay. Devastation!One of Cronus' children!She had encountered Oblivion,son of Cronus,who used dreams and unfulfilled desires to ensnare his victims before. Cronus had been a Titan. The father of Zeus himself. As he had killed his own father,so had Zeus killed him. Cronus had tried to rejuvenate,but with the help of his brothers,Hades and Poseidon, Zeus had kept him in Tartarus. Cronus had created his children to defeat the gods and goddesses of Olympus and what better way to get back at them other than by going after one of their champions,Diana,Princess of the Amazons.

This child called Devastation. She was deceptive looking .She was powerful. And it appeared, like her name,she was here to create chaos and destruction.

She flew at Diana and they grappled. Diana tried to get the lasso on her but she was too quick. She yanked the girdle of Gaea and and slammed Wonder Woman into the ground.

Diana shook her head,got to her feet and shakily flew down the corridor. Devastation looked amused,tossing the lasso to the floor."The champion of the gods running away?"

Diana guiltily broke through a locked door that led onto the large area behind the school normally reserved for sporting events. She had to take the fight away from the school,away from the students.

Devastation appeared before her. She flung her into the nearby pool.

Mrs Perkins did not know what was happening. Like her students,and teachers she was disorientated and confused. There was a terrible noise coming from the back of the school. The students,all three hundred of them,were outside in the parking lot. They were looking at each other,frightened,and contrite. No one had any idea what had overcome them to behave as they had done.

The word had spread that Wonder Woman was battling with someone. Boston had its share of super villains as any other city but it was the first time anything of this nature happened at St Theresa's.

Mrs Perkins was not sure what to do. The police was never usually helpful in situations like these. Fortunately she didn't have long to ponder,because the League appeared.

J'onn had carefully selected his choice of Leaguer to deal with a school of impressionable,young females of wealthy families who were probably scared out of their wits. He sent Black Canary,and Superman.

Dinah's first task was to reassure the staff and students and keep them away from the fighting. The young ladies were relieved but even happier to see the Man of Steel. His reputation preceded him where ever he went,and his physical appearance did not disappoint either.

As he flew off to aid his colleague,all the women,young and old,even Mrs Holmes, sighed.

Diana was on the floor,her dripping head being ground into the tiled poolside. Devastation laughed,"Is this all you have to offer, Princess?"

Diana groaned,her head was throbbing and she was being dragged by her hair to a nearby grass concourse where the students played field sports. Devastation was ripping a light pole from the perimeter. She lifted it to clobber her.

Heat vision burned the long shaft of metal.

Devastation dropped it with a yelp. She looked up to see the Kryptonian hover before her.

He said,"Don't even think about it."

Devastation looked scornfully at Diana."So,you would gang up on me as Zeus did with his brothers on my father?"

Superman said darkly,"Fair play isn't exactly your forte from what I can see."

Wonder woman coughed. Blood trickled the corner of her lips. She got to her feet. She met Superman's eyes."No."

He frowned."You don't mean?"

"I do."

He looked as if he was about to protest.

"Please,Superman."

He backed away. His eyes held Devastation's."I suggest you pray to whatever god sired you."

Cronus' daughter laughed blithely."You should pray for her. Because I will give no quarter."

Wonder Woman gritted,"Let us finish this."

They went at each other. Superman watched,his hands clenched,forcing himself to honour his colleague's request. This wasn't about simply winning. It was about legacy and the will of the gods.

Wonder Woman was in the middle of battling this daughter of Cronus. But something was holding her back. Whether it was the knowledge that it was a child she was fighting or simply her own principles, she could not bring herself to use her full strength.

Superman could not help even if he wanted to. He had promised not to interfere.

Devastation sneered,"When I'm finished with you I will destroy this world. They are easy to control, these mortals."

Diana returned,"There is more good in them than you think."

"They'll be more willing to hate than love. Mark my words,humans have proven it for centuries. Hate, greed, and discord are what they excel at. Look at these young ones how easily they succumbed."

"If you destroy me,there will be others to fight the chaos and despair."

Devastation glanced at Superman."You mean the likes of him?"

Diana stated simply,"He's the best of us."

"Is he?I wonder how he'll feel if I do this?"

Diana barely saw her pull out her sword and hurl it at her. It embedded itself in Diana's ribs,just missing her heart.

Superman exclaimed."NO!"

The Amazon princess felt her eyes haze with pain and she dropped to her knees. Blood was trickling down her torso.

Devastation looked at him with taunting eyes."You going to stand by still?"

Superman's eyes glowed red. Wonder Woman was gasping."No,Superman!"

But he had already flew in and caught the girl by the throat and was lifting her off the ground.

Devastation looked at Wonder Woman,her eyes bright with triumph. She said to the Man of Steel mockingly,"Can you do what the Amazon failed to do?"

Diana struggled to her feet."No,Superman. She's only a child. Don't..."

"I'll destroy her,Superman,and this planet. By tomorrow there will be mayhem,"the red head threatened.

He fingers was tightening. A little more pressure and he'd do what he had promised himself he'd never do again. Kill.

Diana's voice was weak but she continued,"You can't. Not for me. Never for me. Not now. Not ever. She is a pawn of her father's rage. She's misguided. No one should be denied redemption and we can't give them that in death. Please,stop."

Devastation felt the fingers unfurl and she fell to the ground. Superman looked at her gravely."Not today,little one. You heard my friend."

He went to Diana and knelt beside her. He scanned her with his super vision. He said urgently,"You're losing blood. One of your lungs has been punctured .I've got to get you medical attention"

Wonder Woman sagged against him,murmuring,"You are the best of us..."

Devastation looked at them in real annoyance and disgust. "What?That's it?"

He lifted Wonder Woman in his arms. He asked,"You want to give the telling blow?Shall I lay her out for you to finish?"

Devastation looked at him confounded."You wouldn't!"

He said quietly,"Try me."

Devastation was stumped. Hoping to create chaos and discord and despair;she found herself facing a pillar of strength in the soul of the man before her,and the woman he held in his arms.

This would be a triumph. If only it wasn't soured by their refusal to give into the darker emotions that drove men to destroy each other. Her powers of influence suddenly seemed to wane.

Her pale blue eyes narrowed. The contest suddenly had lost its appeal. She flung her hands up in the air."This is a waste of time. I'm getting no where here."

She vanished with a bang.

Black Canary was able to report it was all over .The threat had vanished. She could give the staff and students the news. She was also able to report that a certain Kate Gregory had been at home with a headache and had no clue as to what had transpired until she heard media reports. She had fallen asleep yesterday at the cemetery for an hour,and had no recollection of meeting Devastation.

Mrs Perkins saw it fit to send the students home,and let Canary handle the media who had began to show up following several leaks. Sophy was picked up by her father,whose first question was about Diana Prince.

"I guess she's okay. I haven't really seen her,"said Mrs Perkins, when questioned."Has anyone seen Miss Prince?"

Jena ,who suddenly appeared out of nowhere,came up to hear the conversation."I haven't."

Adam wasn't impressed. He called over Black Canary to demand what she was doing about missing people,when Diana's voice sounded behind him.

"I'm here."

He turned with relief to see her."Where were you?"

She said,"I slipped and fell when we were running out of the building and hit my head. I was out for a while. Did I miss much?"

"That's the understatement of the year,"said Mrs Perkins."I'm glad you're safe."

Jena turned to Black Canary and produced Wonder Woman's lasso from inside her jacket."I found it inside."

Dinah took it with disapproving look."No one was to go inside until the League checked it out."

Mrs Perkins said dryly,"Jena isn't exactly the most obedient of pupils. I ought to add on more detention for that...but it's been a harrowing day. I'm just relieved no one's hurt. Heaven knows I'll have enough to worry about pacifying their parents."

Adam looked at Miss Prince."You want a lift home?"

"No. I need to remain and help the staff clean-up."

"Okay. I'll call you later?"

"Sure."

Adam beckoned,"Come on,Soph. Jena,you need a lift?"

Jena was looking at Diana strangely,then nodded."Sure."

After they had pulled out,and Mrs Perkins had walked away Canary looked at the spectacled woman and said via the telepathic link the League often used,"Thank god,you're around to step in,J'onn. For a moment there,I felt that girl had us figured out."

The Martian Manhunter,in Diana Prince's guise,communed,"I sensed her doubt too. Diana will have to be careful."

Canary asked worriedly,"How is Diana?"

"I don't know. Ray doesn't think we have the technology to heal her. Kal is going to take her to her people."