"Who are you?" Peggy asked.
"My name is Wonder Woman," the Amazon warrior said, "and this is my friend, Major Steve Trevor."
"Pleased to meet you, Miss Carter," Steve said, shaking her hand.
"The feeling's mutual," Peggy said.
"I don't mean to sound forward, but how did you know we were on your side?" Wonder Woman asked.
"I have a knack for knowing who to trust and who not to," Peggy said, "besides I could tell by Major Trevor's uniform. You remind me of a friend of mine who's long gone, died in the war, actually."
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," Wonder Woman said.
"That alright," Peggy said, "Now the bigger question: where did you come from and how did you get here? And should I be concerned about the two characters you have tied uo?"
"Dr. Psycho and the Baroness are under control," Wonder Woman said, "I am Wonder Woman from Paradise Island. But that's unimportant. Dr. Psycho created a device that sent us here. He claims we are in another universe."
"Another universe?" Peggy asked, "So maybe that cube the Red Skull was after really did have cosmic properties."
"What was that?" Steve asked.
"Nothing," Peggy said, "Now, let's get your friends to the S.S.R. My colleagues and I will take them in for questioning."
Suddenly a car pulled up.
"Would you need a ride back to the agency, Miss Carter?" he asked. The driver had a British accent. Steve started to wonder if they were still in America.
"Thank you, Mr. Jarvis," Peggy said, "Indeed I would. I hope you don't mind a few extra passengers."
"Not at all," Jarvis said, "I beg your pardon, but might I inquire as to who you are?"
"I'll explain on the way," Peggy said. She turned to her new allies, "Hop in!"
"Thanks, but I'd rather follow on foot, if it's all the same to you." Wonder Woman said.
"Suit yourself," Peggy said. The Amazon princess ran after the car as Jarvis drove.
"Wow," Peggy said, peering out the window behind her, "She's almost as good as someone I once knew, someone I…loved."
"Wanna talk about?" Steve asked.
"No thanks, Steve." Peggy said, fighting back tears, "That was his name actually, Steve Rogers, better known to the world as Captain America, the star-spangled man with a plan. He never did like that tagline. He and I were going to go dancing, but he…did what any noble American would do and made the ultimate sacrifice."
"I'm sorry to hear that," Steve said.
"Do you mind if I just call you Major Trevor?" she asked, teary-eyed.
"Not at all," Steve said.
"So," Peggy sighed, changing subjects, "Who were those characters you and your glamorous, armor-clad friend tied up?"
"Baroness Paula von Gunther and Dr. Psycho, alias Edgar Cizko." Steve said, "Psycho is a master of mental manipulation, the human mind is putty in his hands. Von Gunther was one of the Gestapo's chief agents. They shouldn't give us any more trouble."
"Sounds a lot like a fun couple I encountered last month," Peggy said, "Wait a minute, Gestapo? Despite being from another universe you and this Wonder Woman had to battle Nazis too?"
"Yes," Steve said, "Sounds like our universes aren't too different after all," Steve said.
Soon, they arrived at S.S.R. headquarters.
"Miss Carter?" Jarvis said, "We've arrived. I'll be off now. Call if you need anything."
"Thank you, Mr. Jarvis," Peggy said, "That'll be all."
They walked into the headquarters of the Strategic Scientific Reserve with Wonder Woman following behind, dragging the captured criminals.
"Chief Thompson," Peggy said, addressing a tall, blonde man.
"Carter," he said, "What have ya got for me? And who are your friends?"
"This is Major Steve Trevor and his ally known as Wonder Woman." Peggy said. "They're here with some suspects we might want to question."
"Wonder Woman, huh?" he asked, shaking her hand, "Is that your full name, beautiful?"
"My real identity's a secret." Diana said, "I wouldn't want to put anyone in harm's way. I am from Themyscira, home of the Amazons."
"Nice to meet you," Thompson said, cocking an eyebrow, "And you too, Major! Funny, I don't remember seeing or hearing about you in the war. What division were you in?"
"Well…uh,.." Trevor stammered.
"Actually sir, Major Trevor and his female companion hail from another universe." Peggy said.
"And Agent Carter's trying to help us get back to ours." Wonder Woman said.
"Oh," Thompson said, "that explains why I've never heard of Themy…Thema…"
"Themyscira," the Amazon Princess finished, "Actually, most people in my universe haven't heard of it. The location's a secret. My sisters and I have been cut off from the rest of Man's World and are protected by the gods."
"Interesting," Thompson said, "So, tell me about your friends here."
"Dr. Psycho and Baroness Paula von Gunther," Wonder Woman said, "I stopped their plans for global domination, but Psycho created a device that sent us all here."
"We need to interrogate them, chief," Peggy said, "to find out what they know and how they get back to their world."
"Leave it to me," Wonder Woman said, "They are bound in my unbreakable magic lasso, which compels them to speak only the truth."
"Let's let her royal highness handle it, shall we?" Thompson said, as Peggy rolled her eyes. The Amazon took them into the interrogation room.
"I don't know what more there is to talk about," Dr. Psycho said, "We've told you all we can!"
"How do we get home?" Wonder Woman demanded, squeezing the lasso.
"In order to do that, you would need the control switch, which, alas, is back in our universe," Dr. Psycho said.
"You must know something, Paula!" Wonder Woman said.
"Believe me, Princess, I'd tell you if I did," she said, "You think I like it here?" Woman Woman walked out.
"It's useless," she said, "The only way home is a piece of technology that's stuck in our universe."
"I may know someone who might be able to help," Peggy said, "He's a brilliant inventor, but also rather narcissistic and crude."
"Believe me, I can handle him," Wonder Woman said, "Let me talk to him."
"Alright," Peggy said, "His name is Howard Stark."
Meanwhile, at an undisclosed warehouse on the opposite end of town, a woman walked in carrying a briefcase.
"Welcome, Ms. Underwood," came a booming voice, "Did you get what I asked for?"
"Yes," she said, removing her fedora. It was Dottie Underwood, Peggy's former neighbor who was also an undercover Leviathan agent, now sporting long, dark hair. "But I don't see what good it'll do."
"My dear, with this item, we will change the world," the mysterious voice said, "Contact your former associate, Dr. Ivchenko, better known as Johann Fennhoff. I have plans for him."
"As you wish," Dottie said, as she walked away.
Later, at an upscale penthouse apartment, Howard Stark was on the phone.
"No, Jarvis," he said, "Tell Rita Hayworth that her knight in shining armor has arrived, and make sure to give her my business card. Oh, she's married? Ok, scratch that, Orson would have my head. Ok, call up Hedy Lamarr. I may have a deal for her she can't refuse." Wonder Woman walked in.
"Hold the phone, Jarvis," he said, "And cancel Hedy Lamarr. I may have found something more interesting." He hung up the phone.
"And who might you be, beautiful?" Howard asked, "I can sign you up for a contract with a modeling agency."
"Mr. Stark," Wonder Woman, "I am Wonder Woman. I'm a friend of Agent Peggy Carter."
"You certainly are," he said, with a wink, "What does ol' Peg want now?"
"This may be hard for you to believe, Mr. Stark, but I came here from another universe and now I'm trapped here with no way home. Agent Carter, Peggy, believes you possess the knowhow to develop technology to help send me back."
"That's not all I know how to do, sugar," he said with a smirk, "Besides, who says you have to leave?"
"Please Mr. Stark," she begged.
"Alright," he said, "I never could stand to see a woman cry. I'll do it."
"Thank you," she said, "I like forward to doing business with you. Business, and nothing else."
"That depends on what your definition of 'business' is," he said slyly.
"I should be going," she said, as walked to the window.
"Wrong way, sweetness," Howard said, "The exit's this way." She leapt out the window.
"No!" he shouted, only to rush over to look out and find she had landed safely, feet-first, on the ground.
"Woah!" he gasped.
"So what'd you think of the illustrious Mr. Stark?" Peggy asked, getting out of the car parked on a side-street.
"You weren't kidding about him, were you?" she said, "but don't worry, I can handle him."
"Hey darling!" he shouted from above, "I can make you famous!"
"No thanks, Mr. Stark!" she called back, "I don't like publicity!"
As they got back to the SSR, a dark-haired man limping with a crutch rushed up to them as quickly as he could.
"Peggy!" he shouted, "Thank God you're back!"
"Agent Sousa," she said, "What is it?"
"You know the suspects we were interrogating earlier—Dr. Psycho and Baroness von Gunther—they've escaped. They're gone!"
"What?" Peggy exclaimed, "How could you let this happen?"
"Well, here's the strange part," he said, "neither Thompson, myself, or any of the other agents remember what happened."
Later, at an undisclosed location, Dottie Underwood got out of a car with Dr. Psycho and Baroness von Gunther. They stood facing a loudspeaker enshrouded in the shadows.
"Your guests have arrived," Dottie said.
"Excellent," the same mysterious voice who had spoken to Dottie earlier bellowed, "All is in readiness; begin phase one of our operation!"