I do not own Superman, or any other D.C. character mentioned. The rest, I made up for my own story. This is a fanfic, and not for profit, so just enjoy.

SUPER

By LJ

Part 7:

Diana was sitting on the sloping hillside overlooking the temple/school that was now all but completed as five as of the fourteen young women who had been brought to the island raced around the track just behind the marble structure.

Exercise and training was such a part of her own regimen that she had included it in the curriculum of the school she had finally managed to open with Anna Graves' help. It had been months since Superman had driven back those Titans, and literally saved this new Earth they now inhabited. There were still people out there trying to 'test' them.

She had yet to approve any of the male candidates. As yet, none of them had passed the stringent background, and other tests set up by Ms. Graves, and herself. It someone disappointed her, because she wanted to include young people of both genders to prove to her detractors out there that she wasn't just a feminist icon, as one radio show tried to portray her.

She watched the women running, smiling at the sight of them, and remembering her own sisters back on Themyscira.

Clark was off patrolling again. They had set up random, alternating schedules so they could watch for real trouble, but not give whoever was out there sitting traps for them a predictable route or time where they might be located.

He was being melancholy again this week, but she understood. According the schedule working out by the Lis who now helped the academic side of the 'school,' they would have been missing close to twenty-two years by now based on Diana's own story, and the time differential they had been calculating.

By now, Lois was a much older woman. If she still survived. Their world was far from ideal, and Lois had always had a daring streak even before Clark Kent had come along to help her.

Diana wished she could help him. Comfort him. But so far he was, as back on their own world, still a very private person when it came to his individual concerns. She wasn't sure how Lois, or Bruce had been able to jolt him out of such moods when back home, but so far she was doing a pretty poor job.

Rising to her feet, she headed down to the others, knowing it was time to return to the classroom without needing a watch. The women paused to welcome her, and she found cause to smile. The three older teens, and the two twenty year old women were more than eager and happy to be here. The others had their own interests, but these five were quite happy to test body as well as mind when able. That spoke well for them.

She was going to have to talk to Clark about challenging the others. The nine other girls from fourteen to eighteen all favored sitting and learning all they could. Or sitting and absorbing what they could from either Clark's growing archive on his new computer, or the Lis' tales of China, physics, and foreign life. Unfortunately, several of them looked to truly need exercise. They simply shunned it.

"What's next," Ellie, the sixteen year old asked breathlessly as she waited for Diana to reach them.

"Ethics," she told them, and several sighed. "Followed by archery. Think we can get some of the others interested?"

"Maybe," the eighteen year old Paula grinned. "If you can offer prizes of some kind."

"Prizes," Diana murmured thoughtfully.

Even as the air around them began to grow heated, and Diana felt a simmering heat that had a vaguely familiar feel to it.

"Get back," she warned the girls, and tensed as she saw the very air before her start to shimmer, and then roil as if it had solidified, and was not starting to boil.

"What is it," one of the girls cried, jumping back as the cool, ocean air that kept the island moderate actually began to noticeably heat now.

"I don't know," Diana said, eyeing the heart of the disturbance. "But I doubt it's good."

S

"You want me to…..infuse my energies with this….spear when you find it, and help you open a quantum portal?"

"Yes," Circe told the silver-coated hero who was born of raw, cosmic energies that had recreated him in an experiment that had gone wrong.

"She may be able to reach Superman and Wonder Woman, Captain," Batman told him grimly.

"Her," the stern, somber hero asked with a skeptical glance. He had never fought her, but the League archives had chronicled those who had. He had studied those archives himself, feeling a soldier should always be aware of his potential enemies.

"Diana's gods are involved," Batman informed him. "And this may be our only chance of even reaching them. Of letting them know we are still looking for them."

Nathanial looked grim, but finally nodded. "All right. But where do we find this…..spear?"

Circe looked at Batman.

He glanced at her, then at Captain Atom, and said, "Queen Hippolyta has it."

"Clever mortal. How did you figure it out?"

"I pay attention to details," he told her, grim as ever as he ignored the previous evening they had shared. "Queen Hippolyta was the first Wonder Woman who was secretly active during the second World War. She took it from Hitler's generals when they dug it up in Scotland while they were trying to gather certain mystical artifacts for their Reich."

"You are good," Circe murmured. "So, all we have to do is go to Themyscira, get the spear, and then….."

"The problem with that is that you are forbidden from trespassing on Paradise Island," Batman reminded her.

"Well, yes. But you aren't," he was told by the witch with a sly smile.

"So, we also have to sway Diana's mother to give up the spear," Nathan asked.

Batman recalled past encounters with the proud leader of the Amazons. "That….is the truly problematic part of this plan."

"Uh-huh," the silver hero murmured cynically.

S

Anna sank into her overstuffed couch in a dusty apartment she had not seen in days as she considered her workload.

Who knew that liaison to the most powerful man and woman on the planet could be so much work. Even her work at the agency had not kept her this busy. Being ambassador to New Themyscira had not been half so taxing at first as it was now. At first, reassuring the heroes, and the nations of the world that both sides wanted a peaceful coexistence was simplicity itself. Even if more than a few 'boys' still wanted to get into a pissing contest over the technological secrets being hidden behind archaic architecture on an island shielded by a force shield nothing currently available to modern man could penetrate.

Even then, she calmed most of the fear-mongers, and kept things from getting out of control by reminding most people how the pair had helped save their world not long ago. It helped that both Clark and Diana continued to pull off amazing rescues, performing heroic interventions, and the like on a near daily basis.

Only things got more complicated soon after the heroes had their 'headquarters' finished.

Diana approached her about aiding her in vetting a select number of young people to join them on the island. They wanted to share with Man's World, as she called it, but did not wish to be overwhelmed by greedy, or unprincipled men. She and Clark would teach what they had to offer to the young people Anna helped select, and then they would be returned to their countries to share what they learned with others. Ensuring that everyone saw they were not hiding anything, but were part of their world.

It was an idealistic dream. An honorable one. The sort of thing 'Wonder Woman' would have managed back home without anyone batting an eye.

It took her months of arguing with Congress, the U.N., and every nut and fringe group in the country to pull off the special permissions to even allow anyone to consider applying for the placements the otherworldly heroes offered. China was one of the few to outright refuse to allow any of their people to participate. They were still insisting the 'abducted' scientists be returned.

The new president helped ease Congress' fears, and when America soon culled seven of the twenty slots, other nations forgot the fears and arguments, and sent out candidates by the hundreds. It took her almost another full month to weed out plants, spies, and worse to find four genuine candidates from England, and even Africa and India. Another three weeks passed before three more were added from Europe.

Diana, impatient over the delay, chose to take the fourteen candidates, and wait for the next 'session' to try choosing the next score of aspirants.

That choice did not lighten her load.

She still had her diplomatic duties, and they were increasing after Clark subtly suggested someone was blatantly creating disasters to try to either simply assess their strengths, or possible stop them. He was less than pleased, pointing out the fact that if they weren't in the area of one of these 'traps' when they were triggered, someone could be seriously hurt in a needless disaster.

Anna knew what he was thinking. He was assured it wasn't the government. Still, a lot of nuts were still out there. One in particular stuck in her mind.

Thomas Billings had taken his discharge with less than graceful aplomb. He had been all over the airwaves, lambasting the ultimate illegal alien, and extolling the virtues of true American patriots who did not need outsiders flying to their rescue at any given time. He even suggested the 'heroics' were just a less than altruistic ploy to get a booted foot in the door of the American government to somehow take over….something.

Thomas was usually less than comprehensible by the time he reached that point in his rant. He had vanished a few weeks ago after accusing her of betraying the nation by serving the 'invaders,' and she, frankly, did not miss him.

Still, she now also had the burden of constantly reassuring parents who were having second thoughts after hearing absurd radio shock jockeys talking about cults, indoctrinations, and even…. God help them, alien breeding experiments.

She sighed, staring at the TV, and wondered if she should bother turning it on.

She had already had a long day on the Hill, and things were not likely to be any better listening to the tripe being endlessly echoed in the media.

Reaching for her remote, she switched on her stereo. The first three beats of Beethoven's Ninth sounded in her ears before a faint squealing sound, followed by a pop, and then her whole world turned red as her apartment exploded violently around her.

S

"Don't. Touch. Anything," Batman said as he prepared to teleport from the Watchtower to Themyscira after he had called the queen with a request for an audience.

It was only his past experience with her, and his unwavering role in protecting the Amazon's secrets as he fought alongside Diana that gave him that luxury. That he hinted he had more new for her regarding the missing Amazon only helped sway the woman.

"I'll keep an eye on her," Captain Atom assured him. "Just don't be long."

"I'll try. Just keep her out of trouble. And, you. Remember why you are here."

"You weren't so stiff last night," Circe pouted as he turned, his cape swirling around his shoulders as he glared back at her. "You know what I mean," she cooed.

He nodded curtly as J'onn, who did not even pretend to smile as he activated the teleporter.

"Would you like a chair," the Martian asked, gesturing to a chair well away from any critical systems.

"What I would like," Circe smiled. "Is something cold, and wet. Do you perhaps have refreshments on this technological marvel you managed to park over the planet?"

"The cafeteria is on the third level," J'onn nodded. "Captain? Perhaps you would like to….."

"Of course," the somber hero nodded. "This way," he told her as the woman back in a flowing robe and sandals smiled at him.

"You know, Nathan," she asked as they turned toward the lift. "I've been meaning to ask. Since you are, in essence, all energy. How do you…..express your urges now," she asked in a purring voice.

J'onn didn't miss the slight glaring of energy around Nathan's eyes as he glanced at her, and then reached for the elevator control panel to close the doors.

He was almost tempted to eavesdrop on that conversation, but he was not that sort of sentient. Besides, even he could tell when the good Captain was angry. And that one had almost pushed his proverbial buttons but good, he could tell without telepathy.

Batman had best hurry, he silently remarked.

S

Clark stood outside the burning apartment building now contained by three rooftop water towers, and a few controlled bursts of super-breath. Along with the firemen's bravery and efforts, he did not dismiss. Fifty-seven people had been rescued after the explosion in the apartment building had almost taken the entire top floor off the structure, and if remained, looking grimly on at the aftermath, it was because he knew who lived in that penthouse apartment atop this building.

"Has anyone reached her," he asked the police officer who walked toward him. He was the one that agreed to call and find out if Anna were at work, or…..

"Her office said she left over an hour ago."

Clark nodded, and looked up. "If you don't mind then, I'm going to have a closer look," he said, rising into the air.

Even as he did, another explosion of flame rose from the middle of the sagging apartment complex, but even as it did, it kept rising. Higher and higher, and arching out over the city.

"Great Krypton," he exclaimed, his eyes making out the humanoid shape in that ball of flaming energy.

The police officer gaped as he was almost blown off his feet by the sudden vacuum from his fantastic acceleration as he gave chase.

Clark heard the screaming even before he neared the flaming body, and he understood. Speeding up just a little more, he paced the flaming figure, and it took little to guess who was there, wreathed in flames, but apparently…..unharmed.

"Ms. Graves," he shouted as the flaming visage turned his way, mouth opened in that endless shriek of fear. "Anna! Calm down!"

"Calm….. No! I'm on fire…! I'm on fire! Why aren't I….. Wait, are you….? Am I….flying," she sputtered, blazing eyes wide with shock.

"Calm down," he told her again, keeping her focused again as her own speed began to falter well out over the ocean now. "Look at me. Listen to me. Somehow…."

"What? What happened? I only remember… My apartment….exploded….."

"You obviously have a meta-gene," he told her somberly as she now hovered there in the sky before him, staring at her hands, which were as fiery as the rest of her.

"But…. But….. That was only on…..your world? Wasn't it? Wasn't it," she asked, the flames starting to sputter now.

He reached out and caught her even as the last flames died out, and she realized belated that she was completely naked.

"Ohmigod," she rasped, and turned red the old-fashioned way as he wrapped his cape around her. "Ohmigod," she echoed, feeling him wrap strong arms around her, pulling him to his side.

"You're all right now," he told her. "But I think someone tried to kill you. All the witnesses claim they heard a bomb go off."

"They did. In my apartment. Clark," she told him, looking up at him as he angled and resumed his flight to head out over the Atlantic, obviously headed for New Themyscira. "I think it was Billings. I think he planted a bomb in my place."

"We'll contact the authorities when we get to my place. We need to check you out, though, and ensure you have a handle on your…..powers."

"But….this is the real world!"

"Yes, it is. Isn't it," he remarked calmly, though he was more than thoughtful himself.

"You know what I mean," she huffed. "People aren't supposed to….. To…"

"Yes," he asked, giving her a wry smile as she looked down at the ocean far below them.

"Ohmigod. I was really…..on fire?"

"Whatever happened, we'll figure it out, and help you manage it."

"But….how?"

"You do realize I helped Batman and Diana start the Justice League. We've both worked with a lot of young heroes, and more than a few inexperienced metas along the way. Powers aside, we don't need to give your attacker another easy target."

"Billings. I just know it was that sanctimonious…"

"I won't doubt you. We've all heard his vitriol. Still, I doubt he's the type to get his hands dirty if he is behind this, or the accidents we've been having. Better to keep you out of sight for now than give whoever is behind all this another target."

"I'm not a damsel in distress," she growled, and Clark noted the sudden bright flash in her eyes. "I was a damn good agent in the FBI long before I ever went to work for Colonel Carter. And even then….."

She burst into flame even as her hands clenched, and Clark let her go even though he was obviously in no danger of being seared. She gasped, surprised at finding herself aflame, and airborne again.

"I believe we can definitely confirm your emotions are tied to your powers. Can you fly? Consciously direct your flight now?"

"I….don't know," she frowned, though that expression was lost behind her once again flaming visage.

"Go. I'll be right behind you. We might as well find out how much control you have. If you feel yourself faltering," Clark teased. "If it helps, just think of Billings."

He heard a faint growl as her teeth audibly ground, and even he was surprised at how brightly she flared, and how fast she suddenly flew away from him.

"Definitely an emotional connection to the power," he murmured, following her as he stayed just beside her as she proved to be getting an instinctive grip on her own ability as she started to soar higher, diving, then climbing again, and then he heard the echoing howl of glee as she streaked higher, and arched up, and over the ocean with a fresh burst of speed.

"Almost like Volcana," he murmured, and followed her toward New Themyscira.

To Be Continued…