Chapter 20: To Serve Mankind
After the parade concluded, Diana wandered around the small fair that was set up in the main park area. Several children were running around, playing with sparklers or just chasing one another. A few were gathered around a man with an ice cream cart, the man handing out cones to the eager children. She smiled at the sight before noticing one girl walking up to her.
"Cool." She let out. "You're Wonder Woman!"
She chuckled a little as she knelt down to her.
"Call me Diana." She told her.
"I'm Hannah Grace!" the little girl declared, taking a lick of her ice cream cone. "I wanna be just like you when I grow up."
"I would welcome your sisterhood, Hannah Grace." Diana replied
"Awesome!" She let out before taking another lick from her cone.
Unfortunately, said lick caused the entire scoop to fall to the ground.
"Aww." Hannah let out.
"Don't worry." Diana reassured, standing up and walking towards the cart. "Excuse me, sir."
The cart vendor looked up and practically went wide eyed, surprised to see Diana coming towards him.
"Whoa, Wonder Woman." He let out in pleasant surprised. "Uh, what can I do for you?"
"One vanilla cone, please." She requested. "And another for my friend, Hannah."
"You got it." the vendor agreed, scooping the two cones for her. "Here ya go, on the house."
"You are too kind." Diana replied, handing the second cone to Hannah.
"Thanks!" Hannah let out, taking the cone.
She then walked off as Diana watched smiling.
"Must be nice." the vendor remarked. "Able to make a person's day like that."
"Indeed it is." Diana replied, thinking back to a time where she made much more than a little girl happy.
…
1918, Village of Veld
With the battle concluded, Diana and the others were welcomed with open arms. One of the villagers even offered to take their picture.
"Alright, hold still." the man instructed as the five took their positions. "And… got it. Thank you for this."
"Not a problem." Steve replied as they all dispersed.
Diana however, stayed in place as she watched Charlie walk off on his own.
"For a man who boasts of being able to shoot, he cannot." She noted.
"He has the ability." Chief corrected. "He lacks the will."
"The ghosts he sees." Diana deduced.
"Yes." Chief nodded. "Those who he has lost in battle. The guilt he feels haunts him."
"And yet, he still chooses to fight." Diana recognized.
"It's all he knows." Chief went on. "It's all he has left."
Diana just looked back at him as he talked with Sameer and Steve, feeling both proud and sorry for Charlie at the same time.
…
Later, Steve was contacting Sir Patrick and Etta about the status of the mission.
"The town is called Veld. V.E.L.D. it might not even show up on any of the maps." Steve reported.
"Oh, here you are!" Etta's voice cam cheerily through the phone. "Found you! Wow, you are a tiny little place. Must be quite quaint."
"It is." Steve confirmed. "Any luck finding Ludendorff's base of operations?"
"No." Etta lamented. "No, but I located him. And oh, lucky you, he's only a few miles away at German High Command."
"The German High Command?" Steve repeated.
"Yes." Etta confirmed. "According to Intel report, Ludendorff is hosting a gala. Sort of a last hurrah before the Germans sign the armistice. Oh! And then the Kaiser himself is going to be there. As well as Dr. Maru. Actually the Gala could be perfect cover-"
The line went fuzzy for a moment, then a new voice came on the line.
"Captain Trevor." Sir Patrick suddenly declared. "Under no circumstances are you to go anywhere near that gala tomorrow night. Do you hear me? You'll be jeopardizing everything we've worked for. You can not compromise the armistice."
"Sir, there will be no armistice once Ludendorff bombs the entire front line." Steve argued. "This is our last chance, our final chance to find out where the gas is and to learn how Ludendorff plans on delivering it."
"No, no, no, I forbid it." Sir Patrick interjected vehemently. "Do you hear me? I forbid it."
"Sir, I am losing you!" Steve let out, feigning a bad connection. "Sir? Hello? Sir?"
He then promptly hung up.
…
In London Sir Patrick looked at the now disconnected phone before turning to Etta. She met his eyes looking somewhat nervous.
"How likely is he to respect my wishes?" He questioned.
"Not very likely." Etta admitted.
…
"Why would he try to stop us when we're so close?" Diana questioned.
"He scared." Steve insisted. "And I have to admit, I am too."
"But if Ludendorff succeeds-" Diana responded.
"I know, I know." Steve interjected. "Believe me, I know. Just because I'm scared doesn't mean I'm not going. We'll just need to be smart about it. I can rustle us up some German uniforms so we can get inside."
"How long will that take?" Diana asked.
"At least a day." Steve replied. "So we might as well get comfortable."
…
That night, everyone was enjoying the evening. The mood was quiet but celebratory as slow music played and the villagers danced. Steve walked over to Diana carrying two glasses and gave her one.
"To saving the day." Steve proposed.
"To saving the world." Diana replied, bring her glass against his.
"You should be proud." He told her. "You made all this happen."
"We did." Diana corrected.
Steve smiled as they looked out and saw everyone dancing.
"So, they got dancing on Paradise Island?" Steve asked.
"Yes, we do." Diana replied coyly. "But these people are just… swaying."
"Alright, come on." Steve decided, standing up.
Diana looked up at Steve, confused as to what he was doing.
"If you're going to go to a Gala tomorrow," He told her, offering her a hand. "You're going to need to know how to dance."
"Well…" Diana pondered before taking his hand. "If I'm going to a Gala."
"Just… promise me you won't stab anyone while there." Steve told her.
"I maybe a warrior, but I do have some self control." Diana remarked.
The two shared a chuckle as Steve led her forward.
"Ok," Steve let out as they came to a stop. "First, I put my hand here like so…"
He placed one hand around her waist, before leading one of her hands to his
shoulder.
"Then you put yours here like so…" He continued. "And then we, what did you say, sway?"
The two then held hands before just swaying back and forth to the music. As they danced, the sounds of singing filled the air. The two looked over and heard Charlie's voice creating the sound.
"I did not know Charlie could sing." Diana spoke.
"Haven't heard him sing in years." Steve admitted.
The two smiled as they continued dancing.
"So, is this what people do when there are no wars to fight?" Diana asked.
"Yeah, pretty much." Steve confirmed. "Well, this and other things."
"Like what?" Diana asked.
"Well…" Steve pondered. "They, go to work, get married, have kids, and eventually grow old together."
"Sounds beautiful." Diana mused.
"I've heard it is." Steve replied. "Never really… thought about it for myself."
"And if you did?" Diana asked.
"Well, if I did… there is someone I'd like to do that with." Steve admitted.
"Oh?" Diana inquired, slowly leaning in closer.
"Yeah," Steve confirmed. "She's headstrong, a little naive, but the most compassionate, caring, and brave person I have ever met."
Diana just smiled as the two looked at each other longingly. Finally, they leaned in and kissed.
…
The next morning, Steve was slowly nudged awake, causing him to groan heavily as he opened his eyes and saw Diana looming over him.
"Good morning." She greeted.
"Morning." Steve replied, holding his head. "You sleep well?"
"Quite." Diana told him. "You?"
"Oh yeah, though it's kinda ruined by a splitting headache." Steve admitted.
"Well, I suppose it serves your right for trying to outdrink an Amazon." Diana remarked, getting out of bed.
"Fair enough, I guess." Steve relented. "So, last night, we…"
"You drank far more of Chief's beers than recommended, declared I was the most beautiful woman you'd ever seen, then promptly passed out."
"Ah." Steve realized. "I see. Well then, best get back to work, right?"
"Right." Diana concurred.
…
Sometime later, the group was gearing up for the excursion. Steve came up with the uniforms he needed, and Sameer even came up with horses for everyone.
"Can you believe they just gave these to us?" He asked. "Being a hero has its perks, I must say."
Steve just chuckled a little in response.
"You know, if you three wanted to say, no one would think less of you." Steve told them.
"You kidding?" Sameer replied. "You need us. I mean, Diana can take care of herself, but you? You'd be lost without us."
Fair enough." Steve admitted, laughing a little.
"Besides, if they didn't come, who would sing for us?" Diana jeered, looking towards Charlie.
Charlie smiled at the gesture.
"Would be happy to lend my talents to what you need." Charlie replied, doing a mock bow.
…
On the ride to the castle, Diana and Steve filled the other three in on who Diana really was and how they met.
"You must think I was born yesterday, Steven." Charlie remarked.
"I'm telling you, it's true." Steve replied.
"So there is an entire island of women like her and no man in sight?" Sameer sumized. "How do we get there?"
The question prompted a laugh from Diana and Steve.
"You would not be welcome there, I am afraid." Diana told him. "They nearly killed Steve when he arrived."
"Yeah, they're pretty strict when it comes to visitors." Steve added.
"You made it out with her, did you not?" Sameer remarked. "Who's to say I can't come out just as lucky."
"Right." Charlie remarked. "And Ludendorff is the god of war."
"Actually, Ares is imprisoned on Themyscira." Diana corrected, much to the surprise of the group.
They all exchanged looks with each other before turning back to Diana.
"Ok… how did that happen?" Steve asked.
"It is a long story." Diana replied.
"Perhaps another time." Chief chimed in. "We're here."
The group stopped their horses, seeing a massive castle before them as they dismounted. They walked up to a clearing in the brush they were in and looked over the castle, both in its scale, and it's security.
"Well, this is more than a little daunting." Steve noted. "How the hell do we get into that?"
"I could get in." Diana boasted.
"Yeah, if we were going for a full frontal assault." Steve replied. "But we need something a little more, under cover."
"I could take out a few of the guards." Charlie proposed. "Create something of a distraction."
"Yeah, but it would look pretty suspicious if we just came sauntering out of the woods afterwards." Steve remarked.
"Hey, what about that?" Sameer let out, pointing down the road.
The group looked and saw a car pulling up with a man and woman dressed in fancy clothes sitting in the back and a driver in the front.
"Can I drive it?" Sameer asked. "Please?"
"First we have to get it." Steve replied.
There was a soft sound, then the sound of two bodies hitting the grass. The group looked over to see Diana standing by the now empty car.
"That… works." Steve commended in surprise.
"Glad you approve." Diana replied, throwing the woman over her shoulder. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to change."
The four nodded as she carried the woman back into the woods.
…
Sometime later, Diana was in the women's blue dress sitting next to Steve as he wore a general's hat and had a pipe in his mouth, with Sameer in the drivers seat. They drove up to the castle and saw several guests pulling out invitations before entering the building.
"They have invitations." Sameer dreaded.
"It's cool," Steve reassured. "You got this. Just play it cool."
The car then came to a stop as a soldier came up to them.
"Your invitation, please." He requested.
"Thank you sir." Sameer replied, coming off as a dimwitted servant. "The Colonel and I wish many blessings and all my love to fall up in your head."
"Your head must be empty." Steve remarked in a German accent. "Just give him the invitation, you idiot."
"Yes, of course." Sameer replied, shuffling through the car. "I, uh… I am sorry I must apologize. A thousand times, my master. I seem to have lost the invitation."
"What?!" Steve let out. "You saying we travelled all the way through the mud and rain only for you to lose my invitation?"
"No, I am a bug." Sameer apologized. "Not even a bug, I'm a dung of a bug. And you're right master…"
As Sameer was berating himself, Diana casually turned to the side and saw several chairs being set up in the castle courtyard, causing her to raise an eyebrow.
"Alright, you can go." the soldier allowed.
"Bless you, sir." Sameer replied before pulling the car forward.
Diana just continued looking down at the courtyard, wondering what was so important that it would require in an audience.
…
Inside the castle, Diana wrapped around Steve's arm as they entered the ballroom. Dozens of people walking back and forth and mingling with each other.
"Which one is Ludendorff?" Diana asked.
"I don't see him." Steve replied, eyeing the crowd. "But I've got my eye on Dr. Poison. I'm gonna see if I can get close and see where she's keeping the gas."
"What should I do?" Diana asked.
"Watch my back." Steve told her.
Diana nodded as Steve walked towards Dr. Poison, grabbing two glasses of champagne off a tray before approaching.
"A toast to peace, doctor?" Steve offered.
"I don't drink." Dr. Poison dismissed.
"Then I will drink for both of us." Steve declared, taking a sip. "I have been a big admirer of your work for many years. You are the most talented chemist in the German army. "
Dr. Poison looked away in surprise, seeing Ludendorff approaching. Steve picked up on this and moved in closer.
"I hope I am not… intruding on anything." Steve apologized. "I know you and General Ludendorff are very close."
"We work well together, yes." Dr. Poison replied.
"If I may be so bold," Steve continued. "I believe having someone like me behind you could show you… a lot more."
"And you are?" Dr. Poison inquired.
"Someone who will give you the appreciation you deserve." Steve promised, eying the fireplace behind them. "I like fire. It is… like a living act of entropy. The ultimate weapon of destruction. Reminding us that in the end, everything eventually burns.
Dr. Poison was admittedly taken in by what Steve was saying.
That is something I see in you. Power. Absolute certainty." Steve praised. "Perhaps you could show me what you're working on. I hear it is… extraordinary."
"I appreciate your interest in my work." Dr. Poison admitted. "But my duty is to General Ludendorff."
Dr. Poison then walked off. Diana was about to follow when she walked right into the arms of Ludendorff.
"You weren't thinking of leaving so soon, were you?" He asked. "This is a party after all."
"True." Diana replied. "Though I must admit, I do not quite know what we are celebrating."
"Why, a German victory of course." Ludendorff answered.
"Victory?" Diana repeated. "But I hear peace is so close."
"Peace?" Ludendorff repeated. "Peace is a short term measure, at best. Everyone agrees to stop fighting in public, but under the table, both sides continue their mutual hatred. Peace is a bandage, one that is ripped off all too often over the smallest of things. Conquest, achieved through blood and death… that is the only way war can truly be won. It is how even the most minuscule of men can build himself up into a god."
Diana was completely disturbed by what she had heard.
"Only one of the many gods believed war was just and natural." Diana replied. "And he was wrong."
"My dear child, you know nothing of the gods." Ludendorff dismissed.
"General." A soldier spoke, walking up to Ludendorff. "It is time."
"I'm afraid duty calls, my dear." He said to Diana. "Enjoy the fireworks."
With that, he walked off. Diana was about to follow when Steve stepped in.
"Diana, wait." He told her.
"What are you doing?!" She let out. "He's getting away."
"I know, but not here." Steve insisted. "If you attack him here, there may never be peace. And we still need to find the gas. Just trust me, please."
Diana relented, calming down in Steve's grasp.
"He said something about 'fireworks'." She told him.
"Fireworks?" Steve asked. "What does that-"
He was suddenly cut off by sudden explosions ringing from outside. The two immediately started bolding out of the castle.
…
Steve and Diana made their way outside and saw a massive cannon on one of the castle towers.
"It's the gas!" Steve realized. "This wasn't a gale, it was a demonstration!"
"The village!" Diana realized.
Diana immediately ran towards Sameer and the others, mounting her horse and riding off.
"What was that?" Sameer questioned.
"Ludendorff's attacking the village!" Steve told them, getting on his own horse. "If he's making his move, he's gotta have a launching point to send it to the front nearby! Find it and signal us!"
"Right!" Chief agreed as they mounted their horses and rode off.
…
Diana shed her dress as she rode through the woods as fast as she could towards Veld. Her face was horrified as she saw a cloud of orange smoke overtake the village. Once she got close, she dismounted and looked around at the sight. She looked around and through the smoke, saw several bodies on the ground. She put her hands on her face, utterly shaken by what had happened. She could barely even register Steve approaching her.
"Diana…" He let out as she put her hands down.
"Ludendorff will die for this." She promised.
"... then go get him." Steve allowed.
Steve looked up and saw a cloud of smoke in the distance.
"That's Chief!" He told Diana. "Ludendorff's launching site is that way!"
Diana saw this and instantly ran towards her horse, hopping on it and riding off. Steve was about to follow when he saw a discarded motorcycle nearby.
…
Diana rode as fast as she could through the thick woods. Once she got clear of the tree line, she spotted an airfield in the distance. As she got closer, she noticed Ludendorff in one of the observation towers. Scowling at the sight, she whipped her reigns, promoting the horse to speed up. As she approached, she leapt off the horse and over the fence line. The second she landed, she drew her sword and sliced through several German soldiers. As she cut one down, she then pulled out her lasso and whipped a soldier on the tower down to the ground, causing him to land with a thud.
Inside the tower, one of the soldiers noticed something going on outside. He went outside to investigate, but was grabbed by Diana and thrown out of the tower. Ludendorff looked up from his work to see Diana standing in front of him.
"Well, this is unexpected." Ludendorff admitted. "However, I don't have time for distractions."
He grabbed a gun and shot it at Diana, only for her to use her bracelet to deflect the bullet right back at the gun, shattering it. He held his hand in pain, looking up at Diana in surprise and frustration.
"What… are you?" He questioned.
"You will soon find out." She promised, readying her sword.
She swung her sword at him, but he easily evaded it. He tried punching her, but she held up her wrist to block it before trying to stab him. He evaded the blow and shoved her against a wall. He knocked the sword out of her hand and tossed her aside. He then picked up her sword as she got back up and began swinging it at her. She evaded the swings and blocked a few blows with her bracelets, doing her best to keep ahead of him. This proved difficult however, as his speed and skill was beyond anything she had seen before. Eventually, he managed to kick her in the chest and knock her to the ground.
"You are quite a wondrous creature, my dear." Ludendorff commended. "But still no match for me."
He then thrusted the sword forward, surprised to see her catch it with her bare hands.
"We'll see about that." She remarked.
Ludendorff pulled the sword back, trying to strike at her again, but Diana sprang up and kicked him in the side, causing him to drop the sword as he was knocked through the wall. Diana reclaimed her sword as Ludendorff climbed up onto the roof. Diana wasted no time leaping through the ceiling to cut him off, much to his surprise.
"Who are you?" He asked.
"I am Diana of Themyscira." She told him. "Daughter of Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons. And in the name of all that is good and just, your wrath upon this world is over."
Ludendorff just scowled at her, clenching his fists in response. He charged at her, prompting Diana to leap over him and land on the other side. Diana whipped out her lasso and wrapped it around Ludendorff as he turned around. The second the lasso entrapped him, Diana pulled on it hard, bringing him in close enough for Diana to stab him in the chest. He grunted in pain as he dropped to his knees. Diana let go, seeing the life drain from his eyes as he fell on his back.
Diana let out a breath as she dropped from the roof onto the floor of the tower. She turned around and saw Steve approaching her.
"Diana, you alright?" He asked.
"Yes." She confirmed. "Ludendorff is dead."
"Still need to stop that gas." Steve reminded.
"Right." Diana agreed. "We must hurry!"
"I'm afraid I can't let you do that." A familiar voice called out.
The two turned around and saw, of all people, Sir Patrick entering the tower with a gun pointed at them.
"Sir Patrick?" Diana let out. "What are you-?"
"You." Steve interrupted. "It was you. You were the spy. Why?"
"Money, power, and honestly, knowledge of just who we were trying to fight." Sir Patrick answered.
"So all your talk of peace was a lie?" Diana accused.
"Peace comes in all forms, Miss Prince." Sir Patrick informed her. "The armistice is merely a temporary measure, one that I doubt will last more than a decade. No, if the world is to know true peace, it must be united under a single banner, under a single ruler."
"If you are referring to Ludendorff, then your ambitions are in vain." Diana informed. "He's dead."
That's when a dark chuckle began to emanate from where Ludendorff lay dead. Both Steve and Diana looked up, watching as the man sat up, the sword still embedded in his chest. He wiped the blood off his mouth before jumping off the roof, landing behind the trio.
"Care to recind that statement?" He offered.
"Impossible…" Diana let out.
"You're an Amazon, a warrior woman from a culture that fought alongside the Gods of the Pantheon." Ludendorff pointed out, pulling the sword out of his chest. "One would think the term 'impossible' would not be in your lexicon."
The wounds he suffered immediately closed up, almost as if they had not been there at all. Enraged, Diana charged at Ludendorff, sending the two of them crashing out of the tower.
"Diana!" Steve called out.
The two landed on the ground hard, Ludendorff tumbling for a bit as Diana landed on her feet. Ludendorff picked himself up, the sword still in his hands.
"An impressive I must admit." Ludendorff commended.
"I want it back." Diana insisted.
"Come and take it." He boasted.
She darted at him, prompting him to strike at her. She deflected the strikes with her bracelets as she tried to keep ahead of him.
"Steve!" Diana called out. "Get the gas! Hurry!"
"I'm afraid I can't let you leave, Captain Trevor." Sir Patrick insisted.
"Yeah, well I don't really care what you want." Steve dismissed.
…
A few feet away, Sameer, Charlie, and Chief arrived at the airfield, managing to get in through a hole in the fence left by Diana's initial entrance. As they made their way in, Chief looked at the tower and could make out Steve inside.
"Up there!" He called out.
Charlie looked through the scope and saw Sir Patrick pointing a gun at Steve.
"It's Sir Patrick!" Charlie realized. "He's got a gun at Steve!"
"He must be Ludendorff's spy." Sameer pieced together. "Charlie, take him out."
Charlie lined up his shot and prepared to fire, but once again, he couldn't pull the trigger.
"Charlie, he's going to kill Steve." Sameer told him. "He needs you!"
…
"I want you to know, Captain Trevor, this isn't personal." Sir Patrick assured.
"Yeah, well it feels personal." Steve remarked.
"I'm just being honest, Captain." Sir Patrick voiced, cocking the gun. "Goodbye."
There was a bang and Steve instinctively flinched, grabbing his chest. However, he was not bleeding or in pain. He looked back at Sir Patrick, only to find the man dead on the floor, a bullet hole through his head. Steve looked out and saw Charlie holding a smoking gun as Sameer gave a mock salute. Steve just smiled as he proceeded to climb down the tower.
"You alright?" Chief asked.
"Fine, thanks to you guys." Steve replied. "Still have a job to do though."
"Then let's get to it." Charlie declared, prompting everyone to head off.
…
Back in the fight, Ludendorff was thrown against a nearby crate as Diana walked up to him.
"I do not know how you managed to survive my sword," Diana told him. "But I assure you, you won't walk away again."
"Brave words." Ludendorff commended, using a fist to smash a hole in the crate, containing several guns.
He grabbed one and began opening fire on her, prompting Diana to use her bracelets to deflect the bullets. She then grabbed her lasso and whipped it around Ludendorff's arm, pulling it hard, and throwing him aside. Ludendorff then grabbed hold of the lasso and yanked on it, pulling Diana in close and allowing him to grab her by the throat before slamming her onto the ground.
…
Meanwhile, Steve and the others ran across the airfield, catching sight of Dr. Poison instructing some soldiers near a massive plane.
"What do you wanna bet that plane has the gas?" Sameer proposed.
"If that thing gets airborne, it'll wipe out every allied soldier on the front lines." Steve dreaded. "We gotta ground it."
"I don't think we can." Chief pointed out. "Look."
He pointed to a large cluster of gas canisters being loaded onto the plane. Strapped to the front of it was an intricate timer system, one that was already ticking down.
"The gas is on a timer." Chief informed. "If we stop it from taking off, it will kill everyone for 50 miles."
Steve pondered for a moment. Suddenly, a terrible idea came to mind.
"Is it flammable?" Steve asked.
"If it's hydrogen based like you said, then yes." Sameer answered, a worried look on his face. "What are you thinking?"
"I'm thinking I need you guys to clear me a path to that plane." Steve replied before running forward.
"Steve!" Charlie shouted.
…
With Diana, she managed to get a foot under Ludendorff and kicked him off of her. She quickly leapt back to her feet, using one foot to kick her sword up and back into her hand.
"I will stop you." Diana promised. "Even if I have to sever your head from your body."
"Many have tried." Ludendorff boasted, getting back up. "None have succeeded. What makes you think you can do any better?"
"This." Diana answered, grabbing a nearby crate with one hand and throwing it at him.
Ludendorff managed to catch the crate in his hands, and seeing the contents inside were explosives, threw it right back at her. He then pulled out his gun and shot the crate as it neared Diana, causing an explosion that sent her flying. She hit the ground hard, rolling a bit before coming to a stop. She got up slowly as her ears were ringing relentlessly. She tried to pick herself up as Steve ran up to her. He helped her up as he spoke to her, but she couldn't hear a word of it due to the blast. She could tell what Steve was saying was important, but all she could hear was the ringing. Suddenly, he took off towards the plane, much to her confusion.
"Steve!" She called out, her hearing finally returning.
As the others managed to clear out the soldiers, Steve leapt onto the plane just as it was taking off. He locked the doors, shot the pilot, then took his seat at the helm as he prepared to take off.
Back down below, Diana turned back towards Ludendorff, who was slowly approaching her with his gun in hand.
"I must say, in all my years of conquest and slaughter, I have never met anyone as amazing and annoying as you." Ludendorff commended. "You are indeed a wonder the world will miss."
He started shooting at her again, but she easily deflected the bullets before dashing up to him and grabbing the gun, crushing it in her hands. He laughed as she did, grabbing her by the throat as the plane began going off. She quickly punched him across the face so he would let go.
…
Up in the plane, Steve continued flying higher and higher. Once he was certain he was far enough away from the air base, he drew his pistol from his belt, aiming it back at the canisters. He hesitated, fear gripping his chest as he knew what his next actions would do. Still, he took a deep breath and closed his eyes.
…
Down on the ground, Diana was thrown to the ground with Ludendorff placing a foot on her stomach, pinning her.
"You proven quite a challenge, Diana." Ludendorff told her. "But I've grown tired of-"
Just then, a massive explosion rang out. Diana and Ludendorff looked up and saw the plane explode in a massive ball of fire, no doubt taking Steve with it. Diana screamed in agony and loss, a pulse suddenly bursting from her body. Storm clouds swirled in the skies at an alarming rate, lightning cracking down all across the base. Ludendorff was thrown off of her as she began to rise off the ground, still screaming as the storm tore everything apart.
Sameer and the others watched in shock, completely floored by the power on display. Diana then immediately darted at Ludendorff, slamming him against the ground as she flew forward. She punched him repeatedly, each strike charged with lightning. He took each any every hit, unable to react at all. She then lifted him up into the air and spun him around before chucking him back to the ground, causing him to crater hard.
"You..." she struggled to say, tears pouring down her face as rain fell in buckets. "You took him…"
"Sorry." Ludendorff let out, wheezing. "That the price of being a hero. Death."
Screaming once again, Diana brought her hands together, raising them above her head. She brought them down on Ludendorff as the largest bolt of lightning struck. There was a blinding flash and a deafening crack of thunder that send everyone flying backwards. Lightning coursed through Ludendorff's body, causing him to cry out in agony. His flesh began cracking as smoke rose from his body. His cries of pain then petered out as his body was reduced to nothing more than ash.
With Ludendorff dead, everything went still and quiet once more. Sameer, Chief, and Charlie all blinked spots from their eyes, their ears ringing as they surveyed the damage. Nothing had been left standing in the wake of the freak storm. Planes and tanks were destroyed, their metal melted by the lightning strikes. Bodies littered the ground, many charred beyond recognition. One was even sporting the cracked remains of Dr. Poison's mask. Diana then looked up into the sky, lamenting the loss of one of the bravest men she knew.
…
A few days later, peace was established and the war was over. Diana and the others, including Etta, gathered at the pub where she first met Sameer and Charlie as they all raised glasses.
"To Steve." Diana proposed.
"To Steve." they all repeated, bringing their glasses together.
They all drank their drinks, Diana's eyes drifting towards a wall covered in photos of soldiers. Steve's picture was among them, the sight of it making Diana's heart ache as she wished she'd been able to hear his final words to her.
"If it's any comfort," Chief told her. "I believe he truly loved you."
Diana looked over at him, a small smile gracing her face.
"It is." She told him.
"So, what will you do now?" Sameer asked. "Return to your Paradise Island?"
"No." Diana replied with a shake of her head. "Man's world is still raw with hatred, and I cannot in good conscience return to Themyscira and just leave it without a protector. I will stay and fight for those who cannot."
The four smiled at Diana's decision.
"Well, if you ever need anything, you can call us." Etta promised.
"Thank you." Diana replied. "Thank you all."
"Oh, I just remembered something." Sameer recalled. "The German soldiers called you something while you were fighting Ludendorff. Maybe you could, I don't know, use it as a nickname or something."
"What was it?" Diana asked.
"Wunderfrau". He told her. "Wonder Woman."
"Ooh, I like that." Etta spoke up. "Has a nice ring to it, and I think it suits you perfectly."
Diana pondered it for a moment, then smiled.
"I think it does too." She replied.
…
Present day
In a memorial cemetery in Washington DC, Diana walked past several tombstones before stopping in front of one. It was very well kept, the result of meticulous tending by a common visitor. She placed her hand on the smooth stone as she read the inscription
"Captain Steven Trevor, 1886 - 1918. Soldier, Hero, Friend"
"A fitting description." Diana commented. "You were all that, and so much more, Steve."
She kissed the tips of her fingers, placing them against the stone once more. Just then, her JL communicator started going off.
"This is Wonder Woman." She answered.
"Wonder Woman, it's Batman. There's a situation along the east coast. Aquaman's calling for reinforcements."
"I'm on my way." Diana told him.
She hung up, then took to the sky, flying off to save the day once more.
Finally done! Don't worry, next time, we're back to the team. Promise.