The ride to Themyscira was…tenser than it could've been. At a glance, one might've thought it was thanks to the newcomer who was in no way, shape, or form an Amazon—and a man at that. But Caden Drake was honestly the least of the pilot's concerns. Diana had frowned since the start of a conversation with her first apprentice and hadn't stopped since. The night of Caephus' escape, Jason and Donna came to her in the study with the idea of visiting Themyscira to get more information on Circe and Janus.

This she had little issue with. It was a rational move. The problem came when Jason mentioned Drake would be accompanying them—and that she was needed to smooth things over with the others. Diana hadn't said a word for a good twenty seconds before Donna asked Jason to give them the room.

…

"Diana—"

"I know what you're going to say." Diana's jaw clenched. "She betrayed him, betrayed us, by exposing his presence to the gods. His suppressed powers nearly cost him and Cassandra their lives." She bit her lip. "He may have forgiven her for that; I have not."

Donna sidled up and put a hand on her shoulder. "Maybe it's time to start trying."

Diana gently shook her off and glared. "Do you know what it's like to have a mother who constantly makes the wrong decision for the 'right' reasons? And then tries to justify it because she thinks she always knows best. Do you have any idea how infuriating that is?!"

Donna stayed silent and let her vent.

She gesticulated wildly. "Bad enough she did it when I was growing up and trying to establish myself. Now she dragged my son into it!"

Diana grimaced and held her pronounced belly as she sagged into a chair by the fireplace. The baby was being unusually active—and his kicks were about as abnormally strong as she'd expected.

Donna sighed and sat next to her. "You're right. I don't know what that's like. But I know you love Jason, and right now he needs your help. Being angry at your mom isn't helping him…and despite how much you might want to hold onto that anger, I know it's not helping you."

Diana frowned and stared into the flames.

"I'm not telling you to forget what she's done—you can't and shouldn't, because it was a breach of trust that almost got him killed. But between Red Claw, Circe, and Janus; we're facing more threats than we can handle. We need all the help we can get. As much as Hippolyta has screwed this up so far, she wants what's best for you—and for Jason. And I think maybe, just maybe she's ready to help the way you need, not the way she wants."

Diana stared into infinity a while longer, then shut her eyes and sighed. "Fine. We'll head out in the morning."

…

Jason's voice pulled Diana from spacing out.

"Is this your first time to Themyscira?"

She glanced back, seeing Drake glance his way.

He cleared his throat. "No. During the Olympus War, Themyscira changed its tune after Ares' rampage in Gotham. They made preparations to join the war in the Middle East and reinforce their sisters in Bana-Mighdall. That's how Artemis came to study at Themyscira."

"That doesn't explain how you ended up there."

Diana piped up. "Hermes got wind of their intentions and used his speed to waylay the fleet until more gods arrived. Poseidon answered his call first, sending waves of sea creatures from the Abyss to storm the island. Members of the Justice League and other allies were sent to help in their defense."

"I can count on one hand the number of times I've fought with an actual army," Caden said. He grinned. "Gotta say, I've never felt more secure than being surrounded by buff ladies in a phalanx."

Cassie snorted a laugh.

Diana smiled a little. "When the tide turned, Poseidon meant to drown all of Themyscira in tsunamis. The Flash used his duel with Hermes to create a wind wall that stopped them." Her smile turned grim. "And Arthur and Mera took Poseidon stealing his trident and hijacking their subjects personally."

"Ahh, that explains the scars," Jason said, dragging three fingers across his face.

Diana checked the jet's nav system and began their descent. The moment they breached Themyscira's concealment field, she was gripped by fierce nostalgia. The island was as beautiful as ever, eternally fruitful. Eternally unchanging. She sighed at the dour stagnation of that thought.

"Did you come armed?" Diana asked Caden.

"I never go anywhere unarmed."

"You may wish to leave your weapons on the jet. Ally or not, I doubt the Amazons will appreciate your pragmatism in their territory."

"Hm."

"Besides," Donna said, "no threat will reach you here while they stand guard."

Caden opened his mouth, stopped himself, and spoke a moment later. "Tell that to Poseidon and Hermes."

Diana didn't overlook that hesitation. She suspected everyone on the jet knew exactly what he'd been about to say: what if the Amazons were the threat? Still, he probably knew as well as she did that his guns wouldn't help much if they decided to kill him. He'd have to be very careful about staying with an escort to avoid any misunderstandings.

The jet set down outside the palace moments later. As Diana powered it down, she could see royal guards streaming from the side entrance in parallel columns. A familiar blonde figure strode out between them. Her chest tightened.

Diana sighed and muttered, "Let's get this over with."

Jason was first off the ramp, followed shortly by Cassie and Caden. Caden breathed in deeply, eyes shut. The guards took notice of him but made no moves. Hippolyta embraced Jason and kissed his cheek.

"How have you been?"

He winced. "Uh…been better. Kinda got a target on my back."

"Circe's making trouble again," Cassie explained.

Hippolyta frowned and glanced to the side to see Caden taking the place in. "And him?"

"Research assistant," Diana said from the ramp. "I can vouch for him."

Her mother stared at her, lips pursed at her cold tone. "That's not all he is."

Caden looked her way. "You remember me?"

She arched an eyebrow. "It would be difficult to forget your ferocity, Caden Drake." She glanced at his hip, where his sidearm and knife sat in plain view. "Or your aim."

He smiled and bowed his head slightly. "Thank you, majesty. I'd be glad to demonstrate both again if the need arose."

Diana stiffened. By the way he said that, it was meant to be reassuring, but she had no way of knowing how Hippolyta would take it. She turned to her mother and braced herself.

Hippolyta frowned worriedly and fixed her gaze on Jason. "It may come to that soon enough."

Diana met Donna's eyes. She gave Diana a look that blatantly said, "I told you so."

"Well," Caden said, "for now I'm here for information. Jason tells me you have an archive of records regarding our current threats and he wants my help to sort through it all. I hope that's not a problem."

Hippolyta's lips pursed. "Remain with one of those who came with you, and it won't be." She turned toward the palace and motioned them to follow. "Not to worry. Themyscira is not as it once was. If you are caught without an escort, you will not be killed on sight." A sly smirk graced her lips. "Only manhandled a bit."

Caden nodded slowly, staring ahead with a blank expression. "I see."

Diana followed at the back, giving him a glance that turned into a double-take. Was he blushing?

"Go on ahead," Hippolyta said as they reached the palace. She motioned to Cassie, Donna, and Jason. "The children know the way." She frowned and looked at Diana. "I would like a word with my daughter."

Cassie looked miffed. "We're not children anymore."

Hippolyta smiled. "Cassandra, I am literal millennia old. You will always be children to me."

Cassie waved dismissively and grabbed Jason's arm to drag him off. Donna lingered behind long enough to give Diana a reassuring nod. Even the royal guard had given them the room.

Diana looked around, taking in her old haunt. She could count on one hand the number of times she'd visited Themyscira since the Olympus War, and all of them were brief. She hadn't taken the time to reflect on the place that had been her home, on all the memories buried here. Now, face to face with her reason for staying away, Diana realized how much she'd missed this.

"I was wrong."

Hippolyta's voice jolted Diana from her reverie.

"I overstepped my bounds and put my trust in someone I should not have." Hippolyta's entire body was tense as a high wire. "More than once."

Diana blinked and tightened her jaw. "Mother, I—"

She held up a hand. "Please, just…let me get this out." Hippolyta sighed and sat at the table they'd shared when she was a child. "As old as you are, as experienced as you've become, part of me will always see you as a child." She smiled ruefully. "It is my blessing and curse as a mother. And I suppose…" another sigh, "I suppose part of me is still upset that you left at all. It was, I believed, a rash decision made by one inexperienced in the ways of men. Yet of the two of us, you have consistently proven the more responsible.

"And I think perhaps that I am as resentful of that realization as I am proud." Hippolyta's hands fisted on the table. "I've spent so long here, unchanging, stagnant." Her eyes squeezed shut. "I'm afraid, Diana, afraid that I've become like the gods who abandoned us." Her voice cracked as she met Diana's eyes. "Every move I make seems to drive you further away. You, the one I love most and treasure more than anything on this earth."

Diana swallowed past the lump in her throat.

Hippolyta vainly swiped at her running eyes. "Diana, there are things about my past that even you don't know, things I've never shared with anyone, decisions I've made and secrets I will take to my grave. I know they color my perspective of the world and I'm…trying to unlearn those habits. So please, please be patient with me." She stared at the table. "I don't want to lose either of you."

Diana frowned and sat heavily on the table's adjacent side. "I know." A sigh. "I'm sorry for leaving him here and bolting. It wasn't fair to just drop him in your lap. I should've stayed with him. I knew how the sisters are, how they might react, but…I let my own resentment drive me away."

"And I should've known better—both then and before."

The room was silent for a while.

Diana met her mother's eyes. "I forgive you. Please look after my son from now on."

Hippolyta beamed. "Of course, my love." She smiled wider when she looked down at Diana's belly. "How is the babe?"

Diana smiled and looked down, rubbing her palms over the bump. "Active, though perhaps a little less than he should be at this stage."

"It happens. Nothing to worry about."

Diana arched a questioning brow at her.

Hippolyta huffed. "I am not so old that I've forgotten when we too bore children. Our sisters delivered many before we were separated from Man's World. I was there personally for quite a few of them." She glanced at Diana's eyes and stretched out her hand. "May I?"

Diana smiled. "Of course."

Hippolyta reached beneath her shirt and laid her hand across Diana's belly, eyes shut tightly. A shuddering breath left her lungs. Diana felt a small jerk of motion. Hippolyta's eyes glittered.

"Yes," she said with a grin. "I would not be worried about the liveliness of your son. It is still early yet."

Diana nodded and smiled down at the bump. "How did the sisters cope with being out of the field when they were pregnant?"

Hippolyta blinked at her.

"It isn't as if I have nothing to do—Wayne Enterprises always needs more work, especially since I merged my antiquities work with their preservation society. It's just…difficult to lay down the sword after carrying it so long, even for a time."

Hippolyta nodded. "I understand. In truth, I don't know that any of our sisters were ever fully able to adjust to the change."

Diana chuckled. "Fortunate then that it's a temporary one."

"Indeed." Hippolyta grinned. "And then comes the age of diapers."

She cringed. "Yes, don't remind me."

Hippolyta kept smiling. "You'll do fine, Diana. You already have a mother's patience."

Diana smiled softly and nodded, getting her meaning. "I'll try, Mother."

…

Despite this being only his second time on the island, Caden had little trouble finding his way around even without an escort (not that he strayed far from the others; he knew better than to tempt fate). One of the few perks of having a perfect memory: as long as he'd been somewhere once, he never looked like a tourist after. The library of Themyscira was a massive domed structure shaped like a cylinder and adorned with Corinthian columns. Amazons flowed in and out of its doors, seeing as it was late morning.

Most gave Cassie and Donna a passing wave. Jason got a few nods of respect. Caden could feel eyes on him from everywhere and staunchly resisted the urge to rest a hand on his weapons.

"Just smile and wave, man," Jason said. "Smile and wave."

Caden chuckled at his attempt at levity. When the gaze of one particularly buff—and armed—Amazon lingered on him, Jason straight up laughed and whipped an arm around Caden's shoulders. She scowled and turned away.

"Whatever happened to not nuking your credibility?" Cassie asked.

"One hater doesn't represent the whole island," Jason said. "Besides, better that she bitches to someone about me bringing a man here and gets corrected by the queen than me having to explain to Grandma why I had to fold one of her soldiers in half."

Caden glanced his way, eyebrow arched at how intentionally loud he was talking. He wasn't sure if the "hater" had been within earshot, but those that were immediately showed less interest in their group. At least, they were less obvious about their ogling. As a result, Caden could let his hackles down a bit.

They entered the archive to find a gaggle of Amazons surrounding Penelope, sitting on desks and chairs alike. They were all looking at something on her desk. A quiet murmur came from whatever it was—

Caden nearly snorted when he saw the iPad. "They really need to just break down and get a big TV."

Even his quiet speech got Penelope's attention. She quickly snapped her fingers and shooed the others away, to their disgruntlement.

What were they watching? he thought.

"How may I help you?" she asked, sounding a little flustered.

By the look on Jason's face, he was curious too. "My friends and I need information on Circe and Janus, including any current reports collected by Amazon rangers."

She nodded and began sorting through a filing system on her left. "I'll have one of my assistants bring the records to one of the west-end study rooms. You can wait there if you wish." She arched a blonde eyebrow. "Although it seems our rangers have quite a bit more to say about Circe than Janus."

"How much more?" Donna asked.

Penelope winced. "Enough that you might need two rooms just to hold it all. I'll reserve two adjacent rooms." She glanced at Caden. "A guest?"

Jason grabbed him by the shoulder. "Penny, this is Caden Drake. He knows like every language on the planet, so I figured he'd be ideal to help with this."

"And I have a personal stake in exposing the Decembrists," Caden added.

"The Drake?" Penny asked. "The one who stopped the Deep Ones' advance on the armory?"

Caden almost looked bashful. "I did have a whole squadron's worth of help."

She smirked. "Downplaying it to me is unwise. I am the historian who committed the attack to record—and I was there, though not close enough to see your face clearly. Egeria had harsh words for the collateral damage of your tactics, but acknowledged your strategy had merit. After all, the only casualties were made of stone."

Caden shrugged. "Hey, if you're gonna tear down a monument, crushing an eldritch horror from the deep isn't the worst reason."

Penny grinned. "Indeed." She nodded toward the study rooms. "If you'd like to wait—"

"You're back."

They all turned toward the new voice, eyes drawn to Artemis' fiery red hair.

Her green eyes widened in alarm as they swept from Jason to the others. "All of you. What's happened?"

Caden blinked.

"Bana-Mighdall is fine," Donna said calmingly. "But Circe is targeting Jason to hurt Diana, and the Decembrists are supplying mercenaries with a serum that gives them metahuman strength—they're also targeting Jason."

Artemis's jaw tightened. "The same Decembrists who orchestrated the war in the east?"

Jason nodded grimly.

"How can I help?"

…

Cassie could admit to having been apprehensive in the extreme about this whole arrangement—at least in the safety of her own mind. Bad enough that Jason had humiliated the Amazons' greatest general last year; now he was bringing outsiders to the island. Regardless of the purpose of his visit, she'd expected there to be a lot more friction than just passing glares. Yet from the royal guards to Penelope and even Artemis, it would appear that defeating Philippus had garnered Jason more respect than scorn.

Even the queen seemed almost doting with him, and Cassie doubted very much that it was merely out of guilt for her blunder with the gods.

What was more puzzling was how their little study group got divided between the two rooms: Jason, Donna, and Cassie to one; Caden and Artemis to the other—and it had been Artemis' idea. Well, that was between them. Unlike most Amazons from Bana-Mighdall, Artemis had some forbearance and patience when it came to men.

"I…where do we even start?" Jason asked, staring at the stacks of scrolls and codices.

Donna shrugged. "Pick a stack and get reading."

Jason groaned. "I took off school for this?"

Cassie grinned. She remembered those days well, when she was still with the Titans. Well, she was nominally still a Titan, but couldn't remember the last time she'd even visited the tower. The years since the Olympus War had left her and Donna with a lot of cleanup. Olympus had brought their full might against Earth and its defenders, including even minor demigods who owed them favors. After the gods were banished, those demigods scattered to the four corners of the world, most preferring to vanish. The ones who didn't…

Cassie physically shook off the memories. She didn't need to be thinking about Bana-Mighdall's new tenants. Lycus and his fanatics were safe under lock and key and there they would remain.

The rangers' reports were concise and detailed, focusing primarily on the Middle East and Southern Europe, especially maritime movements. At a glance, it was all just a jumbled mess of random pathways. But being the daughter of a worldwide treasure hunter had its perks. Helena Sandsmark had taught Cassie everything she knew about puzzles and patterns. Working closely with two Robins hadn't hurt either.

And in what she saw, there was absolutely a pattern. The closer they got to the bottom of the stack, the clearer the picture became. Every movement of Circe's minions eventually circled back to Greece—Athens specifically.

Donna took note of her observations. "Circe will have chosen a location where magical ley lines intersect, a nexus where she can set teleportation circles that don't need her constant attention."

Jason tabbed through several stacks. "I don't see…did Penny leave a map of those?"

"Not for Athens," Cassie said.

He got up. "I'll go ask her."

They watched him go and waited for him to be out of earshot.

"So, thoughts?" Donna asked.

Cassie's lips pursed as she gave the other woman a nod. "You first."

Donna shrugged. "He's driven. Except for his skin, he's the spitting image of his father."

"In more ways than one," Cassie agreed. "And not always the best ways."

Donna nodded. "Let's just say I completely understand why Diana told us to watch him so closely."

Cassie winced. "Yeah." She stared off in the direction he went. "I have a really bad feeling he's gonna do something stupid sooner than later. You saw what he did in that lot last night."

"Were we any different at his age?"

"No, but…I don't know, Donna. This feels different."

"How? Pain is part of the job, and accepting that is—"

"Except I don't think he's accepted it." Cassie frowned at her. "I think he wants it."

Donna blinked slowly.

Any further discussion was cut off by Jason's return with a stack of maps.

"Okay!" he said with a grin. "Ready to get back to it. And I think I already have a few theories on the exact location."

Cassie forced the frown off her face as he enthusiastically laid everything out.

"Sure," Donna said with a smile. "Fire away."

…

That Caden felt relatively at ease being alone with Artemis was a testament to how much he thought of her focus. She'd been the same during the attack on Themyscira, all business with no time or patience for nonsense. Babysitting the FBI and working with a literal child had almost made Caden forget how much of a relief it was to be around a true professional. As it was, Artemis was skimming through reports about as fast as he was, a fact that seemed to throw her off.

"You have impressive speed for a human," she said. "Do you understand any of what you're taking in?"

"I understand all of it," he answered without breaking rhythm. "I have perfect recall and better synaptic plasticity than anyone on the planet."

"Yes, I heard something about that—a 'test tube baby?'"

Drake smirked. "Is that how Jason puts it?"

Her head shook. "Kara."

He sighed and set aside a finished report. "Not exactly true, but close enough. I was injected with a serum in utero that rewrote my DNA with every beneficial mutation and genetic advantage ever recorded in human history. Everything in my body is tuned to its max potential. All it takes is a little cultivation."

"Interesting. So you are an artificially created metahuman?"

He smiled sheepishly. "Ah…no, actually. So, fun fact: I do have the metagene that gives people powers under certain circumstances, everyone does. The trouble is, if the metagene were to try and spontaneously mutate, my immune system would treat that growth like a foreign invader, kill it before it could make any meaningful change. I'll never have metahuman powers." A shrug. "I'm just…what humans could look like if they won the genetic lottery in every way."

The room fell silent for a while. Caden kept tabbing through the files, closing his eyes every so often to sort the contents in his head.

"This 'Achilles,'" Artemis said suddenly. "This report has an addendum from your Justice League—you think he's a clone of you."

Caden's jaw tightened. "Cassandra Cain said he moved just like me, had similar mannerisms, but they only interacted for a few minutes. He could be a clone, could be a test subject I somehow missed. One thing is certain: next to Ares, Achilles is Janus' deadliest agent."

Artemis frowned at the report of Karbala. "Yes. I see that." Her head shook. "Myrmidons."

"Did you know the originals?"

She glanced his way. "Only by reputation. I was stationed elsewhere while they were active in their prime. After the Trojan War, they fell into obscurity with the death of their captain."

Drake's brows knitted. "One thing keeps bothering me. If Achilles is a clone, how did Ares get his hands on him? To my knowledge, he doesn't have the ability to create life, and it's not like he's a genius geneticist. It would've taken a process far beyond anything I've encountered."

"Why is that?"

"My genetics—the most important bits—are basically copies of genome fragments taken from a thousand different subjects. That's why the serum had to be used on a fetus—only actively developing stem cells could successfully coopt the new genes without imploding. But producing a copy of a copy introduces so many more variables, so many more ways it could go wrong."

Artemis shrugged. "I suppose that's why there's only one of him."

Caden blinked and frowned. "I…don't find that comforting. I mean…"

"What happened to the others?"

His lips pressed in a thin line as he nodded grimly.

Artemis frowned and hummed.

Caden tried to return to his work, but the thought continued to plague him. Eventually, he huffed and tossed down the documents, staring blankly into the distance.

Artemis eyed him curiously. "It bothers you that much?"

He glanced her way and nodded slightly.

"Why?"

Caden chuckled sardonically and shook his head. "I'm not feeding you my life story, and that's what it would take to fully understand." He huffed and forced himself to resume reading. "We have work to do."

The room fell silent once more. Caden came across a report of further movement along the Bialya-Qurac border—quite close to Bana-Mighdall, if he remembered correctly. He glanced at Artemis.

"I'm sorry," he said.

Artemis blinked. "For what?"

A sigh. "In a way, I…feel a bit responsible for this war out east."

She raised a confused eyebrow.

"I assassinated the last regent of Qurac, along with his entire cabinet. I used Hecate's fight with Shazam to cover it up." His jaw tightened. "Without that, this whole conflict might never have happened."

"Perhaps," she admitted. "But I do not mourn for the fallen—the man was a genocidal monster, and his sycophants deserved nothing less." Artemis smiled venomously. "The toppling of tyrants deserves no apology."

Caden chuckled. "Maybe. But it always comes with consequences, chaos. I tried to mitigate that too." His head shook. "Just hope the new president is up to the task. Nobody expects to fight a defensive war right after barely winning a civil one."

"Hm."

A few minutes later, Artemis made a small, excited noise.

"What?" Caden asked.

"Not sure. Maybe a starting point for the Myrmidons' base of operations." She shifted to sit next to him and laid out several reports, including detailed topographic maps of a no man's land near the border. "Myrmidon deployments have been few and far between, at least as far as our rangers have noticed, but they all seem to have flowed through this area at some point."

Caden looked something up on his phone. "There used to be a chain of villages in that valley." He frowned. "They were some of the last casualties of the previous regime's 'cleansing.'"

"Isolated, abandoned—perfect place for a staging area."

"Let's mark it down for satellite surveillance."

Caden made a note on his phone, then stopped short when he saw something odd, a thick tome of animal hide that looked ancient. "This isn't one of the reports; what is it?"

Artemis frowned and gave it a look. "I'm…not sure."

Caden carefully opened it to the first page only to screw his eyes up and try blinking away—what was happening?

He showed her the book. "Is it just me, or are the words in this thing constantly shifting?"

Artemis stared at it for a bit only to have the same reaction. "It's not you. Someone put a spell on this. I'll find Penelope, see if she knows more."

"'Kay."

…

"Mount Lycabettus," Jason said. "It's the biggest intersection of magical ley lines in Athens, hell, within thirty kilometers of Athens. The main tourist attraction, the amphitheater, has been shut down since 2008 because it wasn't up to code. Not to say it doesn't still get visitors, but there isn't nearly as much oversight now. Perfect place to hide in plain sight."

"Just like Liberty Island," Donna noted.

"Exactly." Jason flipped through something on his phone. "I'm already tasking a WayneTech satellite to deep scan the area with backscatter imaging."

"Backscatter?" Cassie asked.

"It's like a variation on X-ray tech. We adapted it to be long-range for scanning underground locations. It's not foolproof yet, but better than nothing. Plus, backscatter tech is ideal for scanning organic material, which means it'll pick out any bodies hiding under the rock. There was a whole series of tunnels under the Hudson that were part of the Liberty Island operation."

"How long before the satellite is in position?" Donna asked.

"An hour, I think. So should we talk to the others and compare notes? Or do you guys have another lead?"

Donna exchanged a look with Cassie. Her head shook.

"No," Donna said, "I think this is the best we have."

"'Kay," Jason said. "I'm gonna see if Artemis bit his head off yet."

As he left, Donna turned to Cassie.

"What did you mean he 'wants' pain?" she asked.

Cassie frowned. "Donna, you know his story, right? Why he came to the past?"

"Of course."

"That was a little over a year ago, and he knows the person responsible is here in this time."

"So he'll stop at nothing to bring Janus down, including his own harm."

Cassie's head shook. "There's more to it than that. He could've backed out of that ambush. He had the speed, and there's no way they could've escaped in the time it took for Batman to get there. But he stayed, took on unnecessary risk. Why?"

"It's not overconfidence, not after the humiliation he suffered last year, and since that wasn't related to Janus, it wasn't desperation either."

"That's my point. He's being reckless for no reason, throwing himself into situations he can barely handle, and it's becoming a habit."

Donna smirked. "If I know Batman, he'll cure Jason of that soon."

"Maybe not soon enough."

Donna sighed. "Cassie, I know you're a drama queen by default, but don't you think you're blowing this a little out of proportion?"

Cassie frowned. "He's Bruce Wayne's kid, and survivor's guilt runs in the family. What do you think?"

Donna's lips pursed tightly. She didn't answer.

The door opened again, Jason ushering Artemis and Caden inside.

"Found something weird," were Caden's first words.

After which, Penelope appeared in the doorway and joined them.

"Gettin' a little crowded in here," Cassie said.

"Well, I need you guys to ask her something," Caden said.

Penelope frowned. "He wants to 'borrow' this." She held up a book bound in animal hide. "At first glance, it appears to be a mere codex, but attempt to read it…"

She laid it on the table and opened to the first page. Cassie leaned over it and frowned.

"I can read any language on the planet," she said, "but this is complete gibberish."

"Like it's constantly rearranging itself," Donna remarked.

"Precisely," Penelope said. She waved to Caden. "So he wants to take it to a specialist in magic cryptology."

Caden shrugged. "She said the only experts she knows might be able to decode it are the runemaidens of Bana-Mighdall, but uh…that area's a bit hot right now. Besides, they'd never let me in."

"Runemaidens?" Jason asked.

"Some of the few Amazons who actively wield magic," Penelope explained. She frowned. "Themyscira had an entire division dedicated to this, but one of Circe's past attacks decimated our numbers. Now we have only a few, and of those most are almost wholly devoted to battle magic. If you wish to meet a sister who is skilled in the subtler magics, Bana-Mighdall is your best chance."

"Or I could just take it to Dr. Fate," Caden said in a mildly agitated tone. "You know, the preeminent authority on magic on the entire planet?"

Penelope frowned. "If that book has been hidden in an Amazon library, there was a good reason it was kept secret from the world."

"You think he's gonna shout its contents from the rooftops? C'mon, it's Dr. Fate. His secrets have secrets."

"Nevertheless—"

"I'll take it," Donna said. "It'll stay in Amazon hands as long as it's off the island and be returned as soon as we have what we need."

Cassie glanced between them. "Okay, hang on, why is this book so critical right now? We don't know anything about it, or if it's even relevant to Janus or Circe. In fact, Penelope, didn't you tell your assistants to give them only relevant documents? Why'd they choose this book?"

She froze and frowned at the codex. "I…don't know." She looked behind at the library at large.

"You look like a horrifying thought just occurred," Jason observed.

"Yes," Penny said softly. "It wouldn't be the first time Circe has infiltrated Themyscira."

"Or another shapeshifter," Jason said, quietly brandishing his sword. "She has one in her employ, and Janus and Ares—"

"Are also shapeshifters," Caden finished. His pistol was already in hand.

The five of them followed Penelope through the library, following at a discreet distance as she gathered up her assistants from the four corners of the building. When they were all together, Penny frowned.

"There are six of you," she said. "Where is the seventh?"

One of the six, a shorter Amazon with auburn hair, looked around in confusion. "Seventh?"

"There was a seventh earlier this morning. Where is she?"

"Ma'am, there is no seventh. I only saw these other five while we were gathering material."

Caden leaned in toward Penelope and spoke softly. "We need to split them up."

Donna stepped forward, brandishing her silver lasso. "Or I can solve this at once." She raised her voice. "Sisters, as you know, we are at war with Ares, Janus, and Circe. This library may have been infiltrated by them or one of their underlings. As such, I ask your permission to use the Lasso of Persuasion to compel the truth of your allegiance."

All six looked distinctly uncomfortable, but none backed away.

The Lasso of Persuasion allowed Donna to compel the actions of anyone with lesser will. Not as direct or dependable as the Lasso of Truth when it came to interrogations, but she could still wrangle answers out of just about anyone. One by one, they submitted to the lasso's effects. None of the six revealed any signs of deception or disloyalty, only that their counterparts seemed to be acting oddly for a brief period while gathering the requested material.

"You may go," Penelope said. When they had returned to their duties, she turned to the others. "I don't understand."

Caden frowned. "How did you know there were seven, not six?"

Penelope thought for a moment. "Well, they usually work in pairs, but I saw a group of three. Several groups of three, now that I think—it was never the same three, like one of them was cycling through the teams." She sighed. "I don't understand."

"I think I do," Caden said. "Whoever did this was smart. Instead of taking a single form, they kept cycling through your assistants and moving between each group."

"All just to plant that book on us?" Cassie asked. "Why?"

"Let's ask Dr. Fate and find out."

Penelope still looked against the idea, but she still handed the codex to Donna.

"What about the rest of the intel?" Caden asked.

Jason looked up from his phone. "I think it's better we talk this over at the palace." He showed them his phone. "Dad just finished interrogating the Red Claw mercs we collared last night." He grinned. "And the satellite just finished a deep scan of Mount Lycabettus."

They all agreed and left the archive together, Artemis included. No one harassed or even looked at them sideways on the way back, a fact that Donna could see Caden was grateful for. He'd always struck her as the unflappable type who was always above it all, so it was…odd to see him so out of sorts. It wasn't fear per se, more like anxiety, she thought. Being surrounded by superhuman women who treated him with suspicion could certainly—wait. When Hippolyta mentioned being manhandled if he was caught alone, she could've sworn he blushed.

Oh.

Donna had to restrain a giggle. He wasn't anxious; he was excited and desperately trying to hide it. Artemis of all people noticed her holding back laughter and shot her a confused look. Donna waved dismissively and chuckled.

…

As soon as Jason saw the occupants of the video call, he realized just how serious this had become—serious enough to merit a founders' meeting of the Justice League with the original seven. From his spot at the head of the table, Superman smiled at the crew on Themyscira, which included the queen herself—and Philippus. Jason worked very hard not to squirm every time she looked in his direction.

"Thank you all for coming," Superman said. "Batman's kept us apprised of the developing situations with Circe and the Decembrists. Considering the global nature of their operations, I don't think we can afford to keep working on this separately."

"Agreed," Caden said. "Lantern, can you call Alex? He should be here for this too."

Hal nodded.

"While he's doing that," Diana said, "how have things been here? Nobody giving you trouble, I hope."

"Naw," Jason said with a shake of the head. "One or two got a little touchy but nobody tried anything. Mostly just dirty looks."

Diana frowned.

"To be expected, sadly," Hippolyta said. "They're still barely getting used to having you around, engonós."

"Yeah, I guess."

Alex's top half projected from Hal's ring. "Here," he said. "What's up?"

"First off," Caden said, "anything new on ZN? Any intel from space?"

His head shook. "They've been very quiet since New York. No further attempts on Laira or myself. My brother Kad's been monitoring the situation from Sector 135, since their activities border his empire, but so far they've been smart enough to stay under the radar of Xun intelligence. What about your end?"

"We still don't know who their silent partner is," Batman said, sitting on Superman's left. "The Red Claw mercenaries we captured last night only confirmed what we already know: that whoever issued the contract is working with Zirconan Nebula and the Decembrists are supplying them with Δ-Venom as long as that contract is active."

"How does Circe factor into this?" Artemis asked.

"Allies of convenience, they said. A client of their employer with shared interests."

"The Lasso didn't reveal any more?" Diana asked.

Batman's head shook.

"What about your end?" Superman asked.

Jason glanced at the others nervously. He cleared his throat and stepped forward when none of them did. "Well uh, we put together what the Amazon rangers observed and found a site in Athens that's a lot more active than it should be." He flipped through his phone and projected the data they compiled onto the call. "Mount Lycabettus—it's been pretty much shut down for the last decade, but the underground is a whole different story." The satellite feed showed dozens of white signatures in a honeycomb of subterranean structures. "According to the rangers, there's been a lot of contraband flowing in and out of this region, and all of it seems to be centered around this location."

"To top it off," Cassie said, "it's a nexus of magical ley lines. Perfect for setting up a teleport hub."

"If Circe had access to that this whole time, does that mean Caephus was planted on the docks specifically to get captured?" Shayera asked.

"It's looking more likely," Batman answered.

Superman frowned and turned to the Martian Manhunter. "J'onn, you think you can probe a little deeper with those mercs? If we're dealing with a sorceress like Circe, they may have information that's buried behind layers of psychic conditioning—things they don't even know they have."

J'onn nodded. "I agree it's worth a shot."

The Flash leaned in. "So what's the plan with Athens? That's a historical site; I doubt the government of Greece will be too happy if we go in loud."

Caden stepped forward. "Which is why I'd like our team to go in for recon instead."

Superman gave him a skeptical look. "Your team?"

"Jason, Kara, Cass, Lucas, Alex, and myself. Working codename: Vagabonds." He nodded to Alex. "You and Kara are probably a bit too high-profile for close recon, but the rest of us are trained in infiltration. Plus, you're two of our heaviest hitters; y'know, break glass in case of emergency."

"Right," Alex said. "Plus we have longer sight range than the rest of you, so we can provide overwatch."

"Perfect."

Superman exchanged a look with Batman. Batman nodded slightly.

Superman sighed. "You have a green light, but recon only unless direct action is absolutely necessary. And since three of your members are notably absent from this conversation, you'll have to fill them in separately."

Caden nodded.

"And you need to keep us apprised of any developments," Batman added. "I don't think I need to reiterate that this is a global threat now. Also, you'll be going in outside the umbrella of the Justice League. If this gets loud, we can't guarantee there won't be blowback."

"Then we'll make sure it doesn't," Jason said. "Verify they're up to no good, plant some bugs, in and out."

"When do you want to do this?" Diana asked.

Caden frowned. "It'll have to wait at least a week. The FBI is transferring Richard Dragon to a federal holding facility, and I need to make sure nobody breaks him out. Last thing we need is another Decembrist piece on the board."

"Need any backup?" Jason asked.

"No. In fact, I think it's better if everyone stays out of Star City until local police is back in business and the FBI is gone. Anyone interferes in city matters, they become a target under A-V."

"A-V?"

"The stringent anti-vigilante law they used to put Oliver away for life." Caden smirked venomously. "For now. It's maybe a few weeks from being repealed, and then I can put phase two into play."

"Which is?"

Caden just kept smirking. "Bottom line: I have it handled."

Jason shrugged. "If you insist."

"Then you have a week to iron out the details," Superman said. "When we have the information we need, we'll have a better picture of what it'll take to bring this network down."

"If we're very lucky, they might have enough intel to cripple their partner's overseas operations," Shayera added.

"And then?" Jason asked.

Superman smiled. "Then we bring in the rest of the League and eliminate the nodes simultaneously. Hopefully put enough pressure on their head to get that contract off you."

"Yeah, how are you holdin' up, kid?" Hal asked.

Jason shrugged. "Twice in half as many weeks that someone's tried to cash me in for two million bucks." He smiled ruefully. "Sucks being so popular, but I never thought I'd be experiencing that as TK."

Hal nodded with a crooked smile. "We'll get this sorted out."

"Yeah. How's Laira doing?"

Alex smiled. "Enjoying my visit. She's actually got a pretty nice place out near this trading hub."

Hal smirked. "Can we expect any announcements of half-elf kids in the near future?"

Alex chuckled bashfully and rubbed the back of his head. "Very funny, GL."

Batman pointedly cleared his throat. "Diana, Hippolyta—any other insights on Circe?"

Hippolyta stepped up. "If our estimations are correct, she may have as many as a hundred Bestiamorphs under her thrall. According to your satellite data, at least a dozen of those are on site in Athens. Take care—each Bestiamorph has his own specialty, but they are all at least peak human physique in their beast form. Their commander, Dechamps, is far above that, enough to match any Amazon and then some."

Jason grimaced. "Yeah. Found that out the hard way."

Cassie put a hand on his shoulder. "I think we should be on standby in Athens too. If it does get hairy, it wouldn't hurt to have a few more Amazons at the ready." She frowned. "Especially since Kara's vulnerable to magic, and we know Circe's not above teaching her thralls—or giving them magic weapons."

Jason turned to Caden. "What do you think?"

Drake smirked. "They were assigned to guard you by Wonder Woman; I doubt I could stop them. And she has a point about the magic." He glanced at the call. "Alex, anything to add?"

"Nope. Think you've been pretty thorough. We'll meet again in one week to go over the details. Who's gonna bring Cass and Rev up to speed?"

"I'll take care of it," Jason said. "I'll see Cass at home and she's in touch with Rev."

"'Kay."

Batman exchanged a look with Diana and Superman. "If there's nothing else, then this meeting is adjourned."

Superman gave them a nod. "Good luck."

"And good hunting," Shayera added.

The call ended, and Diana turned to the group. "Everyone ready to head home?"

Jason was about to answer but hesitated. "Can I make a quick stop first?" He frowned. "I'm…kinda worried about Athena."

Hippolyta looked at him sideways. "Why?"

"She was acting weird the last time we spoke, like she was in pain. Just wanna make sure…I don't know."

Diana moved toward him. "Want me to come with you?"

His head shook. "No, I'll be okay. Besides, I uh…kinda want to apologize. I was a little harsh when I left."

She nodded. "We'll be here."

"Okay. I won't take long."

…

As soon as he uttered the phrase to activate the stone, Jason felt the familiar vertigo of astral projection and was surprised to not have landed in the usual meeting place.

"You should not be here."

The voice ringing in Jason's head made him recoil and pinch his temples. His head whipped around, looking for the source. He recognized the gleaming bow and white eyes.

"Apollo," Jason greeted, grimacing through his words. "Where's Athena?"

The archer of the gods glared at him. "Your presence will only make matters worse."

Jason stared at him, worry seizing his chest. "What matters? What have they done?"

Apollo looked away into the distance. "Zeus, Hera…all the rest…they did not understand her shift of allegiance." His jaw visibly tightened. "And did not appreciate her betrayal." His blindingly bright gaze fixed on Jason. "Her assistance to you will certainly not alleviate that rage."

Jason's gaze turned into a glare as he instinctively grasped for his sword. His voice lowered to a growl. "What have they done?"

"Apollo!"

If possible, Athena's divine voice was even more devastating.

"You meddle in matters that do not concern you. Begone."

Jason could barely turn enough to see her furious gray eyes bore into her brother. It was all he could do just to stay standing, even as an astral projection. Even Zeus' rage at the turn of the year hadn't had this effect.

Apollo turned to Athena. "For a goddess of wisdom, you are unwise to provoke their anger."

Athena smiled venomously, baring teeth. "And they the more unwise to forget I am also a goddess of war."

It was then that Jason noticed the bruises and cuts littering the exposed parts of her arms, the tears in her clothes, the shallow cut along the bottom of her cheek. His heart lurched.

Apollo bowed his head slightly, giving Jason a parting glare. "This will not end well, sister."

With that and a flash of sunlight, Apollo vanished. Jason turned to Athena and frowned.

"Is he right? Should I go?"

Athena finally looked at him and sighed. "No. Most of Olympus is smart enough not to cross me, my father included. Hera and her devotees, on the other hand…they did not take my favor to humanity well. On occasion, they make trouble. So I make more for them." She sneered. "Apollo is a coward who didn't have the stones to choose either side during the war and still doesn't. Pay him no mind."

Jason's lips pursed. "Is…there anything I can do?"

She softened and smiled a little. "No, little one. This is a fight I chose willingly—and should have done so eons ago. I must see it through alone." She waved her hand, and they were in their usual meeting place. "Now sit; tell me what you need."

Jason swallowed and took the chair. "I…really just came to see how you were doing. And apologize for…last time."

She blinked and sat across from him.

"I still think Janus has to die. I mean, if all of Olympus couldn't contain him, what chance do we have? And I don't think he's gonna give up on killing me." His lips pursed. "I just…I didn't mean to be such a dick about it."

Athena frowned and thought for a bit. "I can only provide as much advice and wisdom as I am able. In the end, you must make the decision. If that is your honest assessment of the situation, then there is nothing I can say in good conscience to the contrary." Her frown deepened. "I suppose my question is whether you truly believe he is uncontainable or are simply attempting to justify your vengeance."

Jason stared into the endless void. "I don't know." He scrubbed his face with both hands. "Everything's just getting out of hand. First it was Janus, then Ares, and now Circe."

Athena froze. "Ares is alive?"

Jason nodded. "We think Janus pulled him out of the timeline right before Mom turned him to dust."

She scowled and turned away. "Damn it. What is he thinking? Janus knows how volatile he is. Why would he…"

"I don't know. All I know is he almost set off a meltdown in Qurac and has a whole corps of mercs making trouble in the region. They're calling themselves Myrmidons." Jason frowned. "And we think their leader is a clone of Caden Drake."

Athena blinked. "How could he have—"

"That's exactly our question. Any ideas?"

She thought for a bit. "Considering the complexity of his physiology, there are maybe a handful of entities in your dimension that are capable of making even a rough facsimile of Drake's body. Hephaestus is one, but he refuses to deal with Ares anymore. Your Project Cadmus was known for replicating powerful beings, but they've been shut down for years."

Project Cadmus was a notorious subsection of ARGUS whose greatest violations included the cloning of both Superman and Supergirl, the latter of which had been part of Luthor's sabotage of the Watchtower—and perished in the attempt. The clone of Superman was the first to bear the mantle of Superboy. Also KIA. Following Luthor's arrest, Cadmus had been reevaluated by ARGUS and shut down due to how corrupt their upper management had become under President Luthor.

Jason cocked his head. "Knowing Amanda Waller, she could've revived the program in secret, but she knows better than to make a deal with Ares."

"That leaves few alternatives," Athena said. "Especially any that Ares would know or be willing to strike a bargain with."

"What about Janus? I mean, he has access to any place or time in the Multiverse."

"True." Athena's lips pursed. She sighed. "I don't know, Jason. Regardless of the source, this commander will likely be endowed with Ares' favor."

"Meaning he…has some of his power or something?"

"Resources, more likely. Ares has a knack for divine chemistry and engineering when it comes to destruction."

"Delta-Venom."

Her head tilted.

"New variant of Bane's enhancer. The Decembrists are supplying it to a group of mercs who want to cash me in for a bounty."

She arched an eyebrow. "You are making enemies, Jason Wayne."

"Sadly, I don't think that's stopping anytime soon. Not until we take at least one piece off the board."

"Hmm." Athena leaned toward the table between them, waving her hand to summon a chessboard. "So, as it stands, you're up against Janus, Ares, and Circe."

"We've already got a line on Circe's operations—Mount Lycabettus, in Athens. Looks like a hub for trafficking contraband."

"I see." Athena frowned as she began playing against herself. "Be careful of that one. She is as subtle as she is mad, mad enough to attempt supplanting Hecate as goddess of magic. She nearly succeeded."

Jason's brows skyrocketed. "Circe's that powerful?"

A nod. "With everything she sacrificed for that power, it should hardly be a surprise. Your mother barely handled her the last time she made trouble. Bottom line: if you do confront Circe, ensure that overwhelming force is on your side—or you won't live to regret it." She grimaced. "Or perhaps you might, as one of her thralls."

Jason gagged. "Yeah, no thanks."

Athena smirked. "Sounds like you're about to be very busy." She nodded to the void. "Best get to it then."

Jason nodded. "Yeah. Are you sure there's nothing I can do for you?"

She smiled and stood. "You have your fight, Jason. I have mine." She grinned. "Honestly, without all this, my incarceration would get far too boring." Her smile turned malevolent. "And Hera still has to pay for unleashing Ares on Gotham."

Jason swallowed, reminding himself to never get on this woman's bad side. "Then I'll leave you to it. Good luck, Athena."

"And to you, Jason Wayne."

…

"Good talk?" Diana asked when Jason emerged from the chamber.

He nodded silently.

"Then let's be off."

Caden was quietly discussing something with Artemis off to the side when he noticed everyone getting ready to leave. "Just think about it," he told her.

The redhead nodded, frowning a little.

Donna noticed. "What was that about?" she asked as they walked onto the landing pad.

"A way to get her back to Bana-Mighdall without drawing attention," Caden answered. "The two Amazon sanctuaries are shielded from detection and most forms of teleportation, but not boom tubes. Just so happens that the Titans have someone who can use one with pinpoint accuracy."

Jason perked up. "I'll ask Damian if he can get in touch with Cyborg."

Caden nodded. "Thanks, kid."

"Why was she frowning at the idea?" Diana asked.

He shrugged. "I'm not sure whether she's uncomfortable with not being at home while this whole war is escalating, or if she's gotten too comfortable on Themyscira. Either way, I think she knows they'll need their champion sooner than later."

Within minutes, they were in the air crossing the Atlantic. In spite of her near-excitement at the idea of waging war against the corrupt gods of Olympus, the image of Athena all bruised and beaten kept sticking in Jason's head. He sighed and pulled out his phone, hearing it ring for a few seconds before the other end picked up.

"Hey," Kara greeted. "What's up?"

Jason sighed in relief, eyes shut. "Just…wanted to hear your voice. Lots of planning and…stuff being thrown around the last couple days. Almost got killed again last night. Turns out Circe's back and she's gunning for Mom again, but since she's out of the field, the bitch will settle for me."

"Language," Diana called from the front.

Jason's eyes rolled. "I'm just…I'm just tired." He lowered his voice. "And to top it all off, Athena's going through hell in Olympus. The one god who didn't want to wipe us all out, and there's nothing I can do to help her."

Kara sighed hard. "I'm sorry, hon."

"Good news is, we have a plan to deal with Circe. You'll find out more soon, 'cause uh…" he grinned, "the Vagabonds are about to have their second outing!"

Caden smiled and shook his head.

"Oh Rao, are we really sticking with that?"

"Yes we are, because it's awesome."

"Like the 'Tomorrow Knight?'"

"You shut your mouth," he scolded playfully. "My codename is great and you know it."

"Yeah, yeah."

The line went silent for a bit.

"Hey, Jace?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm really glad you asked me out."

Jason froze and swallowed, smiling faintly. "I'm really glad you said yes. If you don't visit the manor, I'll see you in about a week. That's when we're takin' down Circe's hub."

"Yeah, Parson's is starting an early program, so I'm pretty much booked for the next couple days."

"Then I'll see you then."

"Yeah, see you."

Jason hung up and settled in for a long flight.

AN: Nice little setup chapter for the next arc. Hope you enjoyed this little interlude. I loved digging deeper into the lore of the Amazons and the Wonder Girls in particular. Hopefully I'll be able to properly show them off in the following chapters, but first is a little detour to Star City. There's a certain meeting that has to happen before things really kick off.

Formatting notes:
– Internal Thoughts/Flashback
– "Super-Hearing/Surveillance"
– Telepathy/Divine Speech
– "{Translation}"
– [Text Message]