Chapter 17: A Chance
Wonder Woman did not know where she was when she was taken off of the ship. She saw Colonel Dotsch leading his men down the gangplank onto the dock in front of her. Wonder Woman was marched off in chains, surrounded by soldiers. Following close behind was Brünnhilde, holding a chain attached to Wonder Woman's neck. If Wonder Woman were to somehow escape, she would be the only person around who was capable of securing her.
Colonel Dotsch walked to a collection of trucks, where a man was waiting for him. "Sir," he said, "I have some news to report regarding the operation. The Atlanteans have confirmed their sweep is complete. The ferry has sunk, and there are no more signs of life".
The colonel grinned. "Gooooood. And Phantom Lady's body?"
"Uh... well, sir..." The colonel's face fell. "They say they cannot find her".
The colonel screamed. "They what?! Those putrid morons! Did they not know it was their one objective above all others?!"
"Colonel, this was one of our best squadrons. Their instructions were clear and their search of the wreck was very thorough".
"Well, it wasn't through enough! They just had to find one long dead body on the ship! Unless..." Dotsch ran towards Wonder Woman. "YOU! I knew you tricked me! Somehow, you lied when you told me she was dead! You blocked the power of the lasso! I knew it! I knew it!"
Wonder Woman tried to suppress the joy she felt in knowing her partner may not be dead. "Colonel," Wonder Woman said calmly, "I said what I thought was the truth. I saw her attacked, and I did not see her move. Perhaps you just... made a wrong conclusion".
The colonel struck Wonder Woman in the face. Brünnhilde laughed, drawing the ire of the enraged Nazi. "And you!" he said to Brünnhilde, "you distracted me! I should have gotten the body myself, but you came in with your boasts and your injuries! This is your fault!"
"Oh, how grand!" Brünnhilde replied. "You are no longer satisfied with just claiming my victories as your own. Now, you must foist your failures upon me! What of it if that woman lives? She is of no more concern to me than a bug!"
"Oh, Brünnhilde," said the colonel, "that may be true. She is as annoying as any vermin, but they too can cause untold damage. Mark my words, whatever she may do next will be on your head!" The colonel turned to the man. "Call Capt. Schroder. Tell him to find any ship that were within a 100-mile radius of the incident that night. Then, find those ships and take them immediately, along with anyone aboard. If they resist at all, destroy it, and get the Atlanteans to finish the job. We will not let her escape!"
Despite the spectacle he just gave, Colonel Dotsch knew that the chances of actually finding her this long after the event were slim. Meanwhile, Wonder Woman produced a small smile. Oh Sandra, she thought, when I said you were a valiant warrior, I told you the truth.
Sandra Knight stood on a dock, looking out to the ocean. The bitter wind whipped her hair and chilled her exposed skin. She wore a large sweater to keep herself warm, though due to its itchy material, it didn't yield much comfort. After she was pulled out of the water, Sandra was taken to the island of Smola, off the coast of Norway. When the boat got to its destination in the morning, she was forced into a hidden compartment in a small house so as to remain undetected. She spent several days in a plain room waiting for return home. Now, her ticket back was coming.
Sandra watched as the water below her began to bubble. An unusual glow emanated as the water turned white. Finally, blue steel broke through the surface. It was the Blue Tracer, the Freedom Fighters' secret mobile base. A door on the top opened and a ramp extended to the dock. Sandra grabbed her things and went into the ship.
Inside, Sandra was immediately greeted by the rest of the Freedom Fighters, as well as some high-ranking resistance members. Soon, she told them everything: the plane crash, Themyscira, Diana, Venice, the temple, the ship, everything. It was an exhausting experience for her to relay and relive these events. By the end of it, Sandra was quiet, left to a mummer. Sandra knew she promised Queen Hippolyta that she would keep her escapade a secret, but with Diana potentially gone, it didn't seem to matter any longer. Meanwhile, everyone there tried to remain calm, yet were visibly astounded by what they had heard. Finally, Sandra was free to go as they contemplated their next move.
Sandra returned to her room. On her bed was a local paper that was run by Nazi party officials. Sandra picked it up to read it. The headline said "MURDER AT SEA! TERRORISTS SINK FERRY BOAT – ALL LIVES LOST" Sandra read the article. "Last night, a ferry boat sunk in the Sea of Norway due to a sneak attack by terrorists, resulting in the deaths of all aboard. The SS Ada was sailing on a routine trip from Alta to Bergen when, in the middle of the night, the ship was rocked by an explosion. Officials say a bomb was smuggled onto boat, which was timed to go off when most of the passengers were sleeping. The size and position of the bomb allowed for maximum damage to the hull. When it exploded, many sleeping passengers – mostly women and children – were instantly incinerated. But what was worse was the hole created in the hull, allowing water to immediately flood the ship. Most of the people in the lower decks were swept away and drowned in their beds. Within minutes, the boat had sunk beneath the sea. Upon hearing the explosion, the heroic captain sent a mayday signal, but by the time rescue efforts arrived, it was too late. Observers of the scene reported much debris, but few lifeboats or life preservers, indicating the sinking was too quick for people to react to. A rescue team of Atlanteans was dispatched to the site to locate the wreck and search for survivors. The wreck was found easily, but there were no survivors. It was determined that all 892 people aboard the ship had died. It is thanks to these Atlanteans that officials were able to learn of the wreck's condition and determine how the attack occurred. In response to this senseless tragedy, the –"
Sandra threw the paper in disgust. Not only had they perpetrated murder, but now they were using it to further rile up their supporters for more war. They are truly monsters, she thought. Sandra sat on the bed. As she stewed in her anger, she heard footsteps come towards her door. The footsteps stopped and were then followed by a knock. Sandra sighed, got up, and went to open the door. In front of her was an elderly man with white hair and a white beard, wearing red, white, and blue. It was Uncle Sam, the leader of the Freedom Fighters.
"May I come in?" he asked. Sandra nodded and he entered. Uncle Sam was the group's leader, wise and charismatic. He was the living embodiment of American patriotism, who would exist as long as someone believed in the American Dream. When he came to Sandra to ask her to join the Freedom Fighters, she was at first very skeptical. She knew of the many various vigilantes who had decided to don costumes and fight crime in their own unique ways. But a man dressing up as Uncle Sam was a step too far, in her opinion. And the fact that he claimed to actually be a mythological figure was even more batty. Of course, this was before she had seen him in action: how he was superstrong, near invulnerable, and could destroy dozens of enemies in a flash. He was seen all around the world – practically everywhere he needed to be. And when he talked, every word sounded special, filling anyone within earshot with pride. Sandra would soon realize that he truly was the genuine article – and would also realize that he was far from the weirdest thing in the universe.
"I must say," Sam began, "after hearing about all that you went through, I would have thought you'd be passed out on that bed right now".
"Well, I've had some time to rest in between," she replied.
"Yes, of course," Sam said. "And during one of those times, you could have contacted us for help. Why didn't you?"
"I did contact you," Sandra said.
"Once," remarked Sam, "and that was just to tell us you were going off on your own again".
"Look, it's what I told you: I had promised the Themysciran queen I would keep their world a secret. Plus, her daughter was with me as I made my call. I couldn't do anything else".
Uncle Sam looked at her skeptically. "Sandra, come on. I know you try to be an honest gal, but you're not above breaking the rules if necessary. Heck, you've broken a dozen of our rules during your latest adventure. Were you really scared of her, or was there another reason?".
Sandra looked down. "No... this was different," she said. "You know, I've been thinking recently about my place here. About how this entire war has basically come down to which side has the stronger superheroes. They have Overman and Brünnhilde and the Atlanteans and Christ knows who else. And we have the Ray and Human Bomb and you. And then there's me! I'm just a girl who can blind people and beat them up sometimes. And then, here comes Diana. She could arm wrestle all of us combined without breaking a sweat! I'm not like her. I'm not like you. I don't belong here". Sandra sat on the bed. "So, I guess I feel like I have to go beyond what I'm capable of to prove to you that I should stay. But it seems I've only made things worse". Sandra put her face in her hands, softly crying.
Uncle Sam sat next to her on the bed. "Sandra, when I selected you for the Freedom Fighters, I knew what you were. I knew you weren't the most powerful hero out there. But there were dozens of people I could have called on if I only cared about that," he said.
"I mean, you kinda did," Sandra interjected. "I was a back-up pick, who only got on after what happened to the others".
Sam grimaced. "I know. But even beyond what happened with them, I was still eager to have you. I didn't want just superpowers. I needed people who I could depend on. People who could fight and who could win. Now you- you were brave, and tough, and smart as a whip. I knew deep down you could overcome anything. The Nazis believe might makes right. They think if they just keep on beating down everyone and everything they don't like, they will win and be happy with themselves. But we know that's a fool's errand. There will always be those who know what they're doing is unnatural and wrong, and they'll realize that they need to oppose them. And Sandra, even when you fall, you're able to get right back up and find a way to survive. We will keep on living, and keep on fighting, and one day, we will win".
Sandra gave Sam a hug. He always knew the right thing to say to anyone to lift their spirits. "Thanks, Sam," she said.
Sam smiled. "Alright, Sandra. Now get some rest, and we'll figure out our next moves after". Sam got up and left the room. Sandra went back to her bag, which was still unpacked. She placed it on the bag and began to pull things out of it. As she pulled out some clothes, she heard a slight *clink*. She looked down to see a small, red earing pointing to one of the walls. Sandra bent down to examine it. She grabbed it and realized what it was: it was one of Diana's earrings.
She must have lost this when I was with her that night, Sandra thought. She went to the nightstand and dropped it on there, regarding it as a bitter reminder of her missing friend. She went back to her work, only to turn to the earing again. The earring was pointing towards the same wall. Suddenly, a memory was triggered in Sandra's mind. Sandra went to the earing again and picked it up. She rolled it around her hand a few times and then threw it into the air. The earing fell to the ground and clattered on the metal floor. Once again, it was facing the same wall. Sandra picked it up and threw it again. It landed the same way. Sandra did this again and again, each time more feverishly. Every time she threw it, the earing landed facing the same direction. I got it! Sandra thought. She picked up the earing and ran out of the room.
In the control room, Uncle Sam, Black Condor, and several other sailors were talking to each other. Sandra barged in, holding the earing in the air. "I got it!" she yelled. The crew looked on puzzled. "This- ok, so, this earing... it's a magic earing. It's supposed to be attracted to the other earing in the pair so you don't lose them. But she did lose it, and I got this one and she's got the other one. And this one-" at this point, Sandra threw the earing into the air, and it landed in the same orientation as before. "You see!"
The crew said nothing. Sandra rolled her eyes and picked up the earring. "Look," she said, "this right here is essentially a magical homing device. Now I know you're still dealing with the whole concept of 'magic', but trust me on this, it works in this case. And for this, it means that this earring will point to where ever its missing partner is. Which means it will point to where Diana is located".
Black Condor was skeptical. "Sandra, are you sure you're not imagining this?" he said.
"No," Sandra said exasperatedly. "Diana showed me how they worked a while ago. I know it works". Sandra looked around the room. "Does someone have a compass I could borrow?" A sailor pulled out a compass the size of a man's hand. Sandra thanked the man and smashed the glass compartment on top. Some of the men yelled in disbelief. "Oh, it's fine," Sandra said. Carefully, she reached into the liquid compartment and pulled the needle from it. Slowly, Sandra took the earring and balanced it on the spindle in the middle. When she let go, the earing was free to rotate on the axis. On its own, the earing spun back and forth, before finally settling in one direction.
The crowd was impressed. "You see!" exclaimed Sandra, "It's not pointing north, it's pointing towards Diana. We just have to follow this". Uncle Sam grinned at Phantom Lady's ingenuity. Black Condor, however, threw cold water on the moment.
"Hold on," he said. "We're not just going to follow this in a straight line. Let's move the sub and see how it reacts. Then we'll cross-reference the results". He called out to a member of the crew. "Adams, take this, line it up with a real compass, and figure out where it's pointing to. Ramirez, take the sub south along the coast of France. We'll check again in a few hours and see how it reacts".
The crew got to work on their tasks. Sandra waited in the control room instead of her own room, impatiently waiting for an update. Black Condor sat next to her. "Sandra, I know she means a lot to you, but I can't say for sure this will work".
"No, it will work, I'm sure of it," Sandra replied.
"Well, still, even if we find the location, it would only be the location of the earring, right?" Black Condor said. "It doesn't mean that Diana is still attached to it right? Or even that she is still alive".
Sandra sighed. "That's true, but... when I was on the lifeboat, I nearly froze to death. Before that happened though, I was woken up by an owl. An owl that far from shore doesn't make any sense. But I think it was a messenger from Hippolyta. And I think that, if her daughter was dead, she wouldn't be looking out for me. I believe it was a sign that Diana was still alive. Now, maybe she was killed after that. But, knowing her, if she wasn't killed by Brünnhilde right then and there, then either they wanted her alive or she would find a way to stay alive".
"Well, I hope you're right," Black Condor replied. "She seems like someone... you would really care about". Black Condor gave a wry smile.
Sandra raised an eyebrow. "What is that supposed to mean?" she asked.
"Nothing," he said, "just that you really seemed to enjoy her company".
Sandra laughed in disbelief. "Am I really that obvious?" she said.
"Well, maybe," Black Condor said, "Or maybe it's just that I know more about you than most others".
Sandra smiled. Just then, a sailor walked up to them. "Ma'am, we have a location," she said.
Sandra shot up. "Where is it?!" The sailor directed the pair into the navigation room. In it, she saw a map with two lines intersecting in the northern part of Germany. The table before them had several pictures and files strewn about. Adams took one of the pictures and raised it up.
"This," he said, "is Schwesterschloss. It's a centuries old castle along the banks of the Oste river. But recently, it has been the subject of rumors regarding extreme army activity and unusual experiments".
"Of course," Sandra said. "If they have the dagger, they would probably want to experiment on it. And they wouldn't be above using Diana as a guinea pig".
Black Condor interjected. "Is it possible for us to even get there?"
"Well, it is inside enemy territory," Adams said. "But the river is navigable, provided we use stealth mode. The castle itself is heavily fortified, but we do know of several ways of infiltrating it".
Sandra looked at Black Condor. "Richard... I am going in there".
Black Condor sighed. "I figured there was no point in even attempting to talk you out of it," he said. "Let's set a course for Schwesterschloss".
Black Condor left the room as Sandra eagerly grabbed a file from the table to review. Diana, I will do everything I can to get you back, she thought, even if it kills me!