Subject: Heir of the Amazon!

Disclaimer: All of the standard disclaimers apply. Wonder Woman and all other DC characters are the property of DC Comics, and I take no credit for the creation of their characters, only my own. This is a fan fiction, therefore anything discontinuous to the normal DC universe, including sexuality of the characters, is the product of my imagination. Any similarities to real people or events is completely coincidental. This story contains male/male sex and romance. If you find either theme offensive, what are you doing reading nifty stories? And if you are underage or this story is illegal where you are reading, please leave.

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P.S. Email me and let me know if you like, otherwise I wont know you like it enough to keep writing! Plus writers love emails

Chapter 12 - I just want to be a normal guy part 2

IADC-

Allan: (FGOON runs in to the vault and sets up her laptop. She starts working on opening it. Me and Diana whisper to each other.) I think I can get to the PDA and e-mail Langley.

Diana: You know that's not an option.

Allan: Look, I understand the need for plausible deniability here.

Diana: The C.I.A. cannot acknowledge its affiliation with the IADC.

Alan: I know that, but they can't afford to let these people get whatever it is they're here for.

Diana: Do nothing...I am your ranking officer, that's an order!

Allan: The man running this group claims to be a former IADC freelancer. He says Col. Atkinson left him for dead in Chechnya. He's interrogating him now... maybe killing him. And we're next.

Diana: Dmitri's in the ducts.

Alan: What?

Diana: Fail-safe's been activated. If the vault's opened, it'll detonate C-4 charges hidden throughout the building's sublevel. Dmitri has a chance to disarm them but only if there are no surprises.

Allan: All the more reason we need to call Langley. Diana, under normal circumstances, you can pull rank. These are not normal circumstances.(Dmitri moves down a dark hallway underground, map in his hand. He sees a steel door up ahead.)

Diana: (voice over) Each set of C-4 charges are located behind the steel plate at the end of the corridor marked on the map. (Dmitri knocks on the steel plate to see if it's hollow or if something's behind it. He sees there are large bolts holding the steel door in place around its perimeter. He sees a fire extinguisher nearby and takes it.)

FGOON: (Is working on the vault. The laptop is hooked up to determine the numbers in the vault. She gets on her radio.) Two numbers down, ten to go.

(Conversation room, Coop and Atkinson.)

Coop: Copy that, baby. (He looks at Atkinson who is sweating and shaking slightly.) You know, as bad as you feel right now, with all that pain, that is just the puddin' next to the pie.

Col.: Mmm... So easy for you to blame me, huh? When you know the truth. You got your own men killed. That helicopter was waiting for you...

Coop: I had a man down! I was saving Whitney's life. You know that!

Col.: Yeah, at the expense of all the other men. Those men counted on you to lead them to safety. They trusted their life to you and you led them to slaughter.

(Coop takes a needle from the box and calmly inserts it into Atkinson's upper arm. He grunts in pain. Dmitri sprays the bolt with the fire extinguisher and then knocks it off with the bottom of it. He gets another one sprayed. Goons with guns murmur to themselves. Allan sees his messenger on his desk next to him. He slides it closer to him with the plastic tie on his hands. He hides the messenger under his tie. Diana watches. Allan turns it on under his tie and starts typing by pressing the buttons on the screen with the plastic tie holding his hands. He types, "I am Allan Davis. Agent of the IADC. Employee ID 4774A. We are under attack. Help us.")(Dmitri gets another bolt off. Sprays it. Gets it off. He goes to spray another one but runs out of juice in the extinguisher.)

Dmitri: No, no, no, no, no, no, no! (I kick a shelf next to me, take two of the steel legs. Then cut the wire for the security cameras above me. Control room. A goon walks by and sees the cameras are out.)

Goon: Three of the security cameras just lost picture.

Coop: Check it out.

Goon: Yes, sir. (Dmitri uses the wire from the cameras to join the two steel legs together. He makes pliers and starts to turn the last bolt.)

IADC Gotham Branch-

Steve: (Steve is at the Gotham Branch. When Agent Johns walks in with a sheet of paper in his hand.)

Johns: Okay, you ready for this? Langley general POP server just received an incoming e-mail from IADC Star City Branch.

Steve: From who? Col. Atkinson?

Johns: No. Not Atkinson. Allan Davis.

Steve: Why is Allan sending an e-mail to Langley, the IADC doesn`t have affiliation with them?

Johns: He's calling the C.I.A. for help. They're forwarding this message to you.

(Steve takes it and reads.)

Steve: "I am Allan Davis. Agent of the IADC... We are under attack, help us"? (Oh no Dmitri!)

Johns: What do you think is going on down there? (In the hallway outside, Steve sees his old boss, Riley.)

Riley: Steve, hey--

Steve: No, not now! (He walks in to the head of this office branch, Col. Danvers with the e-mail.)

Steve: Sir, we have a situation.

Danvers: Mr. Vaughn--

Steve: I really think you should look at this. (He gives him the e-mail.)

Danvers: You've had a bad day. You better hope this doesn't make it worse.

(He reads.)

Steve: Look, I know we were suppose to do my deposition today. But this message was routed to me. These are my people in danger!

Riley: Sir, if you don't mind, may I see the communication please? It is my province, and Steve has to complete this deposition or everything that we`ve worked for on the Sanders Case will be for nothing. (Danvers hands over the sheet. Riley looks at Steve.)

Riley: Do we have any independent confirmation?

Steve: What, like a dead body? No.

Danvers: It's a fair question.

Steve: No, sir.

Riley: Any local authorities? Fire, police?

Steve: No.

Riley: Any irregularities at all?

Steve: What, you mean other than a desperate message from an agent begging for help?

Riley: Let me guess. You want to send in an extraction team.

Steve: Well, we have to do something!

Riley: What, like we had to do something at Donate Park? I think this is Atkinson.

Steve: What?!

Riley: I think he's bluffing again, trying to compromise our operation.

Steve: By sending C.I.A. into the IADC's offices? What, are you nuts?

Riley: Atkinson is bold like that, and you are reactive!

Steve: Sir, why is he even in this office?

Danvers: We wait for now.

Steve: But, sir--

Danvers: We wait. Is that understood?

Steve: Yes Sir! (My ass my man is in trouble, my friends! I walk down a hallway as Johns trails behind.)

Johns: Go back to Danvers office without Riley and convince him on your own.

Steve: There's no convincing Danvers. Of all the days to have to come here and do this shit!

Johns: You can't go down there by yourself!

Steve: Look, I have a friend who's a cop. He went down to the lobby. The guard told him the IADC closed early.

Johns: And maybe it did.

Steve: I would've known about it!

Johns: And what if there has been a takeover? (Steve gets his gun out of a locker he was using and loads it. He takes it with him.)

Steve: If I'm not back in a couple of hours, I'm probably dead.

Johns: Good to know.

Back the IADC Star City-

Dmitri: (I take off the last bolt and removes the steel door, putting it aside. I enter and sees the C-4. FGOON is at work in the vault.)

FGOON: That's five. (In the conversation room.)

Coop: Copy that, baby. Well... it's almost over. (Dmitri inspects the C-4. It's enormous, formed like pillars. He takes a look at the deactivation panel on the package and cuts through the plastic that's covering it. He hears radio static and looks up. Down the hall, the goon from the control room is walking with his gun cocked and his flashlight. Dmitri hides behind a corner, waiting 'til he gets closer. He kicks him twice. He punches him. The goon blocks his punch. Dmitri grabs his arm with the gun, twists it over his head and elbows him in the back. Dmitri goes to punch, he blocks his punch. Dmitri does a roundhouse kick in the gut, and he falls back to the ground.) (Steve enters the IADC parking garage and sees the gate doors are closed. He gets a splicer card out from his jacket pocket, inserts it in the security stand. The gate doors open. Steve hesitantly walks through, all alone. He spots Diana's SUV. When he comes up behind it, the driver in the McKiernan van spot s him. He puts out his cigarette and cocks his gun. Vaughn puts his hand on the hood of Diana's vehicle to feel if it's warm and sees the driver in the van watching him. Steve sees the vent that they welded off, and realizes that's how they entered the building. He walks towards the van and pulls out his badge/ID.)

Steve: I'm a federal officer! Step out of the car, please. I'd like to ask you a few questions.

DRIVER: No problem. (Once he opens the door and slides out of his seat, Steve sees his gun and kicks the van door. The van door hits the driver. He stumbles back against the van. Steve pulls out his gun and points it at him but the driver kicks it away, then punches Steve in the stomach. He grunts and doubles over. The driver grabs Steve and pushes him up against the side of the van. They struggle. Steve has the driver by the throat. Driver takes out a gun but Steve flips them and has the driver against the van. They struggle for the gun. It goes off and the driver slumps to the ground. Steve looks around, making sure no one saw.) (Riley's office. A secretary enters.)

SECRETARY: Have you seen Mr. Johns? I have Mr. Trevor calling for him.

Riley: (smiles) I'll take the call. (He picks up the receiver.) Extraction Teams "R" Us? (Steve is in the garage on his cell phone.)

Steve: Riley, where's Johns?

Riley: Probably out getting another pizza.

Steve: The confirmation you wanted. I got it. I'm at the IADC right now.

Riley: You're at the IADC`s Star City Branch?!

Steve: Did you hear what I said?

Riley: That's a massive breach of protocol!

Steve: Screw protocol!

Riley: Danvers specifically told you to wait!

Steve: The break-in is confirmed. Check with the duty officer. It's probably Banners. Tell him to send in a team. They can get in the garage using a standard card splicer.

Riley: You're finished, you know that?

Steve: I cant believe you, all this, just to get back at me, for not giving into your advances! You son of a bitch, you wasted enough time already, if anything happens to Dmitri, I'm holding you personally responsible, and I'll be coming after you!

Riley: I hope he's worth you losing you job!

Steve: Just DO IT! (Steve hangs up. Dmitri is staring at the C-4, trying to work on it. The goon he took down walkie-talkie is at his feet. Suddenly Coop's voice can be heard from it.)

Coop: Chen, hey, what's up? Where are we? I need status. (Dmitri grabs it and runs down the hall where he tied up the goon. He rips off the tape from his mouth and twists his crotch.)

GOON: AHHH!

Dmitri: Tell him everything's cool. You're still checking it out.

Coop: Chen, where the hell are you, man?

Dmitri: Do it!

Goon: Screw you. (Dmitri grabs him by the shirt and throws him against the wall.)

Dmitri: I'm disappointed! (I punch him. Coop walks in the area outside the vault where FGOON is still working on cracking the code.)

Coop: Have you seen Chen?

FGOON: Not lately.

Coop: I feel like I'm a mom at the mall! He said he was going down to the sub-basement. I don't know if his walkie's not working, if he's on a coffee break--

FGOON: Five numbers down, seven to go. The code program's working. I'll go get him.

Coop: Who is more tough-assed than you, huh? Who? Nobody, baby! (A very tough-assed Dmitri walks down the hall. He's about to come to a door to go back to the C-4 when he sees someone on the other side is opening it. He hides behind the door, sees that this someone is entering with his gun pointed. Seeing the gun, he grabs this stranger's arm and flips him. Steve rolls on the ground, gets into a shooting stance with his gun pointed. Dmitri flops over against the wall and points his gun at him. Then they both realize.)

Dmitri: What the hell are you doing here?

Steve: Allan contacted us. What the hell's going on?

Dmitri: Allan contacted you, but how, they took all their phones?

Steve: Not directly. Through Langley. Said IADC was under attack. Are you okay?

Dmitri: It's true. There's a team of six, maybe seven. They've got the latest military specs. They're after something in the vault. But why would Allan take the chance calling Langley?

Steve: I know. I took one of them out in the garage.

Dmitri: Russian accent?

Steve: Yeah. I was thinking KGB.

Dmitri: I don't think so. I don't think they'd do something as wild as this.

Steve: Then who?

Dmitri: I don't know. (Grabbing Steve and kissing him!) I'm so happy to see you! But right now, what do you know about deactivating C-4?

(At the C-4 pillar, Steve and I are both looking at the deactivation panel.)

Steve: There's got to be two hundred pounds in here. Damn. That's enough to level the building.

Dmitri: It's a failsafe. Atkinson has three of these--

Steve: Three?! How do you know about these, when I didn't?

Dmitri: --rigged to the vault. If the vault doors open, they all blow. Mom knew!

Steve: Maybe they shouldn't open the vault.

Dmitri: "They" being the six men with machine guns?

Steve: How long before they hack the code?

Dmitri: Soon. Did you study bomb defusing?

Steve: Just seminars, though. Nothing field-specific.

Dmitri: Does anyone ever learn anything in seminars?

Steve: Let's just take this one step at a time. This is a charge of C-4. I can tell, 'cause it says "C-4" everywhere.

Dmitri: There are eight black and yellow wires and six red, blue and black. Which of these fourteen wires do we cut?

Steve: Maybe none. What are those prisms?

Dmitri: I don't know. But there might be more than one lead spliced to the firing mechanism.

Steve: That pin...

Dmitri: Where?

Steve: Right there in the back.

Dmitri: What is it?

Steve: It's a crystal. That thing is a radio receiver. That's probably how opening the vault triggers the C-4.

Dmitri: So all we have to do is pull out the crystal? (Steve takes a pair of pliers - not homemade this time - and tries to do it.)

Dmitri: Wait. No, it can't be this easy.

Steve: What, you think there's a tamper alarm?

Dmitri: Or a second trigger. (Steve takes something out and sprays the area. Red lasers Chris-cross around the pin we have to take out.) Now we know what the prisms are for. Spray it again. (He does.)

Steve: You know, I think I can pull out the crystal without touching the lasers.

Dmitri: You want me to do it? My hands are pretty skinny.

Steve: Well, so are mine. (Embarrassed smile. Beat. He gives the pliers to him.)

Dmitri: One more spray on three.

Steve: One...

Dmitri: Two...

Steve: Three. (He sprays it. Dmitri takes it out.)

Steve: (deep breath) One down.

Dmitri: We better get going. (A gun cocks behind us. We turn to see FGOON with a gun pointed at us. She motions for us to start walking! Down a hall, we have our hands up behind our heads. FGOON walks behind us with a gun pointed at our backs. We come to a room.)

FGOON: Inside! Over there! (Steve and Dmitri head over to one side. FGOON gives Dmitri a plastic tie.)

FGOON: Tie his hands! (Steve puts his wrists together. Dmitri gives him a look, and then a slight nod. Dmitri whirls around and throws the plastic tie in FGOOn's face. When she turns her head, Steve grabs her gun and Dmitri takes out his own gun. They point both guns at FGOON. She goes for a gun on her leg.)

Steve: Don't! (to Dmitri) Why don't you tie her up? (Dmitri moves to do so.)

FGOON: Wait!

Dmitri: Shut up.

FGOON: (British accent) I'm British SIS! For the past year, I've been on covert duty trying to penetrate Coop's intelligence network!

Steve: Coop?

Dmitri: McKenna Coop. Former IADC. Now he works for a third-party. A new player on the scene. Someone he calls The Man.

FGOON: SIS has been trying to identify The Man for the past three years!

Dmitri: Give me your tie.

Steve: My tie? (He starts taking it off. Dmitri has FGOON's arms tied behind her back and takes Steve's tie for FGOON's mouth.)

FGOON: And if this mission's a success, Coop will trust me enough to tell me who The Man is.

Steve: So what's in the vault?

FGOON: I don't know. None of us do. But it has to do with someone named Black Mask. Look, if you don't let me go, Coop will send someone looking for me! He'll know there's someone else here and they'll find you.

Steve: And if we let you go and you're lying, you'll make sure that happens.

FGOON: When they find me I'll tell them there's only one of you. (Dmitri puts it over her mouth and ties it tight. Dmitri and Steve walk down a hall. Dmitri points to the map.)

Dmitri: The other packages are here and here.

Steve: All right. We'll split up and each take one.

Dmitri: The explosives are located behind steel plats that are bolted to the walls.

Steve: Which you opened by yourself?

Dmitri: There are fire extinguishers at regulation points. Find one. Use the C02 to freeze the bolts. But go easy or you'll run out.

Steve: Here. (He gives him the spray. He waves him off and rips the map in two.)

Dmitri: I memorized the laser grid. Here. (gives him the map) Your C-4 is located along this corridor. You cross through engineering sublevel over to electrical. It's far, so run.

Steve: The storage room where I got in. That's where we'll meet.

Dmitri: Then maybe we can go to that hockey game.

Steve: (small smile) Maybe. Be careful.

Dmitri: You, too. And Steve, thanks for coming back for me!(We kiss. Then we both run off in different directions.)

(Johns enters Riley's office.)

Johns: I understand you took a call from Steve.

Riley: Uh, yeah, now that you mention it...

Johns: A call he made to me. What did he say?

Riley: I don't know. It was a bad connection.

Johns: Did he confirm the attack?

Riley: He was hysterical, per usual. (Johns starts to leave.) I wouldn't read much into it!

(Steve sprays the bolt. Hits it. Sprays. Hits it. Sprays. Hits it.)

(Goon doing patrol. Walkie-talkie.)

Coop: Chen, Tony, does anyone copy?

Goon: Coop, this is Elo.

Coop: Elo! This has got to stop. Look, you find Tony, you find Chen, you find the problem and you FIX IT! (Dmitri freezes the bolt. Steve sprays, hits, sprays, hits. Dmitri sprays, hits, sprays, hits. Elo finds FGOON and runs to take the tie off her mouth. Steve takes off the steel door and goes inside. Elo starts untying FGOON's hands.)

Elo: How many were there?

FGOON: One. Only one. (Steve sprays the prisms, sees the lasers, takes a deep breath, and starts going in with the pliers. He sprays and sprays. Gets closer... he has the pin... and takes it out. He sighs. Dmitri sprays and just as he's about to hit the bolt off, he hears a thud somewhere. He stops. Down the hall, Elo has a heartbeat detector in his hands and it beeps. He comes closer. The heartbeat is standing still. He spots a tall closet with its doors closed -- someone's inside. He takes out his gun and fires a half a dozen times. Diana and Allan hear the gunshots. Elo opens the door and the goon who Dmitri took down earlier who caught him via the security cameras with tape over his mouth falls out of the closet, dead. Coop's in the conversation room. He gets on his walkie-talkie.)

Coop: Elo? Elo, Chen? Somebody, come in! Who the hell's shooting?

Elo: Coop... Chen's dead.

Coop: Well, who the hell killed him?

Elo: ...I did. (Dmitri comes from behind and kicks him. Coop can hear the punches and kicks through his walkie.)

Coop: Elo? Elo? ELO? (Coop gets up and leaves. Atkinson slowly smiles. Dmitri is running back to his C-4. Steve is running. They both stop when they hear Coop. He flicks on the intercom switch on Atkinson's phone and begins talking.)

Coop: Dear person beating up my men: I assume that you're an employee here. I am now standing in Atkinson's... tastefully minimalist office and if you are not here standing in front of me in the next twenty seconds, I am going to start executing your friends. Starting with the woman that I assume to be your partner...(He reads a piece of ID.)...Diana Prince. (Diana stands in the office, staring at Coop coldly. Dmitri leans against the wall. Steve enters the control room where Dmitri and Diana once were. He sees the monitor and the wires, puts two and two together. He starts flicking through the camera angles. In Atkinson's office, a goon has a gun pointed to Diana's head. Dmitri walks in, his hands up.)

Dmitri: I'm here.

Coop: You're the bad ass that's been killing my men? I don't know, I just kind of thought you'd be an ugly guy. Step in, pretty boy. (Steve clicks from camera to camera and sees Dmitri with his arms up.)

Steve: Damn it! (Steve sprints down a hall. Out by everyone else who is still tied up, Chopper has a gun pointed at Dmitri.)

Coop: Get his bag. Search him good and tight, and don't be shy, check down his pants, see if he`s packing! Get it packing? Ha, ha, ha. I crack myself up! (Chopper empties his bag on the ground. FGOON talks on a walkie-talkie to Coop.)

FGOON: Seven numbers locked, five to go!

Coop: If he moves a muscle, you drill him! And not with your cock! Ha, ha, ha! (Dmitri looks at Diana. She mouths, "Did you get it?" he shakes his head.)

(Johns walks down a hallway with a couple of agents.)

Johns: I want the Star City Police notified, roadblocks at appropriate intersections and an ambulance standing by.

SECRETARY: Johns, you've got a call.

Johns: Not now!

SECRETARY: It's Trevor. Line three. (Johns picks it up.)

Johns: Talk to me.

Steve: Where the hell are you? (Steve's underground somewhere, on his cell.)

Johns: We're on our way. Riley never gave us your message!

Steve: Fucker! The place is wired to blow. Three packages of C-4. We deactivated two. Dmitri was supposed to deactivate the third. I don't know if he did.

Johns: Okay. Can you get to it?

Steve: I don't know where it is! They've got everyone. Including Dmitri. As soon as they open the vault, the C-4 is going to go off.

Johns: How soon is that?

Steve: Soon. Hurry up. (Johns hangs up. Riley walks up.)

Riley: What the HELL is going on?

Johns: If I find out that you screwed Steve, you do understand that your ass is mine.

Riley: I'm not scared of you.

Johns: Well, you should start being scared of me.

(Coop is walking alone. He stops and smiles. Then he turns back. In Atkinson's office, Dmitri is sitting on a chair, his arms tied behind him. A goon has a gun pointed at his head. Coop comes in with a bottle of champagne.)

Coop: You know, for a lot of guys... it's their socks. Or their piece. Their gun, bullets, custom hollow tips. But for me, I have always sucked my luck from a bottle of champagne. I bring one with me to every job. (He pops it and takes a swig.) Mmm mmm mmm mmm! Would you care for some? (Dmitri looks away. Coop yanks him back by his hair and shoves the bottle in his mouth. Some dribbles out. Dmitri gives him a dirty look and swallows.)

Coop: You don't remember, do you? I didn't at first either. We've met before. It was about a month ago, here at the IADC. I was scoping out the place, fools just let me right in. And I saw you in the coffee room. You were a brown Armani Suit and I asked you out. Now, I know I'm not the subtlest guy when it comes to men and I probably said something insanely inappropriate because you told me if I ever talked to you again, you'd break my kneecaps. (beat) Which just made me love you. I've thought about you all this time. I have. Uh, just every once in a while I'd think, "I wonder whatever happened to the Armani wearing pretty boy." And, um, what I took away from that encounter in the coffee room was the fact that you didn't want to go see some mediocre romantic comedy with me, sit in my Pontiac in the parking lot, while we talked for an hour before I made my move. You didn't want to kiss me. Remember?

Dmitri: No, I don't. But I can see not wanting to kiss you.

Coop: Well, you make bad choices. Yeah, you didn't want to kiss me but working for a scumbag like Atkinson, that's all right by you, huh? Let me tell you something about that weasel boss of yours. He will disappoint you. And one day, and I hope to God I'm here when that day happens, you will hate him. (Dmitri looks away. He takes another swig of champagne.) It was good to see you in the office again, Pretty boy. I know you didn't want to kiss me, but when I was taking a hit off that bottle before? I backwashed in it. I mean, like, really big-time. See ya! (Conversation room. Coop enters.)

Coop: Hey, do you remember Griffin? That big guy? Well, the Brits, they worked him over really hard. They had straps with blades in them. These tricky glass syringes. Acid. They were really creative. But he didn't go down. Not until the opened the box. It took him about three needles and his heart gave out.

Atkinson: How many did you take?

Coop: I want to hear you scream. (He takes a needle out and calmly puts it in Atkinson's neck. He gasps in pain.)

Coop: Just the way Griffin did. Scream for me. (Atkinson looks at him.)

Atkinson: They broke you, didn't they? They made you beg!

Coop: Don't you wish. (FGOON walks in.)

FGOON: Only one number left.

Atkinson: "Please, sir, I can't take anymore!" Isn't that what you said to them?

Coop: Do you know how many more needles I have here, huh?

Atkinson: Isn't that what you said to them? You cried for mercy!

FGOON: Let's go!

Coop: That is NOT what happened!

FGOON: The vault's almost open!

Atkinson: You wept like a baby!

Coop: That is NOT WHAT HAPPENED!

Atkinson: Like a little baby!

FGOON: We have to go!

Coop: That is NOT! WHAT! HAPPENED! Shut up!

FGOON: Come on!

Coop: Shut up!

FGOON: Cole, come on!

Coop: Shut UP! (He turns and shoots her twice. FGOON gasps and twitches, sliding down to the ground. Coop runs over to her.) Baby? Baby?

(She's dead. Coop fixes his tie.) I have to go to the vault. (Chopper and another goon have their guns pointed at everyone. Dmitri now sits right where Chopper emptied his bag on the ground. Allan looks and sees the ring from his office right by him. Allan gets his attention with his eyes and motions over to the ring, then at chopper. Dmitri looks down at the ring. Coop walks to the vault.)

Coop: Chopper? I want you to kill 'em all. (Chopper and his other goon start ushering everyone to one side.)

CHOPPER: Back up! All of you, up against the wall! NOW! All of you!

(Allan is trying to get Dmitri's attention, trying to tell him what to do with the ring.)

Allan: Lisbon!

Dmitri: What?

Allan: 2 weeks ago! (He's pushed against the wall with everyone else. Dmitri grabs the ring just as Chopper grabs him, stands him up with everyone else.)

GOON1: NOW! Get up against the wall, come on!

CHOPPER: Don't look at me like that! You heard him, against the wall now!

(Dmitri takes the ring, unhooks it, and throws it at the goon. A small explosion goes off. One of the goons falls, dead. Dmitri starts fighting, his hands still tied behind his back, with Chopper. He kicks him high in the gut. Allan takes his gun behind his back and shoots him. Chopper falls. Everyone starts gathering around, untying each other.)

Dmitri: Can you shut off the failsafe?

Diana: No, only Atkinson can do that!

Dmitri: (untying Diana) I'm going to the vault!

Allan: I'm going with you.

Dmitri: Allan, you just had surgery!

Allan: I'll meet you there! (He runs. Conversation room. Diana runs in and starts plucking the needles out of Atkinson.)

Diana: Joe! Did you execute the failsafe?

Atkinson: Yes.

Diana: We need to deactivate it.

Atkinson: Are they still in the building?

Diana: Only one left. (takes out needle)

Atkinson: Ugh! I won't let anyone in the vault...

Diana: Dmitri's going to stop them.

Atkinson: Is Dmitri here?

Diana: How do I shut off the failsafe?

Atkinson: The override is a keypad in my office but it's biometric. It won't deactivate without my fingerprint. (Diana tries prying off the steel bars around Atkinson's wrists with a bar from the table.) Oh, come on, Diana! It's going to take hours to get my hands out of here!

Diana: Ugh!

Atkinson: Allan has a device that can duplicate fingerprints but we haven't got the time! You could take my fingerprint. Diana, take my right index fingerprint.

(Diana stares at him. But she knows that she has no choice.)

Atkinson: Just take it! (Diana gets a rubber hose and ties it around Atkinson's wrist so no major blood is lost.)

Atkinson: Right... index...(Diana takes a pair of pinchers. Atkinson looks away. Snap. Atkinson gasps and shakes in pain. Coop applies Chap-stick and waits for the laptop to hack the code. The code is finished. He stands up, claps his hands together.)

Coop: Yes! (Allam is behind him. He punches Coop. Coop punches Allan three times in the gut, and he falls. Dmitri comes in.) Looking for me? (Dmitri kicks and misses. He blocks his punches. He punches Dmitri in the stomach. He grunts.) Oooh! Felt that one, didn't ya? Kick boxer, eh? I love me some kick boxers! (They fight. Dmitri punches him. He throws Dmitri against the wall.) I got your kicks! And I got your moves. Bring it on! (Dmitri kicks and misses. Dmitri hits him. He punches Dmitri twice. Dmitri kicks him. He punches Dmitri.) See, the problem with you kick boxers, ain't none of y'all can take a punch! (He punches Dmitri one final time, he falls to the floor. The panel to the vault behind him reads "Access Granted.") Oooohhh yessiree! (Diana runs through the halls with the finger in a cloth. She runs in Atkinson's office and starts typing. She takes out the finger. Down in the vault, Coop gets ready to enter. Diana presses the finger to the keypad. "Failsafe Deactiv ated." Coop goes in the vault and looks around. He pries off a panel and reaches in for a silver box, about the size of a ring box. On the top is launch codes and a device, it contains the locations and access codes to every missile launch pad in the United States . He walks out as Dmitri comes to. In the parking garage, Coop jumps in the McKiernan van and sees the dead driver that Steve shot. He takes over the driving. He climbs in the front seat and takes off. Up ahead, a van is parked and four agents, two of which are Johns and Steve, have their guns pointed at the van wearing bullet-proof vests. They shoot several times at the windshield. Dmitri comes in the parking garage and sees Coop running out the back of the van. He runs. Dmitri runs after him. Dmitri kicks and punches him twice. Dmitri elbows him in the neck. Roundhouse kick. He falls to the ground on his stomach.)

Dmitri: I think you're right. Taking a punch is something I got to learn how to do.

(I kick him in the head. Blood comes out of his mouth. Steve and Johns run up. Steve takes him aside.)

Steve: What's happening downstairs?

Dmitri: I think everything's taken care of. We got lucky.

Steve: Yes we did, now why didn't you change into Wonder Boy?

Dmitri: It was something I needed to do, for me.

Steve: Are you okay?

Dmitri: Yeah. Thanks for coming.

Steve: Anything for you! (Johns walks up)

Johns: We need to get out of here! Steve if Atkinson sees you here, you're a dead man!

Steve: Riley is going to tell him anyway!

Johns: You let me worry about Riley!

Steve: (Grabs Dmitri and kisses him!) I'll see you tonight!(Inside the IADC, everyone gathers around. Hugs. They pick up fallen chairs. Dmitri shakes hands and hugs someone. Atkinson stands against the wall, a bloody cloth around his hand, and watches everyone. Allan hugs Dmitri. Dmitri sees Atkinson and goes to him.)

Dmitri: Are you all right?

Atkinson: (Diana walks up) I've had better days, and I've had worse! Your crazy Prince, do you know that! I'm glad your on our side! What you did today, you're mother filled me in, I'm so proud of you!

Dmitri: Sir please, I was just doing my job!

Atkinson: And you do your job very well! When you first came here, I was skeptical, I thought you were to green, very naïve, I didn't think you would last a week! But you sure should me, your one of my best and brightest! And if you tell anyone this I will deny it, I really think of you and Steve as my sons, and I'm honored to have you two on my team! As for you Diana, I cant believe you cut off my finger!

Diana: Joe, you told me too!

Atkinson: I'm just kidding! I have to tell you for a second there I thought you weren't going to go through with it, and then we'd all be dead!

Diana: I just hope I'm not in that situation again! (Allan walks up!)

Allan: Col. Sir, the Ambulance is ready for you, and here's your finger! (Hands him a thermos, that's housing his finger!)

Atkinson: Not something you see everyday! Dmitri, I want you and Steve in my office bright and early, whoever The Man is, we need to find out, and fast! If they were able to get into our secure building, there is no telling what he's capable of!

Dmitri: Yes sir! Good luck!

Diana: Good bye Joe!

Allan: I'm going to check out my office, Dmitri I'll catch up with you tomorrow! Bye!

Dmitri: (Nods) Mother I...

Diana: We need to talk! Are you ready to go?

Dmitri: Beyond ready!

Dmitri's apt-

Diana: I'm just saying, a lot of people could have gotten killed today!

Dmitri: Mother I cant use my powers all the time, I need to learn to function without them!

Diana: Look, I'm not always able to change either, so I understand that in certain situations, you will have to do things without your powers! But when there is an opportunity to change, why wouldn't you take it?

Dmitri: Did the job get done, Yes! Is everyone ok, yes! isn't that all that really matters?

Diana: Our powers are a gift, meant to help mankind! It doesn't make you weak, just because as Wonder Boy, your able to do things you're not able to do as Dmitri!

Dmitri: Mom, I was trained as an Amazon warrior, I have the training and the know how to be able to handle myself without my powers! But I've never been I've never had to deal with not having my powers, until I came here! I just needed to prove to myself, that I can be good, that I am as good as anyone else that does this kind of work! This wasn't for anyone else, it was for me, my own personal need! If it had gotten to the point where I felt that, I had to change I would have taken the opportunity to change! But I never felt it get to that point!

Diana: I'm not attacking you Dmitri, I swear I'm not! I'm just concerned is all!

Dmitri: I know mother! But please just understand this was something I needed to do for me! I need a balance, I cant hope to understand how to function here along side people without powers, if I don't try to understand them by not using my powers!

Diana: I understand! I felt that way for a long time, until Circe cast a spell on me, allowing me to be a mortal as Diana Prince, and only have my powers when I change into Wonder Woman! When she did that, I had no idea it would effect you as well!

Dmitri: You mean it wasn't always like this for you?

Diana: No, in the beginning I had my powers all the time! It became to hard connect with people! So when Circe changed me, I didn't make her change me back, because I felt my powers were making me lonely, separating me from others!

Dmitri: Then you can understand where I'm coming from!

Diana: I do, I just don't understand being in a situation where you're abilities would help you, and you choose not to use them! But, it is you're choice, and I will respect your decision!

Dmitri: Thank you! Any word yet, on all the missing JLA members?

Diana: Its no longer just JLA members! The only thing in common with all the missing people, is they all were magic users! So has the JLA heard anything from Caleb? I mean maybe it's the same thing, he uses mystical powers!

Diana: I'm afraid not, everyone is doing everything they can, but no word yet!

Dmitri: I don't understand, since we returned from the Island, no one has heard from him!

Diana: And your sure nothing happened while he was there, he didn't say anything?

Dmitri: That's the weird thing, Steve, him and I walked to his room, we dropped him off, and (Ok, well cant tell her Steve and I had sex on the beach!) we all went to freshen up! After which, he barley spoke two words to me! The whole celebration, he kept to himself, sometime during the party, he disappeared! Its not like you could lose a man on an Island of woman!

Diana: He'll turn up I promise you!

Dmitri: I know, I just cant help but feel responsible, if it wasn't for me he would never have been on the Island!

Diana: Dmitri, you cant blame yourself! Anything could have happened, he could have received a phone call, and left, he could have gotten a telepathic message any number of things! If he felt he was in trouble, he would have come to you!

Dmitri: I know, you're right! I just don't understand!

Diana: Things always have a way of working itself out! What about you and Cassie, how are you two getting along?

Dmitri: Good, really good! I only wished I had gotten to know her better long ago! We have a lot in common!

Diana: What about Bruce, are you planning on starting your training with him again?

Dmitri: Look, mother, I'm happy, that your happy, but I'm just not ready to deal with him yet!

Diana: He cares about you a lot! He misses you, he wants a chance to have some kind of friendship with you. For me Demetrius, will you just think about it, give him a chance?

Dmitri: Mom, I don't hate the man, I don't even know him! I'm just, I just need sometime!

Diana: Just think about it!

Dmitri: I will, I promise!

Diana: What are you thinking about?

Dmitri: Who the "Man" Is! To be able to get in to the IADC like that! What's his agenda! That female that was with them! She works for SIS, she was undercover, if what she was saying was true! She was very close to figuring out who he is! If there had only been more time to get information from her!

Diana: Coop, he killed her. And there is no way British Intelligence agency is going to share their information with us!

Dmitri: I cant help but think, if we let Coop go, he'll return to the Man, we could track him! Or better yet, I could go in undercover, somehow get him to believe I want to join their cause!

Diana: That's to dangerous!

Dmitri: Our lives are in danger everyday, what's the difference!

Diana: Yes but we...

Dmitri: Mom! Stop mothering me when we are talking about work!

Diana: Alright, alright! But you took him down today, it will seem far to suspicious if tomorrow you want to join them!

Dmitri: Not if its done right...hmm...that's an idea!

Diana: Oh no, you have that look in your eyes!

Dmitri: The same one you get when you come up with a brilliant idea! If we created a paper trail, one that leads back to me! Spread just the right amount and the right kind of rumors about me! He might just seek me out himself! Then it would be that he came to me, I didn't come to him!

Diana: Very strategic of you!

Dmitri: Hello, have you met my mother!

Diana: Its something you should bring up tomorrow in your meeting with Atkinson!

Dmitri: Yes, I just need to do a little bit of research tonight!

Diana: (Looking at her watch!) Oh, Bruce is going to kill me if I'm late for another dinner!

Dmitri: Kill you?

Diana: it's a figure of speech!

Dmitri: I know, I'm just giving you a hard time! I need to take a shower anyway, its been a long day! Alright, I love you, I'll speak to you tomorrow!

Diana: (Kissing his forehead!) I love you to! (She leaves)

Dmitri: (He watches her leave, and as he turns he see a picture in a frame, of him and Caleb, standing together! He picks up the picture, and looks at it!) Caleb! Where are you? Give me a sign, something, anything!

Home of the Phantom Stranger-

Phantom: (Sitting in a chair in front of the fireplace reading a book! He senses someone has just entered the room!) I know you're here, show yourself!

Voice: Phantom Stranger, I've been looking for you!

Phantom: (Standing up and looking for where the voice is coming from!) I didn't know I was that hard to find!

Voice: You have the ability to travel great distances in a very short period of time! You can fire energy bolts of great force, travel through time, dispel magic, reveal illusions, and survive in space without earthly life-support systems. Am I correct?

Phantom: (Still looking around the room!) You seem to know a lot about me, care to show yourself?

Voice: I'm behind you!

Phantom: (As the Phantom Stranger turns around, he is hit with a bright white light, he is drained of his powers, screaming in pain as he is brought down to his knees, then collapses on the floor!)

Voice: Soon, I will have every magical power known! (Sinister laugh) Hahahaha, Ahahaha, Ahahaha, Ahahahaha!

End Chapter-