Terror of the Soulless One

Part 4.  Caves of Danger and pools of Promise

by Skytower

Diana woke in the morning with her arms still chained above her head. She came awake with the pain in her arms and shoulders and the fresh air of the tropics filling her head. Sunlight streamed in through the waterfall, filling the cave with soft light and a thousand rainbows. Captain Steiber could be seen in profile in the water. He was washing and for a moment Diana admired his body as it was outlined in the morning ligh

"Good morning." Etta said. She was sitting next to the bed, her wrist chained in front of her and another chain led from one of her ankles to the same ring that held Diana's chain. On her lap was a bowl filled with white strips.

"Good morning." Diana said.

"Thank you." Etta said quietly. She got up and sat next Diana on the bed. For a moment she couldn't look her friend in the eyes, then Etta got up enough courage. "I was awake last night. I heard you. I can't ever thank you enough."

"I was born and raised among warriors Etta." Diana said. "Last night was just a new battle for me on an old battleground."

"I don't know if I would have had your courage." Etta said looking down at the bowl.

"You would." Diana said.

"I don't know. I would have taken the dust I think. Does that make me weak?"

Etta offered Diana one of the white strips and Diana took it. It tasted like chocolate mixed with coffee.

"No, it doesn't. Etta would you send a soldier into combat without a gun?"

"You didn't use the dust." Etta said feeding her another strip.

"I had to keep my head clear." Diana said. "I had to play on his chivalry."

"What?"

"No matter what he is doing Captain Steiber sees himself as a good man." Diana said. "I had to use that. I got him to promise to take us back so we can get our clothes."

"That means you'll get your powers back!" Etta hissed.

"I won the battle." Diana said firmly.

"Well good morning ladies." Helmut said walking over to them. He wore nothing and Etta quickly turned away from him.

"Good morning." Diana said.

Helmut dried himself with a large furry grey leaf and then put his cloths on. There was a self-satisfied joy in his eyes that sickened Diana. He was going to dump them overboard to certain death, even after what they had shared last night, and the amazon knew he would feel only a little regret.

We'll see, Diana thought silently.

"My plans have not changed." Captain Steiber said. "No matter how magnificent you were last night."

"I didn't think they would." Diana said.

He laughed again and pulled on his boots.

"You two can eat, I am going to go and say goodbye to my snake. Afterwards you shall help me load my boat."

"And our cloths?" Diana asked.

"We shall get them at sundown." The captain said. "The plants are less active then."

"Thank you." Diana said.

"Yes, thank you." Etta repeated. She still hadn't looked at the Captain.

He smiled as he got up and left. After he was gone Etta fed Diana more of the plant strips and let her drink water from a cup.

"Wonder Woman, would you... I mean... could you, with the dust..."

"Did I enjoy it?" Wonder Woman asked.

"I'm sorry." Etta said turning away. "I don't have any right to ask."

"Etta." Diana said patiently. Etta turned back to her. "Etta it was rape. I let my body enjoy it, not my soul."

Etta nodded and fed her another strip.

For the rest of the day Diana wondered if the SS captain would want her body again. He certainly stared at it enough as she and Etta loaded his boat. Captain Steiber had built a 30 foot long raft with tapered ends and sides that reached five feet above the water line. It was a testament to the man that he had done it with salvaged hundred year old tools from the pirate treasure he had found. What was more remarkable was that it was made not from true wood, but from various jungle plants. It resembled a floating bush, but was still water proof. Its sail was a sheet of leaves leashed together with vines. The craft lay in a small cove that ran off the stream that fed the waterfall. Diana gave the man credit that he was taking none of the treasure, only his notes and the food and water he would need for a long trip.

"I have had more than a year to study and make use of the plants on this island." Captain Steiber said proudly when they first saw his boat. "This craft shall see me all the way to the fatherland if it has too."

They loaded in parcel after parcel of the SS officers handwritten notes on the island and its plants. Then came baskets of food and fifteen large clay jars filled with fresh water. They worked naked, with their wrists chained in front of them and Captain Steiber watching every movement. He helped only with the very heavy jars, and only after both women's ankles were shackled together. They both sweated in the hot sun and scratches soon appeared on their bodies from the plants. Insects swarmed about their heads and crawled on their skin. The humidity plastered their hair to their bodies.

Diana was sure that Etta felt the embarrassment and humiliation more than she did. For Diana this was a living lesson in history, for this was how Hercules and the Greeks had treated her sisters. But her friend kept silent even when she slipped and fell and Captain Steiber laughed. Then he helped her up, letting his hands roam about her body as he did so. Etta didn't slap at his hands or protest. He let them stop for brief rest and a little food. Sometimes while they rested he would question them about how the war was going, but he refused to believe that Germany had invaded Russia.

"The Fuher himself wrote that a two front war is un-winnable." He said and at a hint from Diana Etta didn't press the subject.

The sun was far into the western sky when they came back to his cave for the last time. Etta and Diana were exhausted and the captain let them stand for a few minutes under the waterfall. The warm water felt good on their skin and dulled the pain from the scratches and bites. Captain Steiber handed Diana a bar of soap. Then he sat and watched while the two women washed. Once they were done he led them over to a far corner of the cave where the water had formed a shallow pool filled with mud.

"Rub the mud on your bodies." Captain Steiber said smearing his own clothes with some of it.

"Why?" Diana asked.

"This mud is like a poison to many of the plants." Captain Steiber said. "It is also a repellent to many of the insects."

"So that's how you were able to study all those plants safely." Diana said. She stepped into the mud and knelt down. After a moment Etta followed her.

"Why didn't you let us use it earlier?" Etta asked. "Every bug on the island bit me today."

"If you have the mud on you during the daytime it burns your skin." Captain Steiber said.

Neither of them was unaware of the smile on Captain Steiber's face as he watched them cover their nude bodies with the mud.

"In a way I am going to miss this place." Captain Steiber said as Etta and Diana stepped out of the mud.

Diana shivered slightly as the mud cooled her body down. It smelt of things she didn't care to think about and was full of grit. She could feel it dry and cake up on her body almost as soon as she stepped out of the water.

"We're not coming back?" Etta asked.

"No. I have all I need."

"Then may I ask you a favor?"

"You may ask anything of me, as Nancy has already found out I am very generous."

Diana flushed hotly under the mud but said nothing.

"Can we let the fairies in the lanterns go?" Etta asked. "It'd be cruel to leave them to starve."

Captain Steiber let out a full loud laugh that echoed in the cave and produced a raging fury within Diana.

"You are a true American Miss Candy." Captain Steiber said. "Foolish and emotional. Very well, you can go and free the "fairies" if you wish."

Diana and Etta moved quickly around the cave opening up the lanterns. Most of the fairies didn't move until either Diana or Etta had moved far enough away from them not to catch them. Then they shot out of the lanterns and vanished through small holes in the cave wall.

The sun was just setting when Etta and Diana stood in front of the plant with the white fluff around it. At sundown the plant was even more enthralling, seemingly embedded with diamonds. For a moment all three of them stood and admired it. Then Helmut handed Diana a long pole with a hook on it. Diana reached into the fluff and pulled out her costume.

"That is what you were wearing?" Helmut asked seeing the red bustier and blue swim trunks.

"We were entertaining in a USO show." Etta said.

Diana pulled the costume too her feet and then reached in again and pulled out her golden belt and lasso. Beside her Etta emptied out a jar of water over the costume to wash it. She did the same for the golden belt and lasso.

"Don't you want to put it on?" Etta asked as Diana reached for Etta's torn uniform.

"A few more minutes won't matter Etta." Diana said pulling the uniform to them. Behind her Helmut laughed.

It took a few more minutes for them to get the rest of Etta's clothes, her shoes, Diana's boots and tiara. When they were all clean Diana looked at Captain Steiber.

"At least while we get dressed?" she asked holding out her chained wrist.

He shrugged and took the pole from her, tossing it aside. Then he stepped back and threw Diana the keys.

Diana breathed a sigh of relief as Etta unlocked the chains. She didn't need to be unchained to put on her costume, but Captain Steiber had chained her. Even with her magic belt an amazon lost her strength when chained by a man.

It had seldom felt so good to put clothes on again. Even though the dried mud had turned to sand on her skin. Diana drew the bustier and trunks up and zipped the back. Then she put on her belt and lasso, tiara and finally her boots. Etta was done dressing as well.

"Shall we go?" Helmut said gesturing with the rifle.

In one leap Wonder Woman crossed the distance between them. In two more seconds she had torn the riffle out of his hands and thrown it to the ground. Only one more second was needed before Captain Helmut Steiber found himself helplessly bound by her magic lasso.

"What!?"

"Be silent." Wonder Woman ordered.

"I've never been so happy to see you use that thing." Etta said coming up beside them and picking up the gun.

"Neither have I." Wonder Woman said. "If he hadn't unchained us..."

"Unchained? Couldn't you break those chains?"

"When an Amazon's wrist are bound by a man she looses all her strength." Diana said. "It's Aphrodite's law, to remind us of how fragile our strength can be in mans world."

"I didn't know that."

"I've learned not to tell people about it." Wonder Woman said.

"Well don't worry, I'll never tell." Etta looked at the SS officer. Captain Steiber's eyes were slightly glazed yet still alive with puzzlement and frustration. "What about him?"

"That is another power of the lasso that few know about." Diana said. "Captain Steiber, I command you, to forget everything Etta and I have just said. Do you understand?"

"Yes." He stuttered.

"Now do you know a way back to Miss Syn's cave?"

"I do. There is a series of caves through the mountain, I used them to escape."

"Wow!" Etta whistled. "Will that work on anyone?"

"Anyone." Diana said. "Even me."

"Oh." A look of sudden understanding came across Etta's face. "So all those stories I've heard..."

"Most of them are true." Diana said. "Captain Steiber." She said taking a stronger hold on the lasso. "You will not remember that we ever made love or that you ever saw either of us naked. You will remember that we stumbled into your cave last night and that in exchange for my pledge to get you off of this island you agreed to lead us back to Miss Syn's cave. Do you understand my commands?"

"Yes." The captain was clearly struggling against he commands, but as Diana well knew, it was a loosing battle.

"Lead us to the entrance to the caves." Diana said. "Do not lead us into any dangerous plants and warn us if you see any on our path."

"Yes." He said again.

The moon was high when the three of them stood before a jagged tear in the cliff face. Bellow them waves crashed against rocks and above them at the top of the cliff jungle trees framed the sky. The place was impossible to see unless you were standing next to it, and in the moonlight the entrance was no more than a shadow. The air alternated between fresh from the sea, warm and damp from the jungle and musty from the tunnel.

"Remember my commands." Wonder Woman said releasing him from the lasso. She coiled the golden rope and replaced it on her belt quickly. Captain Steiber blinked and looked around like a man waking from a deep sleep.

"This is the entrance?" Etta asked. She was carrying his riffle.

"Yes." The Captain said coming into himself again. "I found it by accident, I was running from Miss Syn's apes and stumbled through the entrance to the tunnels in the main cavern."

Reaching into a cleft in the rocks he pulled out a torch and a package of matches.

"Why did you leave those there?"

"For a time this was where I lived." He said. "I could not risk the jungle at first and it was some weeks before I found the old pirates lair that you stumbled into. I kept these here for I did not need them with the fairies in my cave. This was a bolt hole in case I was ever in danger."

"Let's go then." Wonder Woman said.

Captain Steiber lit the torch and with a nod to the two women went first. In the torchlight Diana caught sight of Etta's face. It was a combination of relief and astonishment that the SS captain really wouldn't remember seeing her naked.

The cave was hot. For the first part of the trip they passed pit after pit of bubbling lava. Noxious gasses were everywhere. Some were dense enough to be small fog-like patches. Etta and the SS captain were sweating heavily and sometimes coughing. Diana took the heat easily and watched Captain Steiber for any tricks. Even if he did not remember raping her Diana did, and she didn't trust him.

Sounds echoed in the caves constantly, low rumblings that might have been the volcano, but also could have been the waves crashing against the rocks. Insects and reptiles scuttled about on the rocks around, bellow and above them. Diana was proud of Etta when a giant black and red spider landed on her friend's head and Etta didn't scream and drop the riffle. After only a little time the caves became less jagged, more ordered. Here and there Diana began to see what would have been doorways and walls.

"This is all part of the same city!" Diana said seeing some of the writing on a doorway half buried in the rock.

"It is." Captain Steiber said. "My sister called it the greatest find of the age, it might even have been Atlantis."

It wasn't, Diana knew that because she had been to the sunken city once before, but she didn't say that out loud.

"What could have caused all this destruction?" Etta asked. She ran her fingers over the writing and shuddered.

"That was an argument my sister and I had often." Helmut said. With one hand he wiped the red dust from more of the writing. "I am sure that it was simple chance, a great natural catastrophe. My sister maintained that the people who built these cities were smart enough to know how to survive one."

"Cities?" Etta asked.

"There are more ruins around the island on the ocean floor." Helmut said. "My sister was sure the people brought some great terror down on themselves, that they created something with their science they could not control."

"You don't believe that?" Diana asked.

"What man creates he can control." Helmut said simply. His voice held complete confidence. "Only fools would let the weapons they build escape their masters, and fools did not as great a civilization as this was."

Diana marveled at the arrogance of the statement. She shouldn't have, Diana had known many men like Helmut since coming to mans world. But every time she encountered such a blatant imperiousness it stunned her.

"We will soon need your rope." Helmut said as the air began to get warmer.

"My rope?"

"Yes. You shall see why soon."

The air got warmer, then hotter. Soon Etta and Helmut's clothes were plastered to the skin with sweat and even Wonder Woman was beginning to perspire. They reached a small opening and went through it. Etta gasped and Wonder Woman couldn't blame her.

They stood at the edge of a pit that was at least thirty feet across. Roughly circular it was covered by a domed ceiling. Ten feet down a pool of lava churned and boiled sending noxious gasses into the air. Directly across from them was a stone ledge that led to another tunnel. Steps on both sides of the walls led down into the lava. There were handholds about halfway up the dome that ran all along it.

"This is why." Helmut said. "If we are to safely cross we need to tie each other together in case one of us falls."

Diana hesitated. She had never used her golden lasso like that, when one person or a group of people were bound the magic would work, but she had no way of telling what would happen with the rope tied around three people separately.

"There's a quicker way." Diana said. Picking Etta up and holding her tightly in her arms, the Amazon braced herself and leapt to the other ledge.

"Wow!" Etta said leaning against the wall after they landed and taking deep gulps of air. "Please warn me next time!"

"I'm sorry." Diana said. She braced herself and leapt back across the lava.

"That is not a proper way for a German officer to travel." Captain Steiber said.

"It's practical." Diana said and before he could protest further she swept him into her arms and leaped. The man was startled but held her firmly, clamping one arm around her shoulders while his hand grabbed her breast.

"I was wrong." He laughed when they landed. "Your way has benefits as well."

"Look at that!" Etta said pointing at the top of the dome.

Glad to turn away from Helmut's leer Diana looked and saw that on this side of the pit a picture took shape on the dome. By some peculiar trick of the light it was almost three-dimensional. It showed a large moth facing a three-headed dragon.

"Incredible." Diana said.

"Perhaps this was a temple of some sort." Captain Steiber mused.

"I wonder if they worshiped the dragon or the moth?" Etta said.

"The dragon of course." Captain Steiber snorted. "Who would worship a moth?"

They wound their way though a few more passages, moving up and down as the path dictated, and them emerged into the cavern on the far side of the beached pirate ships. Wonder Woman was amazed, she and Steve had walked within feet of the entrance and not even seen it. She realized that to get there the three of them must have gone completely under the beach. The entrance was a mere fissure in the walls, a shadow among shadows.

They emerged from it slowly and came out from behind the rocks to the beach. Etta swore and Diana reacted as her friend spoke. Her arm flashed out and her tiara sailed through the air.

The party having the duel on the beach had no idea that Wonder Woman, Etta and Helmut was on the beach until Wonder Woman's tiara knocked the sword out of Miss Syn's hand.

Two of the monkey men and Sid were standing by and watching while Abby and Miss Syn fought with pirate swords. The fight looked like it had been going on for a while. Abby's skirt and blouse were shredded and she was bleeding from a dozen wounds. She had collapsed onto the sand and was trying to raise her sword. Miss Syn's was wearing a pair of dark loose fitting black trousers and dark blouse, broken only by a red belt. Her clothing was intact and it was clear who would win the fight. Miss Syn had drawn her sword over her head for the killing blow when Wonder Woman's tiara hit her wrist. Miss Syn dropped the sword and whirled around in shock and anger. For a moment the three of them saw the true face of the beast. Miss Syn's mouth was drawn away from her teeth like a carnivore warning carrion away from its meal. Her eyes were fill with fury and almost seemed to glow. The Asian's body was a tensed steel spring.

The moment passed even as Etta was running across the sand to her sister with Wonder Woman and Captain Steiber close behind her. Wonder Woman's tiara returned to her and she put it back on her head.

"What is going on here?" Wonder Woman demanded.

"An honorable duel." Miss Syn said, once more the polite Asian hostess. Only a slight tremble in her voice betrayed her anger.

"She's never used a sword in her life!" Etta shouted kneeling on the ground beside her sister. Abby had fallen to the ground in a swoon.

"She tried to plant a knife in my back." Miss Syn said calmly. "When I offered her a fair chance at my life she jumped at it."

"With swords?" Wonder Woman asked coldly. She picked up Miss Syn's sword.

"I was challenged, I have the choice of weapons."

"And what about you Dr. Sydney Silverburg!" Etta demanded. "Were you going to let your wife die?"

"I..." Sydney started to protest but it died in his throat.

"Just like a Jew." Captain Steiber said earning a sharp look from Sydney.

"Help me get her to the infirmary." Etta said starting to pick up her sister. "Not you!" she barked when Syd started to bend down.

"I will help." Captain Steiber said.

"Nice to see you again Helmut." Miss Syn said. The German gave her a dark look and picked Abby up in his arms.

"Which way?" he asked?

"This way." Etta said leading him.

With Syd following a short distance behind Etta and the captain headed toward the Quonset hut.

"I did not expect to see either of you alive." Miss Syn said rubbing her wrist. "And I certainly did not expect you to be in the company of an SS officer."

"He helped us in exchange for my pledge to get him off this island." Wonder Woman said. Casually she snapped the sword in two. "I intend to live up to that deal."

"Of course." Miss Syn smiled her mask once more in place. She looked at Wonder Woman. "Well however you survived the plants and my other pets you did not do so cleanly."

Ignoring her Wonder Woman turned and headed toward the infirmary.

The infirmary was a full place. Monkey-men were scattered on cots both in and out of the Quonset hut. While Etta watched Sydney treated her sister. Aside from bandages Abby needed stitches on her arms, legs and stomach. Diana didn't like the way Etta was eyeing Miss Syn, but felt confident her friend could control herself. She stepped into the hallway and into the room that she had left Lady Cynthia in the day before.

"Come in." Lady Cynthia said. She was sitting up in bed, pale but not in pain. At her breast nursed two children. On was human, the other a monkey-man. On a cot to her left Steve Trevor slept, his chest and shoulder bandaged.

"How are you feeling?" Diana asked looking carefully at Steve. His color told her that he would live.

"Rather worn." Lady Cynthia said. "But I'm receiving the best of care. Stone and his people are almost worshiping me."

"Twins?" Diana asked.

"Yes. They tend to run in my family. Of course never like this. Miss Syn was actually astonished when Harriet followed Sim out of me."

The aristocrat looked down at the two children.

"Two children. I never thought I'd ever have one. My mother used to chastise me about it, but I was too much a mod to get married. She dreaded that I'd use up my childbearing years in nightclubs and dancehalls. What she would think now I have no idea."

"What will you do?" Diana asked.

"About Harriet?"

"About both of them." Diana said.

"I have absolutely no idea. Miss Syn has offered to take Harriet off of my hands."

Diana stayed silent but Lady Cynthia saw the question on the heroine's face.

"I won't let her have my child Wonder Woman." Lady Cynthia said, for an instant a full English noblewoman.

"I didn't..."

"I know, but you were thinking it." Lady Cynthia seemed to sag into her cot. "So was I. I know Harriet can never have the life I've had. Never. I'm not even sure I could take her home, I have remote estates in the high country, but even there..."

"She could live here." Diana said. "If Miss Syn was gone."

"Yes, the only girl on an island full of randy boys who won't live more than ten years." Lady Cynthia's voice was iron. "Not for my daughter. I didn't name her Eve. I won't have her turn out a slave race for that bitch!"

Diana was about to say something else when there was a knock on the door. She turned to see Captain Steiber standing there.

"The bandaging is done." He said. "But if you do not return I fear another duel will be fought."

"I'll be back." Diana said rising.

"We'll be here." Lady Cynthia said.

The tension in the operating room was high when Diana walked in. Etta still carried the German's rifle and she seemed to be torn on who to use it on, Miss Syn or Sydney. Miss Syn was enjoying herself. Sydney wasn't.

"How is your sister?" Wonder Woman asked.

"She'll be ok." Etta said lowering the gun.

"Etta why don't you take your sister into the next room with Lady Cynthia and Steve." Wonder Woman said.

"Ok." Etta said. Keeping hold of the riffle she took hold of Abby's gurney and pulled it out of the room.

"What happened?" Wonder Woman asked Sydney after Etta left.

"I was done treating the monkey-men." Sydney said. "We were all done, Lady Cynthia had delivered, Major Trevor was out of danger, you and Etta were gone. I was talking to Myaukia about getting more medical supplies when Abby came up behind her with a scalpel."

"You warned Miss Syn?" Captain Steiber asked.

"I'm a doctor." Sydney said giving the German a hard look. "It was instinctive."

"I doubt your wife saw it that way." Captain Steiber said.

"I disarmed her and offered her a fair duel." Miss Syn said. "At sunrise, so she would be rested and have a better chance."

"Why did she try to kill you?" Wonder Woman asked.

"She thinks the good doctor Silverburg and I had an affair." Miss Syn said.

"What made her think that?" Captain Steiber said.

"I had pictures taken while we made love, and they were accidentally sent to her."

"Myaukia was blackmailing me." Sydney said sitting down. The doctor seemed to shrink from shame as he spoke. "I have sources in the war department, the research and development section. Every so often she'd tell me to get her a report."

"Traitor." Captain Steiber spat.

"If word got out I'd be ruined." Sydney said. "My family, my career, prison... I couldn't face it. She said it would only be once."

"I lied of course." Miss Syn said. "But for a time Sydney was useful. I took the information he gave me and traded it to the Russian's for some research they had stolen from the Germans. Then I sold that information to the British. It was the only way I could get away with keeping Lady Cynthia here."

"The British know she is here?" Diana demanded.

"Of course, and the German's know that the Captain and his sister are here. Neither care as long as I give them the results of my research, and any helpful facts that I can pass along."

"You're lying!" Captain Steiber snarled.

"Do you really think I was able to spirit you out of Germany without help?" Miss Syn asked. "Not only you, but your sister? No captain, the Gestapo know where you are."

"Gestapo." Helmut spat. "But does the SS know?"

"I have no idea."

"What did Sydney give you?" Wonder Woman asked.

"Not much really. Some reports on germ warfare, the results of metallurgical test on new alloys, the plans for bombsights..."

"Sydney when we get back to the states you will have to turn your self in." Wonder Woman said. "As to Abby, that will be up to her."

"Or you could stay here and continue helping my pets." Miss Syn said.

"The choice is not yours Miss Syn." Wonder Woman said coldly.

"Of course." Miss Syn smiled and gave Diana a slight bow. "I had forgotten."

"I'm going to see how Abby is." Sydney said. He lifted himself out of the chair with a great effort and walked out of the room.

"My you two do look a mess." Miss Syn said. "Come, there is a natural hot springs further into the cavern, part of an old temple. We can clean up and you can tell me about your adventures in the forbidden zone."

Wonder Woman hesitated for a moment. She was tired and desperately worried about Etta. But the thought of letting Miss Syn out of her sight was scary as well.

"Very well." she said.

"Would you join us Captain?" Miss Syn asked.

"I feel safer when I can see you." Captain Steiber said.

"How is she?" Wonder Woman asked. She had left the Captain and Miss Syn in the hallway for a moment. Etta was the only one awake in the small room.

"She'll be ok." Etta said. "I was so scared when I saw her... Miss Syn is planning something. I saw her talking to one of the apes."

"I won't leave her alone." Diana said. "She's outside with Captain Steiber now. He hates her more than we do."

"I doubt it." Etta said.

"Etta if anything happens to me promise you won't do anything to Miss Syn alone." Etta opened her mouth but Wonder Woman interrupted her. "Wait till Steve is well, plan something with him. Miss Syn likes causing other people pain Etta. Any kind of pain. Don't let that facade of the Hollywood oriental fool you. She's smart and she's vicious."

"I'll wait." Etta said. "If I have too. And I'll make Abby wait too."

"Good." Wonder Woman stood and left quietly. She didn't have any intention of being caught in a trap, but Miss Syn had already proven herself ruthless and cunning. Wonder Woman had no doubt she was planning something.

When Miss Syn had mentioned a hot spring Diana had assumed that she meant a flowing river with a small pool. She had been too preoccupied to think of anything else. It was, she later admitted, to be her biggest mistake.

The chamber was near the top of the cavern and had survived as a bath house through the cities destruction. It was a large oval pool, shallow at one end and deeper at the other. Around the edges at the deeper end were benches. The pool was made of glistening silver and blue metal. A sculpture of a blue and white tulip shaped flower overflowed constantly filling the pool and the water drained by small holes in the bottom. The walls of the chamber curved upward into a dome. On the walls were pictures of men, women and children. They were all relaxing, some playing games, others nude and making love. The style of the drawings surprised Diana, she had expected them to be Grecian style, or perhaps Egyptian. But these were not crude images they were good enough to be photographs. Free stranding racks made of the same metal as the pool stood at regular intervals around it. The top of the dome gave off a soft blue light. Three electric lights added to the illumination, making the room as bright as day. A silver tray, a wine bottle and three glasses were set on a table at the far end of the pool.

Above all Diana felt the peace of the place. It was like the sacred springs of Paradise Island. The air smelled of honey and cinnamon and freshly picked apples. It hummed with power and contentment.

"Incredible." Captain Steiber said. "You never showed this to my sister or me."

"I didn't discover it until some months after you left." Miss Syn said. She untied her belt and hung it on a rack. She had loosened and removed her blouse before she realized that neither Wonder Woman nor Captain Steiber had moved. "Should I get a modesty screen?" Miss Syn asked. She faced them topless and smiled.

The woman never lost an opportunity to challenge someone, Wonder Woman realized. Her thoughts raced in the few moments she had to think. Miss Syn did not realize that her strength came from the golden belt. But if Wonder Woman refused to take off her clothes and join the Asian woman it might give her a clue. The only reason that Miss Syn was not moving against her was Wonder Woman's strength. How much of the legend of Wonder Woman had reached Miss Syn? Some of the German reports told that taking the golden belt off would make Wonder Woman powerless, but had Miss Syn read those reports? Was this a test?

For the first time Diana wished she were a man. A man could stave off bathing with a woman out of modesty. In the states she had seen that women un-dressed openly in common areas for public gyms and swimming pools. On Paradise Island she had bathed with her sisters and never given a thought to her nudity or theirs. Diana had heard that in some places in the orient communal bathing was common practice. If she refused... She glanced at Captain Steiber to see what he would do.

"I have no objection." He said starting to remove his shirt.

Diana realized that the German wasn't thinking about seeing either of them nude, he was responding to the challenge. No doubt he would not mind, but with the threat of Miss Syn close by Captain Steiber was too smart to think about sex.

"So long as you sit at the far end of the pool." Diana said. "And the Captain and I sit near the shallow end."

"You trust him more than me? An SS officer?"

"Our quarrels will be settled another time." Captain Steiber said. "For now a greater enemy threatens."

"You mean me?" Miss Syn asked. She had taken off her trousers and stood naked before them. "Am I so threatening?"

"I would rather face a tank." Captain Steiber said pulling off his own pants and matching her pose.

"I agree." Wonder Woman said. She had taken off her boots and tiara and put the golden belt and lasso between them. Reaching behind her Wonder Woman unzipped her costume and pulled it down.

"I am flattered." Miss Syn said walking into the water.

She went to the far end and settled onto one of the benches. After a moment Captain Steiber and Wonder Woman joined her. They sat close together, just deep enough to cover their chests. Wonder Woman was impressed that, after a quick look, Captain Steiber did not leer at her body. It was a change from when he had held power over her and Etta. Diana made certain that she could reach her belt simply by moving her arm.

"You are both covered in mud." Miss Syn said taking the wine and pouring her self a glass. "As was Miss Candy, but I didn't feel safe with her here."

"It forms a natural repellent to most of the plants and some of the animals." Captain Steiber said.

"Really. Would you like a glass?"

"No thank you." Captain Steiber said.

"No." Wonder Woman echoed.

"It isn't drugged." Miss Syn said. She took a drink. "As you can see I drink it."

"Wine does not have to be drugged." Captain Steiber said.

"Of course." Miss Syn replied. "Tell me how did you find each other out there?"

Wonder Woman related an edited tale of how she and Etta had stumbled on Captain Steiber's cave and how she had convinced him to lead them back to the main cavern. Captain Steiber stayed silent for most of the tale, adding bits and pieces when needed. Diana hoped that the lasso had filled in the gaps of his memory. He might not remember what had truly happened, but if he suspected anything the Captain would not rest until he solved the mystery.

"It has been over a year since I saw you last." Miss Syn said. "What have you been doing all this time?"

This time it was Diana's turn to stay silent as the German officer told Miss Syn of his studies, but not of his boat. By the time he was done they had been in the water for nearly an hour. Diana's skin was starting to wrinkle and the water was getting too relaxing.

"I think we should go and rest." Diana said.

"I agree." Captain Steiber said.

"There is something I must tell you before you go." Miss Syn said. She held up the now empty bottle. "This was not wine."

"What was it?" Diana asked.

"It was what I call a "preventative"." Miss Syn said. "You see this is not really water we are bathing in."

Diana started to get up, only to have her legs buckle under her. Beside her Helmut cursed as he tried to move. Diana tried to lift her arm out of the water and take hold of her belt, but her arm was too heavy. Her belt had seemed so close when she put it down, but now seemed very far away. Miss Syn's voice came to her as if they were drifting apart.

"You don't have to worry, either of you." Miss Syn said. "Infact when you wake you might even want to thank me. This pool is the greatest treasure on the island."

Diana had managed to get her arm out of the water and was inches from reaching her belt when the water seemed to reach up and drag her in.

Diana woke more confused and anxious than she had ever been in her life. She remembered the pool, the look on Miss Syn's face, then darkness. But the darkness was not a harsh darkness. It was the darkness of a natural sleep, filled with dreams of joy and eternal promise. Diana woke up to find her self in a bed. She was in the bottom half of a wooden bunk bed. Her head rested on a comfortable pillow and a wool blanket, covered with bunnies and unicorns covered her. Throwing off the cover Diana found that she was in a full-length nightgown. She sat up, realizing as she did so that something was wrong. The bed was larger than it should have been. Diana looked around and found that she was in a room that held two desk, two bureaus, two closets and a mirror. Beside each desk was a large chest filled with toys.

Diana jumped down from the bed and found her feet landing in large bunny slippers. She looked down at herself and nearly fainted.

Stunned nearly beyond reason Diana stood up and went over to the mirror. She had not been wrong. The image that looked back at her from the mirror was Diana. But the full figure, the strong jaw line and the towering height was not there. By Diana's stunned calculation they would not be there for at least 7 more years. In their place was the image of a little girl with a round face and black hair that was done up in a ponytail.

"Great Hera!" Diana said and was surprised to hear her young voice in her own ears.

"My god!"

Diana turned and saw Helmut, though he was only ten years old now there was no mistaking him, jump off of the top bunk. He was dressed in a pair of cowboy pajamas and looked as stunned as she was.

"How old am I?" Helmut asked looking himself in the mirror.

Diana looked at herself again and wondered the same thing.

to be continued...