Wonder Woman #35: "A Parting Gift, Pt. 1"

She had fought gods from Olympus as well as the self-proclaimed deities of Apokolips; giant alien starfish and a black sun that had brought her and the world to the brink of destruction. So why did her heart pound harder now then it had ever done? Because now she was facing one of the world’s oldest and most fearsome creatures... the press!

Boston, Massachusetts, home of the Red Sox. Wonder Woman had visited the city several times, fascinated by its rich history. As America was her home away from home, she tried her best to immerse herself in not only its culture, but history as well. Boston was one of the cities along the East Coast that seemed to call to her. So when she was asked to speak at the opening ceremonies for a new shelter for battered woman, she felt it to be both an honor and a privilege. Although she knew that her appearance would attract the local news, she was not expecting the major cable stations to be there.

She stood behind the stage as the benefactor of the shelter welcomed the continually growing crowd of onlookers and guests of honor. An older woman, who stood next to her, watched the Queen fidget with her bracelets, then touch her tiara from time to time.

“Excuse me, I hope I’m not being to forward, but you seem awfully nervous.”

Diana turned to her. “Am I that obvious?”

“Well, I’m a pretty good judge of body language and all the signs are pointing to it.” She raised her hand. “My name is Professor Kapatelis, but you can call me Julia; it’s an honor to meet you, Your Majesty.”

Wonder Woman shook warmly. “Call me Diana... and I am nervous. Terrified, actually. I’m not even sure what I’m going to say. I should have written something down, but my sister Donna advised me to just speak from my heart.”

“She’s a smart sister,” Julia said with a smile. “Whatever you say, I’m sure it’s going to be inspiring. Ever since you appeared a few years ago, you’ve given hope to so many women, whether they're abused or not, or just struggling, or just not sure what they want to do. Even my daughter Vanessa has straightened herself up in school. She’s determined to make a difference in the world, just like her hero.”

Blushing, Diana lowered her head a little. “That’s flattering.”

“Yeah,” Julia continued. “She just adores Hawkgirl.”

Diana’s head snapped up in shock. The look on her face made Julia laugh heartily. “I’m sorry,” She said, holding out her hand as she tried to regain control of herself. “It was a joke. My daughter adores you, really. You’re her inspiration.”

Realizing she'd been had, Diana also burst out laughing. It had been a long time since anyone had made her do that, and instantly she felt warmth for this woman. “Thank you, I needed that.”

“Ladies and gentlemen, I am proud to introduce a founding member and recent chairperson of the Justice League... Wonder Woman.”

As the crowd cheered, Diana touched Julia’s shoulder. “Please, after the ceremony, would you allow me to take your daughter and you somewhere for breakfast?”

The professor’s jaw slackened in shock. “Uhh... I... it would be an honor.”

Wonder Woman smiled. “The honor would be all mine.” And with that she turned and walked up to the podium to greet the roar of the crowd.



The school bus pulled into the parking lot of S.T.A.R. Labs Metropolis, with an explosion of young teenagers that suddenly burst from the open doors. They mingled at the main entrance while their science teacher, a spindly little man who’s surname was Hollander, but wanted all the kids to call him Jacob, so he could be 'down with his students', went to speak with their guide.

Two boys kept to the rear of the crowd, and snickered as they pointed at a young man who stood apart from the group, anxiously waiting to get in. He seemed to be a child out of another time with his sweater vest, old-fashioned wire-rimmed glasses, and the bow tie that he wore.

“Are we ready, ladies and gentlemen?” Mr. Hollander called out excitedly. The sweaterclad young man nodded excitedly, to the teacher's delight. He clapped the boy on the back. “I knew you would be, Mr. Procter. Let’s go students,” he shouted as he followed their guide into the building.

“You still got it on you?” asked the heavier of the boys who had been quietly making fun of Paul Procter.

“Oh yeah,” his pimple-faced friend chuckled. “When he least expects it, Procter's gonna get the surprise of his life.”

As they walked into the building laughing, they were unaware of their young classmate behind them. The tall blond girl watched them with growing irritation. She took a deep breath as she followed the rest of her class into the building.

It’s time.

She looked around for the deep rolling voice that had whispered those words to her. Nobody was around her and nobody in front of her seemed to have heard it. Her heart began to beat a little faster. That was the second time since her class had left Metropolis that she had thought she had heard someone whisper those exact words to her. A chill ran down her spine.

“Ms. Sandsmark, would you care to join the rest of us?” Her teacher's question caused her to realize she had stopped in the doorway while the rest of her classmates were heading towards the large elevators.

“Sorry...” she mumbled.



Dr. Doris Zeul walked timidly into the office of her superior; his chalk face was grim, his lips pursed together so tightly that its redness was like a neon sign in the middle of the desert.

“Good morning, Dr. Zeul. Please have a seat.”

She sat rigidly, knowing what was about to happen, her speech already prepared. Until he delivered the news, though, she would stay silent.

“You know why I’ve called you in here?” he asked, continuing after she had given him a slight nod of understanding. “As much as you’ve given us here at S.T.A.R. Labs, what we discovered you were doing in your spare time has made it impossible for us to allow you to stay.”

“I see.” she crisply replied. “It is unfortunate that after all m years of service, when I asked you to help me in my search of a cure for this damned disease that’s slowly killing me, you turned away as if I was nothing more than a used lab coat ready to be thrown in the trash.”

“That’s not true, Doris, and you know it. We had some of our best people trying to help you, but your research has taken a dark turn, and we can’t allow that. S.T.A.R. Labs has a reputation to uphold.”

Doris Zeul stood up suddenly, the chair falling over behind her. “I’m not a monster, Dr. Perez, do not treat me like one. My body is dying and we all know that can’t be stopped, but you’d be a fool to lose one of the most brilliant minds in the business. We both now how close I am to figuring out how to do this.”

“And then what?” the doctor countered as he, too, stood up. “We both know that for you to accomplish an actual transfer would mean you’d need a healthy body; one that is living, breathing, full of life. What you are contemplating is murder! The fact that you’ve hid your experiments with the lab animals that you’ve been using is a rather big signal that you know how unethical this is!”
“I won’t deny that my experiments border in the shades of gray, but most of the great ones did. This is just the beginning, Marv. If I can accomplish this, if I can actually transfer my mind into another human being before my body gives out; then we’ve got the foundation for something great. How long would it take us at that point to utilize the technology for patience with cancer, AIDS, Alzheimer’s? There are people whose minds are being destroyed, but there bodies are healthy. It’d be just another form of organ transplant.”

“Perhaps you’re right, but that’s not how it’s working out for you yet. Every one of your experiments has meant the life of a healthy test subject. You’ve yet to produce a successful transfer to a mentally damaged or brain-dead animal.”

“By doing this, you’ve signed my death warrant,” she stated coldly.

“We’re not going to give up, Doris. But rules are rules.”

She walked to the door, never looking back. “I’ll be out by the end of the day.”

Closing the door behind her, Dr. Zeul walked down the hall, through the corridor that passed the main entrance, only to be blind-sided by two teenage boys who were running past her.

“Sorry,” one of them mumbled as they both stopped short after striking her.

“I would think so,” she said with ice that chilled their blood.

“Oh my God, make it stop!” A young boy’s voice screamed from one of the primary chemistry labs.

She walked quickly towards the commotion, noting the snickers from the two young menshe had just run into. When she opened the door to the lab, she saw the screaming boy on the floor, writhing. The skin on his arm was turning black and a horrible odor was filling the room. The two boys behind her gasped in horror as she heard the one speak to the other.

“You told me it was going to turn his skin bright pink for a couple of days.”

“That’s what I was...”

He never got to finish his sentence as a young blond girl came barreling towards them. She pushed the heavier one out of the way. He was shoved so hard his feet actually left his shoes as he struck the far wall. She grabbed the pimply-faced one by his shirt and tossed him further into the lab.

“What did you do to him?” she demanded.

The teacher knelt over Paul with another lab technician, then turned in shock at the outburst. “Cassie! What are you doing?”

“These two #%@#heads did something to Paul! I heard them talking when we got off the bus.”

“It was supposed to be a joke!” Pimple-face said, starting to cry.

“Cassandra, let go of him, now!” the teacher screamed while the lab technician ran to his phone to call for help.

A wicked smile crossed her lips. “Of course, Sir,” she replied and threw him too.

He flew up into the air, coming down on one of the laboratory tables, shattering several beakers and test tubes. Several liquids sprayed out into the room, as Dr. Zeul grabbed the young girl who had caused the commotion, yanked her behind the doctor so none of the chemicals could touch her. Doris was not as lucky as the liquids splattered onto her.

Most of that went unnoticed as the majority of the chemical mix spilled onto the poor young man who had already been traumatized. Procter screamed in agony as their teacher gasped in horror. The boy’s skin, which had been turning black, now began to bubble as the new chemicals struck him.

The chaos that had erupted around the horrible prank gone awry suddenly stopped with the ear-splitting scream of poor Paul Proctor. All eyes turned, attention focused on the man/child whose body was now thrashing. They watched in horror as Paul’s body began to change, his features forming some kind of hideous creature; the left side of his face melting away so that the muscle and tissue could be seen.

“Dear Lord,” the teacher muttered before Paul’s arm suddenly shot up, his fingers grabbing the inside of Mr. Hollander’s jaw, then ripping it from the rest of his face.

It was as if a damn broke in the room as one girl screamed and the other kids began to run for the exits, scattering in several directions. As the creature that was once Paul Proctor, but now resembled something akin to the mythological troll creature, continued to grow, his arms now longer than his torso. His skin once again changed color, resembling the bottom of a fire pit with its ashen gray hue.

Doctor Zeul reached for Cassie, tried to pull her away as the chemicals on her own body continued to burn, but the young girl shrugged her off. Her blue eyes were fixated on the classmate and his mutation.
“Come on girl, we’ve got to get out of here!” she shouted.

“No!” Cassie said firmly, her eyes dancing with wicked delight. “I’m going to take it down.”

She had no idea what was driving her, but it was more than a compulsion. It was a need that boiled from the very center of her soul. There was a strength that began to flow through her; a power she had never felt before. She let out a cry that seemed almost joyous as she met the newly-formed troll-creature in combat.



Diana and her new friends sat in a corner booth of a diner not too far from where she had just given her speech. It had gone well, but when she left the make-shift stage she had decided that she would rather battle Darksied on a regular basis. Both Julia and her thirteen-year old daughter Vanessa had assured her that the speech was heartfelt as well as uplifting for all women who may have felt they were in a bad situation.

“You gave me a lot to think about,” Vanessa assured her after they had ordered. The teenager was gushing at the fact that she was sitting across from a living legend; proud that people were gazing at them.

“Well you’re still very young, dear. I hope you never have to worry about anything like that.” Diana said with a smile, but was taken aback by the sudden look of hurt in the girl’s eyes. “Have I said something wrong?” She asked quickly.

“I’m not a kid anymore,” Vanessa said quietly, her lip starting to tremble. “I’m a young woman.”

Diana looked at Julia with confusion. “I... I...” She stumbled for something to say.

Not being able to help herself, Julia laughed. “You haven’t had to deal with teenage girls much, have you?”

Blushing, Diana shook her head. “No, I’m afraid not. I apologize, Vanessa I didn't meant o offend you.. Of course you're a beautiful young woman, but after all I've been through, it's sometimes too easy for me to see a lot of people as children still.”

“It’s alright,” Vanessa said, instantly perking back up. “Mom says I still do childish things.”

Julia raised an eyebrow at Wonder Woman, impressed with her reply. “Very nice. Have you ever considered a career in politics?”

Again Diana shook her head, even more vigorously this time. “Hera, no! I wish I didn't have to do the amount of politicking that I already do as queen and ambassador.” She gave a crooked little smile. “Though I would love to get many of them in my lasso.”

Wonder Woman was caught off guard by the sound of her Justice League communicator going off. Between dealing with Nekron and the destruction of both League bases, the team was lucky to have the time to even get their communications up and running again.

“Wonder Woman, it's Superman.”She noted her dear friend’s voice was tight, strained. “I need your help. I’m in the middle of a difficult situation and I’m picking up something big happening at the S.T.A.R. Labs in Metropolis. I’m not going to get there in time and I haven’t been able to reach Flash or Green Lantern. Any chance you can lend me a hand? I’d owe you.”

“You owe me nothing,” she assured him. “I’ll be right there.” She switched off the device and found herself staring into the eyes of two women whose faces were blatantly in shock.

“Was... was that really Superman?” Julia asked.

Diana smiled. “Yes, it was.” She forgot how something so ordinary for her would be such an amazing moment for those not in her line of work.

Mmm, the way he fills out those tights,” her new friend said under her breath.

“MOM!” Vanessa exclaimed in shock.

Winking at Julia, the two shared a laugh before Wonder Woman rose from the table. “I apologize, but I must be going. I hope to see you again, sometime. It has been too long since I’ve been able to break bread with anyone other than public figures and other super-heroes.”

Julia handed her her card. “Here’s my number. You call anytime you want. In fact, next time, you come over to the house and I’ll make you a home cooked meal.”

“Thank you, Julia. I would like that very much,” Diana said. She leaned over and kissed the younger woman on the forehead. “Stay strong, little one. Your heart sings with strength and joy.”

The teenager blushed. “Thank you. Be careful, Wonder Woman.”

She smiled down at the girl. “I always am.”

Mother and daughter watched their new friend leave the restaurant, both feeling overwhelmed at the presence of their new friend.



There was amazement to what she was doing as Cassie Sandsmark cleared several feet in one leap, striking the creature in the face so hard that it was tossed backward – destroying several lab tables in the process. Still, her amazement was clouded by the overwhelming need to do battle with the thing that had once been a schoolmate of hers.

She could hear the rest of her class as they ran screaming from the room. So much the better, was her thought; as much as she needed to pummel the thing into submission, she did not want to see anyone else get hurt. Though deep down she also knew if anyone else did, it would be unavoidable. In war, innocents would always get hurt.

The troll came back quickly, throwing a large chunk of a granite lab table directly at her. Cassie didn’t even feel the need to dive out of the way. She went with her first instinct, winding back her arm and as the table came hurtling towards her, she swung her fist with all her might – shattering it into hundreds of pieces. Again, there was that sudden feeling of awe at what she had just done, but it was somewhere buried deep in the back of her mind.

Another leap toward the gray monster and she was on top of it, pinning it to the ground. “You’re not going to win this one, so you might as well give up now!” she shouted at him.

Its response was simple. An uppercut to her jaw sent her into the air, through the ceiling, and onto the floor above them. She had felt that, but was still surprised that she was still able to get up.

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” she dove back down through the hole, both fists in front of her as she landed directly on top of him.

Cassie did not notice at that moment that there was still one other person in the lab. Dr. Zeul stared at the ongoing battle with her own feelings of awe. Her. She is the one. My mind in her young, strong body, and I would have everything I need to continue with my work.

She was so lost in though, that the chemicals staining her clothes soaked into her hair and skin unnoticed. Even the slight burning sensation barely registered in her mind.

On the other side of the room, Cassie once again pinned down the creature, but this time she didn’t give it a chance to regroup. Her fists flailed at the head of the troll-like thing, pounding away at it. First it roared with anger and frustration, but eventually the beating took its toll and his cries of outrage became nothing more than moans and whimpers. Then there was silence from him.

Standing up, Cassie grabbed the creature by Paul's tattered clothes. Raising the monster over her head, she shook it. “Fight me! Fight me!” she bellowed at the top of her lungs.

“I... I don’t think it can,” Dr. Zeul stated timidly.

The sound of the doctor’s voice seemed to snap her out of the state she was in. Cassie looked at her, the color draining from her face. She looked up at the bloodied face of the creature, nearly unrecognizable after the beating he had just taken; her face changed to that of horror. She dropped it as if it burned her hand and backed away quickly, stumbling over several broken pieces of furniture as she did.

“What... what happened? How did I do that?” she asked, turning to Doris Zeul, the look of desperation and panic evident on her face.

I must act now, quickly, the doctor thought. She reached out to the teenager, allowed the blond child to embrace her as the sobs took over. “There, there. We’ll find out what happened. Trust in me, and I’ll help you get to the bottom of this.”

There was movement from the hole in the wall that had been destroyed during the battle. They both turned to see the star-spangled heroine known as Wonder Woman.

The Queen of Paradise Island took the scene in with one glance. She stepped inside. “What happened here?” she demanded to know.

Doctor Zeul felt the girl named Cassandra Sandsmark suddenly go rigid as she stared at the Wonder Woman. “You!” she heard Cassie whisper.

“Do I know you, young one?” Diana asked gently. There was something about the blond girl that Diana could not put here finger on. She felt the lasso at her side begin to faintly glow, and become warm. There was great power coming from this young girl.

Cassie walked up to her, the teenagers eyes wide with understanding. “No, you don’t know me, not yet at least. My name is Cassandra Sandsmark. Remember the name, Wonder Woman, for it is the last name you shall ever hear.”

With that Cassie’s fist flew out and hit Wonder Woman so hard that it shattered the remaining windows in the room as well as sent the Amazon hurtling backward, through the outer wall and into the courtyard beyond.

Doctor Zeul was speechless. There was much more to this girl than she had first realized. She was the perfect specimen. Before Doris could reach out to her, the chemicals that had now soaked into her body caught up to her. The room began to spin. She staggered back and collapsed behind a bookshelf that had not incurred the wrath of the recent battle.

As Wonder Woman staggered back to her feet still reeling from the power of the blow. Although it made no sense to her, the realization was setting in. The power that the young girl had, the warning that the lasso was giving her, and that sensation that she always felt when she was in the presence of one like Hermes or Athena, brought it all home to her.

“Your strike has hurt me, but it has also opened my eyes,” she stated as trickle of blood began to roll from the corner of her mouth. “You have the power of a God. I demand that you tell me who you are!”

The girl stepped out of the gap in the building and into the courtyard as well. Her blood was boiling; her tunnel visioncould only see the face of what she knew in her soul to be her one true enemy.

“My name is Cassandra Sandsmark. My whole life I’ve wondered who I was, why I was here, but now... seeing you... I know exactly who I am. I am the one born to destroy Diana, Queen of Themyscira.”

Wonder Woman didn’t need her magic lasso to know that this girl was telling the truth. “You can try, little one,” she stated coldly as she leapt into the air toward her foe.

Cassie began to laugh as a joyous feeling swept through her. She charged forward, leaping into the air as well, her arm drawn back as she met her nemesis in mid air.

BOOM!

The battle had begun...

To Be Concluded!