One of my favourite episodes of Wonder Woman, as I would have liked it to have been.
Thank you to all who have emailed me enjoying this story. I hope you enjoy these new parts.
The Alternative: Fausta
Part 9
By
Craig Weston
I drive the car slowly out of the gateway und across the drawbridge onto the road.
“Go right,” Fausta hisses. I do so and accelerate into the night.
We drive for about an hour, the cold air bites into my hands and I mentally curse for not bringing my gloves. Unbuttoning my jacket with my right hand I reach inside and pull out the small black bag and place it onto Vonder Voman's lap.
“What is this?” she asks surprised.
“Proof zat you can trust both of us, Diana.” I reply keeping my eyes on the dark road, then glance at the speedometer, und mentally workout the distance, another two hours and we'd be approaching the resistance area.
She opens the small bag and pulls out one of her bracelets and the lasso. “I still don't understand why you are doing this...”
“Ze curse of Hera, Vonder Voman,” Fausta responds from the rear seat. “I too have succumbed to it. I too am vith child – His child. Just as I know are you.”
“You... But that is impossible you are not an Amazon, only we can...”
“Quite so, but I am a scientist, and vas able to identify ze chemical make up of vat you call, ze curse of Hera. I vas arrogant enough to believe I could control it. I vas vong. Ze price is zat I am now pregnant, just as you are.” Diana is silent for a moment trying to comprehend it all.
“You ver due to be transferred to a special facility,” I explain keeping my eyes on vhat is a poor excuse for a road, the car judders as the wheels hit various small holes. “At this facility our child vould be raised and become a veapon of ze reich, along with other children that they vould vant you to have. They have already harvested some of your eggs to be implanted into surrogates, isn't zat so Frauline?”
“Zat ist so, they haff taken three of your eggs that haff already been fertilized und placed into surrogates. I am sorry for zis.”
We remain silent for sometime I continue monitoring the time noting we are getting closer to the resistance area. How we are going to make contact, I have no idea, though I suspect that if they are any good, und I had no reason to believe they ver not; that they vould find us
Shots ring out of the darkness, muzzle flashes are all around us. The wind shield explodes showering us with glass. For a moment I am blinded und I try to steer but the tyres have been hit und I can barely control ze car. Another burst of gun fire and I turn hard right, the car hits something un is flipped up on its side spewing myself, Fausta and Vonder Voman out into bushes. I roll hard down a slope coming to halt at the bottom, momentarily vinded. Grimacing with pain I manage to get to my feet, in the moonlight I can just make out ze motionless form of Fausta above me on the slope. Grabbing some vines I pull myself up to her, biting my lip to deal vith the pain in my chest. I kneel next to her, she is breathing und does not appear to... her right side something warm and sticky on my hand, she has been hit. Looking about I spot the now empty small black bag folding it I press it down upon ze vound and secure it vith my belt. Then I drag her up the slope to just behind ze upturned car. A few more muzzle flashes from the dark a few hit close, spraying us with dirt. The pistol is in my hand, but I dare not return fire, I can just make out dark shapes that move cautiously about in the treeline. I glance about looking for her, but Diana is no vhere to be seen.
I almost call out to her, but stop myself, as four figures advance towards me line abreast from the trees brandishing rifles und other veapons, leaving the pistol on the ground I rise to my feet slowly un step out from behind the car with raised hands. “Don't shoot, I am unarmed, the voman...” I say gesturing to the unconscious form of Fausta. The voman is my friend, she is hurt and needs a doctor.”
The figures advance close enough now to make out their features. All four are rough looking there faces filled vith hate. One, a short stocky type growls at me then raises his rifle, “Die you German bastard,” he snarls, training the rifle on my chest. I freeze expecting the inevitable then, a dark shape pounces out of nowhere, landing between us. In the moonlight I make out the gold belt, headband and lasso of Vonder Voman. She grabs the rifle from the still startled stocky individual then grasping it in two hands snaps it in two with an audible crack, before throwing the two halves to the ground. A tall figure raises a pistol and fires sparks fly from the wrists of Vonder Voman as she deflects ze bullets, then advances on the tall figure grabs his pistol crushes it in her hand then throws it away.
“That is enough!” She shouts. “No one is getting hurt.” Voices then more figures advance out of the treeline Vonder Voman raises her hands. “Stop! I am Wonder Woman, you will have heard of me and know I am a friend.” The figures stop momentarily, “These two people are not to be harmed!” Vonder Voman declares.
More figures appear around in all I can see at least a dozen all brandishing veapons. There is a momentary silence, then a figure steps forward from behind, he is taller than the others and valks with an air of authority. “Wonder Woman!” The figure exclaims with a clear Amerikan accent. It is Trevor! “How the devil... I've been looking for you for over two months...I” He stops, his eyes blaze at sight of me, und raises his pistol. “You!”
Vonder Voman is immediately between us. “No Steve,” her voice a gentle whisper as she places her hand gently on his, “No.” she whispers again as she pushes the pistol down, then gestures to me and the unconscious Fausta, “You will not harm either of them, I'll explain everything, but first we need to get out of here.”
In moments orders are given a stretcher is constructed and Fausta is placed upon it and carried by two men. My hands are bound behind my back and two resistance fighters jab me with their rifles to get me walking as ve head off into the night. How long we walk for I have no idea. Ve take a few rest stops und guards are posted, I am permitted to check on Fausta. The bleeding has stopped but she is pale and weak. We head off again and eventually by early dawn we arrive at some sort of camp comprised of a number of large dark painted tents covered in branches and netting.
Fausta is taken to a tent where an old white haired man wearing small round metal rimmed glasses introduces himself as Dr Goldstein zen starts to examine her. Observing my obvious my concern he slaps me on the shoulder, “Do not vorry I vill take good care of her.” My hands are still bound, I am unable to shake this man's hand as I so want to. “Thank you doctor, she means a great deal to me.”
My two guards prod me away with their rifles and I'm pushed into a tent and made to sit, while the two remain outside. Some time later Trevor appears in the tent. “I should kill you for what you have done to her.” He states pulling out a large knife from a sheath at his hip. “But Wonder Woman is my friend and you get to live – for now at least. He bends down behind me and cuts the rope on my wrists. “Come with me.” I follow Trevor as he heads across the camp my two guards stick very close by. Wonder Woman is wearing a large thick coat over her outfit und is talking with two men, one clearly is the leader as he turns to greet me as I enter.
“This is Emile, he is the leader of the local resistance” Trevor states. “Emile has, at great risk contacted Allied command and they are sending a plane to pick up Wonder woman and myself, you and the woman are also coming.
“This vill be very dangerous, your escape from the SS castle has caused a major rise in military activity. There are patrols everywhere, including many SS.” Emile explains pointing to a map on a small table.
“You know of ze castle?” I ask somewhat surprised.
“We became aware of it some weeks ago. Given the high levels of SS activity it became of interest to us and allied intelligence, very little escapes our attention Captain. That is why Major Trevor is here he believed it was a possible location where Wonder Woman was being held, clearly he was right.”
“Yes Emile, he was,” I say glancing at Trevor, the cold hate in his eyes very apparent.
“The plane is due in two days at this area,” Emile explains pointing at the map. “It is just large enough to land and take off. Due to the patrols we will have to walk and cover some rough terrain, I do not believe your friend will be up to the journey captain.” Emile was referring to Fausta and although I did not reply, I could not help but agree with him.
After the meeting Emile kindly agreed that I could check on Fausta, accompanied by Vonder Voman, Trevor und my two ever present guards. Dr Goldstein greeted me as I approached his face dropped when I explained what was planned. “Out of ze question my friend she is no condition to go anyvhere, she has lost much blood und is too weak.”
“That settles it,” Trevor growls. “She'll have to be left behind and dealt with by the resistance.” The Dealt With was very clear.
“No, you cannot do zat.”
“After what you two have done, it's what you both deserve.” Trevor snarls.
My fist impacts his jaw and he hits the ground with a thud in a moment he is up on his feet and charges me knocking me out of the tent. We are outside face to face Trevor snarls throwing a punch I deflect it with my left arm and reply with a palm strike to the chin. He staggers back, then advances kicking out sending me flying backwards. Momentarily vinded and vincing vith ze pain in my ribs I rise up, we circle watched by bemused resistance members. The fight goes on for sometime, blows exchanged. Trevor is vell trained, but then so am I. From the shouts from the resistance members Trevor is the clear favourite, each strike of his is followed by cheers. Each one of mine by boo's and catcalls. The resistance members are enjoying the spectacle that ve are providing. Trevor staggers, his strikes now lacking power, as are mine, evenly matched we both fall to our knees almost exhausted. “She vill not be killed, do you understand me Trevor?”
Emile steps out of the crowd and places a hand upon my shoulder. “She will not be killed, you have my word.” At this Trevor and I are helped up and taken into the medical tent to be treated. After which I am taken back to my tent given some food and a mug of warm coffee und left alone, I lay upon the blankets on the floor, my body now aches more than before. The fight with Trevor pushed me to my limits. Voices outside, my ever present guards and a female voice. The tent flap parts and Vonder Voman enters still wearing the thick coat. “I need to talk to you,” she says sitting down beside me. “I have questions, I believe you can answer.”
We talk into the night I tell her everything, Fausta's experiments, my involvement, including Operation Progeny, und how und vhy ve initiated the rescue. Including the destruction of the journal with all the information gathered, und the location of her home.
“You're quite certain that Berlin never got that information?” Vonder Voman asks.
“I am, General Von Strom vas not provided ze information to pass on to Berlin. You're people are safe.”
“Not entirely,” Vonder Voman replies. “Fausta still has the information in her memory,” Accompanied by the two guards ve return to the medical tent, Dr Goldstein is tending to Fausta, she is conscious and drinking, und looks surprisingly well, thanks to Goldstein's care.
Goldstein leaves us und I vait outside as Vonder Voman talks quietly with Fausta, the blonde nods and I hear a quiet, “Proceed.”
Vonder Voman unfastens her lasso then upon glancing up at me. “It will not harm her despite her weak condition,” she assures me then places ze lasso upon Fausta and begins to ask her questions,
Fausta's eyes glaze over as if in some sort of trance. “Ya, Ve destroyed all ze records, und the curse of Hera experiments also, zer is nothing left.” I hear Fausta speaking. “Ya, Ya, I remember ze coordinates as you stated them to me,” Fausta replies. More hushed voices I cannot make out, then Vonder Voman steps out of the tent.
“She will not remember anything of the experiments from our time together, nor will she remember where my home is, I have erased that from her memory, she is completely unharmed.”
“You can do that?” I ask taking part of the lasso in my hand.
Vonder Voman just nods, “The lasso has that ability.”
The following morning there is a lot of activity, Emile comes to my tent and instructs me to come with him. He tells me that a large force of German soldiers are heading this direction and he has given orders for his people to disperse into the hills. Fausta will be taken to safety, I have a few minutes to say my goodbye. Arriving at the medical tent Goldstein is busy packing, two resistance men are lifting Fausta out of the tent on a stretcher, I stop them for a moment, “I haff to go, she nods not replying. “I vill come back, I vill find you, I swear,” then kiss her, as I stand she is carried away, I hope to safety.
Emile, Trevor and Vonder Voman appear beside me, Emile hands me a small pack un along with a group of his men head out into the forest. We walk in silence, our ear straining for any sound. Occasionally ve stop to rest but Emile is keen to make as cover as much ground as possible.
We finally pitch a camp consisting a few hastily made lean too's, guards are posted and I settle down onto the blanket. A tall dark shape, appears, outside the lean too, as I sit up a soft finger is pressed against my lips. “You – are the one,” comes soft whisper. Our lips meet and I lay back as she is on top of me, the large coat slips off over her shoulders and falls to my left her belt is next along with the zipper of her bustier, then her pant. Her strong legs open and I ease inside her. Our love making is slow and gentle, the embodiment of what should transpire between a man and woman. Afterwards, as we lay together naked under ze blankets. “When we return to America, we will probably not see each other again. I will return to my people, there I will have our child,” with that she kisses me, gets dressed und is gone.
Emile has us leave early, we eat on the move, arriving at the rendezvous spot with the plane early. Work is then carried out to construct some primitive landing lights to guide the plane in.
Just before midnight Emile has us wait in the treeline, he carries out a few more checks, waiting for news from his patrols. Once satisfied, he checks his watch then commits to the landing. It is a cold bitter night, with very little moon all eyes are on the sky and listening for the drone of any engines. It is Vonder Voman who senses it first, tapping me on the shoulder. Then ve all hear it distant, soft but very definitely an aircraft.
Using a small torch to signal the plane, Emile gives the signal for the landing lights to be lit. Each a small fire to guide the plane in. It comes in slow and gently lands, taxi's and turns in a very tight pattern preparing for the take off. A small hatch opens und two figures jump out, Emile and Trevor dash over to them, there is a quick conference, Vonder Voman and I are beckoned over, I shake Emile's hand, und thank him, then board the plane. As soon as ve are aboard the hatch is closed and the plane jerks as the engines rise in volume, before hurtling off.
Our flight was long and uneventful, ve vere given food und hot coffee, then slept from complete exhaustion. Ve land at a base in England before being transferred to elsewhere and finally ending up in America. I had did not see Vonder Voman again after ve arrived, upon landing Trevor had me taken avay under armed guard and kept in a cell for two days, vhere I vas treated vell, und had good food finally, I vas interrogated. Two army officers who informed me they ver from O.S.S. Und vanted to ask me questions about my vork. They appeared to be very vell informed as to my record.
Sometime later I received a surprise visit from Trevor, he vas surprisingly courteous, despite everything that had taken place, und told me zat Vonder Voman had returned home. Just as she said she vould. As to Fausta, Trevor apologised zat he had no news of her. All contact had been lost with Emile und his people. But ze reports vere not good for zat area.
Und so, I vas left alone in my cell vondering vat vould happen now? Vat of Vonder Voman und my child? Und vat of Fausta und my child?
The End?