by Libbylawrence
On the campus of Raeburn University, Donna Troy Long strolled across the college’s well-landscaped commons, admiring the classical architectural style of the surrounding buildings.
I really like this place, she thought with a smile. Those ornate columns remind me of Paradise Island’s buildings. Of course, as elaborate as Raeburn’s famed science department is, it lacks a purple healing ray like the one Paula has back on the island.
The attractive young woman could make such assessments with authority, having spent years on the fabled home of the Amazons as the adopted daughter of Queen Hippolyta. Raised as the sister of Princess Diana, celebrated worldwide as the heroine Wonder Woman, Donna had also carved out her own identity as Artemis of the New Titans. Throughout her heroic career, first as Wonder Girl and then as Artemis, she had witnessed many marvels across multiple planets. Yet perhaps it was in her unique charm that she found the greatest happiness, thriving among family and friends as a photographer, wife, and stepmother.
It was in her roles as a wife and stepmother that Donna was now touring the campus. Her husband, Terry Long, had recently been hired as a professor of literature and mythology. Donna was enjoying her spouse’s new job setting and was eager to show the college to Terry’s young daughter, Jennifer.
I hope Marcia retracts her claws on this visit, Donna thought with a sigh. She only has to drop Jen off, but if I know Terry’s ex, she’ll have a few catty comments for this allegedly much younger second wife. She makes me sound like I still play with Barbies and wear pinafores!
While waiting by the main parking lot, Donna reflected on the last few months. She had celebrated Christmas with extra enthusiasm, as her husband’s depression had vanished with the news of his new job. Terry had been unemployed since Manhattan University let him go due to his failure to publish a required article, and his lack of tenure had made him more vulnerable than most of his fellow professors. Naturally, Donna had tried to cheer him up while continuing her active role with the New Titans. She had taken a leave from the group for the last few weeks and enjoyed quality time with Terry. Now, with Terry settled in for the mid-semester start, Donna was ready to re-engage with her old team.
A limousine pulled up, and a uniformed driver stepped out to open a door. He was a bit too slow, as a young girl swung open the door and raced to Donna with cries of pleasure.
“Donna, Donna! This place is so rad! It’s got woods and everything!” cried Jennifer as Donna bent over to catch the girl in her arms.
“That’s right! It is lovely. How are you?” Donna asked.
Jennifer continued to babble happily as her mother, Marcia, stepped out of the car with a look of irritation. “Jennifer, it’s Foster’s job to open the doors. Remember to let him do so from now on,” scolded Marcia. Wearing a full-length mink coat and expensive boots, she glanced toward Donna and nodded briefly. “Donna. I’m so glad Terry has found work. I can recall how excited he was back when he received his degree. But I suppose you were still in grade school back then.”
Donna bit her tongue and replied, “Marcia, I see by the coat and the car that your new man is treating you well.”
Jennifer piped up, “Yes, Preston is loaded!”
Marcia frowned. “Jennifer! We don’t talk about things like one’s income!”
Donna knew Marcia had been seeing the wealthy Preston Wainwright since her divorce from Terry. It was a source of embarrassment for Terry that his ex-wife’s new love could provide Jennifer with so many things his salary could never afford.
“Well, Marcia, why don’t I show you two around? Terry’s in class now,” suggested Donna.
Marcia replied, “Very well. I’ve heard Raeburn’s science department is highly respected for a small college. Still, if they’ve hired Terry, then they know quality in other departments as well.”
As they walked across the campus, shadowy figures watched their progress with interest.
“She’s the one!” hissed a commanding voice. “Prepare the others, and then we shall teach Mrs. Long a lesson!”
***
Later, Donna drove through the community of Raeburn, smiling as she recalled the joy Jennifer’s visit had brought to Terry. “I know Jen wanted me to join them, but I think it’s only right that I give them some time alone together,” she told herself. “I hope Terry and Jen enjoy the movie. I guess Marcia’s on her way back to the Hamptons, too.”
Flashing lights at the Raeburn Labs complex caught her attention, prompting her to pull off the road. “Some kind of trouble is brewing at the labs,” she said. “I know some of Terry’s fellow professors from Raeburn’s science department do freelance work there.”
Changing into her red Artemis costume, she bounded across the complex. Clearing the security fence, she stood beneath the window where flashing lights and cries for help had first drawn her attention.
Artemis jumped high off the ground and crashed through the window, discovering five men in purple jumpsuits and hoods struggling with two men near a flaming machine. As she passed a row of wire cages holding lab animals, she heard their frightened cries.
“Great Hera!” she exclaimed. Whipping out her golden lasso, she spun it around with enough intensity to smother the flames.
“Get her!” cried the leader of the men in purple hoods.
They rushed toward the beautiful heroine as she glanced over to ensure the two frightened victims were unharmed.
“You fellows make a girl feel really welcome!” Artemis quipped. “Why don’t I return the favor and bring you along to a nice cozy jail I know of nearby?”
Artemis high-kicked the first robber, sending him crashing into his closest allies. With surprising speed, she gripped the other two and brought their heads together with a crash. A final punch sent the last man sprawling on the floor.
The rescued scientists approached the heroine with appreciation. “Thank you, Wonder Girl!” said the balding man who ran the lab. “I’m Dr. Stanley.”
She corrected him quickly. “Actually, I’m calling myself Artemis now.”
“Those thugs broke in and attacked us!” Dr. Stanley explained. “They wanted our notes on a special project we’ve been working on in association with some other researchers. The weird thing is, they didn’t literally break in on us. They entered with the proper security codes. When we struggled, that machine caught fire.”
The other scientist, Reynolds, grinned broadly. “We could use a goddess of the hunt to track down our colleagues. They’ve been missing.”
Artemis frowned. “If these men entered with a security code and you have missing partners, then perhaps they got their codes from your friends.”
As she pulled one stunned intruder’s mask off, the other two scientists gasped in shock.
“Good heavens! That’s Rob Brinkley. He is one of our team members,” cried Dr. Stanley.
Artemis unmasked the others and bound them in her lasso. “I’ve seen photos of this man as well — Rich Jenkins. I take it these five men are your missing allies.” She recognized Jenkins from the welcome party Raeburn University’s Dean held for Terry, where Jenkins worked as a science professor.
Dr. Stanley shook his head in dismay. “They are indeed. That explains why they vanished and how these intruders got our codes. But why would reasonable men attack us?”
“Maybe I can get some answers,” Artemis offered. “What exactly were you working on?”
“A form of cybernetic governing system for animal training,” Dr. Stanley replied. “We hoped our devices would enable quicker and more effective training for animals used as seeing-eye animals, guard dogs, and such. Unfortunately, we’ve had little luck thus far.”
Artemis gently ran her hand along the back of Brinkley’s head, touching a metal plate near his neck. “Hera help us!” she exclaimed. “I think your cybernetic controls work better than you imagined. Someone implanted them in your colleagues! That explains why men of science would suddenly turn into robbers.”
Dr. Stanley nodded. “The implants are robbing them of their free will!” he added. “It’s shocking. I can help you, Artemis. Poor Brinkley, there, was the originator of the idea. He has a lady friend with a criminal past, according to gossip. She lives at 238 Park Place. Perhaps she was using him to get data on our work.”
Artemis smiled. “Thank you. I’ll check her out after dropping these poor men off for medical care.”
Shortly after she departed with the bound men in tow, Dr. Stanley made a telephone call while Reynolds began to destroy everything in the lab after releasing the lab animals from their cages. “She is coming, my mistress!” said the scientist. “She fell for the bait as you expected.”
The light from the quickly sparking fires gleamed off metal implants on the backs of the heads of the two scientists.
***
Meanwhile, Artemis made her way up the steps of a large house. She had left the mentally altered men with a hospital for observation. STAR Labs had already agreed to send over some experts in the area for their treatment.
“Hmm… This Panthea Vine lives well,” she mused. “She must have income beyond that which her lover Brinkley gives her.”
She heard a cry from within and threw her shoulder against the door. It shattered, and the Amazon Princess rushed inside, only to scream as electrical current surged through her body.
Artemis fell stunned, and as the current was switched off from above, a new female form approached. This new figure, who had long brown hair, moved with feline grace and purred in satisfaction, while wearing a skintight cheetah-print costume.
“One down, one to go,” she said with a sultry smile.