Homecoming (Complete)

Chapter Forty-One

"She has been chained up in that cage for two days, mother," Diana pleaded. "You have to let me in to see her. She's managed to keep Damianos mostly at bay all that time and we need to know what else she's discovered about Hercules's army..."

"No, Diana," Hippolyta shook her head, "it's too dangerous. If he were to take control of you..."

"I may be the only one who can help Alex defeat him. She needs my help," Diana said adamantly. "Menalippe, our oracle, just keeps saying, over and over, the battle will be won by love. That's me, mother. You have to let me go to her."

"Diana," Hippolyta started to deny her request again but Philippus cut her off.

"She's right, 'Lyta," Philippus said quietly. "You know she's right. Their bond is what will save us all."

"You don't know that!" Hippolyta barked. "If Damianos were to take over Diana, turn her to his cause, I don't know if there are enough Amazons to stop them both. Alex has already escaped those chains five times, and twice, while trying to re-chain her, Damianos has taken control of the Amazons in the cage with him. If it weren't for the fact that we planned for that possibility, and made sure there were more people than he can control at one time, there would have been more than just some bloody lips—someone would have died and Alex would be free."

"I can resist him now," Diana said quietly. "Alex made sure of that."

"What do you mean?" Dinah asked.

"She showed you how she's keeping him at bay, didn't she?" Beth asked thoughtfully. "I...caught a glimpse of it, I think." Everyone looked at her and she blushed. "Queen Hippolyta resisted Damianos's empathic attack with pure willpower, but Diana was able to resist because of her bond with Alex—that's why he kicked Diana in the head—he knew he wouldn't be able to keep her down like the rest of us." She shrugged her shoulders and made a bit of a face. "Alex and I were extremely close and...well...my mom always thought we had our telepathic moments...so...I think I caught a glimpse of how Alex is fighting Damianos. I think Diana can help, and I think she can resist his mental control." She blushed again and added quietly "for what my opinion is worth, anyway."

"You have to let me do this," Diana said gently. "I know you're worried but if we can't free Alex from his control we will lose this war. He wasn't lying when he said he'd trained her to be the best. She will break free, and he will drop the veil. It's simple fact." She put her hand on her mother's arm. "Please. You either need to let me go to her or you need to kill her. It's the only way to keep her from escaping." Her face turned hard for a moment. "Just be warned that if you choose the latter option you will have to go through me first."

"And me," Babs said softly, she looked around the room and saw Dinah, Beth, and Philippus nodding as well. "Through all of us, I think. This isn't Alex's fault, as you yourself have pointed out, Queen Hippolyta. Please. Give Diana a chance to save her."

"And isn't Alex's death supposed to ensure the downfall of Themyscira?" Dinah asked, lips pressed into a hard line.

"All right! All right!" Hippolyta said in frustration. "Damn you all to Hades. Diana can try." She shook her head. "But if she fails..."

"We'll deal with it," Philippus said grimly. "We'll do what we have to, if it comes to that."

* * *

"Diana!" Alex cried out when Diana and five other Amazons arrived outside the door to her cage. "No! You have to go!"

"Calm yourself, amare," Diana said quietly as she started taking off her armor and handing it to the Amazons with her. "All will be well."

"No! You don't understand," Alex wailed. "This is what he wants. He wants you to be foolish enough to come into his range. Dammit Diana. Please!"

"Hush, love," Diana said, still working on removing her armor. She handed her bracelets to the Amazon on her left and her lasso to the one on her right. "Take all this and hide it. If Damianos does get control of me it will be to your benefit if I cannot easily find it."