Chapter 13: No Secrets

I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING, other than my created character, DC belongs to Warner Bros, and Marvel belongs to Disney, which almost owns the world.

"talking"

'thingking'

"Ghost Rider Voice"

.....

National Museum, London, England, January 15, 12:38 UTC, 2015

"Surrender Cheetah"

"Never!"

Inside one of the world's most important museums, the National Museum of London, two women could be seen fighting vividly. The public had been evacuated, and police were guarding the scene outside so that the situation would not get out of control. 

The museum was one of the most important museums in the world, although it did not have as much art as the Louvre Museum, it had many ancient artifacts belonging to various civilizations such as Aztec, Mayan, Inca, Celtic, Nordic, etc. Some artifacts, which according to legends were of mystical origin, were said to be so powerful that if they got into the wrong hands, they could cause the destruction and doom of the world.

One of the women who was fighting was a beautiful woman, who moved with the elegance and strength of an experienced warrior, she wore her Amazon warrior costume that made her look fierce, but without losing her grace and beauty that characterized her, she was our favorite Amazon, Wonder Woman.

The other woman moved less elegantly but just as fierce. Her movements were more wild and erratic, but this did not detract from the danger she carried, on the contrary, it increased it, her features were feline, and although she wore a full body blue spandex this did not disguise her fur and dark spots like those of a wild leopard, you could even see how a protrusion of feline tail protruded from her rear, she was the supervillain Cheetah and one of the most dangerous women on the planet.

Barbara Ann Minerva was a worker at this museum, who, one day, while cataloging an instrument of Mayan origin, accidentally activated, causing an explosion that destroyed part of the room where the woman was.

The workers and rescuers who rescued the scene of the explosion could not find Barbara's body and left her for dead, however, what they did not expect was that this mystical artifact turned her into a Nahuatl, a being half man half beast. 

This transformation made her have superhuman strength, speed and endurance, but also gave her these feline characteristics that prevented her from leading a normal life.

Since that day Barbara has been trying to find a method to reverse her curse and return to normal, that's why she was here, trying to steal the new artifact that had arrived at the museum, a mystical artifact of Mesopotamian origin created by King Solomon himself, which was said to be able to grant any wish, however, everything fell apart when the cursed Amazon arrived to prevent it.

"You're a annoyance, amazon, roooagg!" she said pouncing on Wonder Woman, her speed was equal or even faster than Diana's average speed, this was her biggest advantage and Diana knew it.

Diana dodged the scratch that was aimed at her face just barely, but she couldn't avoid that the momentum of the scratch left a mark on her arm, which made her bleed. But this wasn't the worrying thing. The worrying thing was that derived from this, Diana started to feel that her senses were being numbed, clearly there was something in the claws of said villain. 

'Poison' she thought, Cheetah smiled inwardly, she could discern what her rival was thinking, so, with an evil grin she said. 

"I think you've figured it out. I've upgraded amazon, my claws were dipped by this toxin so lethal it could kill an elephant easily in a few seconds. Though I must say I'm impressed. I see you're just a little dizzy despite the high dose I gave you."

Diana knew things were bad, she needed to finish Cheetah off soon, she quickly demanded her senses to clear, pumped in more divine power derived from her demigoddess status, and with a speed she hadn't used since Steppenwolf, charged towards the cat woman. 

Cheetah was surprised by the change, she thought Wonder Woman was finished, but she seemed to be gaining momentum. This was bad, very bad. She fought back, but was surprised when the Amazon's strength had doubled. Her blows felt like the hardest steel, her speed had also doubled, even with her enhanced reflexes she couldn't keep up. She knew her mission was impossible, so, her best option was to escape. 

However, his thoughts were interrupted when he failed to register a heavy blow that was aimed at her jaw, the blow was so hard that it dislocated the jaw, his mind was also gawking, he felt like he was going to faint at any moment. Then she felt how her body was being held by a rope that felt hot, said rope was numbing her mind, it was subduing her.

"Kneel," she couldn't help it. She felt like the most loyal soldier who couldn't help but follow her general's orders. She knelt, without any resistance. 

Diana put some ability suppressing handcuffs on her, these were handcuffs that the League used when they subdued different metahumans. It was not going to prevent Cheetah's transformation, but it would leave her with an average person's strength, speed and stamina.

Diana gave the go ahead and the police came in. She let the police take Cheetah away, She had done her part, now she would leave everything to the authorities.

.....

After the Cheetah fight, Diana flew to her apartment in Paris. She was extremely tired. Cheetah was a formidable foe, one of the most dangerous she had ever faced.

However, what Diana did not register was that her scratch was not healing, she had a very good regeneration factor, not as good as Superman's, but still one of the best in the League, the wound should have healed in the time that had passed.

What Diana didn't know was that the divine power she used to clear her senses was bottling up the poison preventing it from spreading. But, when the effect of the divine power wore off, the poison would escape, attacking stronger and doubling or tripling its effects on Diana. 

When she arrived at her apartment, she took off her suit, changing into a pair of sports shorts that exposed her beautiful legs and a comfortable T-shirt that, despite being baggy, did not prevent her good attributes from being noticed. She made her way to her couch, and plopped down with little class, 'this is the life' thought Diana. 

"AAAAAAAAAAAGGGGH!" she let out a high pitched scream.

Out of nowhere, she felt a sharp pain all over her body. It seemed as if millions of needles were being pierced in her body. The pain was so strong that it made her shudder and almost lose consciousness.

She turned to look at her arm and saw how the scratch was still there, even her arm was taking on a dark greenish hue, denoting a rotting tone. She was in trouble, she needed to get help quickly. 

She quickly grabbed her cell phone to dial Bruce's or Clark's number, either one could help her, but her vision was very blurry. Her senses were being heavily numbed, derived from this lethal toxin. The phone began to ring

"Ring, ring, ring... Hello" a male voice answered, but Diana, who at that point was already slowly losing consciousness and could only say. 

"Help me..."

"Diana? Is that you?, Diana, are you okay?" those were the last words Diana registered before fainting from the pain.

.....

A strong smell of sulfur could be smelled in the air, the temperature was also quite high.

In the sky you could see a giant portal where many winged demons with grotesque shapes were coming out. People were fleeing in panic in the streets, the demons were attacking everyone, they did not discriminate sex or age, the whole scene was chaos. if there was a word to describe this event it would be, hell on earth. 

On top of a building were two people, a man and a woman. The woman was dressed in a golden armor that had wings on her back, in her hand was a sword and her other arm a shield, her appearance could only be described as beautiful and impressive.

However, what was striking, was the appearance of the man next to her, as his head was that of a skull, his hands were also skeletal, he was dressed in a leather jacket with spikes protruding from his shoulders. His appearance was menacing, but to the woman next to him who only felt love, affection and respect for the man, it did not cause her any disgust or fear. 

"Please, you can't leave, you will die in that place or let me come with you" the woman said with a pleading tone.

"They need you here, remember, you are the protector of this world. I am not. I'm the only one capable of close the portal. This is my fight, this is my destiny" he said with a deep and scary voice.

"Please don't leave me, I... I love you" the woman said, causing tears to start falling from her eyes. She didn't want him to leave, she didn't want to lose him.

"I love you too Diana, never forget it" the man said with regret in his deep voice. With an agile movement, he got on his motorcycle, and started to head flying towards the portal

"Don't leave me, please, don't leave me, E-"

...…..

!!!!!!!

"What was that!"

Diana woke up with a start, her heart rate was racing, her breathing was also erratic, this was one of the strangest dreams she has ever had.

Calming down, taking several breaths she was able to let her notice that, in her eyes, there were tears falling, she didn't understand what or why of this dream, she could only register that it had left such a deep pain in her heart. 

'Wait, where am I…?'

"beep, beep, beep."

From the smell of alcohol and the machines monitoring vital signs, Diana easily concluded that she was in a hospital

'Why am I here?' 

Suddenly all the memories of the past came flooding back, she remembered the fight with Cheetah, her poisoning, and how she had asked Superman or Batman for help.

However, this didn't calm her down, it only scared her, as this was clearly not the Watchtower's medical bay, it was a simple hospital, sure, the equipment was last generation, but, still, all League members were treated in the Watchtower's medical bay which boasts robots built by Cyborg with the most advanced technology. 

She didn't know why she was here, or who had brought her here. A sense of urgency began to well up in her mind, and if she had been captured, or if something bad had happened, the last thing she remembered was fainting. Her thoughts were interrupted when a young nurse opened the door.

"Oh, you're awake, I thought you'd be asleep longer, the medicine took effect faster than expected. Miss Prince, how are you feeling?"

"Miss Prince…?" she couldn't help but retort, clearly whoever brought her here had used her civilian name 

"Yes, you're Miss Prince aren't you, that's how they registered your entry Miss. You were very unwell when you arrived, fortunately the medication was effective, although at first it had no effect, but then your signs started to calm down. Let me call the doctor."

"That's won't be necessary Ruth" interrupted a male voice to both ladies. The voice was one that both ladies knew, more so for Diana, as that same voice was one that brought her much joy when they had their expected weekly phone calls.

Entering was our dear Edgar, wearing a pair of jeans and a red polo shirt, which fit his worked body, his dark glasses and white cane were also not missing as he entered the place.

"Edgar... How?" murmured Diana, but to Edgar's good ear this was heard very clearly.

"Please leave us alone Ruth."

"Of course Dr. Bones" said Marie cheerfully as she prepared to leave. 

When Nurse Marie came out, Edgar turned to Diana with a tender smile and said.

"How are you feeling Diana, you gave me quite a scare" Edgar said with a slight tone of concern, only he knew how much concern he had had for this woman he had grown quite fond of recently. 

"you were the one who brought me here...why?"

"well, what did you expect me to do when I got a call from you asking for help. I quickly flew to Paris hoping I wasn't too late", he had actually opened a portal to his apartment to Paris, but Diana didn't need to know that.

Diana could then discern that she had made a mistake in marking Edgar, but, even so, she was quite impressed by his words. He had flown alone to Paris because of his concern for her, a warm feeling registered in her heart. 

Even though they had not spoken over Christmas and Diana had been in Themyscira, with her sisters and mother until New Year's. When she returned, she had received a call from Edgar explaining why he had been unable to reach her. He left out the fight he had with Constantine and changed the events to an unfortunate robbery, but the part about his belongings being destroyed was true. 

Since that day, they had been communicating every few days, despite the time change between Europe and America, they both tried to make it work. Diana always left with a smile derived from Edgar's infectious humor, and Edgar always enjoyed Diana's curious and cheerful nature. 

The two had grown closer and closer. Diana had even requested some patrols to Batman near the National City area in order to pay Edgar a surprise visit, but due to National City being one of the cities with the lowest crime rate and Diana being the main superheroine patrolling the European continent, her request was denied. 

"I know you must be disoriented, you're in Europe's Revenger hospital"

Diana was surprised by this, this hospital was the largest in all of Europe, equipped with the best machines and the best doctors in the world.

"I don't want to be nosy Diana, and you don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to, but what happened to you was very rare. You must understand that no treatment was able to eliminate the effects of what was happening to you. It was almost a miracle to stabilize your condition"

What Edgar didn't tell Diana was that he had to use his powers to eliminate the toxin that was inside her. 

He had cut her arm and used his hellfire to eliminate the residual toxin that was consuming her energy, however, he tried to be as careful as possible, this was one of the few times that he really had to use all his control in his powers to not use a temperature that would leave a serious wound in Diana, but that would be enough to burn the toxin that was passing into her blood. 

His surprise was great when, after stabilizing her condition and removing the toxin, little by little her skin was healing at an alarming rate. Clearly Diana was no ordinary woman, but Edgar did not want to dwell on this. He too had his secrets.

"I... sorry, I can't tell"

"It's okay Diana, I'm glad you're okay now, you don't feel any ailments or anything unusual?"

"I feel fine Edgar, really, and no, I don't feel any different" said Diana, she was a little sorry, she had caused a lot of trouble to her friend. 

"Well, let me pass you your things, it's been three days, surely there must be people worried about you" Edgar passed her the clothes she was wearing when she was found, as she was currently wearing a hospital gown, and also her cell phone, there she saw the date, and indeed it had been three whole days since the accident.

She saw on her cell phone how she had several missed calls from her work, and several from members of the League, there were many things to explain.

"I'll leave you with a little privacy."

"don't go… I mean, you won't leave, will you?"

"don't worry, I won't leave, I'll go get the doctor to do the last studies and see if you can be discharged"

"Thank you, Edgar... for everything"

....

After changing and making appropriate calls to her work and League members to report her condition. Where Batman obviously wanted to know all the details and requested (demanded) that she will need to go to the Watchtower medical bay for a complete checkup, and, after a general checkup by the doctors, Diana was released.

"Three days unconscious, wow that was a lot"

"Yep, although because of your condition I thought you would last at least a week, you're a strong woman" said Edgar with a comical tone.

"So I've been told" said Diana with a smile.

"Edgar, I know you have questions, I..."

"As I said, you don't have to tell me Diana, you are not obliged to tell me, we will remain friends and I will continue to have the confidence that I have in you. I trust you, Diana"

These words were the trigger to remove the doubt that was in Diana's heart She had made up her mind, she would tell him everything, if he wanted to leave her life after that, she would accept it. Taking a sharp intake of breath, she said determinedly. 

"No Edgar, you have a right to know, you saved my life... the condition was caused due to a poison, that came to me when I was fighting a supervillain, named Cheetah, I... I am Wonder Woman" the last was said with a low tone, almost a whisper, clearly it was very hard to say it, she wanted to say it with a lot of conviction, but still the fear lingered in her.

He was slow to register her words, clearly there was surprise on his face, but then he turned a crooked smile to Diana and spoke. 

"I knew you had a bit of a princess in you...clearly you were spoiled a lot as a little girl"

"Hey, I'm not spoiled!" she said with a cute pout on her face.

...

...

…

"HAHAHAHA" they both laughed.

This was the friendship they had, they knew how to joke with each other, but also how to support each other That's when Diana realized that Edgar wouldn't treat her differently, that nothing would change, on the contrary, now that she had already come clean, everything would get better. 

"I guess it's my turn to come clean..." said Edgar as he let out a sigh.

"You don't have to, Edgar"

"I don't have to... but it's the right thing to do, I have to show you the same trust you showed me, Diana" Edgar said as he took off his glasses. 

'By Hera, they're beautiful'

Edgar had never taken off his glasses. Diana was lost in the most beautiful eyes she had ever seen in her life. A gray as clear as the most beautiful moon. She didn't think even the gods had such beautiful eyes. Her thoughts were interrupted when Edgar, in a determined voice said to her.

"I will tell you my greatest secret Diana, whatever I tell you I hope it stays between us okay?" Diana nodded determinedly in agreetment. 

"Actually, I am not only one of the bosses of the Revenger Group, but I am also the creator of the Revenger Group and the main investor, I practically own it"

This only made Diana's mind go numb. Before her was one of the most sought-after people by the different investors in the world. The owner of one of the largest business groups in the world and one of the richest people due to the same income recorded by such centers.

 It should be clarified that the Revenger group not only had a research center. It also had world renowned hospitals, educational centers to generate young scientists and above all, it could practically be said that ¾ of the drugs manufactured in the world, from treatments for the common cold, to treatments for the cancer were developed by the group. Its expansion was enormous, and Edgar was the very owner of all this. However, Diana just smiled and spoke. 

"I knew you had a bit of a rich kid in you, only someone that rich would be that stingy"

"Hey, I'm not stingy! Besides, you have to admit that breakfast was expensive"

....

....

….

"HAHAHAHA" again they both burst out laughing.

Diana suddenly stood up quickly and hugged Edgar tightly. Edgar froze derived from such actions, as he was not used to such close contact with others.

He was not a loner, at least he was not anymore, but it was still difficult to still have intimate contact with people, but this did not stop him from pulling himself together and he would return the hug by taking her waist with his strong arms. If someone came into the room they would see this as a scene out of a romantic movie. 

"Thank you for telling me, Edgar, I won't say anything, I won't betray your trust"

"Neither will I Diana, it will be our secret"

"Well, now that I've been discharged, let's go get the food of the gods..." Diana paused dramatically

"Ice cream!"

...

...

Edgar couldn't believe that the heroine and idol of practically everyone, was behaving rather childishly. In the end he could only smile wryly, that's how she was, superheroine or not, Diana was Diana. 

"If the princess of the Amazons says it's the food of the gods, I'm no one to refute it"

"Wise words" Diana said with a smile, 

Taking his arm she asked, "Don't you feel happy?"

"Happy?" Edgar replied curiously

"Yes, happy, now we can talk smoothly about our jobs without barriers or lies, isn't it great?, finally there are no secrets between us anymore" 

"Yes... no secrets..."

.....

Stryker's Island, January 22, 23:14 UTC, 2015

In the maximum security prison for metahumans on Stryker Island, Cheetah, who had been sentenced to another life sentence was staring into the void, her thoughts recalling the fight she had a few days ago with the Amazon.

She had even spent time trying to absorb this super lethal toxin into her claws to give her an advantage against this Amazon bitch, but no, all her plans went to shit, as usual, she could never go back to normal, she will still be this monster. 

"When I get my claws on that Amazon bitch, I swear I'll rip her to shreds the next time I see her." 

"Oh, I hope you do" a melody voice interrupted Cheetah's rambling. 

A thick fog was coming out of the walls of this prison, the guards and the other prisoners were passed out derived from the sleeping agent that caused the fo. The cameras were also turned off.

Out of the fog a beautiful woman materialized. Her hair was of an orange color and her costume, which was attached to her voluptuous body, was of a dark purple tone with golden lines, she wore a tiara that matched her costume. Her eyes were lilac and her smile, though friendly, shows that such a woman was dangerous, that Cheetah had to choose her words correctly.

"Who are you?" asked Cheetah, she had her senses activated to the maximum, at the slightest danger she would attack.

"I have had many names over time, but the one that has defined me the longest is Circe. And don't worry, I'm not here to cause you trouble my dear, on the contrary, I'm here to give you a proposal Miss Minerva"

"Proposal?, and how do you know my name?"

"I've been watching you for a long time now dear, and let me tell you, I'm impressed by what I've seen. In fact, we both have quite a few things in common, we both have a lot of ambition, we both also have curses we want to break, but most of all, we both hate Amazons. In fact, I recently received a proposal from an old friend, an invitation to a group that will help us achieve all our goals, and I come to propose you to join me, dear, you will get your revenge and I, I will get it too"

"Just that? You're just offering me revenge?"

"Oh no my dear, I will give you power, I will give you riches... but that's not what you want, is it?" said Circe as she smiled mysteriously, her eyes looked like she could see all of Barbara's secrets. 

"Your curse, I can reverse it. In fact, on the island of the Amazons is the artifact that, not only will reverse your transformation, but will allow you to keep all your powers and enhance them. You will be a strong and powerful woman like no other. So, what do you say dear, will you join me?"

After these words Barbara did not hesitate. She would not only would stop being this monster, but she would still be a powerful woman, a greedy smile was on her face.

"I accept"

What was not seen, is that this was not happening only here. Many similar proposals were being issued by many powerful figures. These figures had their own plans and goals, but they all agreed on one thing, they needed to work together if they were to achieve those goals. 

On this day the creation of a group that would bring together all those oppressed by the said heroes of the world was in the making, a group that would work in the shadows to bring The Light to the world.