2. Tomb Of Heroes
Grayson stood at the control desk, as usual, his fingers a blur of activity across the keys, belying the age held within them. No one knew how to work that computer system like he did and not without good reason.
“You're late.” Grayson barked, not turning from the screen, a lifetime of living in the shadows keeping his senses keen.
“Sorry.” Montez said, barely containing his attitude, “Something came up.”
Montez walked into the great cavern with Mister E at his side, it's great arcing roof somewhere high above them, draped in the darkness of the bats wings that surely still nested up there. They were deep underground, in the bowels of the earth and, so far, it had proven to be the safest place.
“Something always comes up.” Grayson said, pausing a moment and placing his hand to his temple, allowing a moment of exhaustion to sweep over him. “Part of the job.”
“And what job is that?” Sneered Montez as he walked past the giant penny and the lifesize dinosaur, sure it was going to move as he felt every time he passed it, “Creeper kebab? What kind of a job is that?”
“A hero.” Said a voice from the darkness above, “He's talking about being a hero.”
From the miazma above, a lone figure gently lowered down to the platform upon which Grayson now sat, the tiredness running through his bones, his hand absently running along the arm of the chair he sat in... that Bruce once sat in.
“Thank you, Diana.” Sighed Grayson, as Diana placed her hand upon his shoulder.
“As heroes we must always be vigilant, always engaged in the world around us.” She continued, moving from Grayson now to stand before Montez. He remembered seeing photos of her from years gone, how her hair seemed blacker than night and how the power that defied the supple grace of her curves shone off the page. Age had dimmed none of this as she stood before him, still very much a Wonder Woman, “For if we aren't ready, always ready to stop those who would hurt others, then who will?”
Montez shifted in his shoes, always uncomfortable around someone who could so easily trigger his teen hormones, “I don't know.” He mumbled, “Someone else... It's not like you 'heroes' have done much good at saving us all, anyway.”
As soon as he said it he regretted it, just as he knew it was too late to take it back. Montez felt Diana change before him, her muscles tense with anger as that power he had seen in the photos manifested, her eyes ablaze with anger.
“You dare...” She seethed, “You dare speak ill of those who went before? Those who sacrificed so much... who lost so much...”
“Diana... don't.” Grayson's weak attempt at halting Diana's rage was brushed away as she stepped toward Montez, Montez suddenly wishing that he were back outside with the Creepers.
“You don't believe in heroes, do you boy?” She spat, grabbing him by the front of his shirt, “Well let me tell you about heroes... Let me tell you exactly how hell came to this place!”
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