The Assassination of Diana Prince

By Alexandra Nigro

4/4      

 

 

 

Connor laboured up the last flight of the rusty fire escape. Thankfully, the NYPD seemed to have their hands full with the pressing crowd.  The protesters had hit the scene and the noise level had increased significantly, almost drowning out a woman's firm, measured voice over the loudspeakers.  He settled down gently on the tarred roof and strung his bow one-handed.  Elise was probably down in that crowd with Truman and it would be a tough shot to protect her if a panic started in the crowd.

 

"I hope you intend to do your job.  It would be a shame if I had to kill such a lovely girl because you didn't have to stomach to finish what you started."

 

Connor whirled, his hand already reaching for his quiver.  Truman stood behind him, revolver pressed tightly to the temple of a white-faced and terrified Elise.

 

"If you think you can draw a bow faster than a bullet at point-blank range can blow her brains out, by all means, go ahead.  That would be something to see."

 

Connor let go of the arrow.  "We don't need to do it this way."

 

The podgy man's eyes glittered behind his glasses.  "I think we do.  You see, I'm quite familiar with the dossier of every known super-hero, and I'm even more familiar with your foul-mouthed friend.  We suspected a betrayal from the beginning."

 

"You have the gun.  Let her go."

 

"When Wonder Woman is dead."

 

"I couldn't kill her even if I wanted to."  Connor tried to force his heart into a more even rhythm.

 

"I hope you can.  This young lady's life depends on it."

 

Connor glanced at Elise.  She was utterly frozen.  There was no way to make the shot.  Biting his lip, Connor turned his back on them and pulled an arrow from his quiver and notched it.

 

"Take your position, boy."

 

~oo00oo~

 

Eddie loaded his rifle and tried to ignore Dubois' heavy breathing behind him.  The two men shared a cramped hotel room overlooking the plaza.

 

"Can I have a little room please?" he snarled at the heavier man.  He sighted through the scope.  To say she was a beautiful woman was to say the Mona Lisa was a nice painting.  Eternally perched between the maiden and the matron, Wonder Woman was the epitome of feminine power.  She was giving a speech, something on influential women in history.  As much as she was a hero, she took the part of teacher very seriously.  It was said that she was an ambassador from her people, sent to preach equality and self-reliance.  Eddie grinned slightly at something Ollie once said about strapless body-suits.  Just because you were supposed to admire the soul, didn't mean you couldn't admire the body.

 

"Look at them," spat Dubois, "look at those cattle.  They're enthralled by her."

 

"Huh.  The word I'd use is 'enraptured'.  You ever listen to what she has to say?"

 

"I have no need to listen to her propaganda."

 

"No, you're too busy spreading your own. Or listening to Truman's."  Eddie turned to him.  "You're no psychopath, and you're damn sure no murderer.  Ditch Truman and let's get out of here."

 

"You're not on my side."

 

"I'm on the side of common-sense and this isn't it."

 

Dubois stared at him coldly.  "It's time, Mr. Fyers.  Fire into the crowd. Distract her. Give your partner his chance to make the shot."

 

Eddie stood up.  "If I fire into that crowd, I'm going to kill people.  You have to realize that, your own folks are down there too."

 

"It's time, Mr. Fyers."

 

"Christ!  You know Green Arrow's not going to kill Wonder Woman.  Let's end this here!"

 

"Green Arrow doesn't have a choice." Dubois pulled a gun from his jacket.  "Neither do you, turn around and fire."

 

"I guess I was wrong.  Maybe you are a psychopath - or maybe you're just a small man that wants to be very, very big."  Eddie felt the gun at the base of his skull and winced.  Gently lowering himself to his knees he sighted his target.  "Lady," he muttered under his breath, "I hope you're as good as people say you are."

 

Eddie Fyers pulled off two shots and shifted his weight backwards, driving the stock of the rifle back into Dubois's face.

 

~oo00oo~

 

Connor winced as two shots rang out into the plaza.  Instantly, two silvered wrists came up to deflect them.

 

Pandemonium rocked the crowd.

 

"Take the shot!" screamed Truman.

 

The gunfire seemed to wake Elise from her terror.  Violently, she drove her elbow back into his stomach, unbalancing him.  Without even a glance at Connor, she dashed for the elevator.

 

Three seconds took an hour.  Connor pulled the arrow as Truman aimed at the fleeing girl.  An arrow isn't as fast as a gun, he had no center, he couldn't make the shot.

 

Calm down.

 

Breathe.

 

From somewhere - his father's voice.  "Take the damn shot, kid."

 

He took the shot.  He wasn't fast enough.

 

~oo00oo~

 

Eddie spun as Dubois collapsed, trying to stem the flow of blood rushing from his nose.  He kicked the gun away as his feet suddenly left the floor.  He cranked his head and closed his eyes.  The female archetype had another face.  Lachesis.  The cutter of threads.

 

"Oh shit." he croaked.

 

~oo00oo~

 

Connor nearly screamed as Truman's gun went off.  Instead, it was Truman who screamed, the thick shaft of Connor arrow embedded through his right hand.  Connor dropped his bow in shock as he caught sight of Elise tripped to the ground - unharmed.  A red-clad arm reached over Connor's shoulder, holding a malformed bullet.

 

"Were you looking for this?"

 

~oo00oo~

 

 

"Um.  Wonder Woman?  You can put him down.  He's not exactly a good guy, but I know somebody who'd be pretty bummed if you ripped his head off."

 

Eddie Fyers never expected in his whole life to be so grateful to Green Lantern.

 

Her face was still furious.  "He endangered those people."

 

"Lady," gasped Eddie weakly, "I shot at you to specifically miss those people."

 

Wonder Woman arched his eyebrow slightly at lowered him gently to the floor.  "And your friend?"

 

"Should be a gift wrapped package for the NYPD." chimed Green Lantern

 

Eddie turned to him.  It was a lot more comfortable than staring stupidly at a six-foot Amazon.  "I think Green Arrow's in trouble.  On the roof."

 

The brunet man frowned.  "I've got it."  His whole body shimmered emerald as he launched himself skyward.

 

Eddie watched Wonder Woman in total fascination as she tied Dubois securely with her golden lasso.  "Ollie wasn't kidding." he whispered.

 

"You're a friend of Oliver Queen?"

 

Jesus, she heard him.  "Um, yeah.  I work with his son now."

 

"You're a good shot.  I nearly didn't block it.  You ever do it again and I will personally remove your lungs."

 

She said it with a smile.  Eddie still wasn't sure if she was kidding.

 

~oo00oo~

 

"Once again you are too late and out of luck." crowed the Flash.

 

"Glory hog." snarled Kyle as he stepped onto the roof. He turned to Connor.  "Want me to take the girl to the emergency room to get checked out?"

 

"Hey," came a shaky voice, "don't I get a say in this?"

 

Connor rushed over to help Elise up.  "Are you okay?"

 

She nodded weakly and glanced over at Truman, writhing on the ground still clutching his wounded hand.  "You should have killed him."

 

"I don't kill.  Ever."

 

"Well, thanks anyway."

 

Connor smiled at a loud cough behind him.  "You should thank the Flash.  He caught that bullet."

 

"And Green Lantern," replied the grinning man, "for doing absolutely nothing worthwhile at all."

 

"Hey!  I got you here faster than that damn transporters." Kyle walked over to the groaning Truman.  "You again.  This time I'm going to see you locked up for good.  His ring glowed and a floating cage materialized around Truman.  "Well, the Green Lantern UPS service is back in action.  Coming, O swift one?"

 

"Race you."  The Flash was gone before they heard the words.

 

"He is such a putz." grimaced Kyle.  Hey, I'll be back, okay?  We need to talk about that audition.  I've already told everyone you're coming.  Don't make me a liar."

 

"Okay.  And thanks." replied Connor.

 

Elise stood uncomfortably in front of Connor.  "Look.  I'm not in the mood to be told what an idiot I was, okay?"

 

"You made a bad choice, that's not a crime."

 

"My dad's going to throw a fit."

 

"Stop making every decision based on what your father might or might not do."

 

Elise curled her lip.  "Right now I'd just like to go home."

 

Connor sighed. 

 

And somewhere in the ambient, Oliver Queen was laughing.

 

 

THE END

 

-

**Alexandra Nigro**