The collection room was nearly empty, with only a few lonely books stacked on a shelf.
As Diana stepped in behind Jack Kadere, her sharp eyes immediately caught sight of framed photographs of others—Kate and Laura—dressed in standard uniforms, each holding placards with their names and codenames neatly recorded. Diana's expression darkened, her lips tightening.
"You want me to take one of these?" she asked, voice heavy with disdain. "I won't."
Jack smirked. "Why not? Why can't you try showing a little respect for others—especially women?"
Diana's fists clenched. "Respect? This doesn't feel like respect at all."
Jack chuckled softly and walked toward the prepared backdrop. He scribbled quickly on a new placard and handed it to her.
Name: Diana
Codename: Wonder Woman
Number: 3
Era of Origin: 1917
Location: Themyscira
"Hold this. Get ready for the photo," he said matter-of-factly.
Diana glanced at the placard and shook her head stubbornly. "No. I won't let you take a picture just so you can hang it on your wall like some trophy."
Jack tilted his head, smirking. "You think that's all this is? Believe me, Diana, I could force you if I wanted. But I won't. That's why I offered you a deal. I helped you deal with Firstborn. I promised to restore the Amazons on Themyscira to their rightful selves. And you agreed."
His voice lowered slightly. "So tell me—doesn't that mean I've respected you more than you think?"
Before Diana could argue further, Jack gently took her hand and lifted the placard into place. Then he stepped back, raising the camera.
She could have resisted, but the memory of her agreement—and the desperate faces of her mother and Amazon sisters still waiting for salvation—stilled her protests. Diana finally stood silently, allowing the shutter to click.
First in her uniform. Then… without it.
Jack lowered the camera and approached her.
"Move. I need to get dressed," Diana said quietly, her voice thick with restrained emotion.
Jack's gaze lingered. "You know… for a moment, I thought I liked you." His fingers lifted her chin gently, forcing her eyes to meet his. "But the truth is… you were never my flower. I merely happened to cross your garden while it was blooming."
Her heartbeat quickened. "What are you trying to say?"
Jack didn't answer. Instead, he leaned in slowly. His approach was unhurried, deliberate—almost tender. Diana could have moved away with ease, yet her body felt bound, as if some unseen enchantment held her still. She could only stare as his lips drew closer, his gentleness strangely disarming.
Gentle? With her?
If Jack had forced himself on her as he had in the past, she would have resisted fiercely, no matter the cost. But this… this softness undid her. It chipped away at her defenses, leaving her powerless in a way she had never known.
By the time their lips met, Diana's mind was adrift, trapped between revulsion and something she could not name. It was like being caught in a dream.
When she finally stirred, their eyes locked. Without a word, Diana pulled on her armor, gathered her dignity, and left in silence. There were no accusations, no protests. She didn't even know what she could say.
Before, she could have told herself she was simply forced by Jack Kadere. But now…
Ten minutes later, Jack—fully dressed—hung Diana's photo beside Kate's and Laura's. He stood back, admired the addition, and finally turned to leave.
Exiting his ship, the Disciple, he sat casually on the stairs of the hatch. Above him, the night sky stretched wide, where Firestorm flew freely like a comet of living energy.
Not far away, the woman holding her child—still clutching the boy close as if afraid he might vanish—watched Firestorm in awe. Beside her stood Diana, her sharp eyes reflecting the nuclear glow, while Queen Hera lingered nearby, attempting to strike up conversation with the ever-silent Laura. Hera's regal tone carried weight, but Laura, still shaken and unwilling to share much, responded with little more than silence.
Jack leaned his elbow on his knee, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "This feeling of peace… yare yare, it's not so bad to enjoy every now and then," he muttered, watching Firestorm cut across the clouds.
But the peace didn't last long.
A streak of light suddenly appeared high above, burning through the night sky like a meteor and speeding directly toward their position.
"What is that?" the woman whispered in alarm, pointing upward.
Diana immediately tensed, her warrior instincts flaring as she braced herself for battle. Firestorm, sensing danger as well, circled back from their free flight and streaked toward the group.
Hera's eyes widened—not with fear, but with recognition. Her voice trembled with sudden excitement. "This… this is my divine power!"
Diana snapped her head toward her in disbelief. "Your divine power? Hera, wasn't it taken from you by Apollo, the Sun God?" She paused, realization dawning on her face. "Unless… unless Apollo is in trouble. This must be First Born!"
The thought chilled the air. If Apollo was faltering against the First Born, then the Sun God would be forced to release what he had stolen—returning Hera's essence to her.
Hera's voice rose, triumphant and desperate all at once. "I am the Queen! I am Hera, Queen of the Gods!" She stretched out her arms, trembling with anticipation. At long last, she would no longer endure the indignity of being a fragile mortal. She closed her eyes, awaiting the moment of divine restoration.
But nothing happened.
Seconds dragged into minutes, the light slowing until it hovered just before her… and then, shockingly, it did not merge with Hera. Instead, the glowing orb of divinity rested in the palm of Jack Kadere's hand.
Hera's eyes flew open, her elation turning into horror. "Give it back to me!" she cried, lunging forward. She tried to seize the orb, but Jack sidestepped with ease, letting her stumble and collapse onto the dirt. She didn't care about her tattered dignity; she glared up at him, wild and desperate. "That is mine! My power! What are you planning to do with it?"
Jack ignored her plea, his eyes narrowing with curiosity as he examined the pulsing sphere of light. He could feel its weight—not physical, but cosmic. Diana's divine spark usually manifested as golden energy. Ares' divinity took the form of destructive lightning. First Born's was hatred given form, raw and poisonous. But this orb… it was different. Not exactly a source, not entirely separate either. Something in-between.
Jack's lips curled into a grin. "Interesting."
He suddenly tossed the divine power toward Laura. She flinched, instinctively trying to dodge—but the light passed straight through her body, leaving her unharmed as it drifted away into the air again.
"Hm. Doesn't work on you, huh?" Jack murmured. With a flick of his wrist, he drew the orb back into his grasp.
Hera lunged once more, but this time Jack casually caught her by the throat with one hand, lifting her effortlessly off the ground. She clawed at his arm but couldn't break free. With his other hand, he pushed the divine orb toward Diana.
"Mine!" Hera rasped, her voice breaking. "That's mine!"
The sphere of divine essence sank into Diana's body. Her eyes fluttered shut as she gasped softly, feeling the rush of otherworldly power course through her veins.
Jack leaned forward eagerly. "Well? Is it working? Do you feel it? Are you the Queen of the Gods now?"
For a long moment, Diana stood still, her brow furrowing as she searched inward. Finally, she shook her head slowly. "No. The divinity is inside me, but… I don't bear the mantle. I don't have Hera's throne."
Jack's grin sharpened into something darker. He tightened his grip on Hera's throat, lifting her higher as she struggled helplessly. "Then maybe it's simple. What if you kill her?" His eyes gleamed with cruel logic. "Based on what I've seen before… slay her, and the divine office should pass to you. You'd gain her true source."