Prologue: this story is set in the Linda Carter-era of Wonder Woman. For reference, watch any classic Wonder Woman scene (I know you know "Fine Art of Crime"...wink, wink), but if you want to see the inspiration for this story, search for the Wonder Woman versus Toymaker episode. Some of these written scenes and dialogue will feel cheesy or campy, but that was my attempt to match the "vibe" of that classic series. If you read this with that state of mind, I think you will be entertained, but if you substitute a Gal Gadot-era Wonder Woman, I don't think this story will be very enjoyable (no, I'm not saying one is better than the other, just saying the TV series back then was not set-up the same way the current movies are). Now without further ado (cue the classic Wonder Woman theme song), sit back and enjoy the latest episode: Wonder Woman Fools the Toymaker.
The Sun just starts to set on the city. Diana Prince has been working late, knowing there are lives at stake. Three prominent atomic scientists have gone missing. Two of them (Dr Tobias and Dr Prescott) have been kidnapped by a man known as Baxter. He has the usual gripe against humanity, Diana thinks in her darkened office, and he thinks he needs to be heard or paid with large sums of money. She releases a heavy sigh into the silent office, as she contemplates the third scientist, Dr Lazaar. Technically, she reminds herself while adjusting her glasses, he is not missing, as Steve Trevor has just escorted him to her apartment for safe keeping.
The safe house was compromised, and while Wonder Woman was not needed, Steve had to do his usual heroics to save the day from Baxter and his hired thugs. She grins slightly, thinking of Steve, hoping that one day things might be different between them, but for now, she is content with their professional working environment. Looking back down at the papers in front of her, along with the black-and-white photos of oversized toys and dolls, she crinkles her nose. "And how does the Toymaker play into all this?"
Across town, in an abandoned warehouse, the very oversized toys Diana had seen in those photos are now in a different location. They are scattered around the large room, along with tools, gears, and other mechanical pieces. The old man wearing an outdated outfit trudges slowly across the smooth concrete floor. He is somewhat hunched over, like he carries many years on his back. He sets the battery in his hand down on the workbench, as a monkey with cymbals begins to bang them together. The toy monkey screeches and bangs away, causing the old man to turn to face the door.
In seconds, it opens. A small, thin man in a nice suit walks in and strides confidently across the warehouse floor. "You are early," the old man says. The younger man replies, "You seem to be expecting me nonetheless." The old man cackles slightly, "Yes, my creations do help me see and hear beyond my feeble body." He reaches over and turns the cymbal-clashing monkey off. The young man is clean shaven with well-manicured nails, and hair that looks too good to be real. "I hope you are right about that. The IADC has gotten Dr Lazaar hidden away now." The old man nods as he absent mindedly polishes a wrench that he picked up off the table. "Well, if you had gotten him at the safe house..." The young man breaks in more violently than necessary, "I was there, and you were not, so you have no idea what happened then...that Steve Trevor and his foolish heroics!"
The old man nods his head and continues to polish, "At least Wonder Woman did not show up, eh, or perhaps you and me would not be talking here, huh?" He does his cackle, or perhaps it is a chuckle, before the stern reply, "And that would be your fault and not mine. If I recall, you were the one who said he could build an android Wonder Woman to fight off the real one." The young man's tone is disrespectful, but that may be due to the old man speaking truth that hits too close to home.
The old man, seemingly letting the insult roll off, says nonchalantly, "All in good time, my friend, all in good time. I'm this close," he says while pinching his fingers in front of his face, "To having the personality integrate with the mechanical and electrical components perfectly. Don't you worry, the Toymaker will come through with flying colors."
Leaving her office, Diana walks to her car. As she goes to open the car door, one of the young ladies from the intelligence division hurries out to her. The woman is wearing the typical, solid-color pencil skirt and white blouse with black heels. In her hand, she has a slip of paper. "Miss Prince, this just came in," she says as she holds out the paper to Diana. Turning with a slight smile, "Thank you, Lana, I appreciate that." The two women stand in the parking lot as Diana reads the note. "It appears the Toymaker has two warehouses." Diana nods her head, "And Baxter was seen at one of them earlier this week." Wonder Woman may need to check that out, or perhaps I can simply swing by for some surveillance on my way home.
"Thanks again," Diana says to the young woman waiting attentively, "I'll take it from here. Good night!" Lana smiles back, having done her job for the day, thinking that she can finally go home after a long workday. With her gone, Diana decides smiling, "A quick drive-by in the car, and then we can decide whether my 'partner' needs to show up."
The warehouse is like all the others in the area: old and unused. It looks dark, and really hard to tell if anything is going on inside or not. Deciding a closer look would not hurt, Diana gets out of her parked car and walks up to the dirty windows. She can see bright colors inside, but without the lights on, it is hard to tell. The side door opens easily, so she carefully steps in. The smells of a manufacturing warehouse attack her nose, and the boxes closest to her look to be unused for years. But, behind all that, she sees a "toy store".
Full size clowns and teddy bears, train sets, cymbal-banging monkeys, china dolls, jack-in-the-boxes...it is like she shrank and became small like a toy. She carefully walks up to them, hearing nothing but the normal sounds of wound-up toys around her. "Toymaker," she whispers, "No one else would have a set-up like this." She hears shuffling feet on the other side of the warehouse, and realizes she is not alone. Cursing herself for being careless, she knows she has to get away without being seen, but this person may have valuable information regarding the whereabouts of the missing scientists.
Seeing some clown clothes in a basket, she quickly grabs the top outfit. She drops her purse and coat and shoes in a box, then dons the colorful, satiny jumpsuit. The pink pants are loose fitting, so her skirt can be bunched up in both legs. The purple tutu attached to it goes round her waist, while the top zips up quickly to hide her blouse. The outfit is a bit small for her, so it squeezes tight around her body, but she quickly gets it on. A metal mask with chipped paint that looks like a clown's make-up slides over her face, with a quick multi-colored wig to cover her real hair.
She sits down on the box that has her coat and purse and shoes, and tries to look inanimate. Arms in her lap, tilted head and slightly leaned-over back, she hopes to learn something without being detected. The old man comes into view, and she instantly recognizes him as the Toymaker. His outdated clothes and hunchback are indicators of a life of crime that has not paid like he hoped. In his hand, he has two things: a snowglobe and a spool of copper wire. He grunts as he walks around things on the floor, looking for something he cannot seem to find. Diana holds her pose, hoping to get something from him.
A phone on a nearby rusty-metal support column rings, almost causing her to give up her disguise, piercing the silent, large room with its overly-loud ring. The man sets both things on the table and grabs an oversized phone receiver that almost makes Diana laugh. "Hello?" She tries to listen in on what is being said to him but cannot. "Yes...uh huh...got it right here. Yes...hold on." He sets the receiver down, facing it up in the air. The old man shuffles to the table and says, "Can you still hear me?" Diana can just make out a muffled "Yes, I can hear you," from the voice on the other end of the phone call.
"Good, good...let's talk next steps, huh?" The Toymaker says as he picks up the snowglobe, with Diana agreeing to his statement on the inside while keeping still on the outside. He walks around various things then stops nearby to the "Diana clown". She can see him turning his head left and right, like he was still looking for something. He then bends over and says, "Here, my dear, hold this for me, will you?" She can feel him place the snowglobe in her stiff hand, as he manipulates her gloved hand to hold it. Figuring he would know what she should be able to do as a toy or android, she follows his lead.
"Okay, now, Baxter, are you ready?" Diana can hear the frustrated voice reply "yes". Baxter, she thinks, so the Toymaker really is involved with him, which means I'm very close to finding Dr Tobias and Dr Prescott. Just be calm, she tells herself, and see if they say anything of their location. The old man smiles and asks, "Tell me, Diana Prince, where is Dr Lazaar?" Diana feels a flow of electricity coming into her from her hand holding the snowglobe, like something was trying to make her speak.
Despite being discovered, she bites her tongue, holding back her desire to answer. "Why isn't she saying anything?" Baxter's voice comes loudly over the phone. "Patience," the Toymaker replies softly, "She is human, and not a toy. They tend to not perform as expected." He shuffles closer to her and asks, "Tell me, your name, huh? Who are you?" Unable to contain the electrical flow in her, Diana says in a monotone, "Diana Prince."
The old man cackles as he claps his hands, "See? It just takes some time for the electricity to work through her." The voice on the phone comes back, "Fine, fine, so ask her again." The Toymaker waves his hands, as if he was shooing away a fly. "Yes, now, Diana, where is Dr Lazaar?" Again without hesitation, she replies, "Dr Lazaar is at my apartment." A frustrated sigh comes from the phone. The Toymaker responds to the phone receiver, "Yes, yes, I'm getting to that part. And the address?" Diana replies, "1717 Ethridge Avenue." The Toymaker walks closer to the phone smiling, "Now, do you think you can get Dr Lazaar now? Hmm?"
Baxter responds, "Don't take that tone, 'toy man'. I can do my part. You just get your android Wonder Woman over to the Sure-Save warehouse by 8am, got it?" Android Wonder Woman, Diana questions herself, what is he talking about? But before she can reason that out and before the Toymaker can respond to it, the line goes dead with an audible click. "Huh, young people just have no respect for their elders." He shuffles over to the table to retrieve his wire. "Well, my dear, I need leave you to get my greatest creation ready, but you...you will remain, yes?" Diana can feel her body pushing back against the electrical flow, telling herself she has to stop them before it is too late for Dr Lazaar.
"Now," he says to her, "You are a toy, yes?" Diana replies, "Yes." He then touches the snowglobe, "And when a toy has no battery, it cannot move, yes?" Again, she replies, "Yes." He smiles, "Good, then I pull the plug and come back for you later." He pulls the snowglobe out of her hand, and Diana finds herself slumping over and closing her eyes. She tells herself not to, yet she cannot help it...she is just a toy. Patting her satin and colorfully-covered leg, he says, "Good toy...good toy." He stretches his back and shuffles away. "Now, let's get my love from the Fisher warehouse over to the Sure-Save warehouse." The semi-dark warehouse gets even darker as he turns off the old lights, placing the entire room in silence and darkness. As would be expected, since there is nothing but inanimate toys and boxes in the room, nothing moves once he leaves.
Some time later, Diana opens her eyes and moves about. "Finally," she mumbles while stretching, "I'm free." Quickly, she tears the costume off of her, removing the mask and wig. Without wasting any time, she spins around with her arms out wide. In a blinding flash, where Diana Prince stood spinning, there now stands Wonder Woman. In her full bright red, blue, and yellow outfit, including golden bracelets, tiara, and magic lasso. "I don't know where the Sure-Save warehouse is, but I know where the Fisher one is." Like a flash of lightning, she sprints out of the warehouse and begins running down the darkened back alley. In a fantastic show of strength, she leaps up onto the next building, and begins running with amazing speed in her bright red boots along the roofs of the industrial district. No one will even notice her, as it is still early morning, and there are no residential houses nearby. The Fisher Warehouse is only a couple of miles away, she tells herself as she leaps in the air covering the space of a two lane road beneath her, landing easily on the next roof, so I can get there much faster like this than driving.
Outside the Fisher warehouse, she sees a large moving truck, but everything else looks vacant. "I don't know what time it is," she says to herself from the roof across the street, "But with the Sun not being up, I should still have time to find out where the other scientists are before they try to smuggle them out of town." Easily jumping from the four-story building, she lands on the smooth concrete road. At this time of morning, no one is around to notice her, but she more carefully walks up to the warehouse which should contain the Toymaker. The first door has a padlock on it, so even though there might be another way in, she decides to "gently" break it with her strength, then enter quickly and quietly.
This warehouse reminds her of the other one, except the type of toys in here is very different. She gasps as she sees a dozen copies of herself in some state of disrepair. She sees her head on a table, her body without arms, another pair that look to have been short circuited with their awkward posed arms, and many other "Wonder Woman" clones and body parts. Each one wearing her type of outfit, but lacking the tiara, bracelets, and lasso. There is a pile of costumes that look similar to hers, but not exactly right. She sees a table of electrical components and mechanical parts, like she stumbled into an automobile repair garage. She notices some are talking with a voice that sounds just like hers, and the eerie-looking single head on the table appears to be singing. Looking around, she does not see the Toymaker, but he must be close, and based on her last break-in, he knows she is here already.
Deciding to be coy again, she swiftly walks up to the Wonder Woman "army". Scanning the warehouse, she sees no other movement, so she might have time. She knows he is getting a Wonder Woman to take with him, so she just has to be that Wonder Woman. Her best way of finding the missing scientists is for him to take her to them. Standing now in the middle of the organized chaos, she comes up with a plan. Removing her arm bracelets, she puts them on a Wonder Woman standing with her arms on her hips and smiling. She then puts her tiara on her, as well as her magic lasso. Stepping back she nearly whistles, wow, it looks just like me.
The sound of shuffling feet tells her that her time is up. A Wonder Woman stands with her back to the room, facing a workbench. Her back panel is missing, with lots of wires and lights visible inside. The real Wonder Woman stands next to her, facing the workbench in the same way, keeping her face from being seen. The sound of feet comes closer then stops. "Uh oh, Wonder Woman, you are trying something that has been tried unsuccessfully already tonight, yes?" She can hear him chuckle behind her. "Your friend, Diana Prince, could not fool me, and neither can you. Perhaps when this is all over, you can talk to each other about how I beat you both."
He pauses, perhaps expecting Wonder Woman to say something. When the head from the table keeps singing, he figures he will have to play rough. "Which," he mumbles, "Is okay with me." Wonder Woman can hear him coming closer to her. Oh no, she fears, is my cover blown already? From the corner of her eye, she can see him just behind her, reaching out. She breathes an internal sigh of relief, when she sees him snap the back panel on the Wonder Woman next to her. "There, let's see how she handles you."
Tapping the left shoulder, the Wonder Woman next to her turns to face him. He then points to his right. The "Wonder Woman" turns and says in a flat, uninterested tone, "Of course." The real Wonder Woman hears the android walk behind her on booted-heels to stand near the one that wears the golden tiara, bracelets, and magic lasso. The one with the new back panel reaches back while making a fist. As she throws her punch, the smiling and posed Wonder Woman reacts with quicker-than-human speed to block the punch. "Ha," the Toymaker exclaims, "I knew it!" The two androids fight to a standstill in an impressive display of skill, throwing each other around the room. The singing Wonder Woman is silenced, when one of the active robots lands on her.
Wonder Woman cannot see what is happening, but the fight sounds fierce. Neither android says anything, so it is hard to determine what is actually happening. She hears the Toymaker gasp, then she feels a tap on her right shoulder. Modeling what she saw earlier, she turns around slowly with a bland look on her face. "Go help your sister, I think the real one is winning." The real Wonder Woman sees "herself" without a face, fighting a copy of herself. Wonder Woman figures a personality is programmed in all of them, so she says flatly with no emotion, "Obviously." She walks slowly, as if she is in no hurry. The faceless Wonder Woman reveals vital electrical components where her eyes, nose, and mouth should be, then takes a heeled-boot to the face, sending sparks everywhere from the exposed circuitry, as she crumples to the ground. The winning Wonder Woman, who is wearing the real Wonder Woman's golden bracelets, tiara, and lasso, turns around to be met by a fist to "her" right jaw.
That Wonder Woman does not bring her face back to face the real Wonder Woman. She simply freezes in that awkward pose and falls in a heap onto the concrete floor. Wonder Woman stands with her arms to her side now, figuring an android would not gloat. "Excellent," the Toymaker says, coming up from behind her, "I have defeated Wonder Woman." Wonder Woman decides to play the bored robot and says, "Actually, I did it." The Toymaker turns with a smile and says while putting his hand on her side, "True, you did, my lovely creation. You defeated her, and I created you." He turns around and says, "Come, you will help me load the truck, then we will get her bracelets and lasso for you, then...I finally become rich." Wonder Woman does not smile on the outside, but she does on the inside. Perfect, Toymaker, take me right to them.
Like a super-strong android or an average Amazon should be able to do, Wonder Woman carries the two unconscious scientists to the loading truck from the "cell" he had made for them. She ties them up with the ropes that the Toymaker provides. He gags them with rags and pushes them to the side of the truck, covering them with a tarp. "Now," he says while wiping his brow, "The hard part is done." Wonder Woman says blandly, "Which I did most of it." The Toymaker chuckles, "Yes, my love, you did. Perhaps I can adjust your tone. You seem so put out with everything." Wonder Woman decides to continue playing the part, "You built me, so you can do whatever you want with me." He smiles broadly, "Yes, yes, I can, that's a very good point, but not now. We have a deadline to meet." He steps out of the truck looking around. "The Sun will be up soon, and workers will be coming around the area, so we must get your outfit complete and you hidden for our trip."
Hidden? She thinks. What does he mean by that? She follows him very slowly, as he shuffles back into the warehouse at his own pace. He walks over to the workbench and says, "Take the tiara and bracelets off her and bring them to me." Wonder Woman bends down and sees the open eyes and mouth of her android self she took out with one blow. It's uncanny how much it looks like me. As she pauses to look, he says, "Come now, hurry up. We have to go soon." Wonder Woman stands and walks over to him with the usual slow stride of an android. He takes the real articles from her as he holds up some fakes he had on the table.
"Incredible," he states, "The real ones are lighter than mine, yet bullet proof while mine are not." Wonder Woman notices the hole in one of the bracelets and an arm that looks like hers laying on the table with a hole through the wrist. "Arm," he says, so she holds hers out, as he snaps the real bracelet on the real Wonder Woman. "You are my greatest creation, and I could not be more proud of myself." As he snaps the other bracelet on her, she says flatly with no inflection, "Are you not proud of me?"
"Oh, do not be jealous, my love," he says while patting her arm, "I cannot really put anyone ahead of myself, can I? No, the answer to that is no. Now bend down so I can put your tiara on." Wonder Woman does as asked, and he places her tiara on her. As he does, she blinks, and he takes a second glance at her face. Uh oh, should I not have blinked? He then whispers, "Who do you serve?" Keeping an even tone, she says, "You and only you, Master Toymaker." He grips her chin and turns her head to either side. "You seem a little stiff, and all the blinking, maybe I should top off your fluids before we go, huh?"
Wonder Woman has no idea how he would do that, so she responds with, "Baxter is waiting impatiently." The Toymaker's facial expression darkens as he replies, "Ah, that is true, he is. Smart and strong, I have truly made you perfect. Let's go." As he shuffles to a different part of the warehouse, Wonder Woman walks over and grabs her magic lasso before joining him. I don't know if he meant for me to leave it or he forgot, but I might need this before the day is out.
On the other side of the warehouse, she sees a large wooden crate. He slowly pushes a hand truck under it. "Now, you get in the box and then I put you on the truck." Wonder Woman is not too sure of that, so she responds with no emotion, "Do I not get to ride in the front with you?" The Toymaker chuckles, "Ah, thinking you are human, so glad, but no, my love. You are too recognizable, so I have to smuggle you to our next location." Wonder Woman decides she cannot put this off, so she walks to the crate and steps in. Turning around, she can see him looking at her with a small box in her hand. "Don't worry. You won't even know you are in the box. See?" He holds up the small black box with three small buttons on it. The white button says "on" under it, the black button says "pause", and the red button says "off". He smiles at her, "You will think you are in the box looking at me, and then when we get there, you will still think you have been looking at me the whole time."
She can see him press the red button and hear a soft beep from the box. She closes her eyes and slumps slightly while standing. She can hear him clap softly, "Oh, I am a genius." She tries not to smile, as he closes the lid on the crate, locking the lid. Hopefully, he won't drop me, she worries, as I cannot see anything and there is nothing to cushion myself from hitting the wooden walls of this crate. Fortunately, she reasons, I could punch my way out of here easily if need be.
She feels the box tilt backwards and the old man grunt loudly, as she slowly begins to feel movement. She tries to remain still, as she is just "dead weight" at the moment. Taking a deep breath in patience, she waits and waits as he slowly pushes her outside and up the ramp into the truck. She can hear a chain and click, then he mumbles, "That should keep the crate from falling over, huh?" For the mission's sake, Wonder Woman certainly hopes so.
The ride is slow and uneventful. It is hard to tell from the box she is in, but it feels like he is driving about 10 miles per hour. He accelerates slowly and brakes even slower. I guess I should not be surprised, she thinks with a grin, he is an old man. She bumps along with the truck as it seems to come off of a paved road to a more gravel or dirt road. She puts her hands against the sides of the crate, as he hits a couple of large potholes in the rough road, to keep herself from bumping her head.
Eventually, the engine goes quiet, so she knows they are there. She hears the truck door open and close. I can punch my way out right now, she thinks while making a fist, but maybe I should be patient. She hears voices from outside, but cannot tell who they are. I wish I could hear them better, she says to herself sternly. Soon, the back of the truck opens, and she hears the familiar voice, "Don't worry, I got just the person to help." She hears the lock being manipulated outside of the crate, so she returns to her "off" state.
When the door opens, she can smell dirt and trees, so she doubts whether they are at a warehouse. We may be out of town already, she worries, I may have to act faster than I thought. She hears a soft beep, so she decides it is time to turn on. Opening her eyes, she stands up straight. She can see Toymaker standing there with the remote, and Baxter with a worried look on his face. "Are you sure that's one of your toys?" The Toymaker scoffs, "Of course, of course...don't you think I would know my own creation?" Baxter looks unconvinced, and Wonder Woman can see him fingering his weapon inside his suit coat. She then says blandly without emotion, "Do I remain in the box all day?" Baxter seems to relax somewhat, but he is still not fully convinced. The Toymaker cackles and says, "No, no, my dear, get the two scientists and put them in the van outside."
Wonder Woman maintains her blank stare and walks confidently between the two men to get the still unconscious scientists. Under their watchful eye, Wonder Woman bends down and picks up Dr Prescott. He looks too young to be a leading atomic scientist, she thinks, but it is not her place to judge. Carrying him like a big baby, she walks down the ramp and is greeted by a sunny morning in the hills. She glances around, trying to get her bearings. Hmm, she thinks, I'm not too sure where we are. At his perceived speed, he could not have driven very far, so she must still be within the city limits or just outside of it.
She sees the blue van to her right, so she walks over to it. The sliding door is open, so she lays Dr Prescott on the second bench seat in the back. She gasps softly when she sees Dr Lazaar laying on the first bench seat unconscious. Not realizing she was being followed, Baxter says loudly, "Toymaker, are you sure this is not the real Wonder Woman?" Turning back around from laying the young scientist down, she says in a monotone, "I am Wonder Woman." Baxter draws his weapon, but Toymaker yells loudly and steps in between them, "No, no, Baxter, please! She is programmed to say that. She must pass herself off as the real Wonder Woman."
Wonder Woman wants to spring into action, but decides to keep her ruse up. She keeps standing at attention with a blank stare on her face, contemplating if she could get her bullet-proof bracelets up to block the potential shot in time from this close range. Toymaker has his hand on Baxter's gun hand, "I'm telling you, she is my toy. Wonder Woman would not have done all of this for me, right?" Baxter still grips his pistol, but replies, "She's been in the box the whole trip? She bested the real Wonder Woman?" The Toymaker nods to each, annoyed at his disbelief, "Yes and yes. I watched it with my own eyes. Well, it took two of my creations to best the real Wonder Woman, but they did. Look, we are almost very rich, just a little longer, yes?" Baxter looks at the beautiful Wonder Woman standing with an uninterested look on her face and relents.
"Fine," he says in a low tone, putting his gun away, "Get the other scientist and let's go our separate ways." Wonder Woman stands there unmoving, testing them both. He looks questioningly at Toymaker, who smiles at the young man, "She only obeys my commands, Baxter. Again, the real Wonder Woman would not have known that." Chuckling again while clapping the young man on the shoulder, "Now, my dear, retrieve the last scientist, please." Wonder Woman starts to walk away, "Of course."
In the next few moments, she has the final scientist loaded onto the van, and wondering how to best stop this safely. Both men need to be incarcerated and there are three prisoners, but she does not know exactly where she is. If she could get a message to Steve, he could bring the rest of the IADC agents to assist. She notices a CB radio in the van, and hopes Steve has agents monitoring it. Wonder Woman looks around and sees Baxter and Toymaker talking over a map in the shade of a tree nearby, so she decides this is her moment. Leaning into the open passenger-side window, she adjusts the dial to the police band. She then pushes in the button and locks it in place. Hoping her normal voice is not too loud, she says, "Dr Prescott, Dr Tobias, Dr Lazaar." If the intelligence group is working as hard as she thinks they are, they should be able to triangulate her position.
She stands back up and starts walking slowly over to the two villains. I need to slow them down long enough for help to arrive, she tells herself. Toymaker looks up at her and says, "Well done, my lovely creation." Wonder Woman does not smile as she continues walking slowly closer and replies, "Obvi-obvi-obviously." Baxter folds up the large paper map, but not before Wonder Woman sees the circled section just across the border. We are on the southside of town, closer to the southern border of the USA. "Your perfect toy seems broken," Baxter says with a sneer. Toymaker responds matter-of-factly, "This is her first test run, so she will need an adjustment or two. I noticed earlier her fluids were a little low from her encounter with the real Wonder Woman, so nothing I cannot fix, Baxter." His tone for Baxter's name was not complimentary.
Wonder Woman stops walking and stands next to Toymaker, as if she needs his protection. "I'm not convinced your 'creation' is all that you say, but once I'm away from here, I won't care." The Toymaker puts his arm around Wonder Woman's waist, "You forget your place, Baxter. You young people are all alike, not showing respect for your elders, for your betters." Baxter scoffs at the old man's remark, "Better...ha, that's a joke. If it weren't for me, none of this would be possible." Wonder Woman hopes his elevated voice is loud enough to be heard on the CB in the nearby van. One good thing about the rather short man, he thinks very highly of himself, so his regular volume of speaking is louder than most people's.
She keeps her uninterested facial expression, even though on the inside, she is very interested in what they are saying, and how long it takes them to do so. After a few moments, Baxter finally says while waving the map in front of the Toymaker's face, "Look, enough of this, if I don't get these scientists to these coordinates soon, all of this will be a waste. I'll meet you at the rendezvous point with the money." The Toymaker nods and wipes his brow again, then shuffles towards the moving truck. "Come, my love, we go to wait payday." Baxter is nearly at the van, when Wonder Woman, who had started to follow them, stops. She then walks backwards and stands where she was previously and says, "Obviously."
Baxter was about to open the van door and perhaps see the CB radio, when Toymaker exclaims, "Oh no, the transistors overheated. I knew I should have put more insulation in her skull plating." Wonder Woman stands passively, as Toymaker fans his hat over her head. Baxter takes one step back towards them, "Just leave her for now. You can come back. We have to go." Baxter turns back to the van, so then Wonder Woman starts walking again. "Ah, see...works beautifully!" Again, Baxter turns back to scoff and roll his eyes. How many more times can I distract him before he just leaves? Wonder Woman wonders.
Hoping for one more, she twitches her head and then smiles broadly. "Ugh, this heat...we are almost to the shade, my love." With her biggest smile she says, "Bax-Bax-Baxter." She keeps walking towards the moving truck, taking her eyes off Baxter, but hoping to hold him up a bit longer. She can hear the van door open this time, as she sees a car coming up the road in the distance. I don't know if that is the help I called for, she reasons, but it is now or never. She stops walking to "freeze up", just as she hears, "The CB has been tampered with...I told you she was the real Wonder Woman." She hears the van door close forcefully and the sound of a gun being pulled out of a holster, so she decides it is time to be the hero.
She spins around just in time to deflect the bullet Baxter shot at her. Sparks fly in front of her as she coolly sends the bullet off her bracelet into a nearby tree. The Toymaker screams "no," but then he looks in bewilderment, as Wonder Woman easily blocks two more bullets. He decides he might have been in error all along, and he should leave quickly, so he runs as fast as his old legs will carry him towards the moving truck. The cars that were in the distance have now closed the gap, as Baxter fires more of his useless bullets at Wonder Woman. The Toymaker does not even get his door open before Steve Trevor comes around the corner of the truck, weapon in hand, "Hold it, Toymaker!"
He jumps back in shock, as Baxter decides he should escape now. Taking one more pitiful shot at Wonder Woman, he jumps in and starts up the van. Dropping it into gear, he floors it, but he does not go anywhere. He can hear the engine whining as if it should be racing at top speed, but he can see by his surroundings that he is not moving. Turning around, he sees Wonder Woman behind the van, holding up the back of it. "Going somewhere?" she says with her usual smile and tone. Feels good to be me again, she thinks happily.
Baxter opens the door to escape, but the rest of the IADC agents are there to capture him. With cuffs on the villain's hands, the agents take both of the crime partners away. Steve comes over to Wonder Woman, not knowing her true identity, "Do you know where Diana Prince is?" She nods seriously, "Yes, I freed her at one of the many warehouses owned by the Toymaker. She should be on her way home now." Wonder Woman opens the sliding van door to reveal the three unconscious scientists. Steve breathes a sigh of relief for Diana, as well as finding the leading scientists in atomic fission, then he asks, "How did you infiltrate them?" She smiles broadly, almost laughing, "I played on their inflated egos and pretended to be a life-sized toy. I mean," she says while pointing down at herself, "Who could resist wanting to play with this 'toy'?" Steve nods and laughs, as do the other agents nearby who overheard her statement. The only two not laughing are Baxter and Toymaker as they continue to bicker in the backseat of the agency car.
*freeze the last frame, cue the closing credits, and start the classic Wonder Woman theme song*