Our Last Echo

22 - Part I

Singleforth City

The clothing Hanna planned to wear was laid out on her bed and the jewels were on the dresser. She was in the middle of fixing her hair when the door buzzer sounded. She knew very few people in Singleforth, and even fewer who would casually show up at her door. She pulled on a robe and went to the door.

The security camera at the apartment building's door transmitted its feed to the small screen beside her speaker. As she watched, the man looked up at the camera, adjusting his glasses in a nervous gesture. Tyler Wake.

Hanna pushed the speaker's button. "Come in, Tyler."

He smiled briefly at the camera and disappeared from view. Moments later, she opened her door to him.

Tyler glanced at her robe. "I'm sorry. I didn't know this would be a bad time."

"You are welcome any time, Tyler. I'm getting ready to go out but I have time. Can I get you something?"

"No, I, um..." He started to push the glasses back up his nose, then shrugged and removed them. "I need to ask you something. About Bruce."

She led him into the living room and sat in her usual chair. "Ask away," she invited.

"Are you and he...together?"

"You mean are we lovers? Is that your business?" She spoke more sharply than she intended.

"I guess not. But I'm trying to figure something out and..."

"I don't think it's easy to define our relationship. It would be complicated even if we were not both leading double lives. I love him. Does that help?"

He frowned to himself. "Maybe."

"What is it you really want to know, Tyler?"

"Do you trust him?"

"With my life," she answered at once.

"I mean, do you trust him to do the right thing? Sutton is a criminal. Some of the things he's done don't sit right with me."

Light began to dawn. "The law is not always right, Tyler. James is a good man, and for better or worse this city is his obsession. He will always protect Singleforth, and he will always do whatever it takes to protect Singleforth. But he works with the police, which should tell you something. But you are still avoiding your real question. What is it?"

Tyler sighed. "I suppose what I really want to know is whether I should trust him. When we first met, in Washington..." he shook his head. "Hanna, when I fought Scyro I knew I was fighting for my life, but Scyro didn't hate me. I was just in his way. I don't think I ever knew someone truly hated me until James Sutton."

Hanna thought about that. "He saw you as a man willing to sacrifice a city to save the world. To him, that's how evil men think. And you have to understand, the day it all happened, he was there in Metropolis. He saw buildings fall and people he knew die."

Tyler nodded gravely. "And he blamed me. I do understand that. I blame myself."

"James knows you better now," Hanna said. "I don't think you will always agree with the things he does, but you can trust James to be true to himself. If you understand what matters to him, he will always do what he sees as right."

Tyler seemed to come to a decision. "I think that answers my question. Hanna, I need to speak to him, tonight. Will you come with me?"

"Of course. As Hanna, or..."

"As Wonder Woman. I know you said you can't fly, but we can fly together, if you trust me."

Hanna was grinning before she could stop herself. She was eager to fly with him. "Of course I trust you. Just give me a moment."