[Location:

Themyscira

Reform Island]

[1 hour later]

(POV Thara)

"Are you really certain you know nothing else about it, Steve Rogers?" I asked with a bit of anticipation and exasperation.

"I only heard it was some kind of alloy made with some rare metal. You'd have to ask Howard for more details, sorry. And please, just Steve is fine." Steve Rogers replied politely with a smile. This isn't the first time I've asked him about this marvel of a shield, but I've only gotten the same answer each time. He's been patient with me, so I tried to annoy him a little to see if he might switch up his answer, but it seems he really doesn't know anything.

Honestly, I would question why he would keep something he does not understand how to at least maintain himself, but considering some of what I've seen this thing capable of doing, I guess it's a non-factor. I'm pretty sure this thing is actually indestructible, even more so than the bracelets the amazons give out. And they supposedly make those things with a god's shield.

Perhaps I've looked down on this world a little too much. I've had a little time to ask Steve about the rest of the world aside from a few questions on their weapons. I figured Diana would ask similar questions, so I would save him the trouble of explaining twice.

We've been here in a holding cell for about an hour now and judging by some conversations I've been eavesdropping on, they should be about ready to come get us.

"Sigh. Understood, I look forward to meeting him then." I concluded with Steve while he had a slightly surprised look on his face.

"Are you planning to come with me?" He asked incredulously. I had told him briefly that no one has left the island in years, so we know little of the rest of the world. He originally brought it up wanting to know what exactly he might need to explain so he could get his thoughts in order.

He mentioned something about a lawyer, but I don't think the amazons have such a position. If they do, then in this situation, it's probably me.

"You heard her, right? I'm just an outsider here. It's probably time I see the rest of the world." I said with a slightly sad smile.

It also seems like I was right in planning to leave soon since I heard the queen briefly mentioning the same to an apologetic sounding Menalippe. Her words had hurt, but I can't say I blame her. Should she actually apologize, that will be the end of it, for me at least.

But forgiving and forgetting are two different things. I can tell that after today, I might not be welcomed here anymore. I can still hear some whispering about me all over the island. While a majority are thankful for my assistance, it upsets others that I didn't do more. They are probably the ones who lost someone close to them, so I can't really blame them either.

It is a fact that in the initial confrontation I hesitated for a few minutes. Had I not, maybe less would have died. Considering their weapons, guns if I recall, don't even work on me, maybe I could have taken on the entire army myself.

Of course, prior to the end of the battle, none of us knew that, but logic and reasoning often lose to matters of the heart.

Steve says nothing to my comment and just goes quiet with a slightly guilty expression. Likely thinking he had a hand in the situation. Which is not wholly untrue, but also not something he should blame himself for.

Well, depending on how the interrogation goes, that is. Speaking of which,

"It's time, let's go," I say standing just before the door to the cell opens up. I didn't have to stay in here with him, but I felt it was easier to talk face to face.

Two women walk in together with an odd rope that I can sense mystical energy from. It's not one of my enchantments, so it is likely something they already had on the island. There aren't too many mystical artifacts here, but there are some.

The two women bind Steve and the rope starts to glow a frankly beautiful golden color. Although I wanted to ask a few questions, they started hauling him off before I could. I could sense they were purposefully giving me little attention, so I said nothing and just followed behind them.

###

(POV Steve)

After walking for a few minutes we were brought to an audience room of sorts, I think. I'm brought to the center of the room and forced to kneel. This rope binding me has been getting a little hot since they put it on, but I don't even want to start thinking about how that works.

Really, no one told me being a soldier would be this weird. I doubt anything else 'll surprise me after this. Maybe aliens exist too…

Why do I get the feeling I just jinxed myself?

Thara moves off to the side and a few of the other women surround me a bit, but not too close. Then in walks four different women with only three of them being familiar. I recognize the first as Diana's mother if I was following the conversation earlier. The other is the woman who argued with Thara earlier, though she has a complicated expression on her face.

Diana is also there, and she thankfully doesn't look like she wants to kill me. Actually, she seems a little more concerned with Thara if the quick glances are anything to go by. She called her sister earlier, but I get the impression they aren't actually related. I wonder if I'll get the chance to ask later?

I vaguely recognize the last tall black woman standing beside them from the battle. I recall she was one of the ones that looked stronger than me. I really hope this isn't a trial by combat, but I don't think I could beat her with just my shield.

"State your name" Diana's mother commands with an authoritative tone. I guess she's the ruler around here? Does that make Diana a princess? Oh man, this is getting more complicated by the second.

"My name is Ste-" I start to give out my name just as I had always done, but before I could finish, the rope binding me heats uncomfortably. And I can feel something almost invading my head. It's a weird feeling, almost like it's compelling me to do something.

"My name is Captain Steve Rogers of the United States Army. The first super soldier, also known as Captain America" the words almost fall out of my mouth. I am genuinely shocked now, and maybe a little worried. I didn't actually plan to tell them about the super soldier serum, just in case I needed to fight or something. They didn't seem to recognize me, so I thought I might use that to my advantage later if necessary.

I wouldn't lie if they asked, but I wasn't going to bring it up either. I can just tell this is from the rope binding me. I thought it might be some kind of torture device that heats up or something, but this could be worse.

"What is this thing?" I had to ask while motioning to the rope. I looked to the side at Thara hoping she might shed some light on things only to see her eyes slightly widen then she turned to look at Diana likely for an answer along with me.

"The lasso of truth compels you to speak the truth," Diana thankfully revealed for us. That said, I'm only growing more confused by the second. I heard rumors about truth serums and such, but truth ropes?

"But it's really hot," I literally couldn't stop myself from saying that. I can tell I'm able to resist a little, but for things that I generally wouldn't mind saying, it just seems to come out. Despite everything happening right now, I couldn't help but wonder how much everyone's lives would be if judges or cops were given one. Corruption would be all but eradicated so long as you can get a person wrapped in one.

"The more you try to resist the hotter and tighter it will get" Diana finished and I really could only pray it didn't make me say my first thoughts about that comment.

"What is your mission," Before I embarrassed myself, the Queen thankfully continued with her interrogation.

"I'm just a soldier ma'am" I resisted a little by telling a bit of the truth but like Diana said I can feel it getting a little hotter. It looks like it can tell when I'm only saying half truths. I had planned to tell them more of the story anyway, but this was good to know.

"What is your mission!" The Queen demanded this time, and a few of the women surrounding me moved a step closer. I guess this isn't really the time to find out the limits on this thing, I can only hope they don't ask any national secrets, or else I might have to fight my way out.

"I was spying!" I blurted out before I could even try to come up with a better answer. It's not wrong, but it's really not how I would have worded it. The only thing I can do now is press forward.

"We got word that Johann Shmidt, also known as Red Skull, would visit one of the known Hydra bases over in Germany that we had marked for a sabotage operation. They tasked my team with capturing or elimination if possible should the source be accurate." I continued on, detailing the mission I was given a few days ago.

"I snuck in the base solo to confirm if he was present or not since I had some prior experience in the area. I wasn't able to confirm his presence, but I found someone much worse.  Dr. Isabel Maru, more commonly known as Doctor Poison. A known and wanted psychopath. She's the one behind several of the gas chambers the Germans are using in their camps. All for her sick and twisted experiments." I practically spit out at remembering the intel we got about her before we started hitting their bases.

She was one of our primary capture targets, so it surprised me we finally found her in one of the known bases. She was known to move around a lot so we could never pin her down. She is a monster on the same level as Hitler and Shmidt. I can see Diana looking on in confusion while her mother only narrows her eyes. I continued on, wanting to stress how urgent it was that I leave soon. I don't know when she plans to start her plot, but it needs to be stopped soon.

"I discovered a plot she was involved with while I was listening in on them. I was only supposed to confirm if Skull was present or not, but I had to do something. I stole some of her notes before booking it out of there. Unfortunately, they discovered me and I had to steal a plane to get out. They had an old biplane at the ready for some reason, so I hopped in that and made my way out to sea. I took a few to many hits while at sea and crash landed in the water here. Diana saved me before Thara showed up." I finished recounting the events that led to me being here. But I still had to push on. Time really isn't on our side right now.

"I need to get these back to the allied forces to come up with a countermeasure or over 6 million people will die!" I was very close to begging to be let go at this point. The more I talked, the more I felt I needed to get going. I had done fine so far just trying to push forward and not think about the larger picture but this rope was making me think of the truth of the matter and I liked it less and less and time went on.

"What plot did you discover?" But the Queen insisted on continuing her questioning, and I'll be honest it was a little annoying. Understandable, but annoying. That's rude though, so I'll push it aside. The faster I answer, the faster I can get going hopefully.

"She plans to release a new type of chemical bomb all around London killing millions. From what I heard, they already have a few infiltrated and planting the things around. I don't know how long we have until they set them off, so I need to get back fast. I don't know what other kinds of things are in her notes, but it could even be enough to outright end the war if we're lucky." I was really trying to push home that point and by some of the following murmuring, I had hoped it worked. It wasn't until Diana spoke again that I realized I had already forgotten something Thara told me not to long ago.

"War? What war?" At those words, I was really at a loss for words. I had forgotten Thara told me they haven't left the island in years. I thought she meant like five or six, but it seems like they've been here a lot longer than that.

"The War. The second world war." I said a little incredulously, and I looked around at the confused and shocked faces around me.

"5 years, 30 countries, 70 million dead, soldiers and civilians, and still counting. The Holocaust? 6 million innocent people. Women and children slaughtered or put into camps. Their homes looted and burned." I paused and struggled for a moment, not able to mind the shocked faces around me. This was more secret info I probably shouldn't be mentioning, but this rope is still in effect. I hadn't told Thara when she asked, and I didn't want to ruin our first impression over national secrets.

"Weapons far more dangerous than you can imagine. They're making weapons from something called the tesseract." I heard a small gasp from two people in the room. One is the Queen and the other Thara. I really hope she doesn't hold it against me.

"They're trying to harness the energy and make weapons. Weapons that can vaporize a person in an instant with nothing capable of defending them. If we don't stop them. They're going to take over the world. Hydra has to be stopped." I finished, almost struggling to breathe at this point. The rope had been getting hotter although it wasn't actually doing so, I felt like I was being burned. Thankfully, they slacken after I was finished, and the glow subsides.

The room isn't quiet, but everyone is looking to the Queen for answers. I can only hope she gives one soon, we really don't have much time.