The mysterious man in the mask and trench coat was lurking in the dark alleys of Chinatown. He’d gotten a lead from his ally in the teashop where he could find his enemy. The masked man checked the back alleys until he found a loosened sewer grating. Pulling it opened, he found a ladder leading down into the blackness. This must be what he was looking for.
Like a wandering spirit, he descended into the underground. In the distance, he heard an explosion.
Savage and the Fury managed to get cover behind a group of cast iron pipes and a heavy oak crate. The explosion was formidable, but their protection, combine with their extraordinary physical prowess, allowed them to survive with no more than a few burns and scratches.
Feeling their way through the dust and smoke, they found themselves in the lab, which used to belong to Dr. Cobra. In it was an Asian man with a gas canister. He turned the valve on the top of the tank.
"In the name of the Yellow Claw, let my life be forfeit!" he shouted.
The hiss of escaping gas came out of the canister. The man almost immediately went into violent spasms, choked and died. Savage and the Fury knew that this was no place to stay. That gas would kill them! Fleeing the lab and slamming the door behind them, Savage pulled a small case of pills out of his vest. "Swallow these!" he told Fury.
She did so without hesitation. "Will that protect us?"
"Assuming we weren’t exposed to enough gas to be lethal, then yes, it should counter any minor exposure."
Fury looked back at the door and then at the ruined bodies of the suicide bombers. "What kind of hold does the Claw have on these guys? What makes them so eager to kill themselves for his benefit?"
"Just take a look at Hitler and you have your answer," Savage said. "Fanatics always seem to find followers."
Savage began to look around, hoping to find some clues that would help them.
Meanwhile, in a nearby sewer tunnel, the immobilized Wonder Woman waited for the Fury and Savage to return. There was nothing else she could do. She cursed her powerlessness and wished she could regain control of her body.
She heard the explosion, felt the vibration, smelled the smoke. She wanted to know if the Fury was safe. The fact that Doc Savage was with the Fury made Hippolyta feel better. He was as professional and intelligent as anyone she had ever met. Surely, he wouldn’t be caught flat-footed by a booby trap. She hoped.
The minutes ticked by. Wonder Woman had lost her sense of time. How long had she been standing there, a living statue. She was aware of how vulnerable she was and didn’t like it. She tried to tell herself that there was no one there to harm her. She hoped.
She was wrong! One straggler guard, who’d been out on a roving patrol of the sewers and gotten lost in the tunnels, managed to find his way back. Drawn by the sounds and smells of the explosion, he reached the lair. He saw Wonder Woman.
Merciful Minerva! the Amazon queen thought. I was afraid of this! I feared one of them would find me while I’m alone and helpless!
Realizing that the lair was destroyed and that the boss had left without him, he had no way of knowing where the Claw went, until his contact informed him of where to rendezvous. That meant he had a little time to kill. Seeing that Wonder Woman was unable to move, he smiled and put his gun aside. He moved closer to the helpless Hippolyta.
Oh no! I can’t defend myself! Whatever he plans to do to me, there’s nothing I can do to stop him!
Savage and the Fury, having finished their investigation of the former HQ of the Yellow Claw, headed back to Wonder Woman. The Fury had been impatient to check on her. She didn’t like leaving her teacher alone and helpless like that.
As they reached the door they had entered through, they found that the ceiling had partially collapsed. The doorway was blocked.
"I’m not surprised," Savage said. "And I expect more of the roof to cave in soon. Two explosions in one day is not good for the infra structure."
"But what about Wonder Woman?" Fury asked. "She’s on the other side of that. We have to dig through . . . "
"No, we can’t!" Savage said. "Digging may cause the roof to fall in immediately. That would bury both Wonder Woman and ourselves. We have to find another way around."
"Then let's hurry!" Fury said. "I have this feeling that she’s in trouble!"
The helpless Wonder Woman could only watch as the lackey grabbed and groped her. He stared lustfully, and it was easy to see what his intentions were.
I will not be violated by this slime of a man! she thought. Zeus, do not allow this! It must not be!
Just then, a figure leaped out of the shadows. The newcomer tackled the guard and quickly incapacitated him. Wonder Woman was partially relieved, but still not sure who this man was or if he had sinister intentions of his own.
The tall man wore a black suit and tie, a trench coat, fedora hat, gloves and a black mask. He had intense, intelligent eyes. He looked at Wonder Woman.
"If you can hear me, I’m not going to hurt you," the man said. "I’m a friend. I’m going to get you to safety."
If Hippolyta could have smiled, she would have. Whoever you are, if I could move, I’d kiss you!
"I’m going to have to carry you," he said. "I apologize if this is offensive to you."
Right now, I don’t mind at all, she thought. The Queen of the Amazon’s owes you a favor.
The man scooped her up and carried her. "By the way, if you’re wondering who I am, my name must remain a secret. Just call me . . . The Spirit!"
Savage and the Fury were navigating the tunnels. Taking the long way around toward the spot where they left Hippolyta, the Doc heard a loud creaking coming from the tunnel roof. The creaking and groaning got louder as they walked. Savage, who had a degree in engineering among many other things, knew what this sound was a portent of.
"The tunnel is going to collapse soon," he said. "The two explosions today have been too much for these old tunnels. It’s not going to hold for long. We have to get out of here, immediately. I see a manhole we can get out of."
"I’m not leaving without Wonder Woman!" she said. "If the roof is going to fall in, I can’t leave her here!"
"We don’t have time to argue!" Savage said. "Wonder Woman is powerful and has a better chance to survive down here than we do. We’ll dig her out later, but we have to leave now!"
"I’m not going!" The Fury shouted.
Savage nodded his assent and gestured for the Fury to go on ahead of him. As she passed, he whipped out a small canister and sprayed her with it. The Fury spun around, coughing, gave Savage a furious look, and then passed out. Savage scooped her up.
"Sorry, young lady. But there’ll be no more casualties here than necessary." Savage said, as he carried her to safety.
The Spirit brought Wonder Woman up to the street level. Peeking out of an alley, he saw some policemen nearby, waiting for Savage and Wonder Woman at the sewer entrance.
The Spirit tossed a stone at the cop car. "Hey, flatfoot! Come here!"
One of the cops got curious and walked toward the alley to see what was going on.
The Spirit turned to the immobile Wonder Woman. "I’ll leave you in the hands of the law, Your Highness. They’ll take care of you. Goodbye."
Goodbye, whoever you are, the Amazon thought. I’m in your debt. May the Gods go with you.
The Spirit slipped away. The cop arrived and found Wonder Woman in the alley.
Meanwhile, nearby . . .
Doc Savage emerged from the underground, carrying the semi-conscious Fury. The cops spotted him and ran to meet him.
"What’s up, Doc?" One of the cops asked.
As Savage explained about the tunnel’s structural damage, ordering the police to clear the street. Just then, they heard a rumbling sound. Something had collapsed. Part of the sidewalk drooped down, turning into a sinkhole. Without the tunnel support, part of the street level couldn’t hold. Savage and the cops rushed to see that no one was hurt in the collapse.
Fury came to her senses. It took her a minute to understand what was happening. She saw the giant sinkhole and realized that the subterranean tunnels had collapsed. Her first thought was of Wonder Woman, buried under the Earth.
"Polly!" she whispered in anguish.
Then, to her shock, she saw Wonder Woman standing with a cop near a parked patrol car. "Polly!"
Fury ran over and hugged her mentor. "Boy, am I glad to see you!"
Wonder Woman couldn’t answer, but was delighted to see her young friend. And I you, little one. The gods have looked after us both.
Ellen Dolan sat in her home, deeply depressed. She thought over the horrible events of the last few days. Her finance Denny Colt died in the line of duty and then his body vanished from the morgue. What was happening?
"Ellen," a voice said from the shadows.
Ellen was alarmed and leapt to her feet. "Who are you?"
The Spirit stepped out of the darkness, and pulled off his mask, revealing the face of Denny Colt. "Ellen, I’ve missed you."
"Denny?" she whispered, stunned. "Is it really you?"
"It’s me, love," he answered in that voice which she knew so well. "In the flesh, and the spirit."
"You . . . You’re alive!" she said, and ran into his arms. "Denny, oh thank God! Thank God!"
"I’m sorry to put you through all this," he said.
"I don’t understand this!" she said. "What’s going on? Why didn’t you tell me you were alive? How did you survive? And why the mask?"
"Take a deep breath, sweetheart, and I’ll explain everything."
Later that evening, back at the Empire State Building office of Doc Savage . . .
Doc Savage and the Fury brought the still entranced Wonder Woman to Savage’s lab. The Amazon stood unmoving, hoping that Savage could find a way to help her.
"Can’t you think of something?" Fury asked. "You’re supposed to be the smartest man in the world. Don’t you have some sort of non-possession pill?"
Savage chuckled. "No pills, but I do have something which may help."
Wonder Woman felt a flush of excitement. Maybe Savage had a way to help her regain control of her body. She hoped he could do so before Dorma mentally seized her and took control again.
Savage produced a small, golden stone, dangling from a chain. It didn’t look to be anything special.
"What’s that?" Fury asked.
"It’s a Shaman Vision-quest stone. It was a gift from some Indians I helped. It supposedly has special properties. The Shaman’s use it to protect their souls when they travel in the spirit plane. It protects the mind form outside forces. It should help her against the power of this strange crown."
Doc Savage put the chain around Hippolyta’s neck. As soon as he did, she felt a tingle across her entire body. She tried to raise her hand. To her delight, she succeeded.
"I can move!" she said, excited. "I’m free of the crown’s power!"
"It’s only a temporary measure," Savage said. "Keep the stone in contact with your body. If you lose it, Dorma can usurp your body again. We’ll find a permanent solution after we deal with this Yellow Claw slime."
"I thank you, Doctor Savage," she said. "I owe you a favor. But for now, tell me what you found out about that chemical which Dorma forced me to put in the reservoir."
"I was just going to tell you about that," he said. "The Claw isn’t fooling around. This formula he made is not just a poison. It goes further than that. The Claw is a madman and this chemical proves it!"
"What is it?" Fury asked.
"A nightmare!"
Night fell.
In his mansion, Lamont Cranston, the millionaire and nocturnal avenger, recovered from his wounds and donned the dark garb of the fierce vigilante known as the Shadow. He loaded his guns, thinking of his enemy.
"The time has come for me to settle matters with my elusive quarry. The Yellow Claw has endangered my city long enough. Now, he’s going to find out what horrors lurk in the shadows!"
Next issue: In this corner are Wonder Woman, the Fury, Doc Savage, the Spirit, and the Shadow. In the opposing corner are the Yellow Claw, his sinister sister, Lady Coffin, Lady Dorma, and Granch. It’s a no-holds-barred finale, with the survival of New York hanging in the balance!