by Libbylawrence
Sometime later, a grim Ted Kord stood silently before a grave at Eagle Rock Cemetery, lost in his own thoughts.
The doctor says Tracey and our unborn child will both be fine. Sarge Steel says his lab boys will work to cure Abby Ladd and the other victims transformed by Dad. Plus, some leniency will be shown to those of them who wish to use their temporary abilities for the government. Steel could probably find a use for them in one of his L.A.W. teams. (*) In spite of his threats, Dad even left all of his holdings to me. I guess I’ll try to consolidate the old company with the new lab Booster and I opened. Melody’s even joining the Sentinels, since she wants to learn how to use the scarab that bonded with her and provided her a heroic name of her own: the Silver Scarab.
[(*) Editor’s note: See L.A.W.: Living Assault Weapons.]
Saying a prayer for his father, Ted turned to find Captain Mike Fisher’s gaunt form standing nearby.
“Captain, what brings you here?” he said. “You’ve never seemed the sentimental type.”
Fisher nodded slightly as he approached the scientist. “Kord, I’m sorry about your old man, but you’re right that I’m here for more professional reasons. In spite of the fact that the top brass accepts the story that the disfigured corpse in the red and black costume who abducted your wife and Dr. Case and killed your father was also the perp who’d committed crimes while posing as the Blue Beetle, there’s something I’d like to tell you.”
Ted frowned and drew closer to the police detective. “What is it?” he asked.
“I think there’s more to the story,” said Fisher, pausing for effect. “I think you’re the Blue Beetle.”
Ted hesitated, then sighed heavily. “Okay, Fisher. I’m tired of games. I am the Beetle. I also know that, in spite of your surly attitude, you are an honest cop. You’ve even been a great asset to the Sentinels in the past. (*) Where do we go from here?”
[(*) Editor’s note: See “Sentinels of Justice,” Americomics Special #1 (August, 1983).]
Captain Fisher sighed and said, “Thanks for trusting me. You can trust me, too. I like having access to a man who can work things through without having to go through channels. I won’t say a word about your secret. I just wanted you to know that I’d figured it out in case the two of us need to work together again someday. Can we come to such an understanding?”
“We can,” said Ted.
With a quick nod of his head, Mike Fisher turned and walked away as silently as he had arrived, leaving Ted to mourn his father.
***
In the Project X satellite in orbit around Earth, Lady Quark was holding Princess Fern’s hand as they gazed into space and mourned Lord Volt once more.
“It seems unfair to have found him, only to lose him again!” said the teenage girl.
Lady Quark nodded and replied, “Yet he gave his life to save us all. Never forget that!”
As she held her daughter, she kept her own thoughts to herself. He may be alive still! she thought. If he has been displaced to some alternate timeline, I will find him if it takes me all my remaining days!
The End