Resurrection Part 2
Because I have so much written already, I'll be posting this pretty quickly.
In this story, Booster never decided to go back to the future. He hung around and repaired his gear instead.
Part 2
Booster scowled as he checked house numbers. Supposedly there was a villain around here somewhere. He was threatening to blow up Baltimore with a death ray from space. No one was clear why. But Oracle had traced his messages back to the source and for some reason Booster was chosen to stop the threat of the week. They said it would be good for him. A chance to make sure his equipment was in working order and to vent some frustration.
And everyone else was busy and thought that being taken down by a second stringer would crush the newbie’s spirit enough he wouldn’t try again. No one had admitted that part, but Booster heard it anyway.
Obviously he wasn’t a very good villain, Booster thought, standing in front of a simple white rancher. It was in an old neighborhood with lots of trees and houses that might have been identical once, but had been expanded and altered over the years so each one was distinct. Walking down the street, Booster had noticed people of every age from babies in strollers to senior citizens. Some of the teens had made rather rude comments about his costume. He’d given them a low level blast that sent them running. Obnoxious teens aside, this was not the place you’d expect to find an evil scientist bent on mass destruction.
Booster knocked on the door. Then he rang the doorbell. Then he pounded the door and threatened to blast it open. Then he tried the knob.
Booster made a mental note to try opening the door before making a scene from now on.
“Hello? Evil mastermind? Anyone home?”
The house looked empty. No pictures, beige walls and gray carpet, a few pieces of furniture that looked like they’d been bought yesterday.
“Hello.”
Booster spun, activating his force field. Through the yellow glow he could see the villain.
He looked a lot like Booster’s best friend.
“Ted?”
Ted waved and smiled. Booster dropped the field and flew over, scooping Ted into a hug.
“You’re alive. I missed you.”
Ted patted him on the back. “Yeah, I’m alive. Good to see you too, buddy.”
“What happened? Batman said you’d been killed. And why are you here? Where’s the guy with the death ray?”
“I can explain, but first, do you think you could put me down?”
“Oh. Sorry.”
Once their feet were back on the floor, Ted draped an arm around Booster’s shoulders and led him to the kitchen. They both had a beer while Ted smiled mysteriously and refused to answer any questions. Then he led Booster to one of the back rooms.
“Ted, what is all this?” Booster asked, gazing at the numerous computers and televisions filling the room and papers spread out everywhere.
“Oh, you know, spying on the League, destroying what’s left of Checkmate, embezzling money from Wayne Industries, hacking into Oracle’s system, the usual,” Ted answered with an airy wave of his hand.
“You’re the guy with the death ray?”
“Not really. I’m the guy claiming to have a death ray. But I did convince NASA there was a satellite there.”
“Did you convince the League to send me here too?”
“Yeah. Here, listen.” Ted picked up a black box from the desk and pushed a button. “I think Booster is the best choice,” he said, speaking into the box. He sounded like Batman. “I have it programmed to sound like Bats, Superman, Wonder Woman, and you. Superman thinks you volunteered for this, by the way.”
“Why?”
“You know what he’s like. If he thought you wanted to start taking life seriously and looked at this newest threat as a chance to prove yourself, he’d do his best to encourage you.”
“I mean why are you doing this?”
“I’m evil.” Ted smiled. Not an evil or insane smile. Just a happy Ted smile. “I drugged your drink. You should be falling asleep any” Booster slumped to the floor “second now.”
In this story, Booster never decided to go back to the future. He hung around and repaired his gear instead.
Part 2
Booster scowled as he checked house numbers. Supposedly there was a villain around here somewhere. He was threatening to blow up Baltimore with a death ray from space. No one was clear why. But Oracle had traced his messages back to the source and for some reason Booster was chosen to stop the threat of the week. They said it would be good for him. A chance to make sure his equipment was in working order and to vent some frustration.
And everyone else was busy and thought that being taken down by a second stringer would crush the newbie’s spirit enough he wouldn’t try again. No one had admitted that part, but Booster heard it anyway.
Obviously he wasn’t a very good villain, Booster thought, standing in front of a simple white rancher. It was in an old neighborhood with lots of trees and houses that might have been identical once, but had been expanded and altered over the years so each one was distinct. Walking down the street, Booster had noticed people of every age from babies in strollers to senior citizens. Some of the teens had made rather rude comments about his costume. He’d given them a low level blast that sent them running. Obnoxious teens aside, this was not the place you’d expect to find an evil scientist bent on mass destruction.
Booster knocked on the door. Then he rang the doorbell. Then he pounded the door and threatened to blast it open. Then he tried the knob.
Booster made a mental note to try opening the door before making a scene from now on.
“Hello? Evil mastermind? Anyone home?”
The house looked empty. No pictures, beige walls and gray carpet, a few pieces of furniture that looked like they’d been bought yesterday.
“Hello.”
Booster spun, activating his force field. Through the yellow glow he could see the villain.
He looked a lot like Booster’s best friend.
“Ted?”
Ted waved and smiled. Booster dropped the field and flew over, scooping Ted into a hug.
“You’re alive. I missed you.”
Ted patted him on the back. “Yeah, I’m alive. Good to see you too, buddy.”
“What happened? Batman said you’d been killed. And why are you here? Where’s the guy with the death ray?”
“I can explain, but first, do you think you could put me down?”
“Oh. Sorry.”
Once their feet were back on the floor, Ted draped an arm around Booster’s shoulders and led him to the kitchen. They both had a beer while Ted smiled mysteriously and refused to answer any questions. Then he led Booster to one of the back rooms.
“Ted, what is all this?” Booster asked, gazing at the numerous computers and televisions filling the room and papers spread out everywhere.
“Oh, you know, spying on the League, destroying what’s left of Checkmate, embezzling money from Wayne Industries, hacking into Oracle’s system, the usual,” Ted answered with an airy wave of his hand.
“You’re the guy with the death ray?”
“Not really. I’m the guy claiming to have a death ray. But I did convince NASA there was a satellite there.”
“Did you convince the League to send me here too?”
“Yeah. Here, listen.” Ted picked up a black box from the desk and pushed a button. “I think Booster is the best choice,” he said, speaking into the box. He sounded like Batman. “I have it programmed to sound like Bats, Superman, Wonder Woman, and you. Superman thinks you volunteered for this, by the way.”
“Why?”
“You know what he’s like. If he thought you wanted to start taking life seriously and looked at this newest threat as a chance to prove yourself, he’d do his best to encourage you.”
“I mean why are you doing this?”
“I’m evil.” Ted smiled. Not an evil or insane smile. Just a happy Ted smile. “I drugged your drink. You should be falling asleep any” Booster slumped to the floor “second now.”