Echoes of Forgotten Earths. Chapter 4
Let's get the warnings out of the way early: Murder-death-kill is going to be mentioned. There's a serial killer in this, it's to be expected. If there's anything really graphic, I'll be sure to say so up front and give the chapter a higher rating. Also, gay sex happened and may be mentioned or thought back on. If it happens again, I'll say so up front and up the chapter's rating.
Okay, warnings over! This chapter's pretty tame. ^_^
Also: Updated twice in one week. As far as this story's concerned, that's probably a record. Woohoo!
Beta and suggestions by amarin_rose.
CHAPTERS: { Prologue }{ Chapter One }{ Chapter Two }{ Chapter Three }{ Chapter Four }{ Chapter Five }{ Chapter Six }
<-{ previous story: Little Boy Blue } { next story: Mullet-verse handbook/guide }->
~4th Chapter
As Junior showed Ted crime scene photos, all depicting women arranged to form question marks, Ted began to get an inkling of why the Question was taking this case so personally. If nothing else, the killer seemed to be aware of Question's pursuit.
Booster soon stumbled out of the bedroom, making it to the table before running out of steam. Of course, he ran out of steam behind Ted, with his arms around the man and his chin resting on top of Ted's hair, so he didn't seem to mind. Junior rolled his eyes and made a face before scooping up his dishes and heading for the sink. From above Ted, Booster mumbled something.
"What?" Ted asked.
Eyes still closed, Booster shifted so his cheek was against Ted's hair and he was facing almost where Junior was. "I said rinse it out and put it in the dishwasher."
Startled, Junior stared at him. Then he did as he was told.
Afterward, he returned to the table, scooted a chair closer to Booster and Ted, and climbed up to stand on it. Junior then leaned closer to Booster and started poking through his hair. Booster jerked in surprise and turned to face him.
"Have I interrupted Family Grooming Time?"
All eyes turned toward the window, where the Question stood observing them expressionlessly.
Junior poked Booster's hair again and the man swatted his hand away. "What are you doing?" he demanded.
"Looking for eyes," Junior huffed. "Parents're supposed to have 'em, or maybe just like, some, but you're from the future and between your funky genes, all the radiation, the magic, and the everything, I'm not takin' any chances." Fists on his hips, Junior added indignantly, "I wanna know what I'm gonna be up against before I start sneaking out."
"You're gonna be up against surveillance cameras and a subdermal tracking device if you start sneaking out," Ted spoke up testily.
"Heartwarming," the Question ground out, stalking forward. "But we're wasting time."
Ted stood, dislodging Booster, and pointed at Question. "'We'? We have been here. You vamoosed last night and just got back. A little quick to make accusations, don't you think, pal?"
With a small growl of annoyance, the Question tilted his head in acknowledgment. "Lives are in danger and I'm making no progress on my own," he sighed. "It's been too long since I was last here, I don't recognize.... And it refuses to help me or thinks it already is."
"What--No, who--No, dammit!" Ted growled. "Question, who the hell are we looking for, here?"
The Question stalked past him, shuffling papers around on the table in search of something, movements jerky and anxious.
"Hey, what's that?" Junior asked suddenly, poking at Booster's jaw.
Booster tilted his head away with a look of confused irritation. "What's what?"
"It's like...purpley."
Booster reached up to probe the area under and around his jaw, then his eyebrows rose in surprise. "Oh. Hickey."
"What's a hickey?" Junior asked, eyebrows twisting in confusion.
"Uh...." Booster glanced at Ted, who was very pointedly ignoring him and had turned an interesting shade of pink.
"Here!" Question announced, not realizing he had provided a timely and effective distraction. He shoved a folder at Ted.
"Victor Zsasz, more commonly known as 'Mr. Zsasz' or simply 'Zsasz'. The...exact number of his victims is currently unknown, as no one's ever been able to count all his tally marks and before you ask, yes he adds one for each victim, I assure you there are many more than you can see in the photos."
Ted was flipping through the folder, looking at photos and skimming through various reports and articles on the serial killer, a look of disgusted horror on his face. "And that...that's what's loose in my city?"
"Yes," Question murmured. "And I have to catch him."
Running a hand through his hair, Ted sighed deeply and tossed the folder back on the table. "Why you? And why involve us?"
"Yeah, why not let Batman take care of it?" Booster asked. "It's his mess, let him clean it up."
"It's...personal."
"You said that before," Ted said slowly, then snatched up one of the crime scene photos and thrust it under the bump in the mask that he assumed was Question's nose. "Question marks. That's not what he usually does. What the hell is so 'personal' between you two that a serial killer changed his M.O.?"
"It's difficult to explain."
"Humor us," Booster said dryly.
"Look, serial killers may not be my area of expertise, but I'm pretty sure it's not normal for them to just up and change how they do things." Ted frowned at the faceless man. "He knows you're after him, doesn't he? He knows and he's...what?"
Question hissed out a breath through his teeth. "Mocking me."
"That's what I thought," Ted muttered, looking down. "...I want to be wearing pants when I hear this."
Booster snorted. Question made a confused sound in his throat.
Pulling his robe tighter around himself, Ted scowled and turned toward his and Booster's bedroom. "Pants!"
Only in boxers himself, Booster followed.
---------------
There. Yes, perfect.
She stood out from the crowd, an oasis of polychromatic glamour in a sea of gray mundanity. Sleepwalking, unaware of even her own tragic beauty. Yes, she was perfect.
But not here, not now. She needed to be alone, so he could properly explain things before he freed her. So he could make sure she left the message.
The truth wasn't always pretty, or easy to accept, but it was still the truth. They couldn't afford the luxury of denial for much longer.
And the message would be repeated as many times as it needed to be before the truth was accepted.
---------------
To their credit, it didn't take Ted and Booster long to throw on some clothing. Nevertheless, Question was restlessly pacing when they returned.
Junior appeared to be trying to ask him how he ate without a mouth.
It wasn't clear whether or not the boy knew the lack of mouth was because of a mask.
"I now have pants and feel ready to take on whatever the universe can throw at me," Ted announced. "Take your best shot."
"I'm not from this world."
Ted stared at him, then glanced at Booster. Booster shrugged, grinning. "Shouldn't challenge the universe like that."
"If I didn't know so many alien species, I might be inclined to scoff and call you crazy," Ted sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Please continue."
"Oh I'm as human as you are." The Question paused and made a noise in his throat that sounded halfway amused. It was a sound that had aspirations of being a laugh when it grew up. "I'm just from another Earth."
"Back up the crazy train to Explanation Station," Booster interrupted, furrowing his brow as he sat at the table. "How many Earths are there?"
"One."
"Your math's off," Junior pointed out helpfully.
"There were more," Question explained, frustrated. "Now there's only one."
"Can we go back to where this makes sense?" Ted pleaded.
The Question growled. "Are you familiar with the theory of alternate realities? Many different realities, all existing in the same space but vibrating at different frequencies and therefore out of reach of each other."
"I...yes, but I haven't thought about it in a while." Ted shook his head. "So, what? You're claiming that theory's not a theory, it's reality?"
"As far as I've been able to determine, it was true," Question corrected. "It was, but no longer is. Ted, I have to ask you something and I want you to answer to the best of your ability."
Ted slowly nodded, looking uncertain. "Uh, sure. I guess."
"It's important."
"Alright, I'll answer. Just ask already."
"When did we first meet?" Question asked.
Ted frowned in thought and ran a hand through his hair. "Uh, it was on that case with the...Enigma, wasn't it? With all the booby-traps?"
"Yes. What year was that?"
"What?"
"What year?" Question hissed, then shook his head and waved that away with one hand. "No, here's one, when did you first put on the bug costume. Hm? When was that?"
Ted stared at him, confused. "The first Blue Beetle asked me to--"
"That's not when, that's why," Question snapped. "When, Ted?"
"When he died," Ted snapped back.
"Fine, when were you born? How old are you, Ted? How long have you been the Blue Beetle?" Grabbing Ted's shoulders and shaking him, Question growled, "Give me years, Ted! Dates, times, whens and how longs! Can you do that?"
Narrowing his eyes, Ted knocked the man's hands from his shoulders and glared irritably at him. "I don't see what that has to do with anything," he said slowly and precisely. In his peripheral vision, he could see Booster standing up.
"Cognitive dissonance," Question murmured. "You can't make sense of two conflicting but equally true facts. Your life doesn't fit, so you refuse to examine it."
"Doesn't fit?" Ted demanded, pointing a finger at him. "What the hell are you talking about?"
"You don't remember, do you?" Question murmured.
Ted threw his hands up; a creeping sensation of things he didn't want to think about was growing with each word the faceless man said. "Remember what?"
"The end of the worlds."
-----
[ETA of chapter the fifth: plotted, partially written]
Mullet-verse handbook/guide. (AKA "Are you as lost as I am?")
Okay, warnings over! This chapter's pretty tame. ^_^
Also: Updated twice in one week. As far as this story's concerned, that's probably a record. Woohoo!
Beta and suggestions by amarin_rose.
CHAPTERS: { Prologue }{ Chapter One }{ Chapter Two }{ Chapter Three }{ Chapter Four }{ Chapter Five }{ Chapter Six }
<-{ previous story: Little Boy Blue } { next story: Mullet-verse handbook/guide }->
~4th Chapter
As Junior showed Ted crime scene photos, all depicting women arranged to form question marks, Ted began to get an inkling of why the Question was taking this case so personally. If nothing else, the killer seemed to be aware of Question's pursuit.
Booster soon stumbled out of the bedroom, making it to the table before running out of steam. Of course, he ran out of steam behind Ted, with his arms around the man and his chin resting on top of Ted's hair, so he didn't seem to mind. Junior rolled his eyes and made a face before scooping up his dishes and heading for the sink. From above Ted, Booster mumbled something.
"What?" Ted asked.
Eyes still closed, Booster shifted so his cheek was against Ted's hair and he was facing almost where Junior was. "I said rinse it out and put it in the dishwasher."
Startled, Junior stared at him. Then he did as he was told.
Afterward, he returned to the table, scooted a chair closer to Booster and Ted, and climbed up to stand on it. Junior then leaned closer to Booster and started poking through his hair. Booster jerked in surprise and turned to face him.
"Have I interrupted Family Grooming Time?"
All eyes turned toward the window, where the Question stood observing them expressionlessly.
Junior poked Booster's hair again and the man swatted his hand away. "What are you doing?" he demanded.
"Looking for eyes," Junior huffed. "Parents're supposed to have 'em, or maybe just like, some, but you're from the future and between your funky genes, all the radiation, the magic, and the everything, I'm not takin' any chances." Fists on his hips, Junior added indignantly, "I wanna know what I'm gonna be up against before I start sneaking out."
"You're gonna be up against surveillance cameras and a subdermal tracking device if you start sneaking out," Ted spoke up testily.
"Heartwarming," the Question ground out, stalking forward. "But we're wasting time."
Ted stood, dislodging Booster, and pointed at Question. "'We'? We have been here. You vamoosed last night and just got back. A little quick to make accusations, don't you think, pal?"
With a small growl of annoyance, the Question tilted his head in acknowledgment. "Lives are in danger and I'm making no progress on my own," he sighed. "It's been too long since I was last here, I don't recognize.... And it refuses to help me or thinks it already is."
"What--No, who--No, dammit!" Ted growled. "Question, who the hell are we looking for, here?"
The Question stalked past him, shuffling papers around on the table in search of something, movements jerky and anxious.
"Hey, what's that?" Junior asked suddenly, poking at Booster's jaw.
Booster tilted his head away with a look of confused irritation. "What's what?"
"It's like...purpley."
Booster reached up to probe the area under and around his jaw, then his eyebrows rose in surprise. "Oh. Hickey."
"What's a hickey?" Junior asked, eyebrows twisting in confusion.
"Uh...." Booster glanced at Ted, who was very pointedly ignoring him and had turned an interesting shade of pink.
"Here!" Question announced, not realizing he had provided a timely and effective distraction. He shoved a folder at Ted.
"Victor Zsasz, more commonly known as 'Mr. Zsasz' or simply 'Zsasz'. The...exact number of his victims is currently unknown, as no one's ever been able to count all his tally marks and before you ask, yes he adds one for each victim, I assure you there are many more than you can see in the photos."
Ted was flipping through the folder, looking at photos and skimming through various reports and articles on the serial killer, a look of disgusted horror on his face. "And that...that's what's loose in my city?"
"Yes," Question murmured. "And I have to catch him."
Running a hand through his hair, Ted sighed deeply and tossed the folder back on the table. "Why you? And why involve us?"
"Yeah, why not let Batman take care of it?" Booster asked. "It's his mess, let him clean it up."
"It's...personal."
"You said that before," Ted said slowly, then snatched up one of the crime scene photos and thrust it under the bump in the mask that he assumed was Question's nose. "Question marks. That's not what he usually does. What the hell is so 'personal' between you two that a serial killer changed his M.O.?"
"It's difficult to explain."
"Humor us," Booster said dryly.
"Look, serial killers may not be my area of expertise, but I'm pretty sure it's not normal for them to just up and change how they do things." Ted frowned at the faceless man. "He knows you're after him, doesn't he? He knows and he's...what?"
Question hissed out a breath through his teeth. "Mocking me."
"That's what I thought," Ted muttered, looking down. "...I want to be wearing pants when I hear this."
Booster snorted. Question made a confused sound in his throat.
Pulling his robe tighter around himself, Ted scowled and turned toward his and Booster's bedroom. "Pants!"
Only in boxers himself, Booster followed.
---------------
There. Yes, perfect.
She stood out from the crowd, an oasis of polychromatic glamour in a sea of gray mundanity. Sleepwalking, unaware of even her own tragic beauty. Yes, she was perfect.
But not here, not now. She needed to be alone, so he could properly explain things before he freed her. So he could make sure she left the message.
The truth wasn't always pretty, or easy to accept, but it was still the truth. They couldn't afford the luxury of denial for much longer.
And the message would be repeated as many times as it needed to be before the truth was accepted.
---------------
To their credit, it didn't take Ted and Booster long to throw on some clothing. Nevertheless, Question was restlessly pacing when they returned.
Junior appeared to be trying to ask him how he ate without a mouth.
It wasn't clear whether or not the boy knew the lack of mouth was because of a mask.
"I now have pants and feel ready to take on whatever the universe can throw at me," Ted announced. "Take your best shot."
"I'm not from this world."
Ted stared at him, then glanced at Booster. Booster shrugged, grinning. "Shouldn't challenge the universe like that."
"If I didn't know so many alien species, I might be inclined to scoff and call you crazy," Ted sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Please continue."
"Oh I'm as human as you are." The Question paused and made a noise in his throat that sounded halfway amused. It was a sound that had aspirations of being a laugh when it grew up. "I'm just from another Earth."
"Back up the crazy train to Explanation Station," Booster interrupted, furrowing his brow as he sat at the table. "How many Earths are there?"
"One."
"Your math's off," Junior pointed out helpfully.
"There were more," Question explained, frustrated. "Now there's only one."
"Can we go back to where this makes sense?" Ted pleaded.
The Question growled. "Are you familiar with the theory of alternate realities? Many different realities, all existing in the same space but vibrating at different frequencies and therefore out of reach of each other."
"I...yes, but I haven't thought about it in a while." Ted shook his head. "So, what? You're claiming that theory's not a theory, it's reality?"
"As far as I've been able to determine, it was true," Question corrected. "It was, but no longer is. Ted, I have to ask you something and I want you to answer to the best of your ability."
Ted slowly nodded, looking uncertain. "Uh, sure. I guess."
"It's important."
"Alright, I'll answer. Just ask already."
"When did we first meet?" Question asked.
Ted frowned in thought and ran a hand through his hair. "Uh, it was on that case with the...Enigma, wasn't it? With all the booby-traps?"
"Yes. What year was that?"
"What?"
"What year?" Question hissed, then shook his head and waved that away with one hand. "No, here's one, when did you first put on the bug costume. Hm? When was that?"
Ted stared at him, confused. "The first Blue Beetle asked me to--"
"That's not when, that's why," Question snapped. "When, Ted?"
"When he died," Ted snapped back.
"Fine, when were you born? How old are you, Ted? How long have you been the Blue Beetle?" Grabbing Ted's shoulders and shaking him, Question growled, "Give me years, Ted! Dates, times, whens and how longs! Can you do that?"
Narrowing his eyes, Ted knocked the man's hands from his shoulders and glared irritably at him. "I don't see what that has to do with anything," he said slowly and precisely. In his peripheral vision, he could see Booster standing up.
"Cognitive dissonance," Question murmured. "You can't make sense of two conflicting but equally true facts. Your life doesn't fit, so you refuse to examine it."
"Doesn't fit?" Ted demanded, pointing a finger at him. "What the hell are you talking about?"
"You don't remember, do you?" Question murmured.
Ted threw his hands up; a creeping sensation of things he didn't want to think about was growing with each word the faceless man said. "Remember what?"
"The end of the worlds."
-----
[ETA of chapter the fifth: plotted, partially written]
Mullet-verse handbook/guide. (AKA "Are you as lost as I am?")