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Post by DocQuantum on Dec 24, 2023 23:35:07 GMT
The snow-covered backyard, once echoing with playful laughter, was now completely deserted. "Girls? Where are you?" Kevin Boyd called out, his voice tinged with growing concern.
Having noticed his distress, Angela Revere followed him through the house to the backyard. "Um... is everything all right, Mr. Boyd?" she inquired, concern on her face.
Kevin's heart beat wildly as he stood there in confusion. "My, uh, my daughters are missing!" he exclaimed, his voice panicked. "My girls were just out here playing with the Shape, and now... now they're just gone!"
"The Shape?" Angela repeated, her eyes widening. "That action-hero? I heard about him on the news once or twice."
"Oh, shoot," Kevin said, wincing as he realized he had inadvertently revealed the Shape's presence. Still, that was the least of his worries now. "Yeah, the Shape was here, but now he's gone, along with my girls!"
Placing a calming hand on Kevin's trembling shoulder, Angela said assuringly, "Don't worry, we'll find them. Now let's stop and think calmly. Where is the most likely place they might be that you haven't checked yet?"
Kevin took a deep breath, trying to gather his racing thoughts. "They love hiding, especially from me. They could be anywhere!"
Panic set in as Kevin scanned the yard again, but could find no trace of the girls or the Shape except for a few scattered footprints in the snow. His mind raced, contemplating where they could be.
Glancing over at the adjoining doorway that led into his uncle's old laboratory, Kevin snapped his fingers. "The lab!" he exclaimed suddenly. "They might be in the old lab."
"Your uncle's old laboratory?" asked Angela.
"If I've told those girls once, I've told them a thousand times not to go anywhere near that old lab!" he grumbled, his voice trembling with worry as he moved toward the doorway.
As they entered the adjoining building, the old weathered door creaked open, revealing an eerie darkness within.
"Rachel? Stacy? Shape?" Kevin called out, his voice echoing through the vacant laboratory. He hit the light switch, but none of the lights turned on. "Dammit! I should've switched out the bulbs months ago! Can't see a thing in this dim light!"
Angela followed him in and glanced around, concern etched on her face. "We'll find them, don't worry. Let's split up and search."
As they carefully combed through the dusty lab, shadows danced ominously across the walls. But neither his girls nor the Shape were anywhere to be found.
Instead, all they saw was evidence of stolen equipment everywhere, with the heavy dust upon the floor disturbed by several large footprints. Moreover, the garage door was left open, the pieces of the severed lock scattered on the ground outside.
"What the heck happened here?" he cried in outrage. "Who would break into my lab and steal everything in sight?"
Angela Revere, looking remorseful and teary-eyed, decided to confess. "Mr. Boyd -- Kevin, I... I have to tell you something. It's about my uncle."
Kevin looked confused. "What would your uncle have to do with my uncle's lab?" he said, almost laughing at the odd remark that didn't seem at all relevant to the situation.
Angela sighed. "My uncle is... Doctor Spectro."
Kevin frowned. "Doctor Spectro, the super-villain? What does he have to do with this?"
Angela began to sob as she said, "He forced me to come here and falsely extend an offer from Kord to buy your scientific equipment, but I never realized until now that he just wanted to use me as a distraction while his gang broke in and looted the whole lab! And I certainly never wanted you or your daughters to get hurt!"
"Are you freaking kidding me?" Kevin cried. "I thought you were just a nice, pretty girl at my doorstep, but it turns out you're some kind of grifter?! Your uncle's gang might have taken my little girls!"
"I'm so sorry, Kevin," Angela said desperately. "My uncle has been living with me for the past few months, and it's been miserable. He's terribly ill, and much too scared of the law to venture out, and he's been pressuring me to help him steal things that might restore his powers and cure himself. He even made me steal from my office."
Kevin's expression softened slightly, but he still felt a mixture of outrage and disappointment. "Well, 'Angela' -- if that is your real name -- you should've just gone to the police instead of helping your crooked uncle with anything! Now my daughters could be in danger! I've got to go after them."
Angela reached out to touch Kevin's arm, pleading with tears in her eyes. "Please, Kevin, don't go alone. We can find them together. I'll do whatever it takes to make things right. Just don't put yourself in danger."
Kevin hesitated, torn between his anger and concern for his daughters. "No," he said resolutely. "I need to get my daughters back, and there's no time to lose! Now, where do you live? I'm assuming your uncle's gang is off to meet with him at your house."
After Angela relayed the address, she grasped his arm again and said, "Kevin, please reconsider. I don't want you to get hurt. This is a dangerous situation. We need help. We should call the police, or even better -- Blue Beetle. He could help us."
Kevin huffed, dismissing her suggestion with a wave of his hand. "Blue Beetle? That flashy hero wouldn't know the first thing about rescuing my girls. I'm their father, and it's up to me to protect them."
"Then let me come with you!" said Angela.
Shaking his head, he said, "I can't take a chance on trusting you, Angela. I'm going there alone, and that's final!" Kevin shook off her arm and stormed off. "And try not to steal anything else while I'm gone!" he said over his shoulder as he jumped into his beat-up old Subaru parked on the street, leaving Angela standing alone beneath the garage door.
Angela's face fell, and she looked devastated. "Please be safe, Kevin," she whispered.
As she watched him disappear down the empty street on the outskirts of town, she wiped away her tears and took a deep breath, determined to make amends and prove herself worthy of trust once more, even if it meant admitting everything she had done.
Reentering Kevin's house, Angela began pacing back and forth, her face filled with worry. She took a deep breath, realizing she needed to make a difficult decision. Finally reaching for the phone on the wall, she dialed a number. The phone rang, and a confident-sounding male voice answered.
"Ted Kord here."
"Mr. Kord?" Angela said nervously. "This is... this is Angela Revere."
"Angie?" replied Ted. "Merry Christmas! How can I help my favorite secretary on Christmas Day?"
"I'm afraid this is urgent." Angela sighed deeply, then blurted out, "My uncle is Doctor Spectro, and he's been living at my house for months now, and he made me steal electronics and other stuff from work, and now he's sent his gang to Kevin's uncle's laboratory to steal everything in sight, and they might also have taken his two little girls, and now Kevin is about to face off alone against Doctor Spectro and his gang at my house, and I'm terrified he's going to get hurt or worse! Is there anything you can do?"
The phone was silent for several moments as Ted Kord took in all this information at once.
"Mr. Kord?" Angela said hesistantly.
"I... think I understand the immediate situation, Angela. I'll do everything in my power to help, and we can talk about the rest later. Let me contact a friend of mine who's a bit more experienced in dealing with these types of situations."
Angela's eyes brimmed with tears as she felt a glimmer of hope. Relieved, she replied, "Thank you, Mr Kord. I knew I could count on you."
***
In downtown Hub City at his office, Ted Kord hung up the phone, then quickly made his way to the secret underground headquarters below his scientific laboratory. Descending into the hidden lair, he quickly changed into the iconic blue action-hero costume he wore as the Blue Beetle. The Bug, a sleek flying craft equipped with state-of-the-art scientific gadgets, awaited him.
"Doctor Spectro, eh?" the Blue Beetle said to himself. "He's given Captain Atom some trouble in the past, but I've never faced him one on one before. Shouldn't be too much of a problem, though. After all, how hard can it be to beat a human flashlight?"
Ted, now fully transformed into the Blue Beetle, strapped himself into the pilot's seat. The Bug hummed to life, its advanced technology ready for action. He set the coordinates for Angela's house, which he'd quickly looked up and memorized during the phone call, and took off into the bright morning sky.
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Post by DocQuantum on Dec 24, 2023 23:35:57 GMT
The living room of the suburban house-turned-hideout bore witness to the aftermath of a successful heist. Stolen scientific equipment cluttered the dimly lit space as the three crooks carefully placed a large crate on the floor.
Looking around, Dapper Dan said, "Boss, we got the stuff. Everything you asked for."
Nevada nodded his cowboy hat-wearing head. "Yep. Wasn't easy, but we managed to snatch it without too much of a hitch."
"An' we even brought youse a li'l bonus," added Bruno, smirking as he carried in the unconscious form of the Shape.
The door creaked open, revealing Doctor Spectro, an old super-villain adorned in a lab coat. He entered the room with anticipation gleaming in his eyes.
"Finally, my time has come," he whispered in a hoarse voice, regarding the artificial man with curiosity as Bruno laid him on a table. "Come, show me what else you've brought."
As the crooks unveiled the stolen scientific equipment from the crate, Doctor Spectro's eyes ignited with excitement. "You have brought me the Spectroscopic Neutrino Regenerator as I requested?" inquired the old villain, peering his eyes over the device.
"Excellent!" he said, grinning. "I had hoped that Professor Duba's equipment, some of which once created the Shape, could restore my light-based powers. But having the Shape himself is even better! With his artificial body at my disposal, I will surely find a cure for my own diseased body."
"What's wrong wit' you, anyway, boss?" asked Dapper Dan. "You been acting strange lately."
With a sigh, Doctor Spectro explained, "I have an unknown disease that's slowly killing me. If I cannot find a cure soon, I won't have much time left." He grinned as he peered over the form of the Shape and added, "The Shape may be the answer to all my worries!"
"That's rough, boss," said Nevada. "But how does this bozo fit into all this?
Doctor Spectro's eyes narrowed as he gazed at the unconscious Shape lying on the nearby table. "The Shape possesses the ability to manipulate his own matter," he said, pondering the possibilities. "And if the rumors are true, that ability of his was originally derived from light itself. If I can harness that power for myself, it might just be the cure for my disease."
Raising an eyebrow, Bruno asked, "Yer plannin' ta steal da Shape's power? What if dat don't work, boss?"
"Desperate times call for desperate measures," Spectro replied, determined. "I'll do whatever it takes to save myself."
Uneasy glances were exchanged among the crooks, uncertain of the consequences of his plan.
"Boss, uh, are you sure about this?" asked Dapper Dan. "What if something goes wrong?"
"Don't worry, you'll get paid either way," replied Doctor Spectro, guessing the cynical reason behind his apparent concern. "But I have no other choice. This is my last hope. We'll proceed cautiously, but we must act quickly."
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Post by DocQuantum on Dec 24, 2023 23:51:10 GMT
Chapter 5: All Gone Pear Shaped
In the dimly lit basement laboratory of Doctor Spectro, the Shape slowly began to regain consciousness. His vision blurred, he found himself bound to a gurney, surrounded by the eerie glow of makeshift apparatus. Doctor Spectro, a frail yet determined figure, stood nearby, anticipation gleaming in his eyes.
"What... what's going on?" said the Shape, dazed. "Ooohhh... Did anybody get the number of that truck?"
Doctor Spectro chuckled. "Ah, the Shape finally awakens. Yes, I know who you are, action-hero. You see, my dear Shape, I have plans for that radiant light within you -- plans that will restore my powers and cure my disease... though I'm afraid I hold little hope for your own survival once I take the light from you."
The Shape's eyes widened in realization, his voice filled with desperation. "You can't do this, Doctor Spectro! You'll end up killing me!"
The gaunt figure with pale skin and wild eyes glanced up from his controls, a wicked grin spreading across his face. "Oh, my dear Shape, you underestimate my thirst for power," Spectro sneered. "I will drain you dry, and no one will be able to stop me."
"You won't get away with this!" cried the action-hero. "Release me now!"
Ignoring the Shape's pleas, Spectro's attention was diverted by the sound of a creaking floor in the upstairs living room. Turning to Bruno, he ordered under his breath, "Find whoever that is and bring them directly to me."
Moments later, after the sound of a brief scuffle, Bruno came downstairs holding two struggling little girls in his arms. Rachel and Stacy, trembling with fear, had been dragged into the laboratory.
"What are these brats doin' here?" cried Dapper Dan. "They must'a followed us!"
Grinning, Nevada said, "It 'ppears as if we got some unexpected guests, boss."
"Stowaways," explained Bruno. "Must'a snuck onto the truck while we was loadin' it. Found 'em snoopin' around upstairs."
Doctor Spectro smirked, his eyes narrowing with malicious intent. "Just dispose of them quickly," he said, gesturing dismissively with one hand. "They're of no consequence."
"Whaddya mean, boss?" asked Bruno, frowning.
"You know what I mean," replied Spectro. "We can't afford to leave any witnesses behind at this stage."
Bruno hesitated, his conscience weighing heavily on him. "But... boss.... dem goils is just innocent kids... An' -- an' it's Christmas Day, fer cryin' out loud!"
"You heard my orders, Bruno," said Doctor Spectro. "Now carry them out."
Bruno's internal struggle quickly reached its breaking point, and he knew what he had to do. Placing the girls carefully on the ground, he pushed them behind his large form, then lunged at the other crooks, catching them off guard with his swinging fists.
Rachel and Stacy seized the opportunity, their eyes widening with hope. Rachel whispered to her little sister, "We need to run, Stacy! Now!"
Breaking free from the crooks who fought to move forward to catch them, the girls sprinted toward the stairs. Still, Bruno fought valiantly, buying them precious time.
"Run, goils!" cried Bruno. "Get outta here!"
As Rachel and Stacy made their way upstairs and through the darkened corridors of Angela Revere's house, they could hear the sounds of a fierce struggle in the basement below.
"You filthy traitor!" yelled Dapper Dan. "We'll deal wit' you later!"
As the girls escaped through the back door into the backyard, their hearts pounded with adrenaline. Bruno continued to fend off the other crooks, his determination unwavering, but the battle was moving closer to them.
Teary-eyed, Stacy said, "We have to get help, Rachel. We can't let Bruno get hurt helping us!"
Nodding, Rachel said, "You're right, Stacy. We need to find someone who can stop Doctor Spectro and save Bruno. But who?"
***
As Kevin Boyd raced his beat-up Subaru through the icy, suburban streets of Hub City, fear etched across his face, he finally arrived at Angela Revere's house. Spotting a box truck alongside the house that he guessed was used to steal the equipment from his lab, he knew swift action was needed to save his cherished daughters.
"I can't let them hurt my girls," he said to himself in a determined voice. "I have to do something!"
With resolute urgency, Kevin's heart raced as he sped his Subaru toward the house, but when he tried to brake his car to a quick stop in the driveway, the sheen of ice proved to be too slippery for his bare tires. Losing control, Kevin ended up crashing his beat-up old car into the side of the house. The impact sent shards of glass and bits of debris flying everywhere.
The loud commotion also disrupted everything that was going on inside. Enraged, Doctor Spectro emerged from the basement, his flickering light-based powers reflecting his anger.
"Who dares to interfere with my plans at such a critical juncture?" cried Doctor Spectro, emerging from the destroyed living room into the front yard and quickly spotting the stunned driver emerging from the completely totaled Subaru.
Smoke billowed from the car's engine as Kevin stumbled out, still in his pyjamas and dazed from the crash but still determined. "I'm a single dad," he declared, fists clenched at his sides, "and I'm here to save my little girls!"
"You'll pay for this, interloper!" Spectro growled, raising one frail hand to unleash his remaining powers upon the hapless young man.
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Post by DocQuantum on Dec 25, 2023 1:13:38 GMT
As Doctor Spectro's body began to glow with powerful red light, he was about to strike the man when he suddenly stopped, for he had noticed a huge shadow move over the house. "What in the world--?" he muttered, and turned to look up into the sky.
The advanced flying craft known as the Bug had arrived, and with it the heroic Blue Beetle, champion of Hub City.
As the Bug hovered above, Blue Beetle descended from it with precision and grace upon an extendable cable lift. Landing a few feet in front of Doctor Spectro, the skilled, athletic action-hero stood ready to thwart the villain's ambitions.
"Doctor Spectro, I presume," said Blue Beetle. "Your light tricks won't work on me."
Recognizing the famous action-hero, Spectro clenched his teeth in frustration, realizing that his nefarious plans faced yet another obstacle. "Blue Beetle! Neither you nor any of your other costumed buffoon friends will stop me this time!"
Swiftly engaging Doctor Spectro in hand-to-hand combat, Blue Beetle's agility and combat skills proved a formidable match for the fading powers of the villain. As Spectro shot blast after blast at the action-hero, Blue Beetle dodged them easily.
As the battle intensified with each passing moment, Kevin watched in awe as Blue Beetle fought the villain. A renewed sense of hope filled his heart, realizing he was not alone in this fight.
"Blue Beetle!" cried Kevin. "Please -- he's got my daughters!"
Focused on the fight, Blue Beetle nonetheless heard Kevin's plea and nodded in determination, redoubling his efforts to reach his frail but still-formidable foe.
Down the street, Angela Revere arrived upon the chaotic battleground in her own car, pulling up to her driveway. Her eyes widened in shock as she took in the ruins of her once-pristine home. On Angela's front lawn, chaos reigned supreme as the Blue Beetle and Doctor Spectro clashed in an intense battle, causing even further destruction all around.
"Oh my goodness!" Angela cried, looking horrified as she emerged from her car. "What happened to my house?"
Amidst the chaos, Kevin spotted Angela and realized the danger she was in. Desperately trying to get her attention, he shouted, "Angela, watch out!"
Reacting swiftly, Kevin tackled Angela to the ground just as a deadly beam from Doctor Spectro's weapon whizzed past them. Angela looked up at Kevin, gratitude filling her eyes.
"Kevin?" she cried gratefully. "Y-you saved my life!"
Catching his breath, Kevin glanced around and watched the ongoing battle.
Shaking his head, Kevin said, "I'm sorry for crashing my car into your house, Angela. But right now, we need to find Rachel, Stacy, and the Shape. They're still in danger, and we can't get through the front! Where's your back door?"
"It's... in the back," replied Angela.
Determined, Kevin and Angela made their way toward the back of the house, where the sounds of the struggle on the front lawn still echoed. There, they found the strange sight of one big, burly man apparently protecting Rachel and Stacy from two sinister-looking men trying to catch them, but the big guy was clearly reaching his limits. He was swaggering and looked like he was nearly ready to keel over.
"Girls!" cried Kevin, grateful that they were still alive.
Rachel and Stacey, Kevin's young daughters, spotted their father, and their frightened faces lit up with joy. "Daddy!" they cried in unison.
As the fight continued in the back yard, the battling crooks blocked Kevin's path, preventing him from reaching his girls.
"I can't get to them!" Kevin cried in frustration. "It's impossible!"
As Angela clutched behind him for safety, Kevin shouted to his girls, "What in the world happened?"
"We stowed away on the crooks' truck and got caught!" explained Rachel.
"Yeah, but Bruno saved us!" added Stacy. Peering at Angela with a curious look, she asked, "Who's the pretty lady with you, Daddy?"
"I-I'll explain later," said Kevin. Turning to the big guy, he shouted, "Bruno, you're a hero! Hang in there, buddy!"
"Wha--?! I'm a... hero?" repeated Bruno, dumbstruck. A smile passed over his face as he thought about it for a moment. Then he frowned, and with a surge of determination, Bruno summoned his last reserves of strength and delivered a powerful blow to his fellow enforcers, knocking out Dapper Dan and Nevada before collapsing to the ground himself.
Kevin and Angela moved forward, and the girls immediately rushed into their father's loving embrace, tears of relief streaming down their faces.
"Girls, I'm here, I'm here!" cried Kevin. "You're safe now."
Angela looked over at Bruno, now wearing a proud smile. She approached him with gratitude in her eyes. "Thank you, Bruno," she said sincerely. "You saved their lives."
Bruno weakly raised his thumb in response before the crook-turned-hero passed out from exhaustion.
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Post by DocQuantum on Dec 25, 2023 1:24:51 GMT
In the dimly lit basement laboratory of Doctor Spectro, the Shape battled through the haze of consciousness. His head throbbed as he struggled against the restraints keeping him bound to the cold metal table. Sweat dripped down his forehead, partially obscuring his vision. Strapped down, the very lasers stolen from the laboratory where he was first given life now slowly drained his life force from him. Panic gripped him as he looked around and realized Doctor Spectro was slowly killing him, the sinister machine above whirring and blinking with ominous purpose.
Struggling to keep from passing out, the Shape muttered to himself, "No... can't let this happen!"
His determination surged as he contorted his form, straining against the restraints. But his shape-shifting abilities had been greatly diminished by the device, and the many tight bindings over his form held firm, thwarting his efforts.
"Come on, come on!" he cried through gritted teeth.
As the Shape fought against his restraints, his body writhing with determination, he inadvertently dislodged a control panel on the Spectroscopic Neutrino Regenerator. A shower of sparks erupted, creating chaos in the lab. The lights flickered and the machine's humming grew louder, indicating imminent danger.
Startled, the Shape redoubled his efforts, harnessing his innate abilities to break free from the metal bindings that held him captive. With a burst of strength, the restraints snapped, freeing him from the table, but leaving him on the wrong side of toppled equipment that had been set ablaze.
Terribly weakened by his ordeal, the Shape tried to make his way through the inferno, a mix of fear and determination etched across his face. But the cascade of impending disaster had already been ignited, one that was loud enough to be heard from outside.
Doctor Spectro, abandoning his battle with Blue Beetle, ran back into the half-destroyed house and rushed down to his basement laboratory, only to find it in blazes and the Shape freed from his bindings.
"You!" cried Doctor Spectro, his fury intensified from the chaos around him. "How dare you ruin my plans!"
"Wait!" said a desperate Shape. "The equipment -- it's gonna explode! We need to get outta here!"
"Bah!" cried Doctor Spectro, consumed by desperation as he focused the machine on himself. "This machine has already stolen some of your light, and I mean to have every last lumen of it for myself!"
"Please, Spectro," pleaded the Shape, "we can still make it out alive, if we work together!"
Consumed by his lust for power, Doctor Spectro turned to face the Shape, his eyes ablaze with madness. "I won't leave -- not when the ultimate power is within my grasp!" he screamed, a manic fervor gripping him.
"Spectro, you fool! Can't you see you're going to destroy yourself?" the Shape cried, but Spectro's only answer was a fit of coughing from the smoke.
Undeterred, the Shape reached out in an attempt to save the old villain from himself. Yet his stretching powers had only begun to recover, and he had run out of time. He needed to escape by any means possible before they were both killed.
Locating a narrow window, the Shape pulled himself out through it to the side of the house. But he couldn't let Spectro die without trying to help him again. "It's going to explode, Spectro! Get out while you still can!"
But it was too late, for in that split second, the room was enveloped in a blinding explosion that blasted him away from the window.
As the Shape crawled out onto the front lawn, covered in dirt and scratches, he struggled to regain his senses as the Blue Beetle rushed toward him, concern on his face.
"Shape, is that you?" cried the Blue Beetle. "Are you all right, pal? What happened in there?"
Before the Shape could respond, the rumblings of further explosions began to rip through the laboratory.
Within the crumbling basement laboratory, Doctor Spectro frantically attempted to salvage the damaged machinery, but it was futile. The energy surged beyond control, culminating in a catastrophic explosion that consumed the villain and laboratory alike in a blaze of light, destroying the rest of the house as well.
Long moments passed as the smoke cleared to reveal a scene of destruction. Blue Beetle cautiously surveyed the wreckage of Angela Revere's suburban house, seeking any trace of Doctor Spectro's remains, only to find a heap of ruined machinery.
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Post by DocQuantum on Dec 25, 2023 1:39:14 GMT
Moments later, the stunned Kevin Boyd and Angela Revere emerged from the backyard, Rachel and Stacy in tow. The two little girls, still in their Blue Beetle and Booster Gold pyjamas, stared in wonder as they beheld the famous Blue Beetle standing before them.
Looking around, Angela said, "Where is he? What happened to my uncle -- to Doctor Spectro?"
Still examining the wreckage, Blue Beetle replied, "It seems he either perished in the explosion or somehow escaped, Miss Revere. But if he's still out there, the Sentinels of Justice will find him."
The chaotic aftermath of the Christmas Day explosion echoed with the blaring sirens of ambulances and the hurried footsteps of emergency crews. Amidst the confusion, the police took charge, preparing to detain the three crooks who were now at the mercy of the law.
"All right, don't give us any trouble," warned one of the officers, sternly eyeing the badly beaten crooks. "We've read you your rights."
As the handcuffs clicked into place, Kevin stepped forward, a plea in his eyes. "Take it easy on Bruno -- he's the one who saved my little girls. He deserves a chance to turn his own life around."
The officer paused, glancing at Bruno skeptically. Touched by Kevin's compassion, Bruno made a silent vow within, a commitment to change his tumultuous path, and smiled as he said, "You take care o' dem goils o' yours."
"I will," said Kevin. "And thank you for standing up for them."
Bruno nodded and said, "Hey, what else could I do? It's Christmas Day, after all!"
Blue Beetle, who had been speaking with some of the police officers, walked over to the Shape, whose recuperative powers had already fully restored him. "You, my friend, are a shape-shifting marvel! Would you consider joining the Sentinels of Justice? We could use someone with your unique talents."
"Would I?" the Shape cried, his eyes sparkling with excitement. In an instant, he transformed the top of his head into helicopter blades, a visual spectacle that captured everyone's attention as he began to rise into the air, crying, "Whoop-eee-eee-eee!"
A moment later he pretended to lose control, then comically fell back to the ground, morphing into a bouncing rubber ball at the last moment.
Blue Beetle chuckled. "Well, maybe we need an action-hero who can also lighten the mood a bit. What do you say? Do you accept my offer?"
The bouncing Shape, still grinning, nodded enthusiastically as he replied, "I do! I do! I do!"
Kevin, Rachel, and Stacy then approached the Shape, offering their congratulations and saying their goodbyes.
"We'll miss you, Shape," Rachel said, her tone tinged with sadness.
Stacy, her eyes brimming with tears, asked, "Will you promise to visit?"
The Shape, bending down to wrap his arms around them in his malleable form, assured, "I'll visit as soon as I can. You kids ain't seen the last of me, that's for sure."
Kevin, nodding in approval to his old friend, turned his attention to Angela, whose face flushed bashfully.
"I-I know we got off on the wrong foot," she began. "I'm so sorry for my role in your lab getting looted. I'm afraid none of that equipment is salvageable."
"All I care about is that my girls are safe," assured Kevin. "And you helped save them. It was you who got Blue Beetle's help, wasn't it?"
"Well, I called my boss, who called Blue Beetle in, but I guess so, yeah," she replied, adjusting her glasses. "I've... got a lot of explaining to do at work, too."
"I'm sure you'll be all right once everything is settled," said Kevin. "I mean, I know what it's like to have an uncle who doesn't exactly have your best interests in mind. Anyway, I think we have a lot in common."
"Daddy likes you," interrupted Stacy. "Don't you, Daddy?"
Kevin's face flushed red in embarrassment. "Well, I... I guess I do."
"Aren't you gonna ask her out?" asked Rachel.
Kevin laughed. "I would like to see you again, Angela."
Moved to tears, Angela nodded and said, "I like you too, Kevin. Maybe we'll meet again someday, once my life gets back to normal."
Kevin, ever the gentleman, flashed a warm smile. "Why not come over tonight for dinner? I can't let a pretty girl like you spend Christmas Day alone in the rubble of her destroyed house, now can I?"
"We're having turkey and mashed potatoes!" Rachel said excitedly.
"And stuffing!" added Stacy.
Angela, her smile growing, nodded and said, "I'd love to."
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Post by DocQuantum on Dec 25, 2023 3:56:56 GMT
Epilogue: The Shape of Things to Come
The living room, adorned with the remnants of a recently celebrated Christmas party, exuded a festive air. Kathy, a beautiful young woman in her late twenties with blonde locks, bid farewell to departing friends at the front door of her Florida townhouse.
"Thanks for coming, guys!" she called. "I had a great time!"
The door closed behind her friends, and a sudden heaviness settled upon Kathy's expression. Collecting empty cups and discarded wrapping paper, she became lost in her thoughts.
Abruptly, her face began to contort, freezing in place.
"What... what's happening to me?" she cried, panic and confusion rising.
Kathy suddenly collapsed to the floor, her body seized by convulsions. Desperate to reach out for help, she found her limbs paralyzed.
"Relax, Kathy. Take deep breaths. It'll be over soon."
"Who... who's there?" Kathy said, struggling to speak as she listened to the voice. It was a calm, deep voice, like that of a doctor at her hospital bedside. But there was nobody else in the room. It also sounded familiar, but she couldn't quite place it. "H-how are you in my head?"
"Calm down, Kathy. Just trust me, and let yourself go."
As Kathy listened to the soothing voice within her mind, her panic gradually subsided. Ceasing the fight against her own body, her muscles relaxed. In a few tense moments, Kathy's body began to rise from the floor, guided by an unseen presence.
"What's happening to me?" whispered Kathy. "Wh-who are you?"
"My name is Dr. Emery Thomas Specter, Kathy. I thought I was lost, but I've managed to cheat death once again. And now... I live on through you."
Horror soon gripped Kathy as she realized her body was no longer under her control.
She tried to scream, "No! This can't be happening!" But no words came from her throat.
Emery Thomas Specter, now fully possessing Kathy's body, threw his head back and laughed maniacally, shouting with her voice, "Doctor Spectro may be dead -- but Spectra lives on! (*) Ha-ha-ha!"
[(*) Editor's note: See Sentinels of Justice: Another Crisis on Earth-Four.]
The Master of Moods was no stranger to death and resurrection, for he had died once before twenty years prior. And when he finally managed to regather his dissipated energies, it was in the form of five distinct but much smaller figures resembling the original Doctor Spectro. Each bore a unique hue, four exuding malevolence while the fifth, in a serene shade of purple, radiated kindness rather than wickedness.
It was this benevolent purple Spectro who befriended a young blonde girl named Kathy who had been confined to a hospital due to an unknown ailment that had crippled her. Utilizing restorative rays developed during his past life as Dr. Emery Specter, the compassionate Spectro healed Kathy, giving her the ability to walk once again. Later, as the five entities coalesced into a singular Doctor Spectro, the virtuous essence of the purple Spectro endured. However, despite his attempts to combat malevolence with goodness, the overpowering force of evil subsumed him. (*)
[(*) Editor's note: See "The Five Faces of Doctor Spectro," Captain Atom (Charlton) #81 (July, 1966).]
A grown-up Kathy would pay the price for her childhood friendship with the purple Spectro, whom she had thought to be an elf because of his size and strange appearance. It had been that tenuous connection from twenty years earlier, in which his light-based powers had healed her, that now allowed Doctor Spectro's transient energy form to seize upon for his second resurrection. Deep within Kathy's being, the true owner of the body screamed desperately but futilely, trapped and helpless indefinitely.
The End
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Post by DocQuantum on Dec 25, 2023 4:02:41 GMT
It only took five years, but this story is officially DONE! Please let me know what you think! And let me know if there is anything that is confusing or needs more explanation. My apologies for the heavy history lessons in the early chapters. It took a while to get to the action, and for that I apologize. I couldn't figure out a better way to present the story while providing the background.
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