Blue Beetle #1: The Search
By Jamags
Present Day:
The Kord Industries headquarters in Hub City sat dark, still, and empty. Jaime Reyes, the new Blue Beetle, descended from the sky and landed outside a large, steel door with a blue scarab painted onto it.
Jaime: This looks like the place.
He walked over to a control panel next to the door and touched it. It flared to life.
Control panel: Please provide password authorization.
Jaime (Startled): Uhh…
Control panel: Password not recognized. Access denied.
Jaime: Scarab, can you… Do something about this?
The armor formed a plasma cannon.
Jaime (exasperated): I meant something that wouldn't let the entire block know we're breaking and entering here.
A cable shot out of his blue beetle armor and plugged into the control panel.
Scarab: Accessing door controls.
Control panel: Warning! Foreign program detected in-in-in-in-iiiiIIiIIiIIIIIiiIIiiiiInNnnnNNNN-access granted.
The door slid open.
Jaime: Thanks.
Scarab: The plasma cannon would have been more effective.
Jaime rolled his eyes and walked into the dimly lit room. There were a few security systems, but they had been deactivated. On the other side, there was a long hallway extending downward, underneath the Kord Industries building. Jaime looked around.
Jaime: I don't suppose there's a lightswitch in here.
The armor formed a flashlight on his shoulder.
Jaime (sighing): It'll have to do.
He descended down the hallway. There was no evidence of anyone or anything other than him being there, but the dark, disused base still gave him an uneasy feeling. He reached the end of the hallway and a door slid open, revealing a vast room filled with trophies and gadgets. Along one wall was a case containing two costumes.
One was the one warn by Ted Kord, the previous Blue Beetle. The other, Jaime didn't recognize. In the center of the room, there was a massive bug-shaped vehicle, which appeared to be an aircraft of some sort.
At the back of the room was what Jaime was really here to find. Ted Kord's computer. Jaime hoped he could find some answers there. He walked over to it, and tapped the spacebar on the keyboard. The computer turned on.
Jaime: I wonder who he was… No. First thing's first. Find out about the scarab.
He searched through the files of the computer, eventually finding a folder on Kord's research into the scarab. The first file was Kord's notes on how the scarab was discovered.
12 years ago:
Archaeologist Dan Garrett and the various men and women he'd brought with him on his expedition stood outside an Ancient Egyptian temple.
Dan: This is the place?
Guide: Indeed, sir.
Dan: At last! The temple of Kha-Ef-Re! Just wait until they here about this!
He ran forth and stopped himself just before passing through the doorway.
Dan: Still, I should probably be cautious about this.
He pulled a stone out of his satchel and rolled it through the doorway. Nothing happened. He began to walk through the doorway, but felt a hand on his shoulder.
Man: Sir?
Dan: It could be dangerous in there. Even if this place doesn't have any death traps, it's bound to be structurally unstable after all this time. If something happens to me, Ted, I want you to tell them what I found.
Ted: If that's the case, shouldn't you have someone with you?
Dan: No. I'll do this alone.
Dan continued down the entrance hall. Ted waited until he was almost out of sight, and followed anyway. They walked down what felt like endless hallways, going through twists and turns and the occasional trap, which Professor Garrett proved quite adept at locating and diffusing.
Eventually, they reached a central chamber. There was a large stone circle in the middle. It was surrounded around the edges with columns. In the center, there was a sarcophagus.
Dan walked over to it, while Ted stayed in the shadows. There was something blue sitting on the sarcophagus. Dan picked it up and dropped it in his satchel. Suddenly, the whole building began to rumble. Dan's eyes widened and he immediately ran for the door. The moment he passed, Ted followed. They rushed out of the building as it began to collapse in on itself. Ted dusted himself off and circled around so as not to let Dan know he had followed him in.
Ted: Professor Garrett, are you all right?
Dan (panting): Yes, I… think I'll be fine.
Ted (looking at the ruined temple): I'm sorry…
Dan (Pulling the blue, scarab-shaped object out): Doesn't matter. I've got this.
Ted: What is it?
Dan: Legend says Kha-Ef-Re ruled and protected his lands using a magic talisman in the shape of a blue scarab.
Ted: And that's it?
Dan: Yes! And I have also gathered incantations, which could be used to activate it!
Ted: Well… What are you going to do with it?
Dan: Test it. Study it. If it doesn't seem dangerous, I might even use it.
Guide: Perhaps we should return. Sandstorms are all too frequent in these lands.
Dan: Yes… Very well.
Present day:
Jaime: Dan Garrett… Never heard of him, but who was… Of course! Ted Kord must've been one of his students.
The next file was on how Garrett first activated the scarab.
12 years ago:
It was nighttime, and Dan Garrett's classroom was dimly lit. Most of the class had left. Ted had stayed behind, curious about the scarab.
Dan: I've found these inscriptions are common to all accounts detailing Kha-Ef-Re's use of the scarab. I believe I can pronounce them, but I don't know what they mean.
Ted: Are you sure about this? It could be dangerous.
Dan: If we never did anything that could be dangerous, we'd never get anywhere. The best we can do is hope it won't be.
Ted: I suppose so.
Dan spoke the words from the inscription. Nothing happened. He did it again. A soft humming sound came from the scarab. He began to chant as the scarab started to glow, and then there was a bright flash of light. When Ted was able to see again, Dan was almost completely covered with a strange blue material, which were both rocks hard and completely flexible. Dan was startled and grabbed onto the back of his chair, snapping it off.
Ted: Professor! Are you all right? What is that blue stuff?
Dan: Yes… It's… some sort of armor… I… I think it worked!
He pressed down on his desk, and it broke under the pressure, spilling everything onto the floor.
Dan: It did work! I've unlocked the power of Kha-Ef-Re!
Ted: If you don't mind my asking, sir, what do you intend to do with it?
Dan: I can study it; try to understand it. Maybe I can test it. With a little modification, this can make a costume.
Ted: So, in other words, you become a superhero to test its capabilities?
Dan: I don't know. Maybe. What do you think?
Ted: I think it's a great idea! Then again, I have a habit of thinking that bad ideas are good ones.
Dan: All right then. I'll test it out tonight.
Present day:
Jaime: So… You're… Magical?
Scarab: Activation via sorcery interferes with functionality. Ill-advised.
Jaime: Guess not then.
He brought up the next file.
Jaime: This one's on how Kord got the scarab.
Scarab: Warning: Security forces in vicinity. Recommend preemptive strike.
To be continued...