EPILOGUE
"Well, Jim, this is it — the end the of our solar system." Artie waved to the planet below them. "Hello, Pluto!"
West chuckled at his friend's childlike enthusiasm, as he had done in life. The long-dead agents made their way toward the planet's surface.
"Hey, Jim! Artie!" It was a female voice.
Before West could utter a word, Artie admonished, "Under no circumstances do we return to Earth! Agreed?"
"Oh, agreed. Agreed."
"All right, then."
"Jim! Artie! I can see you."
Gordon sighed. "What now?"
"That voice sounds familiar."
She was now in their line of sight, waving jovially. "Hey, guys!"
Artie laughed in relief. "Amanda Chin! So, you finally shuffled off this mortal coil."
"I sure did." As with West and Artie, Chin looked as she had in her youth.
A smiling West greeted, "Good to see you."
"You too, Jim."
"So, how old were you?"
"Eighty-five."
"And what year is it?"
"1999. I was hoping to see the millennium, but those damned cigarettes finally caught up to me. Let me tell you, lung cancer's a bitch!"
"I'm sorry to hear that," Artie said.
"Thanks. By the way, we did enter World War Two. And Christ, what a war it was! Along with Germany, we also fought Italy and Japan. But we beat 'em all!"
"Glad to hear it," said West.
"Hitler killed himself in 1945, but his ideas outlived him."
"Isn't that always the case?" Artie sighed. "I only hope America finally let the Civil War go."
"Umm…." Chin quickly changed the subject. "You know what, though? It's all ancient history. You're exploring the universe, right?"
"We are indeed," Artie replied.
"Mind if I tag along?"
"Not at all! Jim?"
"Why would I mind?" West motioned to the planet below them. "Pluto, here we come!"
THE END