Blue Beetle (1) Checkmate

Broken

February 2022 - present day

The Kord industries lab felt empty. The lights were off and silence rained the building. The daylight of the outside world broke through the dust on the windows allowing some light to grace the hollow halls. In one of the offices lay Ted, his head resting on his desk. He had a bottle of tequila beside him almost empty, his beard and hair were unkept and his office was a complete mess, with files and stationery scattered everywhere. Ted was awoken by the presence of papers being slammed down on his desk. His head rose slowly as his eyes fluttered open. In front of him stood an asian man in a blue suit and a black mullet covering his head. Ted slightly recognised who was stood in front of him but he asked to make sure.
"Murray Takamoto?" Ted question his vision still blurry after waking up. Murray looked around the dark and messy office picking up the bottle of tequila.
"One dollar tequila. No wonder you look like shit" Murray joked. Ted stood up taking the bottle out of Murray's hand, which Ted proceeded to drink the rest. Ted walked over to the window his disheveled white t-shirt and tracksuit bottoms showing the stains of dirt and neglect. The light coming in from the window burned Ted's eyes he shut the blinds plunge the room into complete darkness.
"What do you want Murray?" Ted asked as he slumped back down in his chair. Murray found a chair in the caps of the room dusting it off before sitting on it facing Ted.
"I'm here to broker a deal, Cadmus labs want to buy your company. And I thought since we were old college buddies you could do me a solid and make me look good" Murray explained leaning forward in his chair and placing a pen on the paperwork he had put on the desk. Ted looked at the pen then looked at Murray, a smile plastered on his face.
"Piss off" Ted stated shoving the paperwork over Murray. Murray jumped out of his seat as the paper flew around the room. He looked at Ted with pity.
"You can't keep this place forever Ted if it's not you that sells it will be one of the board" Murray exclaimed.
"I am the board" Ted stated angrily before throwing the bottle at Murray. Murray dodged the bottle it smashing on the door frame. Murray shook his head as he headed out of the lab the glass from the bottle cracking as he exited. Ted slumped down in his chair with a sigh. "I am the board, what the hell was that. You have better come back then that Ted" he stated to himself. He got up out of his chair and wandered through the halls of the lab reaching the shower room. He got in the shower before running the water. As the water trickled down he felt the coldness fall onto his hands as he checked the temperature. "Still no heat" Ted sighed. "Well that what happens when you don't pay you water bill" Ted stated to himself in a silly voice. He got under the water, it feeling like icicles rolling down his back. After he had finished his shower he walked back to the lab finding a pair of mismatched socks, blue skinny jeans and a black Green Day t-shirt in the lost and found box. "Well this will have to do" Ted stated as he put them on. He put on his Reebok trainers with the soles worn out, the lashes mangled and the back broken. He didn't bother to comb his hair just walking out of the lab and into Blue Valley. He walked down the street to the nearest shop to the lab. The shop was small but bright. The shop was filled to the brim with sweets, chocolate and drinks. The shop keeper had a massive smile on his face as he read the morning paper leaning on the counter. Ted walked straight to the back of the store opening the fridge and getting out a cheap bottle of vodka. He placed it on the counter before counting out his change, dropping it onto the counter as he worked out the amount. The shop keeper thanked Ted as he scooped the the change of the counter placing it into the cash register. Ted walked out the shop the sun glistening of the bottle and into his eyes. As he turned to walk back to the lab he saw someone in his path. "Melody?" Ted questioned despite knowing her face of by heart. Melody has a light blue coat covering his white shirt underneath. She had a blue skirt on and high heels and her name tag resting in her shirt pocket. Her ginger hair seeped out from under her blue bobble hat, falling down to her shoulders.
"Hey Ted" Melody said with with a hint of sadness in her voice. Ted looked at Melody's outfit with a confused look.
"You off to meet friends or a guy?" Ted asked as he tried to remain composed. Melody looked at his confused.
"We're separated Ted not divorced. I just want you to figure out what you want" Melody stated trying to be reassuring. "If you must know I'm of to work" Melody continued. Ted looked at her confused before glancing at the clock in the shop he just left.
"You work evenings at the restaurant, it only 8:30am" Ted responded looking at Melody worried.
"Yeah well with rent prices going up I had to get a second job down at the diner" Melody stated pointing down the street to the diner on the corner. Ted sighed as he looked back at the diner. Melody cut him off before he could speak. "I have to get to work, but it was nice to see you. But you need to figure out what you want Ted" Melody stated as she continued down the street. Ted sighed as he watched her go unscrewing the top of the bottle of vodka before he started to drink it. As he walked back to the lab he stopped as he passed a electronics store with TVs in the window. The news was playing on them. Ted stopped and watched as the reporter stood outside a warehouse as police surrounded the location. The reporter started to speak providing information for the viewers. 'A few days ago multiple relics had been stolen by the infamous thieves The Royal Flush Gang. It has now come to light that in their quest to find a third relic they killed a professor at Metropolis University by the name of Ton J Northrup. The main aggressor ,as Identified by his former gang members, is known as Pudge or as his more recent moniker Ace. This man is extremely dangerous and if sighted you should notify the police immediately.' The reporter finished. "Ton" Ted stated as he looked at the TV in shock. He dropped the bottle of vodka it smashing onto the floor. He rushed back to the lab with fear coursing through his veins. He made it back to the lab, stumbling back into his office before slouching down in his desk. He looked over at the safe he had locked many years ago. He pulled out some schematics from under his desk. They were for an invention, light cloves. Ted looked over the design nodding to himself as he got to work.