Blue Beetle (1) Checkmate

Back To The Island

Ted stood in front of the massive blue aircraft. Dust covered it and the room. Ted pressed a key on the side of the aircraft opening the door. He walked on board grasping the full interior of the aircraft. In the aircraft there was a variety of items. From a pair of blue night vision goggles to a blue laser gun. There was a massive screen in the centre with a control panel to control it. The front of the aircraft was a massive one way window, one seat and controls to fly the aircraft. Ted pressed a button on the control panel in the centre which opened up a hidden wardrobe, which had a collection of blue suits inside. Ted picked one up noticing it's resemblance to Dan's suit the day he died. Ted put it back in the wardrobe closing it as he walked to the helm of the aircraft. He sat in the seat at the front, but as he went to use the controls he realised he had no clue how they worked. Ted rummaged around eventually finding the manual for the ship. Ted opened the manual and started to read the first instruction.
"Don't operate this aircraft if you are drunk, high or hungover" Ted read out to himself. "Well I was never really one for rules anyway" he joked to himself before he read on.

Maxwell Lord's Underground Base

Ace walked over to where Max was sitting. The monitor beamed bright into Max's eyes.
"They found where the relic is" Ace stated to Max. Max sat up in his chair encouraging Ace to continue. "They say it's on the island on Pompeii" Ace stated with a smile. Max leaned over typing on the computer. A map came up onto the screen. A map of the island of Pompeii.
"Where exactly?" Max asked his eyes laser focused on the screen.
"In the volcano" Ace stated disappointed. Max smiled as he looked at the picture of the volcano.
"Set up the jet" Max stated laving his chair and walking to a table where a load of gear had been set out.
"You can't be serious. That's an active volcano" Ace protested. His moans fell on deaf ears as Max continued to gather equipment. Ace begrudgingly went to set up the jet. The jet was large and and filled with custom wines and leather seats. Ace went and sat in the cockpit as he started to run the engines. Max climbed aboard dumping all the equipment in a overhead locked before he sat down in a comfy leather chair. The jet started to lift of as Ace drove the jet down the runway of the garage. As they reached the exit the jet flew off into the air and headed towards Pompeii.

Kord Industries Basement

Ted flopped down in the seat as he tossed the manual onto the controls. He sighed as he pressed one of the buttons, turning on the engine. He pulled a leaver which opened the door for the aircraft to get out of the basement. Finally he lifted up the steering stick and pushed forward. The aircraft hovered in the air before moving forward. As he travelled out of the basement the night sky shone through the tinted yellow window. The air brushed past as he traveled through the air Ted looking out the window, looking over Blue Valley. He pushed forward increasing the speed of the aircraft and heading to Pompeii.

Pompeii

Ted slowed down as the the island of Pompeii got closer and closer. He stared at the molten remnants of people lost. The volcano had been declared active since 2010 and Ted's first trip to the island. He flew to the top of the volcano avoiding all the hardened lava that remained at the foot of the volcano. The aircraft hovered over the side of the volcano as it lowered itself down to let Ted off. The door opened and Ted walked onto the rocky terrain on the volcano. He made his way further up as the heat became more unbearable. As he reached the top of the volcano Ted saw a jet parked close to the centre of the volcano. Ted stumbled down the inner side of the volcano, walking up to the jet. The entrance to the jet was wide open but the inside was completely empty. He looked inside the jet to see who's it was. Inside the jet Ted ruffled through some draws and and secret compartments, eventually finding a folder. Inside the folder was a picture of all three of the relics. Below the pictures say a bit of text. Ted read the text the words scuffed and broken due to the ancient nature of the text. 'The three statues of the pharaoh Kha-Ed-Re. Each holds a piece of his soul. He brought great fear upon Egypt and all of its enemies. Kha could control anyone he wanted, and make them do anything. Which is how he grasped control of Egypt many years ago. He was finally vanquished by ancient beetle god, and his soul was trapped in these three statues. We have scattered these statues across the world in hopes we will never have to fight this demon again. If Kha is released may the god have mercy on you'. Ted dropped the file on the side and began to run out of the jet. As he exited Ace and Maxwell Lord exited an opening of the volcano, with the relic tightly grasped in Max's arms.
"Max?" Ted questioned confused to see him there. Max looked to the side of Max noticing Ace. "What are you doing here? And with a murderer" Ted proclaimed anger starting to rise at the sight of Ace.
"Ted, now listen. I didn't want it to be like this but this is the only way" Max stated holding out his hand warning Ted to not move. Ted ignored the warning jumping at Ace as he tackled him down into the crater of the volcano. They rolled down the edge of the crater stones, rocks and dirt covering them as they hit the bottom. Ted stood up his face covered in dirt as he clenched his fists. Ace stood up to face him his white armour now a dirty grey. Ted through the first punch but Ace dodged it, grabbing Ted u set his leg and slamming him onto the floor. Ted grunted as he lost his breath from the impact. Ace climbed on top of Ted and began to hit him with a flurry of punches to the face. Blood started to splatter of Ted's face as the hit kept coming. All of a sudden the punches stopped, all that could be heard was the echoes of a gunshot. Ted opened his bruised eyes to Ace clutching his neck as blood started to trickle through his fingers. He fell of Ted collapsing onto the dirt as he gasped for life. Ted looked up to the top of the crater. Max stood at the top the relic in one hand and a recently fired pistol in the other. He had stern expression on his face as he turned and walked back to his jet. Ted looked to his side seeing the corpse of Ace. Ted got up blood dripping from his mouth. He climbed out the crater as he watched Max's jet fly off into the sky. Ted slowly stood up using the bigger rocks as supports and made his way back to the aircraft. He got on board typing in the coordinates of Kord Industries Labs before collapsing onto the he floor of the aircraft and passing out.