Blue Beetle (1) Checkmate

Kathrine Kord

1998

The rain thundered down upon the black umbrella. Kathrine Kord stood at the foot of the gravestone covering Ted as he planted the flowers on his farther's grave. Tear flooded their eyes as they remembered him. They planted the flowers and walked to the entrance of the cemetery. A car waited for them as the rain started to flood the roads. The door opened and they entered. Kathrine and Ted sat in the leather seats facing Max and Jarvis. They all kept their heads down in silence as they drove back to Max's house. They pulled down the massive driveway and close to the doorway. The driver got out of the car opening it for the four passengers inside. Max tipped the man and followed the others inside. Max lead the three into the living room as he went to get drinks. He returned with three glasses of whiskey and can of Fanta for Ted. They sat here in silence drinking their drinks. Not long after Ted fell asleep with his head rested on his mother's lap. She picked him up quietly and carried him to the room he had been staying since the death of his farther. Jarvis soon followed to one of the many other guest bedrooms. Max stayed in the living room as he poured himself another glass. Kathrine returned to the living room and sat down next to Max. Max picked up her glass and asked if she wanted a refill. Kathrine nodded and Max filled it up. They talked and they drank. And they kept drinking until Kathrine planted a kiss on Max. Max looked at her confused as he put down his glass. She did the same. She crawled over to Max pushing him down against the back of the sofa and planting more kisses. Max broke up the kissing as he spoke.
"Are you sure this is what you want?" Max asked. Kathrine nodded as she continued with her kisses. Max picked her up carrying her to the bedroom. He closed the door behind him and dropped Kathrine on the bed as he returned the kisses.

The Next Morning

The sun broke through the curtains of Max's bedroom. The quilt only slightly covering Max's nakedness. Kathrine lay beside him her hand on his chest and the rest of the quilt covering her. Max's eyes opened to see Kathrine sprawled out on his bed. He smiled as he eyes fluttered open. "Morning" Max stated with a smile. He leaned in to kiss her but she pulled away tumbling out of the bed, dragging the quilt down with her. She stood up her back pressing against the wall. "What's wrong?" Max asked concerned and worried about Kathrine.
"This was a mistake" Kathrine stated as she started to stumble out of the room.
"Wait, stop" Max blurted out as he pulled in a some tracksuit bottoms to follow her. Kathrine ran to her room and put on some clothes. Max stood in the doorway as she turned around. "What are you doing? What's wrong?" Max asked as Kathrine stared at him.
"I have to go" Kathrine sated as she pushed past Max and headed down the stairs. She left through the front door as Max rubbed his hand through his hair in frustration. Suddenly he heard a gunshot come from outside the house. Max rushed out of the front door to see Kathrine laying on his pebbled driveway, as blood started to flow out of her stomach. Standing above her was a man in a full black suit, with a spider logo covering his face. The smoke from his pistol still flowed out of the barrel from the recent shot. Upon seeing Max he turned and grappled away. Max ran to Kathrine's side as her life started to fade away.
"Why didn't you listen to me" Max stated through muffled cries. Kathrine brushed the side of Max's cheek with her hand before it fell lifeless onto the floor.

2022

Kord Industries Lab

Ted and Booster were adding the finishing touches to the suit when Boosters gauntlet pinged. Ted looked at Booster's gauntlet in confusion.
"What was that" Ted asked. Booster looked down at his gauntlet and then turned to face Ted.
"Oh I just set my gauntlet go off if Maxwell Lord is sighted" Booster stated casually. Ted stared at Booster. Booster then realised what it meant and jumped up startled. "Shit we need to go" Booster stated. He started to walk out the room. Ted grabbed the suit and started to follow.
"How we going to get there?" Ted asked as he started to put on the suit. Booster turned around to see Ted in the full suit. The trousers were a mesh between dark and light blue traversing up to his top. A beetle insignia was outlined on the chest as the colours splashed down the sleeves of the suit. His mask fell over his face leavening his mouth and chin exposed to the air. His eyes were covered with dark yellow goggles. Booster smiled as he admired the suit.
"We get there the same way I got here" Booster declared boldly. They say in the two seat left on the bus as they traveled through Blue Valley. A bunch of teenagers on the bus stared at them as the bus took them to their destination. Booster noticed the teenagers and decided to speak to them. "Hi" Booster stated with a smile and a wave.
"Why are you dressed like that?" One of the teenagers asked.
"Comic-Con" Booster stated proudly, prompting a weird loo from Ted.
"Virgins" one of the teenagers stated as he turned to speak to his friends.
"I'll have you know I've done it with many women, multiple at once sometimes" Booster blurted out unconvincingly. The teenagers laughed as they continued their conversation. Ted grabbed Booster by the shoulders calming him down. "It was three women I promise" Booster stated to Ted. Ted just looked at him unconvinced. "Ok it was one, you happy now" Booster continued. Ted leaned back in his seat.
"It was you and your right hand wasn't it?" Ted questioned. Booster nodded in reply. "It okay buddy, we've all been there" Ted stated he patting Booster on the back, as he thought of Melody.

Blue Valley Suburbs

Max walked down the street. Cars parked on the driveways of each house. The street came to an end curving off into a turning point for cars. He walked through the middle of the street blocking the beeping cars that waited behind him. He reached the house at the end of the street and knocked on the door. The door opened and an old African American man stood in the doorway. He looked at Max confused as Max started to speak.
"Are you Eric Needham?" Max asked with a cold, emotionless voice. The man nodded as he continued to stare at Max. "Let me in" Max stated calmly. Eric started to move back motioning for Max to enter the house. Eric looked confused as he couldn't control his actions. As Max entered the house a woman and a young child entered the room.
"Eric who is this?" The woman asked her hand resting on the child's shoulder.
"Stay there and shut up!" Max stated raising his palm towards the woman and child. The woman went to speak but couldn't open her mouth.
"Who the hell do you think you are coming in to my house and speaking to my family like that?" Eric shouted at Max. Max walked over to the woman and the child. Max turned to look at Eric.
"Stay still" Max stated. Eric was unable to move his body not allowing him to. "Do they know?" Max asked Eric tears welling up in his eyes. Eric shook his head knowing what Max was talking about. Max turned to face the woman and the child, he knelt down in front of the child. "Now I'm going to tell you a secret about your dad" Max stated coldly. "Before he was dad, he was a killer for hire known as the Black Spider" Max stated. The child shook his head as tears started to flow down his face. Eric looked down in shame as Max turned back to face him. "You killed the woman I loved. Do you even remember her name?" Max stated with hate manifesting in his voice. All of a sudden the window broke and Ted rolled through the shattered glass followed by Booster.
"Max stop!" Ted yelled as he started to run at Max.
"No you stop" Max stated as he raised his palm. Both Ted and Booster stopped moving immediately.
"Max whatever your about to do, don't do it. Your better then this" Ted stated trying to convince Max. Max looked at the costumes Ted lifting up his mask so only he could see. He then leaned in close and whispered in Ted's ear.
"You need to see this" Max stated as he pulled down Ted's mask and walked back over to Eric. "24 years ago you killed Kathrine and Theodore Kord" Max stated. Ted looked at Eric with confusion. "Do you even remember them?" Max asked. Eric looked down at the floor as tears started to fill his eyes.
"Every single one" Eric stated through gritted teeth.
"Tears? You ruined so many lives over the years for money. So you and your family could be better off while you destroyed others, and now you show empathy?" Max screamed into Eric's face.
"I'm not proud of what I've done, but I can't change the fact that I did it. Now I spend everyday of my life working with families like the ones I destroyed, and helping them get back on their feet. I know nothing I will ever do will penance for what I have done. All I can ask is for your forgiveness" Eric stated tears starting to leave his eyes.
"I don't forgive you" Max stated coldly as his eyes filled with rage. He pulled out a gun from his pocket handing it to Eric. "Place the barrel under your chin" Max demanded. Eric followed the order as tears rushed down his face and dripped onto the floor.
"Baby, son, I love you" Eric stated through muffled cries.
"Pull the trigger" Max ordered with a cold voice.
"Noooo" Ted screamed unable to move. The gun fired. Blood splattered everywhere as Eric's lifeless corpse fell to the floor. Max turned to face Eric's family, blood covering the left side of his face.
"I'm sorry for your loss" max stated as he walked out of the house.