Blue Beetle: The Series

Author's Note: After watching Linkara's Blue Sky event, I fell in love with Blue Beetle, Ted Kord. It led me to come up with the adventures of one of the most underappreciated superheroes of the DC universe.

I own nothing.

Chapter 1: Passing the Torch.

It was the start of another night in the city of Chicago. Inside of the secret lab of K.O.R.D. Inc. was what looks like a large blue aircraft that is still incomplete. Overhanging lights illuminate the aircraft and the other worktables. The rest of the lab was dark. There was only one man in the lab that was jamming out to 'If This Is It' by Huey Lewis & The News while working on the aircraft. The lab was a mess; gadgets, tools, blue prints, and fabric are all laid out haphazardly. The man turns on the blowtorch as he sings along with the song,

"If this is it! Please let me know. If this ain't love you better let me go! If this is it!" He is welding the ship together and the sparks reflect in his welding mask. After a little bit he sets the welding torch down and walks towards one of his other worktables. On the table is a pair of yellow buggy looking goggles. He grabs them and puts them on his head

"Let's see how these bad boys are doing. Heat vision, zoom in, zoom out, x-ray, and finally night vision." The lights then come on… blinding him. He yells as he rips off the goggles and looks towards the red head that has walked in,

"Melody, could you knock before you come in. Jeeze, what does a superhero have to do to keep his secret lab a secret."

"Ted, it's not a secret if you tell your girlfriend that you are going to be a superhero." She walks over and gives Ted a kiss. Ted reciprocates the kiss and moves to stand to her left. Melody starts to look over some of the gadgets on the table.

"This place looks like a dump; How can you find anything in here?"

"It's not a dump, its organized chaos."

"Well, I can barely find anything in this place."

"Just tell me what you need to find and I'll tell you where it is."

"I need to look over some of your so called gadgets," Melody says as she starts going through the different gadgets on a nearby worktable.

"What's this one?" Melody was holding up what looks like a gun but the exit hole was much larger than needed for an actual bullet. Ted looks excited as he explains the specs,

"That is the air gun. It's an amazing thing. It fires a concentrated blast of air up to 20 feet away. And it's non-lethal. It's like getting punched in the face by a black belt 500 times. Come on shoot me! When do you get the chance to shoot your boyfriend?" Melody shakes her head as Ted puts on his goggles to get ready for impact.

"Ted I can't do this, you're too sweet."

"Remember our company's Christmas party?"

POW.

Ted flew back and he lands amongst his equipment. Melody powerwalks to Ted and kneels next to him,

"Ted, you ok?"

"Uuuhhh…ggg"

"You're right. We will need to recalibrate this and lessen the impact and the force needed. Otherwise you will be putting more bad guys in the ICU than jail. And you're not Batman Ted," Melody finishes as she pats Ted lovingly on the head. After a loud beat, an alarm sounds and Melody immediately goes to the big computer set on the side of the room. As she was typing, Ted sits up slowly groaning,

"What's going on?"

"It looks like a fire has broken out. At an apartment complex, the whole building is inflames."

"How far is the fire department from there?"

"Not too far but the traffic is preventing them from getting there. According to airwaves, there are still people trapped in there." Ted stands up and takes off his lab coat revealing his blue shirt and jeans. The shirt has the picture of a blue beetle on it. The only thing covering his face was his goggles. He puts on blue gloves and wraps a utility belt around his waist. As Ted fills his utility belt with gadgets he tells Melody,

"Melody, I need you to monitor everything and keep me updated at all times. Do you think you can do anything about traffic?"

"I think I can hack into the system and secure a route for the fire department." Ted nods as he heads towards the beetle mobile, a modified blue Lamborghini.

"Wait, Ted don't forget these," Melody first holds out an ear piece,

"With this, we can communicate with each other and this," she holds out a bottle of gel like substance,

"This is a heat resistance gel; it can retard third degree burns. Be sure to put this on any part of you that's exposed. Good luck Ted." Ted smiles as he takes the gel and puts in the earpiece. He gives her a kiss on the lips and starts to walk away,

"How many times do I have to tell you? I'm Blue Beetle." He gets into the car and peels out of the warehouse and through the secret exit. A normal-looking giant sign on the side of the building lifts up and the Blue Beetle's ride drives through onto the street. As he was driving Ted talks into his earpice,

"Melody, what's the fastest route?"

"I'm sending it to your car's GPS right now."

The car's GPS guides Ted to fastest route to the fire. Before Ted knows it, he was parked outside of a nearby building. He climbs to the roof to get a better view of the raging fire. He pushes a few buttons on the side of his goggles and scans the building

"I see 5 people still trapped in there. Did you get that Melody?"

"I hear you loud and clear," Melody says through his earpiece,

"How are you planning on getting there?" Ted pulls out a stick with a small hook,

"I got this idea from Batman, it's a grappling hook!" He aims and lets the hook fly and attach itself to the top of the burning building. Holding on to the other end he jumps off and swings across the distance and busts through one of the windows. The shattered glass falls to the ground as Ted rights himself and looks around. His earpiece buzzes,

"Ted, did you put on that flame retardant gel?"

"Yeah, I put it on in the car." Even with Melody's gel, the building was hot. Flames encased the furniture and walls. A thick black smoke sits on the top of the rooms and halls making it hard to breath. Ted pulls out a mini oxygen tank,

"Say Melody, I was thinking after this we get some Thai food and go back to my place, watch a movie. How about Back to the Future, Pretty in Pink, Ghost Busters, Princess Bride, everybody loves the Princess Bride."

"That doesn't sound bad, won't be too hard considering I just moved into your penthouse."

"I know, I still can't believe it."

"Ted, how are you doing on the rescue operation?" Ted grabs the handle of the first door he finds,

"I'm about to reach the first person." Ted opens the door and looks inside and sees a small child, a young boy. He walks to the cowering child and holds out his hand,

"Hey, I'm T-err Blue Beetle. I'm here to rescue you."

"Like Batman?" the kid asks in awe.

"Like Batman," Ted echoes.

"You are not Batman Ted," Melody replies in the earpiece. He ignores her comment and kneels down, keeping his hand held out,

"I'm going to need you to come with me; we're going to save as many people as we can." The kid nods and lets Ted pick him up. They make their way out of the room and down the hall; after he checks a few other rooms, he finds the last four civilians all huddled together. He starts motioning them to follow him to safety,

"Ok, come with me. We're going to take the emergency stairs and get out of here."

"W-who are you?" someone asks.

"I'm the Blue Beetle," Ted says sticking out his chest with some pride.

"You look different… Did you change your costume?"

"Yeah, but that's not important. We need to get out of here," Ted says as he ushers them out of the room. They keep running down the hallway towards the steps,

"We're almost there! The steps are—" A loud crash and falling debris stops the small group in their tracks. Where the steps once stood was now a pile of rubble. Ted backs away from the scene and tries to calm his beating heart.

"What do we do now?" one of the trapped people asks. Ted looks at the worried faces and the small kid in his arms while flames surround them on all sides,

"Uh… we need to keep moving. We need to find a nearby window. I have a plan."

'I don't have a plan,' Ted thinks. They backtrack to a nearby room and to the window inside.

"What's your plan?" someone asks,

"We're 15 stories up!" Ted tries to rack his brain for a solution but comes up with nothing. All of the sudden the sound of the sirens fill the air and he hears Melody's voice through his earpiece,

"Ted, look outside the window." He scrambles to the window and looks towards the street and sees fire trucks parking and firemen running out with hoses.

"You're a lifesaver you know that," Ted whispers.

"I know," Melody responds. A fireman points to their window,

"Look! I see people in there! Get a ladder!" Ted looks behind him and sees the sea of fire raging,

"There's not enough time, get a net!"

"You heard him!" The fireman yells to his crew as they prepare the net.

"Ok, who wants to go first?" One of tents raises his hand and does the brave act of jumping out the window and into the safety net below. Everyone follows his lead till it was only Ted and the kid. They walk to the window and look down.

"You scared?" Ted asks. The kid nods,

"Uh huh."

"I'm scared too. This is my first day as a superhero. But I'm not going to let fear stop me and neither should you. … Have you ever wanted to fly?" The kid nods.

"Tuck your head and knees in and stay in a ball. It will be the best ride of your life." When the kid was ready Ted threw him out the window.

"Ok, my turn," Ted says and just before he goes to the window he notices someone run by the entrance of the room.

"Melody, there is one more still in here. I'm going to go get him!"

"Ted it's too dangerous! Get out of there; you don't have much time left!" Ted runs into the hallway and sees the silhouetted figure grab the handle of another door.

"Wait! You can escape over her—" Ted is cut off by explosion of flames as the silhouetted figure opens the door. Ted is flown back by the force and crashes to the floor.

"Ted! What the hell is happening?!"

"There was a backdraft," Ted looks at the sea of flames and notices the lack of any possible life,

"I- I couldn't save him."

"Ted, we'll talk about it later, get out now!" Ted shakes the thoughts from his head,

"Don't have to tell me twice." Ted makes his way back to the window and uses his grappling hook to lower himself to the ground. As soon as he lands, he bolts away from the scene, not looking back.

"Hey! Where are you going?!" a fireman yells after his running form. A nearby reporter snaps a quick but blurry photo of Ted running away,

"Who the hell was that guy?" The kid Ted had saved spoke up,

"That was the Blue Beetle." The reporter looks shocked at first then smiles,

"I guess the Blue Beetle is back."

Back at Ted's penthouse, Ted and Melody sit on his couch with Back to the Future playing on the HD TV in front of them. Thai takeout was sitting on the table in front of them and Melody was rubbing aloe vera on his burns.

"Oh, that's cold," Ted said.

"Oh quit crying you big baby, you only have yourself to blame, what were you thinking, running after a shadow and almost getting yourself killed." Melody finishes putting the aloe vera and moves away from Ted. Ted goes closer to her and sees that she has a worried look about her; he moves closer to her and he starts to pet the back of her head feeling her soft red hair.

"Melody, what's wrong?"

"I have never been more worried about you than ever. It was your first day and you almost died."

"It was just a fire."

"That's just it! It was a fire. Next time you're going to be fighting criminals, super villains, and who knows what else!"

"Melody, you were all on board with this when I originally told you what I wanted to do. What made you change your mind?"

"Reality Ted. I almost lost you tonight. I didn't think of a gadget to put out the fires. I could have increased the strength of the creams so you wouldn't get hurt. I could have-"

"Melody, you'll think of it next time."

"What if I don't?"

"Then I'll think of it, I'm a pretty good scientist."

"Ted, think of the world we live in. The Flash can break the sound barrier, Green Lantern has the ability to create whatever he wants, Wonder Woman is an amazon princess who is blessed by the Greek gods, and Superman is… Superman!"

"And what's the point?"

"My point is that you're just a regular guy."

"There are other superhero's like me; Wild Cat, Green Arrow, and of course Batman."

"Do you hear yourself?! Wild Cat was a champion boxer and now he is in his 60's and has a six pack, Green Arrow is a master marksman who can hit anything, and Batman… well he's just insane."

"Melody, I'm a skilled scientist and martial artist. I know how to think on my feet and I'm always moving forward. Besides I have something they don't."

"What?"

"You." Melody was a little stunned at Ted's remark and lets Ted get close to her again and wrap his arms around her,

"Melody, you are brilliant scientist, a wonderful person, and I'm glad you know my secret. I trust you and as long as you are by my side we will face whatever happens, together." Melody and Ted lean in close and start to kiss. She takes off her shirt and Ted removes her bra and tosses it onto the TV.

"Oh, Ted."

It was now morning at the K.O.R.D. Industries building with people coming at the start of the workday. The outside of the building looks like something out of the Fountain Head with amazing architecture and tinted blue windows. Ted and Melody are walking into the lobby next to each other; the inside of the lobby are filled with bright colors and big statues.

Ted and Melody are now at the elevators, ready to go to their separate places; they turn to face each other.

"You have a good day today Melody."

"You too Ted,"

They give each other a quick kiss and Ted presses the up and down button on the elevator to call for two elevators. The right elevator opens, it is going up and Ted walks into it, meanwhile Melody takes the left elevator that is going down.

Ted's elevator stopped at the top floor. Ted walked out into an office; first he passes by a woman with big pink sunglasses doing her nails with a phone headset on. This woman is Angie, Ted's secretary, who looks as if she has not been paying attention to the world around her.

"Good morning Angie," Ted said in his pleasant manor.

"Good morning Mr. Kord." Angie said with her Long Island accent while not taking her eyes off her nails.

"Any call?"

"No."

"Any messages?"

"No."

"Anything for me?"

"Let me check…..No."

Ted lets out a deep sigh and walks over to his desk.

"I'll be at my desk if you need me."

Angie looks at Ted and she notices something different about him.

"Did you get a tan?"

Ted thinking on his feet came up with the first thing on his mind.

"Um…Yes I….have a….tanning bed in….my bed room."

"Well you need to work on it, looks horrible."

"Thank you Angie, I appreciate your honesty."

Melody's elevator stops at the one of the lower floors, the doors open and she walks into an amazing science lab that looks very clean and sterile. She grabs her lab coat and walks through a barrier for decontamination. Once she gets through the barrier she is greeted by one of the scientist; he's a heavyset old black man with a shaved head and a bright white beard.

"Good morning Melody," The old man said.

"Good morning Duncan," Melody said with a bit of spring in her voice.

"You seem like you're in a good mood; sleeping with your boss has it benefits."

"Technically Duncan, you're my boss."

"Yeah, but who do you think signs our checks?"

"His dad, who happens to be CEO of K.O.R.D industries. Ted is just V.P."

"That may be a good thing," Duncan holds up his hands in peace,

"Now don't get me wrong, Thomas has been my best friend since we attended MIT together. He's a hard worker and knows how to get things done. While Ted may be his son and has the potential, he tends to waste it."

"Ted's a good person and he's brilliant and he has more heart than his father does."

"Hey, Thomas is not as heartless as you think. He may come off as cold but he has a much heart as Ted."

"I'll believe it when I see it. I just think everyone is underestimating Ted and what he is capable of."

"Now that is something I need to see to believe."

Ted looked at his watch. 10:00 am. He let out a bored sigh: he wanted to be in his lab, working on his latest amazing gadget, not chained to this desk, playing vice-president for his father. At least he was a little bit better choice than Oliver Queen who was known as a playboy. He didn't have crazy parties at his penthouse every night, date underwear models, and crash his car every other Wednesday. No, Ted was a hard workingman… who was currently bored. He sighs as he stares at the paper work before him. His thoughts are interrupted when the intercom on his phone goes off,

"Mr. Kord," Angie says through the speakers,

"You're father wishes to see you." Ted pushes the intercom button,

"Well he does own the building; he can come in here at any time."

"He wants you in his office."

"Did he say why?"

"How should I know?"

"You're a peach, you know that Angie. Well, hold my calls and if I get fired be prepared to help me move my stuff out."

"I'll be on break."

"Of course you will." Ted leaves his office and makes his way to the elevators. He pushes the up button and waits patiently. He hopes the elevator takes its time because he was not looking forward to seeing his dad. It's not like they had a loving relationship, a few handshakes here and there and call once a year for Christmas; but that was it. Ted doesn't have any idea what his father wants from him. He boards the elevator and makes his way to the top floor. Standing outside his dad's office, he prepares himself to knock when a voice sounds through the door,

"Come in, Ted."