Me in Comic Books: Startup Escalation 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 Future 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 .
Future: Scene 1 2 3 4 .

Uh oh, this single-issue comic book story and stageplay of mine is becoming a whole four-issue limited series! Like that's never happened before in the history of comic books. Usually, it becomes a six-issue series with crossovers...

Anyway, welcome to Part 4 of 4.

Me 2004 in Comic Books

Picture the Future

Persons Represented

All scenes take place in the northwest corner office of the Freedom Engineering Research Group, East Douglas, Massachusetts, U.S.A.

Previous Scene

SCENE 4. Once again it's morning, but the sun is not shining through the windows yet. The office is unpowered and unlit.

Enter Wyatt Ferguson, dressed in jeans and a T-shirt.

Wyatt. (proclaiming tiredly) Escalation Fergatos Crucifer.

Lights turn on, radio turns on, computer powers on, and two TV screens light up with different computer displays. Wyatt continues on to coffee pot, and moves around office as the news goes on.

NPR. - NPR morning news, November 9, 2004.

Wyatt. (interjects, talking to himself) I guess I got the timing right today.

NPR. President-Elect Orrin Hatch is claiming a mandate for sweeping change.

Wyatt. God help us.

NPR. Foreign reaction has ranged from anti-American prayers in Paris, to Canadian women offering to form a muhajadeen group to cross the border and fight for abortion rights.

Wyatt. Oh goody. We're not just Balkanized, we're Afghanisized.

NPR. Investigations into the missing scientists and sociologists have made no progress. Several are missing from locations in Massachusetts, New York, Illinois, California, and Washington state. One left a note, saying he was joining a voluntary exile.

Wyatt. I still can't believe Ellipsis really did it. Him and all his friends who can't stand losing.

Computer. (ring) Phooone!

Wyatt. Escalation Fergatos Quietus.

NPR goes silent.

Wyatt. Escalation Fergatos Farspeaker.

Wyatt picks up headset.

Wyatt. Hello, Freedom Engineering Research Group...

Wyatt. Hi Jill. I called because Julie could use an old friend right now. Her husband left her last week.

Wyatt. Yes, really. No forwarding address.

Wyatt. Yes, on Election Day.

Wyatt. No, she's really not taking it well. She's been sitting in her room in the dark all day.

Wyatt. Yes, in the dark. If she were at least in the terrarium, I'd be less worried.

Wyatt. Well, he might be under influence. There was a minor demon snooping around here a while back. Easy enough to resist, but Ellipsis might be really susceptible. And it came back with Ellipsis for the breakup.

Wyatt. Yeah, I've already followed up with my mage contacts. They don't know of any demon named "Onslaught"...

Wyatt. Yeah, really, "Onslaught". The only "Onslaught" that shows up in their encyclopedias, was some guy's imaginary friend that he blamed for a demon onslaught or something once. They think our demon's real name might be "Malice" or "Menace" or something. And I've met a "Malice" before, so they might be right.

Wyatt. So, do you think you can make it?

A moment of silence.

Wyatt. What do you mean, "stopped working"? Teleportation devices don't just stop working.

Wyatt. ... Well, Ellipsis did say he'd cut off our whole universe from other universes. This probably includes teleporters.

Wyatt. Oh yeah, I can definitely come when they need me. Someone's got to tell the U.N. about this place Ellipsis went to, and I'm the only one who can.

Wyatt. Well, do you think you could come pick Julie up and drag her along with you while you go cope with the situation? She could definitely use some motivation.

Wyatt. Thanks, Jill. We'll save a room for you.

Wyatt. Goodbye.

Wyatt hangs up phone.

Wyatt. (speaking to himself) And Julie's usually one of the happy people. (in lower voice) Aside from how much she says she cries.

Wyatt. I guess we're going to find out how the rest of the world will react, now that the Rapture's already happened and only the scientists got invited.

Curtain.