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#5
AUG 11 |
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“A Small Problem”
Ryan Choi shivered as he sat in his underwear in the Justice League Watchtower’s laboratory. He’d been poked, prodded and scanned more than he thought humanly possible. Add to that the fact that he’d just discovered that his idol in the physics field was none other than the Atom and he was nearing his breaking point.
Freddy Freeman, once more CM3, stood in the control booth beside the Atom. "How’s it look?” he asked.
The Atom looked up from his instruments and pushed his cowl back. “Not good,” he admitted. “According to his medical records, Ryan’s supposed to be 5’5”, but he’s currently at 4'10" and shrinking.” Tay steepled his fingers and thought a moment. "If we can’t stop this, he’s going to literally shrink into nothingness.”
CM3 looked through the booth’s window at his roommate. “How do we stop it?” he asked.
“I’ve got a sample of the white dwarf matter that gives me my powers stored here,” Ray said. “I’m working on a way to expose Ryan to it and see if that will halt this.”
“Why not just do it now?” CM3 asked.
“Because I have to alter Ryan’s body chemistry like mine was altered,” Ray explained. “Otherwise the matter that makes up his body would become extremely unstable and he would explode within hours.”
CM3 was speechless at the horror of that thought. “Is there anything I can do?” he asked.
Ray pushed away from the console. “Go in there and talk to him.” Ray thought a moment. “I think something’s going on. He was in my physics lab yesterday and he looked like he was almost ready to drop from exhaustion.”
“He hadn’t been in the room for several days,” CM3 mused. “Okay. Just do what you can in here.”
Ray gave CM3 a reassuring smile. “No problem,” he said.
Ryan looked up and saw CM3 walking in. “How are you doing?” CM3 asked.
“Fine,” Ryan said as he looked away.
CM3 pulled up a stool and sat down. “And now what’s really going on?”
“You really have to ask that, Freddy?” Ryan asked. "I find out my roommate’s a super hero! Then I’m in physics lab and not only is my professor another super hero, but I’m in the middle of a super villain attack!” Tears began to flow down Ryan’s cheeks as his voice got louder and louder. “And now I’m on the moon getting tested because I’m shrinking! What happened to my life?” Ryan put his head in his hands and started sobbing.
CM3 reached over and put a hand on Ryan’s shoulder. “It’s okay, Ryan. Ray’s going to get this taken care of and I’ve got the wisdom of Solomon. You’ve got the best guys around working on this.”
Ryan looked up with his eyes red. “Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked.
CM3 paused a moment. "Maybe I should have,” he admitted, "but I just wanted to be normal myself. I just wanted to go to college and live a normal life, or as normal as I can with my leg, and I didn’t want to scare you. I mean, living with a roommate who might be attacked by Baron Evil at any time wouldn’t fill you with confidence about your safety.”
“Why can’t you get attacked by Martha Stewart, who throws delicious chocolate chip cookies?” Ryan asked as a smile tried to come out on his face.
“Great...that’s all I’d need. These tights don’t have a lot of give in them.” Despite himself, CM3 found himself smiling as well.
In the control booth, Ray smiled and nodded as he saw the two friends talking. The smile vanished as he returned his attention to his computer panel.
Bethany Silver found herself looking over her shoulder as she hurried down the sidewalk of Ivy University. The phone calls had been increasing and now she wasn’t sure whether she should be relieved or more nervous since they had stopped so suddenly.
She stopped at the door of the physics building and discovered it was locked. She pulled out her cell phone and dialed a familiar number, but she frowned and ran her free hand through her hair as the call went to voice mail. "Ryan, I don’t know where you guys are, but I’m really looking for you,” she said. “Please come find me. I just…” Bethany’s nerves got hold of her and she disconnected the call before heading to the gym. Surely she wouldn’t be found there.
Dwarfstar cursed as he slammed his fist into a table; the punch overturned the table and fumed. His plan had been perfect! If only that stupid kid hadn’t gotten in the way. If only the trigger hadn’t jammed. If only…
Suddenly a sadistic smile spread across his face. He knew exactly what he would do. He began laying out his plans in his mind. This would take out the Atom, oh yes.
And not even this CM3 brat could stop him.
Ryan looked around the lab. "So, how long am I going to have to stay here?” he asked.
“Not too long,” CM3 replied. “Ray’s working on something to stop this.”
Ryan nodded. "But what if he can’t?”
CM3 thought a moment. "You’re forgetting something: it’s not just him. Ray’s a Justice Leaguer. Superman, Batman, you’ve got some of the greatest scientists alive in that team and that’s not counting their friends. Plus, they’ve got magicians like Zatanna who might take another way to stop this.”
“All right,” Ryan said, “but I’m getting sick of sitting here like some special tribute to Chippendale’s or something.”
“I don’t think a Chippendale would be wearing boxers with chemical symbols on them,” CM3 said.
“An intelligent one might,” Ryan said as he played along. He leaned forward. “But it is pretty boring just sitting here.”
CM3 grinned. “You’re just wondering what you could get into in this lab.”
“Actually, I do have a few ideas,” Ryan said as his eyes started roaming the lab and inspecting the equipment.
“Gentlemen,” the Atom’s voice boomed over the room’s intercom. "May I remind you that you are surrounded by alien equipment and you are on the moon. An explosion or any kind of decompression would be a very bad idea. Give me another couple of minutes and we’ll be ready to give this a try.”
Ray Palmer released the intercom button and smiled. “Why am I not surprised,” he murmured. “Leave the two of them alone in a lab…” His voice trailed away as he completed his calculations and began synthesizing the injection.
Ryan looked up as Ray Palmer walked into the lab wearing a lab coat over his Atom costume with his mask down. He was carrying a syringe.
“This might sting a bit,” he warned as he slid the needle into Ryan’s arm, "but this should stop your shrinking and I’m hoping it will reverse it.”
Ryan grimaced as the chemicals burned through his veins. “Hoping?” he asked. “You’re not sure?”
Ray shook his head. “I’ve never encountered this before,” he said. “One more thing.” He motioned CM3 back as he pulled a remote control from his pocket.
“What’s that?” Ryan asked as Ray pressed a button. A beam of light shone down from above, almost blinding in its intensity. After ten seconds, the beam shut off leaving a blinking Ryan behind.
Ray walked to a console and quickly scanned Ryan’s readings. “Excellent,” he said.
“What was that?” Ryan asked.
“That was radiation from the meteor that gave me my powers,” Ray said. “I hoped that exposing you to it might reverse the effects of the explosion. Go ahead and stand up.”
Ryan did and Ray nodded. “Excellent. It looks like you’re back to 5’5”.” He scanned another readout. “I still want you to go to the hospital with Freddy. I don’t think you’ll have any more problems, but I want them to give you a full checkup anyway. I also want you to check in with me so I can be sure that they haven’t missed anything.”
“You’ve got it,” Ryan said with a smile.
“I’m also sorry about your aunt,” Ray said.
“Aunt?” Ryan asked with a confused look on his face.
Ray smiled. “That would be the sick aunt that you’ve been visiting...at least that’s what I told the rest of your professors to excuse your missing classes.”
“Thanks again,” Ryan said as he clasped Ray’s hand.
CM3 fought down a yawn; it had been a long day. He’d left Ryan at the hospital so they could monitor him overnight per Ray’s instructions. He’d slipped out when Ryan had worn himself out talking about his excitement at getting a tour of the Watchtower.
Still, there was something that Ryan had said. Bethany had been leaving voice mail messages that sounded like something was wrong. Clingy or not, CM3 knew he needed to check on her.
He landed behind the dorm and a quick “Captain Marvel!” called down the magic lightning to return him to Freddy Freeman. He limped into the dorm and sighed with relief when he saw that the elevator was working.
Freddy rode up to Bethany’s floor and walked down the hall to her room. He knocked and Bethany responded with, “Just a minute.”
Freddy smiled and leaned against the wall to wait. Just then he heard a loud crash and Bethany screamed.
“Bethany!” Freddy yelled as he pounded the door. He threw himself into the door and it opened.
He picked himself up to see Bethany standing in her room in a long T-shirt and bunny slippers. Her window was broken.
And there before her stood a man whose presence made Freddy’s blood run cold. Although his appearance was almost comical with his short stature, bald head, and oversized glasses, Freddy knew that he was anything but.
“Get in here and close the door,” Doctor Thaddeus Bodog Sivana ordered. “We need to have a talk.”
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Next Issue: In CM3 #6: Bethany’s secrets are revealed.
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