Characters:
Narrator
Max Thornfield
Crisp
Molly
Slotter
Keane
Jimmy Kovacs
Security Guard

Narrator: Before Alyssa’s words had faded, the Flashpack’s trolley was already falling through the dimensional rift. There was the now expected flash of light and long, low hum. When the smoke cleared, they were on a finely manicured lawn.

Max: Shucks! I had so much I wanted to ask her.

Keane: Well, you know those god-like magical beings. Never ones for long conversations.

Molly: No doubt. Hey, look over there.

Crisp: You mean the big white building?

Keane: That’s the White House, Crisp.

Crisp: There’s only one?

Molly: No, Crisp, there are many white houses. There’s just one White House.

(beat)

Crisp: Is that Zen?

Molly: No, it… (sigh) I’ll explain later.

Max: Well, I guess we know where we are. Now when are we?

Slotter: (as if immune to all outside events) Oh, hey, my watch started again.

Molly: That must mean we’re not Outside Time anymore.

Crisp: Then Drallus’ field is still closing around the Earth.

Keane: There can’t be much time left.

Max: (false bravado, as usual) Well, at least we don’t need to go far to get to Jimmy. Let’s go, gang!

Narrator: The Flashpack ran into the White House. A security guard stepped forward to confront them, but stopped suddenly, his face alight with wonder.

Security Guard: Oh my god…you’re the Flashpack! I’ve read all your comics, you guys are amazing!

Slotter: Yeah, sure, you’re the real hero or something, NOW GET US TO THE PRESIDENT!

Security Guard: (Genuinely sorry) Gee, I’m sorry, guys, but he’s got a lot to do, running the country and all. Do you have an appointment?

Max: Well, no, not technically, but it’s really important, sir. It’s about Drallus.

Security Guard: You guys are taking care of that? Wow! I was so worried, but if the Flashpack’s on it, there’s nothing to get worked up about, right?

Slotter: (verging on – hell, passing – hysteria) THE FUTURE OF HUMANKIND DEPENDS ON YOU LETTING US SEE THE PRESIDENT, YOU BLITHERING SIMP!

Security Guard: Hey, Ms. Slotter, there’s no need for -

Jimmy: It’s okay, John. They’re cool.

Molly: Jimmy, thank God you’re here! Alyssa from Outside Time told us that you’re…

Jimmy: (unfazed) …the reincarnation of Thomas Jefferson, yes, I know.

(beat)

Keane: It sounds less exciting now that you said it.

Max: Jumping Jupiter! You knew all along?

Jimmy: Hardly. I only found out this morning, when a clerk from the National Archive brought me this.

Narrator: The young President handed a piece of delicate parchment to Max. He unfolded it and read it aloud.

Max: To my future self: Dear Sir, it has come to my attention that an imminent threat to our young nation, indeed all of humankind, is upon you. Or perhaps will be. I will confess that speaking to a man some 200 years in the future who is also, in some manner, me, fills me with profound confusion. Regardless of this, however, I ask you to remember that you do not stand alone. As my loyal colleagues – Adams, Madison, Franklin and Washington – men who I consider friends despite our many differences of opinion, remain beside me in the struggle to assure our foundling nation’s survival, so shall these noble souls join you in the battle yet to come. Have faith that Providence shall not abandon you in your hour of need, as I do in mine. Your obedient, T. Jefferson.

Jimmy: That letter was apparently sealed on July 7, 1776. I don’t know how he knew, but he seemed to believe I’m his direct reincarnation, and that you guys are also somehow connected.

Keane: Well, that makes no sense. How could we be part of it?

Molly: It’s not as crazy as it sounds. Have you guys ever heard of a jati?

Slotter: Is this another one of your crazy Buddhist things?

Molly: No, seriously, hear me out. A jati is when a bunch of souls keep reincarnating in similar circumstances. They tend to know each other, or become fast friends very quickly. It’d explain Jimmy’s rapid rise in politics, and how we all formed the Flashpack when we were just kids.

Keane: You honestly expect us to believe that we’re the Founding Fathers of America?

Max: After all we’ve seen, it sounds almost reasonable. Think about it; we’re professional adventurers, traveling time and space to stop those who would dominate others. We’ve been fighting for independence – our own and others’ – since we formed the Flashpack. Maybe we’re echoes of the people who struggled for freedom when this country was founded, fighting another epic battle to defend what we believe to be right.

Molly: In which case, we’ve already got what we need to win; courage, determination, character –

Keane: Yeah, too bad we don’t have numbers, firepower or time. Knowing we have the Tommy seal of approval is nice, but it doesn’t stop Drallus from squishing the planet.

Max: That’s enough of that, Keane. I know the odds may seem slim, but if King George couldn’t stop our Jay-Dee –

Molly: Jati!

Max: - Whatever, then Queen Drallus won’t stand a chance either. Flashpack!

Jimmy, Keane, Molly, Slotter: Flashpack!

Narrator: Jimmy left with Max to call a meeting of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Molly and Keane went to try and repair the trolley to make it space-worthy again. Slotter was about to join them, but noticed Crisp looking at the parchment thoughtfully.

Slotter: What’s up, Crispy?

Crisp: Molly talks about souls and births and destinies. Now this letter confirms everything she says.

Slotter: (not getting it) So….what?

Crisp: So where does that leave me? I’m a clone, Slotter. I wasn’t born. I share a soul with millions of Drallus’ troops. I was destined to enslave the universe. How can I help stop her?

Slotter: Look, guy, I’ve spent a lot of time with the ‘pack. I’ve fought the Spiders from Mars, the Atlanteans – heck, we’ve defeated Cthulhu twice in the last year alone. I’ve seen some of the worst people the multiverse has to offer. And you know something?

Crisp: Many things. What in particular are you referring to?

Slotter: You’re totally different from all of them. (beat) If Molly’s really right, and all this crazy stuff about Jay-Zee –

Crisp: jatis.

Slotter: - whatever – is true, well, then I’m honored to have you be a part of mine. (beat) You with us?

Crisp: All the way, Slot.

Slotter: I told you not to call me that.

Crisp: Oh, because ‘Crispy’ is totally not a demeaning nickname.

Slotter: Well, no, but that’s different.

Crisp: Why’s it so different?

Slotter: It’s funny when I do it.

Narrator: As Slotter and Crisp headed toward the trolley, Molly and Keane were already there.

Molly: Man, this looks bad. It’ll take a lot of duct tape to get the meson emitter back on line.

Keane: We have a meson emitter?

Molly: Yeah, we took it from Dr. Von Wicked’s lair that one time, remember?

Keane: Oh yeah. How’s the transducer looking?

Molly: Totally shot. So much for that lifetime guarantee Julie got…(beat, then sobs)

Keane: I miss her too, Molly.

Molly: (through tears) She was like a sister to me. We shared everything. Now it’s like half of me is gone. I don’t know if I’m strong enough to save the day this time.

Keane: Well, Max didn’t ask you if you were, did he?

Molly: (suddenly, almost angrily) What do you mean by that?

Keane: He just gives us orders and expects things to get done. We lost Julie, for Christ’s sake. How can he expect us to just carry on as if nothing happened?

Molly: I can’t believe you’d say that! You think Max hasn’t been hurt by all of this? He’s buried a lot of friends in the last week, and you think he’s just shrugging it off?

Keane: Then why all the jinkies-gee-whillickers stuff like normal?

Molly: Because if he wastes too much time grieving Drallus will destroy the world! Then he’ll have the deaths of BILLIONS of innocent people on his hands! A good commander has to be able to push on. (beat) And there isn’t a better commander alive than Max Thornfield.

Keane: You really think we can win this?

Molly: If we can’t, then we’ll have tried everything we could before then. Now quiet, that guy’s coming again.

Security Guard: Um, hey Ms. Keane, Ms. Singh. I, uh, thought you guys might want some coffee.

Molly: (bright and happy again) Wow, thanks! Just what we needed, right Keane?

Keane: (nonplussed) Exactly, Molly.

(beat)

Security Guard: So…you knew the President before he got elected?

Molly: Jimmy? Oh yeah, he was a member of the Flashpack for a while.

Security Guard: Yeah, he signed all of his issues for me. What was he like?

Keane: Scared, mostly. He puked on my shoes once on Planet Q.

Molly: Well, yeah, he was always like that at first. But once he got over that, he’d be able to talk his way out of anything. Jimmy’s great like that; he can walk up to complete strangers and make them think they’re the biggest thing in his life. (chuckle) And he could probably sell darkness to the Mole People. Remember that time he seduced the Empress of Alter-Earth?

Keane: That was the one with the big hair, right?

Molly: Well, they all have big hair, but that’s not the point. He was charming her pants off – literally – when an hour before we’d had to drag him kicking and screaming through the World-Door.

Security Guard: Wow, that sounds amazing.

Molly: Pretty amazing. Still, he’s better off as President. He loves helping people, and he can really change this country for the better. Now, we’ve got to get back to work. Thanks for the coffee!

Narrator: After their meeting, Jimmy and Max returned to the lawn.

Max: How’s she looking, guys?

Keane: Like your mom after last night.

Max: What happened to my mom last night?

Crisp: The explosion, remember?

Max: Oh yeah. So she’s pretty beat up?

Molly: All joking aside, yeah. I’m not sure we can get her off the ground again.

Slotter: …which means that we’re pretty much sitting ducks unless we can think of an alternate method of transportation.

Keane: Why so paranoid, Slotter?

Slotter: Am I the only one who realizes Drallus could find us anytime?

Max: It’s a risk, sure, but I don’t think it’s that bad. I mean, she can’t find us when we’re Outside Time and she has no way of telling when we return. I’m not that worried.

Narrator: Suddenly an explosion rocked the lawn, blasting the front of the White House to rubble. Drallus’ Battlenova settled onto the grass.

Max: Me and my big mouth.

Narrator: Can the Flashpack do their previous incarnations proud? How will Alyssa’s warnings figure into their plan? Is Earth’s fate sealed? Find out in the thrilling finale of Epic Echoes: Goodbye Kiss!