She arrived on Earth in a mysterious Symbio-Ship with false
memories and awesome powers and abilities beyond that of mortal men and women....

Issue #15

Threads

Written By Paul Daimler

Karen Starr stood as close to the barrier that separated the arrival gates of the Century City International Airport from the area people could wait for friends and family to arrive in. The monitors said that the plane from Denver, that one that had started it’s trajectory in San Francisco was unloaded at this very moment. Karen looked radiant in a smart white business suit. Sunlight streaming through the skylights in the airport’s ceiling caused the gold in her blonde hair to shine.

“I can’t believe their plane was twenty minutes late.” Garth McGarth said from beside her.

Karen turned toward her old friend/former boyfriend. Sometimes she still couldn’t believe the odd hippy she’d dated back in her first weeks living in San Francisco was now a well-dressed openly gay man who made a living painting and sculpting, living in the trendy art district slowly gaining momentum here in Century City.

When they’d first met, he couldn’t get anyone to even look at his work. Now he was flying all over America and Europe for shows of his work. After his fifth trip to Century City earlier this year, he’d decided to follow his friend Karen Starr and make the move from San Francisco to Century City.

“Carrie-Joyce is probably going insane.” Karen remarked. “She hates flying. I’m just glad I took the day off. Otherwise I’d be pretty cranky about us getting delayed by their late plane.”

“You have been extra cranky as of late.” Garth commented. “Any particular reason?”

“Just the usual.” Karen shrugged. “Ian and I have been playing phone tag since our date ended due to super-villain activity.”

“That seems to follow you around.” Garth said. “One of the perks of being… a friend of Power Girl.”

Karen groaned inwardly. Did Garth know she was Power Girl too? Jeez…. Was there anyone in her life that hadn’t figured it out yet? She had to get a better disguise. These glasses and the slicked back hair weren’t cutting it anymore. It had to be the height and the… Karen didn’t want to think it, but of course it was probably the chest.

“One of them.” Karen replied, smiling faintly. Even though she wanted to scream. She had to have the worst kept secret identity ever. “Of course, our last date was because he was called away. He’s in charge of the Meta-Crime Unit here in Century City.”

“That must be a nice change of pace.” Garth said.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Karen snapped.

“Oh…” Garth tilted his head to the side, as if considering whether or not to say it. He let the moment go though with a simple, “Nothing.”

“Really?” Karen asked. “Really? Nothing?”

“Anyway…” Garth said, changing the subject. “If you and Ian keeping missing each other’s phone calls and getting called away from dates, why not just go to his house? Why not hang out after your… um, his business is taken care of.”

“Isn’t that a little stalkerish? To just show up at his house? After three very short dates and maybe a handful of phone calls? It don’t think we’re at the unannounced pop-up at each other’s houses stage yet.” Karen replied.

“It’s not stalkerish.” Garth replied, “And if you like the guy, you should make it happen. You haven’t had a serious relationship in way too long.”

“Not since you.” Karen replied, “And before that was Andrew.”

“That’s way too long.” Garth replied. “I’m gay and Andrew is married to Gabrielle Cabrini. The movie star. It’s time to stop pining after men you can’t have.”

“Trust me. I’m not pining over either of you.” Karen rolled her eyes.

“Then if you like this guy, do something.”

“I do. And my cat likes him.”

“Say no more.” Garth replied. “That cat doesn’t like anyone. I still have scars.”

“He’s just selective.” Karen grinned brightly. “Maybe he knew something I should have known about you. Maybe then you wouldn’t have broken my heart.”

“Oh God. Please. You were never heart-broken over me. You were never fully invested in us. You were still in love with Andrew.” It was Garth’s turn to roll his eyes. “Let’s not revisit that dead horse. We dated less than a full month.”

“One month, three weeks, and two days.” Karen corrected.

“OK. You definitely have some stalker tendencies.” Garth quipped.

“KAREN! GARTH!” Carrie-Joyce Phillips and Liz Hoberg called out as they rushed out of the crowd of deplaning passengers.

“Saved by the bell!” Garth laughed as Carrie-Joyce threw her arms around him, squeezing him in a bear hug.

Liz gave Karen a hug.

“I’m so glad to be on the ground again.” Liz sighed, pulling away from Karen to give Garth a hug. “I hate long flights.”

“You guys should just move out here like Karen and I have.” Garth said, hugging Liz back.

“Despite Liz’s dubious job opportunities or lack there of, I like my job and life in San Francisco and would miss the Bay area.” Carrie-Joyce replied.

“And of course her new boyfriend from Norway Bjorn.” Liz giggled.

“New boyfriend?” Garth asked with a raised eyebrow.

“What happened ot the old one?” Karen asked, feeling green with envy. She couldn’t even get a boyfriend, much less a new one.

“Oh. Dan…” Carrie-Joyce grimaced. Her pretty nose scrunching up, “Yeah. Well.. let’s just say. It’s not me. It was him.”

“It was her.” Liz said dead-pan. “She was tired of dating a boring banker with no personality.”

The four friends broke into laughter as they headed to baggage claim to get the two women’s suitcases.

Outside of Century City, on the fairgrounds surrounding the Tower of Power, the air crackled with energy.

The Tower of Power was mostly abandoned now, save a few offices used by the Tower’s management team, it would be another five or six months before there was an event that filled the parking lots and various wings and theaters in the Tower of Power’s complex. The Tower’s location across the river from Century City and distance from the airport and all hotels had made it less successful as a convention center than it’s original designers and financers had expected.

The energy interrupted the stillness that gripped the fairgrounds tightly.

The energy built—creating a sparkling star (one that closely resembled the Star of Arion that Power Girl wore on her belt). Through it, a dark-haired boy wearing a black version of Power Girl’s costume streaked out—heading toward Century City.

He flew quickly, landing in the warehouse district referred to as Black Pearl unofficially due to the area having been frequented by various blackmarket businesses and dealings over the years.

The boy with dark-hair that was streaked by a single strip of blonde in his bangs moved with purpose and destination. His expression and posture while flying did not betray the fact that he was only a few months past his eighteenth birthday. He made his way to a specific warehouse.

Two rays of bright red heat sizzled from his eyes—tearing through the myriad locks lining the right-hand side of the metal door. Once the locks and doorknob had melted into slag, the boy reached a powerfully muscled arm through the gaps in the door, to unlock the doorknob. He then found entrance to the warehouse easy.

Walking through the stacks of crates towering high above, the boy scanned the boxes with x-ray vision.

Finally finding what he was looking for, he easily pried the heavy lid from one of the crates and withdrew a solid gold box. It was decorated with gems of various colors and gleamed bright and radiant even in the bleak interior of the warehouse.

On his way out, carrying the gold gem-encrusted box with him, he stopped at the phone sitting on the desk. It was old and battered, seemingly ancient. Lifting it, he dialed with his free hand, cradling the receiver between his chin and shoulder.

“911? How can I help you?” A firm yet kind voice said.

“Someone just broke into the Old Kashim warehouse.” The boy said, grinning mischievously. “A tall guy. Crazy eyes. Weird hair. He was wearing a gold outfit. Looked like it might have been spandex. Yeah… spandex. I think he might have been a super-villain. My name? Um… yeah… I’m Jim Morrison. Yeah. Like the singer. Oh… I think I have to go. I think he just saw me!”

Quickly hanging up the phone, the boy blurred away—flying off at super-speed.

Several seconds after he’d gone, the air in the street facing the Old Kashim warehouse flexed and sparkled.

From the odd oval of purple-pink energy, a tall guy with blazing eyes and a purple and gray afro. His pale gray skin created a striking contrast to the shining gold jumpsuit he wore.

Walking toward the door, his eyes widened as he saw the holes burned in the door—marking the spot that had once held locks and a door knob. He looked at the small ray gun in his right hand… the one that he would have used to burn the locks and door-knob away to gain entrance to the warehouse.

Spinning around just in time to hear the sirens and see four police cars screech to a stop around him.

“FREEZE WHERE YOU ARE!”

“I’ll get him for this.” The man grumbled beneath his breath, his pale gray flesh going darker as anger flooded his system. He put his hands up where the police could see them. “Damn you, Power Boy!”

The sunlight was warm against her skin, and the air was filled with the smells of bread. With a cup of Sandollar coffee in one hand, Beth Chapel wandered down the street of Century City, her dark glasses not leaving her out of place on this sunny morning.

She’d been here for just shy of a month now—since Karen had brought her to this world from their dead world.* It was weird to think the entire life she’d known up til now was over. The Pocket Universe she’d been born in was gone, destroyed by Monarch, but thanks to Jade’s emerald shield she had survived and been whisked away by Power Girl and the Time Trapper. Now she was making a life here on this Earth.

*see Power Girl #14 and Annual #1 for the full story.

Still, while it was great to be alive, there were adjustments to be made. The life the Beth Chapel of this world had lived had been different in subtle ways than her own, and the Beth Chapel here had been killed by the Mist during a Justice League Europe adventure. Beth had gone to the family of the Beth Chapel from this Earth, presenting herself as their daughter resurrected—as it seemed like the easiest explanation for everyone. But, it had been difficult and painful. They’d grieved her and let her go, and her return opened a lot of old wounds. Now everything was confused. She’d spent a two weeks with her family before coming to Century City to stay with Karen.

It was why she was living here in Century City, setting up a new life thanks to Karen’s generosity. The Yolanda Montez and Skyman of her world had also returned, but they had gone off to forge their own ways in this world—while Ice and Crimson Fox had rejoined their loved ones here, having ended up in the Pocket Universe due to the Time Trapper’s manipulations.

With the help of the Justice Society and Power Girl, Beth was going through the steps of having herself declared not-dead, and getting her medical license re-instated. She’d already interviewed at Memorial Hospital and they were definitely interested in having her on staff.

Sitting in a box in the guest room of Karen’s apartment was the black and yellow costume of Dr. Midnight. Beth didn’t know that she needed it. The hero life was one she’d always assumed reluctantly. While the Beth Chapel of this world had not had any powers beyond her black-out bombs and ability to see perfectly in pitch blackness, in her Pocket Universe she had been a meta-human. She had increased strength and stamina, great agility and increased speed, and the ability to leap great distances, but she was by no stretch of the imagination a incredibly powerful meta-human. On her world, just like the Beth Chapel of this Earth, she’d relied mostly on black-out bombs and her ability to see in the dark—something that had made her less useful in daylight hours.

Considering everything, Beth wasn’t sure that the life of a hero was the one for her.

Life in Century City certainly seemed like it might be made for her however. She liked the city and was close to her family. Once the weirdness settled down, it would be nice to be closer to them. L.A. had always been too far from her family in North Carolina. Century City was only an hour away by airplane and just over eight hours if she drove or took the train. Not too shabby.

Beth came to a stop in front of the beautiful brownstone that’s address was written down on the piece of paper Karen had given her this morning before leaving for the airport to meet her friends.

Entering the building a smartly dressed woman with glasses greeted her.

“You must be Ms. Chapel! Ms. Starr said you’d be by to look at the apartment!” The woman took her hand, shaking it over-enthusiastically.

“Hi.” Beth said warmly, wondering if the troubled economy on this Earth was to blame for the woman’s enthusiasm. “It’s nice to meet you Ms. Tanner.”

“Oh, it’s Mrs.” The woman smiled brightly, flashing a diamond ring. “Oh wait! I’m sorry! Can you see my ring?”

Beth chuckled lightly, “Yes. I can see it. I have reduced vision. However, so long as I have these specially designed dark glasses I can see even in perfect daylight.”

“That’s marvelous! Did Ms. Starr’s company design those? I know when I was showing her the apartment she lives in, she was saying that they designed all sorts of wonderful things, in addition to software for games and stuff like that.”

“Oh, no. An inventor friend of mine designed them. He has the same vision disorder I do.” Beth smiled.

“Well, I have the apartment all ready to view.” Mrs. Tanner smiled, “Ms. Starr has filled out all the necessary paperwork and made all the deposits, including first and last. All that’s waiting is your approval.”

“Well, hopefully I like it.” Beth replied.

“If not we have a couple more for you to look at this week.” Mrs. Tanner said, leading Beth over to the elevator. “There is an elevator as well as stairs.”

“Excellent.” Beth nodded. Karen was being incredibly generous. In exchange for Beth acting as a medical consultant for several projects developing at Starrware, Karen was setting her up in this apartment and would be giving her a very handsome salary. It was work and would continue even if she got the job at Memorial Hospital.

“I think you are going to love the view.” Mrs. Tanner said, “From it, you can see Century Park and the river.”

“I’m sure I will.” Beth smiled as Mrs. Tanner realized what she’d just said.

“Oh, wait. Even with your vision disorder you can enjoy the view, right?” Mrs. Tanner sounded mortified over her potential slip.

“Oh, I do all right. One way or the other.” Beth said, her sly smile remaining.

Victor Church laid on the altar, his eyes closed, his body perfectly still. He didn’t appear to be breathing.

“He looks dead.” Tabitha Kane commented.

“He is.” Adramelek the Terrible said. “That body is just a shell that I’ve housed the Carnage demon in. The real Victor Chuck died years ago. I put Carnage in him. And put him in storage. Now… he will be the instrument for destroying Power Girl. He will first crush her spirit and then break her body. Then I will take her soul. And the prophecy will be avoided.”

“That damned prophecy.” Tabitha said, shaking her head. Her blonde hair bounced with the movement.

“The Granddaughter of Arion, High Mage of Atlantis—the Daughter of Magic and Stars is destined to destroy me. She and the True Heart.” Adramelek said softly, his blazing yellow eyes staring off into space. “And, if I kill her with my own hands, she will be reborn far more powerful. And, then she will destroy me. A fate that must be avoided at all costs if I am to imprison the essence of Deedra—absorbing it and then claiming this world as my domain.”

“So, even though you’ve enslaved the Carnage demon and placed it in the body of Victor Church, that wouldn’t count as your killing her?” Tabitha asked. Looking at Victor’s motionless face she tried to suppress the shiver. She saw a lot in her role here as Adramelek’s assistant. Why did Victor Church and the Carnage demon within bother her so much?

“No. Because the Carnage demon has it’s own consciousness even if it’s enslaved to me and doing my bidding.” Adramelek said. “His recharge is almost complete. And, I’ve renewed the invisibility spell so that he can continue to track Karen Starr… so we can know without a doubt that she and Power Girl are one and the same.”

“Surely if she was, there would be evidence by now.” Tabitha said, “He’s been following her for months now.”

“He isn’t following her consistently. His cover as Cheryl Delayre’s assistant must be maintained to keep him at Starrware and near Karen Starr.” Adramelek said, “If Karen Starr and Power Girl are the same person, it will be easier for the Carnage demon to do what he’s best at.”

Tabitha walked away from the altar, going to the one-way windows, looking out into the warm and bright Midway City afternoon. It was late summer, and soon Fall would be here. She was getting tired and was unsure how much longer she could maintain her charade.

“Tabitha?” Adramelek said, his head perking up and turning toward where his right hand stood. He had caught a fleeting thought from her that was out of the ordinary.

Tabitha realized she’d relaxed her mental barriers and quickly put them back up, obscuring her thoughts behind the wall she’d carefully constructed four years ago when she’d started this charade.

Realizing that he was looking at her oddly, Tabitha did her best to cover her slip.

“Victor Church creeps me out. How much longer until he’s out of here?”

“Not much longer.” Adramelek said, apparently letting go whatever suspicion he momentarily felt.

Damon Belasco and Lisette LeBlanc both sat on thrones in the main temple for the Church of Deedra’s Century City location.

“Adept James,” Lisette called to the short bald man wearing an airport security uniform. “You bring news?”

“Yes, High Priestess.” The man said, stepping forward. “Today the indicator you gave me went off.”

“Really?” Lisette perked up at this. After they had killed Dana Deacon for being inferior and flawed, she had given their adepts small stones to carry upon them at all times. The stones magically charged and empowered by Lisette would emit an audible alarm whenever someone of Atlantean heritage was near—someone who could house the essence of Deedra when they called it down for the Ascension.

“Yes.” Adept James said, “I got security photos for you before I left this afternoon.”

“Please, bring them to me.” Lisette said, extending her hand.

Adept James brought a stack of printed photos.

Lisette took them, looking at each of them.

“I recognize the blonde.” She said, “It’s Karen Starr, CEO of Starrware. She’s been in the media off and on since moving her company to Century City. I do not know who the two women and the man with her are.” Turning to Damon Belasco, she said, “Find out who these people are. One of them may be useful to us.”

Damon took the photographs, looking at them. His eyes settled on Karen Starr.

“It shall be done, High Priestess.”

“That hurt!” Power Girl groaned, picking herself up from the ground.

“It shouldn’t have.” The Silver Sorceress said, her brown cape swirling around her as magical energy filled the training room at Justice League Europe’s headquarters. “That was a very low grade energy blast. A first year wizard could have batted that aside.”

“Well, I’m not a first year wizard.” Power Girl replied.

“But, you are far more powerful than any first year wizard would ever have the potential to be.” The Silver Sorceress replied, “You have magic in your blood. You’re homo-magi. A wizard learns magic through spells and study, not through actual natural talent. You have natural talent.”

“I don’t know how to use it.” Power Girl sighed, “That’s why we’re doing these magic training sessions. We’ve been doing them for nearly a month now… since the Osoro* incident. And, I don’t feel like I’ve gotten any better in dealing with magic.”

*See Power Girl Halloween Special #2: The Dark Wizard of Century City for the details.

“That’s because you seem to have some sort of mental block against accessing your natural magical talents. Which doesn’t make any sense.” The Silver Sorceress said, Her gray eyes peered out from behind her brown head-dress. “You could become so much more effective and powerful if you would just learn how to harness those abilities.”

“Agreed.” Power Girl sighed. “Let’s try again.”

“All right. This time I’m going to send magical fire at you.” The Silver Sorceress said, her expression taking upon one of concentration.

A column of fire erupted from her hands, shooting toward Power Girl.

Power Girl tried to remember what she’d been reading. The Silver Sorceress had given her stacks of books to study. One of them had talked about magical shields. Power Girl tried to think in the brief moments she had to remember how to erect one.

A slight sparkle appeared in the air before her, erecting a thin energy shield before her.

“I DID IT!” Power Girl exclaimed jubilantly.

“Don’t be too proud yet.” The Silver Sorceress said as the magic fire smashed through the shield.

“EEK!” Power Girl squealed ducking just in time to avoid being singed too badly.

“No fair! I—“ Power Girl was silenced by the ice that covered her mouth, freezing her lips in place.

Attempting to shatter it, Power Girl found the ice’s cold biting into her fingers and chilling her to her bone.

“Magic ice is to you like regular ice to the normal person.” The Silver Sorceress said. “Your super-human strength can’t overcome my Hex magic.”

Finally cracking the ice and freeing her mouth, Power Girl’s eyes filled with anger.

“NO FAIR!”

“I doubt that this Adramelek the Terrible you’re destined to fight is going to fight fair.” The Silver Sorceress commented, tossing more magic ice and fire Power Girl’s way. Power Girl avoided them, easily avoiding them. She concentrated trying to re-construct the magical shield. “When is the last time that Felix Faust fought fairly? Never. Because they never do. And, while you can go up against the Ultra-Humanite or Giganta with no issue, you can’t fight off a little magic ice or fire. That’s a huge weakness.”

“Why won’t the shield return?!” Power Girl screamed as no magical shield appeared around her.

“Maybe you’re trying too hard.” The Silver Sorceress suggested. “One thing people often make the mistake of with magic is trying too hard and over-thinking it. A spell is a simple set of sentences strung together to give your energy purpose and direction. The actual words are not the magic. The words are your focusing your magic. That’s why not just anyone can perform magic by saying a magic word. The magic has to be already within you. And, in your case, the magic is already in you.”

“Like the Force?” Power Girl asked, easily evading the magical energy bolts the Silver Sorceress was throwing at her.

With a roll of her eyes, the Silver Sorceress groaned, “Yes. Something like that. I think what’s happening is that you’re putting too much focus on the words. You’re investing in the spell as the magic, rather than you being the magic and the spell being how you’re channeling the magic.”

“We’re almost out of time for our session today.” Power Girl said as her alarm went off, giving her a five minute warning.

“Then let’s end big.” The Silver Sorceress grinned wickedly. An energy grid materialized in front of her, zipping across the room toward Power Girl teaching from ceiling to floor and wall to wall of the training room. There would be no flying out of the way or using her speed to avoid it.

“Oh, spit!” Power Girl said. Quickly remembering the spell, she focused less on the words and more on the energy that she felt churning in her gut. That was the magic… that was what she should be concentrating on. Not the words.

A glimmering bell-shaped energy shield materialized around Power Girl. It sparkled with in hues of gold and blue, the star of Arion reflected a million times over in it’s surface. When the energy grid struck it, the shield held up, causing the energy grid to short out, dissolving in a series of glowing specks of light.

“Very good.” The Silver Sorceress said. “Finally….”

“That felt… good.” Power Girl said, allowing the magic shield to fade.

“It should. Your natural magics are something that you’ve ignored and left unused all these years. You should feel relief after using these natural talents.” The Silver Sorceress said. “For next week, I want you to study up on the glamours.”

“Glamours? I’m pretty glamorous already Cynthia.” Power Girl grinned.

“Do you even know what a glamour is?” The Silver Sorceress asked.

“Of course I do.” Power Girl laughed, “What kind of dummy do you think I am?”

“Your magical knowledge leaves much to be desired.” The Silver Sorceress replied coolly. “So, what’s a glamour?”

“It’s using magic to disguise or change your appearance.” Power Girl replied.

“Very good.” The Silver Sorceress said, “I want you to study them and try them on your own before next week’s session.”

“What do I need glamours for?”

“It’s basic magic knowledge.” The Sorceress replied, “And it’s important for you to be knowledgeable, well-versed and capable. Otherwise you’ll never master your magical nature and conquer your weakness to magic.”

“Ok.” Power Girl replied.

“I’ll see you next week.” The Silver Sorceress said curtly.

With a flash of light, the Silver Sorceress was gone, leaving Power Girl standing alone in the training room.

“Wow. She seemed cranky today. I wonder what’s up with that.” Power Girl said to the empty room. Gathering her things, she headed back to Century City. She would have plenty of time to make it back in time for dinner with Garth, Liz, and Carrie-Joyce.

Europe blurred away, fading into the pure blue of the Atlantic Ocean. The air was cool against her cheeks and Power Girl felt something close to calm. Things had been peaceful since she’d gotten back from the Pocket Universe. And for that she was thankful. Watching an entire world die was not easy.

When the Skyman from that Universe had come back with her, she’d expected that perhaps they would date, since there was considerable chemistry between them and a past of sorts. While Power Girl was very much into Ian McLean, there was real love for Sylvester Pemberton. Yet, he had left almost immediately after arriving, stating he had to go out into this world and find his own place—a new identity. She hadn’t heard from him since.

The alternate reality Yolanda Montez was staying in L.A. with the Montezes. She’d gone the same route as Beth Chapel, telling her family that she’d been saved from death by the Time Trapper. It had seemed easiest and at the end of the day didn’t seem to hurt the Montezes or Yolanda. She was adamant about not resurrecting her role as Wildcat or even donning a costume. She said that she wanted to go back to the normal life—working as a journalist and not worrying about the latest threat to the Universe.

In many ways, Power Girl couldn’t blame them. As a survivor of a dead universe, she knew in many ways it was easiest to throw yourself into the new world and pretend there had been nothing before. When she had finally accepted that her former life was over and embraced the new life, everything had fallen into place.

It was dusk when Power Girl saw Century City appear on the horizon. The Tower of Power caught her eye immediately as it tended to do as of late. Since finding the tunnels beneath Century City that came out in various places, one of them being the Tower of Power, Power Girl often found her attention drawn to it. Especially when she remembered the boy she’d run into there just before the Gang and Team Gemini had attacked the Sci-Fi convention there*

*Back in Power Girl Issues 8-10.

He had been wearing a black version of her costume and there had been something familiar about him. Although she wasn’t sure what it was. She hadn’t told anyone else about him yet, although she had no real good reason not to. He’d appeared through a magical gateway shaped like the star of Arion. Her instincts told her there was a connection, but she just didn’t know what it was.

Heading toward a building close to the restaurant she was meeting Garth, Liz, and Carrie-Joyce, she landed on the roof-top heading toward the secret hiding place where she’d stashed street clothes. She had many of these hiding places hidden through-out the city—places where she kept extra costumes and extra clothes for quick changes.

As she opened the false vent, she heard shots and screaming coming from the streets below.

With a heavy sigh, Power Girl closed the vent.

With super-vision she determined it was the Royal Flush Gang.

“Again?” Power Girl groaned, flying down to stop them from robbing a liquor store. “Don’t you guys have standards? I mean a liquor store? You’re the Royal Flush Gang!”

“It’s Power Girl!” King shouted, “RETREAT!”

“Too late for retreat.” Power Girl grinned.

This would at least be quick. She shouldn’t be but a few minutes late for dinner.

THE END