“If you try to pick me up again, I’ll have to hurt your hand, Carla. I’m sorry about your husband, but I just came back to give you a polite explanation of my continuing absence from the 25th Century.”

“I’ll miss you Dumplin’. It’s a shame. I was going to give you some nice little furniture I have for your cage. But I guess I shouldn’t keep you from your wife,” she said, and went out of the room.

The Atom returned to Rip Hunter.

“Well your time machine won’t be able to make many more journeys, as you’ve explained. Yet we’ve proven it can go 500 years into the future, and I’ve said a proper goodbye to Carla. So we’ve both accomplished our goals for now. Let’s head back to the 20th Century.”

“Sure,” said Rip, “Hey, where’s Toughy?”

“You mean you let him wander off?” asked the Atom, “I asked both of you to stay here.”

“I was too busy watching out for the giantess,” said Rip.

“Hey, look! He’s running out of the room after the giantess,” said the Atom, “We’d better follow more discretely.”

They reached another room, where the giantess was sitting and eating one of the futuristic meals that left no need for washing up. They saw Toughy run over and pull at her dress to get her attention.

“Oo! It’s an even littler Dumplin’,” she said, lifting Toughy up to the table. He fit far more conveniently into her hand than Al Pratt had done in his Atom costume.

“I came here with the other … err… Dumplin’. I watched him escape from you, Carla. I don’t have any atomic strength. So I couldn’t get out of your cage. Would you like to keep me in the cage as your pet?”

“I don’t believe he’s saying this!” whispered Rip, as the other two hid from view.

“He’s saying it,” said Atom, “We may have brought him here, but we can’t help him if he wants to stay. Let’s get back to the time machine.”

They ran back to the machine, and got in and started up. The machine only took them to another location in the same year of 2448.

“The power is very low. We need to replenish the power source for the trip home,” said Rip. They made friends with a young man and woman, and were able to get hold of a new fuel for the time machine. The fuel didn’t exist in the 20th century, but was commonplace in 2448.

In time that couple would have a child, who would grow up to be the time traveling hero Booster Gold.

Atom and Rip Hunter finally made their time travel journey to 1948, and noticed that the panel was smoking from burn out.

“I might have had to build the next model in 2448 or any time in between now and then,” said Rip, “I guess it’s more hard work for me ahead. Thanks for making the trip with me.”

“Any time,” said the Atom, “I wonder what could have originated a race of giants in the future.”

“They might be descended from some super heroine or super villainess who has growth powers and enlarges before having her baby,” said Rip.

“I guess it’s possible. I’m off to see what the Justice Society is up to.”