This story is set some time after Doctor Doom is sent to Hell in Fantastic Four #500. Yes, he returned in Authoritive Action but this assumes that his soul returned to his body in Hell after the Thing died. But it's still the old Avengers, Nick Fury heads SHIELD, etc.

This is, I make no secret of it, a dark story. It is primarily Fantastic Four, though other marvel characters do drift in later on. It's designed to bring the FF to their lowest ever, to bring them to utter chaos. Yes, Doctor Doom will be a huge part of it. The key dynamic of Fantastic Four to me has always been Von Doom and Richards, so that is what I will attempt to address.

THE DOOM SAGA

PART ONE: RUIN

CHAPTER ONE: SABOTAGE

"INCOMIN'!" bellowed the Thing as a large chunk of concrete flew over the head of a rapidly ducking Johnny Storm.

"You wanna watch where you aim?" Johnny complained with a scowl as he fired off another burst of concentrated flame towards a nearby craggy orange rock monster crouching on the edge of the large crater in the centre of the street, which gave a howl and backed away in response. "You almost hit me!"

"Yeah, yeah…" grumbled Benjamin J. Grimm as he slugged a second monster in the face, felling it in seconds. "How come you suddenly care today of all days?"

"He has a date tonight, Ben." Came another calm voice, as an invisible force field scattered a wave of rock monsters. Susan Storm stepped from nowhere, as though not in the slightest concerned about the large tidal wave of creatures spilling into the New York suburb.

"How do you even know that?" Johnny asked, swerving around the head of a giant monster and rapidly firing blasts of flame into the back of it's head."

"Sister's intuition." Sue replied simply, as she calmly toppled the creature with another force field. "Plus, you're Johnny. You always have a date on a Saturday night."

The monster incursion had noticeably slackened now, with a large number of wounded and downed creatures littering the ground. The civilians had all cleared off long ago, and as far as Ben was aware, no-one had been hurt this time.

"What's the deal with the Mole Man these days anyway?" his deep voice rumbled as he wrestled with the jaws of some sort of underground seven foot long alligator. "He stays quiet for months then just launches another wave of these jokers into New York." With a grunt, the Thing strengthened his grip on the beast's jaw and hurled it roughly to one side. "It's like the guy's just stopped tryin' or somethin'…"

"No, you simpletons!" roared the Mole Man, his face colouring ever greater shades of purple. "YOU CANNOT FAIL ME AGAIN!" As though in response, a huge stone-grey tyrannosaurus-like creature tumbled from the opening the Moloids had made into the New York surface, to impact the ground with a loud smash, crushing several lesser Moloids beneath it. Almost dancing in anger, the Mole Man waved his fists in the air. "Forwards, reserves!" he bellowed, turning to point a quivering fat finger at the twenty or so lame or wounded beasts he had been holding back.

His jowls quivered as the pack mournfully and pathetically advanced, almost tripping over one another. With a heavy sigh, he collapsed into his throne once more, tapping the small Moloids carrying it on the sides of the head with his cane. It was, he conceded, possible that attacking New York with an army of mole creatures may not be the best of plans. After thirteen years of it, that was beginning to sink in. "Never mind- call off the attack! Away, back to Monster Island!" he squealed. As the throne was raised into the air, he let out a sigh. Working up what was left of his willpower, he shook his fist at the entrance above. "I'LL BE BACK, FANTASTIC FOUR!" he roared as his throne hastened down the underground passageway as fast as Moloidly possible.

"Yeah, yeah, we hear you!" the Thing shouted, clobbering the last of the Moloids to the ground. He cracked his knuckles and looked around. About forty broken Moloid bodies lay scattered on the ground around the three intrepid heroes.

"Well…" he said into the sudden silence. "That was pretty disappointin'." The Human Torch descended through the sky, looking incredulously around at the bodies.

"Is it me, or are these guys getting easier every time?"

Invisible Woman smiled. She couldn't deny it was true though- if Moloids were the threats they faced every day- and to be fair, it was the highest level of threat they'd faced in some time- then the Fantastic Four had nothing to worry about.

"You ever notice…" the Thing said, navigating the warren of fallen Moloids, "That it's always us that has to fight the Mole Man? I mean, what- a hundred super heroes in NY, probably twice that, and of them it's always us four who notice the GIANT FREAKING MONSTER INVASION?" He shook his head. "At this stage, I wouldn't be surprised if he tunnelled up in front of freaking Avengers Mansion and we had to deal with it."

As though precisely on cue, there was a loud roaring which drowned out his last words, and a sleek, aerodynamic jet zoomed overhead, cruising ever lower. A panel on the bottom opened, and from it emerged Wonder Man, Iron Man, Ms Marvel and Thor, descending rapidly through the sky as the Quinjet- for that it was- set down on the broken street around them. The four flying Avengers landed lightly in front of the three battle-worn FF members, looking around for a moment

"…We're a little late to the party, I see…" Iron Man said at last.

"Yeah, just a bit." The Human Torch said sarcastically.

"Accursed Fantastic Four…" muttered the Mole Man, clenching his fists. "Always prepared, always ready… Have I grown so predictable? I am still their greatest nemesis but perhaps lately I have not…"

"Greetings, Mole Man." A deep voice echoed down the tunnel. The Mole Man twisted from side to side, shrinking into his chair. "What!!? Who said that?" he snapped. His rat-like eyes squinted through the darkness and he sniffed the air ferverishly. "Show yourself! The Subterranean King demands it!"

And from the darkness of the tunnel, a shadowy figure stepped out. "I bring you greetings." The figure said, a smile on the corner of it's lips. "And a means to revenge yourself on those who have humbled you… and destroy the Fantastic Four forever."

"…Late to the party…" Johnny repeated scathingly, throwing his arms into the air as the three cruised through the skyline in the Fantasticar. "They arrive twenty minutes after an invasion of giant monsters after which a street has already been decimated and say they're late to the party…" he shook his head.

"This is why I never joined the Avengers- no style."

"Well…" chimed in Sue. "That and the fact that you were never asked." Johnny waved a hand dismissively.

"Details, details…"

Ben navigated the vehicle towards the Baxter Building rooftop, shaking his head. "Still, if nothing else…" Sue continued. "At least they were able to deal with the Moloid bodies," The Thing frowned, shooting a glance at his best friend's wife.

"Where did Thor teleport 'em to anyway, suzie? Cos if it's back to the Mole Man, then this may explain why we keep fightin' the exact same fight every three months."

Sue shrugged unconcernedly.

"Probably to the Deviants' kingdom," she said thoughtfully. "They'll know what to do with them."

The Fantasticar set down on the roof of the Baxter Building with a light hiss, and the three exited, still bickering good-naturedly.

"…Don't know why Stretcho couldn't come anyway…" rumbled Ben, gesticulating with his hands. Sue snorted, a smile on her face.

"Yes, you do Ben. He's working on his latest invention, this machine to help restore ecological balance in parts of the world…"

"Yeah, yeah, the doohicky. We have a freakin' God of Thunder, not to mention weather girl at the X-Men, I jus' don't see why they can't scoot down and…"

"They can't do that without unbalancing the Eco system, which you know full…" began Sue…

And then she stopped dead in her tracks. An enormous, shimmering Forcefield had just appeared around the Baxter Building. And right before them, the door that led to the next floor in the Baxter Building swung open to reveal-

The S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Dum Dum Dugan standing in the door, grim expression on his face.

"Hi Sue, Ben, Johnny." He said calmly. "I'm afraid I have some bad news."

"Where's Reed?" Sue asked at once. "Where are the children? Dugan…"

He raised both hands to calm her, but he did so unenthusiastically and did not meet her eyes. "I don't think... not sure I'm the person to tell you but…"

Without even waiting for him to finish, Sue pushed past him, Johnny and Ben hot on her heels. Her heart pounding painfully within her, she raced down the stairs to the first floor of the building, her mind screaming.

Valeria-

Franklin-

Oh God, has something happened to…

They burst into the main lab… and ground to a halt, staring around them.

"They took it all." Confirmed a gruff voice, as Nick Fury strode over to them, his face grim.

The laboratory of the most inventive, most intelligent man on Earth lay almost bare, scant pieces of electronic equipment littering the walls. It looked clean, gleaming, perfect. Except for the fact that it should have been choc full of some of the most dangerous and important weapons known to mankind. And all that equipment was missing, the entire room full of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents investigating, looking for fingerprints or clues.

"Nick…" breathed Sue, hardly daring to speak. "Did they… are the children…"

"Your kids are fine, Sue." Confirmed Fury. "But Sue, Reed…."

"Reed is gone."

END OF PART ONE

Yeah that was mostly light hearted, MUCH moreso than it ever will be again. It's also not my best writing. Tune in to part two for a surprise ending as the story gets catapulted into darkness. Just who is the mysterious benefactor of the Mole Man? And who stole the trillions of dollars worth of technology Reed Richards had? More importantly- what sinister plan do they have for it? And where is Reed HIMSELF? Answers await! Feedback ALWAYS very welcome!