Auther's Note: Okay, I know this has done before, but I figure I would take a wack at it. This all came about when I was watching the movie. When the group were in the elevator and it wouldn't go up, so Ben had to take the stairs, it sadden me when he gave that look and no one would go with him. I figured if I was there, I would go with him. This complete movie story is completely spun off of that. Anyways, it'll be like reading the movie. The only differance is that Ben has a younger cousin that went with them, so it's the Fantastic Five.
Three figures stand there and stare at a tall statue, as a man works on it, causing sparks to fly off it. "Typical of Victor Von Doom to build a thirty foot statue of himself," claims a bald man.
"Well, it's obivisily aimed at first time visiters to create feeling of smallness. Inadequatice." The dark haired man said as he looked up at it.
The girl with the long dark brown hair tilts her head and looks at it. "It gives me the feeling that I should bite this man's knee caps off."
Both the men look over at her and she blinks back in response. "Well, good thing it ain't working," replied the bald man. They begin to walk towards the doors and the bald man speaks up again. "Reed, what are we doing here? This guys is fast food, strip mall science."
The man know as Reed responds, "Ben, you know this isn't our first stop in case you have forgotten NASA. Besides, Victor isn't that bad, he's just a little larger than life."
They made their way through the door, and to the nearest elevator. Ben turns towards the girl, "So, Addison, what do you think about Victor?"
Addison shakes her head as she thinks on the question for a few seconds. "I don't rightly know. I haven't met him, yet, so I can't make a judgement."
They finally made their way to where they were going and Reed was allowed to set up. Finally, Reed was allowed to begin his presentation. "My research suggests that exposure to a high energy cosmic storm born on solar winds," Reed states as he points to a red mass on the hologram, "might have triggered the early planetary life." Clicking on the remote, Reed changes the hologram again. Addison stares at amazment as Ben just stared at the guy in the shadows. "In just six weeks another cloud, with the same elemental profile will pass near Earth's orbit. Reed walks a little closer to the man in the shadows, changing the image again. "A study, conducted in space, could fundamentally advance our knowledge about the structure of the human genome." The guy in the shadows, just sits there, taking it all in, not making any indication. "Cure countless dieases, extend human life." Ben begins to squirm a little, in fear that Reed might be over doing it. Addison nudges him with her elbow, he glances down at her and smiles a little. "Give kids a chance to live longer, stronger, healther..."
"Turn it off!" The man in the shadows exclaims. Reed stares at him in shock, "Please."
"I don't think I've explained my proposal fully." Reed finally says from his over comed shock.
"No, I think you have," replied the man in the shadows. Reed stares at him, trying to figure him out, so do Addison and Ben as they lean a little to get a better look at the situation. "Same old Reed, always stretching, reaching for the stars, with the weight of the world on his back, but dreams don't pay the bills, do they?" The shadow man throws a magazine across the table, landing showing Reed the cover of Wired with his face on it.
"Do you remember when we where in school," Reed started to move again, trying to find any hook he could, "we talked about working together. Well, that's about where I was going to explain." Reed presses another button on the remote, changing the image into what looked like a space station. "The storm is deadly, but sheilds on your station's control room, are designed to protect any occupents inside."
The shadow man clicks something, turning off the hologram and turning the lights up on him. "So, it's not just my money you want, it's my toys." Reed nods a little, not denying that fact. "Tell me, if NASA doesn't trust you, why should I?" Reed tries not to act a little surprised by the fact that he knows that. Ben and Addison look at each other, then at Reed. Reed looks right back them. The man smiles then laughes out, "It's my job," he gets up and out of the chair, "to stay a step ahead," making his way around the table, heading towards the group. "To know, what other men, don't."
"Ah, I can't take this," Ben says as he turn and walks towards Reed. Addison just stands there and stares at the man, profiling the man known as Victor Von Doom.
"Ben, this is just business," Reed kind of glances at him and motions with his hand, "just work."
A blond lady steps in and then draws the attention of everyone in the room when she says, "He's right Ben, it is just business." Reed's eyes gets wide, but he continues to stare straight a head, but both Ben and Addison turn and look at the girl.
"I think you all know my directior of genetic research," Victor indicates with his head towards the blond girl, "Susan Storm."
Susan starts to walk towards them, Reed turns to look at Susan, Addison starts to walk over to Susan, Ben just looks over at Victor and turns back to Reed. "One more thing he seems to have."
Susan hugs Addison. "Hey Addy, is your cousin Ben still making you hang around, helping Reed out?"
Addison rolls her eyes. "You better believe it. He keeps saying he want me to use my smarts and get a degree."
"I want someone in this family to accomplish something good," Ben replies.
"Oh, and you being an astronaut isn't some big accomplishment?"
"Hey Suzy," Ben says trying to move away from the arguement.
"Hey," she goes over to him and hugs, "Oh, it's so nice to see you." They pull away from each other and she asks, "How's Debbie?"
"Great!" he replies, smiling.
"Great!" she smiles then steps over to Reed, her smile disappearing.
"How've you been?" Reed askes.
"Never better," she replies emotionless, shaking his hand. Addison and Ben look at the handshake, a little sad at it.
"This isn't going to be a problem, is it?" Victor askes.
Reed instantly turns, both Susan and Reed look at Victor. "Not at all," Reed says.
"No," Susan says at exactly the sametime.
"Good," Victor starts to walk towards them as Reed seems to be a little hurt about what Susan said, "then you are just in time to hear the great, Reed Richards," Victor walks between them and talks to Susan, "ask me for help." They turn and stare at Victor as he stands next to Susan, Reed a little tense. "You know you made a lot of folks at MIT, feel like a junior high science fair, so you'll excuse me, if I savor the moment." He laughs a little.
Reed sucks in some breath and continues, "You back this mission and I'll sign over a fair precentage of any applications..."
"The number is 75," Victor interupts. Reed stare in shock at the large number and Addison starts to glare, her muscles tense up as if to strike, her sharp tongue about to come out. "and it's applications and patents."
"What about his first born?" Ben jumps in, to ruin the tension.
"Ben," Reed says, trying to get him to settle down, not realising the distraction.
"Come on," Victor laughs, "25 of a billion is enough to keep the lights on for a while, isn't it?" Reed swallows the truth as he looks at Victor. "Maybe you could pay of the forth mortgage on the Baxter Building." Reed looks down at the ground, knowing what Victor said was true, Susan pretended to be in thought not wanting to see this happen, Ben just stared at Victor, and Addison was about ready to jump Victor. Victor puts on his game face, "Deal?" as he holds out his hand towards Reed. Reed looks at it, then at Susan. She stares back at him, then looks down at Victors hand. Reed then goes and shakes his hand. "Well, then, to our future. Together!" He puts his arm around Susan's shoulders. Ben just smiles at him and Addison just smirks. "It's funny how things turn out, isn't it," Victor laughes.
"Hilarious," Reed says without laughing.