No fire brigade, just Pyromania
The lyrics to one of my favorite songs woke me up.
I reached over and grabbed my ringing phone, sighing when I saw the caller ID.
"Reed." I whined. "I was sleeping."
He laughed on the other line. " Well good morning Sleeping Beauty. Meeting's in an hour."
"Ok. See you in five." I hung up the phone and threw it across the room, relaxing when I heard it hit my overstuffed bean bag chair.
Throwing the covers off, I stepped out of bed. I found the clothes I had set out for the meeting. A white button-up shirt with a black skirt and black flats. I was not wearing heels. Heels were uncomfortable and I never really found out how to wear them.
I pulled on some gray tights before pulling on my skirt. I decided against wearing a pencil skirt because I could never move it them and I hated dressing fancy. I would wear jeans and a t shirt if I could.
I tucked my shirt into my skirt while looking in the mirror.
The skirt hung to about my knees. It wasn't frilly but it wasn't tight either. It was the perfect contrast.
I pulled my hair into a high ponytail, letting a few curled strands hang over my face.
I applied a small amount of makeup. Mascara and some lip balm.
I grabbed my small black purse and threw my phone in it, heading for the kitchen. I poured myself a glass of orange juice and quickly drank it to calm my stomach.
I used my elbow to press the elevator button. I tapped my foot anxiously.
Reed and I lived in the same building. He lived above me by about five floors.
One of the things about the Baxter I loved was the elevator music. They didn't play boring classical music like other hotels.
I exited the elevator into Reed's apartment exactly five minutes after I hung up.
Ben heard the elevator door open and looked up from the newspaper he was reading. He smiled when he saw me and stood up. I wrapped him in a hug.
"It's good to see you Ben." I said, pulling away from the hug.
"The pleasure's all mine, Ava."
"Ben, don't get all soft on me now." I teased and he laughed.
Reed turned the corner. I turned towards him.
"What did I say, five minutes."
He looked at his watch. "It's been six minutes."
"That's because you didn't count when I actually got here." I pulled him into a hug.
Reed was still dressed in his lab coat.
"We need to get going." I suggested.
"Right." Reed said, heading towards the elevator.
"Uh, Reed." He turned towards me. I pulled at the collar of my shirt. "Lab coat."
He looked down at what he was wearing. "Oh." He pulled his coat off and threw it in my direction. I caught it and walked towards his lab.
After I hung his coat up, I followed them all to the elevator.
"Typical of Victor Von Doom to build a thirty foot statue of himself." Ben scoffed as we all looked at the colossal thing. It was indeed a statue of Victor but the face seemed, too perfect.
"Well, its obviously aimed at first-time visitors to create feelings of smallness, inadequacy." Reed explained.
"Good thing it aint workin'." I said.
"Reed, what are we doing here? This guy's fast food, strip-mall science." Ben spoke as we walked towards the entrance of the building.
"This wasn't our first stop in case you forgot. Besides, Victor's not that bad. He's just a little.." Reed turned to the statue. "larger than life."
Ben and I stood behind Reed as he explained his plan to Victor.
"My research suggests that exposure to a high-energy cosmic storm borne on solar winds.." Holographic images displayed Reed's research. It made my head spin watching it spin and move around. "might have triggered the evolution of early planetary life. In six weeks, another cloud with the same elemental profile will pass Earth's orbit. A study, conducted in space could fundamentally advance our knowledge about the structure of the human genome. Cure countless diseases, extend human life, give kids a chance to live longer, stronger healthier-"
"Turn it off. Please." My heart stopped.
"I don't think I've explained my proposal fully." Reed rushed to say.
"No, I think you have." I was mentally reminding myself to breathe. "Same old Reed-always stretching, reaching for the stars with the weight of the world on his back." Victor's cold voice rang through the air. "But dreams don't pay the bill, do they?" He tossed a magazine onto the table.
The cover displayed a picture of Reed with the caption, 'Reed Richards, Bankrupt.'
I swallowed. Reed had mentioned he was bankrupt but he dismissed the topic when it came up in a conversation.
"You remember, when we were in school we talked about working together. Well, that's what I was about to explain." Reed pressed a button on his remote that pulled up yet another image. "The storm is deadly but the shields on your station's control room are designed to protect any occupants inside."
"So, its not just my money you want. It's my toys. Tell me, if NASA doesn't trust you, then why should I?"
Reed was taken back by this question. He looked at Ben and I.
"That's my job- to stay one step ahead, to know what other men don't." Victor moved from his chair and now stood against his desk.
Ben moved so he was standing next to Reed. "I cant take this."
"Ben, this is business. Just work."
"He's right, Ben- It is just business." A female voice said behind us. I turned around. Reed stiffened.
"I think you three know my director of genetic research, Susan Storm."
"One more thing he's got." Ben muttered to Reed.
Sue walked down to greet us.
"Hey Susie." Ben said as they hugged.
"Hey." She replied. "Oh, it's so nice to see you. How's Debbie?"
"Great." He responded as she pulled away.
"Great." She turned to me.
"Ava." She said as she pulled me in for a hug. "I haven't seen you in ages."
"It's been way too long." I agreed, smiling at her.
She turned to Reed. Oh god. Reed don't fuck this up.
"Uh...how have you been?"
"Never better." Sue answered without a smile. She stuck her hand out and Reed hesitantly shook it.
He fucked it up.
"This isn't going to be a problem, is it?" Victor called out from across the room.
Reed spun around. "Oh no, not at all."
Sue had started to say something but Reed cut her off.
Victor walked over to us. "Then you are just in time to hear the great Reed Richards ask me for help." He spoke confidently and that bugged me. "You made a lo of folks at M.I.T. feel like a junior high science fair so you'll excuse me if I savor the moment." He now stood next to Sue. A little bit too close.
"You back this mission and I'll sign over a fair percentage of any applications-" I grabbed his arm.
"The number is 75, and its applications and patents."
"What about his firstborn?" Ben asked with sarcasm.
"Ben." Reed scolded.
"Come on. Twenty-five percent of a billion is enough to keep the lights on a while, isn't it? Maybe even pay off your fourth mortgage on the Baxter Building. Deal?" Victor stuck out his hand.
Reed hesitated for a second but then shook Victor's hand.
"Well, then, to our future. Together. It's funny how things turn out, isn't it?" Victor moved closer to Sue, too close. Ben was tense but I couldn't blame him. Victor's presence made you uncomfortable.
Reed's eyes were glued to the ground. "Hilarious."
I packed everything for Reed. I clicked the case closed and handed it to Reed.
"He knew about NASA. Maybe he made the call to shut us down."
"Ben, think about all the people we can help if this works. Huh? Look, we got what we wanted. That's enough. A few days in space. It'll be great. What's the worst that could happen?"
Reed, Ben and I all stepped into the elevator. The metal plated walls screamed 'Asylum!'.
Just as the doors were closing, Sue slipped in. I stood in the back but I saw Reed tense up.
Just as I though things were going to be less awkward, Sue turned to Reed. "Reed, you should know that those solar winds have been picking up speed."
"I factored them into my coordinates." Reed answered as awkward as ever.
"Right. Of course you did. In theory."
They both turned away from each other and the silence hung over our heads like dead meat.
"It's a little different once you're out there." Sue broke the silence.
"I can assure you-" Reed started but Ben cut him off.
"When are we leaving?"
"I'll be scheduling the launch. You can call me in the morning for resources and crew." Sue produced a business card from her jacket and held it out for Reed to grab.
"I think I remember the number." Reed thought he had the upper hand.
"It's been changed." Reed's face fell as he reached out and grabbed the business card.
Ben cleared his throat next to me. Reed turned around and Ben moved his head towards Sue. He got the message and stepped back.
"I was hoping Ben could pilot the mission and Ava could record the research." I was good at writing things down. I always took notes for Reed because I was better at it than him.
"We already have a pilot on our payroll. But you're welcome to ride shotgun. Remember my brother Johnny?"
I heard about Johnny. Player of the year. Ben couldn't stand him.
I walked out of the cab with Ben and Reed.
Jimmy greeted us at the door.
"Hello Ava." He said with a genuine smile. Jimmy was the doorman in the lobby but he was like a lovable uncle. "How did the meeting go?"
"We're going to space!" I announced while hugging him.
He reached behind the counter and grabbed a small stack of letters. My mail.
"Thanks Jimmy." I called behind me as I stepped into the elevator with Ben and Reed.
I didn't bother to go back to my apartment. Reed didn't care if I stayed in his apartment. We were practically family.
I threw my purse on the chair and flopped down on the couch. Ben sat across from me in another chair. Reed darted to his lab to check his calculations one last time.
"I need a beer after that conversation. I could feel the awkwardness in the air." My voice was muffled into the couch.
Ben chuckled. "Same here Ava."
I stood and walked to the refrigerator and opened it, smiling when I saw two bottles of beer on the shelf.
I pulled them out and set them on the counter.
I twisted the cap off mine and carried them both back to the living room.
I turned to Ben and held up his bottle. A smile spread across his face and I tossed it through the air. Ben easily caught it and twisted off the cap. I took a swig of it and sat back on the couch.
"We're actually going to space." I said in disbelief and I took another swig of my beer, Ben following in suit.
"Yup." Ben said.
It didn't take us long to finish our beers. I placed the empty bottles in Reed's sink and picked up my purse.
"I'm heading down to my apartment." I called to Reed who was still in his lab. "Bye Ben, see you tomorrow."
"Bye Ava."
I stepped in the elevator and pressed the button for my apartment level.
I was welcomed by the familiar atmosphere of my apartment. I didn't even turn on the lights. I just wandered over to my bedroom and pulled off my fancy clothes, replacing them with a tank top and shorts.
I wiped off my makeup with a wet washcloth and pulled my hair out.
I practically jumped into bed and slowly fell in a restful sleep.
Author's Note: A new fic! I'm so excited! :D I love anything marvel and the fantastic four is included. I'm trying to make this original so it doesn't seem like she was just thrown into the story.
Bonus points if you know the song and artist from the beginning. :D
It takes hours to write a fic but only seconds to follow and favorite.