Chapter 7- A Fantastic Mixup

Lisa had gone back to her book after Sue had left her and Dad. Dad was getting back to work on the damaged sensor, but Lisa could see that he was upset with Sue's outburst before she had gone to check on Johnny.

"Dad, I'm sure Sue didn't mean it," Lisa said as Dad started to bang away at the burned and fried metal and wires. Dad turned to look at her.

"What makes you think that, Lisa Jane?" Dad asked, using Lisa's middle name. Since coming to live with Reed Richards he had never missed an opportunity to use her middle name.

"I think she'll get over it. She was just upset. I was upset for the first six months I lived with you," Lisa said as they both stepped into the elevator and exited at the living quarters.

"How could I forget? I still remember the nightmares you used to have when you came to stay with me," Dad said as they walked past the huge picture window.

Lisa and Dad stopped in shock as a figure, completely on fire, flew in front of the window. "Reed! Reed! Help!" The figure screamed in Sue's voice.

"Sue?" Dad asked incredulously.

"I'm on fire! Reed!" Sue screamed.

"Sue! What's going on?" Dad shouted.

"You're on fire!" Dad stated the obvious. Lisa had to fight the urge to roll her eyes. Her father had one of the best minds of the 21st century, but sometimes he just wasn't all that bright when it came to the two girls in his life. Dimwitted was a word that often came to mind at moments like this.

"Ya think?" Sue asked her voice full of annoyance.

"Hold on," Dad said, looking around the room.

"Pull me in! Help!" Lisa heard Sue scream as she fell from sight.

"Stay here," Dad ordered sharply as he ran out of the building. Dad rarely had to talk to Lisa like that, but when he did Lisa normally listened.

&

Lisa sat on a stool in Reed's lab as Reed came in, followed by Ben and Johnny. "Where's Sue?" Lisa asked, looking at each one of them in turn.

"I don't know. After she and Johnny swapped powers she disappeared," Reed said, hugging Lisa tightly as Sue came into the lab.

Sue's manner was one that was upset. She looked as mortified as she did two years ago with the humiliating vanishing act on the Brooklyn Bridge that had started their lives as superheroes. Her mouth was tight and her face looked redder than a tomato.

Reed took a sample of Sue's and Johnny's blood and ran it under the microscope.

"So, how did the two of you swap powers to begin with?" Lisa asked Johnny and Sue.

"I don't know, Shorty. All Sue did was touch my shoulder and she burst into flames. Then I became invisible when she screamed for help," Johnny said wearily.

Reed straightened and turned to look at them. "So, what happened, Daddy?" Lisa asked the concern on her face evident.

"I wish I knew, Lisa. Everything we have gone through since we were exposed to the cloud has been normal. I have been able to understand why it happened. This new development, I don't. All of Sue's results are normal. But Johnny's-"Reed started to say and then stopped.

"Johnny's are what?" Johnny asked.

"Your encounter with the Surfer has affected your molecules. They're… in a constant state of flux," Reed said.

Johnny inhaled deeply. "Is that bad?" Johnny asked a forced smile on his face.

"Well, it caused you to temporarily switch powers with Sue. Ideally I'd like to run some more tests," Reed said, looking at the paperwork in front of him.

"Would you like a volunteer?" Ben asked cheerfully. Everyone protested loudly.

"No, no! This is serious," Johnny said, backing away.

"Oh, come on!" Ben said.

"We don't know the extent of his condition yet," Sue said her concern for Johnny in her eyes.

"It could be progressive, it could be degenerative," Reed said, numbering the possibilities off on his fingers.

"He's right, Uncle Ben. It could be dangerous," Lisa interjected quietly.

"You worry too much, Lisa. It could be fun," Ben said, touching Johnny's shoulder.

"No, Uncle Ben!" Lisa shouted belatedly.

"Ben!" Sue exclaimed as the fire around him cleared.

"Whoa! Hey! Hey, it's me. I'm back!" Ben said. Sue, Lisa, and Reed looked at him in shock. Ben looked like he did two years ago before he was infected. The only difference being was that his shirt was on fire. Ben slapped out a flame as they all turned to look at Johnny.

He looked like Ben, except with hair on his head. Johnny picked up a small canister and looked at his reflection in it. "Oh, my gosh! Come on! We just said this is serious!" Johnny yelped.

"Oh, yeah, serious," Ben said, starting to laugh. Johnny looked at himself again.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me!" Johnny said in frustration as Ben's laugh got louder.

Ben snapped his fingers; a flame coming out. "Hey, not bad," Ben said in a voice of awe.

"Incredible," Reed said, his voice hushed.

"Reed, you'd better be able to fix this," Johnny said.

"I'm right on it," Reed said as Ben threw a fireball in Johnny's face to everyone's protests.

"Ben, stop it!" Sue said as Reed gripped Lisa's arm and pulled her out of the way.

"Please, Uncle Ben. You could hurt one of us by doing that," Lisa begged as Ben laughed gleefully.

"Would I really hurt you, Lisa?" Ben asked.

"Not intentionally. My father drank and enjoyed the drinks, but he would also beat me nearly senseless. When he was sober he wasn't half bad and claimed to love me. I know you're enjoying this, but be careful," Lisa said as Reed slipped his arms around her thin shoulders.

"But I'm starting to see why Johnny likes that. Ha! Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no!" Ben protested as Johnny touched Ben's shoulder. Aw, darn!" Ben grunted, back to normal.

"That's not funny! What am I supposed to do in the meantime?" Johnny asked annoyed.

"Well, you could watch all the sports channels on TV like you do everyday and avoid going on missions for awhile?" Lisa suggested.

"Very funny, Shorty," Johnny grumbled his mood dark.

"Just, uh, try to keep your distance from us," Reed said before Lisa could say anything else to that. Reed hoped he could fix what was wrong with Johnny. It could be dangerous if they didn't fix his problems.