"Can't tell him if I don't know," Val gritted between closed teeth. Her face was uncomfortably close to Vernard's knife.

"Then I shall." Vernard turned to face Reed again. Reed, as well as the rest of the army, was petrified. Even the psychics looked helpless. Their powers simply did not work as well around all of Doom's telepathy-blocking machinery.

"I need that battery to power my time machine. In a few short seconds, I will replace you in the past, and your life now will cease to be. I will be Mr. Fantastic. I will be Nathaniel Richards' favorite son. If you do not aid me to my satisfaction, this girl will die."

"Why are you telling us this?" one of the Skrulls asked.

"I want to see you grovel!" Vernard yelled. "Weep! Beg! I wanted to see the horror of realization spread over your face when you realized that you were helple—"

Several things happened in the next instant.

Completely fed up, Val dropped the cannon on Vernard's feet. He yelped in pain and reeled back, letting go of her.

Reed reached out, stretching to catch his daughter and drag her back towards him.

Everyone rushed Vernard at once, ready to tackle him.

And Kristoff appeared with a *pop*, holding his teleporting remote. He picked up his father's staff and set its end against the nape of Vernard's neck.

"Move and you're dead."

Shoes skidded on the floor as the army halted. Several hapless members of the crowd fell over their own feet, sprawling across the marble floor.

On the ground, Doom moved. He pushed himself onto his knees, stood up haltingly and painfully. Straightening his shoulders with a deep breath, he shook his cape out with a flourish.

Vernard gulped. "You—you're not dead!"

"You dare?" snarled Doom. "You DARE?"

"Okay, Big Fight Scene's over," said Franklin. "Everybody out." The people nearest to the door began to back outside.

"No one is to move!" Doom demanded. "As for you, Vernard – you DARE TO MOCK MY POWER?"

"Move. Move move move," Franklin said, continuing to shoo the army out.

"I SAID no one is to MOVE!" roared Victor von Doom. "Are all the seals broken? Kristoff, reseal the doors."

Kristoff looked at him coolly. "I told you this would not end well."

"Insolent child! You, too, dare—"

"Of course I dare," Kristoff said. "I tire of your arrogance, old man."

A brief silence filled the chamber. Only a few of the Fantastic Four and the X-Men remained.

"Awkward," Val said.

Vernard let out a single barking laugh. "Fools."

He immediately had everyone's attention.