Currently in the Great Hall were Doom, Kristoff, and Vernard, all on the dais.

Before them stood Val, Franklin, Rachel (with Baby David), Cyclops, Mr. Fantastic, the Invisible Woman, the Human Torch, the Thing, and Alyce Grimm. Everyone else had gotten safely outside.

"I am the son of Nathaniel Richards." Vernard cackled. "Did you not think that I would have a backup plan?"

He spun around, grabbed the staff from Kristoff, and pressed one of its buttons. Immediately red lights flared on the ceiling.

"Self-destruct sequence reactivated," chanted computerized speakers all over the room.

Kristoff smacked Vernard sharply on the head with the staff and began inspecting the various buttons.

"Normal perimeters breached. Now activating Force Field of Doom."

Beyond the shattered windows and doors, a glowing-green force field bubbled up.

In Kristoff's hands, the staff shattered. He cried out and staggered back.

Alyce smirked, rubbing her hands together so that sparks flew. "Gotcha."

"I was trying to re-deactivate the self-destruct sequence!" Kristoff yelled.

Alyce hesitated. "Um . . . were we supposed to trust him? Or is he still one of the bad guys?"

There was a brief silence.

"I've got it all written out somewhere," Val said. "Who's a hero and who's a villain and who's alive and who's dead and who's alive again . . ."

"We're all about to be dead in about five minutes," snapped Doom. He strode to his throne and flopped down in it with a sigh. Suddenly he looked very old and tired.

Vernard, crumpled on the ground, moaned.

"We'll smash our way out," the Thing said confidently, walking towards the doors.

"Wonderful! Smash everything. Smash as much as you please," Doom said. "It will do no good."

"Wait a minute!" Franklin whirled towards Kristoff. "You have a teleportation device, don't you?"

"The TelePorter will only transport one person," Kristoff said, refusing to look at him.

The speakers chimed. "Four minutes until detonation."

"Get him!"

Everyone sprang towards Kristoff. At the last second, he pulled the TelePorter from behind his back, pressed a button, and vanished.

"Beautiful," the Human Torch murmured. He glanced around for the Thing. "Hey, Ben—how's the smashing coming?"

The Thing walked back, looking depressed. "Force field's . . . uh . . ."

". . . too hard?" the Torch supplied helpfully.

"No! No, not too hard! It's just . . . I, uh . . ." His big orange shoulders slumped. "Okay. I can't break it. It's too hard. Ya happy?"

"I'm gonna try," said Alyce.

"So will I," said Cyclops.

"Three minutes until detonation," chirped the speakers.

"No!" cried the Invisible Woman. "Everyone stay together! Val, help me make a force field."

"That won't help," Doom said bitterly, leaning back in his throne.

So far, Reed Richards had not said a word. Now he stepped away from the group, towards the throne.

"What do you really want, Doom?"

"To see you die."

"Yes, yes, yes." Reed waved this aside impatiently. "But why? Everyone else we've fought . . . they're all gone. Why do you insist on dragging this out?"

Doom sighed. "We were always destined to be enemies, Richards."

"Maybe not," Richards said earnestly. "We could have been friends."

"Two minutes until detonation."

"Reed?" Sue quavered.

"But we became enemies," Doom said firmly. "And we've forgotten how to be anything else."

Kristoff popped back into the room with a snap. Standing next to him was a woman in black armor and a red cape.

"Hello again, Father."

"One minute until detonation."

"Stop the countdown!" Doom roared.