by Jason Bruss
Mr. Fantastic
Invisible Woman
The Thing
Human Torch
Franklin Richards
Victoria Richards
She-Hulk
Ant Man
Previously in Fantastic Four: Ben moved in with Alicia at her new downtown apartment and was approached by Ant-Man regarding D'Spayre. Susan's untrusting affection towards her brother turned them against each other as She-Hulk brought them back to reality. Reed met with the mysterious Dr. Birely, whom refused to reveal himself, but warned that a new evil will soon arise unlike any the Fantastic Four have dealt with before.Four Freedoms Plaza
Afternoon
"We need to figure something out... It's going to cost an arm and an leg in order to rebuild and repair Reed's lab. The damage caused by Doom is outrageous. I don't know how we're suppose to recover."
"Don't sweat it, Suzie. We'll figure somethin' out."
"I hope so, Ben. First Doom, then D'Spayre... these last few months have been hideous for the Fantastic Four. I don't know how we're suppose to recover. We don't have the kind of funds we need in order to do this."
"Well, we could rent Johnny out."
"Hey! Not funny!"
"Just jokin', matchstick... just jokin'."
Susan closes the folder on the table, and sighs. She stands up and walks over to the counter placing the financial folder on the counter.
"I don't know, gentlemen. If the Fantastic Four don't figure something out, we might not be able to afford living here."
"How come the Super-Heroes Union doesn't lend us a few dollars?"
"The Super-Heroes Union, Ben? That's funniest thing you've ever said."
"Ya better watch it, punk."
Sue raises her eyebrows and leaves the room, walking into Reed and her's bedroom she lays down on the bed.
"They seem to want to joke at anytime- whether its serious or not."
"Hey Mom..."
"Hi Franklin. C'mere."
Franklin walks into the room and sits on the bed next to his mom, she smiles lightly to him.
"How was your day?"
"It was alright. Are you okay?"
"Yeah, sweetheart. I'm fine. I've just got a lot on my mind."
Four Freedoms Plaza
Extension Floor to Reed's Lab
"There."
Reed positioned the last wire in the contraption that he was currently working on, and he stretched his arm across the room to flip the switch. The large device made several engine starting noises before a dimensional gateway opened.
"I did it! With Success!"
Reed stood in front of the dimensional gateway and took readings, he had to make sure that radiation wasn't leaking through for it could result in flooding the entire building with radiation.
"Hmm... this is odd. I'm picking up a strange signal in the data stream."
Reed turns his head towards the sound of the opening door.
"Hello Ben."
"Whatcha call that, Stretch?"
"It's a new dimensional gateway, I don't think it's working right though. I'm picking up a strange signal from its data stream. It's not exactly something I was expecting."
"What's on the other side of it?"
"I don't know. I haven't been been scanning all that long before you came in."
"Well, there's only one way to find out."
"Sorry Ben, no jumping into this gateway. Not until I figure out what's going on."
"Ah Stretch, you're worrying over nothing. We've done this a million times. Maybe I'll get lucky and I'll pop up in Jennifer Anniston's shower with her naked."
"Yeah, along with her and her naked husband Brad Pitt."
"Stretch, ya had to ruin it, didnt ya?"
Reed smirked and went back to scanning the gateway.
"Ben, stand back- something is coming through."
Benjamin Grimm's rocky exterior formed a fighting stance in the event that whatever comes out of the gateway wasn't friendly. Reed's eyes widen an image comes through the gateway, an image of the being known as-
"Hyperstorm!"
"Yes, Grandfather. I've been freed from hyperspace... where you left me!"
(Marvel's Fantastic Four Vol.1 #414)
Ben looks to Reed, as Reed stretches backwards
from the gateway. He had created an opening into hyperspace, freeing his
time-displaced grandson. Hyperstorm hovers over the two Fantastic Four
members and releases a powerful psionic blast into their chests. However,
Ben managed to take the
blast as Reed went crashing into the
wall.
"Give me yer best shot, kid."
"I am not a kid, I am twenty four years old... and you are out of your league."
Hyperstorm releases another powerful blast of psionic energy towards Ben. The Thing just barely manages to escape the blast. The doors of the lab open as the Sensational She-Hulk enters.
"Oh my God, Reed!"
Jennifer rushes to Reed's side and kneels beside him as she looks up to see Hyperstorm smirking towards her.
"How could you do this to him! He's your grandfather!"
"He was, Jennifer Walters... that was before he trapped me in Hyperspace with the revolting Galactus. Step away from him while I finish him off."
Hyperstorm was sent hurtling into the wall of the laboratory, as the Thing had attacked him from behind.
"Sorry to disappoint you... but nobody's hurting my friends and family again!"
Ben rushes across the room and thrusts another powerful blow into Hyperstorm.
She-Hulk helps Reed to his feet and then assists him over to the Dimensional Gateway.
"Reed, you've got to do something. Ben's not going to be able to keep this up. I'm going to help him."
"Jennifer- get Hyperstorm in front of the Gateway. I've got an idea."
Reed rushes with the controls, changing and recalibrating the settings. Jennifer rushes across the room and grabs Hyperstorm's cape and tightly wraps it around the man's neck- choking him. She forces him into walking towards the gateway.
"Way to go, Jen!"
"It's not over yet, Ben... We need to pray this works."
"I gotcha, Reed."
She-Hulk stands before the gateway and looks to Reed, waiting for his order to toss Hyperstorm back into the gateway from where he came.
"Now, Jen!"
And with a simple thrust, She-Hulk tosses Hyperstorm back into the gateway. She can see Hyperstorm land on a small asteroid through the fuzzy array of energy.
"Hurry and shut it down, stretch."
"I'm trying, Ben... It's going to take time."
"We don't have time! He's coming back!"
She-Hulk could see Hyperstorm flying back towards the gateway. Thing looks to Reed, hoping that he'll hurry up and close the gateway.
"Hurry Stretch!"
"It's not working!"
Suddenly, the gateway begins to close.
"Way to go, Stretch!"
"I didn't do anything."
"If you didn't do anything, Reed, then who did?"
"Ruff!"
She-Hulk, Mr. Fantastic, and The Thing watch as the Fantastic Four's dog walks out from behind the gateway holding the power cord to the gateway in its mouth. Mr. Fantastic stretches his arm over to the dog and picks him up.
"Way to go, Pup."
"Saved by the Dog."
She-Hulk looks to the gateway and then turns to Reed.
"So where'd he end up?"
"I'm not sure."
"What do you mean that your not sure, Stretch?"
"I mean I'm not sure where Hyperstorm ended up. Jonathan R. Richards could be anywhere."
She-Hulk gives a sigh of relief.
"Well, at least he's gone."
"For now, Jennifer. I have a feeling we haven't seen the last of my grandson. He'll be back, and it won't be a very happy family reunion."
"Ah, don't sweat it, Stretch. We can take him."
"I hope your right, Ben. I hope your right."
Reed continues to hold the dog as all four of them leave the lab.
Elsewhere
Hyperstorm stands on a small asteroid that is floating through 'space', his eyes looking around at his surroundings.
"Where am I? This is not hyperspace. Where has my grandfather cursed me to now?"
"WELCOME, JONATHAN RICHARDS- IT HAS NOT BEEN VERY LONG SINCE WE LAST SAW EACH OTHER. MY NEED OF ENERGY IS UPON ME AGAIN. I HUNGER."
"No- No! NOOOOO!"
Hyperstorm screams in horror as Galactus feeds off of his energy once more.
Empire State University
Several Days Later...
"...and that concludes today's lesson on hyperspace. Remember to bring your assignments on Monday before the exam. Have a Good Weekend, Everyone."
Reed began to gather his large pile of notes, when two gentle arms wrapped themselves around him.
"Hello Reed."
"Sue? What are you doing here?"
"I came to see the big college professor at work."
Reed smiles.
"That's all?"
Sue gives him a gentle kiss and hands him a folder.
"What's this?"
"It's the current stock value of Fantastic Four Inc., dear."
Reed opens the folder and looks over documents within.
"Our stock is riding high, that's great. That'll bring us out of our current debt situation some."
"Yeah, I know it's not much... but it's better than it has been. I just thought I'd stop by and show you."
Reed gives Susan a tight hug.
"I know you don't like to worry about our finances, sweetheart. I want you to know that I do love you and that whether we're rich or poor- we'll survive."
"I know, Reed. I know."
NEXT ISSUE: The Fantastic Four celebrate 40 issues at M2K by starting off a new direction in their lives!
Fantastic Forum:
Well, my first ever Annual for M2K's Fantastic Four. I know many people don't like the fact or even mention of future children, but I saw the opportunity to use Hyperstorm since he was last 'locked' together with Galactus in hyperspace during Fantastic Four #414. I hope you thoroughly enjoyed this issue of Fantastic Four and I hope you'll be stopping back for Fantastic Four #40!
Jason Bruss