CHAPTER TWO
The Deal
Jo stared up at the epic, thirty-foot steel statue of Dr. Victor Von Doom that was in the process of being erected in the large courtyard of VDI Headquarters. Jo had to give the monstrosity its due – whoever had created it was a fantastic sculptor. The figure was detailed beyond anything Jo had seen: its face was chiselled and angular, the metal suit it wore expensive-looking, and its strong hands generously held out two intricately twined columns of DNA. It was perfect.
"High, open space," muttered Reed from beside her. "Exposed structural elements. Obviously aimed at first time visitors to create feelings of … smallness, inadequacy…"
Jo turned her attention to Reed and caught Ben's eye as he did the same. It was clear that they were thinking along the same lines: Are we gonna have to frogmarch the man into his own bloody meeting?
"Good thing it ain't working," said Ben, calmly, and this seemed to do the trick. Reed smiled and led them both to the building's front doors. But as if forgetting his show of support, Ben added, "Reed, what are we doing here? This guy's fast-food, strip-mall science-"
"This wasn't our first stop, in case you forgot NASA. And Victor's not that bad. He's just a little … larger than life."
Jo raised an eyebrow at the silly pun Reed had made, but didn't say anything. If Reed needed to make a couple of lame jokes to build up his nerve, then she wouldn't stop him.
"He's financed some of the biggest breakthroughs of this century!" he continued as they stepped through the revolving doorway.
"You'd never know it," said Ben, and he gestured to the high-tech screens covering the crowded foyer they'd entered. Each one cycled through dramatic footage of VDI's various accomplishments – a safe and clean nuclear facility, the first ever private space station – and each one displayed Victor front-and-centre, glad-handing the likes of George Bush, Tony Blair, and other shady international leaders. The last image they passed on the way to the reception area was of Victor holding the America's Cup.
"Reed Richards to see–"
"Executive elevator," said the receptionist sat on the far right of the long desk. "Top floor."
The lights in the room had been dimmed for Reed's presentation, and the bright holograms of stars and planets that hovered in the air made the room feel like a majestic portal into outer space. Reed stood amongst the holograms, speaking at a figure shrouded in shadows at the head of the room.
Looking around, Jo thought the executive office should have been a much more welcoming space with its woodwork panelling and soft furnishings, but the competitive energy that wound its way through the room had her on edge. Beside her, Ben did nothing to help the tension as he stood like a watch-dog, ready to defend his side if it showed sign of losing.
"My research suggests that exposure to a high-energy cosmic storm born on solar winds 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 in space could advance our knowledge about the structure if the human genome, and help cure countless diseases, extend human life–" The figure cleared his throat, uninterested in the aspects of Reed's proposal that could improve humanity for all, but Reed persevered, "give kids the chance to be stronger, healthier, less prone to–"
"Turn it off." The figure's deep voice pierced through the darkness. "Please."
"But I haven't fully explained my–"
"Yes," the man said. "You have … imagination. Creativity. Passion. Those were always your trademarks…"
The lights in the room suddenly brightened, and Jo squinted up at the figure: Victor Von Doom. He was a handsome man, commanding and decisive, but he had developed a cruel streak through his many years in business that he wasn't afraid to show.
Victor dropped a magazine on the table, but from the back of the room, Jo could barely make-out the front cover.
"But dreams don't pay the bills, do they?" Victor said, delighting in giving Reed a condescending smile. "Same old Reed – the hopeless optimist. Still reaching for the stars with the world on your back."
"You remember in school we talked about working together?" Reed was determined for his proposal to be heard. "That's what I was about to explain–"
"So, it's not my money you want," said Victor, crossly. "It's my toys … tell me, if NASA doesn't trust you, why should I?"
Jo gasped. It felt as if the world had stopped. Reed turned to look back at her and Ben for reassurance, but they needed it themselves. No one knew how to respond and the room was now so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. It was obvious to Jo that Victor was revelling in the discomfort he had caused.
"That's my job," he continued. "To stay a step ahead. To know what other men don't."
"I can't take this," said Ben, and he turned to leave through the room's large oak doorway.
"Ben," said Jo, quickly resting her hand on his arm. Before she spoke again, she made sure to turn her head and look Victor in the eye. He may have the upper-hand, but it wouldn't do Reed any good for Victor to think they were completely helpless. "This is business. Victor's just done the sensible thing and researched his prospective partner."
"Jo's right, Ben," came a silky female voice from the doorway Ben had just tried to leave through.
Everyone, apart from Victor, spun around in shock.
"I think you all know my Director of Genetic Research," said Victor, pompously. "Susan Storm."
"He really knows how to pull out all the stops, doesn't he?" Jo whispered to Ben. She didn't doubt that Victor had asked for Sue to enter the room at an opportune moment and throw Reed even further off of his game. But God, it was always good to see her. "Sue!"
"Hey, Susie!"
"Jo! Ben!" she said, giving them both a warm hug. "It's been too long."
Her loving smile dropped immediately as she came face-to-face with Reed, but still, she offered him a polite handshake.
"You're – you've–" said Reed, absolutely tongue-tied. "I mean, how have you been?"
"Never better."
"This isn't going to be a problem, is it?" asked Victor, smiling smugly as he placed a hand on Sue's shoulder.
"Not at all," said Reed immediately, trying to save himself from further embarrassment.
Jo turned her eyes to the floor. She hoped she had been the only one to see Sue's forced breezy attitude change to cold rage.
"Ancient history."
"Good," said Victor, letting go of Sue's shoulder and strutting back around to the head of the table. "Then you're just in time to hear the great Reed Richards ask me for help, Sue. You know, Reed, you made a lot of folks at MIT feel like a junior high science fair. So, you'll excuse me if I savour the moment."
"You back this mission," said Reed, defiantly. Victor's momentary focus on Sue had seemingly given him the chance to gather his wits together. "I'll sign over a fair percentage of any applications or–"
"The number's seventy-five," said Victor, establishing his position swiftly. "And it's applications and patents."
"What about his first born?" asked Ben, stepping forward.
"The money's not important," said Reed, pushing Ben back gently. "We could save lives."
"Twenty-five percent of a billion is enough to keep the lights on, isn't it?" asked Victor, arrogantly. "Maybe even pay off your fourth mortgage on the Baxter Building … deal?"
Victor held his hand out to Reed, patiently waiting for him to accept his terms and shake on it.
Reed looked to Ben – who shook his head softly – and then to Jo, but she only shrugged her shoulders. This decision wasn't hers. She could see his mind racing as he quickly weighed up the pros and cons in his head and in the end, he placed his hand confidently into Victor's.
"Well, then," said Victor. "To our future … together."
At this, Victor placed an arm around Sue's shoulders, the other holding firmly onto Reed's. "Funny how things turn out, isn't it?"
"He knew about NASA," said Ben, as soon as they were out of earshot of the executive suite. "What if he made the call to shut us down?"
"Unlikely," said Jo, pressing hard on the button to call the elevator. "NASA was probably a no-go from the beginning. You know they're not willing to take on anything too experimental."
She received two vastly different looks from the both of them: Reed smiled, thankful for her round-about support, and Ben just glared at her like he thought she was kidding herself.
"Think about all the people we can help if this works," said Reed.
"Maybe you should think about yourself for once!" said Ben, finally erupting with what seemed to really be his issue with all of this. "You always let this guy push you around!"
There was a loud ding as the elevator arrived.
"We got what we wanted," said Reed, stepping into the metal box and pressing the button for the ground floor. "That's enough."
"I know," said Ben, standing down now that his true feelings had been heard. "I'm just worried about what he wants … speaking of which–"
Sue stepped into the elevator and the doors shut behind her. It suddenly felt extremely cramped in here.
