[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/ZfvPPwT.png[/img][/center]
[b][color=#ffffff]The Raft, New York[/color][/b]

[color=#ffffff]Ben, Reed, and Sue watched on while Thor and the Silver Surfer duked it out like two warring titans. Each blow that exchanged between the two of them felt like it shook the planet. They had seen might before – indeed, they’d stood before a Silver Surfer before, even faced down Galactus – but [i]this[/i] was something else. Johnny’s kamikaze attack had lit up the night’s sky but hadn’t been enough to put the Surfer down. They only hoped that Thor would succeed where their brother had failed.[/color]

[color=#f6b26b]“The Surfer said he was working for Darkseid,” [/color][color=#ffffff]Ben mumbled.[/color][color=#f6b26b] “Do you think maybe it’s [i]our [/i]Darkseid? Could he have found us here?”[/color]

[color=#3d85c6]“I’m afraid there’s no way of knowing that n-”[/color]

[color=#ffffff]A blast from the Surfer went crashing into one of the Raft’s remaining radio towers and it started to go down. Reed’s eyes locked on it. There were still people inside. He couldn’t tell whether they were prison staff or prisoners, but if someone didn’t help them they were going to drown to death when that tower hit the freezing waters beneath the prison. Within a half-second, Richards’ powerful brain had deduced a means to keep the tower standing. He opened his mouth to bark orders to the others when Spider-Woman's voice cut across him.[/color]

[center][quote=@HenryJonesJr][color=ec008c][b]"You, skull dude. Mind giving me a ride through the Raft? I'll use what webbing I have left to keep any fracture points we find as structurally sound as I can make them. That will give the rest of you time to get as many people out as possible. Sound good?"[/b][/color][/quote][/center]
[color=#ffffff]Reed smiled in recognition of the soundness of the plan the teenager had devised. [/color][color=#3d85c6]“What are you waiting for? You heard Spider-Woman.”[/color]

[color=#ffffff]The heroes burst into action and what remained of the Fantastic Four did their part assisting the stragglers making desperate escapes from the prison. The damage that Thor and the Surfer were causing was almost immeasurable. If the fight went on for much longer Reed wasn’t sure that there would even [i]be [/i]a prison left standing once all was said and done. Where would they put the prisoners? Could they hold them all in one place if things really hit the fan?[/color]

[color=#ffffff]He banished the thought from his mind as he heard a distant cry for help. A heavy-duty vehicle carrying around a dozen members of prison staff was clinging to a crumbled edge of the Raft. They were usually used for prison transport but clearly the staff had taken refuge inside it once the breakout had started. Reed signalled to Ben and Sue and the trio dashed towards the vehicle without a second’s hesitation.[/color]

[color=#ffffff]Reed’s body at once became as taffy and he caught the vehicle in a hammock of his own making. His stretchy arms and legs shook with the weight of the truck but he soon felt relief as Ben’s rocky hands dragged it from the edge of the cliff and back firmly onto dry land. He tore open its heavy doors and the prison staff members came streaming out of it. There were tears down their faces. They had thought they were staring certain death in the face until the Fantastic Four – or [i]three [/i]– had arrived.[/color]

[color=#ffffff]A sudden crack announced that another piece of the prison had been knocked free. From high above them a slab of concrete came spiralling towards the newly-freed staff and they let out a scream. Sue extended a hand and caught the slab in a hard-light construct at the last second. With a flick of her wrist she sent it careening towards the sea and the newly-freed civilians breathed a breath of another sigh of relief.[/color]

[color=#ffffff]One of them looked towards Ben, Reed, and Sue with a grateful smile. “Thank you so much. I was sure we were goners. Who [i]are[/i] you people?”[/color]

[color=#9fc5e8]“There’s no time for that,” [/color][color=#ffffff]Sue shook her head.[/color][color=#9fc5e8] “Get out of here. You hear me? You get the rest of them out of here and across that bridge.”[/color]

[color=#ffffff]The man nodded modestly and shouted directions to his colleagues. Once they were out of eyesight, Ben turned his face up to Thor and Surfer. They were still caught in a furious tussle that could have been torn straight from the pages of classical mythology – and neither of them seemed to be slowing down. [/color]

[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/IjuaIS6.png?1[/img][/center]
[color=#f6b26b]“I should be up there,"[/color] Ben murmured as a pang of guilt ran over him whilst helplessly watching the battle from the ground. [color=#f6b26b]"Thor shouldn’t have to face the Surfer alone. No one should. Get me up there somehow, Stretch, and I'll make Chrome Dome wish he'd never been born.”[/color]

[color=#ffffff]Reed shook his head. [/color][color=#3d85c6]“We’ve done our part. If anyone can beat the Surfer on their own, it’s Thor. It’s our job now to help get these people out of here and somewhere safe. If the Surfer’s still standing after that? Then[i] [/i]we’ll worry about him – [i]and Darkseid[/i] – but not a moment before.”[/color]

[color=#ffffff]Ben nodded in acceptance and the three of them dashed forwards once more to provide another group with their assistance. Above them, each blast of power cosmic seemed to dance around the New York skyline like a shooting star – and each punch sounded like a thunderclap.

Let the gods be gods, Ben thought to himself in quiet resignation, the Fantastic Four would put people first, as they had done since the start.[/color]