[center][img]https://i2.wp.com/thefwoosh.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/fantasticfour_570_newlogo.jpg?w=1280[/img][/center] Reed stood on one side of his cold, temporary lab, his finger stroking his chin in quiet contemplation. [color=blue]“What could it all mean?”[/color] Across the room, the display on his new device showed the anomaly. A white entity, amongst the vast crowds at Times Square celebrating New Year’s Eve. The people were oblivious to its presence. [color=lightblue]“What is it?”[/color] Sue had let herself in to check on him, as she would every several hours. Particularly when things go quiet. She spoke with a hushed tone as if her question would distract others despite the fact that they were alone. [color=lightblue]“Did it follow us here?”[/color] Reed shot her an expression which revealed far too many pangs of guilt, before he recovered and answered truthfully. [color=blue]“I don’t know. I hope not. I have no reason to believe that it did… but I also have no evidence to say that it didn’t.”[/color] [color=lightblue]“So what is it?”[/color] Reed took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts before he could unload a concise summary of his extrapolation from what the raw data told him… [hr] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/RUtJzFy.png[/img][/center] [hr] [color=red]“Unbelievable!”[/color] Hank Pym exclaimed. [color=red]“Assuming I’ve got this right. It’s approximately six feet tall, appears to be mostly white and takes a form that is at least mimicking humanoid shape!”[/color] Ted was hunched over, leaning into the display of a similar device over Hank and Janet’s shoulders. The married couple sat side by side in front of him watching the screen. [color=skyblue]“So it’s a person?”[/color] [color=red]“Or mimicking a person.”[/color] Hank corrected. [color=skyblue]“Well, if it’s sentient enough to mimic a person, it would have to qualify for personhood, yeah?”[/color] Ted said, explaining his logic. Hank furrowed his brow. [color=red]“Not necessarily, I could build a robot for example that is designed to mimic a person. Doesn’t mean it qualifies for personhood. I’m assuming you’re judging ‘personhood’ down Kantian philosophical lines?”[/color] [color=yellow][b]“Yeah, but if it’s organic…”[/b][/color] Janet added. [color=red]“I didn’t say it was. And even then, you’re assuming it wasn’t created by a species capable of bioengineering a robot from organic mass. Which would be an inefficient way to construct a device… unless, I suppose, you were doing it for the express purpose of mimicking human anatomy… In which case…”[/color] Hank shrugged and gestured at the display. [color=skyblue]“So what you’re saying is that we don’t know what it is.”[/color] Ted clarified. [color=red]“We know that it’s about six feet tall, appears to be mostly white and is currently in a shape resembling humanoid.”[/color] Hank repeated. [color=skyblue]“And you’re sure this is the same kind of device that Sue Storm and Reed Richar--”[/color] [color=red]“When Sue Storm announced that they had discovered a fourth dimension and a probable fifth? Well, this is how I think they would have devised a machine capable of monitoring, and providing the means of perceiving things down those imperceptible dimensional lines. It’s an extrapolation on holding that theory as true, yes.”[/color] [color=yellow][b]“So, is that thing located where the poor Richards family were lost for all those years?”[/b][/color] Asked Janet. [color=red]“No. They were so far away down the hypothetical ‘H’ Dimension’s lines that they were in another ‘Zone’ entirely. Whatever ‘this’ is… It’s positioned itself just out of phase, in such a way that we can’t perceive it, but presumably close enough that it can still view us if it has evolved to see some way down dimensional lines.”[/color] [color=skyblue]“Evolved? So you DO believe it’s a person.”[/color] Ted jumped in. [color=red]“...or designed.”[/color] Hank quickly corrected. [color=red]“For all we know, it could be a probe.”[/color] [color=yellow][b]“Hey WAIT--! Did it just?!”[/b][/color] [hr] [center][img]https://ih1.redbubble.net/image.181524016.0830/flat,128x128,075,t.u4.jpg[/img] [img]https://ih1.redbubble.net/image.181524016.0830/flat,128x128,075,t.u4.jpg[/img] [img]https://ih1.redbubble.net/image.181524016.0830/flat,128x128,075,t.u4.jpg[/img] [img]https://ih1.redbubble.net/image.181524016.0830/flat,128x128,075,t.u4.jpg[/img][/center] [hr] [color=blue]“--It pivoted. On the ‘Z’ axis. About 8 microns, or a sixth of the thickness of a piece of paper.”[/color] Reed uttered. [color=lightblue]“It just brushed against that guy’s hair. It’s actually affected our world!”[/color] Sue exclaimed. [color=blue]“Technically, it’s all our world. It’s merely affected something that would be naturally observable with our own senses. Albeit in an extremely minor fashion that would likely be overlooked.”[/color] [color=lightblue]“How many of these things are there out there?”[/color] [hr] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/RUtJzFy.png[/img][/center] [hr] [color=red]“It’s the only one I’ve found so far, but then I only just finished working on the machine.”[/color] Hank said to the others. [color=skyblue]“So do you think Sue and Reed are seeing this?”[/color] Ted asked. [color=red]“I doubt it. There’s no scientific reason to be using this to target Times Square on New Years. [b][i]I’M[/i][/b] only looking here because that’s where the pair of you asked me to look.”[/color] [color=yellow][b]“You’re welcome.”[/b][/color] Said Janet. [color=skyblue]“Maybe they’re ‘Ghosts’?”[/color] Suggested Ted. [color=red]“Ghosts aren’t real.”[/color] Hank gruffly shot the question down. [color=skyblue]“Exactly. Maybe what this is, you know, maybe this explains some of those claims of paranormal activity. One of these things... turning and interfering with observable planes of existence.”[/color] Ted supposed. Hank held an ambivalent expression. On the one hand he’d have liked to see science once again debunk such ridiculous claims of the supernatural, but on the other… [color=red]“I think you’re doing a lot of speculation based off of a single sighting.”[/color] He countered, before going back to looking at the display. [color=yellow][b]“So… probe or organic, looks like we have at least one unexpected new visitor.”[/b][/color] Janet said. The others turned their heads to look at her. [color=yellow][b]“Let’s just hope they’re friendly…”[/b][/color] [hr] [center][img]https://ih1.redbubble.net/image.181524016.0830/flat,128x128,075,t.u4.jpg[/img] [img]https://ih1.redbubble.net/image.181524016.0830/flat,128x128,075,t.u4.jpg[/img] [img]https://ih1.redbubble.net/image.181524016.0830/flat,128x128,075,t.u4.jpg[/img] [img]https://ih1.redbubble.net/image.181524016.0830/flat,128x128,075,t.u4.jpg[/img][/center] [hr] A glowing sigil precedes the green cloaked visage of DOOM. It dulls and dissipates as quickly as it had appeared, and his heavy armoured footfalls traverse the path to the front door. The ring of a doorbell deflated all of the pomp and ceremony - the grandeur that could possibly reflect the magnitude of the presence of a Nation’s leader. DOOM seethed but did not lower himself to give voice to his disdain. [color=orange]“What now??? Oh--”[/color] Came the crass welcome from an uncouth Ben Grimm, who opened the door. [color=darkgreen]“[b]DOOM[/b] is owed an explanation. And he has come to collect.”[/color] The cloaked figure swiftly crossed the threshold before the stone faced greeter could even pass comment. [color=orange]“--kay…”[/color] Willie Lumpkin looked skeptically at Grimm as the two crossed paths, whilst Doom pushed further into the house. “Is that..?” [color=orange]“Yep. Find the kids, gather ‘em up and shut all three of yerselves in the Panic Room. Victor’s always been… intense at the best of times and I’m not real sure how he’s gunna take what we have ta tell him...”[/color] The Government handler nodded and swiftly made his way to the kids’ room to retrieve Franklin and Valeria. [hr] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/RUtJzFy.png[/img][/center] [hr] [color=skyblue]“So, do you think we should get in touch with Doctors Storm and Richards, then?”[/color] Ted asked. [color=skyblue]“Show them what we’ve found? Compare notes?”[/color] Hank turned and gave a considered response. [color=red]“That assumes he doesn’t know about this in the first place.”[/color] [color=skyblue]“Well, no. First, you said there’s no scientific reason for him to be looking at Times Square, so if anything YOU implied that. And second, the phrase ‘Compare notes’ suggests he knows something about… something. Maybe he saw another one of these. Or maybe he saw THIS one earlier.”[/color] [color=yellow][b]“Maybe they chased this one back here…”[/b][/color] Janet added. [color=yellow][b]“They have been gone for years, and just suddenly came back now.”[/b][/color] That thought gave the other two pause. [color=yellow][b]“But again, that’s a lot of extrapolation from only one sighting…”[/b][/color] Janet added, her own thought clearly having put her ill-at-ease as well. [color=skyblue]“So yeah. I think you should go and show your findings to the Storm-Richards Scientific Society tomorrow. Once we gather everything we can on this tonight.”[/color] Janet turned around and put her hand on Hank’s arm, before he could reply. [color=yellow][b]“Really… ‘WE’ should? This seems very unlike you to miss the opportunity to rub shoulders with great minds and prestigious scientists like the pair of them.”[/b][/color] Janet inquisited, raising a very skeptical eyebrow. [color=skyblue]“Well, the Great Hank Pym…”[/color] Ted started. [color=yellow][b]“Uh-huh…”[/b][/color] [color=skyblue]“I mean, this would all be far more impressive coming from someone as incredibly credible and thoughtful and-- and respected as the Head of RedAnt…”[/color] [color=yellow][b]“Uh-huh…”[/b][/color] The eyebrow stayed raised. Janet wasn’t buying a word of it. [color=skyblue]“...”[/color] Ted remained tight lipped, then his shoulders slumped. [color=skyblue]“There was some unpleasantness… I can never go back.”[/color] [color=yellow][b]“Really?”[/b][/color] She wasn’t letting go. [color=skyblue]“A funny little mishap. Some loud bangs… chemical spillage. They won’t want to speak with me.”[/color] [color=yellow][b]“Yes, but that was ‘The Great Ted Kord’”[/b][/color] She replied. [color=yellow][b]“This is the Blue Beetle.”[/b][/color] [color=skyblue]“...”[/color] [color=yellow][b]“Wow…”[/b][/color] Janet looked impressed. [color=yellow][b]“That bad, huh?”[/b][/color] [color=skyblue]“...Catalyzed decomposition of Hydrogen peroxide. And blasting caps.”[/color] Ted dropped his head. Janet threw her head back and laughed broadly. [color=yellow][b]“You slimed him?!?”[/b][/color] [color=skyblue]“No, his friend… with Boston Celtics green Silly String foam…”[/color] He pinched the bridge of his nose. [color=yellow][b]“Well, as bad as that is, I’m sure he doesn’t even rememb--”[/b][/color] [color=skyblue]"Yeah, there was another thing…”[/color] The pair turned and looked at him. [hr] [center][img]https://ih1.redbubble.net/image.181524016.0830/flat,128x128,075,t.u4.jpg[/img] [img]https://ih1.redbubble.net/image.181524016.0830/flat,128x128,075,t.u4.jpg[/img] [img]https://ih1.redbubble.net/image.181524016.0830/flat,128x128,075,t.u4.jpg[/img] [img]https://ih1.redbubble.net/image.181524016.0830/flat,128x128,075,t.u4.jpg[/img][/center] [hr] DOOM swept into the laboratory, with Ben Grimm and Johnny Storm racing rapidly in tow. [color=blue]“[/color][color=lightblue]Victor[/color][color=blue]?![/color][color=lightblue]”[/color] Sue and Reed called out in surprise. [color=orange]“Ehhh… let me present, His Highness Victor Von Doom of Latveria.”[/color] Ben announced. The rest turned and looked at him. [color=orange]“Well, ya are used to being announced on entry these days, arencha Lord Tin-Pants?”[/color] [color=darkgreen]“[b]DOOM[/b] is owed--”[/color] [color=orangered][b]“He wants to know what happened on the day of the Marvel-1 Mission.”[/b][/color] Johnny explained. Doom seethed. Not used to being interrupted, spoken for or the overall crass off-hand kind of treatment he was experiencing. [color=lightblue]“Oh…”[/color] Sue replied. Her voice laced with sympathy for the man who had lost family once before, presumably only to lose her again for a second time with news of the rest of the family’s return. [color=blue]“Once we had cleared our atmosphere, we set automatic settings on the engine as per protocol.”[/color] Reed explained. [color=blue]“On route to the target coordinates for deployment of the aperture we passed through a cloud of cosmic radiation…”[/color] Sue interrupted. [color=lightblue]“Unfortunately that cloud also contained pockets of nitrous oxide. Which the instruments didn’t manage to pick up until we were in the cloud itself. The engine automatically looked to vent as the fission reactor started running hot, which then belched in oxygenated nitrous. It overwhelmed the gamma converter, which couldn’t handle the vast quantities of strange radiation as the engines went critical from basically injecting oxygen into the already running hot core.”[/color] [color=orange]“Heh.”[/color] Ben Grimm chuckled. [color=orange]“Funny thing is, it happened pretty much exactly like that kid said.”[/color] [color=darkgreen]“A [i]child[/I] was able to predict your failure?”[/color] Doom spat, unable to withhold his disdain any longer. [color=orange]“Well, almost… I mean, I think he said it’d happen before we even hit space… Little punk that he was. Heh.”[/color] [color=lightblue]“Ben…”[/color] Sue urged him to be quiet. A creaking could be heard as Doom clenched his gauntlet into a fist. It stood in stark contrast to the silence of the laboratory. [color=orange]“What was that kid’s name again? Covered me in gunk…”[/color] [hr] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/RUtJzFy.png[/img][/center] [hr] [color=skyblue]"Yeah... I may have called the Marvel-1 spacecraft a ‘death trap’. And after everything. I don’t think they’re really going to want to hear anything from me… ever again.”[/color] Ted said. [color=skyblue]“All things given. I wouldn’t exactly blame them.”[/color] [color=red]“Well, you were right.”[/color] Said Hank. [color=skyblue]“Not exactly the point…”[/color] He replied. [color=skyblue]“There’s a sort of tact to these things, Hank. And just seeing me, they’re going to get a sense of some kind of ‘I told you so’ from my presence. Even if it goes unsaid.”[/color] [color=red]“Huh…”[/color] Hank shrugged, accepting this explanation as some other kind of social irrationality he wouldn’t understand. [color=skyblue]“It’d probably start some kind of fight that nobody really wants…”[/color] [hr] [center][img]https://ih1.redbubble.net/image.181524016.0830/flat,128x128,075,t.u4.jpg[/img] [img]https://ih1.redbubble.net/image.181524016.0830/flat,128x128,075,t.u4.jpg[/img] [img]https://ih1.redbubble.net/image.181524016.0830/flat,128x128,075,t.u4.jpg[/img] [img]https://ih1.redbubble.net/image.181524016.0830/flat,128x128,075,t.u4.jpg[/img][/center] [hr] [color=darkgreen][h3]“THEODORE KORD!”[/h3][/color] [b]DOOM[/b] barked, the windows rattled, the very air seemed to be charged with some sort of electricity and the faint scent of ozone. [color=darkgreen]“You were told about the shortcomings of your fatuous design by the pre-eminent mind in astronomical engineering!?!”[/color] [color=orange][sub]“Huh… Whaddya know. Tubby little punk made good…”[/sub][/color] Grimm muttered to Johnny Storm. [b]DOOM[/b] re-gathered himself, through sheer force of his indomitable will. [color=darkgreen]“So if all of this happened, then how are you all here? And where is Valeria?”[/color] The four looked at the floor, unsure how to proceed with the next part. [hr] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/RUtJzFy.png[/img][/center] [hr] [color=yellow][b]“But they should still hear this.”[/b][/color] Janet said. [color=yellow][b]“It’s a big deal.”[/b][/color] [color=skyblue]“They should.”[/color] Agreed Ted. [color=skyblue]“We need to find out more about whatever this is. And the choices are pretty much go to them, or take it public. And going public could cause a panic.”[/color] [color=yellow][b]“Especially with the last big happening in this city. There’s already less people than normal at the ball dropping, they speculate out of metahuman terrorist fears. Do we really want to tell people there’s something ELSE out there in this climate?”[/b][/color] [color=yellow][b]“We could be dealing with a nation aflame… A country, maybe, even a world tearing itself apart…”[/b][/color] [hr] [center][img]https://ih1.redbubble.net/image.181524016.0830/flat,128x128,075,t.u4.jpg[/img] [img]https://ih1.redbubble.net/image.181524016.0830/flat,128x128,075,t.u4.jpg[/img] [img]https://ih1.redbubble.net/image.181524016.0830/flat,128x128,075,t.u4.jpg[/img] [img]https://ih1.redbubble.net/image.181524016.0830/flat,128x128,075,t.u4.jpg[/img][/center] [hr] [color=lightblue]“Well, as the ship was starting to burn up and tear itself apart…”[/color] Sue started. [color=lightblue]“Johnny very quickly, and - it should be said - very selflessly, put Valeria in a radiation shielded airlock.”[/color] [color=darkgreen]“Then why is she not here?”[/color] Came Doom’s pointed response. [color=lightblue]“Because, unfortunately, as the gamma converter became overloaded and incapable of dealing with the quantity of strange radiation, it seeped into the primary quarters and began to change the physiology of everyone aboard. The four of us developed powers! Powers that allowed the four of us to survive the disaster intact and continue our momentum into the ejected aperture.”[/color] [color=orangered][b]“I’m sorry,”[/b][/color] Said Johnny with clear contrition and sadness, once again reliving the horrible day he saw his fiance burn to a crisp. [color=orangered][b]“The airlock that was meant to keep her safe only protected her from the radiation… I saw-- I had to watch as she burnt up and her remains were flung out into space as the ship finally broke apart.”[/b][/color] Reed interrupted with excitement, moving perhaps too swiftly past the loss of life. [color=blue]“We survived because it worked Victor! In fact it more than just worked. The aperture didn’t just allow us to view this strange sub-space dimension, it allowed us to go there! That’s where we’ve been this entire time! In this strange Negative Zone!”[/color] [color=darkgreen]“Of course it worked!”[/color] Doom spat his distaste. [color=darkgreen]“That was the part of this mission that was designed entirely by [b]DOOM’S[/b] hand!”[/color] His words hung in the silence thereafter, silence which encapsulated the rage of the guest in their temporary home. [color=darkgreen]“So the mission’s failure… Valeria’s death… and the survival of ALL of you unworthy cretins... Were the result of a series of stupid mistakes on your part, and the mercy gifted by [b]DOOM’S[/b] genius?”[/color] [color=orangered][b]“Well, I suppose if you put it like--”[/b][/color] [color=darkgreen][b]“NOT ANOTHER WORD!”[/b][/color] The windows rattled, the air seemed to crackle and the ozone once again became thicker. [color=darkgreen]“We shall never cross paths again.”[/color] Doom spoke to them all, facing no-one. [color=darkgreen]“Your dull-witted rudeness on this day,”[/color] He pointed to Ben Grimm. [color=darkgreen]“...and your idiotic tendency to act without thought. Which has brought an end to ONE so far beyond your station... you were never worthy of in the first place!”[/color] His voice and bloodshot glare soaked in malice as he pointed a metallic finger squarely at Johnny. [color=darkgreen]“...and you Richards. You are the worst of them all. Your arrogance. Your overestimated, outstated intelligence. You have wrought this upon us all. If you or Johnathan Storm ever stand in my way... If either of you ever set foot in my country… If my name ever comes out of your mouths in any context other than praise that [b]DOOM’S[/b] grace and mercy allowed you to live…”[/color] [color=darkgreen]“I will end you in a fashion that would make you wish you shared my sister’s fate.”[/color] These final words seemed to come out in a hiss. With that the sigil reformed, a light show commenced and Doom was gone, whisked away by forces unknown. [color=orange]“Hey, Suzie… I think you and me got off pretty light…”[/color] Ben said, waving his hand through the light where [b]DOOM[/b] once was. [hr] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/RUtJzFy.png[/img][/center] [hr] Hank was hard at work recording data on the anomaly, whilst the other two decided to get to their own tasks. Namely they were informing the rest of the team, and notifying the self-named Fantastic Four in order to discuss an exchange of information. The former being Ted’s responsibility whilst the latter would fall squarely on Janet’s shoulders. The pair walked through the Embassy together thinking about everything they had just seen, and everything they would say to the people they had to talk to. When all of a sudden Ted Kord stopped. Something had drifted into his vision out of the corner of his eye. Janet stopped once she sensed that Ted had, and wondered what he was doing. Ted walked over to the mantelpiece and picked up an object he’d seen there. Some kind of display case of sorts. He turned and showed what he’d seen to Janet with a stunned expression on his face. Her jaw dropped as he turned so that the could see what he was holding; a blue Egyptian artifact, a beetle in a perspex box. [color=yellow][b]“Is that--? Did you--?”[/b][/color] Janet started to ask, and Ted slowly shook his head. His eyes spoke volumes. [color=silver][b]“[/b][/color][color=red][b]Hey! Nobody mentioned we could make side money doing that…[/b][/color][color=silver][b]”[/b][/color] Scott Lang interrupted the pair from the other room, where some of the rest of the team were watching TV. He immediately knew something was wrong the minute he walked into the room. Scott looked incensed, like things had been kept from him. Tora was looking up at him with a big disappointed doe-eyed expression. Bea had fortunately gone out, or the expression he put on Ice’s face might have got him burnt to a crisp. Maxwell Lord was elsewhere, presumably in his office. And Roberto DaCosta, who was not part of the team but was staying in his half-sister’s care, was looking at his phone and completely disinterested with whatever was supposedly taking place. [color=skyblue][b]“The silent CJO Anti-Car theft device by Kord Omniversal…”[/b][/color] The Blue Beetle faced the camera with a finger to his lips, urging the viewers to keep quiet. [center][img]https://i.cdn.newsbytesapp.com/images/165_22641543563569.jpg[/img][/center] [color=skyblue][b]“...because when your car has super defenses like these, who can blame it for wanting to keep quiet about it?”[/b][/color] The televised hero drew his BB gun and twirled it a few times, before re-holstering it and winking at the camera. Scott, Janet and Tora all stared at Ted, mouths agape. [color=skyblue][h3]“What. The. FUUUUUUUU--”[/h3][/color]