Radioactive Relationship▸Johnny Storm [1] ON HOLD

[01] - feelings of inadequacy

"Turn it off." Victor asked, cutting Reed off. Tony and Ben looked at each other as Reeds started to get a bit flustered at being cut off. "Please."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Von Doom sir, but Doctor Richards hasn't explained his full proposal." Tony said, stepping up a little bit towards said man.

"No, I think he has. Same old Reed - always stretching, reaching for the stars with the weight of the world on his back. But dreams don't pay the bills, do they?" Victor tossed something that landed on the table, and Ben, Tony and Reed all leaned forward to see that it was a copy of WIRED magazine with Reed on the cover. The cover story: Reed Richards BANKRUPTED, Announces Grant Cutbacks.

Trying to turn the situation around beck to his proposal, Reed started up again, "You remember when we were in school, we talked about working together. Well, that's what I was about to explain." Reed pressed on this phone that was controlling his 3-D model and the image changed from DNA to a 3-D representation of a satellite. More specifically, Victor's satellite. "The storm is deadly, but the shields on your station's control room are designed to protects any occupants inside."

The lights came up and Victor came into full view, letting Tony finally get a good look at him. The man looked like the suave type with slicked back brown hair and dressed in an open collared white shirt and gray suit. The way he looked at Doctor Richards made a small amount of anger bubble in her stomach.

"So it's not just my money you want. It's my toys." Victor said, staring down Doctor Richards. Reed didn't seem to notice or wasn't bothered by the look because he just shrugged at Victor's statement. But what the man said next caught everyone in the room off guard, "Tell me, if NASA doesn't trust you, then why should I?"

"How did he know about NASA?" Tony whispered to Ben, who looked shocked as well. Ben looked away from Reed to the woman next to him and shook his head. Victor then got up from his seat and laughed, making his way to the three.

"That's my job - to stay a step ahead, to know what other men don't."

"I can't take this." Ben mumbled, facing Reed. Reed looked over at his friend and whispered back,

"Ben, this is a business. Just work."

"He's right Ben - It is just business."

Tony turned to see a woman walk into the room, her blonde hair half up and half down while dressed in a brown suit. The woman smiled at Ben and seem to be avoiding looking at Doctor Richards all together. "I believe you both know my director of genetic research, Susan Storm." Victor announced, seeming to not include Tony. 

"One more thing he's got." Ben mumbled to Reed who couldn't take his eyes off the new arrival. Tony looked at them confused but said nothing as Susan made her way over to them and hugged Ben. "Hey Susie."

"Hey. Oh it's so nice to see you. How's Debbie?" Susan asked.

"Great."

"Great." Susan then turned to Tony who was watching all this. Susan smiled and held out her hand to the younger woman. "Susan Storm."

Tony smiled back and took Susan's hand, shaking it, "Antonia Bradshaw, you can just call me Tony."

"Nice to meet you Tony."

"You too Susan."

Susan let go of the handshake to finally face Reed who was still looking at her. The smile that was on Susan's face faded as she looked at Reed. "Uh, how have you been?" Reed asked as an air of awkward tension filled the room.

"Never better." Susan said, holding out hand for a handshake. Reed reluctantly returned it, Ben looking between the two with sad eyes.

"This isn't going to be a problem is it?" Victor asked. Both Reed and Susan started saying different variations on no before getting cut off by Victor again, "Good. Then you are just in time to hear the great Reed Richards ask me for help. You know you made a lot of folks at MIT feel like a junior high science fair, so you'll excuse me if I savior the moment."

"You back this mission," Reed started, a seriousness in his voice, "and I'll sign over a fair percentage of any applications-"

"The number is 75, and it's applications and patents." Victor cut off again. Tony wast starting to see a trend with Mr. Von Doom. Ben spoke up, sarcasm flowing from his mouth.

"What about his first born?"

"Ben."

Victor laughed, not at the sarcasm but what Tony thought was basking in the pleasure of being on top of all this. "Come on, twenty-five percent of a billion is enough to keep the lights on for a while, isn't it? Maybe you can pay off your fourth mortgage on the Baxter Building. Deal?"The man held out his hand to Reed, who seemed hesitant. After a couple seconds, Reed shook Victor's hand with a stronger grip then he really needed to. "Well then, to our future. Together. It's funny how things turn out, isn't it?"

"Hilarious." Reed said, forcing a smile on his face. Tony could tell just by looking at Doctor Richards that there was more to this story than she knew. After the awkward small talk between Doctor Richards and Victor, Tony packed  up the presentation and grabbed the briefcase before walking to join Ben and Reed.

"He knew about NASA. Maybe he made the call to shut us down." Ben whispered to Reed, Tony listening in and nodding.

"It seems reasonable." She agreed.

"Ben, Tony. Think of all the people we can help if this works. Huh? Look, we got what we wanted; that's enough. A few days in space...It'll be great, what's the worst that can happen?" Reed asked. Tony's eyes widened at his last words, oh god he just jinxed us.

The three made it to the elevator following Susan who was going to be showing them down. Once the doors closed, the tense atmosphere thickened until it became hard to breathe. "Reed, you should know those solar winds have been picking up speed." Susan said, breaking the silence.

"I've factored them into my coordinates."

"Right. Of course you did, in theory. It's a little different once your out there."

"I can assure you-"

"When are we leaving?" Ben asked, stopping their bickering. Both Susan and Reed looked at Ben who smiled like he didn't know what he was doing.

"I'll be scheduling the launch so you can call me in the morning for resources and crew." Susan took a card out from her pocket and held it out for Reed, who just smiled at her.

"I think I remember the number." He said. Susan though was quick to correct him.

"It's been changed."

Reed's smile whipped from his face and he took the card. Ben then cleared his throat to get Reed's attention. Reed backtracked till he was next to Ben and smiled at Susan, "As far as crew, I was hoping Ben could pilot the mission."

"We already have a pilot on our payroll," Susan said, but quickly added, "But you're welcome to ride shot gun. You remember my brother Johnny?"

Ben and Reed looked a bit shocked while Tony looked confused.

Is this Johnny character that bad? She thought.

Only a couple days later is when her question is answered.

so here's chapter 1 of Radioactive Relationship :) I hope it came out okay and I hope you all liked it