Paradoxical (Fantastic Four)

12.

Johnny and I arrived back at the building to find the main entrance wrecked like someone ran a car into it. Jimmy was lying unconscious on the ground. Ingrid was on her knees trying to keep herself calm while giving the doorman CPR. I remembered she had taken first-aid classes and was certified to assist. I knew Jimmy was in capable hands until the professionals came around.

"I just called the paramedics!" Layla ran up to us in shock, "They're on their way!"

"What happened?" I asked her nervously.

"It was freaky man!" Cameron shook his head as if he was trying to wrap his mind around what he had seen.

"Guys?!" 

Johnny ran inside and turned to me as if expecting me to follow him in.

"Stay until the medics get here," I told Layla and the others.

"It was Von Doom!" Howie called out to me as I ran inside.

Victor may be a major sociopath, but no man would be capable of smashing down a door with his own bare hands. Johnny and I remained silent during the ride up the elevator until we got back to the top floor.

"Sue!" he hollered.

"Johnny! The machine worked! Give me a hand!" Susan shouted.

We found the lab a wreck as Susan assisted Ben, who was human looking again, but looked like he got hit by something stronger than him.

"Benny?" I gaped seeing my brother mundane like he had wanted. Even when he was entirely made of rock, he was still my big bro.

"Get his arm," Susan told Johnny as they both hoisted Ben on his feet.

"You all right, Ben?" Johnny asked him.

I cleared some of the wreckage to get my brother a place to sit, "Put him on the step."

Once Ben was seated, I pulled him into a gentle hug.

"What happened, big guy?" Johnny asked, "I leave you for five minutes--"

"The machine," Ben rasped, "Vic used it on himself. He was affected by the cloud, like us."

That confirmed what Howie and Cameron were trying to tell Johnny and me earlier and Layla and Ingrid's reactions.

"Where's Reed?" Susan wondered.

"Vic must have taken him," my brother answered.

Before any of us could say anything else, a loud ringing noise occurred. Johnny, Susan, and I headed out to the balcony to investigate. Suddenly, another noise took place. My nerves were in shock as a missile flew in our direction. Susan and I turned to Johnny who looked at himself.

"Oh no," he remarked and ran over to the railing confirming to me that it was a heat-seeking missile.

"We gotta get outta here," Susan suggested.

I knew we wouldn't be fast enough to get my brother, my friends, and everyone else around the building away from the missile.

"I got an idea," Johnny stated as he backed up a few steps.

"Don't even think about it," I shook my head.

"Never do."

"What are you doing?" Susan demanded as he ran and leaped off the balcony.

"Johnny, no!" both of us hollered in unison as we peered over the railing watching to see if he could attempt to fly like he always wanted. If anything went wrong, he would never hear the end of it from me!

He was almost close to the ground when he shot up like a flaming bullet. My stomach started doing summersaults in relief that he didn't commit suicide. 

Susan and I turned to head out to deal with the next big problem.

"We have to help Reed," Ben held the banister for balance but was determined.

"It's too dangerous for you now. You have to stay here," Susan told him and left.

I didn't say anything but gave him a saddened expression knowing he wouldn't be able to take on Victor in his recent state and followed Susan to get into our uniforms.

Both of us got to Victor's building with a foolproof plan. While Susan cloaked herself invisible and snuck in to find Reed, I willed myself into an ice flurry with leaves and flew up to the highest floor where Victor's office was. I saw Reed tied to a chair and tubes freezing him near solid. Susan managed to get there and begin unscrewing him loose. I was on standby in case Victor attacked.

"Sue," Reed wheezed knowing it was her.

"Shh. What has he done to you?" she whispered to him and continued loosening his bondages.

"How romantic," Victor smiled wickedly under the metal mask he was wearing.

Susan became startled that she was visible, "Victor, please."

"Call me Doom," he came out from the shadows.

"The machine works. It worked on Ben. It can work on you. We can turn you back."

As Susan tried to convince Victor, I noticed more flickering lights coming from the Baxter Building. I wondered what Ben was up to.

"Do you really think fate turned us into gods so we could refuse these gifts?" Victor slowly strolled towards her.

"Victor, you always thought you were a god," Susan glared, "Now back off."

"Susan, let's not fight."

"No, let's."

She gathered all of her energy and threw a force field at Victor, throwing him back a bit, knocking a couple of chairs over, and causing one of the windows to shatter. 

 "Susan," the megalomaniac started to get extremely pissed. "You're fired!" He shot electricity at her, which sent her flying backward, hitting the wall.

That was my cue. I flew in and attacked Victor with ice shards and razor-sharp leaves before he shot another beam of electricity, weakening me before turning his attention to Susan.

"To think I was about to share my life with you," he spoke to her just as she became invisible.

More like taking away her life! I thought weakly.

As Victor went after Susan in a demented game of Marco Polo, I managed to pull myself back to my feet. While my invisible friend shot out a series of energy at him, I summoned the vines attempting to constrict him. He shot another beam forward, finding Susan's form, and then fired another beam of electricity at me, this time, taking me down so that I could barely move an inch.

I could hear Susan groaning as Victor grabbed her throat. I attempted to invoke the vines once again seeing her in peril, but couldn't move my arm as I was still paralyzed from the second shot of electricity.

"Did you say goodbye to your brother Johnny?" Victor taunted her as she became visible and threw her next to Reed, "It's time to end this."

Before he could do anything to either of us, the wall exploded. I slowly smiled at seeing Ben make an appearance in his rocky form.

"No, Vic. It's clobberin' time!" my brother growled at the masked narcissist and punched him, sending him flying across the room which resulted in a loud bang.

"I've been waitin' to do that!" He smiled and then turned his attention to Susan and me as I slowly pulled myself back up, "Susie, Ari, are you two ok?" Ben came over to us and Susan loosened Reed's bonds, "Victor ain't that bad huh?" My brother remarked at the still-frozen Reed and ripped out the cords that connected with the chair, which would give Reed time to thaw out quickly.

"He's just a little larger than life, right?" Ben continued, "Maybe next time you'll listen to me and Ari before--"

He was cut off when the lights went out.

"Ben!" I shouted as Victor charged at my brother and both of them crashed through the window and were out of sight.