Chapter 9
Later that night, Reed, Sue, and Doom worked in the Lab while the other three were in a local pub. Johnny threw darts as Ben and Hunter sat at the table drinking, Beer for two and water for the other.
“How can we be working on the same side as Victor?” Johnny asked.
“You got me pal. Things were a lot simpler when I could just whale on the guy,” Ben responded.
“You still can. Just wait until Doom makes a mistake,” Hunter said as she sipped her water.
Johnny threw his last dart, and without warning it lit on fire as it made it’s path to the dartboard.
“Oh!” Johnny said as he quickly tried to smother the flames.
Hunter sighed as he failed to do so, and she got up, put her hand on the dart and squashed it with a blast of cold ice. Johnny smiled sheepishly at her and turned to the bartender.
“I’ll pay for that,” Johnny said.
“You better,” the bartender said.
Hunter sat back down and Johnny followed. He sat in his chair beside her.
“I got to tell you guys, I’m starting to feel like a complete screw-up,” Johnny said.
“Oh come on! Just one little mishap and you’re screwed?” Hunter said.
“What she said. You’re not a complete screw-up,” Ben agreed.
“Thank you,” Johnny said as he leaned back in his chair.
“Look kid, it’s out of our hands,” Ben said. “It’s up to the eggheads now.”
Johnny looked at him, “You think Reed’s right? About the whole end-of-the-world thing?”
“He’s never been wrong about this kind of thing before,” Ben answered.
“Oh I can’t listen to this,” Hunter said. “I’m gonna go to the bathroom, and get some more drink. When I get back, there’s not going to be anymore of this ‘the world’s doomed’ thing.”
She got up from her chair and left the table. Johnny sighed as he watched her. Johnny continued the conversation now that Hunter was out.
“Well, I’m not exactly a deep kind of guy,” He said.
Ben looked at him, “Really."
Johnny smirked and leaned on the table. He took his bottle in his hands.
“But if Reed’s right and this is it…how would you want to spend your last few minutes?” He asked sincerely.
Ben looked at him, “Part of me would like to go out fighting…but the truth is… I’d like to spend my last couple of minutes holding Alicia.”
Johnny sighed and leaned back. “That sounds pretty good. I mean, not the holding-Alicia thing. That’s, you know, your girlfriend, not mine. I want nothing to do with her. Not to say that she’s not attractive. She’s very attractive. I mean, she’s you know, so attractive. Even with the, you know-” Johnny rambled as he pointed and gestured. He took no notice to Ben’s face.
“I can’t even think a guy that wouldn’t want to-” He continued before he was interrupted by Ben’s thumping of the table.
He looked at Ben, “What I meant, is that I would want the same with Hunter. Speaking of, what is up with her?”
“I’ve got no idea. She gets angry with you, me, Reed, and now Sue. I’m not counting Doom for a reason. Who knows what’s going on with her,” Ben replied.
“It’s almost as if…oh I don’t know,” Johnny said.
“As if what?”
“Well…too emotional than normal I guess,” Johnny said.
Ben grunted, “I don’t know. She’s a woman. Women get emotional. Only time I know of that any woman would be extremely emotional is at their time of the month, or if they’re pregnant.”
Johnny brought up his beer to his mouth and paused at Ben’s response. He thought for a minute.
“You don’t think?” Johnny asked Ben.
They looked at each other. They shook their head, and both said, “Nah!”
Meanwhile, back at the Lab, Reed was hard at work. He was getting frustrated at not finding the answer that is so cleverly hidden. Sue walked in just as Reed stretched and picked up a book.
“How’s it going?” Sue asked.
“I can’t find the link,” Reed groaned.
“It’s gonna be alright. You have-”
“No, it won’t be!” Reed yelled then sighed. “The whole world’s counting on me, and I…just…”
“Reed, you’re gonna find the answer. You always do,” Sue said as she stood behind him.
“Yeah, thanks Sue.”
“You need to relax.”
“Yeah, right.”
“You do,” Sue pressed on.
Reed stood up but Sue pushed him down onto the chair with a thud.
“Reed, you need to relax,” Sue said. “Take a deep breath.”
Reed complied.
“Slower.’
Reed took another slower breath as Sue caressed his forehead.
“There you go.”
Reed closed his eyes as she moved her hands down to his shoulder and over his arms.
“Good. Again,” Sue said.
She leaned over his shoulder. “See? I can already feel your pulse slowing down.”
She kissed his neck and then suddenly his eyes snapped open. Sue continued to talk as Reed realized something.
“A pulse,” Reed said.
“Huh?”
Reed stood up and faced Sue.
“A tachyon pulse. Oh, I love you,” he said to Sue as he kissed her.
“Glad I could help,” Sue said to the air as Reed walked out of the room in excitement.
A day later, after Doom and Reed working together, they presented their solution to Hager.
“So how does this work?” The General asked.
“When we activate the field, it’ll separate him from his board, making him powerless,” Reed said.
“It’s like a fish in a net,” Hager said.
Sue and Reed nodded together, “Yeah.”
“In theory, anyway,” Reed said.
“How long before this is operational?” Hager asked.
“Three hours,” Reed said.
Hager repeated him.
“I can only go so fast, since apparently I’m working by myself now,” Reed said.
“What do you need to make this happen?” Hager asked.
“Actually there are a couple of things,” Reed responded as Hager and him walked off, leaving Sue alone.
She put down her folders, and went to find Doom. She finally found him in a storage room working on something.
“What are you doing?” Sue asked him.
Doom stood up and turned towards him.
“Don’t you knock?” Doom said.
Sue ignored him and said, “You’re supposed to be helping Reed in the lab.”
“Tell him not to worry,” Doom said with a roll of his eyes. “I’ll be there to hold his hand and finish his little project for him.”
Sue looked at the desk to see something under a black cloth.
“Anything else?” Doom asked.
“How’d you do it? How’d you come back?” Sue asked as she narrowed her eyes at him.
Doom chuckled and stepped forwards, “Scares you, doesn’t it? Hmm?”
Sue stood still.
“The things I can do,” he continued.
“Did you know I could create a force field inside someone’s body, and expand it until they explode?” Sue asked.
“Give it your best shot,” Doom dared her.
They stared at each other for a moment.
“Just get back to the lab,” Sue said before she turned away and left.
Doom watched her as she walked away. Silently he followed her. Sue stepped out of the room and nearly collided with Hunter.
“Oh!” Hunter cried, startled.
“Oh! Sorry,” Sue apologized as the door closed behind her.
They stared at each other.
“I’m sorry Hunter,” Sue said.
“You already apologized, no need to do it twice,” Hunter said before she turned.
Sue grabbed her arm.
“I don’t mean for that. I meant…earlier… when I told Reed about…you know,” Sue sighed.
“Oh that! Yeah, you see, that’s one apology I can’t accept right now,” Hunter said.
“Oh Hunter, how many times do I have to say it?”
“Maybe nine months worth?” Hunter replied. “I can’t believe you told him! After I asked you not to.”
“I had to, Reed needed to know,” Sue said.
“Did he now? He had to know?” Hunter said. “Was there some reason that enabled him to be privy o my secret?”
Sue sighed, “He pulled the team card, saying it would affect the team’s performance.”
“That’s no excuse for you to blab it out to him!” Hunter cried.
“No, you’re right. That is no excuse for me to tell him. It wasn’t my secret to tell,” Sue said, resigned.
“You’re damn right it wasn’t,” Hunter sighed.
She ran a hand through her hair as she looked at Sue.
“I’m sorry,” Sue whispered, tears pooling in her eyes.
Hunter sighed and wrapped her arms around Sue, giving her a hug. They stood together, holding one another as Sue cried.
Hunter pushed Sue back, “You done?”
Sue laughed and nodded as she wiped her tears away.
“I’ve got a doctor’s appointment soon,” Hunter said. “Wanna come with?”
Sue’s face lightened up, “Really?”
Hunter nodded.
“Oh thank you!” Sue said with a watery smile.
“I’m still mad at you, you know. Just not as much,” Hunter said pointing at Sue. “I can’t stand crying people and puppy dog looks. You know, Johnny does that too.”
Sue laughed and put an arm around Hunter’s waist as they walked away. From behind the door, Doom smiled.
“Good. Another advantage for me to destroy this team,” Doom thought to himself with a sneer.