New York
The Baxter Building
Yoshi, the Richards' nanny and housekeeper was currently helping the youngest daughter Valeria with help on a science report about butterflies. Not that the 12-year-old needed help. Her mind was as brilliant as her father's, with an iron will as strong as her mother’s. The world would be hers if she wished, but right now there was only one goal she wished to obtain.
“Yoshi, how do you get a boy to like you?” Valeria asked?
Yoshi had been caught completely off guard by this.
“Well, you see–” Yoshi said. She already knew who the boy in question was. Twenty-three-year-old Alex Power, the current lab assistant to Reed Richards. Reed had offered the boy shelter after finding him living on the streets a month earlier.
Some time ago, Alex had stolen the powers of his siblings to go out on his own as a hero, severing his relationships with them for a while. When he finally returned their powers, the damage had been done, and Alex was left out in the cold by his family. And now attempts to reconcile were met with a dial tone when they hung up on him.
“Well, Valeria, there is plenty of time for you to find a suitable boy of appropriate age,” Yoshi said.
“But I love him,” Valeria said. “He’s my soulmate.”
“I think Alex is inappropriate for you in… so many ways,” Yoshi said. “I worry about him lately.”
Yoshi noticed that Alex had been suffering from depression since the second he moved in. He was becoming prone to mood swings, and she could swear that she heard him crying in his bedroom at night. She brought this up to Reed and Sue, but they were embroiled in their problems currently. Plus, there was the matter that she noticed that their images were disappearing from various pictures around the apartment.
“Maybe we should sit down as a family at dinner and discuss this,” Yoshi said. “All of us.”
“I’ll go tell Alex he can join us!” Valeria shouted as she went to Alex’s room, which was formerly her brother Franklin’s. But the now 17-year-old Franklin had formally moved out to take up residence in the New Warrior’s headquarters in a small tiff with his inattentive father. Valeria opened the door and screamed at what she saw.
Alex was hanging from a noose by the side of the bed.
The Baxter Building
Yoshi, the Richards' nanny and housekeeper was currently helping the youngest daughter Valeria with help on a science report about butterflies. Not that the 12-year-old needed help. Her mind was as brilliant as her father's, with an iron will as strong as her mother’s. The world would be hers if she wished, but right now there was only one goal she wished to obtain.
“Yoshi, how do you get a boy to like you?” Valeria asked?
Yoshi had been caught completely off guard by this.
“Well, you see–” Yoshi said. She already knew who the boy in question was. Twenty-three-year-old Alex Power, the current lab assistant to Reed Richards. Reed had offered the boy shelter after finding him living on the streets a month earlier.
Some time ago, Alex had stolen the powers of his siblings to go out on his own as a hero, severing his relationships with them for a while. When he finally returned their powers, the damage had been done, and Alex was left out in the cold by his family. And now attempts to reconcile were met with a dial tone when they hung up on him.
“Well, Valeria, there is plenty of time for you to find a suitable boy of appropriate age,” Yoshi said.
“But I love him,” Valeria said. “He’s my soulmate.”
“I think Alex is inappropriate for you in… so many ways,” Yoshi said. “I worry about him lately.”
Yoshi noticed that Alex had been suffering from depression since the second he moved in. He was becoming prone to mood swings, and she could swear that she heard him crying in his bedroom at night. She brought this up to Reed and Sue, but they were embroiled in their problems currently. Plus, there was the matter that she noticed that their images were disappearing from various pictures around the apartment.
“Maybe we should sit down as a family at dinner and discuss this,” Yoshi said. “All of us.”
“I’ll go tell Alex he can join us!” Valeria shouted as she went to Alex’s room, which was formerly her brother Franklin’s. But the now 17-year-old Franklin had formally moved out to take up residence in the New Warrior’s headquarters in a small tiff with his inattentive father. Valeria opened the door and screamed at what she saw.
Alex was hanging from a noose by the side of the bed.
ISSUE 80
"SOONER OR LATER, EVERYBODY'S GOTTA CHOOSE"
BY
Tobias Christopher
"SOONER OR LATER, EVERYBODY'S GOTTA CHOOSE"
BY
Tobias Christopher
“So, Reed, what’s the news on me being able to transform,” Ben Grimm said as he stared into a mirror. “I miss that good-lookin’ guy staring back at me.”
“Relax, Benjy, I’m right here,” Johnny Storm said as he patted Ben on the back.
Ben lightly punched, but now hard enough to hurt him.
“Hey, watch the fists, gotta watch the merchandise. Don’t want to damage the inhibitor belt. Bobby Drake’s hand-me-downs are keeping the clothes on my back instead of burning off.”
“I’m working on both of your problems,” Reed said as he took a deep breath.
“You okay, stretch?” Ben asked. “You been outta breath a lot lately.”
“I’m fine, just not sleeping well since Franklin left again,” Reed said. “But at least we know he’s safe this time.”
“Yeah, he’s who-knows-where with Star-Lord,” Sue said as she walked in. “Who knows what those two are up to?”
“Especially since Franklin’s single since he cut off his beau,” Johnny said. “You think Franklin and Star-Lord are–”
“Oh, he better not lay a finger on my underage son,” Sue said.
“I don’t think his finger is what you have to worry about,” Johnny said as she used her power to cause Johnny to slap himself upside the head.
“I have to trust Franklin,” Sue said. “He’s understandably upset right now, what with Reed giving away his bedroom to Alex Power.”
“Alex needed a place to stay. Reed reminded her. “He’s in a bad place right now.”
“So was your son,” Sue reminded him. “You need to make things right with him.”
“I fully intend to, when we locate him,’ Reed said. “For now, all we can do is wait and see when he comes home. Everyone we know knows to contact us if they see him.”
“And if he doesn’t contact anyone?” Sue asked as a bright light appeared in the middle of the room. A teenage boy with dark blonde hair that looked like Johnny fell out.
“Johnny?” Ben asked as Asa Richards stood up.
“Uncle Ben? Uncle Johnny? Grandma? Grandpa?” Asa asked.
“What did he just call me?” Sue asked, a little offended.
“Relax, Benjy, I’m right here,” Johnny Storm said as he patted Ben on the back.
Ben lightly punched, but now hard enough to hurt him.
“Hey, watch the fists, gotta watch the merchandise. Don’t want to damage the inhibitor belt. Bobby Drake’s hand-me-downs are keeping the clothes on my back instead of burning off.”
“I’m working on both of your problems,” Reed said as he took a deep breath.
“You okay, stretch?” Ben asked. “You been outta breath a lot lately.”
“I’m fine, just not sleeping well since Franklin left again,” Reed said. “But at least we know he’s safe this time.”
“Yeah, he’s who-knows-where with Star-Lord,” Sue said as she walked in. “Who knows what those two are up to?”
“Especially since Franklin’s single since he cut off his beau,” Johnny said. “You think Franklin and Star-Lord are–”
“Oh, he better not lay a finger on my underage son,” Sue said.
“I don’t think his finger is what you have to worry about,” Johnny said as she used her power to cause Johnny to slap himself upside the head.
“I have to trust Franklin,” Sue said. “He’s understandably upset right now, what with Reed giving away his bedroom to Alex Power.”
“Alex needed a place to stay. Reed reminded her. “He’s in a bad place right now.”
“So was your son,” Sue reminded him. “You need to make things right with him.”
“I fully intend to, when we locate him,’ Reed said. “For now, all we can do is wait and see when he comes home. Everyone we know knows to contact us if they see him.”
“And if he doesn’t contact anyone?” Sue asked as a bright light appeared in the middle of the room. A teenage boy with dark blonde hair that looked like Johnny fell out.
“Johnny?” Ben asked as Asa Richards stood up.
“Uncle Ben? Uncle Johnny? Grandma? Grandpa?” Asa asked.
“What did he just call me?” Sue asked, a little offended.
**********
Alicia Masters walked down the street with her friend, Sharon as they picked out baby clothes.
“I can’t believe that any day now, you’ll have a brand new baby,” Sharon said. “Have you and Ben chosen a name yet?”
“Ben and Johnny keep playing their ridiculous contests to do it,” Alicia said. “Ben had better win because I am not naming my baby ‘Biscuit Grimm’. So, how have you been lately?”
“Good,” Sharon told her. “I should be honest with you. Lately–”
Alicia doubled over in pain.
“Alicia, what’s wrong?” Sharon asked.
“My baby’s in trouble,” Alixia said. “I can feel it.”
“I can’t believe that any day now, you’ll have a brand new baby,” Sharon said. “Have you and Ben chosen a name yet?”
“Ben and Johnny keep playing their ridiculous contests to do it,” Alicia said. “Ben had better win because I am not naming my baby ‘Biscuit Grimm’. So, how have you been lately?”
“Good,” Sharon told her. “I should be honest with you. Lately–”
Alicia doubled over in pain.
“Alicia, what’s wrong?” Sharon asked.
“My baby’s in trouble,” Alixia said. “I can feel it.”
**********
Latveria
Vincent Von Doom was doing shirtless pull-ups in his bedroom, feeling the burn as he worked his body to its limits. There was a fight coming, so he had to be ready. Mentally, physically, and magically. He would rule all very soon.
A knock came at the door as Vincent dropped to the floor to towel off. A louder knock started seconds later.
“Hang on!” Vincent shouted, looking for a shirt. “I’m very busy right–”
The door exploded, sending Vincent back against the wall. Doom walked in, more confident than ever, a mystical glow surrounding him.
“Your magic!” Vincent shouted. “But how?”
“I have, as your generation says ‘Leveled up”,” Doom said, making Vincent smack himself. “Doom is now ‘Jiggy With it’”,” Doom said.
“Please stop talking like you’re hip,” Vincent said. “It physically hurts.”
“Doom has tired of your insolence,” Doom said. “The only reason you are not is that I still have use of you. The next time we strike at Reed Richards, Doom will be victorious. Until I require you, you are under house arrest. You will remain in this room until you are needed.”
“You can’t do this!” Vincent shouted as he tried to run out of the room, but ran right into a magic barrier, falling flat on his back.
Vincent Von Doom was doing shirtless pull-ups in his bedroom, feeling the burn as he worked his body to its limits. There was a fight coming, so he had to be ready. Mentally, physically, and magically. He would rule all very soon.
A knock came at the door as Vincent dropped to the floor to towel off. A louder knock started seconds later.
“Hang on!” Vincent shouted, looking for a shirt. “I’m very busy right–”
The door exploded, sending Vincent back against the wall. Doom walked in, more confident than ever, a mystical glow surrounding him.
“Your magic!” Vincent shouted. “But how?”
“I have, as your generation says ‘Leveled up”,” Doom said, making Vincent smack himself. “Doom is now ‘Jiggy With it’”,” Doom said.
“Please stop talking like you’re hip,” Vincent said. “It physically hurts.”
“Doom has tired of your insolence,” Doom said. “The only reason you are not is that I still have use of you. The next time we strike at Reed Richards, Doom will be victorious. Until I require you, you are under house arrest. You will remain in this room until you are needed.”
“You can’t do this!” Vincent shouted as he tried to run out of the room, but ran right into a magic barrier, falling flat on his back.
**********
“So, you’re from the year 3022,” Sue said. “And you’re my grandson? Does this mean that Franklin liking men was… only a phase?”
“WOW,” Asa said. “Grandma, Franklin liked both men and women. He’s been with both over the years and had quite a few children with women and aliens. But his true love will always be Josh Guthrie. I’m still trying to wrap my head around Granpa hooking up with She-Hulk when he’s in his 20’s.”
“I’m not even asking,” Ben said as the phone rang and he walked into the next room. “Grimm.”
“Anyway, I’m sure you noticed that you’re disappearing in the photos around the house, and I’m here to help,” Asa said. “If the Fantastic 4 disappear, then history is changed for good. That means that me and my brother won’t get born in the future.”
“So, how do we fix this?” Sue asked. “How do we save our family?”
“As far as I can tell, whoever’s doing this is doing it from Reed Richard’s past,” Asa said. “We have to go back to Reed’s childhood, but we don’t know where.”
“Then we’ll have to hop the nearest time machine and go back,” Sue said. “I’ll get Johnny and Ben.”
“I gotta go,” Ben told them. “Alicia’s in trouble. That baby is– I gotta get to my kid.”
“Hold on, I’ll get Johnny and we’ll go as a family,” Sue said. “Reed?”
“I’m coming, just doing some last-minute calculations to find the source of this disappearing problem,” Reed said. “I’ll figure this out before we even get to the hospital.”
“WOW,” Asa said. “Grandma, Franklin liked both men and women. He’s been with both over the years and had quite a few children with women and aliens. But his true love will always be Josh Guthrie. I’m still trying to wrap my head around Granpa hooking up with She-Hulk when he’s in his 20’s.”
“I’m not even asking,” Ben said as the phone rang and he walked into the next room. “Grimm.”
“Anyway, I’m sure you noticed that you’re disappearing in the photos around the house, and I’m here to help,” Asa said. “If the Fantastic 4 disappear, then history is changed for good. That means that me and my brother won’t get born in the future.”
“So, how do we fix this?” Sue asked. “How do we save our family?”
“As far as I can tell, whoever’s doing this is doing it from Reed Richard’s past,” Asa said. “We have to go back to Reed’s childhood, but we don’t know where.”
“Then we’ll have to hop the nearest time machine and go back,” Sue said. “I’ll get Johnny and Ben.”
“I gotta go,” Ben told them. “Alicia’s in trouble. That baby is– I gotta get to my kid.”
“Hold on, I’ll get Johnny and we’ll go as a family,” Sue said. “Reed?”
“I’m coming, just doing some last-minute calculations to find the source of this disappearing problem,” Reed said. “I’ll figure this out before we even get to the hospital.”
**********
At the hospital, Alex was hooked up to life support as Yoshi and Valeria sat in the lobby.
“Why would he do this?” Valeria asked.
“Depression is a very serious mental illness,” Yoshi said as she held Valeria close. “I’m sorry I didn’t act sooner to get him help.”
“He can’t die,” Valeria said. “He just can’t.”
The doctor came in to talk to them.
“You got Alex here in just enough time, but there was damage due to the lack of oxygen when he hung himself,” the doctor told them. “Time will tell if he makes a recovery, but you must be prepared for if he takes a turn for the worse.”
“How much worse?” Yoshi asked. “Alex’s family is not talking to him right now. He has no one but the Richards.”
“Then whoever has Alex’s power of attorney must make a decision,” the doctor said. “You can keep him on life support, or… take him off and let nature take its course. You have Alex’s fate in your hands. You must choose.”
“Why would he do this?” Valeria asked.
“Depression is a very serious mental illness,” Yoshi said as she held Valeria close. “I’m sorry I didn’t act sooner to get him help.”
“He can’t die,” Valeria said. “He just can’t.”
The doctor came in to talk to them.
“You got Alex here in just enough time, but there was damage due to the lack of oxygen when he hung himself,” the doctor told them. “Time will tell if he makes a recovery, but you must be prepared for if he takes a turn for the worse.”
“How much worse?” Yoshi asked. “Alex’s family is not talking to him right now. He has no one but the Richards.”
“Then whoever has Alex’s power of attorney must make a decision,” the doctor said. “You can keep him on life support, or… take him off and let nature take its course. You have Alex’s fate in your hands. You must choose.”
**********
“Where’s Alicia?” Ben asked as he burst in, nearly taking the wall down with him. “Where’s Alicia?”
“Mr. Grimm, please calm yourself,” the doctor said. “Alicia is in surgery, but the baby is in danger. We can operate and perform a C-section but the gamma radiation of her pregnancy has caused complications, and both mother and child are at risk. You must decide which you want to save if it comes down to it.”
“You want me to choose between Alicia and my baby? I can’t do that, doc,” Ben said.
“You must,” the doctor said. “Or we risk losing them both. “You must choose who to save if it comes down to it.”
“Mr. Grimm, please calm yourself,” the doctor said. “Alicia is in surgery, but the baby is in danger. We can operate and perform a C-section but the gamma radiation of her pregnancy has caused complications, and both mother and child are at risk. You must decide which you want to save if it comes down to it.”
“You want me to choose between Alicia and my baby? I can’t do that, doc,” Ben said.
“You must,” the doctor said. “Or we risk losing them both. “You must choose who to save if it comes down to it.”
**********
Reed, Sue, and Asa sat in the lobby. Johnny looked to be on the verge of tears as he read a letter.
“Don’t worry, Johnny, Alicia will be okay,” Sue said.
“It’s not that,” Johnny told her. “Lyja left me, Sue.”
“Oh, Johnny,” Sue said as she hugged him. “I’m so sorry. Have you talked to her?”
“There’s no point,” Johnny said. “Maybe I deserve to be alone for being a lousy boyfriend. I’ve been a horrible person all around. Maybe I deserve to be alone.”
Sue hugged him again as Johnny shed a tear over the woman he loved.
“Don’t worry, Johnny, Alicia will be okay,” Sue said.
“It’s not that,” Johnny told her. “Lyja left me, Sue.”
“Oh, Johnny,” Sue said as she hugged him. “I’m so sorry. Have you talked to her?”
“There’s no point,” Johnny said. “Maybe I deserve to be alone for being a lousy boyfriend. I’ve been a horrible person all around. Maybe I deserve to be alone.”
Sue hugged him again as Johnny shed a tear over the woman he loved.
**********
Meanwhile, Franklin was joyriding in a ship with Star-Lord.
“Wooo!” Franklin shouted with his arms raised. “I’m never going home!”
“Wooo!” Franklin shouted with his arms raised. “I’m never going home!”
**********
“I’ve done it!” Reed shouted. “I know what’s happening in my past that’s–”
Reed stopped and looked at his hand, which was starting to fade away.
Reed stopped and looked at his hand, which was starting to fade away.
To Be Continued....