MMU Fantastic Four - A New Story

This is the first story in my MMU universe which stands for My Marvel Universe. I started on a Spiderman before but lost it and have to redo it. So I am going to post my Fantastic Four story first as it takes place before the Spiderman story. I hope you all enjoy it and please leave feedback.


FANTASTIC FOUR – A NEW STORY


Reed Richards sat at his desk in his dorm room studying a text book on advanced Physics. He had the room to himself and he was enjoying the quiet. While his roommate Ben Grimm was a great guy and the two were forming a close friendship there was no doubting that the man was loud. Tonight Ben was enjoying an end of the year party at a local frat house. He had asked Reed to go along but the man had refused. It was not the end of the year for Reed. He would be taking summer classes. Something Ben just could not wrap his head around.
A pounding on the door cause Reed to look up. With a sigh he stood up and placed his book on the desk.
“So much for a quiet night.” He said to himself as he opened the door.
“How dare you!” came the booming voice of his classmate and rival Victor Von Doom. The irate man pushed past Reed and entered the room. “How dare you!” he repeated”
How dare I what?”
“Don’t play the fool with me Richards. You told the board my experiment was dangerous, and worse yet you said my calculations were wrong.”
“Victor you want to attempt to contact alternate realities. That is highly dangerous. It reeks of B grade science fiction. And you calculations are wrong. If you went through with the experiment with that formula the machine would blow up in your face.”
“Fools. You are all unimaginative fools. You have always been jealous of my genius. I am going forward with my experiment.”
“Victor don’t do something you will regret.”
You will be the only one with regrets. Regrets for ever having doubting me.” Victor stormed out of the room leaving a very worried Reed Richards behind.

BOOM! The sound of the explosion and the shaking of the room startled Reed awake. Looking over he saw that Ben had also awakened.
“What the Hell was that stretch?” Ben asked. Reed Quickly got out of bed and ran for the door. He opened it and saw several students running down the hall towards the stairs. A thick black smoke was filling the air. He reached out and grabbed a passing man by the arm.
“What is going on?” Reed asked.
“An explosion in Doom’s room. The place is on fire we have to get out of here.” The young man freed himself from Reed’s grip and ran off.
“Oh Victor. What did you do?”

The assembly hall was filled to capacity. Normally a student discipline hearing would not garner such interest but this was the hearing for Victor Von Doom, who three weeks prior had burned down Roosevelt Hall with a forbidden experiment. It had been a miracle that no one was killed but it was said that Doom himself had suffered critical injuries.
Reed Richards sat in the front row waiting for the proceedings to begin. After a few moments the hall door opened and a wheelchair bound Doom entered being pushed by a nurse. Sje pushed him to a table that sat across from a group of five men.
“Victor Von Doom you are accused of conducting an experiment that was expressly forbidden by the board. The result of this experiment resulted in the destruction of Roosevelt Hall. How do you plead?” The five men waited for Doom’s answer but he remained silent.
“Do you have any defense for your actions?” Once again Victor said nothing. “Well Mr. Doom since you have nothing to say for yourself this board has no choice but to expel you from Empire State University.” At last Victor did speak.
“It matter not. I have learned all I can from this institution. Nurse remove me.” The nurse did as she was instructed. “STOP!” Victor shouted as he spotted Reed sitting in the crowd.
“Richards I know it was you who sabotaged my work. I don’t care if it takes the rest of my days I will have my vengeance.”

Thank you for sharing.

I like the story so far. My only complaint is that the "chapters" or segments are rather short.

FIFTEEN YEARS LATER

Reed sat at the desk in his lab looking over figures. It was the fifth time that he checked this equation. His assistants often teased him for being overly cautious but this project was just too important. There could be no mistakes. Reed and his team would be installing the computer systems on the new Starcore One Space Station. Several nations were involved in this endeavor, The United States, Japan, England and the head of Starcore was a Frenchmen named Peter Corbeau. The Russians were of course not involved. They rejected the idea and claimed they would build their own space station. So far according to American intelligence the communist nation was a far way from their station. Not that Starcore was without its problems. There have been several delays and setbacks. Something the red propaganda machine was boasting every chance they got.
Reed looked up when one of his assistants Susan Storm entered the lab. He watched as she gracefully made her way to her desk to look over yet more data. Reed longed to tell the beautiful blonde how he felt but he knew he never would. As her teacher and mentor such feelings were inappropriate.
“Doctor Richards. Earth to Doctor Richards.” Came the voice of another one of his assistants Bobby Drake. By the look of amusement on the young man’s face he had been trying to get the doctor’s attention for quite some time.
“Yes Bobby what is it?” Reed asked slightly embarrassed.
“Doctor Banner and Doctor Corbeau want to see you in his office right away. They say it is urgent.”
“Thank you Bobby I will go right away.” Reed stood up and made his way from the lab wondering just what could have gone wrong now.


Reed made his way to Doctor Bruce banner’s office and stepped inside where he saw a very concerned Bruce and Doctor Corbeau looking over a paper.
“Bobby said you two wanted to see me.”
“Yes Doctor Richards. We have something important to discuss. It concerns you shields.” Doctor Corbeau said.
“I spent six months on those shields. There couldn’t possibly be a problem.” Reed said trying to keep the anger out of his voice.
“Doctor Banner may have found one. I will let him continue.” Looking uncomfortable Doctor banner began to speak.”Well Doctor Richards. I looked over the latesgt figures and have determined that while your shields will hold up against Gamma Ratiation they may not do as well against cosmic radiation.”
“I looked over the latest figures as well. In fat I was just looking over them before I came here. They will hold against the cosmic radiation.”
“But if there is a spike...” Doctor Banner began before Reed cut him off.
“There would have to be a spike of two hundred percent. And the odds of that are a million to one.”
“Can you adjust the shielding to cover a spike that large?” Doctor Corbeau asked.
“I could.” Richards reluctantly admitted. “But it would cause a delay of several months.” Doctor Corbeau’s face twisted at the word delay.
“How confident are you in the current shields?”
“Extremely. With respect to Doctor Banner his specialty is in gamma radiation. Mine is cosmic radiation, I have been studying it since it was discovered ten years ago. If I say the shields will hold then they will hold.” Reed look at Bruce as if daring him to challenge him. Doctor Banner looked away. After a moment of awkward silence Doctor Corbeau spoke.
“If Doctor Richards says the shields will hold that is good enough for me. We will proceed according to schedule.”
“I just hope you are right.” Banner added.
“I would stake my life on it.”

It had been two weeks since Reed’s meeting with Bruce Banner and Peter Corbeau. Doctor Corbeau and promised things would remain on schedule and so far he had been good to his word. It just three weeks the specially modified shuttle would take off from Cape Canaveral and be on its way to Starcore one. Reed and the others had already had their physicals, Doctor Corbeau would not be making the trip sadly. He had battled a case of the flu and while he was over the illness he was still to weak for the mission. To say he was disappointed was an understatement. Today Reed was meeting the pilot and copilot who would be flying the shuttle. He understood that there was a fierce competition for the two slots. He had not paid much attention to that end of things. He was far too busy. He figured he would meet the pilots when they were selected. Doctor Corbeau entered the conference room where Reed was waiting and closed the door.
“Doctor Richards I know you haven't been following the pilot program too closely but when you meet the man they selected I think you will regret that.”
“Why is that?”
“You will find out in a second.” The doctor opened the door, waved his hand, and in walked a man Reed had not seen in six years.
“Ben! Ben Grimm!” He exclaimed in surprise as he ran forward and embraced his old friend.
“It”s Colonel Grimm now stretch.”
“But I thought you retired.”
“I did. But once I got wind of this project I knew I had to be a part of it. So I reenlisted and beat a bunch of armatures and got the gig.” It was then that Reed noticed another man enter the room. He was well built and carried himself with confidence. Ben noticed Reed look at the newcomer.
“I almost forgot. Allow me to introduce you to my copilot Captain Lucas Cage.” Reed shook the young man’s hand.
“Nice to meet you Captain.”
“Now come on stretch show us this ship of yours.” As Reed led the two men from the room his good feelings about the mission increased a hundred fold. With his old friend at the helm what could go wrong?

Reed and his team were strapped into their chairs in the shuttle. Ben and Lucas who insisted everyone call him Luke were strapped into the pilots chairs looking over instruments. Susan sat in silence lost in here thoughts, this was a sharp contrast to Bobby who was chatting nervously to anyone who would listen. Reed couldn’t blame the young man. He was nervous himself. They were taking a journey into space. Something very few humans had done before. Many Americans were worried that the space program had reached a peak when Nasa landed men on the moon just a few months before. But this mission would prove to the country that the USA was still serious about space exploration. Reed was snapped from his thoughts when he heard Ben conforming that the countdown had begun. He smiled. In just a few seconds he would begin the adventure of a life time.

The shuttle flew through space on auto pilot. It would be another twelve hours before Reed and his team made it to Starcore One. Then the real would would begin. Right now the crew was enjoying a bit of free time. Ben, Luke and Bobby were throwing a football and laughing at the way it bounced off the walls in the weightlessness of space. Susan was looking out one of the windows lost in her own thoughts. She glanced over and noticed Reed watching her. She motioned for him to join her.
“A penny for your thoughts.” He said as he drifted over to her.
“It’s just all of this. It’s so overwhelming.”
“Yes it is.”
“When I was a little girl I would look up at the sky and starts and wonder what it would be like to be among them. Now that I am I don’t know what to think.” Susan looked out of the window at The Earth in the distance. With the sun in the background it took her breath away.
“Have you ever seen anything so beautiful?”
“Yes I have.” Reed answered. Susan notice that he wasn’t looking at some distant star but rather at her. He cheeks became flushed and she blushed. She was about to say somethin else but that is when all Hell broke loose.

Alarms sounded angerly from the main control panel. Reed quickly floated over and looked at the instruments.
“What is it stretch?” Ben asked.
“Impossible...” Reed muttered ignoring the question.
“What’s wrong Reed?” Bobby asked urgently hoping to get an answer where Ben had failed.
“A storm of cosmic radiation. Coming right at us. There was a huge spike.”
“How much of a spike?” Sue asked.
“Two hundred and sixty three percent and rising.”
“I thought you said that was impossible.” Ben blurted out.
“It should be.” Reed answered weakly.
“Well impossible is about to hit us in the damn face.” Ben floated to his seat in the cockpit and strapped himself in.
“What are you doing?” Reed inquired.
“Turning around and heading home.”
“You can’t outrun the storm.”
“Well I am sure a Hell not going to fly into it.”
“Come on Bobby. We have to try and divert more power to the shields.”
“Will that help?” The young man waited for an answer but the look on his mentors face said it all. But he knew they couldn’t just sit back and do nothing. So the two set about with their busy work trying not to think of the doom racing towards them.

It had been twelve hours since the cosmic storm rocked the ship and to say things were not going well would be an understatement. Most of the ships onboard computers were inoperative and the crew was incredibly sick. Bobby, Luke, and Susan had all ready passed out and Reed knew he was not fall off. Ben was still awake and at the failing controls of the ship. Reed didn’t know what kept his friend up. Maybe the man was just too stubborn to die. But the pilot was determined to get them home. Home. Reed looked at Earth in the distance and as the darkness over took him he knew he would never set foot on its soil again.

The mood on the ground was tense. There had been no contact with the shuttle for the last three hours. General Ross didn’t know if that meant the communication systems were down or if that there was no one on the shuttle left alive to answer. Radar and the ship’s trajectory had it coming down in upstate Washington. There couldn’t have been a worse place to try and land. Heavy woods, no access roads, if anyone survived the reentry it would be a miracle. Ross was just thankful the shuttle was coming down on American soil. He shuttered to think of what would have happened if it landed in Soviet territory. What would the reds have done with the heavily modified shuttle, or worse yet it’s crew.
“Sir the shuttle.” A solider said as he pointed to the sky. Ross raised his binoculars and spied the ship. It didn’t look out of control. That gave the general high hopes. Maybe just maybe someone was alive up there. Well he would find out one way or the other in just a few minutes.

The shuttle landed hard in the woods. It uprooted several dozen trees as it skidded to a stop. There was no room for heavy rescue trucks in the heavy woods so the soldiers and medics went in on foot. The ship stayed mostly intact on it’s harsh landing losing only it’s right wing. General Ross as always led his men from the front and was the first to reach the ship. He made his way to the main hatch, forced it open and looked inside. Right away he hadn’t. His mind could not comprehend what he was looking at.
“Oh my god.”

Reed awoke and found himself in a great deal of pain. His head was pounding, his joints were on fire, and his stomach was upset. He had to fight the urge to be sick. The pain told him he was alive. Only a living person could feel this bad. Reed opened his eyes and though his vision was blurred he could see two people standing on the other side of the room. A man in a doctors coat and a woman he assumed was a nurse.
“Hel.. Hello?” Reed croaked out. The man turned to him then the nurse.
“Inform General Ross that Doctor Richards is awake.”
“Yes Doctor Pym.” The woman answered before leaving the room. Doctor Pym walked beside Reed’s bed.
“I am happy to see you awake at last Doctor Richards.”
“Where am I?”
“Fort Benning. That’s in Washington State.”
“Sue? Ben?”
“Everyone is here.”
“Then we survived.”
“Yes but..”
“But what?”
“You are very sick. The worst case of radiation sickness I have ever seen.”
“There’s more.”
“What makes you say that?”
“I have heard of you Doctor Pym. They wouldn’t call in a man like you for just simple radiation sickness.” Doctor Pym remained silent and wouldn’t meet Reed’s gaze. “what is it?”
“There have been changes.”
“Changes?”
“To your DNA.”
“What kind of changes?”
“We are still running tests.”
“Doctor please...” Reed tired to sit up but was overcome with a bout of dizziness.
“Rest Doctor Richards. We will talk more when you are stronger.” Doctor Pym turned and made his way to the door before Reed stopped him by putting his hand on the man’s shopulder. Then it occurred to Reed, Doctor Pym was seven feet away.

It had been two weeks since Reed awoke at Fort Benning and he was recovering with surprising speed. In fact his whole team was recovering quickly. He had been able to convince General Ross to let him work with Doctor Pym in studying the changes that happened to them. Try as he might Reed just couldn’t understand how the cosmic rays have rewritten their DNA. Each member had been transformed. Bobby gained the ability to create ice from the very moister in the air. He could also cover his body in an icy coating but he doesn’t have as much control over that and he ends up looking like a frosty snowman. Susan was now able to make herself invisible. Reed suspected some sort of light reflection but that didn’t explain the invisible force fields that she could create. Luke Cage’s body had been come some sort of organic metal. His strength had also increase by an amazing degree. Reed also studied his own changes. He was able to stretch his limbs and change the shape of his body. It was as if he was made of rubber. But the biggest change had overcome his good friend Ben. While everyone else despite their newfound powers could pass as normal humans the pilot could no longer say that. His body was covered from head to toe in a thick orange rock. And while the others were taking their transformation in stride Ben reacted violently. So violently that three guards and a doctor were in the medical wing with serious injuries suffered at the hands of the monster Ben had become. In response to this General Ross ordered Ben sedated. At the first sign of agitation from Ben a heavy gas was pumped into his cell causing a deep sleep. Even when he was awake Ben was groggy and unsteady of his feet, Reed had protested this very loudly but his words fell on deaf ears. So rather then try and change the general’s mind, something that Reed knew would not happen he decided to focus on finding a cure. He knew that was nearly an impossible task but Reed knew it was his fault that Ben had been changed and he wold rather die then let his friend down again.

For all of those reading this story. I am sorry but I am not going to be able to keep going. My father suffered a stroke and I have to be at the hospital for him and I will be moving him into my house when he gets out of the hospital to help take care of him. I just wont have the time for little stories and wont be on this site much. Thanks for your understanding.

I had some time so I wrote the next part. I am going to try and post a part or two a week. I really want to finish this story.


Ben Grimm lay on his bed in his cell. His mind was in a fog but he was still awake. The gas they used to sedate him had grown less effective with each usage. He knew that his captors were about to enter his cell, they always gassed him before a visit. Ben just didn’t know if it was one of the many doctors that studied him or if it was an orderly with a meal. The man Ben really wanted a visit from had not come. Then again there may be a reason for that, maybe Reed was in as bad of shape as he was. Ben just didn’t know, they told him nothing. Not that he had given them the chance. Ben knew that his anger and lashing out had caused the precautions they were now undertaking.
The door opened and before Ben closed his eyes he caught a glimpse of an orderly with a lunch tray trailed by a nervous looking guard carrying an automatic riffle.
“Hurry up. I don’t want to be in the same room with this thing.”
“Relax. Thanks to that gas he is sleeping like a baby.” The orderly replied.
“Lucky for him. He out a couple of my friends in the med wing. I am just itching to pump him full of lead.”
“Can you blame him for acting out? Look what he has become. I doubt he will ever leave this room.”
“I just hope I am here next time he acts out.” The guard said as he patted his riffle.
“Oh you will be.” Came a gravelly voice. The two men looked and saw Ben getting to his feet. The Orderly dropped the tray and shrunk back against the far wall. The guard’s eyes grew wide and he fumbled for his gun.
“Stay back freak!” He called out. Ben quickly reached out and grabbed the riffle. He brought the weapon down over his knee and broke it in two. He then lashed out and strike the guard in his body. The luckless man flew back hit the wall and slumped to the floor. Ben stepped into the hallway and looked to his left and right. He had no idea which way to go. With a shrug he chose the to go to the right. Ben took three steps when he heard an alarm sound.
‘That was fast.’ He thought to himself. He looked up and saw a camera pointed at him. Who ever was watching it would know he had escaped, that meant the man would send more soldiers. Not that it mattered to Ben. The big man vowed he would fight ever man in this place before he let them put him back in that cell.