Fantastic Four (Movieverse) – The Solution

Summary:

Sequel to Lost Time. Dr. Claus of CryoIndustries is proving a nuisance for Reed, but he has no idea of her true intentions. She'll stop at nothing to locate and test the source of the ice-crystal, even if that source is a person...

Disclaimer:

Is there really a great deal of point to this? Clearly I don't own a damn thing – would I really be here?

Author's Note(s):

So, amazingly, I am back and writing the next chapter in this fic – super thanks to Sofia for reviewing the last chapter – I was beginning to wonder if there was anyone left :P

But anyway – for those who are still with me, Enjoy!

Chapter Seven -:- The Whistleblower

CryoIndustries Detainment Research Division

Dr Julius Farrell began life with above an average intelligence and slow to develop people skills. He grew up with a distant relationship to a family that didn't understand him and survived four years of high school bullies; all the time knowing that the things that made him different would give him a better life later on down the line. He had never really considered himself a weak person – he'd endured so much – and yet he still found himself here.

Fearing for his life, following the instructions of a woman who had clearly strayed off the reservation. Torturing a superhero to get his equally heroic doctor girlfriend to do as said psycho demands. It was so hard to believe that just that morning he had been a well-respected scientist working in a lab. How had it all gone so horribly wrong?

"No! Stop! Stop! You're killing him! Please!"

Farrell was jolted from his thoughts by Kayla's begging, his finger immediately retracting from the trigger of the device that caused it. He looked sadly at the broken young woman before him; her black hair a bedraggled mess and her face red with tears. Her hands bled from where she had constantly pounded on the glass walls of her cage, the crimson liquid smearing the glass. Guilt, horror and shame built up in his chest as he tried to justify what he was doing.

If I don't… I'm dead.

But was this really a whole lot better? He felt himself growing cold inside as he committed atrocities he never would have believed himself capable of, all in the name of self-preservation. He may not have been dying physically while he helped the mad Dr Claus, but emotionally and mentally, he was falling apart.

"Please… I'm trying! I'm trying to do as you ask… please… please stop hurting him…"

Farrell dragged his gaze off of the girl in the box, unable to watch her weakening pleas as she tried desperately to get through to Claus. Instead he turned to look behind him at the slightly twitching body of the Human Torch. It was amazing that the man was still alive after all that Farrell had done to him. It was clear that his luck wouldn't last much longer. That would make Farrell a murderer. Could he really do that? To save himself?

"This experiment isn't producing any results," Claus huffed in irritation, glaring at each of the room's occupants in turn as if assigning them proportions of the blame. Farrell shivered under her gaze, truly petrified of the cold threat that her beady eyes promised. "Maybe the ability has a different trigger. We should try some other pressure points…"

"May-b-be she's t-tired…" Farrell suggested hesitantly, flinching as Claus' eyes resettled on him. "I m-mean, ex-exhaustion is-sn't c-conducive t-to p-produc-cing res-sults… May-b-be th-they c-could t-take a b-break…?"

Claus' head cocked to one side, her expression unreadable. Farrell didn't know if she was considering his suggestion or plotting his imminent demise. Thankfully for the continuation of his existence, it was the former. "That is a valid idea. We will recommence in one hour."

And with that, the thin woman collected up her notes and marched out of the door, her lab coat whipping at her heels. Once the oppression of her presence left with her, Farrell let out a shaky sigh and ran a hand through his hair.

"Thank you."

Farrell whipped around at the quiet voice, his heart breaking at the genuine gratefulness he found in Kayla's expression. He closed his eyes guiltily. "You shouldn't thank me. I can't help you."

She looked away, crestfallen at his words. Slowly she dropped to her knees, leaning her head against the glass as her tears continued to fall. Farrell had to avert his eyes, her quiet acceptance was worse than her desperate cries, and he could barely withstand them. "I understand," she whispered, barely audible through her cage. "You're afraid of her. I am too. But that fear isn't going to go away until someone stops her…"

"I can't…" Farrell backed away from her. "I'm not like you guys, I'm not brave. I can't be strong like the Fantastic Four or whatever. I'm not a hero…"

"Neither were they," Kayla said quietly, trying to meet his eyes again to make sure she got through to him. "They were just ordinary people like us who got thrown into a situation where they could help. They stepped up to the plate and chose to save people when they could have just as easily stepped aside and hid."

Farrell studied Kayla in the low light of the lab, chewing slightly on his lip.

"Now you're in a situation where you have the same choice. You have the power to help us… will you?"

Farrell shook his head and turned his back to her, wincing as he heard her disappointed whimper. He came to stand beside the computer near the imprisoned Johnny Storm, absently typing a few commands and filing data. His mind was elsewhere however as Kayla's words echoed around and around his head. Could he really stand by and do nothing when he was their only hope? How long would he have to be Claus' lackey before she was stopped? Could he be the one to stop her?

Could he be a hero?

His eyes strayed from the computer screen to the IV drip of red fluid attached to Johnny's arm, an idea forming. Purposely putting himself between the prisoner and the camera that Claus could be watching, Farrell tugged the needle out, stopping the flow of the power suppressor. He then undid one of the restraints. "I can't help you," he repeated.

But maybe now they could help themselves.

Emergency Response HQ, San Francisco

"Hey, Ben, you still talking to Sue?" Reed called as he headed toward the fantasticar. The camp was still alive with activity even as the sky turned black above them, so when Reed received no response, he assumed that Ben hadn't heard him above the noise. He stepped round the back of the craft where the Thing's specially designed pod was situated "Hey, Ben?"

"Alicia…"

Reed stopped in his tracks outside of Ben's eye line at the tone of his best friend's voice. There was something off about it, and even though he could tell that the conversation was meant to be private, he hung about regardless.

"I know that the Fantastic Four is important to you Ben," Alicia's voice sounded over the communicator, and Reed could hear the hesitancy in her words. "It's a part of who you are, and I love you exactly how you are… it's just that… I don't know if… I don't know if I can keep doing this… God… I shouldn't be doing this over the phone. When are you coming home?"

"S-soon. T-t-morrow night," Ben answered automatically, his tone distracted as he tried to process what his wife was suggesting. "Are yer tryin' to say yer want to l-l-leave…?"

"No! No, Ben, that wasn't…" Reed heard her give a heavy sigh as she muttered to herself. "I shouldn't have said anything."

Reed leaned in closer even as his conscience yelled at him to leave the couple in peace. This conversation wasn't meant for his ears, and yet he couldn't walk away. There was something about the exhaustion and worry in Alicia's voice that reminded him of his own wife. In his mind's eye he could see Sue struggling to find the words to tell him what was troubling her. Maybe if he could understand Alicia and Ben, he could understand Sue.

"I don't understand…" Ben's gruff voice broke the short silence.

"I love you Ben, more than anything… that's… that's why I worry so much," Alicia murmured quietly. "You're a hero who saves lives and that's great… but it's also dangerous. I'm so afraid, all of the time. I'm so scared that one day you won't come home. I can't lose you Ben..."

The fantasticar shifted as Ben leaned forward in his seat and reached a pebbled hand towards the screen. "That ain't gonna happen, sweetie. I mean, come on, I'm a big orange rock – what's gonna be able ter take me down?"

"I'm afraid that one day we're going to find that out, and it will be too late."

"You want me ter leave the team like Suzie did," Ben stated simply, sagging back into his seat. Silence came over the communicator, but Reed could picture Alicia's sad face and unseeing eyes. "You know I can't do that. I'm a monster, Alicia, playing pretend as a hero. Where could we go and have a normal life when I look like this? I love you, and I love that you love me even though I'm…"

"I understand, Ben," Alicia interrupted before Ben could self-deprecate himself any further. "But I still dream of a day where I can have you all to myself instead of sharing you with the world."

Reed closed his eyes and leaned against the fantasticar with a quiet sigh. He knew that Ben's mutation had caused him the most problems out of the foursome; he didn't stand a hope in hell of getting the normal, quiet life that he deserved. Not while he was The Thing anyway. But maybe there was something Reed could do about that. Maybe he could finally fix the mistake he had made four years prior that had sent all of their lives spiralling out of their control.

More determined than ever, Reed pulled out his PDA and opened up the formula for Doom's power suppressor. This was their exit strategy.

This was their cure.

CryoIndustries Detainment Research Division

Julius Farrell found himself an empty office away from the two prisoners and his own jailer, Dr Claus. He paced fervently as nervous energy built within him, his thoughts a mess. He couldn't stand by anymore. He had done nothing for too long already. It was time to stand up and be a man.

He had already made the first move. He had witnessed the rapid healing factor of Johnny Storm and knew that he would soon be conscious and able to free himself and the doctor. But that still didn't stop Claus. It slowed her down, hindered her slightly, but it didn't stop her from trying again.

No. Someone had to end this once and for all.

And Farrell knew just how he was going to do it.

It quite possibly wasn't the sanest or most logical idea he had ever had, but by this point he was beyond caring. Action was needed, not thoughts or theories, so it was action that he would take.

Farrell halted in his tracks as the decision was made. A smile twisted his features as an anxious laugh bubbled in his throat, his hands twitching unconsciously. The plan formed in his mind he left the temporary sanctuary of his office and delved deeper into the building, making his way to the unofficial armoury the security team had amassed.

He was like a kid in a candy shop when he found himself in a large closet of weapons and firearms. They were organised and packaged neatly on shelves that lined three of the four walls, the stash purely so that the security team would be prepared for anything. Farrell easily found what he was looking for; throwing a backpack over his shoulder and collecting up a pistol. He had never fired a gun in his life, he didn't even know if he could, but he was about to find out.

He then made his way to the lab that he shared with Dr Claus, the hesitation in his steps growing as he neared, but never slowing his pace or breaking his resolve. When he reached the door he didn't allow himself to pause for fear he would be unable to get going again. He simply barrelled through and raised the gun.

"Farrell? What are you doing?"

Claus asked incredulously as she glanced up from her research notes. She was perched on a stool by the table on the far side of the room, the glow from a flickering halogen light casting her in eerie shadows. "Is that a gun?"

"You've gone too far." Farrell stated, the earlier stutter inflicted by her presence completely gone. "You're going to release the Torch and Dr Maiden, and then you are going to turn yourself in."

Claus raised her eyebrows disbelievingly, not looking the least bit perturbed by her current situation. "And what is it that I have done so terribly wrong, hmm? Some research into a world saving phenomena? Now why would I need to feel so bad about that?"

"You've kidnapped and tortured two people!"

"People? Really? A man that bursts into flame and a woman who can create ice with her mind? Can they really be considered people? Are they even human?" Claus retorted coldly, climbing to her feet as her impatience grew. Farrell grabbed the butt of the gun with both hands to try and hide the fact that they were shaking violently. "Now, Farrell, why don't you put the gun down and forget this nonsense. We have work to do."

Farrell gave a short shake of his head, his grip on the gun turning his knuckles white. "No. I'm not going to let you keep doing this. I won't be a part of this anymore."

Claus sighed as if she were dealing with a petulant child. "Now, Farrell, really? Are you going to shoot me?"

"You are going to turn yourself in," Farrell instructed, reluctantly taking one hand off of the gun so that he could get to his backpack and unzip it. He showed the contents to Claus. "Or I will just have to stop you for good."

Explosives.

Claus looked from the bag to Farrell and back again, finally realising that she had lost control of the situation. "For an intelligent man, you sure come up with some stupid ideas. What is the plan?" she asked as she raised her hands slightly in a non-threatening manner. She began to slowly close the distance between them with careful steps. "You try and appeal to my better nature, and when that doesn't work you blow the whole place up? That doesn't sound overly sensible now, does it?"

"If it's a choice between letting you continue or taking you out, I'd say I was making an incredibly smart choice," Farrell retorted, watching Claus warily. He took a few steps back as she closed in. "I suggest you stop moving."

"I suggest you stop breathing."

She moved faster than Farrell had ever expected; the last few metres of the gap between them closing in an instant. Two small, but surprisingly strong fists pounded into his chest and he pulled the trigger on reflex. The force of the recoil sent his arm flying back as he staggered under her onslaught. She dragged him to the ground as she tried to wrestle the gun from his grasp, the bag of explosives flying from his grip.

The brawl was untrained, primal and brutal; teeth and nails coming into play as they literally tried to tear each other apart. In the heat of the moment, Farrell didn't register any pain. He didn't really think, or strategize or engage a single one of his many brain cells. He just kicked and punched and struggled, every move he made just an instinctual reaction.

The gun went off several times as they fought, bullets ricocheting loudly in the clinical space. It was one of these rogue bullets that found its way into the bag of explosives that had landed not too far from where the two scientists tussled.

In an instant there came a bright light and a void of sound.

And Julius Farrell became a hero.

The Baxter Building

It had been over eight hours since Susan Richards had last seen her brother. Though it was early in the morning and the sun wasn't set to rise for several hours, she was wide awake and prowling the corridors of the Baxter Building. She hadn't even made an attempt to go to bed; there wasn't a chance that she would sleep, not while she could do nothing but worry for Johnny.

For the thousandth time she cursed herself for her weakness and her fear, the arms she wrapped around herself offering nothing but cold comfort. How could she have ever believed that she could have a normal life? Especially when the Fantastic Four, her family, continued into danger without her?

She came to the edge of her self-imposed prison, finding herself at the panorama window that looked out over New York. The city that never sleeps continued to bustle in blissful ignorance below as she turned to study the horizon. The horrible feeling that had settled in her stomach churned painfully, desperately trying to tell her something. Something terrible was about to happen.

Was happening.

A bright light flashed on the horizon, gone in an instant and replaced with flames. Smoke billowed into the sky as a fire raged uncontrollably in the distance. But Sue knew where the explosion had come from, she had been watching that speck on the skyline for the last few hours, as if her vigil would somehow ease her guilt. CryoIndustries.

Johnny.

Woot! I finished another chapter, and it didn't take half as long! As always, please review and let me know what you think…