Fantastic Five || Johnny Storm

Chapter 13

Veronica had just stepped into the elevator when the whole building shook.

But by the time Veronica got up to Reed's apartment, Sue was catching his body as he fell, face sagging like melted rubber. He'd tested the machine on himself.

"Reed!" Veronica yelled as she ran for him.

"What did you do?" Sue cried.

"The machine wasn't anywhere near ready," Veronica said.

"I can make it work. I need more power to control the storm," he breathed, talking somewhat difficult with part of his mouth drooping.

"You need a doctor. Help me get him up," Sue said and together they hauled him to his room.

Veronica was sitting at Reed's bedside, dabbing his face with a cool cloth as he slowly returned to normal. Sue had gone to go hunt medical equipment when the lights began to flicker.

The machine was being used again.

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Reed refused to stay put, so Veronica was helping him limp towards the machine.

Only to see her brother, face and hands half-covered in metal and Ben unconscious on the floor, utterly human.

"Victor, what did you do?" Veronica asked and he only smiled.

"Right on cue. And to answer your question, I built a better, stronger being. And outsmarted the great, Reed Richards."

"Vic, you are sick. If the machine worked on Ben, it can work on you too," Veronica said, wanting her brother back more than anything.

"You exposed yourself to the storm. You're endangering your life. You need help!" Reed yelled and Victor's gaze only grew cold.

"You always know best."

Reed sighed as Victor asked, "So tell me, what happens when you superheat rubber?"

Reed barely had the time to push Veronica out of the way before he stretched to avoid the bolt of electricity that was fired at them.

Reed clutched his side as he ran, still weakened from the machine before Victor sent him flying out of the window with another bolt of electricity.

"REED!" Veronica screamed as she was now on her feet, hand outstretched to catch him, but she was too late.

"Vici, please don't do this. This isn't you! What happened to my big brother?!" Veronica cried as she gripped the railing, her brother giving her an almost evil smile.

"He saved himself," he replied before he sent another bolt at her.

Veronica's hands glowed blue as she manipulated the energy around her into a shield, holding the bolt at bay.

"Victor stop this!"

"I can't stop my destiny!"

And Victor fired another bolt, one that Veronica couldn't dodge, and she fell from the railing, onto the floor as she convulsed, electricity coursing through her.

"I'm not through with you yet. Once I'm done with the other four, you will have no choice but to join me," he said as he approached her body, skin red and blackened, but not burned, thanks to the suit she wore underneath her clothes.

"See you soon, little sister."

And Victor's foot connected with her face.