As the saying goes.
What a god says, goes. If a god says it's fake, even the real becomes fake. If a god says it's real, even the fake becomes real.
Gods, huh.
You're happy, you're the boss.
But...
Michaela thought for a moment, "What if it goes to court and Reed Richards denies it?"
Lake laughed, "It's real, no question."
Michaela's curiosity spiked.
Lake smiled faintly.
He'd suspected this was all Mr. Fantastic's scheme, so he had Agatha poke around Earth's data banks. To his delight, she found this actual snippet from the past.
Earth's data banks held every mortal's info—birth to death, all there. No matter how smart Mr. Fantastic was, he was still just a mortal right now. A mere mortal trying to defy the heavens?
Dream on.
Sure, pulling this from the data banks risked tipping off Caitlyn, now allied with SHIELD.
But it was just a possibility.
Even if she found out, so what? Lake had never shown his face, and he was dealing with losers who'd crossed universes to mess with him. Even if Caitlyn knew, she wouldn't stop him...
Meanwhile, at Victor's end.
Reed's apartment.
The moment Victor stepped in, Reed approached, trying to persuade him, "Victor, we don't yet know if what's happened to us is good or bad. And these test results, once—"
Victor cut him off, "Are you a doctor?"
Reed blinked.
Victor's face was blank, "This place looks more like a physics lab than a medical one. Sorry, but I don't think my girlfriend and her brother will get any medical help here. I trust the renowned doctors I've invited to my villa more."
"Victor, your company right now—"
"My company's doing fine."
"I heard Nate Dawson from Wall Street—"
"Your info's outdated."
Victor's eyes narrowed, staring at Reed—who even knew his former backer's name, "Nate Dawson's out. The new shareholder trusts me completely. Victor Industries was mine before, is mine now, and will be mine in the future."
Reed's mind wavered.
How?
Victor Industries' stock was practically toilet paper now. Who'd invest in a company doomed to bankruptcy at this point?
Were they insane?
Money to burn?
Seeing Reed fall silent, Victor's gaze grew colder.
As expected.
An old Eastern saying nailed it.
The most heartless are the scholars.
I poured my future into funding you out of kindness, and you planned to swallow me whole from the start.
Beast.
No.
Worse than a beast.
Victor itched to stab the guy then and there, but that'd be too easy. Recalling the note with Medusa's email, his mind cleared.
With that.
Victor shot Reed a loaded look, then called to Susan and Johnny nearby, "We should go."
Susan sensed something off.
But...
Woman's intuition kept her quiet. Instead, she told Johnny, "Let's go."
Johnny preferred Reed over Victor—Reed often covered for him, while Victor only cared about his sister, not his future brother-in-law.
Just as Johnny opened his mouth to stay, Susan grabbed her bag and headed for Victor at the door.
Johnny had no choice but to follow.
Soon.
Bang!
The apartment door slammed shut, and a fleeting glint of malice flashed in Reed Richards'—the future Mr. Fantastic's—eyes...
Long Island, New York.
Victor's villa.
Stepping out of the car, Victor removed his pocket watch, loosened his tie, and tried to quell the nameless fire in his chest.
Third floor.
Susan followed Victor to their bedroom. Watching him shed his suit jacket, she finally asked, "Victor, did something happen?"
Victor turned to her. After a pause, he said, "The company's legal team is preparing to sue Reed Richards."
Susan's jaw dropped, "...What?"
Victor pulled bourbon from a cabinet, poured two glasses, and handed one to her.
Susan took it, "Why sue Reed?"
"Malicious, premeditated sabotage of Victor Industries' space station."
"...It was an accident. Reed didn't expect the cosmic storm to hit early."
"Did he? You think so too?"
"What do you mean?"
Victor chuckled dryly, "You believe Reed would make such a basic mistake?"
Susan fell silent.
Errors happen in science, but seven hours versus nine minutes? That's not a mistake—it's a chasm.
Still...
She defended Reed, "It was just an accident. And our contract with him covered risks."
"I know."
Victor sipped his bourbon, "But what if it was part of Reed's plan?"
Susan was floored.
Victor pulled a USB drive from his pocket—loaded with the video from Medusa's email—and handed it to her with a self-deprecating laugh, "I sank tens of millions and my company's future into Reed. This is how he repays me. Terrifying."
With that.
He downed his drink and left the room.
Susan stared at the USB in her hand, then grabbed her laptop from the nightstand.
Powered it on.
Plugged in the drive.
Opened it.
Played it.
All in one go. Then, watching Reed on the screen, her heart jolted again.
Women are strange.
Was Victor good to Susan? Absolutely—he'd invested in her ex because of one word from her. Calling him a simp wouldn't be unfair.
Was Reed good to her? Sure, but during their time together, his focus was more on science than her.
That's why she chose Victor.
But that didn't mean she stopped liking Reed. Men love rekindling old flames—women do too. Sometimes, women are even more prone to grazing on old grass.
But...
This video iced over any lingering desire for Reed.
Of course.
Susan still believed in Reed's intentions.
But...
To win me back, you'd ruin my current boyfriend, turn him into a broke drifter? Then what? If you fall for someone else later, will you ruin me too?
Women love dangerous men—but not when that danger might turn on them.
In other words.
Women want men who are terrifying to others.
Simply put.
They don't like men who might abuse them.
Well, most women.
Anyway!
Reed...
In Susan's heart, he was done for.
No question.