~Baxter Building, Rooftop Terrace~
Under a white parasol, three figures sat engaged in lively conversation...
Taking a sip of his iced drink, Sean flashed a bright smile and said, "During my university years, I read many of your papers. Even back then, you were already Columbia University's prodigy, holding multiple doctoral degrees. Everyone said Reed Richards was the undisputed genius!"
The young man sitting across from him appeared somewhat shy, his demeanor reserved. Yet his bright eyes sparkled with intelligence... All in all, he was a textbook image of a refined scholar...
"Thank you for the kind words, Sean," Reed replied softly, "I'm far from as exceptional as you make me out to be. Science is an insurmountable peak... Copernicus once said, 'It is man's duty to dare to explore the truth...' I simply enjoy unraveling the unknown, peeling back the veil of mystery to find answers..."
"Ahem... Sean, honestly, I had no idea we lived in the same building," Ben interrupted, his burly frame shifting uncomfortably.
He shot Reed a pointed look... this wasn't an academic debate. Who wanted to listen to dry, esoteric theories?
The future Mr. Fantastic awkwardly halted his train of thought, only to notice that Sean showed no signs of impatience.
Instead, the young man quoted another great scientist: "'The ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me, waiting to be explored...' The path of scientific discovery may seem tedious to outsiders, but for those who step through the door, it's filled with wonder and joy."
Sean waved a hand, his demeanor effortlessly warm, "I'm not the type of financier or opportunist Dr. Richards might assume... someone who sees value only in profit-driven research. Scientific progress should serve to advance and transform human society."
Reed was taken aback, then visibly moved. Lately, he had approached numerous corporations for funding, only to face rejection. Profit-obsessed capitalists dismissed his projects as pipe dreams, mocking them as guaranteed failures.
Compared to their dismissive attitudes, Sean, representing Oscorp and Umbrella, was a breath of fresh air... The genuine respect in his tone soothed Reed's bruised pride after so many setbacks.
"My agent mentioned Dr. Richards lived here too. I'd been meaning to visit, but you beat me to it," Sean remarked casually.
Umbrella had previously extended an invitation to the brilliant scientist, but Reed who was mired in post-breakup gloom had declined...
In the original timeline, after countless rejections, a despondent Reed turned to his former classmate and rival, Victor Von Doom...
With Doom's funding, he leased a NASA spacecraft. However, due to miscalculations regarding cosmic storm velocities, Reed and his team were engulfed by violent cosmic rays. The intense radiation altered their physiology and DNA, triggering extraordinary mutations.
Thus, the Fantastic Four were born.
"I apologize for declining Umbrella's earlier invitation. I couldn't abandon my long-term research. You've achieved remarkable feats in biology, but my focus is engineering, mathematics, and physics. After careful consideration, I had to refuse Dr. Connors' generous offer..." In truth, Reed deeply regretted his decision.
After turning down Umbrella, he had nearly gone bankrupt. NASA distrusted his experimental proposals, leaving him no choice but to accept Victor's exploitative terms... 75% of the project's profits, including patents, in exchange for a $1 billion investment and a leased spacecraft.
"So, why seek me out now?" Sean cut to the chase. He doubted this visit was coincidental, "As I understand, Doom Industries has already announced its partnership with you. In six weeks, you'll conduct your first space experiment to collect cosmic ray data."
Reed cleared his throat, visibly embarrassed. For all his academic prowess, social graces weren't his forte.
"...Five people are participating: Ben and I, genetic research advisor Susan Storm and her brother Johnny, and our investor, Victor Von Doom."
Pausing to gauge Sean's reaction (and finding no impatience) he continued, "But during data collection, we'll need an exceptional biologist to map genetic sequences..."
At this, Sean was genuinely surprised. Having never fully embraced the "scientist" identity, he hadn't expected an invitation to join this space mission.
"Rest assured, the experiment is completely safe! There's zero risk!" Misinterpreting Sean's silence as concern, Reed hastily added.
Sean nearly facepalmed. As someone who knew how this story went, he was well aware this mission would fail spectacularly... Thus birthing both the Fantastic Four and Doctor Doom.
"Sean, as you said earlier, science drives progress and transforms the world! Before time began, an infinitely dense singularity exploded, birthing our expanding universe. My research suggests early life on Earth may have evolved due to high-energy cosmic rays from solar winds!.."
"...In six weeks, another cloud of identical elemental composition will intersect Earth's orbit... The secrets of life's evolution, the process of genetic advancement... they're all hidden within!.."
"...By observing the cosmic storm, we'll obtain unprecedented data to decode human genetics... If we succeed, we'll change the world!" Reed's passion burned brightly.
Ben rolled his eyes... when it came to research, his friend became a different person.
If not for this obsessive streak, Susan wouldn't have left him heartbroken for Victor's arms.
"Mmm... Witnessing such a miracle would be an honor." Sean extended his hand, gazing at the blazing sun as if plotting something.
"Thank you, Sean." Reed blinked, then beamed.
He hadn't expected such an easy yes. Space travel wasn't some leisurely vacation... it came with real risks. Reed had braced for rejection.
"Told you he'd agree," Ben chuckled, cracking open a beer.
Sean smiled faintly, his gaze drifting toward Midtown Manhattan, where a column of smoke suddenly billowed into the sky...