The Fantastic Four Page #5

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SUE:

Long way from the projection booth at

the Hayden Planetarium, isn't it?

Reed turns towards her -- a little stunned that she would

bring that up. It's the first time she's been nice to him so

far. He smiles, gently, hesitantly, always hesitant with

Sue.

REED:

Yes. Yes it is.

Johnny and Ben exchange a look. Reed keeps looking at the

stars, eyes wide, like a little kid.

INT. SPACE STATION - COMMAND CENTER/OBSERVATION DECK - SAME

They enter the nerve center of the space station. Victor

goes to a computer console on the observation deck below.

The windows are closed, so there's nothing to observe.

VICTOR:

(to ground; via comm-link)

Leonard, how's the feed?

LEONARD (V.O.)

Recording, sir. We see you perfectly.

Victor glances at a camera mounted into the console.

SUE:

We can monitor the cloud's approach

and observe the tests from here.

BEN:

Is it safe?

REED:

The shields on the station should

protect us.

BEN:

Should?

VICTOR:

What's wrong, Ben? Eighty-million

dollars worth of equipment not enough

for you?

Ben turns to Victor. A little tension. Reed cuts it:

REED:

Let's start loading those samples.

Get your suit ready, Ben.

Victor keeps his eyes on Ben.

VICTOR:

So you still do all the heavy lifting?

Victor gives a friendly smile, patting Reed.

VICTOR (CONT'D)

Maybe you should have stayed back in

the lab. Field work never suited you.

Reed doesn't defend himself. Ben steps up.

BEN:

He does the talking. I do the

walking. Got it?

Victor holds tight to his smile. He nods, condescending.

VICTOR:

Got it. So take a walk, Ben...I'm

going to borrow Susan for a second.

REED:

Sure.

Ben and Johnny read his eyes, as we CUT TO --

INT. SPACE STATION - AIR LOCK - LATER

Ben preps for a space walk, putting on a helmet and boots.

Johnny unloads a set of clear sample boxes off of a cart,

each containing a variety of plants.

JOHNNY:

Please tell me your dawg's not trying

to rekindle things with my sister.

BEN:

'Course not. Strictly business.

JOHNNY:

Yeah, well, his eyes say different.

BEN:

Hey, two hearts got busted last time.

Maybe she's not over it either.

JOHNNY:

Let's see:
you got Victor, stud of the

year, more coin than God? Or Reed,

the world's dumbest smart guy worth

less than a postage stamp. Hmmm, it's

a toss-up.

BEN:

Put your tiny little mind at ease.

JOHNNY:

Don't you wander off, boy.

Johnny steps out of the air-lock and shuts the door. He

looks through a small window to see Ben give the thumbs up.

THE AIRLOCK DOOR opens, and Ben gracefully steps into space.

INT. SPACE STATION - OBSERVATION DECK - SAME TIME

Sue descends the stairs at Victor's behest. Joins him.

VICTOR:

Surprised I agreed to Reed's proposal?

SUE:

I understand the business reasons.

VICTOR:

Well, when you're looking at your

future, it never hurts to find closure

about the past.

Sue's eyes narrow. What is this about...?

VICTOR (CONT'D)

Susan, every man dreams that he'll

meet some woman he can give the world

to.

He presses a button and the observation deck's outer windows

open up, revealing a spectacular, romantic view of the EARTH.

VICTOR (CONT'D)

In my case, it's not just a metaphor.

While she stares out the window, Victor reaches into a

pocket, revealing a RING BOX. Sue looks unsettled.

INT. SPACE STATION - NEARBY CORRIDOR - SAME TIME

Reed checks data on a work station, set on a wall. The

results of his calculations are not what he expected... He

sees WIND VELOCITY digits rise. He does a double-take when

he sees the readout: EVENT THRESHOLD, T-MINUS 10:00.

REED:

No...no...impossible. It's...too

fast.

INT. SPACE STATION - OBSERVATION DECK - SAME TIME

Behind his back, Victor holds the ring box in hand.

VICTOR:

You've been with me two years now.

Sue doesn't know where this is going. She treads lightly.

SUE:

It's been a good two years, Victor...

The company's accomplished so much.

VICTOR:

Right, of course, the company... But

you see, I've come to realize all the

accomplishments in the world mean

nothing without someone to share them

with --

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