The Fantastic Four Page #6

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SUE:

Uh, Victor, I hope I haven't done

something to make you think...

VICTOR:

Sue, I've lived my life unafraid of

taking big steps. And this is the

biggest step yet. If it helps, think

of this as a promotion. A merger of

sorts...

(getting closer)

Four little words that can change our

lives...

He is about to spring the ring on her. She looks like a deer

in headlights. She opens her mouth, and...WHAM! Doors slam

open. REED RUSHES INTO THE ROOM.

REED:

The cloud is accelerating!

Victor quickly puts the ring back in his pocket.

REED (CONT'D)

I don't know what happened.

Sue quickly moves to a nearby control panel to verify Reed's

claim. Starts punching buttons. Confirms Reed's findings

with a nod. Victor hardens, in control.

REED (CONT'D)

We've got minutes until it hits, not

hours...Victor, that storm's deadly --

the radiation's lethal. We need to

abort.

VICTOR:

Get a grip. Reed. We didn't come all

this way to lose our nerve at the

first little glitch. Just close the

shields...

REED:

Ben's still out there --

VICTOR:

So reel him in. But we came here to

do a job. So let's do it. Quickly.

EXT. SPACE STATION - MOMENTS LATER

Ben is carefully arranging SAMPLE BOXES OF PLANTS.

REED (ON RADIO)

Ben, we need you back inside.

Ben turns to see Reed and Johnny staring from a window.

BEN (INTO RADIO)

I ain't done arranging your flowers,

egghead.

REED (ON RADIO)

Ben. This is serious. Turn around.

Ben sees Johnny motioning for Ben to look behind him. Ben

turns and sees:
THE COSMIC STORM, rumbling toward the

station. Not close, but not far. That gets Ben's attention.

BEN (INTO RADIO)

Roger that, on my way.

He turns back towards the ship. BEHIND HIM, the storm grows.

INT. SPACE STATION - COMMAND CENTER - SAME TIME

Victor rushes into the room, looks at the monitors. Sees the

others near the airlock on one screen, and the approaching

cloud on another. Anxiety creeps across his face.

AUTOMATED VOICE:

Event threshold in two minutes.

INT. SPACE STATION - AIRLOCK DOOR - SAME TIME

Reed and Johnny stand by the airlock, waiting for Ben. They

heard the automated voice. It panics Reed.

REED:

Come on, Ben, come on...

VICTOR (ON RADIO)

Reed, we're running out of time.

EXT. OUTER SPACE - MOMENTS LATER

A wake of turbulence from the cloud hits Ben, making it

harder to maneuver. The cloud's tendrils snake toward him.

INT. SPACE STATION - AIRLOCK DOOR - SAME TIME

They can see Ben outside the window, still twenty yards away.

The entire corridor rumbles. Lights flicker and spark. They

watch helplessly.

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

Sue watches the monitor, also helpless.

SUE:

Johnny... Reed...

Victor, annoyed by the indecisiveness, marches right up to

Sue. Practically shoves her aside as he hits the INTERCOM.

VICTOR:

Reed, you need to get up here so we

can close the shields! Now!

Sue glares at Victor. His lack of compassion shocks her.

REED (ON RADIO)

Not until Ben is back inside!

VICTOR:

It's too late for him, and soon it'll

be too late for all of us.

Victor doesn't bother to wait for a response. He takes over

the console, punching keys.

SUE:

What are you doing?

VICTOR:

Raising the shields.

SUE:

You can't leave them out there.

Sue glares with as much contempt as her face can muster.

VICTOR:

Watch me. Reed had his chance. You

can't help them any more than I can.

Beat. She takes a step toward the door. Not sure what to

do.

SUE:

I can try.

With one final glare, she bolts from the room.

INT. SPACE STATION - AIRLOCK DOOR - SAME TIME

Reed bites his lip. Thinks. He decides.

REED:

Victor's right. Johnny, get to the

command center. Close the shields.

JOHNNY:

What about you?

One look from Reed tells Johnny, he won't leave without Ben.

Johnny eyes Ben, steels his courage. He's not going either.

JOHNNY (CONT'D)

(to Ben)

Come on big guy, you can do it!

INT. SPACE STATION COMMAND CENTER - DAY

Victor watches the shields slide down. Alone. An island.

AUTOMATED VOICE:

Event threshold in thirty seconds.

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