Victor opened his eyes to feel a burning sensation all over his body despite having his nerves burned down. This phenomenon is known as phantom pain and many people suffer from such pain after losing their part of bodies.
" Where am I?"
His hoarse voice demanded where he was, expecting salvation from its answer but the truth was brutal.
" Central Hospital of Eden. Your body has been badly burned and we had to rush you here along with our leader and Fantastic 4. I am sorry, Mister Doom, but I am afraid you are no longer able to feel any physical pain because your pain receptors were burned and there was nothing we could do.
If you want to regenerate it, we will try our best but the chances aren't high and you might feel constant pain."
The doctor bowed his head with shame, explaining the results to Victor who was listening to his words with silence. With each passing second his face wrinkled, knowing this was the result of both his failure and Reed's fault.
" Reed! Where is he?"
Victor wanted to meet with him and confirm his next move.
" I am here."
Reed entered the room with a tired face, looking haggard due to his exhaustion. He didn't get a minute of sleep prior to his awakening.
" You did this, Reed. Are you proud of yourself? I could have lived through it without mishaps or I could have died there, yet you left me in this half-disabled state."
Reed didn't deny or agree with his words, remaining silent under his gaze. He could tell Victor hated him now, perhaps their relationship had been doomed since he allowed his biometrics in his laboratory.
" I know my failure, Reed. However, my cause wasn't selfish and I did it for my greater good. Ironically the person whom I trusted the most, killed me with a button. Leave! From now on I am not Victor, I am just Doom."
Reed glanced at him one more time before leaving the room with a helpless face. There was nothing he could do here and he had to accept it.
Knock, knock*
Two people entered the room Victor looked at them with a complicated face.
" Victor, you are alive. Thank goodness, I was worried about you."
Sue wanted to hug him but she retracted herself back when she saw the bandages. As for Arthur, he didn't say much, just looking at him with his calm eyes.
He sighed with pity for some reason while guessing what would happen in the future.
" I am fine thanks to you. I owe you and I will pay it in the future."
Victor was a selfish person but he had morals and he was willing to pay their kindness with everything that he got even if it meant for sacrificing himself.
" Just rest. You have been through a lot. As for your cosmic power, we will talk about it later."
Arthur didn't pry into matters further, dragging Sue out with him. Victor sighed at their sight, looking at his burned skin. He then raised his hand with great difficulty while trying to activate what he was feeling.
Buzz*
The electric shock coursed through his body while he felt he could see and control every electronic in his reach.
" This is!"
He didn't expect his power would be related to his field as he laughed with a serious face. Perhaps, this was fate and in the process, he had to lose his face but now it wasn't anything serious compared to his power.
" Magic and Science are within my reach. Who can stop me now?"
Victor finally got what he wanted and it was much better than he expected. This was his victory.
Meanwhile in the hospital meeting room.
Arthur looked at Reed with a calm face.
" Do you know what you have done? Not only you break your team, but you also endangered one person's life. Do you think everyone has pure motives like us? Greed is the nature of humankind."
Reed sighed with a defeated face, knowing he screwed up big time this time.
" I know what I have done and I can fix it. You don't need to involve yourself, Arthur."
Before he could finish his words, Arthur his face and that made the chair crack.