The man that caused all of these movements around the world on the other hand is lazily sleeping with a blonde and a redhead at his side.
"*Groan*, what time is it?" Natasha woke up groggily as she still felt soft all over after being pistoned by Paul last night.
She felt thankful that Shanna was there to share her burden as they both were brought to peak by Paul many times that their legs still felt numb.
"Ummm... Don't know, morning I guess." Shanna stretched her body as she adjusted her position to snuggle with Paul better.
"Hmm?" Natasha looked at the clock on the side of the bed making her widen her eyes a few moments later.
"We've been here for a day? We did it for a whole day?!" Natasha jumped up from the bed but lost balance since her legs still felt wobbly from Paul's assault.
"Wow... Really? No wonder I feel jelly all over." Shanna purred as she sniffed Paul's neck while making her left leg rest over Paul's body.
"Good morning, wait more like afternoon. How are my ladies today?" Paul smiled as he opened his eyes and gave Shanna a hug while also looking at Natasha who seemed to be in a hurry.
"My legs feel numb so feed me." Shanna said as she pouted while hugging Paul.
"I can barely walk, geez even with the two of us you still don't feel tired at all." Natasha said as she sat at the side of the bed massaging her thighs since she is almost late for the briefing Fury scheduled for today.
"Yeah, you are much more virile than an Alpha Lion. I like it ..." Shanna smiled as she sat up while stretching her seductive body in front of Paul.
"Damn, now I want to continue..." Paul said as he looked at the beautiful sight of two top tier women putting on their clothes.
"It seems we are going to need some back up just to keep up with you..." Natasha said as she put on her bra while looking at the door where Ina and Biri were coming in pushing trolleys with trays of food into the large bedroom.
"Breakfast is here." Paul said as he waved his hand and the trays opened showing the food inside.
"Breakfast in bed, how romantic. I could get used to this." Natasha smiled as she laid back at the bed and ate for a bit.
She knew Fury would be mad but it was him who told her to get close to Paul and this was as close as she could get. Though she may have let herself enjoy it a bit as Paul indulged her as well.
But she still gets her job done while she is doing many different types of 'jobs' on Paul.
Though she and Fury knew that Paul might be already aware she is there to spy on him but maybe being in a relationship with him is not so bad.
She got to enjoy a lot of 'big' perks as well, though it is weird she is in some sort of harem but it didn't matter much since she felt only a harem could satisfy someone with such stamina.
"Oh, before I forget. Coulson has already contacted those Inhumans you've talked about and their leader is ready for a discussion." Natasha said as she ate pancakes while browsing the net on a holographic display in front of her.
"Is he okay? Last I checked their leader was filled with so much hate to humanity on what HYDRA did to her, it wouldn't surprise me if they tried to attack him." Paul looked over since he felt concerned for the silent incognito agent.
"They were hostile but Coulson was able to make jt out in one piece, he is kind of an expert in this type of situations." Natasha said while backing up letting herself be snuggled by Paul.
She felt surprised as she did this because it was subconsciously done on her part.
She dazed for a bit until she realized she felt comfort being with Paul, a feeling rarely felt by those in her profession since they mostly have to live watching over their shoulders their whole lives.
Natasha mused that maybe her willingness being in this relationship with Paul even when there was another was not merely a mission for her anymore.
"Paul, that spell you told me about. Can you teach me how to do it?" Shanna looked expectantly to Paul as she remembered him mentioning a spell or ritual that enables a person to bond with an animal and gain strength through that bond.
If the bond is even stronger then the person could transform into a half-human hybrid of the animal that was bonded with.
"Are you sure? Yeah I can teach you that spell." Paul understood what Shanna meant as she was eager to experience the life of an animal in their point of view.
"Which spell are you talking about?" Natasha seemed curious as she looked at Paul and Shanna but it was Shanna who excitedly answered and told her about the bonding ritual.
"It seems I can't use that, I have no pet to bond with for the ritual." Natasha smiled as she said this but Paul just patted her back and said.
"Then why not raise one right now? I also have a gift for Fury since you are going to him today." Paul was thoughtful as he felt the director has little to no means any form of defense from metahumans if he is ever attacked.
"Really? What is it?" The red haired spy looked at Paul who waved his hand and showed a catalogue of various animals within his care which made Natasha widen her eyes as this was the first time she could take a glimpse of the amount of animals Paul has.
"Are half of these even real? An Owlbear? Caragors? Even some Sea monsters as well? Where did you find all of these?" Natasha was genuinely curious as she could never think that there would be some place in Earth that could nurture such creatures.
"The world is much more mysterious that you think it is my dear Natalia, you might think you have seen it all but it was nothing more than the tipoff the iceberg." Paul answered cryptically as he looked at the curious Natasha.
"Hmm, so are you going to give us any of the animals we chose from?" She looked at Paul as she sipped her coffee.
"I'll give you something to help bond with the creature but I will give you infants or eggs so they can imprint on you easier." Paul shrugged his hands as he paused a bit since one of his clones realized a certain dilemma.
'The Fantastic Four has no Villains to unite them… huh?' Paul thought but as soon as he had this in mind something caught his attention which his Ai has brought to his notice.
Because he does not usually use his full powers to its limits, he found a way to disassociate the parts that are processing the part where he is trying to understand the laws of space and time.
While the remaining of his powers is used to handle the various clones he is controlling over the world.
Now his Ai has picked up signs of a space craft reentering the atmosphere which is oddly not in one of any current space programs of any country at the moment.
The Shuttle is old, Cold war old with the USSR insignia still seen on the side.
Paul concentrated a bit and took a peek inside and he felt a bit confused as well as curious.
Inside was an Old Russian man with a bald spot, a gorilla, an orangutan and a baboon.
Paul's mind whirred making him remember that there was something like these within the Fantastic Four Rogue Gallery.
'Interesting, it seems the Universe found a way to ensure the Birth of the heroes to be possible.' Paul wondered as he ate his breakfast in bed.
[Baxter Building]
"I must say Reed, you are one of the smarted men I've ever met but even now you still show your foolishness." Viktor von Doom walked uncaringly as he looked around the mess inside the apartment of Reed and locking on to the machine in the middle of the room.
"I just can't understand, you are also showing symptoms on you like us so wouldn't it be better for you to stay and help me find a cure for this disease?!" Reed Richards looked at the metallic hand of Viktor who seemed to not mind his physical changes anymore.
"I just said you are foolish and you didn't even hear me, you treat it as a disease when it is not even one. The me before I was woken up might have agreed but some things in my past needs me to keep this so I can do what I should have done a long time ago." Viktor looked at Sue who seemed confused at his recent announcement that he was also like them gaining powers as well as saying he wanted to go home to Latveria.
"What about the company Vic, you've sacrificed a lot of your time and attention into building that place but you're going to leave it all to those greedy shareholders of yours?" Susan cannot understand this part as she looked at Viktor who seemingly became a different person altogether.
"Don't worry about that Sue, I have made necessary preparations even if they take control of the company. I know they've partnered with the military to get hold of the new weapon developments we've made since they no longer get toys from Tony Stark. So I made sure they cannot go play with it without my consent, not that I will give them any." Viktor turned around but did a double take on a bright streak in the sky.
"Reed? Sue? You might want to have a look at this." Ben came in the lab seemingly frustrated as he walked in but paused seeing Viktor and noticed the metallic hand he has.
"So you too huh?" Ben seemed sympathetic about Viktor who just shook his head.
"Don' feel pity for me Ben, I don't see it as a negative at all. I feel that we have been given gifts, a chance to show the world what we were made for." Viktor walked towards Ben and patted the rock man's shoulders.
"Like what? I'm made of rocks, so I get to be used to skip on water or something?" Ben still upset about his appearance said as he led the others to the living room where they can see in the news Johnny riding a motorcycle and igniting while in the air.
"He didn't!" Susan felt a headache coming in as she saw her brother's actions in TV.
"Oh, yes, he did! Flame boy never listens." Ben said seemingly upset as well.
"What did he do to his uniform?" Susan asked while Reed unconsciously looked at his feeling a bit guilty while Viktor just watched with a smirk on his face.
"Johnny I've gotta ask you about this outfit." The reporter on TV asked the hot head one TV.
"Yeah, it's sort of Armani meets Astronaut." Said Johnny as he felt excited being given this much attention.
"So what are your superhero names?" asked the reporter making many people watching this live now pay attention to Johnny Storm.
"They call me the Human Torch. Ladies call me Torch." Johnny said as he made a suggestive look.
"What about the rest of the team?" said the reporter as a picture of Susan Storm appeared in the large screen of the stadium.
"That's the Invisible Girl." Johnny said as he saw his sister.
"Girl?" Susan did a double take as she heard the name given by her brother.
"What about your leader, Reed Richards? Cause I hear you calling him Mr. Fantastic." the reporter asked as she seemingly focused on the word leader.
"Could've been worse." Ben Grimm said making Viktor nod in agreement.
"I guess…" even Reed seemed to agree as he just shrugged his shoulders.
"Leader is such a strong word…" Johnny's voice was still sounding out in the TV.
"Is it true what they say about him that he can expand any part of his anatomy?" the reporter's words made Johnny smile as well as the others behind with a suggestive face but his next words made the others raise their brows.
"Well, I've always found him to be a little limp." this made many give out some 'oohs' in the back while Reed was wide eyed and even Ben felt concerned for his friend.
"Haha…" Viktor chuckled as he felt it was funny that this supposed to be hero group is already dysfunctional from the start.
"What is that? What do you call that thing?" the reporters words were followed by an image of Ben Grimm being shown on the TV.
"That's it. The Thing." Johnny smiled as he looked at Ben's image in the screen while the rest were shocked as they looked at Ben who perked up still processing what Johnny just named him.
"Yes, you think this is bad, you should have seen him before." Johnny made small talk but the man made of stone was not having it.
"Okay. Now I'm gonna go kill him." Ben said as he turned while the rest followed him out of the Baxter Building.
"Have fun…" Viktor said as he stayed behind and browsed the papers of Reed on the machine he is building.
"Seems our genius has not found a stable power source to handle the cosmic storm…" Viktor mused while he made a small glance at his hands as he thought of something.
Paul was also spectating the events that are transpiring and felt a bit curious since Johnny Storm has somewhat a similar build to Captain America but does not have the same face.
This Johnny Storm was more of the Jay Underwood version but much fit and muscular like Chris Evans.
Paul watched as the four realized Johnny had just named them in live television.
Then he remembered that there would be a lot of public damage if they are to fight in public just to ensure that their senses of responsibility as heroes are born.
'I need a lawyer, a very good lawyer.' Paul thought as he let his badger clone leave the gym to a SHIELD agent while going towards a specific place in Hell's Kitchen.
[Stark Mansion]
"Hah, Mister Fantastic. What's so fantastic in stretching your body? Though I must say his papers have a lot of interesting stuff in them that I can use…" Stark said as he ate a sandwich while designing another power armor for him to use.
"You know ignoring me is not going to make me go away Stark." Fury said as he stood behind the eccentric Billionaire.
"First of all I am not ignoring you just denying your existence since every time you pop up trouble comes knocking." Tony said as he decided some color schemes on some suits.
"You are the trouble Stark and I am the one who cleans up on your mess, besides SHIELD is not the one needing you right now but someone who you have wanted to meet for some time…" Fury then left a note of a date and an address making Tony pause in his work.
He thought for a bit and remembered the man who had helped him during Vanko's rampage.
He looked at the note and said. "Jarvis make sure to have myself ready for this meeting."
[Bella Coola, British Columbia]
In a cabin the door opened as a thin man carrying his recent hunt, two rabbits, came in but as soon as he got inside he felt something was not right.
He looked around and saw a note making him look around in alert as he seemed a bit agitated as his watch starts to beep in alarm.
"Ross has found a trail, go to this place at this time, we'll help you find somewhere you can hide." was what was written in the note while a logo of SHIELD is printed on the bottom right side of the paper.
"Shit…" Bruce Banner said as he then hurried dropped what he was doing and ran to his room where he took a bag with items he needed to bring in case of situations like these.
What he didn't know was that it was just a note made by Paul dropped on his cabin to make the guy hurry in going to said address.
[X-Mansion]
"Hank! There is a letter specifically addressed to you here." Storm said as she walked at the halls of the mansion while looking at the mail they received that day.
Inside was a letter about who sent it and where Beast should go, this was all from Paul who wanted to gather the smartest minds of the planet to prepare in making a machine that would enable the transferal of the Celestial's powers to another vessel.
Other than the first invited, there was also a letter that was received by a young genius girl in Wakanda, a King of an underwater kingdom who is a few centuries old and a scientist who is starting to make a suit of his own just to explore the mysteries of the ocean.
What happened was just like in the movies, the trio confronting Johnny who's car became a metal ball due to Ben Grimm. Feelings were hurt and some words were said never to be taken back but the difference is that there was no one plotting to end their lives.
Or was there?
[Somewhere in New Jersey]
The escape hatch of an Old Russian Scientist had just crash landed in a remote rural town in New Jersey and had just found their first contact to Civilization after a few decades of being in space.
Ivan Kragoff an old USSR loyalist had discovered the signs of the cosmic storm long before Reed Richards and was able to mount a space project that sent him and a few Apes to be experimented on to study exposure to the storm.
But due to calculations being a bit wrong, the scientist came up to space a few decades early. So to remedy this as his curiosity to the storm got better of him.
Ivan Kragoff asked for cryostasis chambers to be sent to the secret USSR space station to ensure that they would be the first to know of the properties of said Cosmic Storm.
And while in stasis Ivan developed a device that enabled him to mentally connect to the apes to train them better.
Even with limited technology, Ivan did not want to be left out on what shall happen within the world in his sleep, thus made a connection to his device towards the space station's signal receivers so he can still hear of the world's events in his absence.
It was just a few months later the USSR disbanded and forgot about this secret space station thus no one was able to send signals to Ivan for years.
Until recently when someone used the frequency they have set before and was able to tap in some radio broadcast that Ivan was able to learn of the world's current situation.
He was appalled, angered and saddened that his homeland had lost and had to give out it's lands to the hands of others.
So as he listened, hatred brewed in his heart and swore to take down the regime of this upstart country called the USA to revive the glory of the USSR.
So even when the world seemed foreign to Ivan, he was able to make his own version of a computer from the scraps he found in the small town he landed in.
It was also this that he discovered that his recent exposure to the Cosmic Storm had given him and the apes powers beyond his imagination.
He felt like a god, so as he created his computer he has also tried to contact old connection to see if there are those that still dreams of the motherland to be reborn.
But his attention was brought towards the trending news of the Fantastic Four and their rescue of firemen in the Brooklyn Bridge.
Ivan was tempted, he felt his powers were great but what if there were a way to make it even greater.
A source was there, he only need fashion a device capable of extracting the cosmic storm within them.
Thus in the next week he was able to find a way to rebuild a broken armored truck to drive all the way from New Jersey to New York.
[In a Diner]
Ben Grimm was drinking coffee as he moped around thinking he would stay the way he is.
"Ben Grimm, just the man I wanted to see." Viktor arrived with his iconic evil smile.
"Great, what are you doing here?" Ben grunted as he saw Viktor's face.
"Why I just wanted to see if you were doing okay, come on, let me buy you a meal." Viktor waved to signal the waitress to take an order.
"Alright, I know you ain't that kind so spill it out Viktor." Ben Grimm still a bit grumpy said this thinking Viktor was about to play his games on him so he was on guard.
"Well it's simple really, I want power and I need you to get it." Viktor did not tarry as he fiddled with a bracelet made of jade on his wrist saying this to Ben who was a bit surprised that Viktor would be so forthright with his approach.
"Not candy coating it this time huh?" Ben frowned as he felt a bad feeling around Viktor who did not mind that guardedness of Ben Grimm.
"No, I don't have the luxury of doing that because you when I said I am going home to Latveria is that I plan to change the regime of my homeland. That had been my goal for such a long time…" Viktor paused as the waitress arrived with two plates of pancakes stacked high.
"To be honest I never heard you talk about your country much before." Ben still guarded but curious let Viktor talk.
"…so does the news, they only show what the world wanted to see but there is much happening that I want to put a stop to it myself. And I need power to do that, you see Reed's only problem is that he cannot reach critical mass for his machine for him to be able to harness the storm…" Viktor paused as he took a sip of coffee.
"And you think you can?*Burp* Excuse me…" Ben said as he had already finished one plate from the time Viktor was talking.
"…you see this? I can absorb energy in my body but my mutation is rather slow to develop, so why not stick my hand in and help the machine since you so badly want nothing to do with this powers we were given…" Viktor showed his metallic hand making Ben frown at his words.
"I don't understand? You want more? Your face is already busted up as it is pretty boy so why do you want to gain more?" Ben was confused as he looked at Viktor who did not mind the stares he was getting from the customers in the diner seeing his metallic hand.
"…you seem to forget, everything you all are had been funded by my company which I am about to lose to people who made deals with the government. If they learn that Reed can take the storm away and store it then there would be a lot of hungry vultures flying over this large piece of meat, good thing someone already provided me with a great Lawyer…" Viktor looked to the side seeing the blind man in a suit.
"You mean?" Ben was still unable to get his head around this.
"They will try to claim you and the Cosmic storm as company property, I really wanted out with this failing venture but if they are going to this route them I will be dragged in because I have the same thing you all have. Last thing I want is someone coming to me at my home and drag me back…" Viktor looked at the window seeing the rain seemingly planning his return to his homeland.
"…so to ensure I will not be blindsided as well if they ever try to take drastic measure then I will need more power. I need to accelerate my mutation and what better than to get someone who does not want his to be that source. So what will it be Ben? Would you like to stay as the Thing or be Ben Grimm again?" Viktor looked at the struggling rock man and smiled.
"When will we start?" Ben said as he felt tempted by the offer.
"When Reed codes in his finishing touches…" Viktor said but it was this time he could see the flashing lights on Baxter building. "…and it seemed he had finished."
[Baxter Building]
"I can do it Sue, I just need more power to control the Storm." Reed said as half of his face looked like goop as Susan Storm held him.
Susan still worried brought Reed to his room to rest but it was this time Johnny arrived with a toy at hand seemingly confused at the power surges in the building.
Just at this moment a man with a crimson red raincoat stood in front of the Baster Building looking at the top floors seemingly thoughtful.
"I can feel it, the Storm is above us…" Ivan smiled as he walked to the entrance where some guards were about to stop them since they looked suspicious but Ivan just walked past them like a Ghost making many wide eyed at what just happened.
"Unworthy men holding power is just saddening…" as Red Ghost was about to get up he was with an arguing Susan and Johnny Storm.
"Ah the thieves…" Ivan then waved his hand and the entrance to the building burst into pieces as a Gorilla charges inside making Johnny and Susan Storm surprised.
Johnny not being able to react was hit squarely by the charging Gorilla sending him to the wall knocking him out.
It was then a baboon and an Orangutan arrived as well making Susan who was alone shocked at the events that are transpiring.
"Johnny!" Susan ran to her brother who was unconscious and has a bleeding forehead.
"Good job Miklho, now pick up the kid and we'll call this Mister Fantastic to surrender himself willingly. Now you little bird should just surrender or I will…" Ivan laughed as he walked forward unimpeded but he was silent as he found only clothes on the floor as he had just reveled seeing the faces of fear from the americans around him.
"A streaker, I like this girl…" Ivan laughed as he said this while the Baboon seemed excited to chase. "…don't worry Igor, they will come and they will face the might of the motherland from us."
Ivan had the gorilla carry unconscious Johnny outside and did not mind a spectacle since he wanted people to know that the might of the USSR is still alive in him.
"They will see, all of them will see that the USA is nothing more but a shell of its past." Ivan walked out not caring about the police that are surrounding the area.
Meanwhile Susan rushed to the lockers and put on her uniform as soon as she arrived and ran towards Reed who was just getting out of his room as he had felt the tremor of the building when the Gorilla smashed his way in.
"Sue? What is happening?" Reed asked as he still seemed groggy from his earlier experimentation.
"Johnny is in danger, some Russian with apes that has powers suddenly appeared and captured him. We need to save him!" Susan said but this time the power of the building surged again making Reed and Susan look at each other.
They ran towards the Lab only to see Viktor plunging his hands on the machine that held the cosmic storm extracted from Ben Grimm.
"Viktor what are you doing?!" Reed shouted as he stared in horror as Viktor's body showed turning into metal as the lab hummed with dangerous lights at the machines whirring.
"What you can't do Reed and gaining more power for my own!" Viktor looked at Reed with a smug smile feeling proud he had one-upped the great Reed Richards.
The machine slowed down and opened showing a turned Ben Grimm who inhaled as much air as he could like he had been submerged in water for a long time.
"Ben!" Reed and Susan ran towards their friend who had returned as who he was.
"It worked, it worked Reed but…" Susan said as she realized this and looked at Viktor complicatedly "…this is not the time for now."
Saying this she ran out making Viktor and ben confused only for Reed to remember what she had just said. "Somebody took Johnny and he's in danger, I need to go help Sue."
"Interesting, is it the desperate fools who wanted to take actions in their own hands." Viktor said not caring for Ben who was totally confused as to what he would do but Viktor just zapped his hands and the TV nearby turned on and showed a live news footage on what is happening in Baxter Building.
"This now from out station, police has been unable to identify who this assailant is but they have been calling him the Red Ghost now as any sort of attacks attempted on the suspect has been rendered useless as they phased through his body just like a ghost would." The reporter said as she looked down from the helicopter they were in making Ben look at the window seeing the same helicopter.
"Hmm, this is different." Viktor said as he walked out of the lab to go see the action.
"Other than that there seemed to be three super powered Apes by his side wreaking havoc as the Suspect has been calling out Reed Richards to save-Oh my god is that Johnny Storm!?" the reported was shocked as Johnny who was still unconscious was tied to a metal bar that was surrounded by metal spike ready to pierce him.
Ivan seemed to not care about guns but his pets could still be hit so he had Poetor display the young hero so the one he calls for will answer as well as deter any trigger happy people.
SHIELD agents were now in place as well as some STRIKE teams since there has no obvious clues yet that it was SHIELD that was causing the coordinated attacks on HYDRA bases.
Stark was also alerted but he was on a plane going towards the address given to him so he was torn weather to put on his armor and fly back to New York or stay on course but what happened next made him sit down.
As Reed Richards suddenly appeared by making his arms as a slingshot to send himself towards the unconscious Johnny only to be met with a wall of metal spikes stopping his tracks but this was nothing more than a diversion as Susan Storm appeared next to Johnny and covered herself and her brother with a force field stopping the metal that covered him from constricting.
"Dolboyob!! Igor stop her!" Ivan was surprised that the Fantastic Four was quick on to rescue their member.
The Baboon screeched and turned his legs into a kangaroo's while his arms were morphed into a mantis' claws.
Igor jumped and slashed at Susan who was scared of the Feral looking ape making her unconsciously push outwards breaking the binds of Johnny as well as sending the Baboon away.
"Ughh, I just had the weirdest dream that a Gorilla punched me out of nowhere…" Johnny came to be as this happened and then slowly processed what was happening around him.
"Hahaha, not bad for an American but that is not enough." Ivan laughed but this time Reed shouted but during this time the building is again showing some power surges making Susan look up and see lights on their floor.
"Who are you and what do you want from us?" Reed was confused as he had never known anyone with a vendetta on them but somehow the face in front of him seemed familiar.
"Me? I seem to hear someone call me Red ghost just now so why not that? I am a ghost anyways and I am here to haunt your people of the fury of my motherland!" Ivan looked mad as he looked around seeing people taking videos not even running away making him see Americans lacking any sort of sense of self-preservation.
(A/N: To be honest I've been reading and watching many shows and comics about Marvel recently and I noticed since most accidents happen in New York people there seemed to not run away when there are heroes and even spectate like it was a show. So them having no sense of self-preservation in moments like this are quite often observed in almost every hero fights.)
"And I am here to take what you Thieves took without my consent." Ivan saw the Cosmic Storm as his right since he was the one who first saw its existence before and led the first mission to try and observe the anomaly.
"You…you're Doctor Ivan Kragoff, former USSR Scientist… I thought you were dead." Reed realized who this person was as he had read the journals from confiscated USSR files by the US which led him to try and look for the Cosmic Storm.
"Still USSR scientist you American pig…" Ivan scowled as he looked at Reed Richards.
"Doctor Kragoff please stop this, it seems you and the Apes have been exposed to the same cosmic radiation and we do not know the implications yet to the human body. If you could please stop this we could help you cure thi…" Reed tried to reason since he felt it was not worth it to fight the person who was the reason for him to even look at the Cosmic Storm.
"CURE?! CURE??" Ivan roared as he heard this.
"You think this is a disease?"