Victor listened to the dial tone, his expression a tangled mess.
He thought back to when he'd signed the deal with Reed. No doubt, listing the space lab as an investment asset had been his idea.
But...
The spark came from something Reed said. Initially, Victor had been ready to sink tens of millions of Franklins into funding Reed's team on NASA's space lab—not his own. He wasn't dumb. The Victor Space Station was his company's flagship product. Why would he risk exposing his prototype to unstable variables?
Yet Reed's words swayed him, leading him to bet his life—and Victor Industries' future—on it.
If the experiment succeeded, it'd cure diseases, extend human lifespans, and boost quality of life.
That's what Reed claimed. So, if it happened on NASA's station, Victor's profits would thin out. To monopolize the gains, he'd opted for his own station.
The result?
Heh.
Thinking over Michaela's phone call, Victor's face darkened.
Anything falls apart when you dig too deep—flaws start glaring at you.
After graduating, Victor had built Victor Industries from scratch with Susan, the girlfriend he'd snatched from Reed. Before that, he'd never met Reed post-college—until this time.
And...
After the accident, it was Reed who suggested they hole up in his apartment to test their abilities and find solutions.
But...
Who treats a condition in an apartment?
What, did Reed think his place had better gear than Victor Industries' cutting-edge medical tech?
Victor dialed Susan.
The call connected.
"Where are you?" he asked.
Susan, in a tank top, glanced at Reed as they reviewed test data, "At Reed's apartment. What's up?"
Victor recalled her earlier excuses and cut in, "I've invited top medical experts to my villa. I'll pick you and Johnny up in a bit."
Susan froze, glancing at Reed.
Reed, sensing something, looked her way.
She frowned, "But..."
Victor interrupted, "No buts. Reed Richards is a scientist, not a doctor. If this is a condition, delaying it only spells trouble. Plus, I've noticed some changes too."
As her official boyfriend, Victor's words made Susan tense up, "What? You..."
Victor caught the worry in her voice, and his heart eased a bit. Her concern proved one thing—she was clueless about any scheme. That cheered him up.
He smiled, "I'm fine for now, but we need a proper checkup. I'll get you and Johnny in half an hour."
Susan couldn't find a reason to refuse, "Okay."
Victor hung up.
Right then.
His desk computer pinged—a new email.
Victor checked his watch.
Exactly five minutes.
Soon.
He walked over, eyeing the garbled sender name and the video attachment.
[Mr. Von Doom, watch this. Zeus hopes you'll stay rational. After all, he's quite fond of you.]
The note.
Victor glanced at it, then downloaded and played the file.
Quickly.
The video popped up, and Victor instantly recognized the setting.
Reed's apartment study. He'd seen it when he dropped Susan off, though it looked slightly different now.
Compared to before, the study in the video had new additions—most notably, stuff plastered on the walls.
Reed, unshaven and muttering like a madman, stood with arms crossed, staring at a chaotic mess of drawings.
"...This plan will work."
"...I did it."
"Victor, you'll fall into my trap."
"...Susan, I'll win you back."
The video was short—just ten seconds. It froze on Reed lunging to shut off the camera.
Beep beep beep!
Victor snapped out of it, face grim, as his phone rang beside him.
Another unknown number.
He picked up.
From Star Tower, Michaela—watching Victor like she was there—smiled, "Mr. Von Doom, finished watching?"
Victor scanned his empty office, frowning, "How does Ms. Medusa know?"
Michaela chuckled, eyeing Victor as he rose, "No need to tense up, Mr. Von Doom. Zeus is your savior, isn't he?"
Victor's voice deepened, "When will this savior of mine meet me?"
"Soon."
Michaela said, "Mr. Von Doom, Zeus is a god—that day's coming fast. For now, you need to tell the world Victor Industries' space station had no design or quality flaws. This was a man-made disaster—a premeditated one. Someone has to pay."
Victor's eyes flickered, locked on Reed's face filling his screen. After a few heavy breaths, he said, "I will."
Michaela smiled, "Good. Remember, Mr. Von Doom, Zeus is watching. He has higher hopes for you. He wants to be sure, when you meet, he can make a decision."
Victor asked, "Oh? What's that?"
Michaela watched him lean on the desk, eyes glinting, "Zeus wants to grant you godhood. But first, you need to prove you're worthy."
With that.
Michaela signaled Agatha, projected midair, to cut the call.
Next second.
Victor heard the dial tone again, set the phone down, his face a storm of emotions.
Once the projection vanished, Michaela turned to Lake—still mixing drinks at the bar—and asked about the video, "Was that real?"
Lake glanced at her, smiling without a word.
Michaela got it instantly.