Metropolis, Michigan; One Year Ago:
In the area known as Suicide Slum, stood a disused old armory, abandoned due to lack of sufficient funding. It was bought by a 'dummy' company, which was a cover for an enigmatic Corporation. This massive Corporation also financed and pulled the strings of the criminal syndicate known as Intergang.
The basement, sub-basements, underground garage, and service tunnels of the old armory had been redesigned and renovated into a subterranean headquarters for Intergang. Suicide Slum was the perfect area for such an HQ, because people in the area didn't like to talk to the cops. No one in the slum noticed or cared what was happening in the armory.
Things had been going well for Intergang over the last few years. They controlled organized crime from Michigan to New York. Metropolis was their home base and they felt like it belonged to them. Until Superman came along!
The appearance of the powerful Man of Steel changed things for Intergang. He routinely foiled their robberies; ended their protection racket; intercepted their weapons shipments; captured many of their agents; and overall, damaged their profit margin, not only in Metropolis but throughout their sphere of influence. The situation became intolerable to the Corporation. They decided something had to be done about the flying do-gooder. So they came up with project MODOK.
George Tarlatan had been chosen as the subject for the project. Over the course of a month, one hundred agents of Intergang were tested for their physical, emotional and mental suitability to be the epicenter of project MODOK. After much deliberation, Tarlatan was chosen. He'd come to Intergang after serving a sentence for computer hacking. Since being recruited by the Corporation, he'd been a loyal but unexceptional computer technician for Intergang. Now he had a greater destiny.
The Corporation spent two months and millions of dollars on the genetic engineering for project MODOK. Their team of doctors and scientists slowly transformed a normal man into a mega-evolved being they christened MODOK-Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing. He was a freakish creature to look at. His head had been enlarged to the size of a Hippopotamus, which made his body look small and thin, although it hadn't changed at all. He was required to sit in his LSHC (Life-Support Hover-Chair) because he couldn't support the weight of his massive head without the cranial support clamps, nor could he move from place to place without it. The chair allowed him to be mobile. Further, the life-support apparatus connected to the chair supplied blood and nutrients to the enormous brain which the smaller body could no longer provide. The arm rest of the chair had a built-in remote control that gave him a way to utilize many of the computers and devices in the headquarters.
MODOK's highly evolved brain made him brilliant beyond description. He was capable of thousands and thousands of calculations at a time. He had an ability to calculate odds that bordered on the clairvoyant. He had 100% recall of all facts he was exposed to. He could read with phenomenal speed and retain every word. He was a living super-computer who could think like a man.
He was in charge of several projects for Intergang, but the main purpose which the corporation designed him for was to find a way to kill Superman. The super genius had spent months researching and observing Superman. He'd even found a way to predict Superman's proximity while he was still miles away. And recently, he'd come into possession of a chunk of Kryptonite.
Suicide Slum; the present:
MODOK was in the underground armory HQ, studying the piece of Kryptonite he'd acquired, while simultaneously plotting the best method of using it against Superman.
As he worked, along came the acting leader of Intergang. He was called Scorpio, formerly known as the Scorpion, formerly named Mac Gargan. He'd been turned into a super-assassin by the Corporation and eventually worked his way up to be the head of Intergang. He'd been running it for almost five years. MODOK was supposed to be his advisor but Scorpio wasn't sure if MODOK clearly understood that.
"MODOK!" Scorpio shouted. "What are you doing?"
MODOK didn't even glance at Scorpio. "I'm doing what I was created to do. I'm studying ways to destroy Superman. Is that not my primary objective?"
"Your primary objective but not your only one," Scorpio commented. "Yes, our superiors in the Corporation want you to find a way to kill the Man of Steel but you are also supposed to be working on the Zodiac Initiative. I haven't seen any progress reports lately."
MODOK swivelled his hover-hair around to face Scorpio. "You really must learn to control these fits of pique, Scorpio. You must be aware that I'm capable of overseeing multiple projects simultaneously without loss of efficiency. I was created to multi-task. The Zodiac Initiative is on schedule. I'll send you progress reports if you desire, although the technical aspects of the project at this point will be beyond you. You are an excellent assassin but you're no scientist. Still, I'll show you whatever you request if it calms you down."
"Don't talk down to me, MODOK!" Scorpio snapped. "I'm the leader here!"
"Then you must have many other things to take care of," MODOK said, mockingly. "Feel free to attend to them. I'll send you your reports. The Zodiac Initiative is proceeding perfectly. Now if you'll excuse me, I have an alien super hero to kill."
MODOK turned away from Scorpio without another word. The fuming mad Scorpio considered yelling at MODOK more but he knew it would be futile. MODOK clearly wasn't intimidated, and if push came to shove, the Corporation would probably support his decision to prioritize the death of Superman over the Zodiac Initiative. He knew he couldn't win! So he stormed away, frustrated and angry. No one understood the personal significance he placed on this Zodiac project. It just had to succeed!
MODOK was equally disdainful of Scorpio as Scorpio was of him. MODOK knew he was infinitely more intelligent than Scorpio and felt that he should be running Intergang. And he was confident he would be, soon enough. He'd deal with Scorpio in time. But first things first! He had to destroy Superman!
Midtown Metropolis; the Daily Planet Building:
Clark Kent was working at his desk, polishing a second draft of his article. As he typed away at the keyboard, his eyes kept drifting toward the woman sitting at another desk fifteen feet away. He kept telling himself that it was rude to keep staring at a professional woman this way but he still found himself looking at her. She fascinated him. It wasn't just that she was so pretty, it was her spirit that enticed him so much.
Lois noticed him looking out of the corner of her eye but she didn't let on that she was aware. She suppressed a smile. She liked having power over men. That was why she wore such short skirts. She played coy until she finished her article and then walked away pretending that she was oblivious.
Clark watched her legs as she walked. She was almost out the door when Perry White, their managing editor, arrived accompanied by a dapper looking middle aged man. Lois and the well dressed man locked eyes. He smiled suavely. She returned the smile politely.
"Lois, everyone, let me have your attention," Perry said. "I want you all to meet the new owner of the Daily Planet. This is Morgan Edge, CEO and chairman of the board for Galaxy Broadcasting Systems. You've all heard the rumors about Scott Communications selling the Planet. Well, the sale is official and will be made public tomorrow. We are now part of GBS and Mr. Edge is here to meet his new employees."
Clark wasn't surprised because he'd seen the way the wind was blowing. However he was disappointed. Ever since Alan Scott became President, he hadn't been focusing as much on his media empire. He'd sold off several of his radio stations and newspapers. The Planet was the latest casualty. Clark had hoped that his presence would motivate President Scott - one of the few people in the world who knew he was Superman - not to sell the Planet. Alas, to his dismay, that was not to be. The Planet now belonged to Morgan Edge. Clark didn't know much about Edge but he knew Alan Scott. Scott had devoted his life to fighting for Justice, as far back as World War Two when he was the Sentinel. He was a good man. Clark liked working for someone who was so incorruptibly honest. He wondered about Morgan Edge's morality.
"It's good to meet you all," Edge said. "All of you here at the Daily Planet have an excellent reputation for journalistic integrity and professionalism. That's why I was so eager to purchase this fine establishment. I'm honored to be part of the exemplary work done here. I look forward to getting to know all of you and to guiding the Daily Planet to its greatest success ever. Thank you."
Perry started introducing Edge to the staff. Edge, who was looking at Lois, headed straight for her. He held out his hand. "And you'd be Lois Lane, are you not?"
"Guilty," Lois said. "And I apologize for any horrible things I may have written about you."
Edge chuckled. "I can't think of any such thing. I've admired your work for years. You're an excellent reporter."
"Thanks," she said. "How about a raise?"
Clark listened to the conversation from across the room. Despite the murmur in the newsroom, his super-hearing could pick up every word. Even from where he was, he could see that Edge had more than a professional interest in the lovely Lois Lane. He was surprised how much that bothered him.
Eventually, Edge was introduced to Clark. The said their polite 'hellos' and shook hands. Clark resisted the urge to squeeze Edge's hand until he heard bones crack. Edge continued to glad-hand across the room, strutting like a cock-of-the-walk. Clark had an instinctual dislike for Edge. He wondered if his feeling had anything to do with Lois. He tried to rise above such pettiness.
After he finished his story, he had a sudden need to get out of there and get some air.
New York City:
After cruising the skies over Metropolis for a while, Clark decided he needed to talk to a friend. Sue Richards had become a good friend. Also, he was curious about what Reed Richards had discovered regarding Ultimo. So he came to New York to visit the Fantastic Four.
He landed on the roof of the Baxter Building. Security devices, alerted by his presence, scanned him. He was recognized as a friend so the devices did not attack. They merely alerted the occupants of the upper floor of the building. Sue Richards saw him on the camera and 'buzzed' him in.
Later, in the Baxter building:
Doctor Reed Richards was examining the scant but interesting evidence he had regarding the creature Ultimo, who rose from a volcano to battle Superman recently. Superman asked him to look into it.
Richards had a small piece of Ultimo, no bigger than a match, which came off of Ultimo when Superman rammed it. The piece of synthetic flesh stuck to Superman's costume. Also, Reed used sonic waves to get images of Ultimo, while the beast slept under the Volcano. Further, he examined satellite images of the eruption which contained footage of the giant. He heard Superman's eye witness report and even read the historical legends of the blue volcano creature of Hawaii. He was putting all this information together to try to find an explanation for what Ultimo was and how he got there and if there was a chance he'd rise again. And if he did, Reed needed to find a weakness so they could defeat him.
His research was disturbed by a loud crash which shook his lab. In fact, the whole upper section of the Baxter Building - meaning the top eight floors which Reed rented - shuddered, despite being reinforced. Reed groaned in annoyance.
"Not again," he muttered.
Meanwhile, in the Fantastic Four's training room . . .
Ben Grimm - The Thing - picked himself up off the floor and gazed intensely at Superman. He hopped back to his feet and made a ramrod charge at the man of steel.
"That does it, big blue," the Thing said. "No more Mr. Nice Thing! It's clobberin' time!"
Superman grinned and waited for the Thing to finish his forward assault. The Kryptonian hero was having fun. This little bit of roughhousing was just what he needed to unwind and lighten up. As a kid, he never played sports because his father was afraid he'd hurt someone or reveal his powers. This was a rare chance to wrestle and have some silly fun with someone who could take it.
The Thing rammed into Superman, who withstood the charge. He was stronger than the Thing and virtually indestructible. They tussled for a few seconds and then Superman lifted Ben off the floor and smashed him to the ground with a wrestling body-slam. The building shook again.
The Thing looked up with determination. "Okay, that tears it, Supey! The kid gloves come off!"
"Ready when you are, Ben," Superman said cheerfully.
"Hold it!" an authoritative voice said.
Superman and the Thing saw Reed standing in the entrance to the gym. He looked annoyed.
"What'sa matter, stretcho?" the Thing asked. "Did we forget Einstein's birthday or sumthin'?"
"Do you two know you're creating tremors throughout the whole building?" Reed asked.
"Nope," the Thing said. "How's it go?"
"Funny," Reed said. "But you have to stop. Not only is it very annoying but it's also disturbing my examinations of this Ultimo creature."
Superman was interested when Ultimo was mentioned. "Did you find out anything?"
"The creature is a device, not a living being," Reed replied. "It was constructed. The fragment I examined is clearly not of terrestrial origin. Historical folklore mentions a meteor landing in the vicinity of the volcano just before the first rumored appearance of this 'Blue Giant' centuries ago. It may have been an alien vessel crashing in the Hawaiian Islands. I can't be sure yet if Earth was its intended destination or if the crash stranded them on a world they had no interest in. Why they were carrying this Ultimo android is anyone's guess. I'm hoping to discover a weakness with can exploit if it rises again but it's a difficult task having such little data to work with."
"If anyone can do it, you can, Reed," Superman said. "I have faith in you."
"Thank you," Reed said. "But it will be easier if you two stop shaking the building."
"Sorry," Superman said.
"Our bad," the Thing added.
"Thank you," Reed said, and left the room.
The Thing looked very put out. "Stretch is a great guy, Supes. But sometimes he's a real stick-in-the mud."
Out in the hall . . .
Reed was walking back to his lab when he ran into Sue. "Sometimes I feel like I'm the father of a brood of unruly kids, Sue."
"I hope that doesn't include me?" she said.
"Of course not," Reed replied quickly. "As always, you're my anchor."
"So what's the problem?"
"Didn't you feel that quaking?" Reed asked. "I wish there was a schoolyard somewhere that they could roughhouse in. Somewhere that no one could get hurt. Its too bad Superman doesn't have a secret lair of his own."
Sue had an idea. "I think I can solve your problem."
The North Pole:
Superman was flying over the polar north. He was dragging the Fantasti-Car behind him with a cable. Reed's flying convertible car was nowhere near as fast as the Kryptonian, so Superman towed it. He was careful not to go too fast or he might cause damage to the vehicle or its passenger, Reed Richards.
"We're here!" Reed shouted, pointing downward. "Look down there with your X-Ray vision."
Superman looked down and activated his super-vision. Behind a projected illusion of snow - coming from a hidden camera - was a large vault-like door. Superman released the cable and landed, examining the door. Reed landed the Fantasti-car and joined him.
"This is it," Reed said, wearing a heavy coat. He used a small laser pointed to activate the opening mechanism. The vault automatically swung open. "Let's get inside. I'm freezing."
Reed led Superman inside, closing the big doors behind them. Superman found himself in a large cavern, renovated to look like cross between a science lab and NASA. It was clearly built for research.
Reed waved his hand in a grand gesture. "Welcome to Fortress Savage," Reed said. "This facility was designed, built and paid for by one of my mentors, Doctor Clark Savage. He used it as a retreat and a place to perform dangerous experiments. In his will, he left it to his two favorite students. They were myself and Mister Terrific of the Doom Patrol. Neither of us ever had much use for it, considering the distance from New York. Also, the equipment just isn't sufficient. Now, don't get me wrong, when Doctor Savage built this place it was a work of genius, far in advance of anything else. But you know how technology progresses. Time has passed it by. He updated it occasionally but not recently. These computers just aren't adequate for my needs. I can't work with a 1980 Apple 2. Neither could Mr. Terrific."
"So no one uses this amazing fortress?" Superman asked.
"No," Reed said. "Before Mister Terrific left for the Negative Zone, he turned the sole possession of this place over to me, in case he didn't return. Its all mine now but I don't need it. Therefore, I'm giving it to you. No charge. I'll make it legal. It's all yours."
Superman was stunned. "You're not joking, are you? You're actually giving all this to me."
"I'm completely serious," Reed said. "No sense in letting it go to waste. You really should have a headquarters of your own. And with your speed, the distance from here to Metropolis is insignificant. No one will bother you here. And if you and Ben ever feel the need to wrestle again, there are no neighbors to disturb. Nor me either."
Superman couldn't believe his luck or Reed's generosity. "I don't know what to say. You've done so much for me already. Thank you, Reed. This is great."
"Let me show you around," Reed said. "It's a nice bit of architecture. Did you know that Doctor Savage had a degree in architecture as well as all his doctorates and PhDs in Science and medicine?"
"No I didn't," Superman said. "He was certainly an amazing man. You know, I was given to believe that the North Pole was just a frozen sheet of ice covering the arctic sea, and was constantly shifting. I'd heard that it was impossible to build a permanent facility here."
"That's almost entirely true," Reed countered. "However, there is one small, frozen island at the top of the world called Hyperborea. It's the only land in the Terrestrial Northern Pole. Doctor Savage discovered it decades ago. Its shorelines merge with the icy waters surrounding it and there's no visible way to tell where the frozen ocean stops and Hyperborea begins. We're standing on it."
Reed showed Superman around the arctic Fortress. There was ample space. It contained numerous connecting tunnels and chambers that could be used for various purposes. "The cold doesn't bother me but I'm noticing it's surprisingly warm in here." Superman commented.
"It is," Reed said. "Doctor Savage managed to pipe in steam from a subterranean hot spring deep inside Hyperborea. A very impressive feat of engineering."
"I assume he had an engineering degree, too."
"Of course," Reed said. "He was a man of many talents."
"I wish I'd met him," Superman said.
Just then, a man stepped out of one of the connecting chambers. He was taller than Superman. Muscular and broad shouldered. His skin had a bronzed look and his eyes were golden. Superman recognized a legend from many pictures he'd seen.
"Doc Savage?"
Back at the Baxter Building in New York.
Johnny Storm - the Human Torch - was feeling restless. Reed had gone to the arctic with Superman and Sue was doing some charity appearance for abused women. The Thing had gone out for some reason and Johnny didn't know where he was. Johnny's girlfriend Sparx was still training in the New Mexico facility which Reed used to run back when the FF used to train young super-beings to use their powers. That was before they were put in charge of the Fantastic Act and the policing of other heroes. New York was a better location for that so President Scott arranged for them to rent out the Baxter Building. Johnny missed Sparx and he was anxious for her to finish her training so she could join him in New York.
The Human Torch was itching for action. He and the other members of the FF usually didn't play the traditional super-hero role since their job was to oversee the activities that other super-heroes do. Reed knew you couldn't be an umpire and a player. They were only supposed to act if a hero went bad or violated government rules regarding superheroes behavior stated in the Fantastic Act of 2002.
Still, despite that technicality, there were times when the members of the FF still couldn't stand idly by and ignore a crisis. They got involved in emergencies or, in the case of the Human Torch, he got involved when he was bored and needed his adventure 'fix'. He liked it when people cheered him in public, especially the young ladies.
He wanted some action now. He didn't know where to find it or what to expect, but he knew that some other heroes like Superman did routine patrols so the Torch decided that he'd do the same.
"Let's see what kind of trouble I can get into," he said. "Flame on!"
Igniting into his flaming form, he leaped out the window and soared over the city, seeking trouble.
Back in the arctic Fortress on Hyperborea:
"Doc Savage?" Superman said, amazed.
Reed grinned and shook his head. "Not quite. It's an LMD. A Life Model Decoy."
"Indeed so, sir," the LMD said. "How may I be of service to you, Professor Richards?"
"An LMD?" Superman repeated. "Those androids that SHIELD uses?"
"Correct," Reed said. "Doctor Savage built these first LMD's in his own image as a test. When he perfected them, he gave SHIELD the technical specifications so they could design their own. He brought the original prototypes here to act as caretakers of his Fortress. There are six of them."
"I am Savage Alpha Model or SAM for short." The LMD said. "May I be of assistance?"
"No, thank you, Sam," Reed said. "I'm just showing the facility to Superman. He's the new owner. I'll be altering your programming to respond to him as your new master."
"Could you alter their looks, too?" Superman asked. "I'm not comfortable with having a bunch of Doc Savages as my servants. The man was a legend."
"I think I can handle that," Reed said. "Quite honestly, I considered it myself."
"No," SAM suddenly said. "I'm afraid that won't do."
"Excuse me?" Reed asked, stunned at hearing an LMD disagree with him.
"I can't allow you to tamper with my functions," SAM said. "I serve my new master as I am."
"New master?" Reed asked, confused. "Who . . . "
Just then, a face appeared on the monitor screen. The face sneered down at the two heroes. At the same time, the lighting changed, bathing the room in a red glow. Reed recognized the face on the screen.
"I know you," Reed said. "Hank Henshaw!"
"At your service," the angry face said. "I'm glad to see I'm not totally forgotten."
"Hank Henshaw?" Superman repeated. "I know that name. Isn't he one of the lost astronauts?"
"Lost!" Henshaw hissed. "We were lost due to Doc Savage's faulty prototype Pogo Plane. The first Space Shuttle. We were supposed to go to Mars. But it wasn't properly shielded against certain types of cosmic radiation. We were contaminated. An engine imbalance caused the ship to build to critical pressure and two of us ejected in a life pod while the third sacrificed himself by keeping the engines stable long enough for us to jettison. He was a close friend of mine. Myself and the other astronaut Jane - who I happened to be in love with - rode the shuttle back to Earth but the radiation mutated her in a matter of hours. She started slipping into another dimension. By the time we got back to Earth, she'd faded from our dimension, gone to who-knows-where! I'd lost both her and my friend. And then I started to feel the effects, too. We landed here in the arctic and I waited for help to come. But it didn't."
"They lost track of your pod due to the explosion," Reed said. "It took a long time to locate your position way up here in the frozen north."
"Excuses!" Henshaw said. "The pod's homing device malfunctioned. Another flaw from your precious Doc Savage! I laid there for hours, as my body changed into free-floating atoms. My mind still existed but my body just faded and my molecules blew away with the wind. It's been years that I've existed in this living hell! Finally, my mind detected the computers in this complex. I was able to possess the mainframe and superimpose my thoughts here. I am the computer now and I control everything here, including all six LMD's."
'I'm so sorry," Reed said. "I'm horribly sorry that that you went through this. But I can help you now. Perhaps I can -- "
"Shut up!" Henshaw screamed. "I don't want to hear any more lies! I was lied to when I was told that that experimental jet was safe! I'm not listening to anyone anymore! I just want revenge!"
"Against who?" Superman asked. "Doc Savage is dead."
"I'm aware of that," Henshaw's vice growled. "I got that from the database. But someone must suffer for what happened to me and my friend and the woman I loved! Everyone who is a friend or relative of Doc Savage must feel the pain I felt! I will torture those he left behind, starting with the two if you!"
Doc Savage had built some intruder defenses into the Fortress. A chemical spray suddenly spit out of a hidden nozzle and splashed on Mr. Fantastic, freezing him instantly, encasing him in a block of ice.
"Reed!" Superman shouted. He activated his heat-vision and started to melt the ice carefully, so that he didn't scald his friend.
Superman started to feel strange, out of sorts. His skin tingled. Then it began to hurt, as if it were on fire. The pain grew and he felt dizzy. The SAM LMD struck him, knocking him off his feet.
"What . . . what's happening?" Superman asked, confused. "What have you done to me?"
A heartless laugh came over the loud speaker. The face of Henshaw on the monitor smiled. "You may have noticed the red lights, Superman. They're not just for effect. That light has a very special property. It's a form of radiation, not lethal but still crippling to you. The color shift indicates an alteration in the properties of standard Kryptonite radiation designed to have a specific effect on Kryptonian physiology. The Red Kryptonite radiation will wreck havoc with your cellular structure. It won't kill you but you may wish you were dead!"
Superman looked at his hands and was shocked that he could see his muscles right through his skin. He caught his reflection on a shiny surface. His skin had become transparent. And he was in dire pain. He let out a cry of combined agony and angst. He felt power building up in his body. Power so extreme that he was afraid he couldn't control it. He heard sounds from all over the Earth. It was a din he couldn't tune out. The heartbeat of frogs in the Amazon Forest pounded in his ears. He heard every conversation on Earth. He heard everything and it was torturing him.
As Henshaw's mocking laughter rang in his ear, Superman wondered why he wasn't dead. Why not use Green Kryptonite to just kill him? Why do this? Was he going to torture everyone Clark Savage knew in such brutal ways? It was all so senseless!
Reed became aware of the situation. The ice had melted enough that the upper part of his body was free. He snapped back to consciousness. He quickly took stock of the situation and knew what was happening.
"Oh no!" Reed whispered. "This is my fault! Superman, I'm sorry. He's accessed my files and protocols. As the enforcer of the Fantastic Act, I needed to have a way to counter and control every super-being in the world, including you. This is my protocol for disabling you!"
Henshaw laughed. "How brilliant of you, Professor Richards. The mutating effect of the Red Kryptonite has turned his skin see-through. Consequently, the solar energy that powers him - which is being piped in as we speak by solar panels - is emblazoned directly and excruciatingly into his muscles and organs, without the filter of his epidermis. It's everything he can do to keep from exploding with power. He's afraid to even move because a simple step might launch him like a missile. He's never been so powerful or so helpless! A splendid torture. I couldn't have done better, Professor."
A laser popped out of the wall and aimed directly at Reed, who was still struggling to extricate himself from the ice block. It was set to lethal force.
New York:
Killer Frost had frozen all the security guards in Star Labs. She'd been sent by MODOK to steal a certain chemical which he needed for the Zodiac Initiative. He'd offered Frost a lot of money. She frequently worked as a mercenary for Intergang and was delighted with MODOK's lucrative offer.
She ignored the alarm as she followed MODOK's directions to reach the spot where the chemical was stalled. 'Easy money' she thought to herself.
Nearby, the Human Torch was patrolling the city looking for some action. He heard the alarm coming from the Star labs building. He smiled. "Action at last!"
The Human Torch swooped down and entered the building. He saw the frozen guards and thawed them out. They were too disoriented from their ordeal to give him much information. Fortunately, there were plenty of Doctors at Star labs to care for the guards until the ambulances arrived. The Torch left the security men in their care and followed the trail of ice, already suspecting who he was going to meet.
Sure enough, when he reached the end of the trail, he found an old enemy named Killer Frost. They'd tussled before. The Torch always thought Frost was beautiful but totally nuts. "Hey there, gorgeous. Remember me?"
Killer Frost was removing a small container from a cabinet when she saw the Torch. "You! The junior brat of the Fantastic Four!"
Back when she used to be just plain Crystal Frost, she was a college student in love with her professor, Reed Richards. Reed never reciprocated her feelings. While trying to impress him, she accidentally locked herself in the college's experimental Therma-Frost chamber. The machine was activated. She survived but after a period of cryogenic hibernation, she was transformed into a being of icy exterior and cold heart. She called herself Killer Frost. When she learned that Reed Richards had married Sue in the interim, she tried to kill the blonde heroine but the Invisible Woman was more than her match. The vengeful Killer Frost had vexed the FF on numerous occasions since then.
"Hiya Frosty," the Torch said. "If you're looking for mood stabilizing pills to help with your PMS, you're in the wrong section."
"I have what I need, thank you," she hissed. "And as an extra bonus, I get to kill a member of the despicable Fantastic Four."
"So I guess dinner and a movie is out, huh?" the Torch quipped.
Killer Frost launched a volley of sharp icicle projectiles at the Torch. He countered with fireballs that melted the icy darts. She fired a beam of pure cold at the young FF member but he blocked the beam with a burst of flame. Frost tried to surround him with an ice wall but the Torch melted it before she could finish constructing it. They seemed to be evenly matched.
"Are you as turned on as I am?" the Torch asked, tauntingly.
"Pervert!"
Frost had another trick up her sleeve. She used condensation to create a small cloud several feet above the Torch's head. It suddenly turned to water and poured all over the Torch, drenching him all over. He was soaking wet. To his horror, he couldn't ignite his flame. It would take him a minute to dry himself by increasing his body heat. He didn't have that much time. Frost wasn't going to wait.
In an act of desperation, the Torch made himself as hot as possible - which would have been Nova level heat if he were in his fiery form - and all the moisture and liquid on his body turned to steam. A large cloud of hot steam filled the room. Killer Frost backed off, afraid of being scalded by the hot steam. Her vision was obscured by the steam cloud. She fired a volley of icicle darts blindly but she wasn't sure if she hit anything.
Frost heard the sirens of the arriving police. She was also worried about the intervention of other members of the Fantastic Four. She needed to get the container of chemicals back to MODOK if she was to collect the bounty on the job. She made a beeline for the door, still unsure if the Torch was defeated or not. It was time to flee. She reached the outdoors, created a mobile "ice-bridge" for herself and used it to flee the vicinity.
When the police and security reinforcements arrived, all the found was a lot of melted ice and the Human Torch, staggering down the hall with blood coming from his left bicep. He put on a fake grin.
"She got me," he said. "Damn ice darts. Guess I blew it. The judges are definitely going to give this round to her. I wonder what that thing was she stole."
Back in the Arctic Fortress on Hyperborea:
Superman was kneeling in fear and pain, the power building in him like a sun ready to explode. Meanwhile, the nozzle of the deadly laser was aiming at Mr. Fantastic who was still partially stuck in the block of ice.
Reed's knew the equipment and could tell from a slight hum when the laser was about to fire. His flexible form allowed him to evade the first few deadly rays despite being half trapped in ice. Still, he knew he couldn't avoid the assault for long.
Superman had to act, despite his fear of using his out of control powers. He tried to create a thin beam of heat-vision to disable the laser. But a much larger blast than he'd planned came from his eyes, destroying part of the wall. He did manage to destroy the lasers, however.
The resulting blast of heat weakened the block of ice. Reed expanded his pliable form outward, shattering the melting ice. He was free. Henshaw tried the ice spray again but Reed was ready for it this time. He evaded it and stretched himself out of the room.
"Hold on, Superman!" Reed yelled.
Reed evaded stun rays and the other LMD's, finally reaching a cabinet with a computer disc in it. He quickly slipped the disc into the computer. Moments later, the red lights started to flicker and there was a moment of darkness. The battery powered emergency lights came on and the Red Kryptonite Radiation was gone. The weapons all ceased firing. The image of Henshaw on the monitor screen started to fade.
"What have you done, Richards?" Henshaw's voice cried over the crackling PA system.
"I'm erasing you," Reed said. "When Doctor Savage built this place, computer viruses were in their infancy. I brought this disc here in case someone broke into the Fortress and tried to extract secret information from Savage's records. I needed a way to delete every bit of information in seconds. I'm destroying the megabyte world you live in. I'm sorry but you've left me no choice."
Henshaw screamed as his voice and imaged faded. Reed went to check on Superman. As he returned to the other room, Superman was still kneeling and Reed couldn't see his face. But SAM began to move and attacked Reed.
"I'm still here, Richards!" Henshaw yelled. "SAM provided a safe Haven for me!"
SAM swung his powerful android fist at Reed but the flexible scientist was to elusive. He wrapped SAM up until the android couldn't move. Sam suddenly went dead but another Savage LMD attacked him with a sharp tool. Reed evaded the attack. Clearly, Henshaw could slip into any of the LMD's.
Suddenly, Superman was on his feet, his skin returned to normal. The effects of the Red K had passed. He looked angrily at the LMD's. With a burst of Super-speed and heat-vision, he quickly chopped off the heads of all the LMD's. The android bodies all fell limp to the ground. Superman held their heads in a bundle in his arms. "I think that takes care of that."
"It would seem so," Reed said." Superman, I'm so sorry about -- "
"Forget it, Reed," Superman said. "I know its necessary by government regulations that you know my weaknesses. It wasn't your fault Henshaw got a hold of those records. I'm just glad you stopped it when you did. I couldn't take much more of that."
"Thank you for understanding," Reed said. "I'll have to be more careful with my records. I'll see that no one else gains access to it. And as for Henshaw, his mind is still alive in one or all of these LMD heads. There's no other active computer system for him to transfer into. I'll leave them out in the snow until I can return with a way to safely contain Henshaw's mind. I'll have to do some work on the computers when I get back. They aren't usable now. I'll update the systems for you while I'm at it."
"Thanks, Reed," Superman said. "I think I'm going to like this place. It's a nice getaway from the Hurley Burly of the city. It makes a nice Fortress of Solitude."
Next issue: Superman meets the Elders of the Universe. And introducing . . . Krypto the Super Dog! Don’t miss Action Comics #3!