Fantastic Four

442 - May, Year 3 - MV1

RITES OF PASSAGE

written by Mark Bousquet

PIER 4 - MEDLAB CORRIDOR

Ben Grimm stood in the hallway of the MedLab wing of Pier 4. Down the hall to his right rested the room where the woman he loved, Alicia Masters, lay wracked with a flu, compliments of the Veda Ree. In the other direction a room sat containing Marcia Masters, a five year old girl that was a product of the Veda Ree using Alicia as breeding stock. They could not be in the same room together. If they were near, Marcia aged rapidly. If they were apart, Alicia took ill.

Ben was caught.

On the one hand, he wanted Alicia to get better, but on the other he didn't want this little girl to live her whole life in a matter of weeks.

Only days ago, he was all set to ask Alicia to marry him, but now …

Now all he could do was stand in the middle of a hallway, his feet rooted to the ground.

He had stood there for the past six hours.

A PRIVATE JET, HIGH OVER AFRICA

Johnny Storm sat, anger and confusion flowing freely within his blood, in the private jet of a man known only to him as the Grey Lion. A man that had just arrived on the scene back in New York and revealed that he was A'kimba's fiance by an arrangement of her mothers.*

Beside him A'kimba's father, Lumumbo, rested, his head damaged from an injury given to him by the Grey Lion. On the opposite side of the luxury jet, the Grey Lion sat, smiling at him, his light grey business suit of the highest quality. A'kimba had retired to her quarters.

"For someone who claims to have spent the past few years wandering the plains of Wakanda, you sure live pretty good," Johnny remarked.

"I am, as A'kimba told you, Johnny Storm, a blessed child, a man fated to bring my people to power and prosperity," the Grey Lion answered smoothly. "What's theirs is mine for the taking."

"That extend to people, too?" Johnny asked testily.

"But of course," his adversary for A'kimba laughed.

"So do you have a name underneath that Italian suit of yours, or does everyone just keep calling you the Grey Lion? It's not the easiest name to keep saying."

The Grey Lion laughed, "Oh, I do enjoy your company, Johnny. I was never given a name," he answered, his demeanor turning serious. "But you may call me Greykan, if you like. It is the name I use for the outside world. In my world, it means, 'undying vengeance'. And I assure you, it is a name I treat with the utmost of honor and duty.

"I was born under the fated blood-of-the-hunter moon, a moon that appears only once a century. It was written that a son would be born that night into our tribe and would lead our people to the promised land. He would be a King, a King who would forever walk the land of his people. He would be the Grey Lion, the King of the Afterworld and not even death could hold his vengeance.

"On the night of my birth, 50 of the strongest lions were slaughtered and I was baptised in their blood. I meditated in caves thick with smoke from the burning carcasses. I was raised on nothing but the lions' heart and meat until it was gone. I was trained as a warrior and a scholar since before I could walk. I was sent to the finest schools in Europe and spent the summers hunting the jungles with nothing but weapons made by my own hand."

"I'm impressed," Johnny replied, agitated, "and I’ll be sure to tune in when Biography gets around to doing a story on you, but what does this have to do with A'kimba?"

Greykan gave no indication that he was bothered by Johnny's attitude, "It was also written that my wife was to be born on the night I killed my first lion. Lumumbo," he motioned to A'kimba's sleeping father, "was not of our tribe. A'kimba's mother was, however, though she and Lumumbo were never wed. Many battles were fought over A'kimba as a child."

"So how old were you when you slayed the dragon?" Johnny asked, trying not to sound interested. But any story that involved A'kimba was one he couldn't help but pay close attention to.

"I was four," the Grey Lion smiled, "but it was not a dragon who's life I ended. No," he said, his face stone cold. "It was a cub. A black panther cub." He sat back, letting a smile play across his face, "I bet you can guess what that did to my rep as the chosen one, can't you?"

EMPIRE STATE UNIVERSITY

Reed Richards sat in Chancellor Etten's office, going over particulars with him. Etten had offered Reed a position on the faculty at ESU as a visiting professor. He'd be able to teach one class a semester and meet at any time that was convenient to him. With all the work being in the FF brought him he knew he probably should have said no, but the thought of working with some of the best young scientific minds around was too good an opportunity to pass up.

"Now, you said I could meet with my class whenever I wanted," Reed said to the Chancellor, on the opposite side of a large, wooden desk, "but what happens if I want to meet with them at the same time they have another class?"

"They skip it," Etten remarked casually. The Chancellor was a short, slightly overweight man in his mid-forties who spoke with a slight midwestern accent and a pleasant smile.

"I'm not sure that's such a good idea," Reed frowned.

"Nonsense," Etten waived his hand. Nothing was ever a problem to him. "These kids can afford to miss a class or two-"

"But the other professors?"

"The other professors will say nasty things about you behind your back but they'll know that the new equipment sitting in their labs is because of you."

"Still," Reed answered, uncomfortable with that aspect, "I think I'll try to keep to a schedule as much as I can. And I'll want full class schedules for all the students in my class so I can best work around their other obligations."

"Of course, of course. But don't be afraid-"

BEEP! BEEP!

"What's that?"

"Excuse me, Chancellor," Reed apologized as he placed his arm in front of him. He tapped onto his costume and a widescreen monitor appeared on the forearm part of his uniform. "Yes?"

"Wonder how much one of them cost?" Chancellor Etten mumbled to himself, craning his neck to get a better look.

"Hi, darling," Sue spoke to him. "How's my professor doing?"

"Fine, dear," Reed smiled back. "I'm meeting with Chancellor Etten right now. What can I help you with?"

"Will you be there long?"

"I'd imagine so," Reed answered. "I'd rather get as much prep work as I can done now to save a trip over. How are things at Pier 4? Is Alicia still at rest? I think I may have a solution for her and Marcia's problem."

"She's stable. Ben's watching her and the kids both. The reason I called was that I'm going shopping. Clothes shopping to be precise."

"That's fine, dear," Reed smiled. "Will I have to build a new transport vehicle to get all the clothes back down to the docks?"

"Not unless it can fly," Sue smiled. "I’m going to Attilan. Once we settled the problem with the Alpha Omegans,* Medusa couldn't stop raving about a new designer they have there. Ben's here to watch over everyone and Johnny still hasn't come back from his date with A'kimba the other night ... and well, I know Jen and I were just there yesterday, but …"

* Last issue

"Go ahead, Sue," Reed chuckled, "I'll see you when you get back. Have a wonderful trip. And please try to live Attilan in one piece this time, dear."

"Thanks, darling. All my love."

"All my love in return," Reed responded.

He closed the connection and looked up into Chancellor Etten's wide eyes. "Say, Dr. Richards, how much does one of them things cost?"

WAKANDA

They floated to the ground - Johnny carrying Lumumbo, and Greykan, with A'kimba in his arms, using a parachute. Greykan insisted they jump from the plane, he did not want to attract any undue attention - Johnny knew this meant the Black Panther - onto their situation by landing.

He also thought this was another way for Greykan to throw his connection to A'kimba in his face, but didn't voice that opinion. This whole situation was hard enough, he didn't want A'kimba to feel any more like a possession than she already must. As for himself, he just tried to put it all behind him, just tried to get through this day and find some way to free A'kimba from her predicament.

Greykan manuevered them to a small clearing in the thick jungle and they sat down.

"Are you ready, Johnny Storm?" Greykan asked as A'kimba pulled away from him.

"I'm ready for whatever you have in mind," Johnny replied. "But I warn you, taking care of wannabe Black Panthers is something I’ve got plenty of experience with."

"Greykan, please, no," A'kimba stepped in. "He does not know what he does."

"He accepted my challenge," Greykan grinned, taking off his suit coat.* "Now, we fight."

* In Fantastic Four 440

"I cannot allow this to happen," A’kimba stood in his chest, her eyes looking slightly up at him. "I will not allow you to kill him."

Greykan laughed, and Johnny couldn’t help but cut in. "Hey, A’kimba, no offense, but I’m the Human Torch. I eat guys like this for breakfast."

"That’s the spirt!" Greykan roared, laughing easily, stepping out of his shoes and pants. "Today shall be a great day, Johnny Storm."

"Whatever," Johnny groused. "Let’s just get this over with."

"Johnny, no," A’kimba spoke with authority as she came to stand by the man she loved. "You do not know what it is you do. You cannot win." Her eyes drooped, unable to meet his for fear of bursting into tears.

Johnny looked at her with a deep ache in his heart. He’d fallen in love with A’kimba at first sight and nothing had happened to change that, not even the revelation that she was engaged to another. More than anything at that moment, he wanted to wrap her up in his arms and take her away from all this. He could protect her, make it so Greykan could never come near her, but …

But despite all that, he had accepted Greykan’s challenge, as informal and charged with anger as it had been and he would see this through.

He looked beyond A’kimba to Greykan’s smiling face. A face that begged to be hit, Johnny thought. Without another word to A’kimba, or a glance to the seated Lumumbo, Johnny walked to meet Greykan and stood eye-level to the larger man’s chin. "Should I strip down to my skivvies, too, to make this official?" he asked.

"Do whatever you like," Greykan said, his voice and manner now serious. "I shall enjoy defeating you, ally of the Black Panther. My victory will be but one step on my rise to glory!"

"Finished?"

"Yes," Greykan’s grin returning slightly. "We fight until one yeilds. The victor may choose," he looked to A’kimba, "his prize."

Johnny could not take another word and while Greykan was looking past him, his clenched fist came up on it’s own, rage his only motivation, and slugged Greykan hard in the face. The fist landed hard with a thud and knocked Greykan back several steps.

The Grey Lion looked at Johnny, a surprised look upon his face. They held the gaze for several moments, each mesuring the other. Johnny dropped into a defensive stance and began to circle around Greykan.

"I didn’t think you had that in you," Greykan announced, dropping into his own fighting stance. "Good for you. Now, let us begin!"

PIER 4 - MEDLAB 2

"How are you feeling, Alicia?" Reed asked, coming to stand over the blind sculptress.

"The same," Alicia forced a smile. Reed forced a smile in response, glad that he had sent Ben to play with Marcia for the time being.

"I want to apologize for what you’ve been going through," Reed remarked, placing a hand on Alicia’s arm. "I know Ben doesn’t believe that I’ve been doing all I can," he frowned.

"Nonsense, Reed," Alicia replied, covering Reed’s hand with her own. "I know that you are doing whatever you can, and so does Ben, even if he has trouble vocalizing it." She offered a weak grin.

"There’s just so much I still haven’t figured out," he replied honestly. "Marcia’s physiology is part human, but it’s also part Veda Ree. The nature of the two Amoebas and how they interact with each other keeps her physiology ever shifting and ever changing. When I examine her in the morning, it’s often different from the previous day."

"She’s not in pain, is she?" Alicia asked, her heart tugging at her.

"No," Reed comforted, "but she’s not stable, either. There’s a great deal of power in her that wants to get out and be put to use."

"It doesn’t seem fair," she confided. "When we’re near, she ages, when we’re apart, I take ill. Why would the Veda Ree do such a thing?"

Reed didn’t say anything for a moment, their words coming back to him. "They see us like we see insects," he said finally. "We’re just fuel for them to use."

Alicia shivered, "It’s so unbelievable to me, Reed. I have a child. A five year old child that I can only see through a television screen."

"That’s what I wanted to talk to you about," he said cautiously. "I may have designed a system by which you can be near each other."

Alicia smiled through her flu, but didn’t say anything.

"I will need to run some tests, both on you and on Marcia, and then refine the system, but I would say that within a week I should have a prototype ready for you to test out. I don’t want to get your hopes up unrealistically," he cautioned, "but I do want you to know that I think things are looking up."

"Thank you, Reed," she smiled, coughing several times.

Reed moved to give her a glass of water to drink, his attention fully focused on her health.

Had Alicia not been as ill as she was and Reed not been as focused as he was, it’s quite possible he would have seen his father, Nathaniel Richards standing in the doorway.

WAKANDA

A’kimba stood by her father as Greykan and Johnny fought in front of her. She hated this spectacle. Hated being a prize to be fought over, but she was powerless to stop this. As powerless as she was to stop loving Johnny. Greykan’s arrival had shocked her out of her joy, reminded her of a time she wanted to forget, but now she was recovered.

She wouldn’t let this battle end in death.

Greykan teased Johnny, slapping away the hero’s thrusts and kicks like a cat slapping aside a ball of yarn. "You have become weak, Johnny Storm. Dependent on your powers."

Johnny didn’t answer, he knew he was in trouble, knew that Greykan was playing with him. His only hope right now was to lull Greykan into a fall sense of confidence. Crack! A blow from Greykan slammed into his jaw, knocking him back onto the ground.

Johnny went with the blow, spinning in the grass, rolling away from Greykan to catch his breath.

"First blood goes to me!" Greykan roared, as Johnny touched his face and came away with blood on his fingers.

"It’s not first blood that counts," Johnny set his jaw, rising to his feet.

"You do not wish to yield?" Greykan asked, knowing the answer.

"I do not," Johnny answered, diving suddenly towards his opponent.

Greykan deftly stepped back, ready to use Johnny’s weight and propulsion to his advantage. As Johnny’s body approached, Greykan stepped in hard and chopped down, meaning to crack Johnny in the back and send him into the dirt at his feet.

Johnny wasn’t there. Breaking the code of the fight, just for half a second, he used his powers to stop in mid-air, letting Greykan chop and find nothing but air. Greykan caught what Johnny did a second too late, just in time to take Johnny’s hardest punch square in the face.

For the first time, pain shot through his body as his nose exploded across his face. He was vaguely aware of landing with a thud. He kept his eyes closed, regaining his composure and opened them to find Johnny Storm standing over him.

"You cheated," the Grey Lion announced, rising slowly to his feet.

"I compensated," Johnny shrugged. "You have powers, or at the least, enhanced abilities. I need to even the playing field."

"And will you burn me next?" Greykan asked, stepping forward, his face inches above Johnny’s.

"Depends what other abilities you got," Johnny responded flatly.

"You mock our customs!"

"You mock mine! You’d marry a woman who does not love you just because it was arranged?"

"Love is only one part of marriage, Storm! We have our ways! Marriage will unite our tribes in peace!"

"That’s a crock!" Johnny shot back, not backing down from the taller man. "It’ll unite you so you can try to overthrow T’Challa!"

"No more talk!" Greykan yelled, smashing Johnny in the stomach.

Johnny was waiting for it, jumping back to deaden the blow. He grabbed Greykan’s extended arm and yanked on it, pulling him towards him and raised a knee, smashing it into Greykan’s gut. Greykan shut out the pain, yanking his elbow back, connecting square with Johnny’s head.

The blow forced Johnny to let go of Greykan’s arm and the Wakandan swung up with his legs, kicking Johnny in the back. Johnny knew the end was close. He’d enraged Greykan as far as he thought he could. It was time to try one last maneuver and end this.

Greykan came down with a two handed thrust and Johnny was ready for it, putting his hands up to catch the blow. Greykan’s strength forced Johnny to the ground, onto his back, looking up at the Grey Lion. Johnny used the stronger man’s momen tum against and let go of his hands, causing Greykan to lurch forward. With all the strength he had left, Johnny kicked up with his legs, intending to kick Greykan in the chest.

He thrust his legs up and connected with the air.

Greykan, anticipating the move, was ready for it and as his body lurched forward he went with it, jumping over Johnny.

Johnny opened his eyes and saw the upside down face looking at him. "It’s over," Greykan announced and brought his fist down hard on Johnny’s chest. The Human Torch struggled to roll out of the way, but Greykan had all the advantages now and jumped forward to straddle Johnny’s chest, pinning his shoulder to the ground with his knees.

"Yield," he commanded.

"Go to hell," Johnny struggled.

"As you wish," Greykan answered, slamming his fist down into Johnny’s face. "Yeild."

"No," Johnny choked, spitting up blood.

Greykan brought his fist down again. Then again. Blood exploded and spilled over Johnny’s face like an oil rig out of control.

"Yield! Yield! Yield!" Greykan yelled every time he brought his fist down, hard enough to cause damage but not enough to kill Johnny. Death would only bring the Black Panther to his door and he wasn’t yet ready for that.

"Stop!" A’kimba commanded, grabbing Greykan’s bloody, upraised fist. "He is no longer conscious."

Greykan stood over the heaving, spitting body, his face grim. "If he can not rise, I win." All business.

"You have already won," A’kimba announced. "You did not tell him that an outsider can not challenge to erase a marriage promise."

"Neither did you," Greykan observed.

"I tried, before the fight, to tell him that there was no way he could win, but he did not listen."

"I noticed," Greykan said, his breath slowly coming back to normal.

"You can claim your prize," A’kimba said, resigned to her fate. "When shall we be married?"

Greykan looked at the beautiful woman before him and laughed, "Oh, A’kimba, how sad you look. We should all show pity for the woman who will be Queen of Wakanda one day. But no, I shall not claim you as a prize."

A’kimba looked up at him, confusion on her face.

"You were mine to begin with, by the marriage vows of fate and prophecy. I need not waste my victory on claiming something that I already have coming to me."

"What then?" A’kimba asked, confused.

"A’kimba, so self-centered!" Greykan laughed heartily. "I do not want you, my soon-to-be wife, I want your father!"

"What?" A’kimba asked, looking to her injured father, who was too weak to even rise to his feet.

"Your father, the acclaimed scientist, from this day forward, shall work for me!"

PIER 4 - MEDLAB 2 - NIGHT

A flu wracked Alicia Masters body as she lay in one of the beds at the Fantastic Four's headquarters. On the monitor in front of her was her daughter's five year old face, a daughter that a week ago she didn't even know she was going to have. From pregnancy to a five year old in a matter of days, all thanks to the Veda Ree.*

* See FF 436 - 439

"Are you having fun with Franklin, dear?" Alicia asked.

"Yes, mommy," Marcia Masters answered, smiling.

They could not be near each other. The Veda Ree had inserted two distinct amoebas into their bloodstreams: one was always dormant while the other was always active. If mother and daughter were apart, Alicia became sick and Marcia lived a normal life. If they came together, Alicia's health returned, but Marcia aged at an accelerated rate. The farther apart Reed kept them, the sicker Alicia got, the closer the distance, the quicker Marcia aged.

"Mommy?"

"Yes, Marcia?"

"I don't like that we can't be together. Mr. Reed tells me things like I'm a child, but I'm not. Whatever my fathers did to me, I can understand things a five year old shouldn't. Even if I don't always know the big words to explain what I feel."

"I know," Alicia said, wishing with all her heart she could see her daughter's face just once. "How is your telepathy?"

"It comes and goes," Marcia answered, sighing heavily. "Mr. Reed thinks the Veda Ree had a way to make it work better. But without them, all I get is a buzzing in my head."

"I have nightmares about them," Alicia confided, telling Marcia something she hadn't told anyone else, not even Ben. "I wake up in a cold sweat, thinking I'm breathing that water they kept me trapped in."

"I have nightmares, too, mommy," Marcia said softly, "except mine happen when I'm awake and walking around."

Alicia's blood ran cold, "What? What do you mean, Marcia?"

"What I mean, mommy," Marcia said in a whisper, "is that the Veda Ree have enemies. And I think they're coming to kill me."

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-- Mark Bousquet …

September 6, 2000

Northern Bear Productions