Downtime

"My name is Susan Storm..." The young blonde woman introduced herself as we sat down in her office, "And I am the building and finance manager of the Baxter Foundation. As well as the Head Researcher in our Genetics Department."

My eyebrows shot up in shock, "Wow, thats a lot of responsibilities...." I muttered accidentally.

Susan Storm heard my comment and smiled tiredly, "Yes that is why I am hiring an assistant." She transitioned back to the interview.

"So Mr. Drake...on your application it says you have an acquired amount of experience on genetic research? What does 'acquired amount' entail?" Her faced turned to confusion at my terrible resume.

I chuckles nervously and fidgeted a little, "Yeah, I've been studying Genetic and Molecular biology for only a few months." She raised her eyebrow at my inexperience.

"BUT....I have a been a lab assistant and started on my on Molecular theories." I said quickly trying to repair my reputation. "I have a really good hang of the work."

She sat in silence just staring back and forth at my application and me, "Alright, since you have an amazing recommendation....we'll have a tryout for you."

"Recommendation?" I asked confused, as I had no recommendation on file, "From who?"

"Oh, you didn't know?" Susan asked surprised, "Doctor Moira Kinross, a genius geneticist gave you a glowing recommendation. Mentioning your kind personality and amazing drive on learning the subject." Said excitedly, clearly having respect for the geneticist.

".....Oh." My head lowered a bit having mixed feelings of confusion, sadness and longing.

Susan didn't notice my change in attitude and stood up to give me a tour of the Baxter Building. Soon we first arrived at the laboratory floor where there were multiple people in lab coats walking around looking busy, and a tall man being surrounded by scientists.

"This is the Laboratory floor.." Sue gestured grandly at the open spaces and multiple rooms of different science subjects, "And that is the famous Reed Richards showing others his latest and crazy ideas." Sue and I moved closer to hear what Reed was talking about.

"So in theory, what we could do is open a wormhole into another dimension." Reed spoke animatedly, "A whole different WORLD, new resources, new energy! We could make amazing discoveries with this ladies and gentlemen."

'A portal?' My head lit up at the sound of a portal being made, and especially by Reed Richards, 'Looks like the Fantastic Four is coming soon.' I debated internally whether or not to be exposed to the same radiation they would be, wondering what it would do to my powers.

I raised my hand and asked curiously, "How long will that project take?"

Reed turned his head and spotted me next to Sue, looking surprised but then answering, "I don't know yet, its only a theory for now. But I do have high hopes for this project, Mr...?"

"Drake. Robert Drake." I introduced myself.

"Ahhh.." Reed's tense body relaxed, "Sue's new assistant right?" I nodded confirming his guess, "Yeah, Sue was really excited to meet you. She kept talking about this amazing recommendation Dr. Kinross wrote for a kid."

I gave Sue a side glance, "Excited to meet me, eh?" She looked away trying to look busy with her notes.

"Yeah, she's been camping the elevators all-"

"REED!" Sue shouted embarrassed, while Reed and I burst into laugher. Reed and I talked for bit, but I was eventually dragged away by Sue to resume my tour of the building.

The Baxter Building was amazing occupying the 30th to the 35th floor, she showed me the gym, kitchen, lounge, conference room and even apartments inside the building.

"So does everyone live here?" I asked curiously.

"My brother and I share an apartment, while Reed and his friend Ben occupy two others." She informed me, "Most of the scientists have families to go home to."

"Must be nice...." I quietly said to myself sadly, but Sue heard me and decided to not bring it up yet.

"Would you like a place?" She offered to my shocked face. "We have plenty of room."

"Really? Live here?" She nodded her head, but shook my head no. "I'm good thanks, my roommate would probably miss me." Sue understandably smiled and moved on.

A week goes by as I settle in being an assistant to Sue Storm, mostly running errands and helping her with some genetic mapping and testing. As time passes more and more lab techs and scientists leave for the holidays and soon all thats left is Reed, Ben, Johnny and Sue.

Today I was in Sue's lab researching my own projects about kinetic molecular theory and gas laws. Trying to work out the science behind creating a stable cloud for me to stand on, or to turn into a cloud. As I continue my research I hear the door open behind me.

"Oh Drake, you're still here?" Reed Richards dressed in a nice casual suit looked around the lab looking for someone, "Is..uh...Sue around?" He asked me nervously.

I smiled, turning around and leaned back in my chair. "Well...well...well... aren't you looking spiffy." I said looking at his newly bought clothes. He turned a bit red and asked again if I knew where Sue was, "No haven't seen her all day. It's Thanksgiving so maybe she went out to eat with Johnny." I suggested.

"No, Johnny's with Ben...." Reed's eyes went wide and smacked his head forehead. "Oh god! I completely forgot!"

"What?" I straightened up in my chair concerned.

"Her dad." He said somberly, "He died earlier this year and they spent every Thanksgiving together."

He started to think about Sue and tried to track her movements, "So she went to his grave with Johnny and dropped him off here with Ben. That means.....she's gonna go out and drown her sorrows.....drinking!" Reed came to the conclusion.

He took out his phone and started to track Sue's phone, but then started to go too far into his imagination, "She went to a bar downtown.....how is she gonna get home?!?what if she gets jumped!....and gets forced into an alley while drunk! DRAKE!! We gotta go save her!" He ran out the door expecting me to follow.

I still sat in my chair comfortable in my sweatpants and shirt. 'Reed's got this' I reassured to myself and went back to my research, but then I heard the pitter patter of Reed's frantic running coming back.

"DRAKE!! COME ON!! I NEED BACK UP TO FIGHT THESE EVIL MEN COMING ON TO SUE!!" He shouted in my ear and dragged me outside, completely ignoring my underdressed attire for the winter weather.

----------------

In a bar downtown New York....

Sue Storm was snuggling her 5th drink of the night, looking dazed as she thought about her recently deceased father. A group of four men were eyeing her beautiful figure watching as she sat alone at a bar for hours.

One of them walked up and sat next to her, knocking her out of her thoughts. "Can I get you a drink little lady?"

Sue looked at him, her vision a little blurry. "No. Leave me alone please." Her rejection sounded a bit more harshly than she intended because the man got riled up from the rejection. He gestured his head and his friends came up behind him to back him up.

Sue noticed more people coming towards her and tried to leave, but stumbled as she was a bit drunk. "I think we should help you get home." The man said trying to be 'helpful'.

"I'm fine." Sue shook their hands off and grabbed her jacket to leave. But was stopped when a foot tripped her, she fell on the ground hard.

"See, you can barely walk." One of his friends said, he went to pick her up grabbing one of her arms. "Let us help you get home." Another man came from behind and grabbed her other arm to help drag her out.

They almost made it to the door, when someone walked in craning his head and immediately spotting a group of four burly men much bigger than him holding Sue.

Reed's imagination started to go places as he loudly declared, "UNHAND HER!" The group of men looked confused.

"God damn Reed! Are you high or something!" One Robert Drake came walking looking annoyed.

"Only took a couple of anti anxiety....with alcohol." Reed rotated his shoulders and put his hands up.

"Look guy we ain't doing anything." One guy said nervously.

"Impossible! Improbable!" Reed accused him. "You ungentlemen were about to commit a treasonous crime!"

The group of men start to get visibly frustrated and angry. My eyes went wide at the crazy talk Reed was doing, "I am very sorry my friends. He was just very nervous about asking this girl out and took too much drugs. Look you seem like nice guys, so please." I tried to defuse the situation.

Reed, not helping, shimmied forward with his hands still up smelled the men. He jumped back and pointed at the men. "Aha! PUBLIC INTOXICATION! I can smell it on you!"

"...Dude we're at a bar." I whispered to his ear.

The men got angry and walked towards us blocking Sue, with hostile intentions, "Move or we move you." He threatened.

Sue came too and saw us on opposing sides, she tried to move around but found both her arms clamped on by two burly men. She felt one of the hands roaming her legs and stomach. "HEY!"

"SCOUNDREL!" Reed heard her cry for help and quickly ran to Sue but a meaty fist buried itself into his eye knocking him out and into the ground.

*Whistle*

I whistled impressively at how quickly Reed went down. I looked at the struggling Sue and the fallen Reed and finally to the two advancing men.

I sighed, "Come one guys, just let us go and no one will get hurt." I asked nicely, they still advanced and started to crack their knuckles. "Come one I don't want to hurt you guys on Thanksgiving."

They stopped, looked at each other, then at my non-threatening figure. My baggy long sleeved shirt and sweatpants hiding my tight and compact muscles, my fuzzy brown slippers and my soft blue eyes.

They laughed and started throwing punches, but the two guys eyes popped out when they saw my graceful dodging of attacks and let the stunned Sue go to help their friends.

Seeing all four guys come after me, I decided to end this quick so I could go home and eat. I narrowly dodged a punch to my face, grabbing the outstretched arm I judo flip him down dislocating his shoulder.

I grab a kick coming to my body and trip his large mass onto the floor. Preparing for the two fists I duck, letting them hit each other while I jabbed the fallen mass in the throat choking him.

The remaining two guys recover from their friendly fire and grab a barstool, intending to hit me. He swings hard and wide as I duck again, while his swing hits his buddy in the stomach. I stand up landing an uppercut on the guys glass jaw. I look towards the remaining guy holding his stomach in pain, and delivered a swift punch to his face putting him down.

Sue sobered up from the shocking fight, "What the hell Robb!?!? Aren't you a researcher?!?" She shrieked.

"Assistant, actually." I corrected her. Grabbing some money from Reed's wallet I put a 50 on the counter for the wasted bartender. Picking up Reed with a fireman's carry I help a staggering and stuttering Sue back home to the Baxter Building.

"You and me are talking about this." Sue declared.

"Happy Thanksgiving...."