Chapter 2: Take Off!

"This is April O'Neil reporting for the Daily Bugle, coming to you live and I am right now standing in front of the Von Doom Industries building, where CEO Victor von Doom is going to deliver some exciting news."

"Our sources suggest that Lucas Watson, the esteemed CEO and President of Watson Group and my very own boss, may also grace this press conference with his presence. I think, seeing America's most eligible bachelor in person is exciting enough."

"As the press conference commences, stay tuned as we bring you live coverage of this momentous event."

***

"... the sampling of the plant species in this environment..." Doctor Reed continued his explanation to a visibly weary crowd.

"Ahem." Victor interjected, sensing the waning interest in the impromptu lecture that had dragged on for the past 10 minutes. He felt regretful for asking Reed to explain their mission.

Victor takes the microphone back from Reed's hand.

"What my esteemed colleague, Dr. Reed Richards, is endeavouring to convey is that our research into this Cosmic Cloud holds immense potential for the betterment of humanity. And rest assured, Von Doom Industries stands ready to lead the charge in sharing these discoveries with the world upon our triumphant return!" Victor von Doom concluded the press conference to the sound of polite applause from the journalists.

Whether the applause was for the conclusion of the lengthy discourse or for the promise of groundbreaking discoveries, no one seemed particularly bothered to discern.

As the conference wrapped up, you descended from the stage and made your way towards the building.

"Mr. Watson, Mr. Watson here! Just one question for our viewers"

You glance over to where a group of reporters is being held back by security, and immediately spot April from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, signalling for your attention.

Noticing that she is from Daily Bugle, you approach her and she greets you with a charming smile.

"This is April O'Niel from Daily Bugle. Boss, Mr. Watson, or should I call you Doctor Watson?" she inquired with a smile, her eyes glancing toward the camera.

"Well, as your boss, I'm pleased to see my Daily Bugle employees working so diligently. But let's keep it at 'Mister', please. My doctorate hasn't been approved yet," you replied, injecting a bit of humour into the conversation.

"For all the viewers at home, Mr. Watson has applied for a PhD in both robotics and electrical engineering from ESU at the young age of 18, which, if approved, would be another remarkable achievement in his long list of accomplishments," April stated confidently, addressing the camera.

"Let's keep the questions brief; I have limited time today," you interjected, sensing that April might delve into a comprehensive list of your achievements.

"Of course. My first question is: why are you here, Mr. Watson? Is this a joint operation between Watson Group and Von Doom Industries?" April shifted smoothly into serious reporter mode.

"No, this operation is primarily led by Doctor Reed and is financed by Von Doom Industries. I'm here representing SpaceX, as the research team will be utilizing our rocket to reach the orbiting space station, where further research will be conducted," you explained calmly.

"Is there a particular reason why the CEO of SpaceX, Elon Musk, couldn't attend today's press conference, and instead, one of the company's partners had to come?" April inquired directly.

"I also serve on the board of directors at Von Doom Industries, so my friend Elon thought it best for me to handle this," you replied effortlessly, providing insight into your involvement.

Your watch buzzes, making you realize that someone is calling you.

"Alright sorry this will be the last question as I have to go" You said and glanced down at your watch to see the caller name that you had expected.

"Do you think this space voyage will be successful?" April inquires curiously, her eyes fixed on you.

You pause for a moment.

"Success and failure are secondary in cases like these. The important thing is to make the attempt and strive to understand the nature of our universe. It's imperative for the advancement of the human race, so I certainly commend their efforts." You try your best to answer it tactfully.

"Thank you for such a thoughtful answer, Mr. Watson. We won't keep you here any longer," April says graciously, extending her hand toward you.

You shake April's soft hand with a smile, feeling a slight slip of something like a card from her grasp. As you meet her gaze, you notice a fleeting seductive narrowing of her eyes.

Maintaining your composure, you discreetly pocket the card, knowing it likely contains her personal contact details.

A private interview with April O'Niel, who can say no to that!

"See you soon, Boss," April says with a professional smile.

"You too," you reply, returning the smile before making your way toward the building.

"That was Lucas Watson, who just six months ago turned 18 and assumed the helm of the multinational conglomerate Watson Group as its CEO and President," April announces with a hint of pride in her voice. "Next, we'll attempt to interview Dr. Reed Richards, who boasts multiple PhDs in various fields, to hear his views on this mission."

You enter the building and spot a beautiful woman waiting for you.

Susan Storm, or the future Invisible Woman.

"Sue" you call out to her.

She smiles upon seeing you and steps into your embrace, you lean down and claim her sweet lips.

Yes, she is also your Girlfriend.

The kiss was short as you were in public, but instead of letting go she kept her head to your chest.

"I was calling you just now, atleast today you should not ignore me!" She mumbled softly.

You sigh mentally, although she was older then you by 2 years, many times you felt like you are dealing with a needy child.

"Alright, I am here aren't I? When do you have to start your preparations?" Knowing that it is hopeless to explain things to her, you try to change the subject.

"They are starting to transport people to the rocket's site. Where is Pepper? she didn't come?" Susan inquires, pulling away from the hug.

"I had her handle something for me," you reply simply.

"Don't keep ordering her around. You know how much she's done for you over the years," Susan chides, her annoyance evident.

"Alright, alright, I'll ease up on her. Now, let's get going," you concede, taking Susan's hand in yours and allowing her to lead the way.

***

After a short 2 hour flight to Florida you were on route to the station where the launch will take place.

Seated in the back seat of an armoured car with Susan, your envoy was speeding away.

Susan was glued to your body, "Thank you for doing this for me" She spoke gently. "I know that you don't like Victor and Reed much, but when I expressed my desire to research this cosmic cloud, you went above and beyond and even got officially involved in the project" She spoke sweetly while tracing her fingers across your abs.

"Well you are the Director of Watson Labs, how can I ignore your request" you replied simply, relishing the feeling of holding her thin waist.

"Is that all?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

You chuckled. "I was kidding. You're my girlfriend, and your requests will always be top priority for me," you reassured her, offering a wry smile as you caressed her back.

"Okay, then tell me why you weren't replying to my texts or answering any of my calls last night?" Her tone was flat, and she avoided meeting your gaze.

You attempted to maintain a neutral expression. "I must have fallen asleep early."

"I've known you since you were 10. When have you ever gone to bed early?" She pinched your waist lightly, and you endured it silently. "I heard you threw a party for Felicia last night," she added, finally meeting your eyes.

Susan was also at ESU, pursuing her second biochem doctorate, so she was familiar with Felicia Hardy.

"You know she's still affected by that incident 3 months ago. I just wanted to cheer her up," you replied, innocence lacing your expression.

"Ugh, I don't want to fight with you right now. Let's talk about it when I get back," Susan muttered defeatedly, and you released the breath you'd been holding.

"Is your brother Johnny really going with you? Isn't he a bit young to be flying a spacecraft?" Now that you'd dodged the bullet for the moment, you changed the topic.

"He's the same age as you!" she retorted, rolling her eyes. "And whose fault is it? SpaceX allowed him to be a copilot for this mission," she said, her tone accusatory.

"It wasn't my decision. Somehow he convinced Elon," you replied, sidestepping the blame.

"But you could have said no."

You couldn't admit to her that a part of you didn't want to change anything major about this event.

"Well, he's qualified for sure. He's just a bit hot-headed and lacks experience," you said, choosing your words carefully.

"That's true. And Reed and Victor have handled all the preparations, so it should be a straightforward trip and a valuable addition to his resume," she acknowledged.

You both fell into a comfortable silence, enjoying each other's embrace.

***

At the launching pad, you caught sight of Susan again as preparations for departure were underway.

"You look smoking hot, baby," you remarked, pulling her into your arms and planting a fierce kiss on her lips.

"Okay, people are looking," she scolded, punching your chest lightly.

"You should have told me you had such a skin-tight suit with you. I've been missing out!" you teased.

"This is a suit made from unstable molecules for the flight, and we have a prototype at our lab too. So if you behave really well for the week I'm gone," she leaned in close to your ear, "then I can wear it for you in the bedroom."

You gulped, eyes flicking to her cleavage accentuated by the tight suit.

"Alright, you lovebirds, we have to start the launch," Victor's voice interrupted from ahead. He was already in his flight suit, heading toward the shuttle.

You shook your head, ignoring him, and refocused on Susan. Gazing into her blue eyes filled with love, you hesitated.

"Maybe... you shouldn't go," you voiced, feeling a pang of apprehension.

"Don't worry," Susan reassured lovingly, pulling you into a tight hug. "I'll be back before you know it, perfectly fine."

'Hope so' You swallow the words in your mouth.

"Maybe some time away from me will show you how good I am for you, so you can stop ignoring me all the time with the excuse of work," Susan complained with a huff.

"Sure, just come back to me safely," you chuckled, offering a reassuring reply.

"You don't have to worry, her brother Johnny here will make sure that she stays safe," You heard Johnny's voice. Looking back it was Johnny, Ben, and Reed, who had arrived in their flight suits.

"You're just a backup driver, so don't brag," Ben chimed in from the side.

Ignoring the bickering duo, you turned toward Reed and nodded in acknowledgment. He returned the nod with a confident smile.

Having studied under Reed when he taught classes at your university, you knew he was always very confident in his work. However, this time, the mission was anything but simple.

As Susan released you, you leaned down to steal one more kiss, feeling a surge of emotion.

"When did you become such a worrywart? Maybe I should go on more of these space trips if that's all it takes to bring your attention to me," Susan teased, a blush colouring her cheeks.

"Take care of yourself," you said softly.

"You too," she replied with a lovely smile.

Taking a deep breath, you reluctantly let her go and watched as she boarded the shuttle with Reed, Johnny, Ben, and Victor.

As the rocket launched into the sky, you give a silent prayer that all should go according to the plan.

Your watch vibrated, and you accepted the call, recognizing the caller immediately.

"Purrrr Lu~uke, where are you? Come back to the room, I'm waiting," Felicia's sultry voice purred through your earpods.

"I'm in Florida right now. It'll take me some hours to get back. You should rest and tell D.A.I.S.Y. whatever you want to eat; she'll take care of it," you replied, watching the rocket disappear into the sky, getting smaller by the second.

"O~okay, this kitty will wait for you patiently. And I loved your birthday gift; you got me such a pretty bracelet, and it's black too, my favourite color," Felicia purred.

"It's not just a simple bracelet; it's a Personal Force Field Generator. I'll explain it to you when I get back," you replied.

"Y~es, come back soon; your pussy is waiting for you!" With that, she ended the call.

In your head you could imagine her soft naked body, and that image woke up your little brother from his slumber.

However, first, you had to catch a flight to New York and then visit one more place before heading back.