That One Storm

Loose Ends

          I jerked awake.
For some reason I raised the camera and took a picture.

     "I took a picture of the storm." I said to my empty room. I threw the covers back, and jumped out of bed. It might not be anything, but it could be something. I quickly shoved myself into my jeans, then a blue shirt.

        "Reed!" I yelled, running out of my room. No response. I ran into the kitchen, living room, lab, entrance area. No one was there.

        "Sue? Johnny? Ben, somebody?" I stood in the middle of the lab, exasperated. Where was everybody?

         I need to see Victor.

*****

         I stood outside of his office, which was at least a block or two away from the Baxter building. I knocked again. Still nothing.

      "Victor?" I called cautiously. Looking around to make sure I wasn't being watched, I tried the doorknob. Jackpot.

       Stepping inside, I closed the door carefully and locked it, then looked around. I walked over to his desk, looking for anything that could help me out.

        "What are you hiding?" I whispered to myself. I suddenly looked up, and saw the door next to his giant metal mask thing. I ran over, thankful for the carpet to muffle the sound of my black boots.

       I tugged on it, but it wouldn't budge. I groaned quietly. I didn't want to use my powers, lord knows what would happen, but I needed to get in.

        The sound of the doorknob being rattled at the front of the room made me freeze. I looked around for a hiding place, before ducking under the table, which was my only option.

         'Please god don't look under the table.' I begged silently. I saw a cart being pushed in, and I realized it was the janitor. Still, I didn't want to get caught. I carefully crawled over the pushed in chairs, making my way towards the opposite end. I heard the sound of a vacuum cleaner, and I looked at the door. I would have to be quick.

        The door was wide open, and I glanced at the janitor, making sure his back was turned. When it was I dashed across the couple of feet, and I was free. I ran to the other end of the hall, pressing the button for the first floor urgently.

        As soon as I was outside I ran all the way back to the Baxter building.

*****

        "Reed!?" I called, pulling my jean jacket off. Oh, please be home...
         "Ella?" Johnny appeared from around the corner, worry apparent on his face. "Where the hell have you been?"

        "Nowhere, where's Reed?" I asked, running towards the computer lab with Johnny hot on my tail, where Reed was typing data.

         "Reed, I need your help." I said, entering the room. He looked up, and I noticed that he looked kinda tired, but I dismissed it, deciding to come back to that later.

         "With what?" He asked, standing up.

          "At the space station I had a camera on, and right before the storm hit us I took a picture." I paused, thinking. What happened to all of our stuff?

        "The plants..." I gasped as I remember the plants Reed had set up outside the station.

          "Where did all of our stuff go after the storm?" I asked. Reed though about it for a moment.

         "I'm not really sure..."Reed said. I started to pace.

        "That must mean that Victor has them somewhere, but I doubt he would tell us, but he wouldn't need to, if we had a couple passwords his whole company would be opened-" I stopped. "Where's Sue?"

        "Right here, why?" Susan entered the room, a cute pair of glasses on.

          "You were close to Victor when you worked at his business yes?" I asked. She nodded. Now for the big question.

        "Can you hack into his files?"

*****

          Two hours later Sue and I were gathered around her as she hacked into Victor Von Doom's files.

         "Okay, now which one do I open?" Sue asked. I pointed.

          "Genetic Storm." I said, watching anxiously as the mouse clicked on the file. I gently nudged her out of the way as I stole the mouse form her when it opened. I scrolled through quickly, until I found what I was looking for.

          "Bingo," I said, high-lighting the information and printing it. I moved to the printer and grabbed my papers. Sue read over the information I had high-lighted, then followed me out the door.

         "So what's the plan?" She asked. I grabbed my jacket.

         "I know where the warehouse is, so I'm gonna go and check it out." And then see if I can get the camera and the samples back. I added to myself, but didn't say aloud.

        "I'm going with you." Johnny said, coming up behind me. I hesitated, then nodded in agreement. "We should be back soon."

         I grabbed my keys out of my room before Johnny and I went down to my car.  I remembered that I had never talked to Reed about my powers, but I dismissed it.

          I had work to do.
**********
Happy Thanksgiving, this is my present to you! Kisses&Hugs
-Ms.Nightowl