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enjoy #2~ cool

Reed and Ben walked to the elevators, with Susan and Jessie closely behind. Another silence followed in the elevator.

Susan broke the ice. “You should know that the wind’s been picking up speed…”

“Yeah, I picked that up,” Reed said.

“Because you should know that it’s different out there—”

“Yes, I know, you don’t have to—”

“When are we leaving?” Jessie interrupted.

“You mean us. You can’t come,” Reed said firmly.

She pouted. “You can’t tell me what to do. I can do whatever I want.”

“It’s okay, she can come with us Reed,” Susan said.

“But—

“I’m sure Victor won’t mind."

“She’s only 16—”

“Almost 17,” Jessie intervened.

After a few moments, he said, “Fine.”

“Here’s my card.” Susan handed Reed a small business card.

"I think I remember the number."

"It's been changed." Jessie rolled her eyes. It was annoying when they treated each other like this.

Ben cleared his throat loudly.

“As far as the crew,” Reed said to Susan, “I was hoping Ben could pilot.”

“Sorry we already have a pilot, but you can ride shotgun. Remember my brother Johnny?”

Ben paled. When they got off the elevator, he hung behind with Reed and argued loudly.

Jessie walked off in a different direction, a shortcut to the Baxter Building. On the way, a motorcycle nearly hit her, stopping an arm’s length away.

“Johnny! What did you do that for?” she said, punching his arm playfully.

“Do you need a ride home little girl?” he teased, pulling her onto the motorcycle. She grinned and wrapped her arms around Johnny’s waist.

: biggrin ay of Launch at the Station::

Johnny walked into the launch room, where Reed and Ben were preparing to leave.

“Captain on the bridge!” Ben automatically straightened, and Johnny snapped a picture.

“Digital camera: $254. Memory stick: $54.” Johnny had an amused look on his face. “The look on your former CO’s face when he finds out he’s your junior officer: priceless.”

Ben grabbed his collar threateningly, and then adjusted it for him.

“Why thank you. That’s very sweet.”

Jessie slipped behind Johnny and jumped on his back.

“Oof!”
“Hey, it’s the very least I could do for Ben, Johnny!” She laughed.

“It’s not my fault that Susie picked me over him!” He slung her on her shoulder.

“Ack! Put me down!”

“Johnny, this is no time to be playing games,” Susan said, walking in with blue suits.

He put her down. “But she started it!”

"I don't care." Susan ignored him. “Anyways, here are your flight suits. The synthetic acts as a second skin, adapting to your individual needs.”

“See that means it keeps the hot stuff hot and the cool stuff cool!” Johnny explained.

“Thanks Einstein,” Jessie said, rolling her eyes.

“Fantastic. Material made from self-regulating unstable molecules. I’ve been working on a formula for this.” Jessie almost heard Johnny rolling his eyes.

“Great minds think alike,” Susan said. “Here Ben.” She handed the suit to him.

“Thanks sweetie.”

“Jessie.”

“Thanks.”

“Reed.” She tossed the suit at him and walked away.

::In space::

Victor led the rest of the group to the station.

“If you behave, next time daddy’ll let you drive,” Johnny said.

“Keep talking, and there won’t be a next time,” Ben muttered.

Reed stopped to look out one of the windows overlooking Earth.

“Long way from the Hayden Planetarium, isn’t it?” Reed looked at her and then back out the window, surprise that she had talked to him so casually.

“Why yes, yes it is.”

::Observation Deck::

“We can monitor the cloud’s approach and observe the tests from here,” Susan said.

“Awesome,” Jessie said.

“Is it safe?” Ben seemed uncertain.

“The shields on the station should protect us,” Reed replied.

“ ‘Should?’ ”

“What’s the matter Ben?” Victor walked up to them. “Getting…paranoid in your old age?”

“I’m gonna just go…on ahead…” Jessie pulled Johnny with her and slunk to the room where they were going to launch Ben.

About a minute later, Ben went in the room and suited up to go out. As he suited him up, Johnny said, “Please tell me your brother’s not trying to rekindle things with my sister.”

Jessie sighed. “You know how he is.”

“Of course he’s not,” Ben said. “Strictly business.”

“Yes, well, his eyes say different.”

“Hey.” Ben stopped him. “Two hearts got busted last time. Maybe she’s not over it either.”

“Wow, Dr. Phil, that’s deep!” Johnny said.

“As much as I hate to admit it, he’s right Ben,” Jessie said. “We have Victor – stud of the year, more money than God. Then you got my brother—”

Johnny cut in. “World’s dumbest smart guy, worth less than a postage stamp. A real toss-up.” Seeing the look on Jessie’s face, he said, “Sorry, but those are the facts.”

Johnny opened the door, and Ben stepped out into space.

A couple of minutes later, Reed rushed into the room.

“The solar wind sped up. We have 9 minutes before it hits,” he said.

“Shoot,” Johnny said.

“I’ll go tell Susie and Victor,” Jessie said, walking out. “You two should get Ben back in."

She ran to the observation deck, where Victor was talking to Susan about, apparently, something serious. He was holding a small box in front of her.

“Victor !” He turned, angry that his moment was ruined. “The cloud’s going to hit in minutes, not hours. That storm is deadly, we need to abort!” Susan went to check on its status.

“Get a grip, Jessie,” Victor said, bored. “Just close the shields.”

“But Ben—”

“Reel him in. We came to do a job. Now let’s do it quickly.” He said all this with an obvious superiority complex. Jessie still shuddered at that look.

Jessie ran back to the room with Reed and Johnny.

“Ben, come back in and hurry.”

“I ain’t done arranging your flowers yet, egghead.”

“Ben, turn around.” He turned and his eyes grew big when he saw the red cloud approaching.

“I’m not gonna make it guys!”

“Ben, you gotta jump! It’s the only way!” Johnny shouted. Ben took a deep breath and jumped out toward the opening in the spaceship.

::Observation Deck::

Victor pressed a button and the shields started to close.

“What are you doing?”

“Closing the shields.”

“You can just leave them out there!” Susan exclaimed.

“Watch me.” Susan was taken aback by his lack of compassion. Victor turned to see Susan walking toward the corridor.

“You can’t help them anymore than I can!”

She turned back to look at him. “I can try.” She ran toward the room where Ben was about to land. Just as he landed, the red cloud invaded the inside of the ship.

Reed gave out a shout of surprise as it hit him. The cloud hit Johnny and Jessie at the same time. Johnny gave a yell and Jessie screamed. Down the hall, the red blast hit Susan and she gave a cry of surprise.

The force of the storm knocked Jessie flew through the air. She smacked the back of her head against the wall and lay still.