Ultimate Mysteries
Chapter 1
This story takes place concurrently with the Ultimates 2.
[Scene begins in a derelict apartment building somewhere in New York City. A pale orange shines through the broken windows, suggesting night is not too far off. A man walks down one of the hallways in the building, looking over his shoulder once in awhile. The dark complexioned man stokes his black goatee as he stops at a wall, examining it. He places his hand against the wall, then pulls it away. His handprint remains, outlined in red. A console flips out of the wall and the man smiles.]
Man: Cute.
[The man places his right eye against the panel. We see here that he wears an eye patch over his left eye. He steps back when a friendly female voice is heard, echoing through the hallways.]
Voice: Welcome, General Fury. We've been expecting you.
Fury: And I've been expecting Richards. He ain't here yet, is he?
Voice: No, sir. We have not heard from Dr. Richards yet this evening.
Fury: Great. What's with these genius types always being so damn late? Stark pulls this crap all the time.
[Suddenly, frantic footsteps sound at one end of the hallway. Fury reaches inside his coat, alert. He quickly is put at ease when a young man wearing a blue jumpsuit, no older than 22, emerges out of the shadows. His sandy brown hair is ruffled and his glasses are cocked to one side of his face. He catches up to Fury a minute later, slightly out of breath.]
Young Man [panting]: Sorry I'm late. . .General. I was . . .just finishing an experiment and-
Fury: Save it, Richards. I don't need to hear about your exploits with Storm's daughter. [Reed looks flabbergasted] Yeah, Reed, I was 21 once, too.
[Reed looks at the panel, than back at Fury straightening up at once when the wall slides open to reveal the metal interior of an elevator. Fury steps on.]
Fury: Well? I'd suggest gettin' on the elevator, Reed, or even your freaky rubber band body ain't gonna save you from those high-powered laser turrets above your head.
[Reed recoils in horror when he notices several turrets lowering from the ceiling overhead. He quickly scrambles on the elevator as Fury smiles. The door to the elevator closes.]
Reed: What's going on, General? Does this have anything to do with the communications blackout we've been experiencing? I've been sitting at my station for hours trying to override the code causing it, but the encryption is incredible!
[Fury just smiles as he types a code into the keypad replacing what would be the buttons to the elevator. The elevator jerks, than starts descending downwards. The elevator read out begins to display this: 3 , 2, 1, B1, 62, 875, gH25, O*7, 8.2%, 06849.4.2, $1.50,
[email protected], and then finally, W. The elevator slows then jerks again as it shutters to a stop. Reed looks cautiously at Fury, but Fury remains motionless, staring straight ahead. The elevator doors hiss, then slide open. What lays beyond causes Reed eyes to widen and he steps out of the elevator as Fury remains motionless behind him, his hands clasped behind his back, smiling.]
Reed: My God. What is this place!?
[A gigantic room lies out in front of them. The ceiling is at least 150 feet high, and room extends beyond what the normal eye can see. The walls are metallic, and airborne walkways litter the air above the two men.
Several people are bustling about in lab coats, chatting amongst themselves. Something zooms overhead as Reed ducks out of his way. A floating platform docks with the walkway directly above Reed's head. Huge computers litter the walls of the complex, while smaller computers, desks with several people huddled around each one and tables with maps of everything from New York to galactic charts are spread all over the floor. In-between the massive Wall Computers are heavy metal doors with nameplates bolted above them. Reed looks next to him, startled to see that General Fury has joined him.]
Fury: Doesn't have an official name. Ain't even supposed to exist. Everyone who knows about it, though, calls it "Mysteries".
Reed: Mysteries? What's its purpose? I mean, this is more heavily advanced than even the Baxter Building! I'd spaz out for a chance to spend just an hour in here with the equipment this place has!
Fury, chuckling: You might get your chance. All depends on what the big man has to say.
Reed: "Big Man"? You mean the director of this place?
Fury: Yep. He's the whole reason your here, Reed. Has this big problem he needs your help with.
Reed: Why would he need my help? I mean, the guy must be a genius to run a place like this!
Fury: Oh, he is. Took him awhile to admit he didn't know what the hell he was dealing with. He's got a big ego. Said he wanted you, and only you, to help him.
Reed: Why me?
Fury: Let's just say he keeps ending up with five when he adds two and two. He's usually good with numbers. Hell, he's a damn tactical genius; he just ain't good with the physics. Now, follow me.
[Fury leads the way down the impossibly large room. As they go down, more of the same sights follow, but Reed's eye catches several names on the doors. Most of them say something like "Project X52" with a few normal rooms labeled "Case Room", "Lab XX", "Break Room", with an especially large door named "Library". One catches Reed's eye, in particular. "Project Warlock".]
Reed: Warlock? Doesn't sound ordered like the rest of the rooms.
Fury: One of the director's top projects is in there. Trust me, Project Z28 or whatever wouldn't do it justice. Let's keep goin'.
[After a long walk, the hallway ends at a door labeled "W". Fury smiles and glances at Reed.]
Fury: Here it is. He's a real $@^&@), if you know what I mean. He wouldn't admit it, but your just as smart as he is, so don't get intimidated by the attitude.
[The door hisses open and inside is a dark room filled with screens of various world locations, people and even the moon. A chair is at the forefront of the room, a bald head hovering over the top of it. The door closes as both men step inside.]
Bald Man: You're late, Fury.
Fury: I'll be on time as soon as you get that stick out of your *****. Just remember who funds this little illegal operation you got here, bald man. I brought Richards.
[The man stands up, and turns around. The man looks like a ghost, his face expressionless. He stands about 5'11", but is rather thin. His bald head shines in the dim light, as he adjusts the spectacles on his face. He wears a trench coat, all white with the exception of the upper right quadrant, which is a royal blue. His black boots click loudly, echoing through the otherwise quiet room, as he approaches the two men. As he reaches Richards, he studies him for a moment. Reed smiles slyly as he holds his chin, doing the same to the bald man standing in front of him. The bald man extends his hand, but remains expressionless as Reed grasps it.]
Fury: Reed Richards, I'd like you to meet the director of this facility, the Watcher of Mysteries, Dr. David Uatu. . .
