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It's midday in New York, and Sue Storm has been tucked away in the lab for hours. Dressed in her Fantastic Four uniform with a lab coat overtop, with her hair pulled into a tight ponytail, she looks the part of scientist today. She's reviewing samples from each of the taskforce participants. Hunched over the microscope, she eyes each of the carefully marked slides, looking for any markers that anyone in the group is not to be trusted.
A sharp exhalation of air causes her cheeks to puff out irritably. "Well, evidently not a Skrull. Just… difficult." Her lips purse lightly and then twist to the side as she makes another note in her book.
*
Drew has left.
*
Reed waits for an opportune moment to interrupt Sue— he knows better than to break into the middle of focused work. Still, he doesn't give too much announcement when he does— Sue simply gets the subtle hints of his presence coming up behind her before his chin lands lightly on her shoulder and his arms find her waist.
"Hi there," he murmurs quietly. "Up for a distraction?"
*
A quiet hum follows the question. The quiet sign of appreciation is followed by a carefully lean into the contact. "Hi," Sue replies quietly. Her hands slowly drop down to squeeze the ones at her waist. "From you? Always," she turns her head to try to catch his gaze.
"I feel like we've been two passing ships the last couple of weeks," she notes quietly. "Everything has been… so busy."
*
Reed presses lips lightly against Sue's cheek apologetically. "Unfortunate side effect, one supposes," he agrees. "Sorry, by the way, for the touch-and-go during your meeting the other day. I hope it didn't rock the boat too hard." He seems concerned it might have. But it's not entirely surprising, really.
*
"It's okay… I…" the smile fades. "I'm out of my league," the weight of Sue's confession prompts her shoulders to sink and her posture to slump. She squeezes Reed's hands again, "It's… more than…." her lips turn downwards. Slowly, she turns around and the tiniest spark reflect in her eyes as she notes, "Do you remember," a smile edges her lips again, "way back when — when I was just a lowly undergrad and you were my TA, what you wrote on the assignment that that I'd spent way too much time on? You know the one. I'd been to every office hour. Every tutorial. Every lab. And not because…" she lifts one of her hands dismissively, "I didn't understand it, but because I already had a giant crush on you."
*
"In retrospect, I don't know how I missed it," Reed teases lightly without pulling away, and looks thoughtful. "I recall it was very dry. Green ink because I'd lost all my red pens again."
He trails off, like he's trying to reconstruct the wording. "Seo— very insightful. Knew you could do it. Looking forward to reading more." He glances at her. "Is that about right?"
He hasn't forgotten to address the bit about being out of her league, but everything in its own time. Sue needs to voice some things.
*
The sparkle in Sue's eyes lights further. Memory inspires a broad toothy grin and a faint nod of Sue's head. "Yeah, that's about right." Her arms reach around Reed to give him a warm embrace. "A good memory," she offers in return. "And, I'm thankful," for what is unclear.
"It's really been a trying few weeks." Her head shakes and she knows she needs to start at the beginning. "Evidently," her eyes flit to the side, "this alien problem is bigger than I'd originally anticipated." Which may or may not be related to the memory in question.
"And, as it stands, I'm actually out of my league this time."
*
Reed runs a soothing hand through her hair, before fussing with it back into whatever shape he's just mussed it from. "Problems are always larger than we think. Always." He kisses her cheek again, because she could probably use it.
"Of course you're out of your depth. Anyone would be." He carefully chooses to change the wording that slight amount. "But you've been in the deep end before. So have the rest of us, swimming around in the briney dark depths together. And we're here for you again. So tell us what you need when you need it. We'll figure it all out. This is how we grow, adapt, evolve." Which any scientist knows is a necessity.
*
Johnny leaves, heading towards Baxter Building [O].
*
Johnny has left.
*
Sue manages another smile only to have it falter moments later. "These aliens… there could be more than one species." She frowns slightly. "I… I have a plan." Her lips press into a thin line. "The man who assassinated the President can shapeshift. One of the Act-F members told me she believes he's something called a Skrull." Her eyebrows lift. "And the Skrulls, as I see it, are trying to get the Asgardians to take the blame — the one at the scene morphed into Loki, the Asgardian Prince that was on the Ed Sullivan show some weeks ago."
Her cheeks puff out with exasperation, "So. Like any diplomat, I've politicked the only way I know how." She pinches the bridge of her nose, "I went to Loki, told him I understood his innocence, but asked him to shoulder the blame while we sort out this mess. So now I have the Executive Branch telling the press they think the Asgardians are to blame while checking each of the people on this task force as to whether they're human." Her throat clears and her body visibly stiffens. "I'm a scientist. I uncover truth… I don't cover it up. I have no idea what I'm doing."
*
"Perhaps you should consider delegating the prevarication," Reed notes. "I don't recall what specifically the ACT-F charter stipulates, but it might be better served for us to focus on the truth and uncoverings and allow the politicians to spin it the way it needs to be spun. There's nothing dishonest about 'can't comment'."
He purses his lips. "But that may not be the right way to go." No easy answers, even for Reed. "That said, I think you're taking the right steps thus far. Including with this Loki. Whatever else, his bed is his own making as far as this goes."
*
"That's the problem," Sue's fingertips reach up to lightly caress Reed's cheek. "I didn't even know if I could trust the team until, well, today," she motions towards the microscope. "Nothing like breeding trust between nations in a Cold War by asking them all to submit a skin sample." With an exaggerated roll of her eyes, she emits a soft sigh. "There's no easy angle here. If I felt I could get away with it, I'd ask the same of the Executive Branch." Again her eyebrows lift.
"From what I gather, the Skrulls have an enemy, the Kree. They… are at war. While we know there are Skrulls here, apparently, we can presume the Kree will be on their way." Her head shakes. "And yes, with Loki, I agree that he brought some of it on himself. But he could get out of that prison they have him in if he wanted. It's scarcely a prison. He is, however, thus far, willing to play along…"
*
Reed splays his hands. "My opinion on the first? At *least* blood screenings. Every entry to a secure site, no exceptions. I'll insist on it for you, if you'd like," he suggests.
As for the other note… "Doesn't surprise me. Either he's a Norse Trickster figure or someone who is very convinced he is. Either way as long as he feels it suits his wants and/or needs he'll be happy to do whatever's asked. I like to think he's quite serious about this defender of earth business, though."
*
"That… would work, yes," Sue nods emphatically. "Please. You insist. You, Doctor Richards have all the clout," an ironic smirk pulls over her expression. "But I need to know what's going on with the Executive Branch. It's possible they've been replaced and this is all," she lifts a hand, "a distraction. I've spent weeks thinking through this."
Her expression sours and she presses a hand to her forehead, "Meanwhile, I'm not even sure what else to do. We know we need to find these Skrulls and be on the lookout for the Kree. But how do we identify them? Can we create some detector? Something…" her lips purse "…that could test for energy sources… heat registers… something… yet we haven't found a live Skrull yet. If we'd been able to do the autopsy sooner — "
*
"Consider it insisted," Reed says promptly, then waves vaguely at the last bit. "Wishes, fishes," he notes. "A live or very recently deceased specimen would be a priority, as well as finding what we can about these Kree." He is well aware that's like gathering intel about the dark side of the moon from the ground. "Failing that, we may have to come at it from the other direction. We may not know much about these aliens, but we have much more data available on Terrans. Eliminate the known, at that's at least something." he doesnt' entirely like it, though. "It's a shame we don't have contact so we could try talking this out. But if they were interested in diplomacy, I expect we'd know by now."
*
"Thank you," Sue whispers. "I just want to know that whoever is at that table is human and deserves to be at that table." Her expression mirrors Reed's, and she nods vaguely, "Right. But that's assuming they're different than us," Sue frowns slightly. "I mean, we could maybe devise something to see regular human heat signatures, but what if they're the same as these Skrulls?" She chews on her thumbnail and she nods again, "They obviously have no interest in talking this out. They killed the President. And, as far as we know, that was unprovoked."
*
"True," Reed allows. But of course, he would *always* rather talk it out if he can. He'll fight, but it really is a last resort kind of situation. "Regardless, we need more data. That said… parallel evolution to *that* degree? The probabilities involved are staggering." Unless one counts outside interference, but… "In any case, we'll have to work from what we know, there's no helping it. And we know Terran biology best for now." A shrug. "Working with Lucy will help— her voluntary participation will give us some extra-terrestrial data to work with, even if it isn't the species we're looking for."
*
"We absolutely need more data, and we have no easy ways to make this a reality. And the team," Sue's eyes turn upwards, "We have Lucy, and Crystal — she's Inhuman. Apparently," her eyes turn about the room, "a human-Kree hybrid engineered to fight against the Skrulls." Her lips purse. "So, basically," her eyes turn upwards, "we have Asgardians, Inhumans, Skrulls, and Kree — any of whom could be a threat." She sighs softly, "I'm inclined to believe the Asgardians are actually looking out for us. But they're not alien in the strict sense apparently."
With another soft sigh, she chuckles, "I fired the Wakandan Queen from the task force yesterday. We are facing imminent intergalactic threat and she felt it necessary to try to bully me into sharing intelligence before verifying their identities."
*
Reed just shrugs. "Not very diplomatic of her, was it?" He barely pays it more thought than that. Frankly, the rest of the information is more interesting. "I'm inclined to treat these… Inhumans? as Terran for the purposes." It's not insignificant he hasn't let 'human' pass his lips for some time now. "Though… you do bring a point, we'll need to do what we can to understand them better— or to be more accurate, the Kree connection. Hopefully Crystal will be somewhat forthcoming. The Asgardians… I agree, we can at least count them allies. I would caution that their involvement with us isn't entirely understood, though. What happened with the Asgardian lady the other day?" He asks curiously.
*
"I think the Inhumans effectively are Terran," Sue agrees softly. "They live here. They grew up here. They are effectively human. But it's possible we may be able to tease apart some of the genetics. I don't know much about them, but if we can test her blood, maybe we can come to understand what about them isn't Terran." Her gaze becomes heavier. "I invited Liv to join us. Once I'd reasoned that I could eliminate any chances of her being a Skrull because I was on that autopsy, I decided she could safely be on the team if she manages to maintain a wall between this and SHIELD."
Her lips purse. "And SHIELD may be even more trouble than all that. Liv suspects the Director could be a Skrull." She frowns. "I have no easy way to test. But."
*
Reed frowns thinly. "Then it's definitely important that we have her eyes on SHIELD," he replies. "Unfortunate to already have suspicions. But it did occur to me when I suggested it that if I were planning an invasion of this nature, SHIELD would be on my list." So… the news isn't entirely surprising. "Another item for the list, I suppose."
*
"I would have the taskforce on mine," Sue offers in return. "It was a bad idea to make that a publicly identifiable a group." A wearied smile edges her mouth, "I'm still me, but I don't even know… I'm now in a position of power that could, effectively determine the course of all of this. I'm lucky I can literally keep people at a distance if I need to, but long-term, this puts all of us at risk. We can't even be above suspicion."
*
Reed smiles, and gives Sue a reassuring pat. "I said *no* exceptions," he reminds her. "If it helps, I did intend us to be included in whatever mandatory screenings we institute." He drums fingertips on the most available horizontal surface.
"There is an outside— I stress outside— possibility that the goal is simply to cause confusion and mistrust. Though it begs the question of why. But that is the question to all of it, isn't it?"
*
"Yeah, I know I'm me, but it doesn't change the fact that at any given moment, based on what we know, that could change, right?" that same weary smile draws over her features. "It's why I brought up the whole assignment thing from so long ago. I'd like to think I could clue in if a member of my family was replaced." She frowns slightly. "But I don't know how good these Skrulls are at what they do."
The last causes her to cringe. "Well, the Asgardians already accomplished that thanks to Loki's display on national television. I think this is far more complex than that. If they just wanted us to mistrust people, then I would think they could've left it there…"
*
Reed purses his lips. "Unless they wanted to engender an unprecedented level of distrust. But again… why. The only thing I can come up with is to reduce resistance to a takeover. In which case our situation isn't significantly different than it already is." He shrugs. "Just thinking aloud. I'm not convinced it's a practical line of inquiry."
*
"I suppose they would have succeeded in that," Sue concedes. "the purpose continues to evade me. But how do you track something you know nothing about? It's amazing to think we're pioneering something here, but terrifying at the same time. We're not built to be spies. I am a scientist. I guess we just focus on the facts and what we really do know. So. Something to help us identify Terrans, then? Heat signature, blood pressure, blood work. It'd be useful to start discerning that much."
*
Reed takes her hand and squeezes lightly. "They hired Doctor Storm, not James Bond," Reed points out gently. "I don't think Johnson was looking for a spy. Just someone that would do the job right." He knows he's said this before, more or less, but it bears repeating. "Scientists are what we really need. Rigorous application of the method, keep mistakes down. Otherwise he may as well have given it to Ross."
"At any rate… as many data points as we can sample quickly would be best for the ongoing screens, I think. We'll probably have to accept invasive measure like blood screening to start with. More important to have something in place now than the ideal but not in place until later."