𝐏𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐦 - 𝐑𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐑𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐱 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫/𝐎𝐂
𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏 - 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝐌𝐲 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐆𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐃𝐢𝐝 𝐀 𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞
"Okay, world," I muttered under my breath, locking the door with a click. "Try not to throw anything too heavy at me before I've had my second coffee.”
I tighten my hand around my black tote bag as I slip the key around my finger spinning it around as I walk towards the elevator.
I press the button as I wait, impatiently rising subtly on my tip-toes as I wait. Today would be a hectic day, and my head already hurts from thinking about it.
I should definitely not have read a book until 5:00 in the goddamn morning. So here I am, with coffee pumping through my veins and 2 hours of sleep to keep me energized.
The elevator dings, opening to reveal my neighbor, Carol, a woman probably in her early 90’s, along with a child that looked about 13, her hands typing away on her phone, I smile politely at the older woman who smiles back at me warmly as I turn to the child who makes eye-contact with me, a blank expression on her face.
Well, she looks like sunshine personified.
She walks away, not a twitch on her face. Welp, alright.
I sigh as I step inside the elevator, pressing the ground floor as the door closes.
I close my eyes, trying to stop the burning sensation that emerges from the lack of sleep. I cannot deal with this right now, or…ever.
I groan in frustration, leaning against the elevator wall as my phone dings.
I unlock my phone, opening the message.
Liam 💅: Pick up some coffee on ur way here, babe. Cause that’s the only thing that’ll keep me awake during the “briefing” of our new project. And Mr. Stretch cause, God, his hair defies the laws of physics, girl.
I chuckle, typing out a reply to his ridiculous comment about Mr. Richards’ hair, it wasn’t that good, I mean.
I’m pretty sure it’s average...
Me: I got u, I’ll pick some up. And quit drooling over Mr. Richards, he’s straight, first of all, and second of all married, like, HELLO SIR, MR. HOMEWRECKER!??
I got a reply within a few seconds, just as the elevator doors ding, opening.
I make my way towards my car, opening the driver’s seat and placing my bag on the passenger’s seat and keys in the holder. I put my seatbelt on as I read Liam’s message.
Liam 💅: Girl, you didn’t hear? He got divorced like ages ago babe!
My brows furrow in confusion, huh, I didn’t know that. It must be hard for him they were married for some time.
Me: But they’re still working together on the same team???
He starts typing out a reply
Liam 💅: Yeah, geez, awkward… Atleast I stand a chance now.
Me: Sis, he’s still straight and I would’ve known if he wasn’t, my gaydar is fucking impeccable.
Liam 💅: I’m aware, ma’am. But a man can dream.
I chuckle shaking my head, typing out a reply.
Me: Whatever see u at work, weirdo.
I turn off my phone and place it in my pocket as I begin driving, starting up the engine and backing out of the parking area.
I drive through the roads, eventually reaching the lab. I was about to turn off the engine after parking the car when a sudden coolness overtook my senses, numbing my fingertips, a harsh breath forcing it’s way out of me.
I try to draw breaths in, my lungs feeling as they’re frozen over as I suppress my body’s attempt at phasing. My eyes land on my self in the rear-view mirror, watching my body splitting into different images but disappearing as fast as they appeared when I will it to disappear.
I shut my eyes tightly, my hands tightening around the steering wheel as the phasing stops as I will it down forcefully with much effort, I lean my head against the seat, catching my breath, my head a little dizzy as the coolness retreats and the warmth of the weather settles into me.
I step out of the car, taking my car keys and bag, entering the coffee shop from across the building to pick up some coffee first.
After getting five cups of coffee, one extra for Mr. Richards who’ll be visiting today to supervise the beginning of the development of a more efficient source of energy that could possibly help speed up the evolution of technology by at least a few decades.
He’ll be there today, observing our work, a nervous shiver wracks through me at that thought as I open the door of the building.
Of course, I’d be nervous, my boss is coming to watch my work, that’s it. Not at all because of the way his intelligence and smoothness but total lack of social skills stir something in me, totally not.
I shake my head, breaking my train of thoughts as I step into the elevator, standing between the two other people as I press my floor number.
My fingers tap out a rhythm on my bag’s strap to the soft hum of the elevator music. I get off at my floor.
I walk towards the glass door as I type in my code and the doors slide open and I enter, placing my bag on the table, taking out my lab coat and shrugging it on.
I walk towards the main area, where all three of my colleagues were going about their respective works.
Liam, was seated on a chair near the projector, spinning around as he reads his file, his gelled dark brown curls falling over his forehead.
I approach him, plopping down on the table in front of him, he stops spinning, lifting his head up to look at me.
”Where’s the coffee?” he asks, closing the file but placing a finger in between the page so that he doesn’t loose track of it.
“Wow, hello to you too, Mr.” I say, with a mock offended expression as I place a hand over my chest. He chuckles, “Yeah, yeah, but if I don’t get some caffeine in me right fucking now, I’m gonna start throwing things.”
I chuckle, walking to the table, tying my hair into a high ponytail as I get the cup carrier and place it on the table next to Liam.
”You’re the literal best, Sam” he says, taking a sip of the coffee, closing his eyes in satisfaction. I chuckle, drinking my own coffee, less bitter than his of course, I don’t understand how people can drink it that bitter.
I like coffee, but not black fucking tar.
Hannah saunters over to us, her short hair swishing slightly behind her, she drinks a sip of her coffee and hums in satisfaction.
”What’re we waiting for right now?” I ask, swallowing my coffee, Laura sits down on the table next to me and sighs, “We’re waiting for Mr. Richards, he’s running late, I guess.” she replies, smiling at me thankfully when I hand her a cup of coffee.
Oh right, yes, he isn’t here yet.
Huh, that’s weird, he’s always on time.
Just then, the doors slide open and in walks Mr. Richards. He was wearing a dark blue shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and black suit pants, he places his suit coat on the hanger by the door as he walks over to us, all of us straightening up a bit.
”Sorry I was late, um…I was, uh, pre-occupied. Hope I didn’t make you wait too long?” He asks us, with a questioning look.
”Not at all, Mr. Richards.” replies Liam, already ogling, I resist the urge to roll my eyes or let my lips tilt up into a smirk.
Mr. Richards nods once and the briefing begins.
As the briefing goes on and we examine the energy levels and the practicalities of the project, an idea creeps into my head.
"Um... Mr. Richards?" I hesitate, placing my file face down. "About the energy conduit simulations... we've seen those little... fluctuations, right? At the higher output levels?" I look up, a bit unsure. "What if...we looked at incorporating, like, a multi-layered feedback system? Maybe something that utilizes a... bio-luminescent energy dampener?" My confidence seems to root itself as I continue my sentence. "It could, you know, act as a natural regulator? And... the luminescence could be a visual indicator? So we'd see if things were getting unstable before the data even flagged it.”
Mr. Richards pauses, his brow furrowing in thought, “"A bio-luminescent dampener..." He repeats the phrase slowly, as if turning it over in his mind. "That's... rather ingenious, Ms. Sunil. The visual feedback element... that's actually quite insightful. Our current monitoring, as you pointed out, is purely data-driven. Integrating a... a visual cue... would provide a far more immediate and... intuitive layer of safety. Hmm." He shifts slightly, a touch of awkwardness in his stance. "Yes. Excellent thinking. Truly." He nods once, a genuine but slightly stiff smile gracing his lips.
Reed fucking Richards gave me a compliment.
I bite back a smile as I nod once turning my sight to my file as I go over the pages again.
After a while, the briefing ends, and Mr. Richards leaves, nodding at all of us once.
”Excellent thinking, Sam. Truly.” mocks Liam dramatically, “Yeah, dude, get off my ass about it.” I say, waving him off.
He chuckles, “Are you kidding me, I will totally not be getting of your ass, Samara Sunil. You just got a compliment from THE Reed Richards. I don’t think the man has ever done that.”
”That’s a bit pushing it, Liam.” I say, rolling my eyes.
”Sure, hon, whatever you say.” he replies, shrugging.
”I’m absolutely starving, we’ve been at this for hours, who’s up for lunch?” asks Laura, gathering her things.
”Nah, you guys go ahead, I’m not really hungry. I’m gonna catch up on some reports while I’m at it, maybe stay a little late.” I answer.
”You sure you should be overworking yourself like that?” Hannah asks, with a raised eyebrow.
”You do realize we’re talking about a workaholic, right?” counters Liam. I stick my tongue out at him which he returns.
”You need us to get you something to eat, you sure?” asks Laura, concerned.
”I’m fine, you guys go ahead.” I say, waving them off.
They start to leave. “Hey!” yells Liam, I turn around, “What?”
He throws me a protein bar, “Don’t want you fading away by the time we get back. Take it easy, hon.”
I catch it, giving him a thankful smile as he leaves.
Just me now, let’s go make some reports.
Well, 2 hours turned into 4 and then to 6, so here I am, with time bordering on midnight, but I’m still working on these darned reports.
Something doesn’t make sense about it, random energy surges within the device is making it randomly deplete, there is no reliable pattern.
I sigh, running a hand over my face, leaning back on my chair.
I should really be catching up on sleep. After this, I guess.
I look through the unfamiliar patterns for what felt like, the hundredth time. As I read through the energy levels, I feel my body start phasing again, my hand trying to split into multiple blurry images.
Goddamn it, not now, I don’t have the energy for this.
My lack of obvious control over my powers start making my whole body phase, a splitting headache blossoming at the top of my head.
My body phases uncontrollably but not one image stays for too long as I tiredly will it back down.
The almost distant sound of the glass doors sliding open barely register in my mind until, my phasing stops and I open my eyes to see Mr. Richards, standing at a distance opposite me, with an internally shocked expression on his face.
”Ms. Sunil, did you just..?” he begins, cutting himself off
”What? No?” I say, refusing his claims, whatever they may be, trying to offer an awkward smile.
