38 Machine Man 37

In the depths of his underground laboratory, Alex stood surrounded by the glow of holograms and the hum of machinery. Before him lay his greatest achievement yet: a revolutionary power source that could harness energy from any conceivable source. It was a testament to his brilliance, a beacon of innovation in the darkness.

But amidst the marvel of his creation, Alex's attention was drawn to a more pressing matter. Through the surveillance systems, he watched as Victor Von Doom orchestrated his sinister plan, drawing Ben Grimm into the clutches of the Baxter Building.

"There it is," Alex muttered, his eyes fixed on the screen. "The machine that could change everything."

With a sense of urgency, Alex began to formulate his plan. The machine Reed had created was a threat, If SHIELD got wind of its existence, they would either take away the Fantastic 4 Powers or worse figure out that it can recreate the storm and create an army of super powered beings.

As he pondered his next move, a transformation began to ripple through his body. It started at his feet, a subtle tingling sensation that gradually intensified as tiny machines swarmed over his skin.

Like a broken digitized box, they crawled upward, their movements synchronized. With each passing moment, the swarm enveloped him, weaving a complex network of metal and circuitry throughout his body.

As the transformation reached his neck, Alex's body underwent a complete change. His form was replaced by sleek, black armor, accented with glowing lines of gold that pulsed with energy.

With the transformation complete, Alex made his way to his AVP Scout Ship. Time was of the essence, and he knew that there is a small window where no people will be in Reeds Lab. As the engines roared to life, he set course for the Baxter Building, determined to seize the machine and prevent it from falling into the wrong hands.

Meanwhile, in the heart of the Baxter Building, Ben Grimm underwent a radical transformation. As the machine hummed to life, cosmic rays danced around him, reshaping his rocky form into that of a human once more.

Despite feeling weak, Ben felt a surge of elation as he looked at his restored organic body. He turned to Victor Von Doom, gratitude shining in his eyes.

"Thank you, Victor," he said, his voice filled with emotion. "You've given me my life back."

But unbeknownst to Ben this is just part of Victor's plan to remove him the so-called muscle of Reed, so he can destroy the life of his Rival Reed Richards. His life was ruined due to Reeds failed project; his company taken from him. He will have his revenge!

As Ben showed his gratitude to Victor, he got punch, his body flying; rendering him unconscious.

Skynet, my AI companion, raises concerns. "Shouldn't we hurry and help them?" it queries.

Alex, however, maintain a composed demeanor and respond, "No, it's their destiny to do this battle."

"But he just knocked out an innocent man," Skynet interjects.

Looking at the screen, Alex saw that Victor has just knock out another man who tried to talk to him in the Baxter Building.

Alex acknowledges, "Yes, he did. let's make this quick." pushing the ship's power rushing towards the Baxter Building.

As I near the building I saw a missile targeting Johnny Storm, with flames engulfing his form, he leaped off the Structure, his iconic cry of "Flame on!" echoing in the air. A dazzling display of aerial acrobatics unfolded as Johnny maneuvered through the skies, the flames around leaving trails which seems to be dancing in a mesmerizing spectacle.

Luring the missile away from the building, Johnny skillfully guided it further into the open sky. The fiery trail left behind showcased the Human Torch's mastery over his powers. As this breathtaking display of skill unfolded, Alex, in his chameleon cloak, descended from the Baxter Building to assess Ben's situation.

Skynet, observing Johnny's struggle against the missile, decided to intervene. Controlling the AVP Ship she close in on Johnny, who now hovered above the ocean, the AI-controlled ship activated its lasers. Focused beams shot forth, homing in on the missile and obliterating it before it could reach its intended target.

Witnessing the spectacular scene, Johnny couldn't contain his enthusiasm. "That was awesome! Let's do it again!" In his excitement, he accidentally collided with a ship carrying a load of trash, sending it crashing into the sea.

Atop the Baxter Building, Ben Grimm observed the events with a sense of remorse. "What did I do?" he questioned himself, a feeling of powerlessness settling in as he grappled with the inability to aid his friends in their time of need.

With a not-so-subtle landing, I drew Ben's attention. His eyes widened as he turned to face me. "What happened to you, Alex?" he inquired, taking in the sight of my transformed form.

The majority of my body currently transformed into its borg appearance, reminiscent of Genos from OPM. Black metallic components with streaks of gold adorned my frame, while my face maintained its ganic look and my eyes, the kiroshi optics glowed in a striking gold hue, transitioning into a more mechanical aesthetic.

Cutting through the tension. "We don't have time for this, Ben," I replied, acknowledging his concern. "I know you want to help your friends, but it's your decision. Do you want to use the machine and regain your power?"

Facing the gravity of the situation, Ben steeled his resolve. "Okay, let's do this."

As Ben stepped into the machine designed to restore his rocky form, I approached the control panel and initiated the process. Closing the door, I exchanged a nod with Ben, signifying his commitment.

Eyeing the control panel, I couldn't help but comment on its archaic design. "Bleck, seriously, so backwards," I muttered, turning the knob to activate the process. The machine hummed to life, emitting digital noises that echoed like a graphics card having a hard time running a game, hit my cybernetic ears.

Seeing a warning about power deficiency, I opened one of the generator panels to witness a cosmic storm being recreated. "This is what I came for," I remarked, seizing the opportunity.

I seized the opportunity. Using my powers a tentacle-like appendage materializes on my back, it connected to Reed's computer and I downloaded all the information about the machine, to replicate it for my own purposes. While at it I also use them to scour the place for hard copies of the blue print, finding them I quickly destroyed any physical copy I can find while also making sure to delete the file, I even made sure to destroy any notes that could be related to the storm. They'd probably blame it to Victor as I have already stopped any recording device when I entered the building.

With that accomplished, I transformed my hand into a repulsor cannon, now powered by the new arc reactor. Configuring it to discharge energy, I increased the machine's power. As Ben's regression process continued, notable changes unfolded within me. An overwhelming power surged through me, as if a new intangible limb had materialized somewhere within my body. However, alongside this newfound ability came agonizing pain.

Gold lines of energy infiltrated my nanite-swarm body, illuminating the crevices of my cybernetic form. Just when I said I won't do it again, but here I am.

A searing pain enveloped me, akin to thousands of fire ants biting directly on my sensory nerves. Suppressing the pain, I hastily adorned a full-face helmet to conceal my grimace, releasing an involuntary scream that was muffled by my helmet.

As the mist from the machine, signifying the completion of Ben Grimm's transformation, he emerged from the machine, in all his towering rocky figure.

Yet, despite the overwhelming pain, I pressed on. I had a burning curiosity to witness the first battle between the Fantastic 4 and their eternal nemesis, Dr. Doom.

With Ben now back in his formidable boulder form, I offered my assistance. "Now, let me help you get to Doom so you can settle the score. What do you say?"

The Thing, as Ben was now known, agreed with a determined nod. "Let's go. I'll clobber his metallic face – his mama won't recognize him. Ahhh, but how are we gonna get to him?"

Activating my new repulsor boosters from the soles of my feet, and revealing metallic wings with massive boosters on my back, I floated up into the air. "I think we can manage," I assured, turning invisible as we set our course for Doom's imposing building.

In the midst of our approach, I heard Victor declaring, "It's time to end this." Responding swiftly, Ben obliterated a wall, creating a pathway toward Victor. "No, Vic. It's clobberin time!" he proclaimed before delivering a powerful blow that sent Victor hurtling towards the oversized metallic 'V' on his wall.

Amused by the spectacle, Ben chuckled. "Damn, been waiting to do that," he remarked as he approached Sue, inquiring about her well-being.

Poor Victor, even the gigantic metallic V sign, slammed down to his body as he hit the ground.

Following behind, I noticed a half-frozen Reed. Puzzled, I couldn't help but voice my confusion. "What the heck happened to him?"

I rushed to help him, swiftly removing his restraints and the liquid nitrogen tank.

Suddenly, the lights started flickering, and from the shadows, I spotted Victor rushing toward us. In a split second, I shouted, "Ben, watch out!" However, my own body was undergoing changes, making it challenging to maintain my outer appearance. I struggled with my powers, feeling a lack of control.

At this time, Ben was preoccupied lecturing Reed. "Maybe next time you'll listen to me before," he scolded, just as Doom tackled him out of the window.

Turning to Susan, I made a sarcastic remark. "Well, he should have listened to me before lecturing others." Her desperate expression showing on her face, "Now's not the time," she cautioned.

Acknowledging her concern, I suggested, "Let's defrost your boyfriend then, ok?" With a swift motion, I transformed the palms of my hands to emit heat, initiating the thawing process for Mr. Not-So-Fantastic.

Observing my actions, Sue had a moment of realization. "Wait, I think I remember seeing something like this before. You're...?"

I playfully made a shushing gesture, placing my index finger vertically in front of my lips. Even with my face covered, it seemed she have figured out my identity. "Guess it's a given. It doesn't really take a smart person to figure things out."

Once Reed was fully thawed, I commented, "Seems your boyfriend is good. You guys should really hurry up and help Ben; he's getting his rocky bottom whipped."

Reed, though still shaky from the ordeal, couldn't help but ask, "Aren't you going to help us?"

Feeling the changes in my body, I gazed at him and replied, "This is your fight. Be a man for once and fight for your friends and beliefs."

After making that excuse, Specter once again activated my chameleon cloak, As he observed the unfolding chaos. Ben, fueled by determination, flung a car at Victor, sending him crashing into a bus. The impulse to intervene surged within him, but he resisted, knowing that his current state could lead to unintended consequences.

As the tense battle between Ben and Victor raged on, Specter hurried back to the Baxter Building. Despite having secured the blueprints for the machine, He knew that he had to act swiftly to prevent any further chaos.

As he slipped into Reed's lab through the broken window, his eyes immediately landed on a figure hunched over the files. A red-haired woman – Natasha Romanova. Ho knows shield would be here, he just didn't expect they would send her.

Activating his Kiroshi Optics, Specter scanned her face, confirming her identity. Clearance Level 7. Date of birth 1984, her profile is quickly projected through his hud. "She's younger than I had anticipated." Specter though, but he has no time to dwell on that.

Deactivating his chameleon cloak, He revealed himself, confronting Natasha with a smirk. "Well, well, well, who do we have here? A thief?"

Startled, Natasha spun around, her gun already drawn. Firing her gun, the bullets ricocheted harmlessly off his armored body, sparking in the air like fireworks.

With her bullets spent, Natasha wasted no time, rushing towards Specter with a flurry of kicks. He couldn't help but chuckle at her futile attempts. "You really gonna kick someone who's bulletproof? Please."

She unleashed a rapid series of strikes. But Specter was like a shadow, effortlessly dodging each blow with movements that seemed almost unnatural as if toying with her.

Launching herself forward with a swift jab aimed at Specter's midsection. But he smoothly sidestepped, as he evaded her attack.

Undeterred, Natasha followed up with a roundhouse kick aimed at Specter's head. But with a swift duck, Specter avoided the blow, his reflexes lightning-fast as he countered with a series of lightning-quick strikes, while doing his best to limit his strength, as he doesn't want to accidentally kill SHIELD's most loyal spy.

As Natasha tried to regain her footing, Specter moved with blinding speed, delivering a flurry of punches and kicks with pinpoint accuracy. Each strike was calculated and precise, aimed at exploiting any opening in her defenses.

Natasha fought back with determination, her movements fluid and agile as she attempted to anticipate Specter's next move. But Specter has master multiple ways of fighting one of them is the art of deception, his movements unpredictable as he moved towards her while bobbing his head left to right.

With a sudden burst of speed, Specter closed the distance between them, his fists a blur of motion as he unleashed a devastating combination of strikes as he rotated his body making his punches more powerful. Natasha fought back valiantly, blocking and parrying each blow with skill and precision.

But Specter was relentless, his attacks relentless and unyielding. With each blow, he seemed to be testing Natasha's limits, pushing her to the brink of exhaustion.

Despite her best efforts, Natasha found herself struggling to keep up with Specter's relentless assault. With a final, decisive strike, Specter delivered a powerful blow that sent Natasha staggering backward, her defenses crumbling under the force of his attack.

With Natasha's defences open he delivered a powerful uppercut sending her flying. As she lay on the ground, breathless and bruised, Specter stood over her, his gaze unwavering behind his mask. In that moment, Natasha realized that she was facing an opponent unlike any she had encountered before

Having enough fun fighting with a skilled assassin, Specter with a silent command, uses his mechanical tentacles as they materialize on his back. They then sprang into action, lashing out with precision. But Natasha was quick, rolling to dodge the oncoming onslaught.

Doing her best to dodge and roll, despite her agility, Specter has managed to corner her with the machine at her back. With nowhere left to run, Natasha found herself at his mercy.

Retracting the tentacles for another strike, all his mechanical tentacles twist forming one massive tendril as they strike, I watched as Natasha leaped, using her knife to anchor herself to the ceiling. It was an impressive display of skill, but she was not his target from the start, it was the machine that could recreate the storm.

As the drill like tendrils hit the machine, he releases a surge of power, followed by an EMP blast that engulf the lab in a shower of sparks. Even firing off plasma beams from the tentacle making sure that machine is completely destroyed. As the smoke cleared, the machine lay in ruins, its secrets forever lost.

Outside, a thunderous blast echoed through the air, signaling trouble on the horizon. Turning to Natasha, Specter offered a parting remark before disappearing into the shadows once more.

"Well, looks like lucks on your side today." With that Specter quickly dematerialize the tentacles and jump of the window disappearing from sight.

As Natasha rushed to the window, searching for any sign of me, He made his escape, leaving her to sift through the wreckage looking for anything that she can use.

As Alex scanned the surroundings for potential dangers. Remarkably, there was no one in imminent danger even the bus driver from before is unscathed. It became evident why the Fantastic Four had captured the hearts of many in their first appearance.

Seeing Victor stood up and unleashed energy bolts on a police car, causing the officers to scatter, Ben rushed toward him. Victor, ever resourceful, grabbed a metallic pole and used it to slam Ben, sending him flying.

Reed, quick to react, rushed to Ben's aid, declaring, "I won't let you do that." Observing this, a question lingered in my mind: Why was Reed just standing there and not doing anything?

As Victor moved to impale Ben, an invisible shield protected him courtesy of Sue. The Fantastic Four closed in on Victor, ready for the long-awaited showdown. Johnny Storm soared through the air, hurling a fireball at him. With all four members united, the stage was set for a climactic battle against Dr. Doom.

In the midst of the confrontation, Alex directed Skynet to conduct a full scan and record every detail with all available scanners. Skynet expressed concern, advising me to leave and undergo a full diagnostics in the lab to assess the changes in his body.

"But, Alex, I must insist that you leave and go to the lab for a full diagnostic on the changes in your body," Skynet urged.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Alex conceded reluctantly, acknowledging the strain he was under. "I can easily feel my powers rapidly getting uncontrollable after that small encounter with Black Widow."

"That is good," said Skynet as she controlled the scout ship and opened the door to the APV. "Let's get you home".

Responding to Skynet's directive, Alex instructed her to deploy the Bee drones. "Release the Bee drones and be a dear; record the fight between Fantastic 4 and Doom for me," he requested, the urgency in his voice palpable.

As the drones were released, Alex's body began to tremble with pent-up energy. "I could quickly feel the power in me burning up," he muttered, a note of concern creeping into his tone. "Feels like a nuclear cell in my body might explode."

With that, Alex soared into the sky, the AVP ship trailing behind. As he entered the ship, Skynet monitored his vital signs closely, fearing the worst. "I feel the urge to release the energy to something," Alex murmured, his words a troubling indication of his deteriorating state.

Desperate to mitigate the impending danger, Alex took control of the ship's control panel, channeling his excess energy into its systems. "As the golden energy slowly made its way to the AVP, its form seems to be changing, upgrading, changing to something else," he observed, his voice tinged with awe at the transformation unfolding before him.

As the energy surged through the ship, it underwent a remarkable metamorphosis, its body becoming sleeker, its thrusters more powerful, and its weapons upgraded. "Its body seems to have somehow become sleeker," Alex noted, a sense of wonder mingling with his exhaustion. "The thrusters on the ship become more powerful, the whole body becomes more aerodynamic, the weapons seem to have been upgraded as well."

But as the last of his energy was expended, Alex's body finally gave out, succumbing to the strain of his exertions his vital signs stabilizing and he drifted into unconsciousness, Skynet could only watch helplessly as she brought her father home.