Sue Storm Calls Doctor Doom

It was a long walk back to the Baxter Building. Sue Storm squelched with every step, Porkum's seed dribbling down her thighs in thick globs. Her mind wasn't on the risk of pregnancy; she was reviewing other options.

Porkum was dangerous. More dangerous than the Invisible Woman had been willing to admit. Her precautions had obviously been inadequate. She had paid the price for that overconfidence. Now she had to decide what to do next. Because Porkum was far too much of a threat to go free.

Possibly too dangerous to live.

Superheroines had discussed options when Jessica Jones' assault by the Purple Man had come to light. When Mandrill had gone after Spider-Woman. When the Hood had attacked Tigra. It wasn't something they normally brought men in on. The fact was that superheroines were more often targeted for sexual harassment and assault than men, and the idea of a villain using their powers to enable such assault was a threat most men weren't prepared to deal with.

Which meant there were very few people that Sue could go to for what needed to be done.

Valkyrie and the new Wolverine, Laura Kinney, would probably be willing and able to take ultimate action. Sue Storm disliked such judge, jury, and executioner approach—but she thought of what Porkum would do if he came across Ms. Marvel or Ghost Spider. No, she couldn't take the chance he would hurt anyone else. And, based on how thoroughly Sue had been defiled, she doubted any woman could resist Porkum's pheromones, and that radioactive isotope would drain their powers. Sue was not prepared to simply deliver Porkum another victim.

Which meant she had to go to a man.

The older Wolverine. Ghost Rider. The Punisher. Namor. Sue Storm knew these men, some better than others. Could she trust them? She knew what they would do. Could she countenance murder? Because that would be what it would take, she was certain. There was zero chance that she would tell Namor she had been raped and then he wouldn't twist Porkum's head off his body.

She chewed her lip, invisibly moving through the pre-dawn sidewalks, avoiding oncoming traffic, her wounded leg throbbing, the wound open and bleeding again.

Waiting for Reed and the others to get back would take too long. Nick Fury might be able to apprehend Porkum, but hold him? Maybe not. Even the Purple Man could escape the Raft. Worse, Fury might try to recruit him for the Thunderbolts or something.

No, Sue decided. I need someone ruthless, resourceful, sympathetic, but honorable enough that if he gave his word...the problem would be dealt with. Permanently.

The Invisible Woman sighed as she stepped into the lobby of the Baxter Building and let her invisibility lapse. She couldn't believe she was considering this. There were other options. Other people she could call. Yet she had gone into that factory loaded for bear, and Porkum had gotten the best of her. That spoke to resources beyond what even his powers suggested.

She collapsed into the chair of the communications console with a wet squelch. For a moment, Sue Storm thought about cleaning herself up. At least to cover her naked, cum-encrusted form.

Instead, she put in a call for Latveria.

Doctor Doom did not answer immediately. The time zone difference being what it was, it was early afternoon in Eastern Europe. When the screen did fill with his familiar masked visage, she watched his brown eyes through the slits in the mask. They widened. Doom was not easily shocked or moved, but something about Sue's body, the bruises from Porkum's fingers already blooming purple on her pale skin, seemed to strike him.

Or he was a very good actor.

"Victor," she said.

"You have been assaulted," he said. "And you call me. Richards is still away on his interdimensional field trip."

The Invisible Woman's head inclined slightly. He was so like Reed in this way. Geniuses processing information faster than they could speak, deducing data from observable evidence. It was like he already knew, though she doubted that was possible.

"Why are you calling me?" Doom said after a quiet moment. Then he answered his own question. "You wish me to deal with this situation for you. Your options are either extremely limited, or you cannot trust others to deal with your foe as they should be dealt with."

Her head inclined again.

"And why should I help the wife of my worst enemy?" Doom spoke, his voice dry and echoing metallically from inside his helmet.

That was the question. Sue Storm took a deep breath. It had cost her a great deal to make this call. If her husband learned about it, he would feel betrayed. Her friends and family wouldn't understand. Well, some of the women might.

Sue leaned forward and told him exactly why he should help her.