Bedlam Breakout

Trapped into a virtual reality simulation where they are being forced to believe that they are a group of criminals called the Tetrad, the Fantastic Four is being interred in the Bedlam sanitarium after their leader Mister Fantastic betrayed them to the local hero of Shadow City, Lockdown. Richards, the only one without his memories tampered with, believes that this may be the only way to free his teammates from the virtual reality they find themselves in. In order to buy himself time and not tip off the program, Reed has been playing the part of his character "Richard Reed". Lockdown and his partner Rosetta Stone have brought the captive members of the Fantastic Four to Bedlam's administrator, Dr. Edwina Dantes. While Dantes is convinced that her facilities will cure the "Tetrad" of their criminal tenancies, Lockdown is convinced that "Richard" is planning something. Lockdown vows that Reed and his cohorts will never escape on his watch. Although Rosetta Stone is not sold on the idea that Bedlam can hold these criminals, Dante tells her to have faith in her ability.

When the guards come to take Sue to the women's facility, Johnny tries to fight by by flaming on. Still not willing to tip his hand, Reed fails to calm Johnny down and is forced to "betray" the group again by extinguishing his flame, leaving him vulnerable to the prison guards who pile on and beat him into submission. Soon each member of the "Tetrad" is locked in a cell where they are under observation by Dantes. Reed spends his time on his bed in deep meditation, while the others stew in their cells.

Meanwhile, Lockdown and Rosetta Stone have returned to their civilian lives as the wealthy Jomo Kimanye and Nefer Sinué and throw a party at their estate. However Nefer finds such trivialities boring. Checking on Jomo who confirms that there is no trouble that night the duo decide to return to the party. Later that night when Reed is convinced that the guards are at their most bored he decides to act. Filling his stretched out lungs with a great deal of air, Reed then blows into a piece of currency causing a high pitched sonic noise that begins cracking glass, hurting human ears and causing the guard dogs to go crazy. As he continues this all gets Reed thinking about his younger days when he and his ex-girlfriend Alyssa Moy would travel the world. He briefly recalls once such incident wherein he was in a Himalayan's trying to unlock the Lopnor Gateway, earning the ire of the Chinese government. Eventually the glass keeping him in his cell shatters. Reed then goes and frees Johnny and Ben from their cells, getting them to agree to harming nobody as they try and break free. Elsewhere in the womens section of Bedlam, the Twisted Sisters break free from their cells and vow to get revenge against "Richard Reed" for betraying them.

When news of the breakout reaches Jomo and Nefer they quickly say goodnight to their guests and retreat to their secret hideout where they change into Lockdown and Rosetta Stone. Back at thee prison the rest of the Fantastic Four get to the women's section but are too late to stop the Twisted Sisters from utilizing their powers to transform Sue into one of their own. Sue is transformed into a new form they call Torque. However instead of fighting alongside the Twisted Sisters "Stormy Sue" turns on them because she misses her man. With the other prisoners breaking out of their cells, Reed convinces them all to unite and prepare to face Lockdown. However Reed warns the others that Lockdown is certain to win the fight as it goes by the rules of this world. Sure enough, Lockdown is able to sneak into the Bedlam facility where he gets the drop on the three male members of the Fantastic Four, knocking out both Ben and Johnny. When confronting Reed, Lockdown notes that Sue is nowhere to be found. This leads to a match of wits between Richards and the costumed hero. Reed questions Lockdown on if he is merely a player or the one controlling the game. Meanwhile, Sue is elsewhere in the facility following Reed's orders to push out with her force field as far as she ever has, ignoring the strain on her body. Much to Sue's surprise this effects her in the real world, shattering open her VR chamber. Reverting back to human form after Sue is happy to be back to normal as well as free.

Back in Lockdown's virtual world, Reed and the others are about to be trounced when suddenly Sue pulls them out of the simulation as well. Finally free from this ordeal, Reed and the others discover that every person on this world has been subjected to this virtual reality simulation. When the security robots begin chasing after them again, Reed uses his trans-spatial transporter to teleport elsewhere. Back within the virtual world of Shadow City, Lockdown returns to his hideout where he and Rosetta Stone monitor how the Fantastic Four had escaped their world and hear Reed's plans to one day return here and free everyone trapped within. This angers Lockdown and vows to get the Fantastic Four as nobody escapes him for long.

Recurring Characters

Fantastic Four (Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, Thing), Lockdown, Rosetta Stone, Twisted Sisters (Helix, Gyre, Coil, Ringlet), Alyssa Moy (in flashback)

Continuity Notes

• The flashback of Reed and Alyssa Moy in Tibet is expanded on further in Before the Fantastic Four: Reed Richards #1-3.

• Sue reverts back to her human form after slowly transforming into an alien form after being exposed to Ronan's Mannequin symbiote in Fantastic Four (vol 3) #14.

• Lockdown doesn't get his revenge after this story when next he's seen in Contest of Champions II #3-5 he seems pretty okay with the Fantastic Four when he crosses paths with them again.

• The Twisted Sisters somehow get free from Lockdown's facility and are next hired as assassins to kill Psylocke in X-Men (vol 2) #105.