Part 2

Hearing of the Puppet Master's capture, the Mad Thinker curses his failure when he is suddenly interrupted by the Fantastic Four. Seeing no way to win a potential battle, the Mad Thinker willing surrenders.

Back at the Baxter Building, Reed explains to his teammates that with his calculations suggesting that they will die within two years unless they find a way of ending the threat of their various foes once and for all. However, since the Fantastic Four are against killing, they must come up with a humane solution to the problem. Their planning is interrupted by the arrival of the She-Hulk who is dropping off Franklin and Valeria after babysitting them. Later, Reed develops a device that will allow them to use the DNA samples of their foes to track them down so they can capture and contain them. However, with the Baxter Building insufficient space to house all their foes, and with other prisons either shut down or no longer in operation, Reed concludes they will have to build a new prison to house them.

The following morning, Reed pays a visit to Andrew Lewis at Lewis Security Solutions. Reed has recalled how Lewis built the original Vault prison and wishes to hire him to construct a new Vault. Lewis agrees to take on the job as soon as they find a location. Reed has found just such a place: In the Negative Zone. Soon the Fantastic Four travel into the Negative Zone to find a suitable location. They are suddenly attacked by Annihilus who believes that the Fantastic Four have stolen his Cosmic Control Rod and demands that it be returned. A battle ensues, and when Reed incapacitates the Negative Zone ruler, he has Sue contain him in a force field. However, they are shocked when a second Annihilus suddenly appears.

Back on Earth, Andrew Lewis returns home to tell his wife the good news. When she ignores him he demands that she listen to him. Finally putting her paper down, the monstrous creature who appears to be Lewis' wife complains that she is trying to read.

Recurring Characters

Fantastic Four (Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, Thing), Andrew Lewis, She-Hulk, Franklin Richards, Valeria Richards, Threska, Mad Thinker, Annihilus

Continuity Notes

• Reed mentions the state of various prisons that are used for containing super-villains:

  • The original Vault, first seen in Avengers Annual #15. It was destroyed during a massive break out in Heroes for Hire #1.

  • The Raft had recently suffered a massive break out as well, as seen in New Avengers #1.

  • The Big House was first seen in She-Hulk #5. It was the scene of a break out in She-Hulk Vol 2 #21, and has been shut down since.

• Annihilus mentions his first encounter with the Fantastic Four, this happened in Fantastic Four Annual #6.