Fantastic Four (Vol. 5) #12
East of Eden: Part Four
With concerns that someone is gunning for the Fantastic Four, Wyatt Wingfoot and Spider-Man track down Johnny Storm to a rooftop party in Manhattan. They snatch him from the scene and Spider-Man suspends him from a flagpole until Johnny is willing to listen to them. They explain how Wyatt was attacked by a man who claims to be Hawkeye, but that's all they can learn from him. Knowing that he is not the real Hawkeye, they can't help but wonder if he comes from the pocket universe that Franklin once created. This causes Johnny to remember the night when New York was attacked by strange monsters and Franklin said they came from that world and that it was "sick". Realizing the danger that they are in, Johnny comes to terms with the fact that he has to stop feeling sorry for himself and help his family, powers or not.
Johnny then pays a visit to the Thing at Rykers Island, who is not so angry at him anymore. Johnny confirms Ben's suspicions that he was set up as the supposed body of the Puppet Master has disappeared before an autopsy could be completed. The Thing tells Johnny that he wishes he could help but there is no way that he is going to walk out of prison. However, this comment makes both men smile. Later, the Thing meets with the Sandman in the prison yard and asks why he helped him fight off his attackers in a shower. The Sandman says it's because someone has been sending presents to his daughter on her birthdays and Christmas and he has a pretty good idea who. Ben pretends that he doesn't know what the Sandman is talking about, and asks if he is interested in breaking out of the prison. The Sandman quips that he thought that the Thing would never ask. Meanwhile, in Latveria, Valeria and Doctor Doom look over the damage done following Doom's battle with the Invisible Woman. Valeria tells Victor that she has decided to return to her family. Doctor Doom tells Valeria that Latveria will be fine without her and to leave before he changes his mind about letting her go. As Valeria takes off in a ship, Doom is glad to have her gone because he can now shake off the pretense of trying to save the world. He then silently thanks his goddaughter for giving him the keys to the multiverse.
Meanwhile, at New Eden, Mister Fantastic visits it's creator John Eden. He has come to talk about the night that the creatures escape from Dimension F and how he was scarcely aware of John Eden until he was mentioned recently by Tony Stark. When Eden asks what Reed is getting at, Reed suddenly lashes out and restrains John. Reed explains that he looked into it and discovered that Eden's company provided the parts for the locking mechanism for the portal. Examining it he also discovered the remains of nanites that were planted there to make the lock fail. He also figured out what Eden's "kinetic energy" device really is utilizing: dream energy. When Reed demands to know what's happening, "John Eden" reveals that he is not really Eden. Just then he is shot dead by Collen, who reveals he was really John Eden the whole time.
When Reed asks why he has done all of this, Eden explains that it is because he hates Reed Richards. Out from the shadows comes Iron Man, whom Eden tells to handle Richards. Suddenly, John Eden's office explodes.
Recurring Characters
Fantastic Four (Mister Fantastic, Human Torch, Thing), Wyatt Wingfoot, Spider-Man, Sandman, Doctor Doom, Valeria Richards, Quiet Man, Iron Man, Hawkeye, Armadillo
