Susan sat across from Jervis in his lab. He went about pouring the tea in her cup from a pink teapot with purple accents. Susan’s cup was pink and the plate under it was purple. The thin man smiled warmly down at the Invisible Woman, who looked back up at him gratefully.
“Thank you, Jervis,” Susan said, taking a sip from her cup, “Hmmm, this is delicious.”
“My own special recipe,” Tetch said, “And I picked up the tea set in the city today.”
“Oh, that’s right,” Susan said, and then cast her eyes downward in shame, “Here I am worrying all about myself when you finally truly explored New York. I’d love to hear about it.”
“All in good time, Susan,” Tetch continued, “I want to hear all about your day. What could have possibly happened to make such a bright, shining example to women everywhere so upset?”
Susan told Jervis all about her day, and as she did, she slowly drank her cup of coffee. She explained to her new friend how important Johnny joining Fantastic Four, Inc. was to her. Reed had expressed little interest, and Ben couldn’t exactly have been a public face of the company, and even then, The Thing had always been interested in being more of a hero and pilot. She could never see him being confined to a desk. Johnny was very much the same as Ben, adding daredevil and womanizer to his list of personality traits, but she wanted to teach Johnny responsibility and through his promotion, she hoped that the siblings could grow even closer.
“I hope you don’t mind me asking, but why do you wish to become closer with Johnny? After all, you’re a happily married woman,” Jervis asked from the other side of the table in the lab.
“Married, yes,” Susan shrugged, taking another swig from her teacup, “Happily remains up to debate.”
“But you and Reed seemed so close this morning. And when I’ve seen you working together in the main laboratory. The picture of a loving couple,” Jervis said.
“When he makes time for me things are wonderful, Jervis. The problem is, he doesn’t always makes time for me. And don’t get me started on his lab. Sometimes I think he’s more married to his work, and I’m his girl on the side,” Susan said, and raised the cup up to take another drink but found that it was empty. She lowered the cup and looked down at it. She the murmured, “I’m sorry. What a horrible thing to say.”
“There is absolutely nothing wrong with telling a friend how you really feel,” Jervis continued in an understanding tone. He stared at Susan as she continued to gaze down at the cup in her hands. She was studying it, and even lowered a finger and scooped out some of the liquid with her finger. Raising the digit up to her mouth she sucked on her finger for a long time. He smiled to himself. The drugs inside the tea were finally having an effect on her. He too could feel himself slip under their magic spell. It felt wonderful.
“You’re right you know. Absolutely right,” Susan said with a giggle. She looked up at Jervis, her pupils completely dilated and a pleased smile on her face. The drugs were clearly dulling the hurt feelings she was feeling just a minute before. Susan then added, “Um, Jervis, this tea is delicious! Can you pour me another cup?” she then burst out in laughter. She tried to calm herself and exclaimed, “We’re having a tea party just like in the book!”
“Yes, I suppose we are. Just like dear, sweet little Alice,” Jervis nodded. He grabbed the teapot and walked over. Susan was fidgeting in her seat. Her head lolled back and she looked up at him. Her whole body was singing with a pleasure she had never known before in her life and she smiled broadly at him.
“...Like Alice...,” Susan murmured dreamily and watched him pour more and more of the tea into her cup, “Hmmmm, I feel soooooo relaxed when I’m with you.”
“That’s because I’m a true friend,” Jervis stated matter-of-factly. He was overjoyed the second he was finished pouring the cup of tea, Susan grabbed the cup and drank greedily.
When she was finished she wiped her mouth with the sleeve of her suit jacket. She gazed up at him and laughed again, before nodding happily in agreement, “You’re right. You’re a true friend.”
“I am a true friend, Susan, and would never steer you wrong. Stick with me and you could feel happy and carefree all the time,” The Hatter went on, “If only you changed your attitude on life.”
“Wha...what are you talking about?” Susan asked and looked up at Tetch.
“Well, I don’t mean to be rude but it sure seems like your teammates, your, um, family more specifically, constantly disappoint you. Especially your irresponsible brother and workaholic husband,” the Mad Hatter said, his tone changing. It had become more serious. He looked at her in her drugged eyes and saw the conflict and hurt reappear, “You are a brilliant woman, Susan. You deserve to be free of the grinding stress and anxiety that your family/teammates put you through.”
“No,” Susan gasped out through her stupor.
“It’s called tough love,” Tetch said, “I’m only saying this because I care for you.”
Susan stood up on unsteady legs and began to look around the room, “This...this is wrong. Why do I feel this way? Is…” she looked at him questionably, “Did you put something in the tea?”
“You have earned the right to put your own pleasures and desires first. Focus on the things that you want, that you crave! Why should they be denied to you?” the Mad Hatter called, as Susan made her way for the door, “Why should you have the weight of a company and a superteam on your shoulders?”
Susan shook her head at Jervis’ constant questions, and she turned around to confront him. It was all the Mad Hatter needed.
He flipped on his hypnotic projector and it shone directly in Susan’s face from across the room. The bright lights and intricate shapes flashed in her eyes, nearly consuming the pretty blue orbs in its eerie glow. She stood there completely transfixed by the flashing lights with her mouth slightly open in silent wonder. For some time, Jervis simply watched her. Every now and then the beautiful woman would shudder slightly, as if receiving pleasure from a lover. Jervis Tetch narrowed his eyes and smiled a cheshire grin at his future Alice. He knew that between the drugs that had been in the tea and now the hypnotic projector that Susan Storm-Richards’ mind was completely open to suggestion and all sorts of stimuli.
“Susan, please sit back down,” Jervis asked.
“Yes, Jervis,” the captivated Invisible Woman murmured slowly. Almost robotically.
“Good. Sit back down, please,” said in an authoritative tone. He motioned to the chair she had been sitting at just moments before.
Susan, her face still fully illuminated by the hypnotic projector did as she was told. She moved toward the table, and as she did, the lense of Jervis’ machine moved with her in order to keep shining in her face. The Invisible Woman sat down but never once did her eyes leave the projector.
“First of all, in answer to your previous question I drugged your tea. In fact, I drugged the pot we were both drinking out of. I thought it would open us up and help us relax,” Tetch said mischievously, “And you should be thanking me. After the day you had, without me you would’ve went to bed angry and woken up angry! Now you will have the most vibrant dreams thanks to my little concoction. They will be most pleasurable, I promise you.”
Susan showed no sign that she had heard him. She continued to stare straight forward.
“Susan, listen to me. I am taking you on a journey. You don’t know it yet but you will soon vanish. The Susan Storm-Richards that is a world-renowned heroine and businesswoman will cease to be. You’re disintegrating,” Tetch said, leaning back in his chair, “But with my help you will be reborn. There is an alternate self floating around in there somewhere and I have already woken her up. She is simply begging to be released.”
He paused for a few seconds to see if any of this was registering on Susan’s face. To his relief, she continued to stare forward blankly.
“But fear not. It will be very much you, but a you that could have been. If you had never taken on the multiple responsibilities of Susan Storm, the Invisible Woman, but instead dedicated her life to making the world into her very own Wonderland of dark pleasures,” Jervis went on.
“Like Alice,” Susan finally spoke.
“Very good, Susan,” Jervis spoke, “Just like Alice. Now, why don’t you take a drink of the drugged tea? Just like Alice would do.”
“Just like Alice would do,” Susan sighed, and without looking down, she picked up the cup and nearly downed the full cup. Some of the tea spilled down the side of her face, but she didn’t care.
The Mad Hatter got up and poured his future Alice more and more tea, and she continued to drink cup after cup. All the while, he continued implanting suggestions that would go a long way in her corruption, as well as dropping hints for her drug-addled dreams.