Johnny looked at his sister who kept staring at him with her big, blue manic eyes. He wanted so desperately to help her and to save the rest of his family. The hero looked at her with a pleading look on his face.
“Sue, you need help,” Johnny said, “This isn’t you.”
“You’re right, Johnny-Boy,” Alice murmured, “I’m not Sue. I’m Alice. How many times must I remind you?”
“OK,” Johnny said, shaking his head. He realized she was under some outside influence or control, like some sort of bizarre spell, and he glanced over at the panel of windows from across the room.
He glanced over at a window panel and thought of one way to escape. The Human Torch’s eyes began to glow with a crackling fire. He gritted his teeth and balled up his fists, which also became ablaze. He reached out his hand with the intent to shoot a fireball directly at the panel of windows that would clear his way to escape, but when he did nothing happened. He looked down in confusion to see his hand free of the flames. Grimacing, Johnny tried to shoot another fireball with his left hand but it too had been distinguished. Then he saw them. They were barely visible, but he could see that two force fields had formed over his arms.
Johnny heard girlish giggles coming from Sue, and he turned towards her.
“Ah, ah, ah,” Alice chided, shaking her head, “Oh, what a naughty, naughty boy you are, Johnny Storm. Playing with fire like that? Why, you might get burned.”
“Sue, stop this,” Johnny said as he struggled and tried to move his limbs but the forcefields held them in place, “You don’t know what you’re doing.”
“How many times do I have to tell you? My name is ALICE!” Alice shouted petulantly and stomped her foot added affect. She then turned her head and Johnny was sent flying uncontrollably over towards the lounge area.
He expected to slam against the wall or the TV, but instead he was caught by big, rocky hands that somehow cushioned him. He looked up and saw the blue eyes of Ben Grimm staring down at him. They too shone with an unmistakable madness and his friend and playful rival smiled down at him with a big, toothy grin that was similar to his sister’s deranged smile.
“Caught ya, Hot Head!” Ben said, his gruff voice had taken on an uncharacteristic playful tone, “That was a close one. It’s just like Alice said. We can’t have you throwing around fiery fireballs! No rough-housin’ in the house!”
Even in Johnny’s frazzled, panicked mind he knew that those helmets must have done something to Ben. And not just Ben…
“Nice catch, Benny! You rocky stud!” came the loud, enthusiastic voice of Alicia Masters and then she too burst out in a fit of crazed giggles.
“Oh, poor, poor, Johnny-Boy,” Alice cooed out and began to mince over to the lounge area where Johnny was being held. She shook her head tisked, “Why can’t you just be more fun?”
“Did we do well, Miss Alice?” the blind woman asked. Alicia’s voice dripped with a maniacal desperation to please the woman before her.
“That you did, my happy little helpers,” Alice murmured, stepping closer and closer to Johnny until he was uncomfortably aware of how close she was to him and how he was uncomfortably aware of how well the skimpy latex lingerie showcased every inch of exquisite body.
“Hey, Alice,” Ben said, “Now that you mention it, didn’t Johnny used to be the fun one in the family?”
Alice’s manic blue eyes reached out and rubbed Johnny on the cheek. Her attention was locked on her brother as she addressed the immense rock-man holding Johnny in place, “That’s right, Benny-Boy. Johnny used to be the wild and wacky member of the family, but now he’s the boring one. I’m the one who REALLY knows how to have a good time now! But fear not, Johnny. You can still join us! Think of the fun you had last night with sweet, sweet Cheshi. You can have that much fun EVERY SINGLE NIGHT if you join us in Wonderland.”
“Oh, yes!” Alicia exclaimed, “Wouldn’t that be such mad fun! For Johnny-Bot to join us! Come on, Johnny! Join us in Wonderland!”
“It’s just like Mr. Hatter said,” Ben Grimm spoke in a rumbling voice, “It’s so much fun to lose yer mind.”
“You’re all fucking crazy,” Johnny said and tried to free himself from The Thing’s vice-like grip but to no avail.
Alice, Ben and Alicia all began laughing like lunatics, shrieking and howling with insane glee. The Baxter Building had become a madhouse and they were the inmates running the asylum.