I wish to dedicate this chapter to the recently deceased Terry Jones as well as Kobe Bryant, his daughter and the others who were tragically killed in that helicopter accident. May they all rest in peace.
The next day at school it seemed everyone was talking about the latest story by Jameson and the Daily Bugle; he had ended it saying he had plenty of information to share in time so to stay tuned. The media had quickly enough made it the top story with several government officials dismissing the story as a conspiracy theory but there were making an argument for the story since a well known scientist was collaborating it.
The idea of the US Government being behind most of the Metahumans following Superman's arrival was quickly coined 'the Superman Theory' and there were blogs wanting to discuss it. The news got to foreign governments who had their diplomats and ambassadors contacting the US Government for explanations on what Helga Jace had given and the supposed US government files that Jameson had posted on the site.
It had overshadowed the news of word that the royal family of the country of Dherain was overthrown and there was a new dictator.
There was lot of whispering in the cafeteria when Peter got through and shook his head; "Come on its Jameson and the Bugle, should you really take it seriously? I mean if he really wanted to expose the truth then he would have posted all that he had instead of drawing it all out for extra coverage." Peter commented out loud to the fellow students but there was an uncertainty to his words and in the back of his head.
He just sat down with his girlfriends at their table and they were uncertain was well due to all the talk; after the story hit they didn't know what to think but it definitely caught the attention of the Justice League. Most of them were ready to dismiss it and were investigating the supposed evidence that Jameson had posted.
"Enough talk, you want to go over the pop culture thing?" Kara suggested and Stephanie and Peter relaxed happy enough to change the subject. It was a game they started where they would together discuss different movies, shows and games that existed in their worlds.
Stephanie and Peter loved it being pop culture nerds and Kara was embarrassed when earlier in the week at Peter's house; they had discussed the Kevin Smith directed Superman movie starring Nicholas Cage as her cousin. Superman had signed likeness rights (somehow without revealing his secret identity) to cartoon and movie studios with his pay going to charity.
"Well on our Earth; this armored hero Tony Stark got a cartoon series called the Ultimate Iron Man made of his identity which I used to watch. The head writer is apparently this infamous science fiction author, Orson Scott Card." Peter stated with Stephanie's eyes opening wide and Kara stating she remembered there was an outcry when the man was to write a comic about her cousin. "Get this; it took a few episodes for Iron Man to be there! For the first few episodes his father Howard Stark was the main character. Imagine my confusion as a little kid." Peter commented with them laughing.
Stephanie asked if he had seen another Kevin Smith film Green Arrow: Escape from Super Max; then they saw sitting down next to Peter was a large muscular tall blonde haired boy who was shooing away other students asking him about the Superman Theory. "Oh I definitely have; got the DVD from Amazon earlier in the week. Hope you don't mind me sitting here Peter as you're table is the only one i could find not talking about dad's story." The boy John Jameson III asked Peter and he gave a nod.
John was Jameson's son and was a star football player with big plans of being an astronaut and becoming the first to play football on the moon. He kept having students question him about the story since he got in; "Hope you are handling this well Mr Jameson. Must be annoying with everyone wanting to question about your dad and thinking he had shared his top secret government conspiracy story with you." Kara stated and John sighed.
"Well, dad is dad but I think I can tell you this: I overheard him and this story started with a flash drive he just found on his desk. He has no idea where it came from but I doubted he cares." John whispered and Peter stated that he could believe it.
The bell rang and John was having students crowd him before he could leave; then the intercom came on and Coulson demanded that everyone remember this is a school and anyone hounding John Jameson about his father's stories will be met with a detention.
Peter was wondering about what Coulson thought of this but decided he would already be busy balancing running SHIELD and the school plus of course SHIELD might have to get involved.
J. Jonah Jameson was in his office at the Daily Bugle headquarters grunting as in the morning SHIELD agents and insisted that for his saftey that the SHIELD agents be allowed to be stationed for security and at his home as well. He demanded that if they persist then to let them know he will not tolerate any attempts for silencing the truth.
He was busy marveling at how this world's news networks were talking about his story; a big scoop if he would ever saw one. He already had been contacted by lawyers of several Metahumans wanting to collaborate with the date he had. The flash drive he found was now more valuable to him than all the gold in the world.
He had a Thomas Lincoln contacting about how ARGUS funded his experimental ALS treatment for his daughter the now Mrs Caitlin Snow-Allen but messed with it and gave her powers transforming her into the villain turned Justice League member Killer Frost. He had apparently been warned to keep their involvement silent and how the transformation was an accident.
He had been contacted a representative of CatCo saying that they were inviting him to a live TV interview to discuss his stories with CEO James Olsen. He knew that CatCo had already dismissed his stories outright and was really looking forward to it.
"Let's see how you take it when the world knows that Superman's pal is the self proclaimed Guardian of National City." Jameson thought in his head as his assistant Jared came into his office. He said that there was a situation where the hero Firestorm is trying to barge in.
Jameson grinned and told her to send him in and he would be happy for a meeting; Jared blinked and nodded. Soon enough coming through with SHIELD agents following him was a young man in a yellow and dark red body suit, a red mask with a hole for his face and what seemed like fire coming from his hair.
"Trust me on this Professor Stein, I am going to show this jerk a piece of my mind for his outrageous lies..." Firestorm muttered underneath his breath and Jameson kept his smirk as Jameson dismissed the SHIELD agents. They said they would be standing at the door ready as Firestorm came and got into Jameson's face.
"Listen here Jameson; we have been protecting the Earth and serving on the Justice League for years and here you come with your slanderous lies! I don't know how you rolled on your Earth but I won't stand for it with you here! I became Firestorm by accident and I won't let you tell everyone I am some sort of government pawn..." Firestorm thundered as Jameson was acting uncharacteristically calm.
"Glad you could make time out of your time in college to come visit but I wish you could have asked for an appointment first. I would have been happy enough to schedule a meeting with you Mr Raymond. Plus I wonder how much time Professor Stein lost in his own schedule for him to come over here in your head." Jameson replied as Ronnie Raymond took a step back in shock that Jameson knew about his secret identity and Martin Stein being in his head.
Ignoring Stein's call to get out of there; "How much do you know Mr Jameson? I want to know what part you know and what parts you are making up." Ronnie demanded continuing to ignored Stein's screams and demands in his head.
"In your high school years; interning at STAR Labs under Professor Stein; he was studying the FIRESTORM Matrix; a quantum field project that was set up by the Soviets but the US government got its hands on it and continued. During your internship an accident happened and fused you both together; becoming Firestorm." Jameson continued and Ronnie paused. "Let me show you something; this video is ready to be uploaded at the right time on the Bugle but you get to have an early preview screening of the untold part of your origin story." Jameson said showing him the screen on his computer and he opened up a file called FIRESTORM.
Stein's demands were getting angry and close to panick but Ronnie turned and saw a video footage showing Professor Stein with Amanda Waller at STAR Labs with the time code showing it was a week before the accident:
They were looking at video files of various experiments with the Firestorm Matrix and it showed several people fusing together and unable to handle it. Then they were showing a bodysuit complete with mask and chest plate to hold the Firestorm Matrix. They went back and looked as the suit was absorbed by the Matrix. "I think with this specialized suit we will be able to perfect the Firestorm Matrix. With the perfectly large explosion Mr Raymond will gain great power and he will have me to guide him."Stein told Waller excitedly as he showed off his notes.
"The psyche file you have given me; all this work and giving him this internship so he could be our Firestorm Matrix. Are you sure he is an ideal candidate?" Waller asked as Stein nodded.
"Positively; deceased mother and a strained relationship with his mother; under my guidance I have molded him well and I will be able continue to do so as the parental figure he desperately needs and wants. Look forward to being able to serve as your deep cover agent in the League. I suspect he will have a membership offer within a year." Stein told her as the footage ends.
Ronnie was still as a statue as Stein was screaming in his head to destroy the computer and make a break for it. "This can't be true... I need air!" Ronnie screamed heading for the door; Jameson shook his head as Ronnie came out and started flying away.
Waller was hard at work in her office ignoring all calls that kept on coming, time to assemble Task Force X to see if they can get rid of the Jameson problem...
I have this oneshot Spider-Man romance collection story called Spider Romances if you want to check it out please and I am welcome to suggestions for chapters as well as plot ideas by PM please.