"So how is he now, Ben?" asked Reed, wearing a look of concern. Ben told him the whole story.
"He's gonna have a mighty big bump on his noggin," grumbled Ben, "but other than that he should be fine."
"Well I want you to have him call me as soon as he wakes up. As for this electromagnetic pulse emitter, I don't like the sound of it. They stole it from PolarTech, right? Well they've been working on a big electromagnet, and from what I hear the pulse can wipe out every electronic device on the planet when it's directed at satellites. It bounces the pulse off them right before taking them out. Well keep me posted Ben. Sue and I may have to fly in."
"Alright Stretch, see ya." Ben clicked off the video screen and stared blankly for a moment. The events that just took place were like a nightmare he wanted to forget.
Johnny just began attacking the man. He wrapped his hands around the man's neck and wouldn't let go. The worst part is that he was completely in flames while he did it. Ben desperately tried to pull Johnny off the man, but his palms were turned to charcoal before he could get a decent grip. He didn't want to hurt the kid, but he had to stop him. He folded his hands and bashed him on the top of the head, not too hard, but just enough to put him down. Johnny collapsed and returned to his normal state. Grimm had fled the scene with him right as the police began to show up.
The demented look in Johnny's eyes was terrifying, and the image of the man burning... it was just too much for Ben to bear. He shook his head and turned away from the screen. Before calling Reed he talked to the district attorney. Lucky for them she said that there wasn't a judge in the state that would convict Johnny of wrongdoing, especially after all that the Fantastic Four has done for the city. Very lucky. After that he called Reed because he didn't know what else he should do.
"I wish Reed was here, the guy always knew how to keep ya from feelin' scared," Ben thought to himself. He was worried about the piece of machinery that was stolen, and terrified of what Johnny was like, but there was something even more surprising about the whole incident. After Torch flipped, the whole room was lit up like a bonfire. It wasn't like he just lost control, but instead the heat that he was producing was overpowering. Ben could barely stand it, and he was made out of rock. The strength of this heat was unlike anything he had ever seen come from Johnny, and he had known him since he got his powers. It was almost as if he had unleashed a power he couldn't control. It seemed that all this time he had this incredible force inside him and never knew it was there. His anger must have been what released it. The lab looked like it was hit with some napalm. It was unlike anything he had ever seen.
The scariest part is that it seemed like Johnny wasn't done. When Ben knocked him out he was still powering up. If he hadn't taken him out when he did, than he might not have been able to stop him. The door slid open behind him and Ben snapped out of his trance. Johnny stood in the doorway holding his head, looking as if he had just gone ten rounds with Evander Holyfield.
"How ya feelin' kid," Ben asked. He could already tell what the answer was going to be, but he decided to see what he could get out of the kid.
"Ouch... not too great. Did you catch the number of the bus that hit me?" Johnny asked jokingly. As he forced out a laugh he chest heaved and it felt like everyone one of his ribs was broken. His body ached just about everywhere. "How long have I been asleep?"
"Not too long, actually I was expectin' you ta sleep for the next few days after what just happened. Do ya remember what happened Johnny?"
"Well... I remember losing that big magnet thing, but that's about all I can recall." Actually Johnny remembered everything that happened last night. He recalled every startling and horrifying detail of his rampage. He just didn't want to talk about it, so he lied to Ben.
"Nothin' huh? Well Reed wants you to call him in a little while, your sis is really worried about ya'. As for me, I'm gonna go take a nap, I'm beat." Ben shuffled past Johnny and down the hall to his bedroom. Johnny walked over and sat in front of the huge screen. He fingered the button for a moment, debating whether or not to call Reed and Susan right away. He finally pulled his hand back and decided that he should go for a walk first, to gather his thoughts.
Johnny walked over to the window and flamed on. He was shocked to see that his flame was not much more than a warm glow. He figured that maybe it was a side effect of this greater power he experienced. Maybe he needed to recharge for a while.
Johnny walked down the hall, grabbed a jacket, and headed out the door. He walked for an hour, trying to rid his brain of the robber's terrified face as he burned to death. After some time he realized he was feeling much better. He flamed on and soared up in the sky. He was still a little sore, and his fire was not at its usual strength, but it was enough for now.
Johnny's thoughts turned to this new power he contained and he was ashamed to admit that it excited him. He wasn't sure how it worked though. He used it before and he woke up feeling like he took a thirty-story fall. Johnny knew he had to be careful, or it could cause him some serious damage. All his meditation was cut short by a voice from behind him.
"Torch, there you are," shouted a flying man clad in black and white armor. His rockets powered down and he landed on the nearby roof. Johnny turned off his flame and jumped down next to the stranger he quickly recognized as War Machine.
"Hey, I can't say I expected to see you here," remarked Johnny, "What's the problem?"
"I've been trying to get in touch with you guys. I think we have a major situation here!"
Chapter 3 soon to come...
"He's gonna have a mighty big bump on his noggin," grumbled Ben, "but other than that he should be fine."
"Well I want you to have him call me as soon as he wakes up. As for this electromagnetic pulse emitter, I don't like the sound of it. They stole it from PolarTech, right? Well they've been working on a big electromagnet, and from what I hear the pulse can wipe out every electronic device on the planet when it's directed at satellites. It bounces the pulse off them right before taking them out. Well keep me posted Ben. Sue and I may have to fly in."
"Alright Stretch, see ya." Ben clicked off the video screen and stared blankly for a moment. The events that just took place were like a nightmare he wanted to forget.
Johnny just began attacking the man. He wrapped his hands around the man's neck and wouldn't let go. The worst part is that he was completely in flames while he did it. Ben desperately tried to pull Johnny off the man, but his palms were turned to charcoal before he could get a decent grip. He didn't want to hurt the kid, but he had to stop him. He folded his hands and bashed him on the top of the head, not too hard, but just enough to put him down. Johnny collapsed and returned to his normal state. Grimm had fled the scene with him right as the police began to show up.
The demented look in Johnny's eyes was terrifying, and the image of the man burning... it was just too much for Ben to bear. He shook his head and turned away from the screen. Before calling Reed he talked to the district attorney. Lucky for them she said that there wasn't a judge in the state that would convict Johnny of wrongdoing, especially after all that the Fantastic Four has done for the city. Very lucky. After that he called Reed because he didn't know what else he should do.
"I wish Reed was here, the guy always knew how to keep ya from feelin' scared," Ben thought to himself. He was worried about the piece of machinery that was stolen, and terrified of what Johnny was like, but there was something even more surprising about the whole incident. After Torch flipped, the whole room was lit up like a bonfire. It wasn't like he just lost control, but instead the heat that he was producing was overpowering. Ben could barely stand it, and he was made out of rock. The strength of this heat was unlike anything he had ever seen come from Johnny, and he had known him since he got his powers. It was almost as if he had unleashed a power he couldn't control. It seemed that all this time he had this incredible force inside him and never knew it was there. His anger must have been what released it. The lab looked like it was hit with some napalm. It was unlike anything he had ever seen.
The scariest part is that it seemed like Johnny wasn't done. When Ben knocked him out he was still powering up. If he hadn't taken him out when he did, than he might not have been able to stop him. The door slid open behind him and Ben snapped out of his trance. Johnny stood in the doorway holding his head, looking as if he had just gone ten rounds with Evander Holyfield.
"How ya feelin' kid," Ben asked. He could already tell what the answer was going to be, but he decided to see what he could get out of the kid.
"Ouch... not too great. Did you catch the number of the bus that hit me?" Johnny asked jokingly. As he forced out a laugh he chest heaved and it felt like everyone one of his ribs was broken. His body ached just about everywhere. "How long have I been asleep?"
"Not too long, actually I was expectin' you ta sleep for the next few days after what just happened. Do ya remember what happened Johnny?"
"Well... I remember losing that big magnet thing, but that's about all I can recall." Actually Johnny remembered everything that happened last night. He recalled every startling and horrifying detail of his rampage. He just didn't want to talk about it, so he lied to Ben.
"Nothin' huh? Well Reed wants you to call him in a little while, your sis is really worried about ya'. As for me, I'm gonna go take a nap, I'm beat." Ben shuffled past Johnny and down the hall to his bedroom. Johnny walked over and sat in front of the huge screen. He fingered the button for a moment, debating whether or not to call Reed and Susan right away. He finally pulled his hand back and decided that he should go for a walk first, to gather his thoughts.
Johnny walked over to the window and flamed on. He was shocked to see that his flame was not much more than a warm glow. He figured that maybe it was a side effect of this greater power he experienced. Maybe he needed to recharge for a while.
Johnny walked down the hall, grabbed a jacket, and headed out the door. He walked for an hour, trying to rid his brain of the robber's terrified face as he burned to death. After some time he realized he was feeling much better. He flamed on and soared up in the sky. He was still a little sore, and his fire was not at its usual strength, but it was enough for now.
Johnny's thoughts turned to this new power he contained and he was ashamed to admit that it excited him. He wasn't sure how it worked though. He used it before and he woke up feeling like he took a thirty-story fall. Johnny knew he had to be careful, or it could cause him some serious damage. All his meditation was cut short by a voice from behind him.
"Torch, there you are," shouted a flying man clad in black and white armor. His rockets powered down and he landed on the nearby roof. Johnny turned off his flame and jumped down next to the stranger he quickly recognized as War Machine.
"Hey, I can't say I expected to see you here," remarked Johnny, "What's the problem?"
"I've been trying to get in touch with you guys. I think we have a major situation here!"
Chapter 3 soon to come...