A/N: Sorry about the wait guys, I've been on vacation. This one's short but the next one will be up soon.
Chapter Five
Stella and Johnny pulled on sweat clothes before heading down to the first floor conference room that had been converted into a gym with a track and some weightlifting equipment.
"I'll race you," Johnny offered as they did their preliminary stretching.
"Loser buys lunch," Stella proposed.
"Sure," Johnny agreed. He could go for lunch. "Ready," they lined up in neighboring lanes. "Set," he'd let her have a quick head start, just so she didn't feel bad. "Go!" Johnny watched Stella take off; she was moving so fast by the time she got down to the other end of the track she was just a blur. An instant later she came up behind him and skidded to a halt.
"Whoa," she declared, looking dazed.
"Whoa," he agreed, then added in a mix between a statement of fact and an awe-inspiring observation: "You're fast."
"Thinking about it, it makes perfect sense," Reed declared. "After having your molecules supper heated, your body is functioning in fast forward."
"Is that going to cause a problem?" Stella asked, worriedly.
"Well, the wear and tear on your clothes is going to cost a fortune," Reed said thoughtfully. "Sue, weren't there extra suits in the station. The material should be able to hold up against the friction. How your skin will react under the conditions of such a high speed is yet to be determined."
"What?" Stella began, looking extremely nervous.
"He means we don't know if you'll suffer from windburn," Sue explained comfortingly. "But because of the cellular activity, you may even have an advanced regenerative ability. That would also explain how you recuperated so quickly after the accident."
"You mean I have healing powers?" Stella asked excitedly.
"Maybe," Reed said, then turned to Sue. "We'll have to work out some tests." Johnny and Stella turned and headed for the elevator.
"Where do you think you two are going?" Sue called as the elevator doors opened.
"Johnny owes me lunch," Stella answered, backing into the elevator as she spoke.