Chapter Nine

Jeanette was so shocked she couldn't think what was going on for a moment. Johnny was kissing her; Johnny who could have any girl in New York was kissing her. His lips were so soft and warm; damn he is a good kisser. Her hands were resting on his chest. Then it hit her, practically shattering her heart. What if that was it, Johnny could have any girl in New York and probably had, what if she was another mission. She pushed him off her. He stood staring dumbstruck at her.

"No Johnny," Was all she managed to say once she found her voice.

"Excuse me?" He really looked confused; she was probably the first girl not to be mesmerized by his kiss. Although you were for a while.

"I won't do this!"

"Do what?" Oh crap what if he actually cared about her! No don't be ridiculous, this is Johnny.

"This, Johnny!" he continued to stare at her as if he couldn't comprehend what she was getting at. "I refuse to be just another challenge, another girl to conquer. Another number in your cell phone!" He looked hurt. "I am going home."

"Jeanette wait, it isn't like that!" She turned on her heel to face him once again. He had been right behind her.

"Oh yeah, well what is it?" She really wanted to burst into tears. She had had a crush on Johnny despite his ego since Reed introduced them. Now he kissed her and she wasn't sure if he meant it or not. She wouldn't risk the heart ache to find out. Johnny looked at his feet. "Thought so."

She flagged down a cab and got in. It had reached the intersection when a cold sensation flew threw her body. She spun around in her seat Johnny was still out side the club looking at the cab. "JOHNNY!"

An enormous eruption of electricity went of right behind him. He flew about six feet before falling to the ground. "NO!" Jeanette threw herself out of the cab and fell to the ground beside him.

"Johnny," He didn't respond. Jeanette looked around, no sign of Doom…yet. "Come on Johnny." His eyes fluttered open and her heart erupted with relief. Then his eyes widened alarmingly. "What?" He grabbed her arms and rolled over until he was on top of her.

Another bolt of electricity hit him in the back. "Jesus!" was all he managed.

"Johnny!" Jeanette slowly rolled him off of herself and bent down beside him. She got to her feet and helped him to his. Wrapping his arm around her shoulders she helped him to the cab which had remained where it was. She put Johnny in the back and ran around to the front, opened the driver's door, and dragged him out.

"Sorry," She jumped in and hit the gas pedal. "Johnny?" A moan resounded from the back of the car. "Do you have your cell?"

"Yes."

"I need it." He handed her his cell. Right, left, left, crap brake! As she screeched on the brake to avoid an elderly couple Jeanette felt Johnny's body fly against the front seats.

"OWW!"

"Sorry." She tried to dial but kept missing the buttons. "Crap!" She threw the phone in the back. "Dial Reed!" She swerved around a corner.

BOOM!

Putting on the brake and swerving to the right to miss the crater that erupted in front of the cab. BANG! That side kick guy who help give her these powers landed on the hood of the cab. Jeanette couldn't help but scream. The creep smiled. Then she got control of her self and smiled at him before he flew off the car and hit the building behind him about five times before falling to the ground in a heap.

Jeanette took off again.

"Hey Reed," Johnny's voice sounded from the back. "yeah I am in a car, look we are having trouble. No I dunno Doom I think….hey it isn't my fault! No! I am with Jeanette…hey she saved me!" This continued for a while. Then Johnny's face appeared between the two front seats.

"Okay Reed says go to seventh street bridge; from there he will meet us with Sue and Ben. It is closed so there will be no traffic."

"Okay." They sailed over a speed bump and Johnny hit the ceiling.

"Could you not do that?"

"What do you want me to slow down?" The car stopped and Johnny hit the dash board and Jeanette went threw the windshield.

Johnny looked over the steering wheel. "JEANETTE!" He clambered out of the car and ran over to her. She sat up when he reached her. "Are you okay!" She nodded. "Oh my god you're bleeding!"

She shook her head. "It is just minor. What happened?" Johnny shook his head and looked around.

A girl stepped out from a building on the right side of the street. Johnny stood up in front of Jeanette. "Johnny," Johnny ignored Jeanette.

The girl was walking toward them. "Well you are the famous Human Torch, little disappointing."

"Oh I hate to disappoint," She had made the car stop, Johnny knew it. He burst into flame.

"That's more like it!" She stretched her arms back making a sickening cracking sound and then took off. She was faster then anything Johnny had ever seen, she was barely a blur. Johnny jumped off the ground into flight. He couldn't see her.

"Johnny!" A hard hit came to the back of his head. He spun around but she was gone. "Johnny!" He turned to see Jeanette her hand was outstretched, Johnny turned to where she was pointing to see the blonde struggling against Jeanette's invisible grip. Johnny started to walk towards her. Before reaching her he was hit from the side by the most painful thing he had ever experienced. He hit a wall and slid down to the side walk before he realized what was covering him. It was snow. He got out of the pile. And realized a black guy was running at him. And before he knew what happened a snow ball hit him in the face. Damn that hurts.

Before the guy reached Johnny he flew away from him and landed against a fire hydrant. Jeanette ran over to Johnny. Johnny stared at her and extinguished himself. "Are you okay?"

"Fine," She smiled, "Watch what I can do." The girl was running toward them but she stopped dead in her tracts. Jeanette bit her lower lip; Johnny noticed she did that when she was concentrated.

The girl spun around and ran at the black guy. They started fighting each other. "Look, keep this up, I will go get Reed and the others, they are only a block away." Jeanette nodded slowly.

Johnny burst into flame and kicked off. He had to move fast, he had no idea how long he had. When the bridge came into view Johnny started to descend.

"Johnny!" He looked up and saw Sue running towards him with Reed and Ben right behind her.

"Where is Jeanette?" Reed demanded.

"We were ambushed, we have to go."

"You left her alone!"

"LOOK! If we argue that is only more time she is on her own, we have to go!" Johnny wasn't feeling like discussing this. There was a deafening boom. They turned and saw what looked like a geyser of snow erupt. "Oh no," Before anyone could stop him Johnny burst into flame again and jumped into the air, flying faster then he had since the missile was chasing him.

When he landed were they had been Jeanette was leaning against a brick wall. Their two attackers were unconscious at her feet. She gave him a weak smile. He ran over to her.

"Are you okay?"

"You kidding, nothing like a little fighting for your life to get you heart racing!" He smiled at her. The memories of their kiss rising in him far faster then he liked.

"Jeanette!" They turned and saw Reed and Sue running towards them. Soon Ben turned the corner looking winded.

"Hey you guys!" Jeanette said still panting.

"WOW! You catch on quick!" Sue said looking at the two unconscious people. Jeanette smiled.