Play Date • Johnny Storm

• Chapter Ten •

The five were taken to a medical tent, each of them getting examined for injuries from the events on the bridge.

The team of paramedics had evaluated everyone, leaving Kayla the last to be assessed.

"I said I was fine." She said as the medic removed the blood pressure pad from her arm. As she slipped back into her jacket, she noticed Johnny's concerned gaze on her.

"I'm not going to pass out, Storm." She called out before she faced him. "It was a small nose bleed, and you act like I'm dying. I've had them worse, you know." She pointed out.

Johnny merely nodded silently, his eyes raking over her to assure himself that she was alright as he took a seat next to her. After assuring himself, he then turned towards Ben, staring at him with curiosity while the rocky man continued to stare at the engagement ring in his hand.

"Where are your ears?" The blonde male asked which in return, made Ben look up with a glare.

Kayla's eyes widened and punched the playboy in the shoulder which made him yelp in pain.

"What?" He asked while rubbing his shoulder. Damn could this woman pack a mean punch.

"That's for being an ass." She replied bluntly which earned herself a soft chuckle from the rocky figure.

Before Johnny could even get a response in, a fire chief had stepped inside the tent, his eyes looking between the five.

"There are some folks outside that want to talk to you." He announced, gesturing his hand towards the entrance of the tent.

Reed looked at him, quite hesistant. "We're not going public with this." He replied. "We're scientists, not celebrities."

"It's too late for that, son." The chief said and gestured over towards the small tv that sat inside the tent. "Look." He said and walked over, turning it on.

A news report popped up on screen showcasing reels of each of them and their heroic deeds which made the five shift their gazes towards the small screen.

What really caught Kayla's attention, apart that she was captured on screen using her water abilities, was what they were being called.

"That's what they're calling you." The chief spoke up and looked at them. "The Fantastic Five."

"Cool!" Johnny exclaimed with a grin, immediately turning on his heel to exit the tent.

"No, wait!" Susan called, stopping her little brother in his tracks. "Where are you going?"

Johnny gave her a pointed look. "I'm gonna go talk to them." He replied, giving them the most obvious answer.

"No." Kayla spoke up, folding her arms as she looked at her ex. "We should think this through."

"That's great!" The playboy exclaimed and pointed at them. "Brainstorm."

The four watched as the younger Storm sibling jogged off, Kayla groaning with a roll of her eyes before they all ran after them.

"Johnny!" Susan hissed in attempt to stop her brother but he was already in front a group of reporters, basking in their praise.

Johnny glanced behind him toward the remaining four with a grin. "Can you believe this?" He asked excitedly.

The fire chief stepped in front of them, his eyes scanning the five. "Which one of you is the leader?" He asked as he looked between them.

"That would be me." The blonde male answered with confidence.

The chief looked at Johnny before he scoffed. "No, seriously." He said.

Susan glanced behind her to Kayla, who gave her a casual shrug, before they both shoved Reed forward lightly, who looked back at them in a startled manner.

The fire chief saw this and nodded his head in approval. "Okay, son. You're on." He said and stepped out of the way allowing the reporters to begin their questioning.

"Uh.." Reed began, almost timidly with a nervous smile. "During our recent mission to the Von Doom Space Station, we were exposed to, is yet, an unidentified radioactive energy."

And that was when an avalanche of questions were thrown at them.

"What happened on the bridge?"

"Is it true that you can stretch?"

"Were you really on fire?"

"Can you manipulate water to your will?"

"Is it true that you can fly?"

Kayla remained silent for the question thrown at her but Johnny took the opportunity to answer.

"Yeah, I'm working on that." He replied, answering the question on him flying. "It's actually really difficult."

"Actually, we do not know much more than you do at this point." Susan said as she stepped forward. "We will be going directly to our lab to diagnose our symptoms."

"Symptoms?" A female reporter repeated. "Is this some kind of disease?" She asked.

"Of course not." Kayla stepped in to answer. "It's not a disease. It happened to us so there is no possibility of these symptoms spreading to others."

Johnny then stepped forward, moving in front of his sister, the Richards siblings and Ben. "Like Kayla said, its not a disease but if having special powers is a disease, then yeah, we got it bad." He said with a chuckle, making the remainder of the group glare at him.

"Excuse me.." A male reporter spoke up, catching their attention before he pointed a finger towards Ben. "But that thing doesn't look so fantastic."

Kayla narrowed her eyes dangerously at the reporters.

'Stay calm, Kayla. Keep your cool.' She thought to herself.

"Actually, he's saved a lot of lives on that bridge which is much more than any of you could do." She said with a calm voice.

'Good girl.' She thought.

Reed nodded his head in agreement with his little sister. "Ben Grimm is a true American hero." He added in Ben's defence.

Johnny, however, had other plans as he wrapped an arm around Ben's shoulder with a smirk. "What they mean is, every team needs a mascot." He said making the crowd laugh.

"A day is dawning. The day of the Fantastic Five." He announced and wrapped an arm around Kayla's waist but he had instantly let go after she gave him a hard nudge in the ribs with her elbow.

"You are such an asshole." She hissed at him harshly with a heated glare as he rubbed his side in pain.

'Good, he deserved it.' She thought as she stepped forward towards the reporters.

"Alright, listen up." She said, all eyes falling onto her 5'2" frame. "The five of us went up there to study and observe the cloud in order to try and understand DNA, to save lives and cure countless diseases. But guess what? Shit happens. It's part of our DNA now. It's our disease, our symptoms and our lives that could be at risk."

Silence ensued as everyone watched the young woman for her next move.

"No further questions." Kayla announced and turned on her heel, noticing the look of pride on her brother's face as he gave her a nod of approval.

The fire chief came back up to the group of five, announcing that there was a mode of transportation prepared to escort them to where they needed to go.

'Finally.' Kayla thought to herself as they were led over.