The next day, Johnny was at school, rummaging through his locker as the dull hum of chatter filled the hallway. Students brushed past him, laughing, whispering, trading books. But this time… some of them stopped to look at him.
A few girls gave side glances, some guys murmured something and even some took him photos discreetly (even though he noticed it), before walking away.
Johnny rolled his eyes.
Oh, now that I have the fucking supermodel body people notice me?! What a surprise.
He slammed his locker shut — and nearly jumped out of his skin when a voice spoke right behind it.
"Why did you skip class yesterday?"
"Jesus, Eve!" Johnny blurted, clutching his chest. "Don't do that! I nearly flamed on in the middle of the hall!"
Eve stood there with her arms crossed, her foot tapping impatiently against the floor. "Oh, now you wanna keep your secret identity a secret?"
Johnny blinked. "What do you mean by that?"
Without a word, Eve took out her phone and turned the screen toward him. "What I mean is that you have some explaining to do, little man."
Johnny leaned closer — and froze. The video on screen showed a blurry but very recognizable figure igniting into flames midair above the city. It wasn't crystal clear, but it didn't need to be. The outline, the posture, the fire—it was unmistakably him.
"Oooohhhhh," Johnny said, his face falling. "Oh… oh."
Eve raised an eyebrow. "Oh, oh? That's all you've got in your defense?"
He scratched the back of his head, awkwardly avoiding eye contact. "Yes—no—I mean… how? How did they even record that? I thought there was nobody around when I took off."
"Welcome to the twenty-first century, Johnny," Eve replied dryly, slipping her phone back into her pocket. "People carry their phones everywhere. Which means anyone can record anything you do, including you turning into a human bonfire."
Johnny sighed, as his shoulders slumped. "Okay, yeah. I see why you're upset now."
"Oh no," Eve said sharply, as her voice tightened. "You misunderstand. I'm not just upset because you might've exposed yourself to half of Chicago. I'm upset because you ditched school yesterday and didn't tell anyone."
Johnny frowned, his expression shifting from guilt to quiet frustration. "I… I'm sorry, Eve. It's just…" He hesitated, glancing around before continuing in a lower voice. "Ever since I got these powers, everything's changed so much. I'm working for the government now, they pay me well, I'm saving lives before dinner—" He gave a small, tired laugh. "—and then I come back here, sit in a classroom, pretending to care about equations I'll never use. It feels pointless."
Eve's glare softened slightly, while her shoulders relaxed.
Johnny continued talking, with his voice quieter now. "And this place… this school—it's not exactly filled with happy memories. Not long ago, people either made fun of me for being overweight, or worse, acted like I didn't even exist. So when I think about sitting here while there are people out there who actually need help…" He trailed off, shaking his head. "It just doesn't feel right anymore."
Eve looked at him for a long moment, the irritation faded into a gentler emotion. Understanding.
"I get it," she said finally. "Really, I do. You've got power, and that changes how you see everything. But trust me, skipping school and burning bridges doesn't make the rest of your life any easier."
Johnny managed a faint smirk. "Didn't think you'd be the one giving me the 'stay in school' talk."
Eve smiled back, though it was tinged with worry. "Yeah, well… someone has to make sure you don't end up a walking cautionary tale on the news."
Johnny chuckled softly, though inside, he couldn't help but think she might be right.
Suddenly, Eve's expression shifted — her eyes darted past Johnny's shoulder, narrowing slightly as she focused on something behind him.
Johnny frowned, a little confused. "What? What is it?"
"Nothing… just—someone's watching us," Eve murmured, her tone sharp but calm. Her eyes followed a figure standing halfway down the hall, just staring in their direction. "And he's coming this way."
Johnny instinctively turned, tensing a bit as he faced the approaching stranger. "Who? Who is it?"
"I don't have a clue," Eve said under her breath, as her stance shifted subtly to a more defensive one. "But he looks like he wants to talk."
The figure closed the distance, his steps steady and deliberate. He looked around their age — maybe a senior as them— but he carried himself with an odd kind of confidence.
He was tall and athletic, fair-skinned, with sharp, boyish features. His black hair, combed back with a few rebellious strands, gave him a slightly messy look that somehow still worked. He wore a dark navy-green shirt, khaki pants, and white sneakers — casual, but somehow neat.
When he finally stopped a few feet from them, he gave a small, nervous smile. "Hey there. You're Samantha Wilkins, right? And you must be Johnny Storm."
Eve blinked, a little caught off guard, while Johnny looked at him suspiciously. They exchanged a quick glance — neither had any clue who this guy was.
"Yeah," Eve said cautiously. "And you are…?"
The teen rubbed the back of his neck, almost sheepish. "Right, sorry — I should've led with that. Uh… I'm the guy from the other day. You know, when those aliens invaded Chicago." He took a small step closer, lowering his voice slightly. "I'm… Invincible."
Both Eve and Johnny froze for a split second, before their eyes widened with realization.
"Oooooohhhh," Johnny said, dragging out the word. "You're that guy! The one who was carrying the wounded grandma!"
Eve crossed her arms, giving him a more curious look now.
"Yeah, that's me," said Invincible — or rather, Mark — with a small embarrassed chuckle. "She, uh… broke her arm. I got her to a hospital, though. Sorry for… you know, freezing up in the middle of the chaos."
Johnny waved a hand dismissively. "Hey, don't worry about it, man. Everyone freezes their first time. You were facing alien soldiers shooting lasers and blowing stuff up — it's not like that's a normal Tuesday."
Mark gave a relieved grin. "Yeah… I guess you're right."
Eve, now far more relaxed, stepped a bit closer. "It was your first real fight, wasn't it?"
Mark nodded, rubbing the back of his neck again. "Pretty much. First time fighting anything more dangerous than… well, a mugger."
Eve's expression softened. "You handled yourself fine. For a first-timer, you did what mattered — you saved someone."
Johnny nodded in agreement. "Yeah, you did good, rookie. Just next time, try not to almost crash into me midair, huh?" he said with a teasing smirk.
Mark laughed awkwardly. "Hey, you came out of nowhere!"
Johnny shrugged. "So did the portals."
"Cut him a break Johnny, and also, rookie? Seriously? You also started a few time ago if my memory isn't wrong." Said Eve.
That actually made all three of them chuckle, as the tension slowly faded away.
For a brief moment, as students passed by whispering and glancing their way, Johnny realized something weird — he, Eve, and this guy Invincible… they all looked normal. Just a bunch of teenagers talking by the lockers. And yet, every single one of them had been up in the sky yesterday, risking their lives for people who'd never even know their names.
---
After class, the three of them found a secret spot to talk without anyone hearing. They sat on the roof of the school, the soft hum of the city below mixing with the rustling of the wind. The school bell had long stopped ringing, and the sun was beginning its descent toward the horizon, casting orange and pink streaks across the sky.
Mark leaned against the railing, holding a soda can he'd grabbed from a vending machine downstairs. Johnny sat across from him, his jacket half-zipped, the faint burn marks from his earlier fight barely visible. Eve sat nearby, legs crossed, looking between them with curiosity.
"So," Mark started, narrowing his eyes slightly, "you're… new here, right? I mean, I've never seen you around before."
Johnny smirked. "Not exactly new. I've been here for a while, just… looked a little different back then."
Mark tilted his head. "Different how?"
Johnny chuckled softly. "Let's just say I went through… a transformation. A big one. Growth spurt, training, life changes — the works." He gestured at his own frame with a half-shrug. "Guess people don't recognize me anymore.
Eve smiled faintly. "Yeah, I noticed that earlier. You're a lot more… uh, built than most guys here."
Mark gave her a sidelong look, grinning. "Careful, Eve, that almost sounded like flirting."
Eve rolled her eyes and sipped from her water bottle. "Oh please, Mark. I was just stating a fact."
Johnny chuckled again, shaking his head. "Don't worry. I'll take it as a compliment."
The silence that followed was easy, almost peaceful. Then Mark looked over at Eve again, curiosity flickering in his eyes.
"Hey, speaking of that… how do you keep your identity secret, anyway?" he asked. "You don't even wear a mask when you're Atom Eve. Like, don't people just… recognize you?"
Eve laughed quietly, brushing her hair back. "You'd be surprised how the human mind works. It's kind of psychological. People don't expect to see superheroes at their schools or coffee shops. They see what they expect to see — another student, another face in the crowd."
Mark frowned. "So you're saying people just… don't connect the dots?"
"Pretty much," she said, smirking. "It's like selective blindness. Unless someone's looking for Atom Eve, they won't see her standing right in front of them."
Johnny raised an eyebrow. "That's kind of genius, actually."
Eve shrugged modestly. "It helps. But I still keep my guard up. All it takes is one slip."
Mark nodded slowly, staring out at the skyline. "Yeah… I guess I'm lucky no one's noticed me sneaking off, either."
Johnny shot him a look. "You'd be surprised who's watching."
Mark blinked. "What do you mean?"
Johnny smirked, recalling Cecil's amused tone earlier. "Let's just say some people have an eye everywhere. You skip one class, punch one fish-man, and they already know your GPA dropped half a point."
Eve laughed, covering her mouth. "Cecil gave you a hard time?"
"He congratulated me," Johnny said, leaning back, "but yeah — he knew I cut class before I even told him what happened. Guess that's part of the GDA charm."
Mark grinned. "Sounds about right."
Eve swung her legs over the ledge, eyes glinting as she watched the city lights begin to flicker on below. "You know…" she began, her tone casual, "since we're all off duty for once, why don't you guys come by the Teen Team HQ? Might as well introduce you both properly."
Mark perked up. "Wait—seriously? You mean the actual Teen Team headquarters?"
Eve smiled. "Yeah. You've been helping out here and there, Mark. It's about time you met the others." Then she glanced at Johnny with a raised brow. "Though, technically, you already have."
Johnny nodded slightly, leaning back on his hands. "Yeah. We crossed paths during that Moleman mess a while ago. And again when the Flaxans tried another invasion."
Mark's eyes widened. "You fought the Flaxans too?"
Johnny smirked. "Let's just say it wasn't my first invasion. Though I didn't exactly hang around afterward. Never actually went to their base."
Eve tilted her head, curious. "Seriously? You've fought beside us and never visited HQ?"
"Didn't seem like the right time," Johnny said with a shrug. "Cecil had me on other priorities. Plus, I figured it was your turf. Didn't wanna barge in uninvited."
Eve gave a small laugh. "You're officially invited now. No excuses."
Mark chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Man, this is wild. I've heard of the Teen Team forever. Robot, Dupli-Kate, that guy who—uh, blow stuff up or something?"
"Rex," Eve corrected gently, amused. "And yeah, they're… a handful, but they mean well."
Johnny smirked faintly. "That's one way to put it."
Mark turned to him, curious. "So… what are they like? You fought with them, right?"
Johnny thought for a moment. "They've got heart. That's the first thing you notice. They bicker, sure — Robot is a genius, Rex has a mouth, and Kate's the only thing keeping him in check — but when it counts, they've got each other's backs."
Eve smiled a little at that. "That's pretty accurate, actually."
Mark's grin widened. "Then I'm in. I've gotta see this for myself."
Eve stood, brushing off her skirt, a spark of excitement in her eyes. "Good. Because I think you'll fit right in. Both of you."
Johnny stood as well, cracking his neck slightly, a small flame flickering between his fingers before he snuffed it out. "Alright then. Lead the way."
Mark followed, still looking half in awe. "Can't believe I'm actually going to see where the Teen Team hangs out. Next thing I know, I'll be getting a membership card."
Eve laughed as she lifted off the ground slightly, hovering just above the rooftop. "Don't get ahead of yourself, rookie. Let's see how you handle meeting Rex first."
Johnny chuckled lowly. "Oh, this I've gotta see."
Mark blinked. "Why? What's he like?"
Johnny smirked. "You'll find out soon enough."
Eve grinned. "Trust me, you'll know the moment he opens his mouth."
So, after changing to their costumes, the three of them took off — Eve soared effortlessly ahead, while Johnny ignited his flames in a controlled burst trailing behind Eve like a comet, and Mark followed them with a powerful and fast flight.
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