They flew in formation above the shimmering lights of the city — Eve leading confidently, Mark keeping pace beside her, and Johnny trailing a little behind, the orange glow of his flames reflecting off the rooftops below. The air was cool against his face, but it couldn't compete with the heat radiating off his body as he kept his flame controlled, small enough not to draw too much attention but bright enough to light the way.
Mark shouted over the wind, half-laughing, half-trying to stay balanced mid-air. "You two make this look way easier than it actually is!"
Eve glanced back, grinning. "You'll get used to it. Just don't overthink your momentum — it's like swimming through air."
Johnny smirked as he passed by Mark, leaving a streak of fire behind him. "Try not to fall, Mark. You'll ruin the skyline."
Mark rolled his eyes, but he was smiling. "Yeah, yeah. You burn bright, I get it."
They crossed over downtown, following the glittering artery of the river until Eve started descending toward a familiar stretch of metal and concrete — one of the older bridges that crossed the Chicago River. It was dimly lit, with no cars in sight, just the hum of distant traffic and the quiet lapping of water below.
Mark frowned, as he scanned around. "Wait, this is it? The Teen Team HQ is… on a bridge?"
Eve landed gracefully near the center, her boots clinking softly against the steel. "Technically, under it," she said with a wink.
They flew together through the crisp morning air — Eve leading the way, Mark close behind, and Johnny just to her left, his flames glowing faintly against the gray-blue sky. Below them, Chicago stretched endlessly, glinting in the light of the rising sun.
Mark called out over the wind, half-shouting, half-laughing. "So, uh, we're really just flying to the HQ? No car? No teleportation pod or anything?"
Eve turned her head slightly and smiled. "What, you'd rather take the train?"
Johnny chuckled, steadying himself midair. "Hey, I'm not complaining. Beats getting stuck in morning traffic."
They passed over the river, the skyline giving way to quieter industrial zones, until Eve started descending toward one of the old bridges that crossed the Chicago River. It looked completely ordinary — a few faded signs, a light breeze moving the water below.
Mark frowned. "This is it? The Teen Team HQ is… on a bridge?"
Eve touched down lightly on the steel walkway, her boots clinking softly. "Technically, under it," she said, giving them a sly smile.
Johnny landed next to her, his flames fading until only faint wisps of heat shimmered off his body. He looked around, brow raised. "You're kidding, right? I thought it'd be, I don't know… a skyscraper or a floating tower or something."
Eve laughed softly. "You'll see. It's not about appearances — it's about security."
Mark joined them, still scanning the area. "Okay, but where's the door? Or… whatever we're supposed to use to get in."
"Right here," said Eve as she stepped toward what seemed to be an ordinary section of the bridge walkway. It looked identical to the rest — rusty metal panels, some graffiti, nothing special.
But as soon as she stepped on it — click.
A faint hum followed, and with a mechanical click, the hatch swung open, revealing a trapdoor that led to somewhere else.
"After you, gentlemen," she said with a grin.
Mark hesitated. "You're sure this doesn't lead to, like, a rat colony?"
Johnny chuckled. "If it does, I'm setting it on fire."
Eve groaned. "Just go."
They started to float down the trapdoor. As they descended, Mark noticed something strange — the walls gradually changed from rough concrete to polished steel, lit by soft blue lights.
Both Johnny and Mark stopped dead in their fly. The HQ stretched out before them like a secret underground library fused with a futuristic command center. Floor after floor of bookshelves rose around the cylindrical chamber, filled with manuals, hero records, and research texts. In the very center — far below — was a gleaming ring of advanced technology: there were holographic screens, lab equipment, and training consoles.
The air was filled with a low hum of machines and the faint echo of laughter.
"Holy crap," Mark muttered. "You guys have a library fortress?"
Johnny whistled. "Now this is more like it."
Eve smiled. "Told you it was worth the flight."
They descended the last few steps to the lowest level, where the rest of the Teen Team was. Rex Splode and Dupli-Kate were in the corner, locked in a heated ping-pong match — Rex, of course, arguing every point loudly.
"That was in, Kate!" he shouted.
"It literally bounced off the wall, Rex."
"That's called spin! You don't understand physics!"
Meanwhile, Robot stood at one of the holographic terminals, calmly analyzing streams of alien data. Holograms of Flaxan soldiers and weapons rotated slowly in midair, surrounded by symbols and notes only he could decipher.
Without even looking away from his work, Robot said in his usual calm tone, "You're late."
Eve crossed her arms. "Relax, we brought guests."
Rex paused mid-swing, turning toward them. The moment he spotted Eve, his expression brightened. "Babe!" he said loudly before dropping the paddle, walking right up to her, and planting a kiss on her lips.
Johnny froze. And he felt his stomach twisted instantly, and he felt a flare of heat rise up his neck that had nothing to do with his powers. He looked away, with his jaw tight, pretending to study the room. Beside him, Mark shifted awkwardly, scratching his cheek as if he wasn't sure where to look.
When Rex finally pulled back, he threw a glance at Johnny and Mark, his grin turning cocky. "And who the hell are these guys? You starting a fan club, Eve?"
Eve sighed, clearly unamused. "They're not fans, Rex. They helped us out during the Flaxan invasion. This is Johnny, and that's Mark."
Rex snorted, crossing his arms. "Oh yeah, that fire guy. You're the one who went all 'sun explosion' downtown, right? Thought you were gonna barbecue the whole block."
Johnny rubbed the back of his neck, forcing a small smile. "Yeah… that was me. Sorry if I almost toasted anyone."
Rex smirked. "You got lucky we were there cleaning up your mess."
"Rex," Eve said sharply, glaring at him.
"What? I'm just saying, babe. Can't have amateurs blowing up Chicago every time aliens drop by."
Johnny's fists clenched for a second before he took a slow breath, deciding not to give Rex the satisfaction of seeing him pissed.
Kate, trying to defuse the tension, smiled politely. "It's nice to finally meet without the world ending.
Robot, ignoring the human drama entirely, finished typing on the terminal and turned toward them. "Given your performance, your addition to the roster is worth considering. But first, you should both be briefed on the Flaxan incursions."
Mark blinked. "Wait, both?"
Eve smirked, arms crossed. "You didn't think I'd bring you here just for a tour, did you?"
Johnny looked around, still taking it all in — the towering shelves, the hum of machinery, the strange blend of chaos and order that made the Teen Team's HQ unique. "Man… I was expecting something like a garage with a couple of laptops. Not… this."
Eve smiled proudly. "Welcome to the Teen Team HQ — where chaos, caffeine, and hero work all live together under one bridge."
Rex scoffed, tossing the paddle back onto the table. "Yeah, and now apparently we're adding rookies to the mix. Great."
Johnny smirked, meeting his glare. "Don't worry, I don't plan on sticking around long enough to make you look bad."
"Ha. You couldn't even if you tried, pal," Rex shot back.
"Wanna test that?" Johnny said, the flames in his eyes flickering faintly.
"Boys!" Eve interrupted sharply, stepping between them. "Cool it. You're not melting the HQ on your first visit."
Robot didn't even turn from his console. "Please refrain from property damage. Our insurance does not cover testosterone-related incidents."
That made Kate snicker, while Mark tried — and failed — to hide a grin. Eve just groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose.
"Welcome to the team," Eve muttered dryly, shooting Rex a look before turning to Robot. "Hey, Robot, find anything else at the site?"
Robot stepped away from his screens and approached the center of the room, metallic feet clicking softly against the floor. "The Flaxans come from a dimension with a faster temporal rate. As a result, the tachyons they emit spin more rapidly than our own." He held up a small, disk-shaped device with blinking blue lights. "I've created this detector to warn us if they return.
"Yeah, because we totally missed all the explosions, screaming, and the chaos last time," Rex said with a smirk, rolling a small marble between his fingers before making it pop with a loud snap! of light.
Johnny folded his arms. "Do you always have to be such an asshole?"
Rex turned sharply, his grin fading. "What was that, new guy?"
"You heard me, Bomberman." Johnny stepped closer, matching Rex's glare. "Maybe try being useful instead of blowing up toys."
"Oh, I don't take crap from newbies," Rex growled, pushing forward until their foreheads nearly touched. "Cheap flare—why don't you take a tour of the place and light up something before the adults get back?"
"That's enough!" Eve snapped, stepping between them and pressing a hand against Rex's chest to push him back. At the same time, Kate materialized behind Johnny, gripping his shoulder and tugging him away before things escalated further.
"Rex, seriously?" Kate said, frowning. "They just got here. Try not to scare off every new face that walks through the door."
Rex huffed, throwing his hands up. "What? I'm just saying what we're all thinking. We're not running a daycare here."
Robot turned his head toward him, tone unchanging but firm. "Your conduct is counterproductive to team cohesion, Rex.
This is not the first time your impulsive behavior has caused disruption. I recommend you refrain from antagonizing new recruits."
"Yeah, yeah, lecture noted, metalhead," Rex muttered, backing off but still glaring at Johnny.
Mark exhaled, tension draining from his shoulders as Eve shot him a sympathetic look. "Don't mind him," she said quietly. "Rex is… Rex."
Johnny glanced at Rex one last time before smirking faintly. "Yeah. I got that."
Before anyone could speak again, a sharp beep-beep-beep cut through the room.
Robot immediately turned toward the source — the small disk on the table flashing with rapid red light. The sound escalated into a shrill, pulsing alarm.
"Uh… please tell me that's not what I think it is," Eve said, stepping back.
"The detector is responding," Robot announced, his voice precise and calm despite the tension rising in the room. "The tachyon readings match the Flaxans' dimensional signature."
"Already?" Johnny asked, as his eyes widened. "Didn't we just fight those guys like… a few days ago?"
"The difference in temporal flow means far more time has passed for them than for us," Robot replied, pressing several buttons on a holographic interface that appeared above his wrist. "Coordinates are identical to the last incursion point."
Rex cracked his neck with a grin, his earlier irritation instantly shifting to excitement. "Guess the aliens didn't learn their lesson the first time."
"Or they're pissed off we sent them home in pieces," Johnny muttered.
Eve groaned, already lifting off the ground in a pink aura. "Whatever it is, we better move fast before half the city's leveled again."
"Team," Robot said firmly, "prepare for engagement. We deploy immediately."
Mark floated beside Eve, with adrenaline sparking in his chest. "So… same place as last time?"
"Yep," Kate said, already glowing faint blue as she split into duplicates midair. "Downtown, near the river. Guess they like the view."
"Let's make sure it's their last one," Johnny said, igniting his hands in a flare of orange light.
Rex grinned. "Finally, something we agree on."
Robot extended his arms, mechanical wings folding out from his back. "Move out."
And in an instant, they were gone — a trail of light, fire, and energy streaking out from the hidden bridge entrance, cutting across the city sky toward the spot where chaos had once erupted.
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