Burn (Part 5)

While investigating the strange spontaneous combustion of firefighter Vinnie Costello on behalf of his old classmate Mike Snow, the Human Torch has captured Firefox, supposedly the mad super-villain responsible. When Lieutenant Mattsson demands that Firefox be unmasked, both Johnny and Firefox point out that it would be a violation of the villain's civil rights and they would be subject to legal troubles once Firefox obtains a lawyer. Accepting this the firefighters allow Johnny to take Firefox away to where he claims is a special prison to contain super-villains. Instead of taking her to prison, Johnny goes to a nearby abandoned building where he tells Firefox to get out of her costume. Johnny waits outside for Firefox to emerge in her real identity, Public Eye reporter Sheila Donner, who his forced him to work with her after threatening to smear him in her coverage of the strange fires. The two squabbles with each other, however, Sheila reminds Johnny that they need each other to solve the mystery and that the Firefox ruse was to ferret out the real killer, who they both suspect might be one of the firemen that Johnny is trying to protect. Johnny warns her that her involvement could make her a target for the real killer, but she tells him that she can look out for herself just as well as he can.

Later, Johnny is having a barbecue with Mike Snow and his girlfriend Rose Delaney to celebrate the capture of Firefox. When the discussion turns to Sheila Donner interviewing the firefighters at the station, Johnny says he let her do so in the hopes she would get bored and go away and pester someone else like Tony Stark. Although the Lieutenant has told the others to play nice, Rose isn't a firefighter so she doesn't plan to if Donner tries talking to her. When Johnny remarks about how great Mike and Rose would be as parents, he quickly realizes that her heart condition prevents her from having children as well. When Mike begins to apologize for his lack of gratefulness for Johnny's help, Rose takes a call from Palmer down at the fire station who informs them that there is a fire at the Alexi Diner. Mike asks Johnny if he wants to tag along and the two head out. Not long after they're gone Sheila Donner calls to ask Rose about what she saw at the scene of Vinnie's death and the fireball that almost torched a local drug dealer. When Rose denies being at either scene, Shiela mentions having seen the video of the contrary. Donner then suggests showing the footage to her friends at the fire station to get their opinions, wondering if she has anything to hide.

Meanwhile, at Alexi's the firemen are fighting a losing battle. Johnny then steps in and absorbs all the flames and re-channels it up into the sky where it explodes harmlessly. When one of the firemen points out that Johnny can absorb flames. Johnny admits that he can, but can't reverse the damage caused by fire like it was originally suggested. After the danger has passed, Johnny gets a phone call from Sheila Donner who tells Johnny that Rose might know who the killer is and suggests that it might be Mike Snow. Johnny finds this hard to believe but Donner puts together enough pieces that convince Johnny, including how Rose hung up the moment she suggested that Mike might have pyrokinetic powers. After Johnny gets off the line with Donner, he learns that Mike left right after the fire was put out, apparently to go surprise Rose. Johnny then flames on and flies off. When Johnny arrives at Mike's house he finds that both Mike and Rose are gone and there are signs that someone melted the phone and burned other evidence.

Despite this, Johnny manages to track them down to Empire Fire & Safety Supply, Inc's warehouse where he finds Mike. When Mike asks how Johnny was able to track them, Johnny states that he was able to use his powers to read the letter on a charred piece of paper with the address on it. When the two begin to argue, Johnny is about to accuse Mike for causing everything as some kind of petty revenge for the Torch accidentally burning him years earlier. However, Rose interrupts them and tells Johnny to back off, revealing that she was the one with the powers over a flame the whole time.

Recurring Characters

Human Torch, Mike Snow, Firefox, Rose Delany