It takes all morning for him to be poked, prodded and ID'd to the military's satisfaction and his mood isn't any better. He finally comes across Reed and the head scientist of the Baxter Building, Dr. Storm, on his way to search for food. They, of course, want him to come with them and he complies cause he's really not sure where anything is at this point.
They walk through a door to a bright sunlight room and Dr. Storm says, "Johnny?" Ben walks behind with his head down so he doesn't see that the kid's hand is on fire.
"Dad, I can totally control the - AGGHH!!" Johnny says catching sight of Ben.
"Johnny..." Reed starts to say.
"What
is that thing?" Johnny interrupts.
This is my life now, Ben thinks looking up finally.
"Johnny, this-this is my friend Ben. You met him yesterday before the..." Reed replies.
Johnny doesn't even bother to hide the shocked look. "Wow. Seriously."
"Johnny?" Dr. Storm says slightly exasperated at his sons behavior.
"Did the thing that made me like this, make him like that?"
Kid's talking like I'm not even in the room, Ben thinks.
"Yes, but you need to calm..." Dr. Storm says before Johnny interrupts again.
"Wait! Where's...what happened to Sue?"
"We don't know yet," Reed says in a choked voice.
"What is going on?" Johnny tries again.
"We don't know yet."
"I mean, one minute I'm, like, in the desert, then I'm in Yugoslavia or something. And then..." Johnny says getting a good rant started before a loud explosion is heard from outside. All four men rush to the window and look down. Even after all that's happened Ben can't help but wonder if he's lost it.
"Oh, man. I hope that's not Sue..." Johnny says as a giant monster pulls itself out of the ground amidst the devastation of the hole it burst through. He leans against the glass to get a better look. "Do you see that? Dad?"
"I..I..."
"Anyone?"
"I..."
"I mean what is that?"
"Uh Johnny? You're..." Dr. Storm begins to say as he notices the heat coming from his son and the distortion of the glass as Johnny heats it. Smoke starts to rise. "Johnny, calm done!" He yells but it's too late, the glass melts away and Johnny falls through as well as the pressurized air of the room. "Johnny, no!! JOHNNY!!"
Johnny falls for a few seconds, nearly long enough to reach the street before he shouts in a panic, "Flame ON?!?!?!?" He bursts into flames and starts flying. "Aaaaah HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!"
Up in the room Dr. Storm says, "Oh thank God! Now he's on fire. What is he doing?"
"It seems his flame form is lighter than air and causes some sort of combustion to keep him airborne."
"That's not what I..." Dr. Storm sputters. "Johnny! Johnny!! Stay away from that thing!! Let The Ultimates handle it! (He can't hear me...)"
"Dad-I can totally handle this thing with my..." Johnny says flying by before the monster takes a swing at him.
"Johnny!!" Dr. Storm yells, again.
"AAAAAAGHAAAAARRRGH!!!" yells the monster.
"This creature seems transfixed by Johnny's incandescence." Reed says falling into scientist mode.
"I was just going to say that," Ben says.
"At least by distracting him, Johnny is slowing his path."
"Mr. Grimm?" Dr. Richards says noticing Ben stepping through the melted glass.
Reed looks over and yells, "BEN! Wh-what are you...?"
"Well, the way I see it, clearly I've gone apeshit insane. Or I'm having some fantasy dream or something...So, guess I might as well be the hero in it."
"What?" Dr. Storm says completely confused.
"BEN!" Reed yells as Ben steps from the window and falls.
I hope I don't hit anyone, Ben has time to think before he hits the pavement. He pulls himself out the crater he's made and says, "Probably could have thought that through a little more." The monster however had noticed Ben's fall and hits him hard before picking him to to get a good bite.