Lighting an American Match (Human Torch)

[steverogers]

(Just to let everyone know, I haven't been given permission to start a new team, this is just for this thread, and no team is being formed at the moment)

Steve had been thinking of starting a new team of superheroes, and while he liked the idea of the Avengers, he also wanted a team that wouldn't have to answer to SHIELD or the President. He had a large list of metahumans that he wanted to join up, and the first one was the current Human Torch, Johnny Storm. Though Steve didn't know this Human Torch like he did the one from the War, he had heard some good and promising things about him from Nick Fury. So, he called the Fantastic Four and scheduled a meeting with Johnny, at one of Steve's favorite diners, which to his surprise, was still opened.

Dressed in a pair of jeans and a white tee, he waited for the young hero, who wasn't actually due for a few minutes, sitting at an outside table, he read the morning paper, which ironically, had a story on a mission the younger hero and his current team had been on, just the day before. The story praised the team for it's action, and Steve thought about asking the other members to join up as well, though he wasn't sure how well Reed Richards would take orders, since he was obviously accustomed to being in the leader role, himself.

[johnnystorm]

Johnny was slightly nervous as he got off of his motorbike in New York city, after all he was going to a meeting with Captain America Steve Rogers, after all Cap was a legend in the superhero business and now that the big all American hero was back Johnny felt that there was a level of pressure on all heroes now to meet the high levels that the Cap had set during the war. Granted the two men were very different but that didn't mean that Johnny wouldn’t be compared to Cap in the eyes of the public and of course Cap would probably compare him to the original human torch.

However Johnny was very much his own man and he just hoped that was understood by everyone no matter who they where, taking off his helmet he ran his hand through his hair, he knew that it would not be easy for him to have this meeting after all he was a member of the fantastic 4 and was an important team member as there was only 4 of them, however he had also been around the X men also recently and therefore if he was trying to balance things it would not be good to involve something else also. However at the same time how did someone say no to captain America? Johnny had amassed a large reputation on his own anyway, he and the rest of the fantastic 4 had stopped a large robbery and kidnapping just yesterday which was still the buzz of new York but at the same time Johnny was still interested in what Captain America wanted.

Entering the diner in a pair of black jeans and red hooded sweatshirt he looked around for Steve and found him easily at the table that he had been told Steve would be at. Standing next to the table not willing to annoy him by just sitting down Johnny extended a hand to him.

“Hey,” he said “Johnny Storm.”

[steverogers]

Though stern and serious when he needed to be, Steve wasn't "all business", all the time, as he showed when he excepted Johnny's hand. "Steve Rogers. Please, have a seat." He motioned for Johnny to sit down, in a seat across the table. Even though he had only been "uniced" for a few days, he was well aware of Johnny and the rest of the FF's reputation and exploits, especially their battles with the dictator, Dr. Doom, so he had a fair amount of respect for the younger hero.

"I'm sure you're wondering why I asked you to meet me, here, so I'll get to the point. I'm starting a new team, one that will work in secret, without having to answer to SHIELD or any government, similar to The All-Winners Squad, that your predecessor founded, during the war. It'll act as a black-ops team, similar to SHIELD, and there might be times when you'll have to break the laws of other countries, or even take a life." Being a trained solider, Steve was use to killing, though he neither liked it, or would do it unless there was no other option, and after hearing of Johnny's last encounter with Dr. Doom, he felt the young hero would be able to do this, without losing control or focus. Still, he knew it was alot to ask, so he wouldn't be surprised if Johnny turned him down. "I know this is alot to decided, and I won't be offended if you say no."

[johnnystorm]

Johnny nodded as Steve spoke, he understood what the other man wanted to do and was completely ok with that there where no problems as far as he himself was concerned, however he wondered exactly what Steve was asking of him, everyone knew that Johnny wasn't the brains of the fantastic four, that was Reed and Sue, Ben was the muscle and Johnny was more the comedic relief more than anything amongst the team even though Johnny's powers where important he could not exactly see why Steve would want him,

"Sorry," Johnny said "just to be completely frank here, what exactly do you want from me Steve?"

[steverogers]

"Well for starters, someone with your abilities to control flames, as well as your experiance with the Government and NASA gives you credibility with many people and organsations that could provide us with both aid and shelter should we require it, plus the fact that you have have shown an almost inate control over cosmic energies besides your normal flame powers shows me you can think on your feet. Also, you're not fully allied with SHIELD or the United States Government, making you freeer to move around than I am." Steve hoped he wouldn't have to turn against his own country, but he need to be ready, just incase he ever did, and this new team would help him do that.

"Not many know this, but there was a time I had to abandon this uniform and iddentity because Rosevelt was kidnapped and replaced with a android, controlled by Hitler. The Invaders and I nearly were forced to fight our own, and should we be forced to do so again, I need a team that is not under anyone elses control, and will protect the people and their rights. " His voice was stoic and calm, as he told the story that he had never sharded with anyone before, a story that he promised FDR he would stay with the team, however, he know broke that promise, because he feared with all that he saw on the news, was a story about to repeat itself. "To be blunt, I need someone who has your level of power, but also enough self control to not use it for self gain. I need someone who wants to help the world, and you have already done that on several occassions."

[johnnystorm]

"But why me?" Johnny asked "not that I am not honoured to be able to be a part of this Steve, i truly am however but at the same time I am just a kid, you know if it wasn't for my powers I would be a college student because of the fact that it is because of the space mission because of the fact that i got my powers, if it wasn't for the mission i would be a normal guy," he knew that this was true but he was also very honoured that Steve was considering him for this at all.

"Can you give me more time to think about it?" he asked.

[steverogers]

Steve knew this was a lot for anyone to take in, even a kid that had been to space and back, and could mentally control fire, so he understood what Johnny was saying. After all, had it not been for the Super Soldier Serum, Steve never would have been able to serve during the war, met Bucky Barnes, are any of the other heroes form the Invaders. "Sure, take as long as you need to. When you decide, you can reach me at the Helicarrier." Steve stood up and walked out the door, and headed for his Indian Motorcycle, which was parked at the corner of the dinner. His next stop was going to in Hell's Kitchen, where he intended to track down and talk to the costume vigilante called DareDevil.

(Exit thread)