"No... that won't do." Lux quickly put on a serious expression and began an emergency damage Control: "If the soul doesn't return to the body for a long time, it will lose itself until it dissipates into the void."
"Dissipate?"
Upon hearing this, Johnny wasn't afraid; instead, he became even more excited. "Isn't that just liberation? Great! Let me dissipate!"
"..." Lux's mouth twitched.
This guy, why is he so stubborn?
No choice then, time to appeal to his values!
Lux took a deep breath, looked at him with determined eyes, and began her persuasion: "Look at me!"
"You cannot die! And you shouldn't die! Though this appearance is terrifying, it has also granted you extraordinary abilities that mortals cannot reach!"
"This is both a curse and a gift!"
"Think of those innocents crying in the dark, think of that girl who was just bullied by Thugs!"
"If not for you, who would punish the evils that the law cannot touch? Heaven let you bear this pain not for you to escape, but to make you the light of judgment in the dark night!"
Luxanna Crownguard, the lady of luminosity.
At this moment, acting as a pyramid scheme... ah no, a spiritual mentor, she began to inject a fresh dose of motivation into this suicidal Rider.
Johnny fell silent for a few seconds upon hearing this, then nodded vigorously.
"I... I understand..."
Fortunately, Lux managed to save the situation in time.
Looking at Johnny Blaze's current appearance, Su Modie breathed a long sigh of relief.
The once unruly stunt rider, the Ghost Rider who made countless demons tremble with fear, was now looking at Lux like a child who had done something wrong, with a gaze that was almost pious, even carrying a hint of filial devotion.
That look was practically like looking at his own mother.
Even though the age difference between the two was huge—if not triple, then at least two and a half times over.
Su Modie had every reason to believe that even if a Control contract hadn't been reached, if Lux ever had to face Thanos, this guy would definitely charge forward on his motorcycle without a second thought, willing to become Lux's most loyal suicide soldier.
Although Plan A failed, Plan B was a huge success!
Who says Control must be done using the Control Devil's power?
This ancient method of Control through winning hearts isn't too bad either.
"I should go now."
Lux gently patted her skirt, the light from the staff in her hand gradually dimming.
"So soon..." Johnny subconsciously took half a step forward, but he quickly stopped, his rough hand clenching awkwardly in mid-air.
He was a middle-aged man covered in grease and burdened by a curse, while the one before him was a holy mage girl.
What face did he have to ask her to stay and keep him company on this desolate highway?
"Will I... see you again?" Johnny asked in a low voice.
Lux turned back, revealing a perfect smile under the moonlight that could heal all wounds: "As long as there is light in your heart, we will eventually meet again."
"Don't give up hope, Johnny. Remember, you are not a monster."
With that, the platinum-colored portal swirled open once more.
Lux's figure disappeared into the brilliance.
Silence returned to the highway.
But this time, there was no longer a dead, desolate despair in Johnny Blaze's eyes.
He watched the vanishing speck of light and clenched his fist. Within that heart that had long since withered, a flame called hope was rekindled.
Johnny mounted his motorcycle. This time, he didn't wander aimlessly; he had a direction.
Whose little Ghost Rider is this?
...The next day, Washington D.C., S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters.
Although Makima didn't successfully Control the Ghost Rider, she didn't return empty-handed.
In fact, as early as when the Ghost Rider was acting heroically in the bar and burning those three Thugs to ash, Makima, who hadn't appeared yet, had already been hiding in the shadows, filming the entire process with camera equipment.
At nine in the morning, in Agent Sitwell's private office.
The blinds were tightly drawn, cutting off the view from outside.
Jasper Sitwell, who always kept a straight face and put on grand airs in front of outsiders, now appeared somewhat ill at ease. He wasn't sitting in his office chair but was standing by the desk with his hands down.
He was as respectful as an attendant waiting for a queen's instructions.
"Miss Makima, your time in Texas... was shorter than I imagined." Sitwell's voice was very low; clearly, Makima's field mission to Texas was approved by him. "Do you need me to arrange some rest for you?"
"No need, Sitwell."
Makima sat in his seat, casually twirling an expensive fountain pen.
"I've obtained something."
She pushed a black USB drive to the edge of the desk.
"Have a look."
Sitwell didn't hesitate for a moment and immediately inserted the USB drive into the terminal.
The screen flickered, and the footage jumped.
Three Thugs surrounded a middle-aged man... Sitwell was initially a bit confused, not knowing why Makima specifically wanted him to watch some hoodlums, until—the man's skin began to peel, his flesh evaporated, and a skull burning with a raging fire was exposed to the camera.
Then, the flaming chains moved as easily as his own limbs, whipping the Thugs' souls until they were obliterated.
Even this well-informed HYDRA mole couldn't help but gasp at the sight.
Even though he was controlled by Makima, his professional instincts as an Agent remained—he knew exactly what this meant.
"Is this... the Ghost Rider?"
Sitwell glanced at the codename Makima had given this entity in the report. Wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, a trace of fear flashed in his eyes, but it was overshadowed by his adoration for Makima.
"To think we never discovered a power of this level... How do you plan to handle this report?"
"If you need, I can immediately classify it as top secret for our internal consumption..."
This "our," of course, didn't refer to Makima and Sitwell, nor S.H.I.E.L.D., but HYDRA.
After all, intelligence of this caliber would be a prized possession anywhere.
"No."
Makima interrupted him, her tone flat. "I'm going to give it to Nick Fury."
Although Makima was nominally "HYDRA's person" now, Su Modie knew HYDRA's nature better than anyone. They weren't working for S.H.I.E.L.D., let alone HYDRA; both of these unfortunate organizations were merely stepping stones for Su Modie.
S.H.I.E.L.D. might be bureaucratic, but at least they had a bottom line and good people like Coulson. If HYDRA got this intel, they would definitely find a way to capture Johnny for dissection or use some mental Control to turn him into a disposable weapon.
That wouldn't do.
Strictly speaking, Johnny was now half one of their own, a knight who had sworn fealty to "Lux."
He was already unlucky enough; Su Modie didn't want to be the straw that broke the camel's back.
If things went too far... and the Ghost Rider really got desperate and turned dark, he would be very hard to deal with.
Of course, it was a good thing Makima followed Su Modie's lead, and the Ghost Rider had submitted to Lux.
They were all beautiful and kind-hearted women.
If things were done entirely according to Makima's own will, Johnny would likely have suffered greatly.