Hornet and Kato drive across town with three minutes to midnight. Scanlon is in his office when Hornet calls and says that they're standing by.
When midnight comes, a man dials a phone number to a warehouse. The phone is wired to an explosive charge. The charge goes off, setting the warehouse on fire. Scanlon soon receives word of the fire and passes the information onto Hornet. They cover the possible exits and say that no one left the scene, and they figure that the Firebug didn't stick around to admire his work. Scanlon notes that there were twelve injuries and the two watchmen saw no one, and there's going to be a meeting at the commissioner's office the next day.
The next day, Commissioner Emmet Dolan notes that for the last seven nights, the Firebug has set off a different fire each night. Mike opens the door and Ben Wade comes in and is surprised to see a full meeting. Ben retired from the service because of the loss of his eye, and Mike insists that he's the best man in the city about dealing with arson. Emmet says that they already considered Ben's involvement but didn't want to risk the loss of his other eye. Ben points out that it would be his risk, not Emmet's, but Emmet says that it's again department policy. Ben tells Mike that it's all right and leaves. Angry, Mike tells Emmet that he has the solution at hand, and Emmet says that they have to anticipate the Firebug's next room.
Later at the Sentinel, Britt tells Casey that there's a hundred different targets and there's no way to cover them all. He isn't convinced that the Firebug has no price to stop his services. Mike comes in and suggests that they hire his friend Ben, he figures out how the bombs are triggered, and they warn the guards. Britt agrees to consider it, and tells Casey that it might just work.
That night, Hornet and Kato hit the streets. Meanwhile, the hotsuited Firebug slips past a guard and enters the B&H Warehouse.
Hornet calls Scanlon at 11:40, and Scanlon confirms that they have surveillance on all areas.
The Firebug starts a fire and Scanlon soon receives word of the incident from a helicopter. Hornet and Kato drive there.
The warehouse guard sees the smoke and calls in a fire emergency. He runs inside, and Hornet and Kato arrive just as the Firebug comes out. Kato knocks him out and Hornet runs in to carry the guard, who is overcome by smoke inhalation. Outside, the Firebug knocks out the distracted Kato and runs off, and Hornet brings the guard out. The guard wakes up and runs away from the supposed criminal, and the heroes drive off as the police arrive.
The Firebug--Ben--drives home and goes inside. He removes the coat covering his hot suit and finds Mike waiting for him. Mike points out that he found a list of the sites on Ben's desk, and that he heard the report on his radio while he was waiting for Ben. Ben finally tells him that he was forcibly retired after he lost his eye, and they offered him a job sitting behind a desk. He says that he's been turned into a mental cripple, and he's not going to settle for the pasture. Ben shows Mike a scrapbook of his past triumphs,, but Mike starts to call the police. His friend draws a gun on him, and says that he has no friends... including Mike now that he knows what Ben is doing.
The next day, the newspaper runs a story about Hornet's supposed involvement. There's no sign of Mike, and Casey tells Britt that Mike hasn't been in all night. The last she heard from Mike, he was going to go to Ben's to tell him that Britt was considering him for a job. Ben said that Mike never arrived, and there's been no sign of him at his apartment.
Britt drives to Ben's home where Britt is working on incendiary charge. When he hears Britt pull up, Ben hides the charges in his desk and answers the door. He tells Britt that Mike called him from his apartment that morning, and Britt casually looks around. He's unaware that Mike is tied up in the bedroom. Britt tells Ben that he's now a Sentinel employee, working as a special investigator.
That night, Britt tells Scanlon that Mike is Ben's prisoner. He points out that the Firebug uses a different method each time and has an in-depth knowledge of all the buildings that he's set ablaze. That, plus the fact that Ben is the same size as the man they saw and the discrepancies in his claims about Mike, lead Britt to suspect that Ben is the Firebug.
The next day at the Sentinel, Ben fills out the forms and reports to Britt. Britt says that medical supplies are coming in and they have make sure Hornet doesn't obtain it. It's at a warehouse on the docks that belong to the Sentinel, disguised as newspaper ink. Ben suggests that Ben pull the police out and he'll capture the Firebug.
Later at home, Ben puts on his hot suit and ungags Mike tries to get through to him, but Ben orders him to get up and explains that he's going to capture and kill the Firebug: Mike. Ben drives to the warehouse and takes Mike inside. Black Beauty pulls up and the heroes go inside.
Inside, Mike points out that he won't make a convincing suspect if his hands are tied. Ben unties him, and Mike jumps him when the Hornet Sting goes off. They struggle and Ben knocks Mike out, and then throws incendiary grenades at the advancing heroes. They take cover and then Kato takes him on as Hornet goes to get Mike. Kato knocks Ben into the fire, and Hornet carries the unconscious Mike out just as the warehouse explodes.
Later at the Sentinel, Mike asks Britt to play down the Firebug story even though it will make him a hero. He points out that he doesn't even know how he got out of the warehouse, and Britt agrees.
Written by Gadfly on Jul 30, 2017