A Helping Hand

Micheal Peterson:

Taking off my mask, I throw it onto my desk before running, or in my case, limping, to my desk. Once there, I open one of the drawers and pull out my first-aid kit.

Slamming the kit on my desk, I toss open the lid and grab some dressing.

"I have never been so happy for body armor," I think as I take off the armor plating. "Ahh."

Even with the armor plating, Vengeance still left quite a mark. Wrapping the cut with the dressing, I then move onto my leg.

Leaning on my desk, I carefully and slowly rub my leg. It doesn't take me long to find the sore spot. Screaming when I find it, I reach into my first-aid kit again and pull out an ice pack. Wrapping the ice pack in some paper towel, I apply it to my sore spot.

"I don't think my leg is broken or anything, but still. This is going to take a while to heal."

Using more dressing to keep the ice pack on my leg, I tap my head and think back to everything that happened less than 60 minutes ago.

"The National History Museum. That guy mentioned something about the National History Museum. And about Mick too. No doubt that's where Vengeance is heading. But what does Mick want at the museum?"

As I ask myself this question, I hear a loud ringing and jump up. Accidentally landing on my bad leg, I scream and jump up again.

"Ouch."

Looking around, trying to find the ringing, I slap myself on the head after a few seconds. Reaching into my pocket, I pull out my cell phone.

"Oh my god," I scream, slapping myself on the head again. "Oh my god! Oh my god! It's already 5 in the morning! I have to get back to bed before anyone notices I'm gone!"

I jump off my desk, again landing on my bad leg.

"Ouch!"

Jumping off my leg and back onto the desk, I look down.

"Okay," I say while sighing. "New plan. Don't run. Just, slowly, slowly walk back home and get back into bed before anyone notices you're gone."

Inhaling through my nose, I take a deep breath before putting the dressing and ice pack away and heading home.

"New new plan. Don't even walk. Just drag your leg. Slowly."

Brian Wane:

"What in the world?"

I scratch my head while reading the online news article.

"Thrill Rider took out a whole 23rd gang hideout by himself? That can't be right. Thrill Rider never took on a whole gang hideout by himself. What is he planning?"

Scrolling further down, reading more of the article, I stop when someone grabs my shoulder. Turning around, I see a girl with short blond hair and glasses.

"You're...Juliet," I say, snapping my fingers. "Right?"

"Yeah," Juliet answers. "And you're Brian, if I remember correctly. Right?"

"Yes," I say with a nod. "What's up?"

"Nothing much," Juliet says, taking the empty seat beside me. "Just wanted to know something. I mean, I don't know if you can tell me or not, but still."

"Try me."

Juliet looks left and right before leaning in. This confuses me.

"What is she about to ask me," I think.

"Do you...know Thrill Rider?"

"...No."

I turn away from Juliet and return to reading the article.

"Are you sure you don't know Thrill Rider," Juliet asks again.

"I'm positive," I answer, my eyes still on the screen. "I just write a blog about Thrill Rider. I don't actually know anything about Thrill Rider."

"You don't know anything about Thrill Rider," Juliet repeats. "Really? So that's it?"

"Yeah. That's it. I don't know anything about Thrill Rider. Other than the fact that he's not as dangerous and crazy as the newspaper and police make him out to be. I write on my blog to show people that."

"So you're just a fan?"

"Yes. I am sooo sorry to disappoint you."

"I'm not disappointed," Juliet says. "I just...wanted to know if he could help me with something."

Hearing this, I stop reading the article and turn to Juliet.

"Help you with something," I repeat. "Juliet. Do you need help with something? Something that only Thrill Rider can help you with?"

"No," Juliet replies, shaking her head. She gets up from the chair and leaves the school library. Watching Juliet as she walks through the double door, I quickly close the window and leave the computer.

Moving as fast as I can, I follow Juliet.

Tyler James Western:

Staring at the early morning sky, I sigh and look back down at the ground.

"This is boring," I tell my shadow. "Where is Juliet?"

Tapping my fingers against my arms, I listen to my tapping foot while waiting for my sister. It takes her a while but she finally returns. I push myself off the wall and uncross my arms.

"Hey Juliet," I say, waving at my sister.

"Hey, James," Juliet says, waving back at me.

"Did that guy tell you anything?"

Juliet looks at me with V-shaped eyebrows and a tilted head. I clear my throat and correct myself.

"Did Brian tell you anything?"

"No," Juliet answers.

"So we go back to the original plan," I ask. "We follow him until he meets up with Thrill Rider."

"No. Brian told me he doesn't actually know Thrill Rider. He's just a really big fan of Thrill Rider."

"Wonderful," I say, shaking my head. "Instead of being someone useful, he's just some stupid fanboy."

Turning around and kicking the wall, I turn back to my sister.

"James," Juliet says. "Please don't do that."

Rubbing my now sore foot, I nod my head.

"Brian may not know who Thrill Rider is or how to contact him, but I did learn something from him."

Juliet opens her mouth to say something but I stop her.

"Julies," I say, putting up my hand. "Stop talking!"

"What? Ja--"

"Julies! Please, be quiet."

Looking past my sister, I see someone hiding behind the corner. He or she is trying to hide but when they try to listen to me and my sister, they accidentally expose themselves.

"Hey," I shout, running after the person. The second I shout, the person immediately takes off. However, he doesn't get very far.

Turning the same corner, I see someone sprinting away from us. Taking off my shoe, I throw it at the person. My shoe hits him in the back of the head. It knocks him down onto the ground.

He tries to get back up but by the time, he's on his feet, I'm on him.

"Who are you," I yell, grabbing and slamming him against a wall. "Why are you following my sister! Answer me now. Now! Before I really lose my--"

"James," Juliet says, running up to me and the guy. Seeing me hold him against the wall, Juliet comes between us and separates us.

"Easy," she says, "This is Brian. He's the...friend I talked about."

I turn from my sister to Brian. He's shaking and his eyes are wide, but despite this, he doesn't look scared. At least, not too scared.

"James," Brian repeats. "I thought your name was Tyler."

I cross my arms.

"Only my sister can call me James. You and everyone else in the world called me Tyler. Got it?"

Brian nods his head.

"Were you following me," Juliet asks.

"No, no, no, no. Yes."

"Why?"

"Because I was worried about you. You said you wanted to know if Thrill Rider could help you with something, and I want to know what it is."

"Do yourself and us a favor," I say, sticking out my head. "Stay out of our business."

"Our?"

Juliet turns to me.

"Oops," I say, leaning back in.

"Brian. Trust me, it's nothing. I'm just...a really big fan of Thrill Rider too. Okay? I'm sorry if I gave you the wrong idea, but honestly, my brother and I are fine. We're fine."

Juliet looks Brian in the eyes. It seems to work. Brian sighs, apologizes for following Juliet, and leaves. When he's gone, Juliet turns back to me. About to say something, I put up my hand and look around. I make sure no one else is around.

"You mentioned learning something from Brian. What is it?"

"When Brian was using the school's library, I saw what was on his screen. It's a news article mentioning Thrill Rider. He attacked a gang's hideout last night."

"A gang's hideout," I repeat. I shrug. "So. How is that supposed to help?"

"It helped because I know where the boss of the 23rd gang is going."