*All characters copyrighted to Poseidon Simons

Chapter 7

A Helping

Hand

Don sat at home, wondering what to do...this whole thing was certainly frightening..."Johnny?"

"Yeah?"

"Wanna come with me to see Kia?"

"Sure!" Johnny left for a moment. He came back with Maiky and Kim, "We're ready!" He shouted smiling.

Don just smiled and nodded.

Ace sat down at the table with his mother. He glanced at her now and then, wondering how his friends in the band were taking the kidnapping of their loved ones, and dreading anything that could happen to his own family.

She noticed him watching her, "What is it? Do I have something on my face?" She said jokingly.

Ace chuckled and shook his head, "Nah...I've just been thinking..."

"What about?"

"The kidnappings...I might know what they have in common..."

"What?" She asked, intruigued, "The police would be interested to hear it."

Ace frowned. How could he tell her without revealing that Babe was still alive? How would he tell the police?.."Well, do you remember Babe Cleave?"

"The leader of the Appendages?"

"Yeah--say, how did you know about them?"

"Ania calls me every now and then talking about her son...and about how great Maik has been. I know quite a lot about that band."

Ace just smiled..but the smile didn't last long, "Well, Ania, and Babe's niece, Michelle, were both kidnapped. Before he...before he died, he remet Kia...who he used to know from school. We all met him then...Mom, every single person kidnapped knew Babe...at least a little."

"What about Pik's mother?"

"I'm not sure about that...I think it was the same reason they took Kia's son...but still, Kia had been one of Babe's best friends..."

"But then why would the kidnappers do it? Babe's dead..."

"I know...that's what puzzles me the most."

Kia's mother pulled the door open and headed out. Her husband only thought she was getting groceries, but she had some other ideas in mind. She had a...club, that would listen to her complaints about Pik and Kia being together. There were quite a few people there who would gladly help her fix the problems Kia had gotten herself into by bedding down with that amphibian.

Ania looked around at the others. Bill was gone, and Sarah was looking at the numbers Bill had been working with. Ania was in charge of Ralph...since he was only two. It was nice, in a way. She hadn't been around such young children for a long time...and Michelle was starting to grow up, though she probably didn't know it. It always felt good to have a little one around. It made Ania feel like she was of some use...of course now, with everything that had been happening, Ralph wasn't making her feel like she was being useful, he was her distraction from everything. He required as much attention as she could give him...he was the most cheerful of them, since this place was new...it gave him a chance to explore new things. Which he happily did.

"Cool! Dad, look at this!" Lance ran and picked up the metallic object. He was even more amazed when he saw what it was, "DAD! It's the Protector's helmet!"

THAT got his dad to look, "Are you sure? It might be one of the masks the stores are selling."

"I can barely lift it!" He could only just get it off the ground. It was heavy...it had to be the real thing. Lance set it down, looking at it wistfully.

His father came by and tried lifting it himself. He frowned when he discovered how heavy it was, "Well...it IS heavy!" Of course his dad easily lifted it higher. He even tried putting it on his head for a moment, causing Lance to laugh. His father took it off, smiling..."Well, what do you want to do with it?"

"Can we keep it?!! PLEASE?!!!!!!"

His father held the mask and looked at it, a frown forming on his face, "I don't know...what if the Protector needs this helmet? He might not have any extras."

"PLEASE?!!!!! What if he comes to visit us so he can get it back?? Aw, c'mon dad, that would be so cool! Let's keep it, just for a little while?.."

His father looked around once more, then agreed. They headed home from their hike, both admiring the helmet as they walked.

On the way back from his...enhancements, Bill passed Michelle's old containment cell. Pik's mother was in there...looking more distressed than usual, "Hey, have you guys been paying any attention to her?"

One of his guards answered, "Nah...Kain says that once they're in there, we need to leave them alone. Why would you want to know?"

Bill looked back at her, catching one last glimpse before they left, "Have you been giving her water?"

"What for?!"

"She's sick! She needs water every few HOURS! You're telling me she hasn't had any at all?!!!!"

"She had plenty before she was moved. She'll be fine.

"You idiots!" Bill broke free and ran back to the cell, unlocked the door, and threw open the door to kneel down beside her before the guards could haul him away again. She had a fever already...and the cell smelled horrible. Bill looked around for--in the corner...she'd thrown up a few times, losing even more fluids..."It's okay...I'm here."

She groaned and turned her head to look at him. Her eyes were half open...there was a little drool hanging down the side of her mouth...she had thrown up very recently, "Bill...don't...just let me die...I've been in the way so much..."

"Don't say that. Pik would be devastated if you died...hang on for him...for Ralph."

She closed her eyes and grimaced, "I know...but I'm useless...he's only paying to keep me here...my body is dead already...the operations are the only things making it still function.

Bill calmed her down and turned to the guards, "Get me some water!"

They shook their heads. One of them spoke, "Kain said that once the prisoner goes in this cell, they aren't our problem."

Bill frowned, "So...if she dies before Kain wants her to, you'll be fine?" He specifically said it that way to make them nervous.

It worked too. The men glanced at each other first, doubts running high. One nodded, then left, coming back with a fairly large container with water. Bill took it, and managed to get Pik's mother to drink nearly half of it. She coughed a little and refused after that, but promised she would drink what was left when she needed it. Bill let the mean take him back to the cell with everyone else. Ania Cleave was just finishing up giving Ralph some water, and laughing at the way he kept trying to push it away. She seemed to know what she was doing...he jumped when the door behind him closed. He had been so absorbed in the two of them that he hadn't noticed much else.

Anna closed her eyes and smiled. Finally...she was back! That trip had taken a lot out of her...now she could get back to Bill...she'd missed him while she'd been gone. Maybe things would be a bit more calm now that...strange...the woman who she had hired to help her with her luggage--and gifts--looked frightened for some reason, "What's wrong?"

The woman blinked, like she'd been watching for somethnig else, then answered, "You...you haven't heard? What, did you leave the island or something?! A fake Protector is out there kidnapping people! No one can move around in this city without jumping! Business has been really slow too..."

"A false Protector? Did Bill do something to Babe?" She wondered. Soon, they found a taxi. Anna tipped the woman and loaded her things in the trunk. As she climbed into the back seat, she noticed that the driver was also on edge, "Something bothering you?"

"Lady, just tell me where you live so I can get home to my family! Ever since this new guy started kidnapping, I've been thinking about quitting and finding somewhere safer for my kids to stay! Where's the Protector been?! There've been six kidappings in the last three days! If I were you lady, I'd find a safe place to stay until this whole thing is over with."

"I'll certainly think about it." She told him where to go and thanked him as they arrived. He just took the money she handed him and zoomed away as soon as her luggage was out. She had to take two bags in at a time, but managed..."Bill? Bill, I'm back." She called. At first, the place only seemed sloppy...like Bill had been leaving things out again and forgetting to clean up after himself. The next room was a disaster compared..."Bill?.." She crept through the place. There was a draft...plaster and wood lay broken everywhere. Surprisingly, there weren't that many glass shards...she'd expected quite a few.

"OW!"

Anna twirled around at the voice. A girl had fallen to the ground, "Hello...what are you doing here?"

"The Protector left me here...who're you?"

"My name's Anna. And you?"

"Michelle...can you help me?"

"Well, I suppose...what's wrong?"

"I'm having trouble cleaning this place up...There used to be a lot of glass everywhere, and I--nevermind..."

Anna grabbed the girl's hands before she could get away and looked at them. They were covered in scratches...most were fairly new, but thankfully none looked serious, "You've been picking up glass? With your bare hands?!"

"I couldn't find any gloves...and most the trash bins were broken..."

"For goodness sakes Michelle! Hasn't anyone been helping you?! Where's Bill? Or Sarah? They are almost ALWAYS here!"

"They were...taken...the Protector saved me, and he's been coming back now and then to help me, but he won't stay for long. Uncle Babe is supposed to be dead...he can't stay..."

"He showed her? I thought he'd been wanting to keep it a secret from her...I wonder what Michelle's been thinking this whole time..." Anna let go of Michelle's hands, "Well, let's get looking for some gloves. You were lucky, Michelle...what might have happened if you'd gotten a bigger cut? You should really be more careful."