~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Stolen
by Measer

"Hey Gary! Gaaaarrryyyy!  It's me!"  Chuck knocked on Gary's door.  He wondered where Gary went, it only being six o'clock.  Could he have left already? " Gareeee..."

Suddenly the door opened and there stood a half asleep Gary, who didn't look too happy.

"It's about time you opened the door," Chuck said, smiling at Gary.  He walked past Gary and sat on the couch.

Gary, who was still standing by the door, closed it and sat down next to Chuck.  "What do you want, Chuck?"  Gary asked crankily.

"Is that how you treat your best friend-- especially when I brought breakfast?" Chuck reached into his pocket and pulled out a bag.  Inside was a bagel, a slightly stale bagel with almost bad cream cheese.

Gary took one look at the bagel and put it down on the coffee table.  "No. Thanks."  Looking at the clock on the wall, thought it was too early to be up, especially with the night he had.  "What do you want?"

"Aren't we awfully cranky, this morning?"  He looked over towards Gary, who sat on the couch with his head in his hands.  "What's wrong, buddy?"

"I just got in very late.  I'm still tired.  I was busy." Gary stifled a yawn. "A kid who fell into a manhole, you know the usual stuff." Rubbing his face he looked up towards Chuck.  "What do you want, anyway."

"I was at a company party yesterday and over heard a stock tip.  I wanted to see the paper to, you know... check it out," Chuck said.  "It *could* make us millions."  He already knew the answer before he finished his sentence, but he had to try.

"No."

"We could then buy you a nice house," Chuck said, waving his arms towards the room.  "Then you wouldn't have to live in this roach motel."

"No!"  Rubbing his eyes with his hands, he sighed.  "I'm going to take a shower."  Getting up, he walked into the bathroom.

"You don't know what you're missing."  Chuck yelled from the couch. He picked up the bagel and looked at it in disgust.  After throwing it in the garbage, he decided to raid Gary's refrigerator.

-----
Tyler walked into the Blackstone Hotel.  He was pissed off.  It was too early to be awake.  Walking up to the reception desk, he hit the little bell which sat on the desk.

"Hold on a minute."  Claire, the desk clerk said as she finished what she was doing.

Unfortunately Tyler didn't want to wait.  He continued to hit the bell until Claire snatched it off the desk.

"How can I help you *sir*."  She asked.

"I'm here cuz my grandma sent me.  Where's room 1610?"  Tyler asked.  "She asked me to do some stuff for her."

"Oh, you're talking about Mrs. Rosenberg, your Tyler... right?"

"Yeah, that's me."  He responded.

Claire stared at the boy for a moment and began to wonder if this was the same boy that Mrs. Rosenberg often talked of.  The same cute little Tyler that Mrs. Rosenberg would go on and on for hours about.  Was this the same kid?

Interrupting her train of thought, Tyler spoke.  "Look lady, I ain't got all day.  You gonna tell me? Cuz I know they ain't paying ya to just stand there and watch scenes go by."

"Take the elevator to the sixteenth floor. It's the last door on the right.  The elevators are over there."  Claire said pointing towards the elevators.

"Aight then."  Tyler walked towards the elevator.

"Your welcome!"  Claire yelled as he walked away.  "Kids today... Ahhhh, I'm beginning to sound like my mother."  Sighing she went back to work.

Tyler rode the elevator up to the sixteenth floor.  Once there, he stepped off and walked to the end of the hall.  He looked at all the door numbers until he found the one he was looking for, 1610.  Reaching into his pockets, he retrieved the keys that his grandma had given him.  Sticking the keys in the door one by one, Tyler eventually got the door open.

He was about to go in the room when he heard a sound.

Meow. Thump.

-----
Gary walked out of the bathroom to a familiar sound.  He debated on whether he should put clothes on first, then get the paper or vice versa.  Unfortunately Chuck noticed Gary's hesitation.  Chuck began to walk quickly towards the door but Gary noticed. Gary quickly ran to the door by jumping over the sofa.  Chuck only got the door partially open, when Gary's momentum caused him to slam into the door.

"Oww..." Gary said.  He rubbed his shoulder and opened the door.  "I'll get it."

"Hey,"  Chuck said,  "I was only trying to help..."  He walked back into the kitchen to finish what he was doing.

-----
Looking across the hallway, Tyler noticed a cat and a newspaper.  Walking over, he reached down and tried to take the paper.

The cat hissed at him, angrily.

Getting mad, Tyler kicked the cat off the paper.  The cat landed a few inches from the door. Smiling to himself, he retrieved the paper.  When he did, The door opened slightly, then slammed shut.  He quickly ran into his grandma's apartment and quietly closed the door.

"Whew... that was close."  He said aloud and smiled.

-----
Gary opened the door to find the cat on its side, mewing softly.  He looked up to see the elevator door slid shut.  Stepping over the cat, Gary hurried into the hallway in an attempt to get a glimpse of its passenger and maybe the person who did this.

"Chuck!"

"What?"  Chuck asked, sticking his head out the door.  "What's the matter?"  Walking forward, he almost stepped on the cat.  "Oh man... what happened?"

"Put him inside."  Gary said from the door of the staircase.  He ran down the stairs and into the lobby.  Running towards the elevator, Gary just made it in time to see the doors open and reveal its lone passenger, reading the newspaper.

Or a newspaper.  Gary grabbed the paper as the man exited the elevator.

"Hey! That's mine!"  The main complained, trying to snatch it back.

Gary looked at the paper's date.  Realizing it was today's, he handed it back.   "Sorry, I thought it was mine."

The man looked at him for a moment.  "Weirdo."

"Gary? Is that you?"

Gary turned to see Marissa and her guide dog walking towards the elevator.  "Yeah."  Gary answered.

-----
"What a dump," Tyler mumbled to himself.  He threw the paper onto the table and walked into the kitchen.  Opening the fridge, he found some spaghetti.  After he warmed it, he placed it on the newspaper.

He began to eat.  "Ow... damn that's hot," he yelled.  Spitting the meatball out it, it landed on the floor.  "Crap..."

His grandma would kill him if he made a mess.  Tyler looked around for a napkin or a paper towel, but couldn't find one.  That's when inspiration struck.  Newspaper would work.  He pulled out a few pages from the middle of the paper and used it to clean the floor.  He got most of it, the rest he wiped up with an inconspicuous piece of his shirt.  When he was done, Tyler sat back down and finished his meal.

-----
Claire and Boswell talked by the reception desk.  Claire glanced over towards the elevator to see Marissa and Gary.  She suddenly stopped talking about the subject at hand.

"Now that's something you don't see very often..."  Claire's voice trailed.

Boswell turned around,  "oh my..."

Boswell was about to walk over there to say something to Mr. Hobson when Claire grabbed his arm.

"I'll go..."

-----
"What's wrong?"  Marissa asked, sensing his distress.

"Someone beat the cat up and took the paper,"  Gary said.  He began to scan the lobby.  There had to be at least fifteen people with newspapers.

"*Ahem*," Claire cleared her throat, "excuse me, Mr. Hobson.  Um... I don't mind your present attire, but I think some of the other residents might mind.  Maybe only the males..."

"Huh?"  Gary asked confused.

"What you wearing," Claire said.

Gary looked down at his attire, or lack of attire.  That's when he realized he was only wearing a towel.  "Oh."  Gary smiled and began to blush.  "Sorry."

"What?"  Marissa asked.  He grabbed her arm and pulled her into the elevator.  "Gary, what did she mean by your attire?"

"I'm only wearing a towel."

"A towel?"

"Just a *towel*."

"Oh..."

-----
After washing the dishes, Tyler walked towards the bedroom and looked at the bird cage which sat by the bed.  "Might as well do what I came here to do,"  he mumbled to himself.  Opening the cage door, he pulled out the old, waste covered newspaper and replaced it with pieces of Gary's paper.

"I'm finally done," Tyler said to himself.  Holding the remnants of Gary's paper in his hand, which consisted of the first five pages, he folded them up and stuck them in his pocket.  Afterward, he decided to take a quick nap.

-----
"He doesn't look to well,"  Gary said to Chuck as they stood over the cat.  The cat just laid there and looked at them.

"Maybe you should bring him to a vet," Marissa said.

"Maybe," Gary said.  He went over to the closet and pulled out a box and a towel.  Walking back to the table, he gently placed the cat inside.

"I have to go to school,"  Marissa said.  "Call me after you've gone to the vet."

"How about we meet for lunch instead?"  Gary said.

"That's fine, around one?" Marissa asked, grabbing Spike's harness as she walked towards the door.

"That's okay with me," Chuck said.

"Yeah, that's fine,"  Gary said.

The trio left the apartment and went down to the lobby.  Once outside, Marissa left for school.

"I've have to find a taxi," Gary said.

"What's this about a taxi.  I'll drive ya," Chuck said.

"Thanks, but don't you have to go to work?"  Gary asked.

"No. I don't have to be there.  Pritchard is on vacation, everyone else won't notice I'm gone.  So it's okay,"  Chuck answered.

"Alright lets go."

-----
Samantha sat in her room and played with her crayons.  She loved to draw flowers.  She stopped drawing when she heard a sound from the window.  Walking over, she saw a robin which sat on the window sill.

"Pretty birdie..."  Samantha leaned out the partially opened window in an attempt to see where the bird had gone, that when she slipped.

"Sam, sweetie, what do you want for breakfast...?"  Sara looked into her daughter's room and stood horrified as she saw her daughter half way out the window.  She stood in shock, until her child fell.

"My baby...! Noooooo!!"

-----
"Mr. Hobson?"

Gary stood up in the waiting room.  "That's me."

"I'm Dr. Singer, please follow me."

Gary picked up the box he had the cat in, and followed Dr. Singer.

"So what's you cat's name?" she asked.

"Name?  I just call him cat," Gary answered.

"I see.  So what happened to 'Cat'?"

"I don't know.  I kinda just found him like that."

"I see," she said. "Is he a stray?"

"No, he's mine,"  Gary said.  "Are you implying something?"

Dr. Singer looked at Gary for a moment and began to wonder if he did this to the cat?  She'd seen this many times before, but he didn't seem the type.  He looked genuinely concerned for the cat.

"No, I'm just curious."

She began to examine the cat.  A few minutes later, she was finished.

"Your cat is going to be okay, it's nothing serious.  He'll be fine in a couple days."  She handed him a box for the cat.

Stopping at the reception desk, she handed him a slip of paper and a bottle of pills.  "Those
are pain killers.  Give him a pill twice a day, for three days."  She said.

"Thank you, Doctor."

Chuck got up from his seat in the waiting area and walked over to Gary.  He pulled the piece of paper out of Gary's hand.  "Three hundred and fifty dollars!?  That's a lot of money for five minutes and six Tylenol, not to mention that we hat to wait here for three hours."

Gary pulled the paper back out of Chuck's hands and handed him the cat.  He quickly read the bill, then handed it to the veterinary assistant who was at the desk.

"Cash, check, or credit, Mr. Hobson?"  she asked.

Gary reached into his pockets and realized he had forgotten his wallet at the hotel.  "Um... Chuck, I think I left my wallet on the dresser.  Could you...?"

Chuck sighed and handed the box back to Gary and pulled out his wallet.  After he handed the assistant a major credit card, chuck opened the box and looked at the cat.  "I hop you're happy, flea bag."

The cat weakly meowed back.

-----
Grady drove his truck down the street as he whistled to the music which blared from the radio.  Sighing to himself, he contemplated the tediousness of making deliveries.  Taking his eyes off the road for a moment, he reached down to change the station on the radio.  When he looked up, Grady saw a dog in the road.  Quickly swerving out of the way, he missed the dog but his truck tipped over, spilling its contents all over the road.

-----
After dropping the cat off at the hotel, Chuck and Gary walked to McGinty's, where they met Marissa for lunch.

"So, what are you going to do now, Gary?"  Chuck said as he ate his burger and fries.

"I don't know.  I don't know what happened to the paper," Gary said.

"Maybe this is the paper's way of giving you a day off," Chuck said.  "You've been looking really tired lately..."

"By hurting the cat?  I somehow doubt that,"  Gary said as he picked at his chicken sandwich, not feel hungry.

"He was fine after you took him out of the box," Chuck said.

"Do you think someone found out about the paper?"  Marissa asked.

"I don't know," Gary said.

"Maybe someone did and they're making millions as we speak," Chuck said.

"Is that all you think about, money,"  Marissa asked.

"No, I don't think about it all the time... just a lot of the time," Chuck said.

Gary wasn't listening to his friends banter. His mind kept wandering to thoughts of tomorrow's paper and to where it could have gone.

-----
After awaking from his nap, Tyler decided to take a walk.  He read the remnants of the paper which he removed from his pocket.  Budget cuts... new traffic lights... a fire... a four car accident... something about an accident with a soda truck... and a kid falls out a window, none of these articles appealed to him, but he skimmed them anyway.  He looked at the last five pages hoping to read some of the sports, but to his dismay it was the TV listings.  Taking the pages, Tyler threw them into a nearby trash can.

He continued to walk down the street.  A couple blocks later he heard a crash, then another, and two more after that.  He ran down the remainder of the block and saw a car accident.  A four car accident.

Tyler was shocked.  He had just read about a four car accident in the area, on this street.  What were the odds of it happening again.  The newspaper said it happened yesterday.  Did it happen again?  What were the odds of that?

Snatching a newspaper from one of the bystanders, he opened it to the page where he saw the article, but couldn't find it.  Why couldn't he find it?  This was the Chicago Sun Times, the same paper he had earlier.  He scanned all the other articles, but they were all different.  Handing the newspaper back to its owner, he grabbed another paper, from another spectator and found it was the same as the first.  It was the same as the first.

Tyler decided the had to find the paper he had discarded earlier, so he ran back in the direction he came.

Part 2

Meow.

"What do you want me to do?  I don't have the paper."  Gary put the book he was reading down, when the cat jumped onto the table.

Meow.

"What? Do you want me to wander aimlessly through the city looking for it?"

Meow.

The cat jumped off the table and walked to the door and meowed again.

"Do you want me to open the door?"

Chuck got up off the couch.  He and Gary just looked at the cat.

Meow.  The cat pawed at the door.

Gary did as he asked.  The cat walked to room 1610, and sat in front of the door.

"What?  Is the paper in there?"  Gary pointed to the door.

Meow.

"Your telling me Mrs. Rosenberg has my paper?"  Gary asked.

"I knew it!  I knew Mrs. Rosenberg was up to no good," Chuck said.

"She's a sweet old lady, besides, she's on vacation," Gary said.

Meow.

Knocking on the door, Gary waited for a response.  When he didn't get one, he twisted the door knob. To his surprise it was open.

-----
Tyler finally found the paper.  Retrieving it out of the trash can, he read the article again.  The accident happened around 4:30.  It was 4:40 now.  That was the right time frame.  It said four cars.  He heard four cars crash.  Minor injuries.  He didn't know about that.  He left too soon.

He quickly glanced at the date.  Tomorrow's? How can that be?  It was impossible to get tomorrow's paper.  What if this was tomorrow's paper. I could be rich! Was the first thought that sprang to mind.  Win the Lotto.  He opened the paper to the second page.  Lotto numbers!  He reached into his pocket and fished out his last dollar and took off to find a place where they sold tickets.

-----
Gary poked his head through the door.  "Hello? Is anybody here?  Mrs. Rosenberg?"

The cat ran into the apartment.

"Hey wait," Gary said.  He looked at Chuck.

Chuck shrugged, "he's your cat.  You go get him."

"He's not my cat... oh nevermind."  Gary entered the apartment.  He looked around for the cat and found him sitting on the bed.

"There is a bed in my apartment."  He told the cat.

Meow.  The cat looked towards the bird cage.

Gary examined the bird cage and found his paper in it.

"Are you saying this is my paper?"  Gary asked.

Meow.

Oh, come on.  Gary reached into the cage and pulled out the paper.  He looked down at the date.  It was tomorrow's.  This was his paper.

-----
Tyler walked into a candy shop and filled out a lotto card with the numbers from the paper.  He then handed it to the clerk with his last dollar.

"I'm sorry, I can't process this," the clerk said.

"Why the hell not?"

"Because you aren't eighteen. You can't buy unless your eighteen."

"How do you know I'm not eighteen?"  Tyler asked smugly.

"Because you aren't."  This was all the clerk said to him.

This wasn't working.  He needed to try a different approach.  "It's not for me.  It's for my mom."

"I'm sorry, I still can't do it.  Your mother will have to buy the ticket herself."

"She's sick.  She wanted me to buy it for her."

"I'm sorry but I still can't do it.  It's a fine if I get caught."

"There's nobody here in your crappy store, but me!"  Tyler blurted.

"I'm sorry, now please leave!"

"Whatever man..."  Tyler took the lotto car and the money and stormed out of the store.  He was too young.  Even if he did manage to buy a ticket, he would still have to find a way to cash it.  He could give it to his mom or grandma, but that wouldn't work either.  They would want to use the money for college or something.

Tyler crumpled up the lotto card.  Instead he walked into a deli and bought a soda.  He had to come up with another idea, one that would make him money.  That's when another idea struck.  He would have to find his friend Bryce for this one.

-----
Gary placed the pages of the newspaper on the coffee table.  It was a complete mess, with most of its paper torn or covered with bird waste.  He and Chuck shifted thought it, looking for something to do.

"Awww... man..." Chuck said.

"What?" Gary asked.

Chuck looked at the paper closely.  "The stock, it went up 10 points.  I didn't buy any.  What time is it?"

Gary pulled the piece Chuck was holding away, then looked at his watch.  "It's five-oh-five."  He handed the piece of paper back to Chuck.

"A lot of good this'll do me."  Chuck crumpled the paper up and tossed it aside.  "I couldn't find this ten minutes earlier..."

"Hold on..."

"What is it Gary?"

"'TEEN NEARLY BEATEN TO DEATH.'  Around 6:30 this yesterday evening, a teen, 14 name withheld by request of the family, was beaten into a coma by a former friend's older brother.  Neighbors say that the younger teen was a noted troublemaker and that he probably provoked the older teen."

"He probably got what was coming to him,"  Chuck said.

"I'm going to stop this."  Gary grabbed his coat and ran out the door.

"Hey wait for me...."  Chuck ran after him.

-----
Tyler climbed the fire escape until he reached the sixth floor.  He walked over to one of the windows and climbed inside.

"Yo, Bryce, what's up?"

"Watcha want?"  Bryce said not turning away from the game he was playing.

"Is that how you gonna treat your, boy?"  Tyler asked.

"What do you want, kid.  I'm busy,"  Bryce asked again.

"Let me borrow your video camera,"  Tyler stated. Sitting on the bed, he reached over to the desk next to the bed and picked up a toy.

Bryce put the controller down onto the floor for a moment and turned to face Tyler.  "Awwwww.... Hell..... No....."

"Come on...."  Tyler pleaded.

"You must be smokin' something if you think I'm gonna let you borrow any more of my stuff,"  Bryce said.  "Every time I lend you something it comes back all messed up.  Remember my Method Man CD?  Or how about my jacket? Or my brother's Gameboy?  You know if he sees you he's going to kick your ass.."

"I'll be careful with it,"  Tyler said.

"That's what you said when you borrowed my CD player.  That same CD player came back to me in pieces. I just got that thing a week ago, and you know what pisses me off even more...?"  Bryce turned back around to play his game.

"No, what?"  Tyler accidentally broke the toy he was holding.  Not wanting to make his friend madder than he was. He threw it under the bed.

"You broke my Meth CD again..  I just bought it to replace the first one you broke,"  Bryce said.

Tyler could tell he was getting mad, but he really needed the video camera.  "This is important."

"I don't care.  Now get out before I call my brother,"  Bryce said.

Yup he was definitely mad.  "You wouldn't."

"Try me...."

"Your bluffing,"  Tyler said smugly.

"Peeeetttttttttttteeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...." Bryce yelled.

"Whhhaaaattttt!!!!"  A voice yelled from the other room.

"Shhhhh....!"  Tyler cringed.  The last thing he needed was to have Peter see him.  Peter would beat him into a puddle of melted Jell-O.  "Okay I'll leave."

"NEVERMIND,"  Bryce yelled back to his brother.  Turning back to Tyler, Bryce spoke again. "Don't come back either."

"What?"  Tyler was shock.  This was his best friend.

"You heard me,"  Bryce said.

"It's like that?"  Tyler asked.

"Yeah it's like that,"  Bryce said.  Walking towards the window he opened it all the way.  He then stood in front of it with his arms crossed.

"Aight then. It's been nice knowing ya."

"I can't say the same."

Tyler climbed back out the window.

"Wait...."

"You want to apologize?"

"No... Give me my shirt back."

Oh come on.  Tyler took off his jacket and placed  down on the fire escape.   He removed the shirt he was wearing.

"Here." Tyler threw the shirt into the window.   He grabbed his jacket and ran down the fire escape.

Once down on the street and about a block away, Tyler reached into his pocket and pulled out a small video camera.  Pushing the eject button to see if there was a tape inside, he smiled as his luck prevailed.  There was a tape inside labeled 'SERENA BIRTH AN FIRST STEPS.' Serena was Bryce's baby sister.  Oh well, he thought.  He stuck the tape back into the camera and hit record.

He pulled out the newspaper and read.  'GIRL, 4, FALLS OUT WINDOW.'  Samantha Owens, 4, fell out of a third floor window yesterday morning.  She received a couple of scrapes and bruises with a slight concussion.  The doctor who treated the girl said that it could have been worse and that the grass she had landed in had broken her fall.

Crap that happened already.

He read the article next to it.  'DELIVERY TRUCK FLIPS.'  A delivery truck of Pepsi products over turned yesterday afternoon. No injuries. That would be cool to see.  Crap that happened already.  Was there anything useful in this paper.

Looking further down the page he saw another article. 'MAN KILLED BY BUS.'  An unidentified homeless man was struck and killed by a city bus around  6:00 last evening.  Witnesses say the man was chasing a shopping cart that had rolled down a hill into traffic.

This is what he needed.  He would film the accident then sell it to all the news stations, and maybe Real TV.  He looked down at his watch.  There was plenty of time to get there.

-----
Bryce picked up the shirt and looked at it. He noticed something on the side of the shirt.  "What the hell is this...  Tomato sauce...."

"That asshole."  Bryce said.  He looked on the desk for his video camera.  It wasn't there.  "That asshole..."

"What's up?"  Peter asked him.

"That asshole took my camera."  Bryce said.  He looked around  to see if anything else was missing.  He looked under the bed and found the broken toy.   "He broke my Parka Mulder toy... that asshole."

"Who are you talking about?"  Peter asked.  He watched his brother look around the room.

"Tyler."

"You mean the idiot that broke my Gameboy?"  Peter asked.  Bryce nodded.  "How long ago did he leave?"

"I dunno, five, minutes ago?"  Bryce said.  He couldn't believe Tyler stole his camera.

"I'm going to kill him.  Bryce, watch Serena."

-----
Tyler arrived early on the corner of Hillside and Main.  Looking for a good spot to stand, in he saw a car parked on the corner.  Deciding that was as good a place as any, he leaned on a Lexus.

"Hey kid, get off my car."  Chuck yelled.

Tyler didn't even notice that there was someone in the car.  He quickly got off he car and leaned on the lamp post  instead.  He watched a man run up to the car and speak to it's driver.

"Did you find him?"  Chuck asked.

"No.  There are so many kids out here."  Gary said.  "It could be any one to them."  Gary looked around at the bus stop there were several teens standing there.  He looked across the street.  There were more teens standing in front of a store.  "I wish I had a name or a description."

Tyler listened to their conversation.  He wondered who they were looking for.  He looked down at his watch.  It was just about time.  He turned the camera on and pointed it towards the
hill.

-----
Stan stopped in front of the garbage can and reached in to remove the recyclable bottles that were thrown inside.  He turned around towards his shopping cart and noticed  it was rolling away from him.  Not wanting to lose it, he chased it.

-----
A few seconds later a shopping cart rolled down the hill.  Behind it he saw a man chasing it.  Tyler swung the camera the other way to get a shot of the bus, that was stopped at the light.

He took a shot of the cart roll down the hill.

Then one of the man.

Then one of the cart.

Then one of the cart hitting the Lexus.

What?  That wasn't supposed to happen.  It was supposed to roll into the street.

"MY CAR!!"  Chuck yelled.  He got out of the car and ran to the passenger side.  He pushed the cart out of the way and it rolled into the street.

Gary ran over and stopped the cart from rolling any farther.  After returning it to its owner, he walked over  to Chuck.

"My car..."  Chuck said.

"TYLER!"

Tyler looked behind him and saw a furious Peter coming towards him.  "Oh snap!  Peter."  He had to get out of here.  He was about to run but Peter grabbed him.

"Hello, Tyler.  I think you have something that's mine,"  Peter said, after he hit him once.

"Ow.... That hurt!"  He yelled.

"Hey what are you doing!"  Gary said.  He tried to pull Tyler away from Peter, but the older teen wouldn't let go.

"Who the hell are you!"  Peter asked angrily.  A crowd began to form around them

"Let me go!"  Tyler said, as he squirmed around.  Still holding onto the camera, he turned on the spotlight and momentarily blinded Peter, then kicked him in the shin.

Peter yelped in pain and let go of Tyler.  He was about to grab him again but Gary grabbed his arms.

"Let go of me,"  Peter said.  He squirmed around and Gary lost grip of his arms. Once free, he took a swing at Gary, hitting him in the eye.

Gary hit the ground, momentarily dazed.

"PETER!!"  A voice yelled from the crowd.

Peter turned around to see his mother.  "What the hell are you doing!"

"Um... mom..."  Peter stammered.  "I was just..."

Peter's mom helped Gary up.  "I'm sorry... Mr...?"

"Hobson."  Gary extended his hand to shake hers, while he held his eye with the other hand.

"I'm sorry Mr. Hobson.  I don't know what this was about, but I must apologize for my son's behavior."  she said.  She turned back to Peter who was just standing there staring at his feet.

"Boy! Didn't I ground you?  What are you doing out here!  And where is your brother and sister?" she asked.

"I was just..."  Peter was about  to say.

His mother interrupted him.  "I don't care!  Go home!"

"But mom..."  Peter was going to say something.

"I said go home!"  his mother said again.  "And don't talk back to me.  Here..."  She handed him the bags she was holding.  "Take these with you."

"Yes ma'am..." Taking the bags, Peter walked away.

"I'm very sorry, Mr.  Hobson,"  she said again.  She then followed her son home.

"OKAY THERE'S NOTHING MORE TO SEE HERE!"  Chuck yelled.  The crowd began to dissipate.  "You okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine."  Gary answered.  He touched his eye and winced, knowing it was going to be black and blue in the morning.  "Where's the kid?"

"He ran off as soon as you grabbed the big kid's arms,"  Chuck said.  "The ungrateful brat...."

Gary didn't say anything.  He was already used to people running off after he saved them.

-----
Tyler looked down at the article, which changed.  In its place was an article about out of date text books in public schools.

Who was that guy?  True he prevented me from getting beat up, but he also messed up my plan.  He would never finish his plan at this rate.  Never make the tape and never make any money.

There's was only one more article that didn't happen yet.  He read the article again.  'FIRE IN THE WAREHOUSE DISTRICT.'- A fire ripped through the warehouse district around 9:40 yesterday night, killing a security guard and injuring six others, including three firefighters.  Police and fire officials are still investigating the fire calling it suspicious, but they have no leads.

Walking up the stairs, Tyler jumped over the turnstile.  He then waited for the train.  This was it all or nothing.  Maybe he could steal the newspaper again.  He knew were he had gotten this one from, but what were the chances of someone getting tomorrow’s paper every day?   If they did, would they be living at a hotel?  Wouldn't they have made themselves rich by now?  Maybe they would be mad that he stole the paper.  If they found out maybe they would kill him. Maybe the paper came from future seeing aliens.  Maybe it's  a  conspiracy by the government to alter the news.  Maybe he was just being paranoid.

-----
Gary managed to save the kid.  The article disappeared and in it's place was an ad for sneakers. He looked at the adjacent page and noticed something new had appeared.  'FIRE' continued from page one.  He scanned the remaining paragraphs hoping to find some clue to where the fire was. There were none.  All it said that the kid was going to be buried on Monday.

Meow.

Gary looked down to see the cat as it ran in one direction.  He put the page back into his pocket and followed the cat.

The cat looked towards the steps to the EL.  Making sure that Gary saw him, the cat ran up the stairs.

Gary paid his fare and continued to follow the cat.  When he reached the platform, a train was pulling into the station.

The cat ran onto the train.

Wondering where the cat was going, Gray just followed.  He looked around to see the cat sitting on one of the seats.  The cat just looked at him.

Meow.

"Gary!  Where are you going."  Chuck jumped through the train doors just before they closed behind him.  "Why are you riding the El?  I have my car."

Gary pointed to the cat.  The cat made himself comfortable on the seat.

"I guess he wants us to take a ride," Gary said as he sat down next to  the cat petting it.

"Do you know where we're going?"  Chuck took a seat next to Gary.

"No clue," Gary said.  He looked out the window and began to wondered himself.  Taking out the page out of is pocket, he showed it to the cat.

Meow.

Gary looked at the cat again.  He put the piece of paper in front of the cat.  "Is this where you're take us?"  He asked the cat.

Meow.

"What now?  Where's the cat taking us?"  Chuck asked.  He looked at Gary and then the cat.

"He's taking us to a fire,"  Gary said.  He handed Chuck the piece of paper.

Chuck read it.  "This doesn't say much..."  Chuck handed the paper back to Gary.

"I know,"  Gary said.  "But what do you want me to do.  The cat want's me there."

"You mean us,"  Chuck said.

Meow.

The cat got up and ran to the train doors as the train pulled into a station.  Gary and Chuck followed as it ran down the stairs and into the street to a row of warehouses.

Part 3

"Now which warehouse goes a blaze..."  Tyler mumbled to himself as he wandered around in the dark.  He held Bryce's camera in his hand and turned it on, wondering how the tape would come out cause it was extremely dark out here.  He found the little button that turned the spotlight on the camera and started to film.

"Ahem... This is Tyler Hughes speaking.  This is what the warehouses looked like before the fire."  He spun the camera in a panoramic shot of the warehouse around him.

"There's going to be a fire.  This place is going to be reduced to ash.  I think."  He paused the camera and pulled the paper out of his pocket.  "Damn it's dark out here."  He strained to read the article. A flashlight beam shined on him.

"Hey! What are you doing here?" someone yelled.

Tyler looked up from the paper,  he saw a security guard with a flashlight coming towards him.

"Hey kid!  What are you doing!"  the guard yelled.

Not wanting to be caught, Tyler ran.  He looked behind him to see that the guard was chasing him.  Jumping up on a dumpster, he climbed through an open window.  He ran through the warehouse and climbed up a staircase.  Spotting a row of boxes, Tyler hid behind them and watched quietly as the guard looked around.

"Hey kid I know you're in here.  I can hear you breathing," the guard said.  He beamed his flashlight towards a row of boxes.

Tyler held his breath.

"I don't care.  I'm going to let the rats get you.  They're the size of cats," the guard said.  He swung his flashlight towards another set of boxes.

Rats?  Tyler felt something crawl across his leg.   He pulled himself into a tight ball and waited.  He hoped that his mind was playing tricks on him and it wasn't a rat.  The guard said something into his radio, that Tyler couldn't hear.  All he could think about were the rats.

"Okay kid.  Stay in here.  I don't mind," the guard said.  He spoke into his radio, then left.

A few moments later Tyler came out from the box where he hid.  After catching his breath, Tyler turned the camera back on again.   He sat on the floor and put the camera in his lap after he turning it towards his face. "How do I know this you ask?  I have tomorrow's paper!"  He took the paper out of his pocket.  He was about to read the article to the camera, but stopped.  The headline changed.

'FIRE IN THE WAREHOUSE DISTRICT.'- A fire ripped through the warehouse district around 9:40 yesterday night, killing two and injuring six others, including three firefighters.  Police and fire officials are still investigating the fire calling it suspicious, but they have no leads.  The dead included an unidentified teen.

Why would the headline change?  An unidentified Teen?  Could that mean me?  Tyler  stared blankly at the paper.  Was he going to die?  He didn't want to die.

After sticking the camera back into his pocket, Tyler looked around to find a way out.  He couldn't find the staircase.  In his haste to get away from the guard, he didn't pay attention to where he was going.  He wandered a couple of more minutes, until he felt  the ground shake around him.  A few seconds later there were flames everywhere.

-----
Gary and Chuck arrived to see the warehouse erupt into flames.

"Hey did you two do this?"  Two security guards ran towards them.

"What?"  Chuck said.  "We just got here."

"We were looking for this kid," Gary said.

"A kid?"  The security said.

"Yeah, he's my nephew.  We got into an argument and he ran out. We chased him this way,"  Gary lied.

The guard turned to the other one.  "Hey Judy, didn't Tom say something about a kid?"

"Yes, he did, Mike.  He said he was chasing a kid though warehouse four," Judy said.

"Which one is warehouse four?"  Gary asked.

"The one that's on fire," Mike said.  "Thinking about it, I wonder where Tom is...?"

"Call the fire department," Gary said as ran into the warehouse.

"Hey wait...!"  Judy yelled.

"Gary!" Chuck called.  "Don't go in there!"

Gary covered his face with the sleeve of his jacket.  He carefully walked in and saw someone laying on the floor.  It was the security guard.  He grabbed the man's arm and put them over
his shoulder and began to drag the man towards the door.  Once outside the guard began to cough. Gary put him down on the ground.
 
He pulled Gary down towards him.  "There's... cough..... a kid .... in there.  I saw... cough.... cough... him.  On the third.... floor.."  Tom said.

"I called the fire department,"  Judy said.  "Tom? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine... cough,"  Mike said trying to breath.  "There's a ... kid..."

Gary ran back towards the warehouse.  He had to find the kid.

-----
Tyler looked around the room was engulfed by the fire's flames.  He finally located the staircase, but when he stepped near it collapsed.  He looked around to find most of the windows were
boarded up and everything else was on fire.  He jumped backwards to avoid a falling beam.  Standing there for a moment, he realized he was trapped.  Maybe this wasn't such a good idea.  Tyler looked up.  Something was creaking above him.  He saw a support beam swinging down towards him.   He instinctively put his arms up to cover his head.

"Hey kid look out!"  A voice yelled.

Tyler felt someone knock into him.  He looked up to see the man who saved him earlier.  Who was he?  What was he doing here?  Was he following me?

"Hey you're the kid from earlier,"  Gary said.

By the look on his face, Tyler realized that he was as shocked as he was.  Maybe he wasn't following him after all.

"How did you know where to find me?"  Tyler asked.

"There's no time for that.  Come on, kid. Let's go!"  Gary said.  He pulled Tyler off the floor and pulled him towards a corner of the room.

"How the staircase collapsed,"  Tyler said.

Gary picked up a chair that was on the floor and threw it through one of the boarded up windows. After removing the remaining boards, Gary looked out of the window.  He saw a small roof, that they could reach, if they jumped out the window.  "Come on, kid. We're going to have to jump."  He pushed Tyler through the window.  After Tyler landed safely, he climbed out.  The two of them ran to the edge of the lower roof and looked downward.  All they could see was smoke and what looked like a dirt parking lot.

"Looks like we're about a story up,"  Tyler said.  "I think we could jump down."  He climbed onto the edge and looked down, without hesitation he jumped.  Landing on the ground, Tyler looked up to the roof where Gary still stood.  "Hey jump, man."

Gary was about to jump. Unfortunately the roof he was standing on, crumbled beneath him.

Tyler just watched as the man had fallen through the roof.  He heard voice coming from the other side of the warehouse.  Not wanting to get caught.  He ran.

-----
The police and fire department arrived shortly.

"What's going on here?"  A familiar voice said.  Chuck turned around to see Detective Crumb.

"Fishburn!  You what are you doing here?"  Crumb said to Chuck.

"Who me?"  Chuck asked.

"Don't  be cute,"  Crumb said.

"I was with Gary.  He wanted to see a warehouse,"  Chuck said.

"You told us that you were looking for you nephew,"  Judy said confused.

"Hobson?"  Crumb asked.  He could feel a headache coming on as soon as he heard that name.  "Where is he?"

"He's in there."  Chuck pointed towards the fire.

"Why am I not surprised."  Crumb said.  "What is it now, a kitten?"

"A kid."  Mike said.  "He pulled Tom out of the fire and went after some kid who was inside.  I hope he's okay."

Crumb liked Hobson.  True the kid was a little weird, but he was a good guy.  "I hope so too."

-----
He felt guilty, sort of.  The guy saved him, twice.  The least he could do was see if the man was okay.  He turned back around to see if the man had gotten out. Maybe he could get some footage of the fire.  He reached into his pocket and pulled the camera out.  He shook it and it made a funny sound.  He pressed the power button and looked through the lens.  It was still working but the lens was cracked.  He turned around and ran back towards the warehouse.

Once in the front of the warehouse,  he stopped.  There were cops everywhere.  He didn't want to stick around now.  Oh screw that guy.  He shouldn't have gone into the warehouse.  Tyler ran off.  This time he never stopped.

-----
Gary was momentarily dazed.  He looked around and noticed that he landed in a large wooden crate that was filled with styrofoam.   Luckily the box wasn't on fire. He climbed out of the box and looked around.  All he saw nothing but smoke and flames.

"At least the kid got out," he thought to himself and hoped that there wasn't anyone else in the warehouse.  He tried to get up but he was having trouble breathing.  Forcing himself up out of the box , Gary staggered in one direction.  He really hoped that the door was that way.  Closing his eyes, Gary stopped and fell to his knees and began to cough uncontrollably.  He couldn't walk anymore, it was too hot and the smoke was too thick.

Gary felt something lift him off the ground, but couldn't bring himself to open his eyes.  He was placed onto something soft and something was over his face. When Gary opened his eyes, he looked up to see Chuck standing over him.

"Gary!"  Chuck said.

"Uhh...."  He couldn't speak.  He was tired, but he forced himself to sit up.  That's when he realized he was sitting in an ambulance.

A fire fighter walked over to the ambulance.  "Hey.  Did you get the kid?"

Gary nodded.  The paramedic pushed him back down onto the gurney.  He didn't argue.  He just went to sleep.

-----
Tyler got home and put the camera onto his bed.  The audio video cables from his Nintendo and connected them to the camera.  He turned the TV on and pressed play.

There was nothing but static.

He opened the camera and looked at the tape.  It melted.  Throwing the camera across the room, Tyler went to sleep.

-----
Gary awoke at the hospital  a little after midnight.

"You're a very lucky man, Mr. Hobson.  You've suffered minor smoke inhalation,  and passed out due to the heat."  The emergency room doctor said to Gary.  "We're just keeping you for
observation.  You can go in the morning."

"Hobson.  Should I ask why you were at the warehouse?"  Crumb asked as he walked into the hospital room.

"Detective Crumb...  I was..."   Gary said trying to make up something.

"On second thought... I really don't want to know," Crumb interrupted. "Anyway, we caught the guys who set the fire. Turns out to be an insurance scam."

"Did you find the kid?"  Gary asked.

"No, but one of the fire fighters saw a kid running away from the warehouse."

Gary nodded and went back to sleep.

-------------
Epilogue

 A week later.

Tyler walked into the Blackstone Hotel.

He was stopped by Boswell.  "Can I help you, sir?"

"Um... yeah, I'm here to see my grandma."  Tyler said.  "I know where I'm going."

He rode the elevator up to the sixteenth floor.  He walked up to room 1611.  The slightly ajar door was covered by yellow tape.  He pushed the door open, and looked into the room.  Everything was charred.

"Tyler?"

Tyler turned around to see his grandmother standing behind him.

"What are you doing here so early?"

"I just came here to see you, Granny,"  Tyler lied.  "What happened there?"
 
"There was a fire yesterday, the only room to get burned was that one."

"Oh."

Tyler realized that he would never see the paper again.

"Come on."  She lead him into her apartment.   "Tell me what you've been up to while I was on vacation."

---
The End.

Email the author: Measer
 
 

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