Vigilante by Choice

Chapter 12: Public Transportation

This hangover is a bitch, I had to figure out how to make it feel better. Maybe a run. I filled up my water bottle and grabbed my backpack. I sulked down the stairs and made my way out of the building.

I saw Vincent out by his bush thing. "What are you doing, Vince?"

Vince turned around while still holding a hose. "Someone thought it would be funny to throw up in my topiary."

Why does it feel like I did that? "Do you know who it is?"

Vincent shook his free fist. "No, but when I find this punk they will pay."

Now it's coming back. That was me. "Ok, see you later." I started jogging.

A million thoughts were flying through my head. Where could I find a job? Would it pay enough? Did Vincent know it was me? Would I get mugged again? Did the Celon brothers know where I lived? What would happened if they hurt someone close to me? What does Faye think of me? Would I be the Wa7nderer again or was it just a one time thing? Why was my suit still in my bag?

My thoughts were interrupted when I heard screaming. I sprinted towards the noise. I ran up to a bus flipped onto its side, pinned between a light pole, a SUV and two semi trucks. Holy shit, I had to think quickly.

I ran towards a rest room. I threw my clothes off and slipped into my suit. I ran back out to the crash. I assessed the situation. The bus was boxed in, so no breaking front or back windows. The door side was up, so I could just up and lift them out of there.

I jumped on top on the hood of the SUV and made my way towards the door. "The door is stuck!" I heard people shouting from the bus. I gripped the side of the door and tried to pull it open.

The voice shouted at me. "Hurry up!" I flung the door open and reached my hand down the the civilians.

"Here, grab my hand. Next person." I started pulling people from the bus. I directed them to a safe way down. One after another everyone got out of the bus.

"That's everyone." A voice shouted from the inside of the bus.

"Everyone but you. Just take my hand." I pulled the person swiftly out of the bus.

"Thank you, you!" The last person I would expect to see glared at me. It was Faye.

I had to milk this out, she couldn't know it was me. "Hello young lady. It's nice to see you again." I picked her up bridal style and carried her down from the top of the bus.

Faye looked at me in disbelief. "How did you?"

"I go where the people in trouble need me." I think I am getting the hang of this hero talk.

Faye started to struggle in my grip. "This is ridiculous. You can't-"

I interrupted her. "Save you from a bus explosion?" I cocked my eyebrow.

Faye looked at me. "It hasn't-" This time it wasn't me who interrupted her. The bus exploded. She tensed up and stopped struggling. Her body relaxed against mine.

I wasn't expecting that to happen, the explosion and Faye. My face probably showed it. "You were saying?" Keep up the act.

Faye realized what she was doing and who was holding her. "How about you let me go. How does that sound?"

I gently set her down, but kept her close. "That is save number two."

She made some space between us. "Don't expect any more."

All of a sudden I was swarmed by a bunch of people. "You saved us!" Camera flashes were going off everywhere. Definitely not helping with the hangover. I covered my eyes.

"You're a superhero!" A little boy said.

"Sir what is your name?" I heard someone ask.

"I am the Guardian." I said without thinking.

A few girls were at my side."I love you!"

I saw Faye at the back of the crowd, looking dumbfounded. "You guys are really buying into this?" She tried to communicate her point to the crowd.

I made my way to Faye. She glared at me. "Yes they are. It's because I saved them."

It looked like Faye's head was about to explode. "What do you think you are, a superhero?"

I thought it over for a second. "Yeah, I'm kinda a hero."

Before Faye could attack me a voice from the crowd responded. "Kinda, you are a hero!"

Someone recognized Faye from working at the newspaper. "Ms Varanasi, you should cover this story." Faye rolled her eyes.

Others joined in."Take a picture." Wow. Never knew I would be famous.

"This will make front page." A man pulled out his phone and tried to take a selfie with me.

Vans pulled up and reporters started jumping out of the vans. "Look the news people are coming."

That wouldn't be good for me. I jogged over to a girl sitting on her motorcycle. "Hey, let me get a ride."

She winked at me. "No problem." I jumped on the front and drove away, the girl clinging on for dear life. We zoomed from the cited of the accident.