The Sidekick Club

1.6

Ethan turned in confusion when he heard a voice call out for him. He didn't recognize the girl that was coming closer, but he felt a bit curious as to what she could want.

She jogged up beside him and took a moment to catch her breath before asking, "Ethan, right?"

"Um, yeah. That's me," he said.

"I, uh- were you at the mall during that whole super fiasco?" she asked cautiously, trying not to make him run away.

"I-"

"I recognized you from some of the videos. I'm doing a class project on supers and was wondering if I could interview you," she tried to explain herself, though it was a complete lie.

"Oh, yeah. I know the feeling, so sure. I mean- I'm sure there's not much you'll get out of me that I haven't already told the reporters, but ask away."

"You were given a Pin of Valor, right?" she asked first. She figured she'd start with the simple questions and then work her way up to the big ones.

"Yeah," he said, rubbing the back of his neck as they continued to walk. "Yeah, I was. Talon gave it to me."

"And Talon was at the mall for a photo op, right?" she inquired.

"As far as I know. I don't exactly follow him around like a lost puppy," he replied, but as soon as the words were out of his mouth, he realized they weren't exactly true. He didn't as Ethan, but as Mr. Dependable, that's exactly what he did.

"They said the Vanisher was to blame for the scene. Do you think that's true?"

"I... I guess," Ethan was starting to get a little uncomfortable. He rubbed the back of his neck again out of habit.

"Isn't Talon's sidekick usually around to help in these situations?"

"He probably had something better to do," Ethan shrugged, brushing off the fact that Talon hadn't even bothered to tell him about the photo op. "I know I'd have a lot better things to do than watch a hero sign autographs, especially if I had Mr. Dependable's powers."

"Hm," she hummed as she thought about his answer.

"Do you have anymore questions?" Ethan asked after a few moments of silence, wondering how much longer he'd have to answer questions about himself and his hero.

The girl seemed to think about this for a second before she formed her next question. "Do you think what happened at the mall is related to Edison's disappearance?"

"I-" Ethan cut himself off as he heard something from between the buildings up ahead. "What was that?"

"What?"

Ethan ignored her question and jogged up ahead, peering into the alleyway as he tried to locate the source of the noise.

"Hey!" he called as he saw someone crouching over a slumped body. The man, homeless by the looks of it, glanced at Ethan before turning and running in the opposite direction. Without wasting another second, Ethan jogged forward towards the body. He really hoped it wasn't dead.

"Oh my God," the girl said as they approached. "It's-"

"Edison," Ethan finished her sentence for her. He recognized the suit, but the man beneath looked pale and weak. His cheeks were sunken and there were dark bags under his eyes. He looked sick.

Ethan knelt down beside the hero and checked for a pulse.

"Is he-"

"He's alive," Ethan sighed in relief. "He has a pulse, but it's weak."

The girl nodded, seeming to be relieved as well.

Ethan looked down and saw the heroes mask on the ground beside him. He'd bet anything that the homeless man had taken it off.

Picking it up and shaking it off a little, Ethan slipped it back over Edison's eyes. It was the least he could do, all things considered.

"You should get back to your friend," Ethan said to the girl behind him, though his eyes didn't stray from the hero.

"Like Hell," the girl scoffed and knelt beside him. "I'm not leaving now."

"What did you say your name was again?" Ethan asked, growing tired of referring to her as "the girl" in his mind.

"Samantha," she said.

"Well, Samantha. If you're not going to leave, then need you to help me carry him."

Sam nodded as she moved to Edison's other side.

Both she and Ethan lifted Edison by his arms and did their best to support his weight.

"Where are we taking him?" Samantha asked.

"I don't live far from here," Ethan nodded in the direction of his home. "We can take mostly back alleys to get there. No one will see him."

"We can't tell anyone about him," Samantha said determinedly.

"That would be best," Ethan agreed, knowing Edison had probably escaped. There were people looking for him now. And Ethan feared that they might kill him should they find him. "Let's get him somewhere safe."