Smooth Criminals

"Woo-wee!," John yelled in the back. Donatello barked. I smiled and looked over at Michael. He had his white hat covering his eyes and he wasn't smiling. He stared ahead at the road going 65 miles per hour.

"What's wrong, Michael?," I asked.

"What's wrong?" he repeated. He quickly turned on the radio and focused back on the road.

John and I had our eyes on the radio listening intently to the news broadcaster. "Breaking news. The Dynamic Duo and a lady with a mask over her mouth have robbed one of the biggest banks in Chicago about five minutes ago. The lady was the biggest attraction, however. She was described as completely astounding and beautiful, even with a mask over her mouth. She also has a criminal attitude as far as we can tell. She stepped on a man's hand with her heels disabling him from calling the police. Whoever this woman is, she is good. What will the Terrifying Trio do next?"

Michael turned it off. John and I looked at him.

"What's wrong with that?" I asked.

He gave me a crooked smile. "Absolutely nothing." I smiled. "However," he said, "we'll be needing to find a place to stay tonight."

John looked at Michael. "Chris?"

Michael nodded. "Chris."

I looked back at John and Donatello and then back at Michael. "Who's Chris?"

Michael looked over at me. "An old trustworthy friend."

I raised an eyebrow. "What else should I know?"

John grunted. "Well, he has a sort of smart ass attitude."

Michael smiled more and looked over at me. "And without a doubt, he'll be all over you."

I sighed. "Alright. One more thing."

"What do you need, love?" Michael asked.

I creased my forehead. "I never said I needed anything."

"You don't have to say it. I know when a girl wants something."

I tilted my head. "Well," I paused, "I was hoping I could get a more appropriate dress considering this one is a little old fashioned for me."

Michael nodded. "It can be arranged. Besides, no one would ever think you were the Masked Ghost in that attire. Except for the bandanna."

"That's the next step," John said, "To get everyone to figure out it's you."

Michael smiled. "Then you'll be nationally known."

"Like us," John said.

"With us," Michael corrected.

I smiled and looked out the front window. I didn't know what it was, but I wanted to be with Michael and John for a long time. Michael basically made me melt and John wasn't so bad either. Maybe I would finish that kiss with Michael. I was looking forward to it.

We drove for another twenty minutes and then we came up a long driveway to a medium sized brick house. There were trees all around and then there was a shed off to my right. Michael parked the car and got out. I got out after him and shut my door. John and Donatello came out as well. Donatello came over to my side and looked up at the house.

A dark man came out of the house in a black suit with a purple undershirt and a matching hat. He stopped at the top of the porch and then walked down with a smile on his face. He walked over to Michael, who was also smiling.

"Well, I'll be damned," the man said to Michael. They embraced in a man-ish hug and then let go still smiling. "How you doin', Mike?"

Michael nodded. "I'm good. I'm good. How about you?"

The man nodded. "I'm great. I've been great ever since I heard you're little bank robbery over the radio."

The man noticed me and John and walked over to me. Donatello looked up at him and growled.

"Easy," I said to Don.

The man came over and smiled at me. "You must be the lady that breaks people's hands. I like you already. What's your name?"

"Alyssa," I said with a slight smile.

He nodded and held out his hand. "Chris Tucker. Nice to meet you."

I put my hand in his and shook it. He looked me down and then looked me back in the eyes.

"You got potential," he said. "Who are you?"

Michael walked over and stood leaning against the car next to Donatello. "This is the Masked Ghost."

Chris' eyes bulged out of his head and he raised his eyebrows. "You serious?"

"I'm serious," Michael said. "We found her taking down some men on the streets and then we pretty shortly got her to join us."

Chris backed up and looked me up and down again. "But, Mike. She is of the female gender."

Michael smiled. "You don't think I realized that? That's what has kept her a secret. That's why she wears the bandanna."

Chris smile. "Oh, damn. This is so going to be a huge thing." He looked at Michael. "Does the media know yet?"

John came up next to me and shook his head. "No, but we're intending on it shortly."

"Oh, hey, Johnny," Chris said. "I was gonna say 'hi' to you, but then, well, you know."

Michael looked over at me and winked. I smiled. Chris looked back over at me and then down at Donatello.

Michael stood up from the car. "I want you to keep them hidden here while I go take care of a few things, alright, Chris?"

"I'll stay with them too," John said.

Chris and Michael both nodded. Chris looked back at Michael. "Will do, Mike."

Michael looked at John and then at Chris. "You two gents go inside with the dog, I have to talk to Alyssa for a second."

Chris nodded and turned around towards the house. "See ya later, Mike."

Michael nodded after him. I motioned for Donatello to go inside with Chris and John. He immediately got up and went after John and Chris into the house.

I looked over at Michael. He looked me up and down. He stopped and stared into my eyes with his beautiful brown eyes. He smiled.

"What kind of dress were you thinking?"

I shuffled in the long dress I was in. Something not like this one. "I was thinking shorter, less baggy, red or black, and something I can move in, but still look great in."

He looked down at the ground and then back up at me. "I know what'll suit you."

I smiled. "Michael, what else should I know about you?"

He shuffled closer to me smoothly. "What is there to know?"

I looked up at him. "Tell me about yourself."

He smiled. "Alright. My full name is Michael Joseph Jackson. I was born in Gary, Indiana. I'm 5' 11". I like dancing, music, fast cars, not killing people if it isn't necessary, and you. If I could, I would become the type of hero you were trying to be. And quite frankly, I want to make us have that." He paused. "What else do you want to know?"

I tilted my head and looked up at him. "Why aren't you the way you want to be?"

He frowned. "I am the way I want myself to be. I sing, I dance, I'm known, and I can do anything I want and get away with it. The only thing I would change is to make the four of us into something more known for being good and bad the same way you were. And that's exactly what we're going to do."

"How are we going to do that, Michael?" I asked.

He tilted his hat back and revealed his face to me. "We're going to go after Frank Gagliano and we're going to take him down."

"Take him down, meaning kill him?"

He nodded. "It is a euphemism."

I smirked. "I have faith in you, Michael."

He tilted his head back and laughed. "That's good to know because I was afraid you would just run off."

I creased my forehead. "Why would I run away from two people I like too much?"

He shrugged. "Why would you stay?"

I smiled. "Curiosity. It can hardly ever be resisted. It takes the best of everyone. One day, you won't be able to resist it. You'll want to know what it tastes like."

He gave me a crooked smile. "What if I already have given into it?"

"Then you've proven you aren't as bad as you show to be."

He raised an eyebrow. "I'm bad and you know it."

I shrugged and turned to the house and began walking. "We'll find out, Michael."