The Hero in All of Us

“Do you have any more information on the man who held you hostage?” I shook my head, adjusting Drew’s coat on me, shivering slightly in the cool night air. I watched the parking lot light up, switching between red and blue every few seconds, before closing my eyes, taking a deep breath.

“Alright, thank you ma’am. You’ve been a great help. Do you have somewhere to stay tonight?”

I nodded, letting out a raspy voice. “My apartment.”

“Is there anyone who could stay with you in that apartment? Maybe a family member, a friend, a significant other?” I shook my head. Drew returned to my side, dropping my bag off in front of me.

“I think I got everything.” He turned to the officer, giving him a polite smile. “I’ll take care of her. Do you need anything else?”

“No, you two can head on home. We’ll be in touch if there’s any development.”

Drew and I thanked him as he walked away, gathering his squad for a quick rendezvous before they, undoubtedly, headed out to their next destination. Drew offered me a hand and I took it, lifting myself onto weak knees, focusing on staying stable for once. “You don’t actually have to stay at my place.” I looked at Drew, who immediately started shaking his head. “Really, I’m fi –”

“Jay, I’m staying whether you like it or not.” He motioned me to his own car, giving me a worried look. “You just went through something really traumatic. I don’t want you to, I don’t know, wake up in the middle of the night screaming. I want to make sure you’re safe. Now get in my piece-of-shit car and pray that we don’t die before I get to protect you.”

I laughed earnestly, following his advice and buckling my seatbelt. “You’re too good to me.”

“I’m too good for you,” he retorted back, throwing the bags in the back as he started up the car. I laughed again, shrugging in agreement. “Listen, Jay,” he began, checking behind him as he pulled out. “I’m not saying I don’t believe you or anything… I’m just saying that I can’t figure – right?”

“Left.”

“I knew that. Look, did anything happen when the lights were out?” He turned, giving me a side glance. “I know you, and I know you had to have been scared. I don’t know how you got outside.”
I shrugged, staring out the window. I watched the lights of cars on the opposite side of the road, blinded by their brilliancy, reminded of the way the necklace shone off of the moonlight. I twirled it in my fingers, absentmindedly remembering the man who had saved me.

Keep this one between us, okay Jaime?

I cleared my throat uncomfortably, clenching the necklace in my fist. “I’m not sure,” I muttered, turning to give Drew a polite smile. “I guess my legs just carried me.” He gave me a disapproving look, but let the conversation drop regardless.

I wasn’t sure what led me to keep the masked man’s secret, but I bit my tongue regardless. The idea of betraying him cut deeper into me than the idea of lying to Drew. I suppose I thought that I would have many opportunities to make it up to Drew, but the chances of me ever meeting that man again did not seem to be in my favor.

Drew leaned over and turned on the radio, letting the white noise fill the air as silence settled between us.

“… and now we turn our attention to breaking news, a robbery on Horizon Boulevard – luckily no one was hurt, nobody wants that, but the culprits, get this, were nowhere to be found after the police arrived…”

Drew pulled into the parking structure of my apartment building, focusing on his search for a spot.
“Drew.” I touched his shoulder when he parked, gesturing for him to keep the radio on.

“… the police were having no luck finding the criminals – Supposedly, they are the same suspects from the bank robbery that happened last night. But, I don’t know how, I don’t know why, they suddenly caught a break –”

“Wait, they caught the guys who did this to you?” Drew asked excitedly, pulling into a parking space. I shushed him, turning the radio up.

“According to the station, when the squad returned to their headquarters they found the suspects – the three men involved in both the bank robbery as well as the restaurant hold-up – right on their front lawn! Other witnesses at the scene let us know that the three men were tied together, unable to move or escape the bindings. Nobody in the station had realized anything prior to the squad’s return, so there’s no information on who turned the three in…”

Drew let out a whistle, impressed by the situation. He began to turn the key and I stopped him, listening intently to the radio. “Jay, the policeman said he would contact us with any –”

“… If you have any information on who is now known as the “Vigilante,” please contact the hotline attached to this case. We’ll keep bringing you updates as the story develops, once again that number is –”

The radio went silent as the engine shut down. I groaned, glaring at Drew who simply shrugged, opening his car door. “Give me your keys –”

“Drew, really, I’ll be fine. You can leave.”

“Quit being difficult, will you? I already told you that I’m going to stay with you tonight.”
Silence fell between us as we both stared at each other, both of us trying to outlast the other. I cocked an eyebrow, and then my head, as if inviting him to try to take the keys from me. He gave a defeated sigh, shutting his car door. “If anything happens, call me right away. And I mean anything. I mean if you have a nightmare, hear a loud noise, see a spider, run out of toilet pa–”

“Thanks, Drew,” I cut him off, smiling. “I will. I promise.” I opened the car door, grabbing my bags from the backseat. “Be careful heading home. We have work tomorrow.”

“No, I have work tomorrow. The boss gave you a few days of paid leave. Take it easy, alright?” I nodded, gently shutting the door before heading to the elevators. I heard the engine cough to life behind me, and turned around one last time to wave goodbye. “Anything!”

“I got it! What are you, my mom or something?” I yelled back, before affectionately giving him the bird, strutting back to the elevator. I heard him yell back an expletive at me before he sped off, leaving me alone in the silent parking space.

I had walked these same steps hundreds of times before, but never had I felt so afraid. Goosebumps covered my exposed arms as I clutched them, attempting to hide any vulnerability. I walked cautiously, looking over my shoulder every few steps to ensure no one was following me. I was being paranoid, I know, but I could still feel the fingers clenched around my neck. I breathed laboriously, as though my lungs were still deprived of air.

Why had I asked Drew to leave so confidently, if I was just going to break down the moment he left? I scowled at myself, attempting to regain composure. “They caught the guys, Jaime, no one is out to get you. No one was out to get you. You’re fine.” I repeated the mantra until I reached the elevator, and eventually until I reached my apartment. I fumbled with my keys for a few moments, looking up and down the brightly lit hallway, before finally opening the door.

My apartment was nothing to boast about – a few knick-knacks here and there, a cluttered desk in the corner, a comfortable living room sofa that doubled as a bed each night… at least, until the next paycheck came in. There was a small kitchen that opened up into the main room, and the only real seating for dinner guests was the bar that doubled as a mail room, or the couch/bed hybrid. I threw my bag onto the bar, immediately falling onto the sofa and letting out a loud groan, rubbing my forehead. I closed my eyes for a few moments, before being jolted back to reality by the sound of my cell phone ringing. I grumbled a few expletives, crawling back to my bag and rummaging through it.

“Hello?” I put the phone on speaker and began the process of peeling off my work clothes.

“Hi, I’m calling from the Raincourt police department – is this Jaime Parton?”
I fiddled with my vest before finally getting the last button free, throwing it somewhere in the corner.

“Yes, this is she,” I responded, releasing my hair from the tight ponytail. It fell, leaving me with satisfying relief.

“Great. I’m just calling to follow up with you on the incident tonight.” I unbuttoned my dress short before disposing it with the vest, leaving the tank top behind. I made an affirmative grunt, taking off my shoes. “You’ll be happy to know that the men who robbed the store were all taken into custody shortly after the incident. We may need you to identify the men at a later date – would that be alright?” I nodded, before realizing the operator couldn’t hear me. I gave another mumble of agreement, shedding off my pants and grabbing my sweats off of the nearby chair, exchanging the two. “Thank you. Do you have any questions? Are you with someone right now? Did you make it home safely?”

I grabbed the laundry and began moving to the back room, throwing the clump of clothes into the hamper. “I’m safe and sound in my apartment. I actually do have one question: I heard on the radio that they just randomly appeared in front of the department all tied up. Is that true?”

“… Yes, that’s correct. We currently are pursuing any leads. Do you have any information that may help with that?”

I thought back to the necklace, and reached inside of the hamper, pulling it out of my pants pocket. It stared back at me with the same intensity as the man earlier, and I let my eyes graze over it. “No… I’m sorry, I can’t think of anything right now.” I let the pendant dangle from its chain, walking back into the room with my eyes still locked on it. Though he had saved me, I had watched him disappear right afterwards, and there was no telling if he had actually had a part in the capture of the criminals.

“That’s fine, please take this time to rest. We’ll most likely be in contact with you next week. Have a nice night.”

“Thanks, you too!” I called out, finally tearing my eyes away to find the red button on my phone. I leaned on the bar over my phone, pulling gently at my hair. I felt tears begin to prick at my eyes again and I let them fall, cascading down onto the 70’s-inspired tile. I took in shaky breaths, feeling the sobs rake through my body. “God, I’m pathetic…”

I dragged myself to the couch, attempting to stabilize myself for the third time that day. The masked pendant glowed in response, shining in my hands as it reflected the moonlight once more. I snorted a bit, examining it again, wiping my tears. “Thank you…” I let my voice trail off, feeling the exhaustion of the day take over me. I kept my fist clenched around the chain, feeling protected with its presence.

And just like that, night washed over me, took ahold of my consciousness, and let me escape the day.

*

“Jaime! Jaime!” The door rattled alongside the knocks, breaking me out of the peaceful trance I had allowed myself to fall into. I subconsciously let out a groan, cringing as I pulled my pillow over my face, shielding my eyes from the light of morning. “Jaime, don’t groan at me! This is important! Open up!”

“Don’t you have work today?” I bit back, forcing myself to sit up, rubbing my eyes. I felt cool metal touch my skin and I looked down at the chain, still clutched in my grasp. I placed it on the table, lazily picking myself up off of the couch with a yawn. The knocks continued, getting louder with each passing moment. “God, you’re so annoying!” I unlocked the door, swinging it wide open with a glare, staring directly at the perpetrator.

Drew gave me a smile, pushing his way past me. “Good morning, sunshine!” I picked up my slippers next to the door, throwing one at him and hitting the back of his head. He yelped, rubbing it. “Yeesh, tough crowd.”

“Anyone would be if you woke them up like that! Jesus, Drew, I thought there was a fire.” He gave me a skeptical look, placing a paper bag on the counter. I looked away. “Maybe not.”

“Obviously not,” he muttered, taking out breakfast. “Do you know what time it is?” I shrugged, scratching the back of my head, acutely aware of my disheveled appearance. “It’s 7:30.”
I blanched, angrily grabbing the egg McMuffin Drew had just revealed. “What was so important that you had to wake me up at 7:30?”

He motioned to my box of a TV with his head, moving himself to the couch. Searching the cushions, he found the relic of a remote, pushing hard on the power button to make the television static to life. I sat down next to him, taking a bite of the meal. While he searched for the channel, I looked over at him. Drew was obviously work-ready; he had his slightly soiled white apron on over his black slacks and his white dress shirt. His mahogany hair was curled atop his head, still tousled enough to beg for you to run your fingers through it, but tame enough to pass inspection. He had light bags under his concentrated brown eyes, with a little bit of stubble covering his dark skin. It was still a couple of hours before his shift started, so it wasn’t surprising to see him at my door, but seeing Drew so early without a clear reason was questionable. “What are you looking for?”

“News.”

“Channel two.”

The image came to life, a reporter in a magenta blouse rattling off a few details, the background slightly obscured from focus. I wiped the tired out of my eyes, looking at the image once more, reading The Vigilante Strikes Again! running across the bottom of the screen. I immediately looked at Drew, slightly shocked. “Isn’t that the same guy –”

“– who caught the guys who held you hostage? Yes, yes it is.”
I turned back to the image, catching tidbits of the story. Again, there was an unexplained offering of criminals to the Raincourt county police department, and, again, with little explanation. The cameras that watch the courtyard had been cut off between emptiness and a full lot, with only a few minutes lost in the process.

The only difference was that, this time, there was a witness.

The camera went away and revealed a sketch of the suspect, the details given by an elderly storeowner who overlooks the building from his shop. “That’s just weird,” Drew mused, referring to the hastily drawn image before taking a swig of his morning coffee, scowling slightly at the bitterness.

The darkness of the mask stared back at me from the television screen, its black figure unmistakably that of the man who had held me in his arms only hours prior. I felt my appetite slowly fade away as I placed the sandwich on the coffee table, bringing a hand up to my mouth. Drew looked over at me, slightly concerned. “Is something wrong?”

“No,” I managed to stammer out, abruptly standing. “I just realized I haven’t brushed my teeth. I’ll be right back.”

Moments later, I stood in front of the bathroom mirror, staring at my shaken eyes. I let out a breath, grabbing the toothbrush from its holder, moving it absentmindedly in my mouth. It made sense that the man who saved me was the same man who turned in the criminals – that wasn’t what caused my reaction. What I was afraid of was the fact that I had lied to the police earlier last night; I had known the man now referred to as the Vigilante. I had stayed in his arms, cried my heart out, thanked him whole-heartedly. I had a relic that he had given me that I hadn’t let go of the entire –

“Jay?”

I paused, immediately spitting out the toothpaste and rinsing my mouth. The necklace. I opened the bathroom door, attempting to move as nonchalantly as possible so as not to raise any suspicion. I locked eyes with Drew, who was shooting me a concerned look. “What’s up?”

To my dismay, he held up the necklace, the image on the television screen still mimicking its form. I felt my breath catch in my throat, letting it loose with a nervous cough. He gestured to it, never breaking his hold on me. “Where did you get this?”

My mind raced, attempting to think of a reasonable excuse. “I found it,” I blurted out, immediately regretting my words as Drew’s eyes widened, shaking the necklace as if to say “This?” I nodded in response to the unasked question, clearing my throat once more. “Yeah. I found it yesterday.”

“At the store?”

“Yeah.”

“After the incident or before?”

“After.”

“Where?”

“On the curb where I was talking to the policeman.”

He gestured back to the image on screen, narrowing his eyes. “Do you see a resemblance?”

I shrugged, walking over and grabbing the necklace. “I guess. It’s just a mask. A lot of masks look like this,” I murmured, grabbing my muffin and taking another bite of it, cringing when I realized I still had some toothpaste in my mouth.

He gave me an incredulous look, holding onto my shoulders and positioning me so I couldn’t avoid his gaze. “No, Jay, no mask looks like this.” He was right, I realized. The mask was a unique shape, covering not the entire face, but only three quarters of it. It wasn’t a mask you could find easily – it wasn’t your typical, masquerade mask either, but rather a simple, black piece of plastic with no adornments. I avoided eye contact, turning my attention back to the news. They had just changed his name, now calling him the Masked Vigilante. The newsroom was in uproar, each anchor attempting to give their two cents on what the purpose of the mask was, and who the man behind it
was.

I looked back at Drew (who had yet to look away from me) and sighed, letting the necklace fall into my palm. “Don’t you have to go to work?”

“Jay, tell me what’s going on.”

I sighed again, rolling the pendant back and forth between my fingers. “Drew, if I knew any more than you did, I would tell you. The truth is, I just don’t know.” Silence fell between us and I looked at the clock, realizing the hour. “Drew, if you don’t leave now you’re going to be late for your shift.”

He stood up, stuffing the leftover food in the brown bag once more, before turning around and wrapping me in his arms. “Call me,” he demanded, and I wrapped my arms around him in response. “If anything happens, call me. If nothing happens, call me. I’m worried about you.”

I hit him on the back, eliciting a quiet yelp. “I’m fine, really, I am. You’re just thinking too much about all of this. Tell everyone I said hi, and that I’m fine, alright?”

He nodded giving me a light squeeze before letting go. “Promise.”

“You got it, Drew.” I opened up the door and gestured for him to leave, which he did gracefully. As soon as he was out the door I closed it behind him, letting the necklace dangle in front of me. “The Masked Vigilante, huh?” I let it twirl in the air, before finally bringing it up to my collarbone, clasping it secure behind my neck. “What an uncreative name.”