Author's Note: Thanks for the positive comments. Honestly, I didn't think I'd get any. So, here's part two of this three-part piece. Hope you enjoy.

Part Two – Masked Crusader

            Ephram blinked several times before opening his eyes. Looking around, he found himself lying on a couch in another rustic cabin. Across from him were his mask, turtleneck, shirt, and backpack – all placed neatly on a desk. Where the hell am I?

            "Good, you're awake, Ephram."

            Ephram looked for the voice and spotted the man sitting in the corner of the room. "Who…how do you know my name?"

            The man approached Ephram with a plate of food. "Here's one tip for ya: If you're gonna go pull a stunt like the one you pulled last night, try NOT to carry your wallet and I.D. in your pocket?"

            Ephram half-smirked and focused on the man's face. "I know you, don't I?"

            The man nodded. "Danny Maxwell. Your dad helped my bear on Thanksgiving." The man set the plate of food by Ephram. "That was a pretty stupid thing you did last night. Brave, but stupid. You could've gotten hurt. Hell, you DID get hurt."

            Ephram groaned, feeling the pain in his ribs summoned by Danny's words. "How did you find me?"

            Danny gave Ephram a hearty grin – one of the most eerie sights Ephram had ever witnessed. "Because I was going to do the same stupid thing."

            Ephram smiled. "You were gonna go rescue my sister?"

            Danny nodded again. "I saw their hideout a few nights ago on one of my hikes. I figured me and my bear could send these crooks packing. Unfortunately, you beat me to it. I found you unconscious by a tree."

            Ephram coughed. "Well thanks." Ephram tried to get up but found it much harder than he thought.

            Danny grabbed Ephram's arm and helped him up. "Easy, kid. You had a .38 round tear through your ribs. I managed to stop the bleeding and bandage it all up, but it'll be a couple weeks before your ribs heal."

            Grabbing a flannel shirt from the couch, Danny handed it to Ephram. "Here. Your other clothes were torn and stained with blood."

            Ephram thankfully accepted the shirt and buttoned it on, smirking at how its big size didn't fit him. He began grabbing his stuff from the desk. "I better leave."

            Danny walked away and grabbed the plate of food. "Wait, you should at least have some- "  Turning around, he saw that Ephram had already disappeared. The door hung wide open as a chilling breeze moved into the cabin.

***

            Andy grabbed his car keys and gave Delia a kiss on the forehead. "I have to go answer a house call. Nina and Sam are gonna come over in a minute and there's a police officer standing guard by the door."

            Delia hugged her dad's legs for several seconds before letting him go. "Come back soon."

            Ephram sprinted down the stairs. "I'm going out."

            Andy opened the door. "Are you ready to tell me where you were this morning?"

            "Nope," Ephram hastily snapped as he jumped out the door and ran off.

***

Amy took a bite out of her sandwich as she read today's Pinecone. "'Anonymous masked crusader rescues local girl from kidnappers.' Unbelievable…"  Amy mumbled as she turned the next page.

Bright jumped on the couch and turned the TV on. "I think it's awesome. It's about time Everwood got some freak in a mask to solve crimes. Stuff like this is what's gonna turn the Pinecone into a tabloid." Bright chuckled and tossed the remote down when he reached Cartoon Network.

"Yeah, but vigilantism is also ILLEGAL, Bright. This guy could get in major trouble if he keeps it up…" Amy began to lecture.

Bright groaned. "Whatever, Amy. The guy rescued Delia from being shot. No matter how you look at it, 'mystery man' is a hero."

***

            "All right, tough guy. We can do this white collar or blue collar. But either way, I'm taking you down…" Ephram whispered, narrowing his eyes as he poised himself in a fighting stance.

            The squirrel squeaked twice before dropping Ephram's ski mask and running away.

            Ephram smirked as he snatched the mask and pulled it over his face. "Ephram: One. Forces of evil: Zero."

            Ephram remained crouched on the flat rooftop of Mama Joy's Diner. The heavy darkness looming over the rooftops of Everwood shielded him from anyone that might've been able to spot him.

            "I have the feeling something big's gonna happen tonight. My instincts are burning and I don't think it's that new two-in-one shampoo I've been using…though I have noticed less flakes."

            Ephram stayed low and scanned the view, trying to monitor everything that was happening in the town. "So what is it? Another store heist? Torching the barbershop? Hilary Clinton in town on a shopping trip? The suspense is killing..." Ephram chuckled.

            Ephram grabbed a nearby piece of chipped wood. "And don't think that your being an inanimate object is gonna stop me asking, because I'm not exactly big on the detective work…"

            A scream filled the air.

            Ephram grinned. "That was quick. I shoulda asked for Britney Sp- "

            Ephram stopped as a man hugging a sack began running towards the alley by Mama Joy's. Ephram recognized him as the pale gangly one from the previous night. As the squirrelly gangster ran by the diner, Ephram grabbed him by his shoulders and hurled him up on the roof.

            "A sack of cash? Is this what you get for all of your dates? I was just thinkin some candy and flowers, but stolen money? I wish I'd thought of that…" Ephram whispered, launching a punch at the man.

            The man swiftly dodged and pulled a knife from his pocket with his free hand. "Stay away, kid! This isn't your fight."

            Ephram drew his short bat from his backpack. "The moment you took kidnapped Delia, you made it my fight."

            The man lunged at Ephram with the knife. "And why is she so important to you? Does the brave 'hero' have a crush on a third grader?"

            Ephram dodged the knife lunge and slammed his foot into the man's stomach. "Yeah, I was even thinking about asking her out just before you took her."

            The man took several breaths, trying to recover from the quick. Lashing out with his knife, he kept Ephram at bay. "Funny guy…"

            Ephram launched another kick to try to knock the knife out of the man's hand but missed. His opponent seized the moment and whipped his knife forward, slashing Ephram across the chest.

            "Gah!" Ephram yelled as he recoiled, jumping back.

            The fiery sting of the long cut was more excruciating than Ephram could have imagined. I've got to finish this now.

            Ephram charged forward and ducked under his opponents knife stab. Grabbing his arm, Ephram knocked the knife out of his hands and smacked him across the face with his bat. Ephram kicked the man in the ribs as he fell down.

            Looking around, he spotted a large crowd forming around Mama Joy's as several police officers began climbing ladders to reach the rooftop.

            "Gotta go…" Ephram whispered to his wheezing opponent. Turning to the massive crowd in front of the diner, Ephram started to feel that he was in over his head. "Uh…Buy low, sell high." Good looks, daring-do, AND market advice…try getting all that from Superman.

            Without another thought, Ephram jumped off the rooftop and landed firmly in the dark alley. A few cops began to chase after him, but 'vigilante' had already slipped into the shadows and disappeared from sight.

***

            Amy shut the door behind her and looked around her room. The window was open. I never leave the window open… Amy's hand reached over to turn on the lights but another hand grabbed hers and pulled her away from the light switch. She tried to let out a scream but a hand slipped over her mouth.

            "Relax, Amy."

            Amy turned around and saw the 'masked crusader' standing in front of her. Blood began to trickle from the large slash on his shirt. "Who…Who are you?" she whispered.

            Ephram pulled the ski mask off of his head.

            Shock formed on Amy's face. "Ephram…"

            Ephram frowned. "You were expecting Irv Harper?"

            Amy backed away, covering her mouth in terror. "You're the masked hero everyone's been talking about?"

            "Oh no, I'm just his stunt double for when he needs to cool-off in his trailer," Ephram sarcastically answered.

            Amy frowned. "What are you doing here?"

            Ephram motioned towards the large bleeding gash on his chest. "Got a first-aid kit? Several bottles of pain killer and a blood transfusion would work too…"

            Amy pulled one from one of her drawers. "Last time I checked, your dad's one the best doctors in America…"

            Ephram sat down in the chair, clutching his wound. "Yeah, and he'd also kill me if he found out what I was doing. I figured you'd be a little more merciful…"

            Amy slapped Ephram. "I can't believe you didn't tell me about this!"

            Ephram rubbed his cheek and smirked. "Now I never said I wasn't the masked man…"

            Amy opened the first-aid kit. "Shuddup and let me get a look at the cut…"

            Ephram hissed in pain as Amy slowly pulled his turtleneck and shirt off. He could recall having many dreams about Amy undressing him, but never under these circumstances.

            Amy worked on Ephram for what seemed like hours, helping him clean out the cut and stop the bleeding.

            "The butterfly-bandages will keep the gash closed shut, but I still think you need stitches…" Amy mumbled.

            Ephram shook his head. "Nah. You saw last night's injury – I didn't get stitches for that either but I'm still fine."

            Amy wiped her hands. "'Fine?' More like 'lucky.'" Throwing the bandage wrappers and disinfectant cloths away, Amy continued. "So why are you doing this? I mean, your sister's safe now. Why keep wearing the mask?"

            Ephram shrugged. "Someone's gotta stop these guys. The police were obviously doin a bang-up job so I had to step in. Besides, I have nothing to lose. My home is a town in the middle of nowhere, I'm in love with a girl that'll always be out of my reach, my mom's dead, and I've lost interest in my only big skill (the piano). Delia and Dad are all I've got left and I'm not gonna let anything happen to them if I can prevent it."

            "Ephram…" Amy started.

            Ephram grabbed his shirt and slipped it on. He knew the sun would rise in a couple hours. "Thanks for all this, but I gotta go."

            Amy gave Ephram a worried look. "You're not going to go after them, are you?" The guy you roughed-up tonight has already been brought to the station and they're probably interrogating him as we speak. Let the police take care of it."

            Ephram shook his head again and headed for the window.

            Amy grabbed his hand and jerked his arm back. "Ephram, please. Promise me you won't go after them."

            Ephram kissed her cheek. "It has to be done."

            Without another word, Ephram slipped his ski mask on and jumped out the window, disappearing from sight once more.

TO BE CONCLUDED