Dally stared at Darry for a moment. He had stopped struggling while he tried to process the name. Ricky... Ricky... and then it hit him. Fortunately, Steve and Tim had know better than to let go of him, even for a second. He lunged at Ricky, but the boys held him back.

Ricky yelped and cowered.

Darry got down beside him, keeping his eyes on Dally for a minute. "Answers. You got me? All I have to do is say the word, and you get thrown to the lions."

"All right...." Ricky's voice was almost inaudible.

"That's more like it," Darry said. He knew he had to hurry because the police and ambulances would be there any second. Although, with any luck, the fallen tree branches might slow them down. "Did you call the house while Johnny was home alone?"

"Yes."

"How did you know he was there alone?"

Ricky didn't answer right away. So Dally answered for him. This part he had figured out. "He could see him! From that damned pay phone on the corner! He was never in the house! You son of a- "Dally began cursing a blue streak at Ricky and struggling to break loose from Steve and Tim, who both immediately tightened their grip.

"Is that true?" Darry asked.

Ricky nodded.

"All right, why? Why would you go after Johnny?"

Ricky was blubbering and could barely talk. But at this point, no one had any sympathy for him at all. "It started out as a joke...Everybody was so worked up about the stories on the news. We were just joking around..."

"But this went beyond a joke. When did things get out of control?"

"It started out when I called up the black haired kid-"

"His name is Johnny!" Steve yelled.

"Ok! Ok! Johnny... I called him up and scared him and then convinced him not to tell anyone. He wasn't the first one we scared- just the first one that we never let on the truth to... There were a couple times we scared some kids on the way home from school. We used the mask then, but I always took it off."

"Wait, what do you mean "we"?" Darry asked.

Dally jumped in. "Wait a minute... YOU were the one Johnny over heard in study hall talking to his friends saying that you saw a guy in a ski mask in the woods! You did that on purpose!" Dally said remembering suddenly. "And the ones you were talking to... there's other people in on this! Those two I saw in the woods just before the storm! Were those your friends? Where are your friends now? Huh?"

Ricky howled and brought his hands up to his head as though he was sure Dally was going to attack him.

"Who were these friends?" Darry asked.

"The other guys that caught the real killer in the cemetery that day... Some of them. Paul and Mike... the others didn't want anything to do with it."

"How do you like that, Darry? Just like a soc, ratting out his friends..." Steve scoffed. He didn't care what someone was doing to him. He'd never turn his friends in.

Darry pressed on for more information. "So when did this get out of control? Because somewhere along the line you took a knife to our friend!"

"That phone call... that w-was going to be the end of it, but then I was skipping study hall and hanging out in the woods. I had the ski mask with me and the bla- Johnny! Johnny was there. I thought if I could convince him that I was the killer and that I hung out in the woods...."

"What??" Darry demanded. He could faintly hear sirens.

"I could get him to keep Ponyboy out of track practice...."

Darry processed this for a moment. The pieces were all starting to fit together. Ricky and Ponyboy ran track together. Ponyboy was pretty much the star of the track team, and from what Darry remembered of Ricky, that probably pissed him off. He had to be the best at everything. And the only thing standing in his way right now was Ponyboy.

"I... I wasn't going to hurt them! I was... just trying to ... scare them! I thought-"

"Wasn't going to hurt them?" Dally screamed. "What do you call what you did to Johnny? Did you see what you did to him? Not going to hurt them? I... you ... I'm gonna-" Dally was so indignant, he didn't even know what to say.

"I-I didn't mean to! I only meant to-to scare him, it was an accident-"

This only infuriated Dally.

Darry could see that he needed to wrap this up and get Dally away from Ricky. If Dally got any more riled up than he already was, there was no telling what would happen.

"So you're telling me that you targeted Johnny so that he would keep Ponyboy from going to track practice? Because if he missed enough practices he wouldn't be as good as you, or maybe if you were really lucky, the coach would actually kick him off the team... Am I right?"

Ricky nodded, sobbing.

"And perhaps it might also have something to do with both boys'.... social status?"

Ricky didn't answer this time, he just kept bawling and trying to catch his breath.

Dally brought his knee up and got Tim right in the stomach and was able to get one arm free. He was close enough, if he lunged, to reach down and grab hold of Ricky's collar. He yanked as hard as he could and that was all he could do before Tim, who was laughing, had him in a choke hold.

Ricky howled again as his legs moved slightly from where they were pinned under the tree.

"Get him out of here," Darry said to Tim and Steve.

"No! I'm going to kill that asshole! Let go of me!" Dally started flailing and kicking in a desperate attempt to get to Ricky. Tim leaned forward just enough so Dally could get in a good kick in the head, but then pulled him back.

"Tim!" Darry warned.

"What? C'mon, Dar! You gotta give the guy somethin'!" Tim grinned.

Ricky shrieked like a girl.

Tim laughed and helped Steve drag Dally off, still yelling and struggling. "This ain't over! You just TRY and get a good night's sleep, ass! I will be after you for the rest of your short life..." Dally continued, but the sirens drowned out most of what he was saying.

Darry watched them go. "All these years... you held on to that attitude that you're better than the rest of us because you moved to the other side of town... You and Soda used to be friends. And a little money changed all that. Well, I'd really have liked to just let Dally loose on you, but I think you've brought enough punishment on yourself without my help." Darry gave a little smirk. "It doesn't look like you'll be going to many more track meets."

Sirens stopped and car doors slammed. Darry leaned in for one more warning. "Now, out of the goodness of my lower class heart, I have sent for some ambulances, I have kept Dally from killing you and I have mustered enough restraint to keep from killing you myself. Perhaps you will find it in the goodness of your heart, if you have one, to leave those boys alone.... And if you don't, and I find out that you or your friends go near either one of those kids again, whether it be at school, in the park, on the street, anywhere... this mess you're in now will look like nothing. Do you understand? And I'm not as careless as Dally. I can make it look like an accident." He looked at Ricky with his cold, icy blue eyes and he knew Ricky would not be bothering Johnny or Ponyboy for a while.

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OK!! I have internet again, as you can see! A couple more chapters to wrap it all up, and this story is done!!

To the reviewers........

JLCollett - Yep, that's the kid Dally beat up in an earlier chapter! Thanks for sticking with my story all this time!

Joce- Thanks for reviewing!

Kimmerkay- The move went well, thank you! Just tough not having internet for a while. Hope this chapter answered your questions!

girlsdontcri- Yes, Ricky is BAD!!

DallysGirl4Life- Thanks! Glad you're still checking out the story!

CrazyLilDreamer- Thanks for sticking with the story... I probably should have let Dally kill Ricky. He's going to have all kinds of pent up rage now!

Deadly Wisteria- Thanks for reading! Check out Chapter 8 to see who Ricky is... it may be labeled Ch.9- it's the one with the flashback.

Mazz Ninja- How are you? I finally have internet again!! Thanks for reading!

Lillia E- Here's your update, hope you like it!

Melly- Thanks for the really nice review! I am flattered. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and if you are interested, I have one other story called "So You're Leaving" which I plan to update as soon as I finish this one! Thanks for reading.

Battosai Yuriko- Glad you're enjoying the story so far! Thanks for taking the time to review.

Kurupt emotions- Yes! The ski mask guy has been revealed! And now explained! Hopefully to everyone's satisfaction.... Thanks for reviewing and I am anxiously awaiting the update of "Nightmares"!

darkdestiny2000- Thanks for the review! Hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Two-BitGortez- Thanks! I'm so glad you're still reading!

wisk8r- Yes, those cable people are no good! You know we waited ALL day one Saturday and they never showed up! And then we called to see where they were and they claimed that they came out and we weren't home!!! But it's OK, because when they finally came out the cable guy tripped and fell down the stairs! He was OK, but it serves them right!

JazzyUmbrella- Thank you for your nice review! I'm so glad you liked the story!

shyxshortiexbabe- Thanks! Glad you're enjoying the story!

Dreams of Magic- Yep, it was Ricky.... and now you know why!

Dollwithouteyes- Thank you so much for your help! You are a very handy source of information. I am sure I speak for everyone when I say your assistance is very much appreciated.