L2 Respectful Courtesy Selected

Seeing the man stand his ground against both Rebecca and Riley was both impressive and intimidating in Nicole's eyes. When she got out of her thoughts, the young bone girl got off of Michael's back, then ran in the middle of the bearded man and the two aggressive conduits. Both the "airhead" and "graviton" got back up, ready to go for another round. With his scarf off, one could see a handprint mark covering the left side of Riley's jaw.

"Enough! Stop this!" Nicky told them.

"What are you doing?! We need this ride!" Rebecca told Nicky.

"We shouldn't be making more enemies when the entire government wants us imprisoned or dead." Nicky said to Rebecca in a very irritated tone.

"You think that we can let this opportunity pass us by? We are desperate as hell!"

"We have to do what we gotta do. It doesn't matter who's in the way." Riley said to put in his two cents.

Both Rebecca and Riley readied their powers, expecting to get back into fighting. Then Michael threw a beer bottle that shattered in front of them before running to Nicole's side.

"Rebecca. This bullshit stops now." Michael said in an angered voice.

"What the…?" the bearded man said not being able to understand the situation.

"Daddy?" a little girl questioned from the driver's side window of the RV.

Everyone turned their heads to see the kid. The bearded man peered with a look of surprise, then told her, "Get back to your bed, sweetie.".

The little girl listened to the man, and went towards the back of the RV. Seeing her, Riley calmed himself, putting his hands to his sides. Sebastian, Maria and Emily all jumped from the trees before climbing onto the RV. Following them, Felix and Rick went around the back, with Riley's 'Wisp' crew going around the front. They all saw Rebecca as the only one being aggressive in the situation.

"What's up your ass, Rebecca?" Sebastian asked.

"I'm trying to get us a ride out of here. And these two are getting in the way!" Rebecca shouted.

"The kid is right. We need to stop this." Riley told Rebecca.

Rebecca turned towards Riley, and said, "This coming from 'Mr. Screw the police'. 'Mr. Kill the dupes'. You're going to tell me all this!".

Everyone got nervous seeing Rebecca in this state, so the bearded man started to go to his RV. Noticing this, Rebecca turned so that she could aim one hand at Riley and the Wisps. Then the other at Mike and Nicky. Immediately after aiming, she fired strong bursts of air in both directions. The impact knocked all of them back and out of her way.

"Get over here, you hairy prick!" Rebecca yelled at the man before charging towards him.

As she ran towards the bearded man, Maria shot a colorful projectile in the shape of a record disc. Rebecca barely dodged it, but her momentum was thrown off, allowing for Sebastian to jump down and throw rope towards her. The rope wrapped around her left shoulder and right armpit. With his grip on her, Sebastian pulled Rebecca against the ground.

"Hey, Emily. Jump down and nail her." Sebastian said.

Emily nodded, and hopped down from the RV. Rebecca tried to shoot another burst of air at Sebastian, but missed when Maria shot a small projectile at her gut. With her groaning in pain, it made it much easier for Emily to shoot nails into the sides of Rebecca's clothes and in the parts of rope Sebastian pointed out. As they got to work on restraining the limbs, everyone who was knocked down by the "airhead" got up. Riley and crew went over to look at Rebecca and talk with the others. Mike and Nicky, on the other hand, stayed by the man to talk with him.

"Sorry about this whole situation. We did not mean to put you and your daughter in danger." Michael told him.

"What the hell are you people doing here?!" the man asked in an irritated tone.

"We were trying to find a route up North. Seeing how things are going, might have to head to the border."

"Trying to run from the D.U.P. then?"

"Mainly trying get this one to safety." Michael said as he patted Nicole on her back.

"What? You're taking us into Canada?" Nicky asked Michael.

"Who said 'us'?" Michael told her.

"You're joking,... right?" Nicky said with some concern in her voice.

"Nicky. I'm afraid I can't allow you to hang around anymore."

"Huh?"

"Seeing how everything is going, I have to take you somewhere else."

"You're leaving me behind?" Nicky asked in a sad tone.

"What? No, Nic…"

"Why are you trying to get rid of me?! Do hate me for the things I did?!" Nicole yelled at Michael.

"Calm down, Nicole. I don't hate you." Michael said as he kneeled down and put his hands on her shoulders to look her in the eyes. "While you made a bad decision, that does not make me hate you. I want to bring you up to Canada because it could mean safety for you. Training with you over the years, I see that there is some good in you. You're willing to help others."

"But why would you get rid of me? If you care so much?" Nicole asked with tears starting to flow down a slightly angry face.

"Nicky... I am a man who grew up with nothing. My mother died before I could really know her, and my father beat me constantly. I ran from home like you did, but I did before I got powers. I wanted to make a difference in this world when I did. It felt like God had blessed me with the tools I needed to keep others from being like me as a child."

Nicky started crying a little. Michael then wrapped his arms around her, and pressed her head against his left shoulder. He continued on with, "When you came into my life, I didn't know what to expect. Seeing everything now, I wish some things could have been different. I realize that you're only thing left I have to lose. The one thing I can't afford to lose.".

The bearded man looked at the two with a slight bit of concern in his eyes. He told Michael, "You are quite a caring father.".

Michael looked at the man and replied, "I'm not her real dad, but I want to do the best I can to keep her safe now.".

Looking back at his RV, and then at Michael again, he decided to say, "I could let you and her ride with me to the border. I do have a daughter of my own, so I understand your concern for her safety.".

Michael then said, "Thank you for your offer, but I don't want to impose any more than…"

"I insist. It is what you want for her after all, right? To be safe? I don't take that lightly with my kin, I doubt you would either." the man said before Michael could finish.

Nicky, feeling a mixture of comfort from Michael's hug and depression from the situation, had random thoughts flow through her head. Even with what Michael said, there were a number of scenarios that could come into play.

Triangle: Road Trip

Convince the man to allow you, Mike, Felix and Sebas to come on board.

Square: Wisped Away

Join up with Riley's Crew.

Circle: Take Control

Show your dominance.

X: Cannot Stand Divided

Keep everyone together.

Author's Notes

Hey again, everybody. I am aware that it's a short chapter, and I put choices in not long after others. I honestly want to figure out a different way to write this story from what I originally had planned months ago. Either way, everyone make a choice, because choices really do matter for this kid. Also, I may have set it in the character description list, but anyone can send me in a request for… how do they call… "shipments" between characters. (I can add love lives for any pair of characters as long as it doesn't include any little kid characters. Only those 14 years and up.) Know that just like with characters, I will be picky about any pairings. Either way, can't wait to have more fun writing this story. PEACE!