Chapter One: Attack in the Alley
After the blue lightning had subsided, Sam found himself pinned against a brick wall, held there by four or five guys. It was hard to tell for sure in the dark how many there really were.
Oh boy, he thought, as he realized what he had leaped into.
Sam tried to break away from the group, but they weren't releasing their hold on him.
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Not soon enough, he was shoved down on the ground and the other men kicked him. Several times, Sam tried to get up, but with no success. After awhile, Sam's attackers left. Sam didn't know who he was, or when or where he was, or where he lived and was in too much pain to go very far, anyway, so he curled up on his side in the alley.
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When Al appeared, he was surprised to see Sam lying in the alley like that. He knelt down by his leaping friend.
"Sam?" he asked, "What happened?"
Sam looked at his brightly clothed holographic friend and said, "I leaped into…an attack. There was about five or six guys. It was hard to tell for sure in the dark. Couldn't get away."
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"They certainly worked you over good, Sam," said Al.
It was impossible to determine the extent of Sam's injuries in the gloom of the alley.
"Don't you think you should get checked out?" he asked.
There was no answer from Sam.
"Sam?"
Nothing.
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Al caught sight of a couple walking a dog past the alley. He pressed a few buttons on the handlink and device let out a sharp, piercing shriek. No one could hear it, except for Sam, Al and the dog.
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Maxx was walking with Charlie Simmons and his girlfriend, Kaitlyn Floyd. Maxx was minding his own business, getting a little exercise and looking for a nice spot to relieve himself, when all of a sudden, he heard a great shriek. It was worse than Charlie's mother when Maxx lost control of his bladder in the living room the previous day. Of course, he had to investigate this noise.
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Maxx tore off into the alley and saw a man lying on the ground. His clothes looked like they'd recently been used for chew toys. Another man stood next to him, holding a burning stick and the source of the noise. Maxx barked at the box, politely telling it to be quiet. Charlie and Kaitlyn chased after him.
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"Maxx! What're you doing?" called Charlie, chasing his beloved Black Lab/Dalmatian down the alley, his girlfriend, Kaitlyn, close on his heels.
Charlie and Kaitlyn stood beside Maxx, who was barking at thin air.
"Maxx, stop. There's nothing there," said Charlie.
"Oh my God, Charlie, look!" yelled Kaitlyn, pointing.
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It was then that Charlie noticed the man lying on the ground. He got closer and rolled the nearly unconscious man over, to get a somewhat better look at him.
"Mary Jesus and Joseph," he muttered, "Katie, go and call the hospital now!"
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Kaitlyn ran off in search of a pay phone.
'Don't go running off by yourself!' called Maxx, 'it's not safe!'
He chased after her.
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Al pressed a button on the handlink and it quieted.
"Hang in there, Sam," he said, before going through the Imaging Chamber door.