{October 1st.}

I stare at my computer screen, the time ticking by without even a second thought. Sweat begins to bead on my forehead, my hands growing uncomfortably clammy as I reread the same sentence over and over again.

MidKnight is none other than Dravin Smith: a fellow student at Eleanor Roosevelt High School.

Groaning, I lean back against my hoard of pillows stacked up against my head rest as I rub the heels of my hands over my eyes.

Why is this so freaking hard?

It's been three days since I confronted Dravin over the whole 'I know your identity' threat, three days we've officially been ignoring each other despite sharing the majority of classes together.

And I've yet to come up with a decent report over the whole ordeal. I mean, come on! Wasn't this what I was looking for? A big break? A huge Celestial identity revealing with my name on it so I can be famous and become a world class reporter!?

And not only can I prove he's a Celestial, but also that their supposed 'High Rise Detectors' don't work, seeing as he's been attending school even after they installed them and he's a Celestial. What they're supposed to keep out.

Malfunction? I'd say yes.

And yet, here I am, lounging around on my bed in my cupcake flannel pajamas at nine o'clock in the morning on my birthday, staring at my computer like I'm expecting it to write it itself.

That'd be cool.

I sigh, really hating all these conflicting thoughts that are bouncing around in my head none stop since the other day.

I'm almost wishing I hadn't discovered this.

I snap my computer screen down to close it as my door abruptly opens, heart picking up in surprise at the sudden intrusion to my peaceful morning.

"Happy birthday, sweetie!" Mom explodes as she comes bounding in my room, a huge smile on her face and already dressed for the day unlike some people I know. Cough, me, cough.

She practically skips over to me, a tray in her hands and a wonderful smell wafting in with her.

Pancakes.

She sets the breakfast tray down over my legs, immediately leaning in to capture me in a bear hug before kissing me on the side of the face.

I wipe the kiss off, giving her a goofy smile as she pulls away. "Thanks, Mom." I look down at the tray, my mouth almost instantly watering as I take in the freshly baked stack of golden-brown pancakes doused in syrup with a side of strawberries and blueberries and a topping of Whipped-cream on top.

What'd I say? Am I psychic or what?

"How's my big sixteen year-old doing this fine morning!?" She questions, perching herself on the edge of my mattress as she stares at me expectantly.

My smile almost falters as those pressing thoughts suddenly reappear out of nowhere, her words reminding me I need to figure out what I'm going to do.

Does it matter he's a superhero that may or may not be going rouge? No. Does it matter I may or may not have had a 'slight' crush on him before my dreams were dashed with the realization that he's the idiot I share science and practically all my classes with?

No. Not at all.

So why am I stalling?

I manage to keep my smile up, though I find my eyes looking away from her cheery gaze. "Oh you know, same old, same old." I dodge the question, shrugging it off like the sarcastic teenager she know me as.

She rolls her eyes, leaning in to kiss my cheek once more before standing up. "Alright, well I better go make some more pancakes before Thing 1 and Thing 2 get too antsy." She jokes, jabbing me in the side good heartily.

Making up my mind, I quickly slide out from underneath the breakfast tray, carefully holding it so nothing spills.

"You know what? I think I'll join you guys." I decide, standing up so I stand next to her with the tray in my hands. She looks mildly confused for a second that I'd skip out on breakfast in bed when it's been our family tradition since.....forever, before smiling. "Alright." She leads the way out, and I follow along behind her, barely containing the slobber that wants to drool down my chin from the wonderful smell these pancakes are currently sending up my nose at such close proximity.

She breaks off into the kitchen as I head into the dining room, and I'm greeted with the sight of Michael and Dad sitting at the table with the tv flashing across the room.

Geez, I think we need to stop with the whole, 'eat and watch tv at the same time' activity. I thought I read somewhere that it's bad for you?

Dad breaks into a signature smile at the sight of me as I walk up to them. "Morning, cupcake!" He shouts, making Michael look my way.

I take a seat next to dad, positioning myself so I can see the tv. Hey, I still like it. "How's it feel to be sixteen?" Dad questions, leaning forward so his forearms rest on the table.

I get the urge to roll my eyes. "I don't get why people bother with that question." I take a bite of my pancakes, swallowing before I continue. "I feel exactly the same."

Michael tilts his head to the side. "I think it's meant to make you feel older." He adds, tapping the side of his glass with his fork. I frown at him, teasingly taking an extra large bite all the while staring at him. "Uh huh. But at least that means I get the first few, delicious pancakes." I wiggle my eyebrows, almost choking as a laugh bubbles up from the droll stare I'm receiving back from him.

Mom suddenly walks in with a steaming plate of pancakes, a soft smile on her lips as her gaze scans over us. Michael and dad's eyes latch onto the plate, Michael even going so far as to lick his lips.

As soon as she places the plate down on the middle of the table, they each use their forks to grab one, quickly fixing them up how they like.

Mom laughs. "Good to know I'm appreciated." She makes a move to pull her chair out next to me, but dad suddenly getting up and moving over to her makes her pause.

I have to look away as Dad practically sweeps Mom off her feet only to kiss her like there's no tomorrow. Right in front of us!

"Yuck." Michael mutters, scrunching his nose up before he redirects his attention back down on his plate.

Five seconds later, Mom pops back up, looking slightly frazzled if I do say so myself.

"We appreciate you to the bottoms of our hearts." Dad tells her, holding her right hand with his left. She blushes before playfully slapping his arm, her eyes going over to us. Dad laughs, squeezing her hand before releasing her to walk back to his seat.

Mom takes her seat, cheeks still slightly red, gracefully placing a pancake down on her own plate as dad works on digesting his first.

Geez, guys. Thank you so much for ruining my morning. I so wanted the image of my parents making out in my head.....Not.

  Five minutes goes by in a peaceful quiet, only the sound of plates being scraped and people chewing filling the room along with the soft sound of the tv in the background.

"So, Heavyn." Michael looks up at me, and I frown at the teasing tone of his voice. "You finally going to let us meet this 'boyfriend' of yours?" There's a mischievous glint in his eye, a small tilt at the corner of his mouth.

It's my turn to blush as three sets of eyes rest on me, and I suddenly find my stack of pancakes much too interesting to bother with meeting any of them.

So the plans for today consist of me eating breakfast, then going out with Aaron for a 'special' birthday lunch, then he's supposed to come over afterwards and party here with my family, Zoey, and Zack, who I invited.

Though I can't help but feel a bit embarrassed about it. Mom and dad, not to mention Michael, are probably going to grill him to no end.

Embarrassment of my life. Why'd I ever agree to this?

"Yes, Heavyn. I-" Mom cuts herself off as dad abruptly stands up, his eyes focused over on the tv across the room. There's a crease in his forehead, his head tilting to the side slightly.

He walks across the dining room into the living area, everyone too surprised to question him at this second.

"Tanner, what's-" Dad cuts her off with a frantic hand wave, his other hand moving to turn the volume up on the tv.

  "It appears a group of twenty unknown villains are holding dozens of civilians hostage In Grand Central Terminal."

  Mom gasps, holding a hand up to her mouth. I blink once before quickly standing to move over to Dad.

"Five are dead from the result of the villains storming the entrance guns ablaze. Many more are wounded and trapped inside. NYPD are already on the scene, though it appears they can't do much with the threat of the hostages lives on the line. The leader has already executed one civilian for no apparent reason, and no one can tell what they want."

The tv changes from a woman's face to a scene I've only witnessed in movies.

There, at the front of Grand Central Terminal, is a group of who in can only assume are the villains seeing as they're currently waving large guns around and they're restraining a group of unarmed people.

Across the room, opposite from them, is a barricade consisting of police officers sporting their own guns as they stand behind the blockades they've set up. Bodies litter the ground between them, loose rubble scattered across the floor.

There's a sudden ringing sound before dad digs into his pocket without taking his eyes off the tv.

"Hello."

My attention zones in back on the tv, a sinking sensation hitting my stomach as I spot pools of blood surrounding the prone victims scattered across the room.

So many already dead.

"Yeah, I'm watching now. Uh huh."

He mumbles something else before he stuffs his phone back in his pocket. He turns to us, face grave. "I've got to go. I'll try to be back before party time, but we may need to cancel." He walks over to Mom, who's now standing, giving her a quick kiss and a hug.

"Be careful, Tanner." Mom says, wrapping her arms around herself. Dad smiles back at her. "Promise." He moves to Michael, ruffling his hair before he picks him up in a bear hug.

"Be good there, sport." He looks over at me. "And try not to annoy Heavyn too much today." He jokes, placing him back on the ground.

Michael smirks. "I'll try, I suppose."

Dad moves over to me, a small smile on his lips before he wraps me in a hug. I relish his warmth before it's suddenly gone and he's pulling back to look me in the eye.
 
"Have a good one, cupcake. I'll see you later." He kisses my forehead before squeezing my arm once, then he's by the door, grabbing a few items before he opens the door. He looks back at us once, than he disappears out the door.

I look back at the tv, spotting a certain officer as he walks by the camera: Adam Galaspy.

There's suddenly yelling from across the room, the officers scrambling to get back into formation. One of the villains at the head of the group holds a young girl up to his chest, yelling something incoherent back at the police as he waves a gun around her head in a threatening manner.

Tears run down the helpless five year-olds face, fear freezing her in place to leave a stiff doll in its wake.

I catch the movement of Mom pulling Michael up to her, pushing his face into her stomach as she tries to conceal what's about to happen.

Only it doesn't.

Suddenly, as the yelling escalates to max strength, and as the villain prepares to pull the trigger, there's a distant rumbling seconds before a ear shattering bang rings out. Glass breaks, exploding outwards from one of the glass windows up at the top right ceiling pan.

It all seems to go in slow motion.

I watch the familiar sleek black motorcycle fly through the air up above everyone's heads, seeming to freeze up there as all the villains, as if in sync, raise their guns up and shoot.

I almost have to plug my ears as gun after gun goes off, some automatic so it's to the point they're firing dozens up at the target each second.

The target that's MidKnight currently riding through the air on his motorcycle as his momentum moves him forward, closer to the ground that's probably fifty feet down. And I can't help but notice the subtle movements of him jerking as a bullet tears into his skin.

There's a sudden command from Adam Galaspy, and everyone on the police side begin to fire over at the group with well aimed shots with their plastic bullets, taking use of this distraction.

Men on the villains side begin to drop as the police hit their unsuspecting targets, civilians scrambling to get away. Chaos starts up, and I only take stock of the girl that's now being pulled away, by whom I can only assume is her mother, before they're running off to safety, my eyes back on the figure stretched over his motorcycle's handlebars as he reaches the ground.

His back tire hits the ground first, almost off screen, and I hear a crash seconds after he disappears off screen, too far to the left as the camera stays focused forward.

Shock leaves me rooted to the floor, my mind already knowing, but not wanting to think it.

He could be gravely wounded. He just used himself as a human target, a distraction for the police to get a open shot. Which could've cost him his life.

Focusing back on what's happening, I realize all the bad guys seem to be taken out, policeman working to restrain them as paramedics rush in to assist the wounded.

What if they find him?

That woman's face is suddenly back on screen.

"After a daring move by MidKnight, the villains have finally been stopped. Captain Adam Galaspy of the NYPD is working to restrain them while paramedics treat the wounded. Regarding MidKnight, police have confirmed they saw him take multiple bullets before crashing. He's tagged as wounded, yet still presumed a threat."

Somebody says something off screen, and she nods back at them.

"MidKnight seems to have disappeared from the scene. Leaving only his motorcycle and blood. Police have sent out a APB to be on a look out for him, and if seen, to contact the police immediately. A official manhunt for MidKnight has started."

I stare at the screen, barely believing what I just heard.

Manhunt? They're sending out a manhunt for MidKnight!? The guy who just selflessly risked his life for those people? The guy who, just minutes ago, I was contemplating turning in to the police!?

That's not right.

"What!" Michael's shrill yell catches my attention, and I force my gaze away from the tv to him. "That's just....wrong on so many levels." Michael crosses his arms. "He could be dying and all they can think about is capturing him while he's weak and vulnerable? That's sick, real sick."

I can't help but agree with him, a overwhelming despair leaking into my bones as worry for his health plagues me.

What if he's bleeding out somewhere and I'm the only one who knows his identity?

"I hope he gets back to his secret hideout fast. Or else I don't see how he's going to makes it out of this one unscathed - in more ways than one." Michael resumes his eating, forehead pulled together in a frown.

  Secret hideout......?

A sudden idea hits me, and my feet are moving before I even realize I've sent the mental command out. Mom blinks a few times, obviously baffled as to why I'm walking back to my room while my plate sits on the table halfway finished.

"Heavyn," She calls. "What are you doing?"

I don't pause my steps, keeping my head forward as I answer her under my breath.

"Something that could possibly save a life."

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A/N

  Whoop whoop!! Who updated this book twice in a week?! ME!! That's who! XD.

I NEED 4 VOTES ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ BEFORE I UPDATE AGAIN!! Come on, I know you can do it! 😎👍🏻

Ooh, what's about to happen now? 🤔😏 Excitement, revealings, drama, blood, (yes I said that) and humor, that's what!!

Maggy