Viper

Can't Teach Heart

"Stupid, stupid, stupid!" kept shouting Clyde as David took of the armor.

"What was all of that? We agreed that this was not a thrill seeking adventure! We were going to lay out a plan and follow it. Get information and such. Not go around jumping out of no freaking building and crashing cars!" said Clyde.

"Don't forget the getting shot up part," said David.

"You got shot!?" replied Clyde.

"Only a little. OK, a lot," replied David.

"This ain't no joke! We are not going to be able to work like this," said Clyde.

"I had to do something. I couldn't let them away."

"From what? We don't even know what they did?"

"Exactly! And if they got away we wouldn't know anything."

"But they did get away! And we still don't know nothing."

"Well, we have the car. They left the car. And what was with that van? Why was there a second vehicle so close by?" asked David regarding the hit and run.

"You wouldn't have let them go free either and you know it," said David to Clyde.

"Yeah, well that's different."

"How is it different?" asked David.

"I wouldn't be rushing like that. You supposed to be training not running into gun fights like a damn fool!"

"Yeah well at least we know a few things. The grappling hook can work. We need brakes for it. And the armor can take falls, fire arms and vans," said David.

The two rode in silence for a moment when curiosity got the better of Clyde.

"So the armor handled OK?"

The performance of his work being tested, in a way he had never been able to do so previously, proved to be too much to resist knowing.

"Yeah. Handled four armed men unloading at it from about nine yards," said David guessing at the distance.

"Four guns? And you are fine?" asked Clyde.

"As far as I can tell. You know whose turf this is?" asked David who was still trying to figure out who the gang was.

"On the south side? I'll have to find out. They keep changing hands," said Clyde.

At a red light, police sirens were finally seen coming on the opposite direction from Clyde and David. Back to the scene of the crash. Both stood still in the van as if moving would be the thing that gave them away. The red and blue lights flew by past them, and once they were in their rear view, David climbed into the passenger seat.

They drove through the city on their way to drop David off as his home. They talked about the modifications Clyde would do to the gear with some tension still between them. David tired and sore looked out into the streets. He saw homeless camping out, or sleeping on the streets by the business building. Some were in groups and some on their own. People would walk right over them as if avoiding a piece of gum, or garbage spilled on the street.

This reminded David of the Capt'n and Ramba, being the first and only homeless people David knew. He noticed someone in the crowd handing out food, and clothes to the other homeless. The sight filled him with warmth and comfort. More so than he would have expected. Maybe because of the nights events, or because it was one of the most generous acts he had seen since he got back. Or maybe because the person didn't look much better off than the people being helped.