All Tangled Up

Chapter 1

I rode silently in the backseat of the police cruiser.  Two police cars drove in front of mine, and two drove behind.  If I tried to escape, I wouldn't get far.

Besides, I had a bullet in my leg.  There was no way that I could escape.

I leaned back, resting my head against the cool glass of the rear window.  It vibrated lightly from the car's motion.  I closed my eyes, listening to what was going on in the front of the vehicle.

"Yes, he's doing fine," Captain Stacy said into his police radio.  He was driving the police car I was held hostage inside.

He released the button on his radio, then reached a traffic light.  He slowed down to a stop.  Although he could have run it, he decided not to, since he was no longer in any kind of a hurry.  He turned around in his seat so he could face me, the chair squeaking.  I opened my eyes so I could see him.

"I have to ask you something, Mr. Parker," Captain Stacy said.  I blinked, raising an eyebrow.  "Why are you assaulting innocent civilians?  And why are you the one dating my daughter?"

I thought for a minute.  I could try to defend myself, but would it really do me any good?  All of the evidence was against me.  I decided to try, anyway.  What did I have to lose? 

"I'm not," I said.  "I'm saving them."

"Of course you are," he huffed, amused.  The traffic light turned green, and he drove forward.  "Also, why are you always chasing criminals that look the same?  You know, male, shoulder length blonde hair..."

"One of them killed my uncle, that's why," I interrupted.

"Why didn't you just leave that to the police, huh?"  He asked me.

"I feel like it's my responsibility to find him."

"And why is that?"

I sighed.  "I could have stopped him before.  And...I didn't...and then Uncle Ben did the right thing.  I feel...guilty."

"But that's the police's job, not yours."

"The police wasn't even getting anywhere on the case."

Captain Stacy was still driving, so I couldn't see the look on his face, but I knew it was some kind of scowl.  When he spoke again, his words were sour.

"The NYPD has more than just one case to deal with, you know.  And you also have to collect evidence, use strategy...you can't just go in for the kill."

I was silent.

"Why are you assaulting innocent civilians?"  He asked again.  "You sure are causing a lot of trouble."

"I'm not.  I'm trying to save them," I repeated.

"How so?  Even if you really are a vigilante, we don't need one.  That's what the police department is for."

"Then why aren't they catching my uncle's killer, huh?"  Anger rose in me.  I exhaled, trying to calm down.

"I already said..."

"Look, you need me!  You just don't want to admit it!  So what if those criminals all look the same?  They would have escaped by the time the police arrived.  I caught them for you, I saved civilians from death, and now you're arresting me?"

"We need more evidence for the case."

"Like my story isn't enough!"  We stopped at another traffic light.  My spider senses alerted me of a carjacker, several feet away.  Captain Stacy didn't notice.  "There's a carjacker over to the right, by the way," I said casually, lowering my tone.  Captain Stacy's head whipped to the right, and his eyes widened at the sight of the criminal.