Finally it was the day of the skateboarding competition. There were kids and families everywhere, everyone anxious for the event to start. Lenore, Aaron, and Ashley all stood off to the one side, where the other competitors were hanging out. Lenore and Aaron both had their numbers on, and Ashley was just there to keep them company.

“Man, am I ever pumped!” Lenore enthused, stretching carefully, as her ribs were still a little tender. “Just pray I don’t fall, because if I do, it ain’t going to be pretty.”

“Kind of like when Elliot finally catches up to you,” Ashley smirked slightly, raising her eyebrows.

“Shut it,” Lenore responded, giving her best friend a Look. “The world does not need to know I’m here without a parental.”

“I’m not either,” Aaron chuckled. “I’m here with my brother, and his lovely security guards.”

Lenore rolled her eyes, as she shoved him slightly. “Quiet Air-Boy. I’m all ready going to out-skate your ass – don’t make me hafta kick it first.”

The event announcer came over the speakers then, and began introducing all the sponsors and such, and explaining the rules of the event.

The three young teens watched as the first few skate-boarders showed off their talents, amazed at just how good some of them were.

“Still feeling cocky?” Aaron teased Lenore, as he glanced over at her as she watched their competitors. “I mean they are pretty good.”

“Not as good as my Lenni,” Ashley countered. “Just because you’re scared, doesn’t mean you hafta psyche her out too.”

“Pfft,” Aaron scoffed. “I’m not scared in the least bit.”

The three of them shared a look, all of them knowing that both he and Lenore were a little nervous about the competition – especially now that they’d seen some of their competitors.

Soon, Aaron’s number as called, and he went out to loud cheers and screams. He is Aaron Carter, after all.

“Show off,” Lenore muttered, as she watched him do an extremely difficult air flip.

“I’m sure you’ve got something better up your sleeve,” Ashley smiled at her friend. She loved Aaron and all, but she’d known Lenni much longer. “You’re going to blow them all away, I just know it.”

“Thanks for the boost of confidence,” Lenore spoke quietly. “I might have needed it – just a little.”

 “What’re best friends for?” Ashley giggled.

“For beating,” Aaron replied, as he re-joined them. “You’re up next, superstar.”

Lenore shoved him playfully, as she hurried to the top of the tall ramp. She sent a silent prayer out, praying beyond all hope she wouldn’t end up killing her ribs anymore than she all ready had.

Everyone watched, as the young girl did a handstand on her skateboard, before soaring down the ramp at top speed. They watched in awe, as she flipped into the air with her board, and managed three difficult twists, before landing and continuing on.

Lenore pulled out all the stops, doing every trick in the book that she knew, and even some that she had made up herself. She tried not to wince too bad, as she did a back-flip in mid-air with her board, and landed on the ground a little hard, though still standing. She hated that her ribs were starting to protest. Thank God, her sprained wrist had healed a whole lot faster – otherwise, this would’ve been a whole lot more difficult to pull off.

The crowd roared in approval as she finished and took a bow, before walking off the course.

“That was awesome!” Aaron exclaimed, giving her a high-five, as she came over to where him and Ashley stood waiting. “I’ve never seen someone do all that before!”

 “I told you she was amazing!” Ashley gushed, hugging her friend tightly, though wary of her still sore ribs. “Never underestimate my Lenni. She can do anything she sets her mind to doing!”

Lenore gave a small laugh, as she hugged Ashley in return. “I just can’t always do them this good, or this right.”

The three of them went to join Nick, who was sitting in the stands, to watch the rest if the competition from the bleachers. They weren’t needed anymore right then, and it was for the best since Aaron Carter fans were starting to get a little bold.

A couple hours later, the competition was over and the winners were about to be announced. Everyone sat on the edge of their seats in anticipation, eager to hear the names that would be called.

“Third runner-up is… Ana Martin!”

The crowd cheered for the sixteen-year-old girl, who waved her skateboard in appreciation of their response.

“Second runner-up is…  Christopher Valentineaz!”

Once more the crowd cheered, as the twelve-year-old went up to receive his trophy.

“First runner up is… Aaron Carter!”

The audience screamed especially loud for Aaron, as he grinned while trotting his way up to the pedestal. He took his trophy and waved it to the crowd, as he too cheered.

Lenore sat there on the bleachers between Nick and Ashley, rubbing her hands on her jeans nervously. “C’mon… C’mon… C’mon….”

“And the grand prize winner is…. Lenore Parker!”

Lenore shrieked, as she jumped up out of her seat – though she doubled over a little shortly after.

Nick shook his head, as he steadied her. He knew about her ribs, and thought her to be foolish for entering the competition – but, even with bruised ribs, she had still done well.

“I won! I won! I won!” Lenore screamed, bouncing on her heels. “Ohmygod! I won!”

“Go get your trophy!” Ashley laughed, shoving her friend in the right direction.

Lenore gave a whoop of joy, as she hurried over to the pedestal. She gave Aaron a cocky smirked, as she took her place next to him.

“Told yah I was gonna to beat you,” she teased.

Aaron rolled his eyes, though he hugged her and kissed her cheek. “Congrats girl!”

Lenore blushed somewhat, as she coughed slightly. She had totally not seen that coming.

Everyone began to gather their things to leave then, when suddenly a loud piercing shriek was heard over the noise of the crowd. Though, no one thought anything of it – no one except for two young teens who knew that voice well.

Lenore felt her blood run cold, when she spotted the ones who had grabbed Ashley and were currently dragging her out of the arena.

“Oh, shit!” She screamed, shoving her trophy at Nick, as she hurried past him.

Aaron didn’t even think twice, as he did the same, leaving his brother standing there looking rather bewildered.

Lenore was practically in tears, as she darted out a side door after her best friend and the goons who had nabbed her. “Let her go! Please! Let her go!”

The goons turned deaf ears on her, as they shoved Ashley into the back or a car and took off.

Aaron grabbed Lenore then, and shoved her into his brother’s car. He happened to have swiped his keys earlier that day as a joke, and was glad to still have them on him. “Get in!”

Lenore got into the car, and buckled up, though she cast her companion a frightened look. “Nick’s going to kill you for this; if we live that long.”

“And they’ll kill Ashley if we lose them!” Aaron exclaimed, as he started the car after buckling up. Luckily he was tall and could reach the pedals just fine. He roared out of the packed parking lot, after the car they’d seen Ashley get shoved inside.

“I need your phone,” Lenore said solemnly after a moment. “I need to make a call I should’ve made a long time ago.”

~~~~~

Ashley had been next to Nick, when she’d been grabbed. She hadn’t realized it at first, and thought it was just some crazy Backstreet Boys fan. But when she felt them lifting her, she knew something was wrong and that they were there for her and not anybody else.

“What do you want with me?” Ashley asked softly, as she curled up on the floor of the car. It was where they had thrown her upon getting in. “I don’t even know who you guys are.”

“It’s not you we want, Kid,” the one spoke gruffly. “It’s your friend.”

“Aaron?” Ashley asked dumbly. “You want him for ransom or something?”

“Your other friend,” he spat. “The stupid one, with the banged up ribs.”

“Lenni?” Ashley squeaked. “How does Lenni even know you?”

“Let’s just say, she ain’t everything she’s led you to believe, Kid,” another guy replied. “She’s a rebel, and seems to want to learn things the hard way.”

“But why take me?”

“She’ll follow you anywhere, even we know that.”

“But - ”

“Shut-up” The guy driving snapped. “Enough damned questions! Unless you want the same fate your friend is going to get!”

Ashley gulped, as she curled up into an even tighter ball on the floor between the seats. She didn’t want that fate for either of them, if it was what she thought.

~~~~~

“Fin here, speak to me,” Fin spoke into his phone. He hadn’t recognized the number, but had answered it anyway just in case. “Hello? Is anybody there?”

 “Fin?” A choked up voice came through the phone.

“Lenore?!” Fin exclaimed, as he waved to Munch and the Captain. “Where are you? What’s wrong?”

“They got her Fin! They got her!”

“Got who?” Fin demanded. “Who has her?”

“They got Ashley!” Lenore shrieked into the phone, her voice shaky as panic seared through her. “Them goons I pissed off! They got Ashley! They came and took her, Fin! They took my best friend!”

“Slow down, and tell me just what’s going on,” Fin ordered. “Where are you?”

“Arizona,” Lenore admitted. “I went to visit Ashley, in Gilbert, Arizona. We’ve got to get her back, Fin! We’ve just got too!”

“How did they find you?” Fin asked, as he put her on speaker phone for all to hear.

“They must’ve followed me! They said they would if I told!” Lenore freaked out over the phone. “They’re going to kill her because I told! I should’ve never told!”

“Told what? That they killed that kid?” Fin questioned, as Munch got a tape recorder.

“God, I’m so stupid!” Lenore vented suddenly. “They told me not to tell anybody, and I went and did just that!”

“I thought they didn’t know you were there until you screamed or something?” Fin countered. “Why would they tell you not to tell, if they didn’t know you were there?”

“Don’t be mad at me! Please don’t be mad at me!” Lenore pleaded. “I did something stupid.”

“Which would be what?”

“I joined the gang. I went undercover and joined the gang,” Lenore admitted. “I wanted to help catch the bad guys. I got all the info needed, but couldn’t figure a way out. I was stuck. They decided to initiate me. They told me to shoot him, and I wouldn’t do it! I couldn’t! I’m not a killer! I’m not!”

“So they shot him when you wouldn’t,” Fin concluded. “Why’d they rough you up?”

“To show me what’d happen if I didn’t learn to do as told,” Lenore cried into the phone. “They said if I disobeyed again, I’d end up having the same fate as the guy they shot. They told me to leave town, or else they’d come after me. But I was stupid and went to the station instead. I was scared, and knew the only way to feel safe was to get to Elliot. Only he got it out of me. Not all of it, but he got me to admit the gang had roughed me up. I didn’t want to tell, but I felt bad for that kid.”

“But you didn’t give us the right location,” Fin pointed out. “So you gave them time to escape. You have to see how this looks here, Lenore.”

“They were all ready long gone!” Lenore insisted. “I swear it, Fin! They left me there for dead. Nobody was there, but that body and me. It took me forever just to manage to get up. I swear I didn’t aid them in getting away – not intentionally.”

“Then why didn’t you just tell us what had really happened?” Fin demanded. “We could’ve grabbed them a lot sooner, and Ashley wouldn’t be in danger right now.”

“Because I was scared Elliot was gonna kill me!” Lenore wailed. “I didn’t want him to kill me! I didn’t want him to know I’ve a crush on Charles!”

“Did Charles do anything he shouldn’t’ve?” Fin wanted to know. “Truthfully, or I’ll throw your ass in jail.”

“He didn’t shoot nobody,” Lenore replied. “He looked out for me, and tried to keep me outta trouble. I just tend to have a knack for trouble, is all. He took a few beatings for me too… God, I’m glad Elliot isn’t like that. It’s scary.”

“And yet you’re afraid of him anyway,” Fin pointed out. “Do you really think Elliot’s going to kill you, Kid? He just wants to keep you safe.”

“I know,” Lenore sighed. “I just – I hate disappointing him. I just wanted to help, and went and screwed everything up instead.”

“She’s on the move,” Captain Craigen stated, as he joined them with the trace guys.

“Lenore, what the Hell are you doing right now?” Fin interrogated. “We’ve got a trace on you, and know you’re moving. Where are you?”

“WATCH IT!” Lenore screamed suddenly. “DAMMIT AARON! I DON’T WANT TO BE ROADKILL HERE!”

“Lenore!” Fin snapped sharply. “Are you following them!?”

“Maybe,” Lenore squeaked slightly.

“Are you out of your mind!?” Fin shouted. “They’ve got guns, and could very well blow your brains out!”

“If it gets my best friend back, then so be it,” Lenore retorted. “If it doesn’t, least, I died trying.”

The line went silent a long moment, then her voice could be heard quietly over the phone.

“I don’t want to die, Fin. I don’t want anyone to die. Send Elliot. Please, send Elliot. I need him.”

“Lenore,” Fin began, only for the line to go dead. “Dammit!”