Perils

“I know he’s a Bruin, but he’s innocent and Reilly Smith doesn’t deserve to die. We have to find him and save him!” I exclaimed looking at my brother.

“I’m shocked you wouldn’t rather go after Nichushkin!”

“I can’t, Jonny. You heard what that dickhead said! I’m going to have to “earn” finding my Valeri!”

“Your Valeri?”

“Yes, my Valeri!”

Okay, this was probably the first time that Jonathan and I had ever fought like this!

“How long has this been going on, with you having these feelings?”

“I can like whoever I want, Jonathan.”

I watched him turn around and walk out of the lobby. He kicked the side of the door on the way out and I could hear him scream with frustration. “MY SISTER IS IN LOVE WITH A DALLAS STAR!!”

I rolled my eyes and spun back to a shocked Brandon Saad, Patrick Kane and Christina.

“Whoa, I’ve never seen Jonny THAT heated before. I mean he’ll get pretty pissed if we aren’t winning, but not like this,” Patrick stated.

“He’s just not getting it, you understand my feelings, right Kaner?”

“Uh…”

“Right Kaner?” I repeated, narrowing my eyes in a threatening way at him.

“Listen Evelyna, threatening me for a response won’t work. I understand you, yes, but I also see Jonny’s point of view. Dallas is in our division and he’s just shocked. He wasn’t ready for news like this. It also doesn’t help that Sidney pretty much humiliated him.”

“He was tied up and I’m sure he’ll come around.” It was Brandon Saad who had spoken.

I looked at Brandon. I never noticed it before, but the winger’s eyes were gorgeous. They were a deep blue color and shimmered with his traumatic calmness that he exuded. I realized that I was attracted to him, but when he blinked his eyes clouded into a grayish color and the feeling was lost. He noticed me staring at him and raised an eyebrow at me.

“You’re right.” I spoke as if I were in some kind of trance, but I knew I wasn’t. I shook my head, turning from Brandon, who was at a loss for words.

“We should get back to Reilly Smith and the clue. We should rescue him,” Christina stated.

The blond Blackhawk nodded his head. “Right. I don’t really know the guy, but if he is innocent, he deserves to be helped.”

Christina pulled the note back out and we all gazed at it, re-reading the clue about where Reilly was.

“And speaking of that, your next peril clue is this: There’s something “bruin” at the local New England Zoo near Boston. Come to the Bruin Cave if you wish to rescue...Reilly Smith! Good luck, hopefully you find him before the bear does!”

“So he’s at a zoo in New England somewhere...” I remarked, trailing off.

“And it’s near Boston!” Christina exclaimed.

“Know any zoos in Boston?” Patrick asked.

I got out my cellular device and went to the internet for some research. “There’s Stone and Franklin Park,” I remarked, holding my phone up and reading the screen.

“So it’s one of those two zoos. We should try Franklin Park first. That sounds like the right one,” Patrick stated.

“What about Brandon?” Christina asked.

“I don’t really wanna run into Sid again. That son of a bitch gagged me with a puck and almost killed me. I’m done. I just wanna go home and relax.”

I smiled, nodded. “That’s fine. But can you make sure someone is with you.”

“That will definitely be arranged. I’m going to call Shawzer.”

“I thought Shawzy had a concussion and was placed under surveillance?”

“He’s better now. He’s making a quick recovery. But now he knows not to pick a fight with Zac Rinaldo!” Brandon stated, sending a message to Andrew Shaw via Patrick’s phone.

I sighed. Andrew had been hurt in the first week, when the Hawks played the Flyers. He had got into a skirmish with Rinaldo, who landed a sharp blow to his head and managed to injure the small pest by giving him a concussion. He’d left the game, unable to return.

“We’ll take you home and then head off to New England, I guess.”

Brandon nodded. He stood up, still a little shaky, but managed to stand up by himself and walk outside with us. We found Jonathan, who was in a headlock. Chris Pronger had his arm wrapped around his neck. What the hell was going on? When did this guy show up and what was he doing to my brother? Whatever it was, I didn’t like it!

“So, you’re going to keep blaming me for stealing the game-winning puck?”

“Prongs stop!”

“Pronger, let him go!” I snapped, stepping forward.

I heard someone crash to the ground behind me, but I didn’t dare turn to look. I thought it was Patrick, knowing he was the little girl of the group, but was shocked to hear Christina and him scream Brandon’s name.

Pronger faced me, cackling. “What are you doing to do about it little girl?”

“Little girl?” I repeated. “LITTLE GIRL?!”

Pronger, who’d appeared out of nowhere and was now threatening my brother, slipped his other arm up and clamped his hand over Jonathan’s mouth. My brother was not amused by this and he kicked backward trying to get the Flyer off of him. He missed his kicks each time, which was odd. That or they did land, but Pronger was a brick wall not to feel a foot to the shin.

“I’m sure you are wondering why I am here? I had to silence this pretty boy, because I need to tell you that Sidney has another message for you.”

“You’re working for Sidney Crosby?!” I heard Jonathan muffle in shock, before making a horrible gagging noise, as Pronger squeezed him around the throat tightly.

“I am, but don’t worry sweetie, I’m not going to kidnap you again.” He pinched Jonathan’s mouth between his thumb and first three fingers much to the Blackhawk Captain’s displeasure. “Anyway,” the villainous man carried on, playing with my brother’s mouth in his fingers making him make sounds of unamusement. I wasn’t exactly pleased to be watching my younger sibling being manhandled either. “Sidney said that Kaner should know about a little something.”

Pronger continued to manhandle Jonathan, who tried to voice his unhappiness. But instead, as an answer the Flyer groped and violated him. I stepped forward, raising my fists up, but Pronger grabbed Jonathan’s crotch in his fingers. I felt my mouth drop open in shock.

“Don’t push me, I will hurt him!”

Jonathan remained frozen in place. Pronger kept his one hand below the belt, while his other was cupped once more over the centre’s mouth. His eyes were wide open in horror.

“Just tell Kaner your message and let him go!” I snarled.

The Flyer looked at me briefly, before snapping his eyes to the side to look at where Patrick was. “The message is this:”

Oh no, I thought to myself, Sidney was going to reveal my best friend’s secret as well. He was going to tell Patrick about Nathan MacKinnon. I knew I couldn’t let her suffer the wrath from her brother, like I had. I had to do something. But I didn’t act fast enough, as I heard Pronger continue.

“He says this, ‘I stuck your game-winning puck in sweet Saader’s mouth!’ And he got that puck from me! That’s right Patty Kane, I took your sweet puck and now you’ll NEVER get it, because it’s in custody in the hands of the law!”

I spun around to see Patrick get to his feet, leaving the side of Brandon, who was sitting up, gazing at the scene. He had one of his hands placed on his forehead, resting lightly in place in the faint gesture. He looked almost model like. I glimpsed the blond man’s eyes flash in shock.

“That’s not true! It was you, you son of a bitch!” Patrick snapped.

I saw my friend gape at her brother, speechlessly. She had a sympathetic look on her face and was gazing at the stunned blue-eyed man. I could also see her relief that her “Kinny Crush” hadn’t been revealed...yet.

Meanwhile, I turned back to see that Jonathan had been released and was looking around. Pronger was nowhere in sight. I dashed up and hugged my brother, even if he had just been infuriated with me. He hugged me back shocked.

“Are you okay? Pronger didn’t hurt you did he?”

“Unless you count violating my privacy and grabbing my crotch as hurting me...I’m peachy!”

I laughed, relieved that he was okay. I knew Jonathan Toews was the strongest man in the world. Nothing phased him and I thanked God for that. He cracked a smile, gazing down at me.

“I’m sorry about my outburst. If you are in love with someone, even this Dallas Star named Valeri Nichushkin, I’m behind you one hundred percent...I promise.”

“Thanks. But now we’ve got an even bigger problem...we deduced that Reilly Smith could be at two zoos in New England. We need to hurry because I bet that the poor guy is in total distress right now. And it seems to me that there is a theme going on here. I think that Reilly is tied up in one of the exhibits...but not just any exhibit…”

“A bear’s?” Patrick questioned, still in shock about what Pronger had told him.

“A Bruin Cave.”

The Blackhawk winger looked sad and a little uninterested. His sibling put an arm around him, as he began to tear up. Jonathan and I walked over and helped Brandon to his feet once more and then we all gathered around to comfort Patrick, as he broke out in sobs.

“I’ve been looking for that puck forever and something always told me that it was Pronger who had it…” He sobbed harder. “Now I know and I’ll never get it!” Christina hugged him closer, pulling his head to her shoulder.

We remained gathered in a cluster, until we backed away finally, allowing him to breathe. He was choking on his tears, as his sister helped him out. “Don’t worry Patrick, you’ll be okay. You can get through this.”

“But Pronger--”

“But Pronger nothing, Peeks, pull yourself together, please. We need to get to Boston!”

Patrick rubbed his eyes and nodded. He sniffled, trying to think about something else. “Pronger’s a meanie!”

“Yes he is, I’ll make sure he pays for this!” Jonathan remarked. “But right now, can you buck up and help out...being a MAN!”

“I am a man!” Patrick screamed, his voice cracking which made Jonathan laugh.

Soon Jonathan and Patrick were bickering and goofing around once more, back to their normal silly brotherly bromance.

Brandon folded his arms. “Andrew’s at my house, wondering where I am?”

Oh shit, we’d forgotten about Brandon. I turned to him and noticed that glow in his eyes again. I really had a thing for blue-eyed men. He noticed me staring at him again and this time spoke up about it, “Why are you staring at me like that?”

I broke into a daydream, as I smiled and blushed, seeing him in this attractive white dress shirt. It hung loosely on him and a little bit of his glossy chest shined underneath. The shirt was unbuttoned down the middle exposing his muscular chest and six pack. The sleeves of the shirt were rolled up to his elbows. The whole look reminded me of a Disney prince.

I stepped toward him and lifted my hand up to his face. “Sorry, your eyes are so beautiful, Saader, I--” I stroked his curly brown locks of hair and brushed them back. Then I grabbed his head and pulled him forward.

“They’re just blue eyes…” He began to say, before I quieted him with my lips on his.

“Shhh, don’t speak.” I made out with him, before I drew back, snapping back to reality and the scene. I had actually planted my lips on Brandon’s, but he wasn’t wearing the prince outfit. I pulled back at once ashamed of myself. I had one crush and I liked only one hockey player and that wasn’t Brandon Saad.

The Blackhawk forward gazed at me in shock and awe. Christina, Jonathan and Patrick were too. My brother wore a classic skeptical look that read, “oh really”.

“Uh...let’s get him home and go rescue Reils!”

“So we’re just not going to bring up the fact that you just--” I elbowed Patrick in the ribs hard to silence him.

“Shut up Kaner. It was nothing. I got lost…”

“In Saader’s lips?”

“No. In his eyes. I have a thing for blue eyes!”

Patrick gazed at me and then suddenly he smirked. “So you got a thing for me then?”

“No. I’m not going to pump your tires Peekaboo.”

Christina rolled her eyes. “That’s the last thing you’d want to do. As if my brother didn’t already have an enormous ego!”

Patrick grinned at that and wagged his eyebrows playfully. He was a freaking player! I had to smack him on the shoulder again, as we walked toward the car. The blond guy was going to continue to pester me and try to flirt with me like one of his many fangirls.

“You’re enjoying yourself aren’t you?” I asked him. He gave me a smoldering look and I rolled my eyes. “You’re like a brother to me Patrick Kane, don’t you even think about trying that stuff! Instead maybe do like Sid said and stick your tongue down Jonny’s throat!”

That got him...and also my brother, who whipped around, as we reached the car where it was parked.

“Okay, Eve, that’s too far. Kaner and I are best friends, brothers from another mother, but not...I repeat NOT...boyfriends or in a relationship!” Jonathan scolded.

“We’re not gay and Sid is just jealous of our hot bromance!” Patrick remarked, grabbing his buddy around the shoulder and squeezing him rather roughly.

We got into the car, putting all of the craziness behind us. Apparently my last comment to the twins had put an end to all of the weirdness. I allowed my brother to drive, since he knew where Brandon lived. Oh and I apologized to the bewildered man who sat in the middle of the backseat between Christina and I. I told him I didn’t mean it and it was just that I was missing Valeri Nichushkin.

He forgave me. We drove to his place in silence and dropped him off. He thanked us again for rescuing him and said that he’d be extra cautious and that he would stay with someone - Andrew Shaw - at all times.

As we each bit him farewell, one at a time, he leaned over and whispered into my ear, “If things with Val don’t work out, I’m available.” I shoved him away, giggling.

That Brandon Saad was a character.


We arrived to New England in a rapid amount of time. It was shocking how long...or rather how short…the trip took. We were there at the Franklin Zoo entrance within four hours. Patrick was pulling at the gating and shouting at the top of his lungs but no one was there. That’s when I saw a note sticking out of the lock on the gate.

I reach out and grabbed it. The blond man stopped and turned to look over my shoulder as I read the message aloud. “Nice guess, but you’re wrong if you guessed this zoo. No Bruins allowed. You should try the other one though, I heard the bear there is black as night and full Bruin...and he’s also hungry for Little Boston Bruin Winger flesh...…” I cursed and spat on the ground. “Fucking Penguin!”

Jonathan shook his head and we bolted back to the car. But something we didn’t know, how long did Reilly Smith have left? Or was he already dead torn into pieces…? Was in one piece or were his limbs pulled apart and scattered by a hungry black Bruin/bear…? Maybe the bear had just eaten him already, finishing him off like a Thanksgiving Dinner?

We were cutting things super close this time.

Notes

Ugh.....stupid Penguin!!!! :(
Wow, this is getting super strange and weird, right?
Ready for Part 2....?