Underneath The Mask

Chapter 1

The teargas came first, then the screams, then the sounds of people running and cries for help. Betty looked around frantically at all the commotion, trying to find someone she could help. But she felt useless. People were running in every direction and she wasn't tall enough to peer over the crowd in order to see what was happening inside of the large group.

Curses flew around her and she shoved through people to get up to a rock. She started to climb it, people giving her weird looks. She caught sight of Polly helping someone and she let out a sigh of relief - she was okay. They weren't supposed to split up, but it happened.

Police started coming in and grabbing people and she gasped sharply. "Wait! Stop! Stop, that's wrong!" She kept yelling the words as she got down off of the rock, walking over to a group of protesters that were currently being zip tied like they were nothing. "You can't be fucking serious! They didn't do anything!" Police caught sight of her in a flash and one started moving towards her. "Are you going to arrest me? You are all horrible! This is inhumane! This is - hey, get off! Let go of me!"

She struggled to push at the arm of whatever had grabbed her, but she couldn't get it to budge. "Hello?! Let me go!" She kicked and it only held her even tighter than before. "I didn't do anything! You police suck actual ass! I'll call a fucking lawyer for everyone here - I have connections! This is bullshit!" She pushed at its arm again.

"Can you please stop squirming?" Her eyes widened at the sound of his voice. It was muffled, but still clear. He obviously had a mask on. Her's had fallen off in the midst of her pushing through the crowd. "I'm trying to get you away from them so something bad doesn't happen to you." She huffed, rolling her eyes. He dropped her a few steps later.

She looked around her, furrowing her brows. "Are you sure you're not the police?" He chuckled, fixing his glove on his hand.

"I can assure you, I am not, and will never, be a police officer." She nodded, looking around the alley they were in. "You okay? No teargas got on you, did it?"

"Oh, um..." She winced slightly, biting her lip. "It may be on my clothes."

He nodded, adjusting his glove on his left hand. "Don't touch anything - not your face, your hair, your shirt, your backpack, nothing. Once I get the others round up, we're going to take you back to my place and we'll get you cleaned up. Sound good?" She nodded, feeling intimidated by him.

He had on a black helmet and it covered his face completely, therefore she had no clue who she was talking to. He had a gopro attached to it, obviously there to record what was happening. He had a bandana tied around his neck and he toyed with it for a moment. He had on full "armor" as she would call it and he had an odd symbol in the middle of his chest on his vest. She wasn't sure what it stood for exactly but he may tell her. There was a gas mask hanging off of the strap of his back and she sighed. For some odd reason, she found herself attracted to this mystery masked man.

"Stay here - that's an order." She nodded quickly at his words and he ran off, leaving her dumbfounded. She was overreacting. She only felt like she had a crush on this man because he... well, she wasn't exactly sure what he did. Abducted her? Stole her? Kidnapped her?

She huffed and sunk against the wall behind her. She rubbed her hands nervously before she groaned. "Fuck," she mumbled to herself. She dropped her head back, huffing. Suddenly Polly came into her mind and she gasped. "Polly." She pushed herself up, starting to walk out of the alley.

"What did I say?" The same man from earlier yelled the words, though they were still sincere, and she clenched her jaw. "You're crazy if you think you're going to be able to get back out there without getting arrested. We're lucky we're still all here." Three other people dressed the same as him walked forward into the alley and she followed by his side. "Where were you going?"