Sara pulled into her parking spot at the hospital.  Getting out of her car she looked around, enjoying the great summer day, and  wishing she didn’t have to work today.  She just wanted to go lie out in the sun and enjoy today.  But duty calls, and she headed toward the hospital entrance.  As she approached,  Marc came out the door and walked over to the bike rack. 

“Hey, Marc what’s up?”

“Hey, Sara.  Just stopped by to show your dad my grades from last semester.  They came today.”

“Great, how’d you do?”

“Still 4.0 average.” 

“Cool.  You going to take any summer courses this year?”

“No. Not this summer.  I only have two more courses to take to complete this major.  And they won’t be offered until this fall.  I’m just going to spend the summer biking and hanging out.  Oh yes, and catch the concert next week in Madison.”

“How many majors have you completed?”

“Well there’s computer sciences, English  lit, and music.”

“Well now, what kind of job will you be qualified for then?”

Smiling, Marc replied .  “I’m not sure, but I do know that I can write music using my computer and the lyrics will have proper grammar.  I may have to sell them over the internet, if I’m to make a living at it.”

“Where are you going today?”

“I was just going to ride around the lake a couple times, to break in my new bike.” 

“Be sure to wear your helmet, Marc.   And be careful, coming down Sutters Hill.” 

“Always do.  See you later sis.”

Sara watched Marc get on the bike and head out.  “Oh, by the way.   I like you new bike pants.  It shows off you butt, really well.”

Marc  turned back to look at Sara, as the blush rose up into his face.  A little shocked at what she just said. All he could do was laugh. 

Sara turned to enter the hospital smiling thinking, Got Ya!

From the back of the van.  “Justin, just admit it, you’re lost.” said Chris 

“I know exactly where I am.  Oh ye of little faith.” said Justin.

Lance leaned forward and calmly pointed out.   “Just, I thought the Dells were just a hours drive from the hotel.  We’ve been driving for over two hours now and I haven’t seen a Dells billboard for more than an hour.  I think we took the wrong exit off the expressway.”

“Joey, you’re the one with the map,  tell them were right on course.” 

“Ah,…. Just,…. maybe the guys are right.  This road has so many twist and turns and the crazy way they mark the roads, I’m not sure where we are.” said Joey.

“Oh great!  With you two Daniel Boones blazing the way, we could end up in Michigan.” grumped Chris.

“I doubt it,” said JC.  “Remember there is that little body of water called Lake Michigan.”

“Well anyway there’s a sign up ahead.  Slow down J maybe we can find out where we are.” said  Lance.

‘This is great,  I love this route  around the lake.  It’s close enough to the lake, the cool breeze keeps you from overheating, and the hills sure gets the heart rate up,’ thought Marc. ‘It must be getting close to supper time, I’ve sure worked up an appetite.  Ok, you only need to get down Sutters Hill then a right on route 12 and it’s only one more mile to the dinner.  I hope Mae has some apple pie left.’

As Marc started down Sutters Hill he noticed he was picking up speed so he started applying his brakes to slow down.  To his horror he heard the twang of his rear brake cable snap.  “Shit!” he yelled. 

Knowing if he tried to stop using only the front brake he would end up skidding face first down the road, all he could do  was apply light pressure to the front wheels, hoping to slow down enough to make the turn at the bottom of the hill. 

It was working, as his speed started to drop to under 10 mph.  Just in time too, the turn was coming up now, a wide turn and I’m home free…….just then a mini van pulled into the intersection.  “Oh SHIT!!!”

Justin slowed down to read the sign. 

“J, look out for that biker!” Joey shouted seeing the blur coming at him from the side road.

Marc hit the van broadside.  He flew over the handlebars, hit the roof of the van, bouncing twice then came to rest five feet on the other side.

“Shit J we hit him!” screamed Chris.

Justin stomped on the brakes and everyone jumped out to check on the biker.

Marc lay on his back trying to take a breath, having had the wind knocked out of him.  Suddenly, five guys came running over to him.

“Don’t move! Are you all right?” a very nervous curly headed kid asked. 

“He’s having trouble breathing!  Quick someone start mouth to mouth.” shouted Joey.

“His head is bleeding, what do we do? Does any one know first aid? asked Lance.

“I’m not giving no guy mouth to mouth.” stated Chris.

“Shut up you guys.  We have to get him to a doctor.”  JC said.

“Do you think we should move him?”  Justin asked.

Finally I was able to get my breath and started to sit up.  My luck to be hit by the five stooges.  “I think I’ll live.”  I said sitting up. 

“Hey man, just sit there for a minute.  How are you feeling?  Can you move you legs and arms?” Lance asked.

Moving my arms and legs I said “Nothing seems broken”

“We do need to get you to a doctor.  You will need stitches on that cut on your forehead.” Lance said.  “Lets get him to a doctor guys.”

Joey and JC help the biker to his feet and led him around to the side of the van.  When Marc saw his bike he said “Shit, the whole front yoke is bent.” 

“Hey man, what do you want us to do with your bike?” asked Chris.

“Just toss it into the ditch,  I’ll pick it up later.” 

As they all climbed into the van Joey handed the biker some napkins to put on his cut to try to slow the bleeding. 

Justin turned to the biker and asked, “Which way?”

Mark pointed straight  ahead “Down the road about a mile then a left at the Dairy Queen.  Two blocks and the emergency room will be on your left.  Can’t miss it.”

Justin nodded and headed off to the emergency room at a high speed.

“Slow down before you cause a accident.”  Marc said.

They pulled up to the door and Joey hopped out, and ran in to get help.

Running up to the desk he said, “We need help, there was an accident.” 

The nurse and orderly headed out to see who was hurt.  Seeing Marc’s bloody face she said  “Get a wheelchair over here.”  The nurse helped Marc into the chair and they wheeled him into the emergency room.

The guys followed them into the building but were told they had to stay  in the waiting room.  The nurse returned to her desk and picked up the phone and dialed the second floor nurses station.  “Sara, this is Jill,  I thought you would like to know that Marc has just been brought into emergency.  He’s been in an accident.  You’d better tell your dad.”

Sara hung up the phone, hearing her father’s voice coming out of a nearby room, she raced  to him.  Sticking her head in the room she calmly said. “Doctor, Marc has just been brought into emergency.  He has been in a accident.”

“Thank you Sara, I’ll be right with you” and turning to the patient he excused himself.

Exiting the patients room Dr. Morgan and Sara headed for the elevator.  “Do you know what happened?

“No, Jill called up and said Marc was brought into emergency.”

Getting off the elevator Sara and her father headed straight to the emergency room.  Sara glanced into the waiting room and noticed five young men looking back into emergency with great interest.  Sara thought she had seen these guys somewhere, but couldn’t place them.

“Jill, where is he? asked Dr. Morgan.

“In Exam Two.” she answered.

As they entered Exam Room Two they found Marc sitting up holding a gauze pad to his forehead.  “Marc, what happened?  How bad are you  hurt?” Dr. Morgan asked.

Looking over to his two concerned friends Marc said, “Sutters Hill,  lost brakes,  big van,  splat.  And I’m ok.  Just this cut on my head, the helmet protected everything else.  A few scrapes is all,  nothing broken.”

“Let’s look at that cut.” The doctor reached up removed the pad and examined the wound “Yep, you’re going to need a few stitches to close that.  Nurse, lets get it cleaned out, it looks like we’ll need six or maybe eight stitches.”

In the waiting room the guys stood off to one side talking among themselves

“Gee Justin, I can’t believe you hit that  biker.” said Chris.

“It was a accident, I didn’t see him until we were about to hit, then it was to late.” said  Justin sadly.

“I know you didn’t mean to hit him, but now do you understand why we don’t let you drive more often.” said Joey.

“Hey guys lay off, ok?  It was an accident.” defended Lance.

At the reception desk Jill overheard part of the conversation.  She quietly picked up the receiver of the phone and dialed a number.

“Hello, Sheriff Dillin. Please.” 

“Sheriff Dillin here.  What can I do for you?”

“This is Jill More, at the emergency room, Marc Newman was just brought in.  It seems he was hit by a van at the edge of town.  And I think the driver of that van is here in the waiting room.”

“Jill keep an eye on the driver, and don’t let him leave until I get there.  I’m coming right over.”

“Ok, but please hurry.” nurse Jill said before hanging up.

Five minutes later the sheriff walked into the waiting room.  Looking at nurse Jill she glances over to the group of five young men standing off in a corner.  He approaches the group and asks, “Can anybody tell me who the driver is of the white van out front?” 
Four heads turn to the young blond kid.  “Son are you the driver of that van?” the sheriff asked.

“Yes sir, is there something wrong?”

“Son what’s your name?”

“Justin Timberlake, why?”

“Well Mr. Timberlake, you’re under arrest for not reporting an accident with injuries, and leaving the scene of an accident, for starts.  And depending if the victim survives, or not, more charges may be added..” said the sheriff as he took Justin’s arm and lead him out of the waiting room.  As they started out the door the sheriff said “Son you have the right to remain …………

Lance, Joey, Chris, and JC just stood there in shock,  not believing what just happened.
“This can’t be happening!  What do we do now?  Who do we call?” asked Chris.

“What is management going to say?  Their going to kill us.” moaned JC.

Sara came out to the waiting room to let the guys know Marc was ok and he would be out in a minute.  She saw only four of them standing there, white as ghosts.  She knew something was wrong.  “Marc is fine, he’ll be out soon.  Weren’t there five of you?  What’s wrong?  You look upset?”

“The sheriff was here and he arrested Justin.  Took him right off to jail.” said Lance.

“HE DID WHAT!!”  came a very angry voice.

The guys all looked past Sara to see Marc standing there with fire in his eyes. 

Sara, seeing Marc’s anger rise, went to him and said “Marc, calm down!  It’s of no help to get mad.”

Seeing that Sara was right he quickly calmed himself.  Looking at the guys he said. “Lets go get your friend.”  and he started off to the door.  Sensing that no one was moving, he turned back and asked “What?”

“Justin has the keys to the van.” said Joey.

Looking over at Sara he noticed Doc Morgan toss a set of keys at him.  “Go get him out of there Marc.”

“Thanks Doc.   You guys coming?”

They all headed out and as they approached Docs 4 x4 Marc tossed the keys to Joey.  “Here.  You drive, I’m on medication.”

As they entered the sheriff's office, Marc spotted the sheriff and headed straight to him.  “Bobby Lee Dillin I’ve seen you do some stupid things but this has got to be the stupidest yet.”  “Why did you arrest that boy?”

Bobby Lee was shocked to see Marc storming at him. “Ma, Marc, you you’re ok?  I thought you were critical.”

“Now, where did you get that idea?”

“Jill called,  said you were rushed into emergency and that you had been run over by a van.”

“Geesh, Bobby Lee, you know Jill!  How can you believe what she says?  Did you even talk to the doctor?”

“No Marc,  Fred radioed he found your mangled bike in the ditch.”

“And you assumed I was on my death bed. Didn’t you?”  “Did you bother even to look at the van?”

“No” said Bobby Lee sheepishly .

“If you would have even looked at the van, you could have seen that it was me, that hit them.  I lost my brakes coming down the hill, when I ran into the side of them.  And they were kind enough to take me to emergency.”

“I’m sorry Marc.  I guess I overreacted.”

“Ok, Bobby Lee give me the keys to the cells so I can get him out of here.  By the way which one is he in?”

“He’s in the tank.  We haven’t processed him yet.”

“The Tank!  I hope there isn’t any anybody in there with him.”

“Only the Roe brothers.”

“Shit!  Bobby Lee, how could you put a kid in the same cell as those two animals?  They could mess him up really bad.”  Marc shouted as he stomped toward the cells.  “And I want all of his paperwork when we get back.”

As Marc approached the tank, he only saw the Row brothers standing there looking into the corner of the cell laughing.  Looking into the corner he saw Justin curled up into a tight ball.

“Shit!”  Marc said softly.  Putting the key into the lock, he walked into the cell and spun the brothers around yelling “What have you two done to him?”

“Nothing Marc, we were just having some fun.  Is he a friend of yours?”

“Matt, Jim, get to the other side of the cell before I beat the shit out of you.  And you know I can do it, too.”  They moved quickly to the bunks and sat down, knowing Marc meant what he said.

Going over to Justin, Marc knelt down and placed a hand on his shoulder and Justin pulled himself into a tighter ball.

TBC