Chapter 1 - 24

Archer walked up to the other three who were merely standing on the sidewalk chatting. “Any trouble?”

Tina looked up. “Oh good, you’re back. How did it go?”

“It...went fine. He’s been taken care of.”

“Taken care of?" Travis asked.

“I won,” Archer said, not offering any more information. “Did you guys notice anything weird, or anyone else around?”

“More than Fierce suddenly attacking you...again?” Alan said.

“I'm more concerned about the reason why he attacked. He said that he was told he could find me here by someone called the Reverend.”

“I've never heard of a Reverend,” Tina said.

Alan also shook his head. “Me either. Maybe he lied to you.”

“Maybe. Doesn't seem like him though. He doesn't seem the type to lie easily."

"Well, I'm sure whoever this Reverend is, codename or otherwise, isn't going to show up tonight," Tina said. "We haven't seen anyone."

"Hmm," Archer said, biting his lip, still unconvinced that there wasn't a plot being hatched against him. "Well, how's...my opponent?"

"Who?" Travis said.

"I came here for a challenge, at least, I think I did."

"I don't remember that," Tina said.

Nobody spoke as they tried to remember what happened over the past 10 minutes. Reginald put his hands into his pockets out of habit, and felt something odd. He took it out of his pocket to find it was a fast food coupon.

“So, if we're done,” Alan said. “Denny’s?”

***END OF CHAPTER ONE***