The Legend of Buddy Hero (The Defenders Saga) by Adam Oster Read Free Book Online Page A

belongings.
    “Okay. But, if you need anything-” Maggie trailed off as she picked up her keys.
    “I know, I know.  I've got your number.”
    Maggie walked to Buddy's side and gave him a kiss on the cheek.  “Bet you can't wait to get back to the cot, can you?”
    “And miss out on all the attention I've been getting?” Buddy smirked. 
    Maggie laughed as she walked out the door.  “Stay on the couch!” she yelled as she went on her way.
    Just as Maggie shut the door behind her, the phone rang.  Buddy moved quickly to answer it.
    “Hey, it's Maggie's house.  Buddy speaking.”
    “Hello, may I speak with Mr. Jackson, please?”
    “You've got him,” Buddy responded, noticing his voice had somehow gained an unfamiliar happy tone.
    “Mr. Jackson, this is Dr. Algen, from Sun City Community Hospital.  You had brought in a John Doe the other day.”
    “Right, yeah, the naked guy.  How's he doing?”
    “He's awake, Mr. Jackson, and he's asking to see you.  Is there any way for it to be possible for you to make it down here sometime today?  We have a lot of questions for him, but he refuses to discuss anything before he has the opportunity to speak with you.”
    Buddy, looking for any excuse to leave the house, jumped at the request.  “Yeah, I can get down there within the hour, no problem.”
    “Thank you, Mr. Jackson.  I look forward to seeing you.”
    Buddy hung up the phone and ran across the room to grab his jacket, jumping over the couch in the process, and found Maggie standing in the doorway with a stern smile on her face .   He froze.
    “Oh, hey, Maggie.  Did you forget something?”
    “I heard the phone ring and thought I should come back in to answer it so you wouldn't have to get off the couch.”
    “Ah, yeah, well, you know. . . “
    “So, who called?”  Maggie asked, having a difficult time holding her scowl when her brother looked so excited.
    “Hospital needs to see me.  That dude I saved wants to talk to me.  No time to explain, gotta run.” Buddy was out the door before Maggie could contest it.  She smiled a new smile, this one not saying anything specific, being merely one of happiness.  She went to the doorway and yelled down the hallway after him. 
    “At least let me give you a ride!”
    “Don't worry about it sis.  I could use a good walk.”
    “You're supposed to be taking it easy, doctor's orders.”
    “Seriously, Maggie.  The doctor is the one who told me to come in.”
    Buddy was amazed at his surplus of energy.  He felt young, strong, and vibrant.  He walked quickly to the hospital, as though there was some prize awaiting him.  He was actually looking, smiling, and waving at people as he passed them. 
    He noticed things he normally would have ignored, such as businesses he didn't know existed, graffiti he found interesting, and the female standing on the side of the road with a rickshaw. 
    The rickshaw seemed very out of place to Buddy.  It looked like it had been made in ancient China.  It was a simple machine, two large wooden wheels with thick spokes and a high-backed seat covered in some sort of plush red fabric.  There was a red retractable cloth roof and two long slender wooden posts leading from the vehicle's seat.  The posts were against the ground and the woman was leaning against it.
    However, Buddy quickly became distracted by the many other details of his city he had long forgotten.  The grin on his face made him look like an entirely different person.  Here he was, no real prospects for the future and somehow he was managing to feel happy once again. 
    “Hey, you're Buddy Jackson, right?” said a woman appearing directly in front of him.  He almost walked into her.  He looked at her face and recognized her as the woman who had been standing by the rickshaw a couple of blocks behind him.  He looked over his shoulder and saw the rickshaw was now unattended.
    “Hey, weren't you just--?”
    “Yeah, I know, how'd you get here,