The next day, Powerhouse flew over a fancy French restaurant and spotted another car theft in progress. He scanned the silver convertible mustang’s glove box and found the name of the owner.
He ran into the restaurant and located him. “Excuse me, sir.”
The man looked up at him. “Yes.”
“Someone’s stealing your car.”
Powerhouse followed the owner’s bee line for the door. His car squealed out of the parking lot. The owner screamed. “Oh my God! Can you catch them?”
“That depends. Do you have comprehensive insurance?”
“Please just catch him.”
“Okay, but don’t get mad at me later. Powerhouse away!”
Powerhouse caught up to the car at a stop light and disengaged the ignition. He then grabbed the car and flew it back. The thief screamed. “Don’t drop me!”
“Relax, I wouldn’t do that-to the car.” He put the car down in the parking lot and tied up the thief. The owner stood nearby, cell phone in hand.
“Okay, I got your car back. Do you have the number for the police?”
The owner stared at him. “9-1-1.”
“A well-educated citizen, I see. Good, call the police, and they’ll take this refuse off the street. Powerhouse away!”
Dave sat in his easy chair, reading the Seattle newspaper. The police thought the car thieves were connected to one source. He needed to find their headquarters.
He put a hand to his chin. “Hmm. This looks like a job for Dave Johnson.”
Upon arriving in Seattle, Dave rented a black BMW and drove to a fancy restaurant. He went in and ordered a cup of coffee while he waited for someone to steal the car.
After half an hour, he went outside and unlocked the car’s door before going back inside.
Half an hour and another coffee later, he went back out and rolled down the window. Again, no theft occurred, so he went back, opened the door, and put the keys in the ignition. A few minutes later, someone approached the BMW and shut the door.
Dave ran out. “Hey, don’t do that! Are you trying to protect this car or something?”
The stranger stared at him.
He needed an excuse and quick. “I have comprehensive insurance.” Okay, so that wasn’t a good excuse, but still.
The stranger shrugged and walked away. Dave re-opened the car door. Fifteen minutes later, a teenager jumped in the BMW and drove off.
“Ah, they took the bait! Now, this is a job for Powerhouse!”
Powerhouse followed the teenage car thief to a video arcade. His gang came outside and scoped out the BMW. Powerhouse swooped down and tied the teens up. “Ah, ha. Crime does not pay when Powerhouse rules the day.”
One of the thieves said, “What crime? I was just getting a soda.”
“A likely story!”
A girl said, “Is shoplifting that big a deal? I only do it from the clearance aisle.”
Powerhouse laughed. “Shoplifting? No, you gang of vicious car thieves! Shoplifting should be the least of your concerns!”
“Car thieves?” The kids glared at the confederate who started this.
The thief laughed. “They’re not car thieves. I took it for a joy ride. The idiot left the door open with the keys in the ignition.”
“Don’t insult Dave Johnson! That fine generous soul was just doing me a favor.”
“Oh, so you’re the dork who thought of this?”
Hey! “I’m not a dork, car thief!”
A portly guy spoke up. “If we were a gang of car thieves, would we be at an arcade and wearing thrift store clothes?”
“You’re supporting your drug habit.”
“Or maybe you’re a total moron, Metal Dweeb.”
“Oh yeah, if I’m a metal dweeb, you’re a fatty-fatty, two-by-four, can’t fit through the bedroom door.”
“Whatever, but we’re not car thieves, except him.” The fat kid nodded at the thief.
“Fine, I’ll let you go this time, but don’t let me catch you doing this again.”
He dematerialized the ropes. Powerhouse turned to the thief. “As for you, young man, I’ll let you go with a stern warning. Don’t take what doesn’t belong to you.”
The thief shrugged. “Why not?”
“Because it’s wrong.”
“Why?”
“Because it doesn’t belong to you.”
“Why not?”
“Because you didn’t work for it.”
“Why should I have to work for it?”
Powerhouse grabbed the boy, turned him upside down, and swooped sixty feet up in the air with the screaming boy. “Because, I said so!”
He put down the boy with urine-stained pants then flew the BMW back to the restaurant.
A few minutes later, mild-mannered janitor Dave Johnson re-emerged to drive back to the rental car place.
Continued next Tuesday
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