Caleb stumbled into a chair.
The biker's eyes opened again.
This time, he looked directly at Caleb.
His lips moved.
"Don't..."
Caleb leaned closer.
"What?"
The biker struggled to speak.
"Don't... make trouble."
Caleb shook his head.
"You're going to be okay."
Then Troy punched him.
The punch sent Caleb crashing into the wall.
His head struck hard enough to blur his vision.
Someone screamed.
Arthur Pendleton, the owner of Dusty's Diner, came running from the kitchen.
"Troy! Stop!"
Troy grabbed Caleb again.
"You should learn when to stay out of other people's business."
Caleb tried to push him away.
"I'm not leaving him."
That sentence changed everything.
Troy hit him again.
And again.
Caleb fell to one knee.
He tasted blood.
The room spun.
But he still crawled toward the biker.
The glucose packet was lying several feet away.
Caleb reached for it.
Troy kicked it under a table.
"Looking for this?"
Caleb stared at him.
"Please."
Troy laughed.
"Begging already?"
Caleb's voice shook.
"He's going to die."
That made several people stop laughing.
Arthur shouted for someone to call 911.
But Troy wasn't finished.
He grabbed Caleb by the back of his shirt and lifted him partly off the ground.
"You think you're a hero?"
Caleb looked toward the biker.
"No."
His breathing was ragged.
"I'm just trying to keep him alive."
Then the biker moved.
His huge hand reached across the floor.
He grabbed Troy's ankle.
Troy froze.
The biker's eyes were open.
And they were no longer confused.
They were cold.
Very cold.
Troy stumbled backward.
The biker whispered:
"Touch him again..."
He paused.
"...and you'll regret it."
Troy looked down at him.
Then laughed nervously.
"You threatening me?"
The biker tried to sit up.
He couldn't.
But even weakened, there was something terrifying about him.
Troy released Caleb.
"Whatever."
He turned toward the door.
His friends followed.
Before leaving, Troy looked back.
"You just made a mistake, skinny."
Then he walked out.
Caleb didn't answer.
He crawled under the table.
Retrieved the glucose packet.
Tore it open.
And held it to the biker's mouth.