- 6/7/2025
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00:00When I was little, my big brother was my protector.
00:03And now, I'm the one protecting him.
00:05I just hope I don't get arrested.
00:07Oh yeah, and like and subscribe,
00:09or you'll miss out on the mystery.
00:11I'm Zelda from Washington, D.C.
00:13My brother Ryan has always been there for me.
00:15When I was clumsy and dropped my ice cream,
00:18he got me a new one.
00:19When I fell, he picked me up.
00:21And when I watched a scary movie, he covered my eyes.
00:24And when he had to go somewhere and leave me alone,
00:27I want Ryan!
00:30On my birthdays, he always gave me the best presents.
00:34One time, he even paid the zoo to let me meet the giraffes and elephants.
00:38Mom told me he worked all summer to afford it.
00:41Since he was so cool, brave, and awesome,
00:44you'd think he'd want to be an astronaut when he grew up,
00:46or a lion tamer, or a dinosaur catcher.
00:49It's a thing, look it up.
00:51But no, because our mom had to support us both by herself,
00:55ever since he was little,
00:56his dream was to buy her a house one day
00:58and be rich enough that she wouldn't have to work anymore.
01:01That, and take me on a grand adventure,
01:04which was my dream.
01:05Yeah, my brother's better than yours.
01:07Deal with it.
01:08Ryan got a super cool Mustang.
01:10He would always pick me up after school,
01:12and of course, all the girls swooned,
01:15and every single one of the boys was jealous of him.
01:17I was the most popular girl in school without even trying.
01:20What kind of music does he like?
01:22Does he have a girlfriend?
01:23How can he afford such a cool car?
01:26Is he rich?
01:27Take it easy, girls.
01:29I'll tell you everything you want to know.
01:31My brother works for NASA.
01:32He's an engineer.
01:33He's saving up to buy my mom a house.
01:35No girlfriend.
01:36If he had one, I would be the first to know.
01:38And as for music, he and I listen to the same kind.
01:41Synth.
01:42The girls are always asking questions about you.
01:45They're all in love.
01:46What do you tell them?
01:47Just the usual.
01:48It's not like you're a mystery or anything.
01:50They don't need to know my business.
01:51Next time anyone asks, tell them you don't know.
01:54What?
01:55Why?
01:56Look, NASA is secretive.
01:58I can't tell everyone about what I do there.
02:00The government doesn't want anyone to know.
02:03I wish I could tell you more, but I can't.
02:05Actually, we really can't talk about it at all.
02:08I've already told you too much.
02:09Just be cool about it, okay?
02:11What?
02:11No.
02:12I want to know everything.
02:13Tell me immediately.
02:15Maybe someday I'll be able to explain.
02:17But for now, keep everything I said between us.
02:20Ryan, that's not fair.
02:22Life's not fair.
02:23Here we are.
02:24Go on.
02:24I have to go back to work.
02:26I'll see you on your birthday.
02:27My birthday's next week.
02:29I have school tomorrow.
02:30You have to pick me up.
02:32Oh, right.
02:33Ryan, I'm worried.
02:34You're acting weird.
02:36Don't worry, little Z.
02:37I can handle myself.
02:38He dropped me off and drove away like he always did.
02:41Except this time, something felt different.
02:44Government jobs are very hush-hush.
02:46I'm sure he's perfectly safe.
02:48Please, respect his wishes and just leave him alone, okay, honey?
02:52He forgot my birthday.
02:54He never forgets my birthday.
02:56He's been a little distracted lately.
02:58Just a little stressed.
02:59But he's okay.
03:00I promise.
03:00But I knew Ryan more than anyone, and he seemed worried.
03:05The next day, I waited outside our house for him to pick me up like he always did, but
03:10this time, he didn't show up.
03:12OMG, what happened?
03:13You're soaked.
03:14Didn't your brother pick you up?
03:16No.
03:16And he didn't call either.
03:18Something's wrong.
03:19I texted him all day, but there was no response.
03:22After school, with all the girls waiting to see him like they always did, I stood at the
03:27curb, looking right, left, waiting, calling, and yeah, you guessed it, he didn't show up.
03:33My brother, who had been there for me since the day I was born, was now missing.
03:38Mom, I can't find Ryan anywhere.
03:40He won't answer his phone, and he didn't pick me up today.
03:43Oh, honey, I'm sorry, I forgot to tell you.
03:46He texted last night and said his phone's dying.
03:48He'll be getting a new one soon, but he won't be able to reach us for a few days.
03:52Why didn't he tell me?
03:53He was acting strange yesterday in the car.
03:55Something is going on with him.
03:57What if they heard us?
03:59Who?
03:59The government.
04:01What if they listened to our conversation, and now...
04:03Honey, you're just so used to him being around, and now you're extra worried.
04:08This is probably the longest he's been away from you since he graduated college, isn't
04:12it?
04:12Well, yeah, but it's strange that he didn't text me when he texted you, and why didn't
04:18he pick me up?
04:18Maybe he had car trouble and couldn't call you.
04:21Don't worry.
04:22Your brother can take care of himself.
04:24He always has.
04:25Why wasn't Mom more worried?
04:27Everything felt wrong.
04:28Was I just being paranoid?
04:30She left in a hurry to go to work, and I was alone with my thoughts.
04:34Everything Mom said was true.
04:36But then again, he really was acting weird yesterday.
04:39And just because Mom got a text from his phone doesn't mean it was really him.
04:44I had to be sure.
04:45I rushed to the bus stop and went to the only place I knew I could get some answers.
04:50NASA.
04:50I would say he was an engineer, just like he told us, so they wouldn't suspect I knew
04:55anything more.
04:56Which, I guess I didn't really.
04:59I couldn't believe the giant space shuttle and huge NASA logo out front.
05:03This place was intense.
05:05At the front desk, I asked if I could speak to my brother.
05:08What's his name, darling?
05:09I told her and waited while she was on the phone.
05:12While she talked to the person on the other line, she looked at me as if there was something
05:16she didn't want me to know.
05:18Sorry, sweetie.
05:19No one here has that name.
05:20That's when I saw two men in black suits and sunglasses at the end of the hall looking
05:24at me.
05:25Or were they looking at me?
05:27Maybe they were just waiting for someone.
05:29I didn't want to find out, so I hurried out of there.
05:31I had no idea what was going on.
05:34It didn't make sense.
05:35Unless, they really didn't want anyone to know where he worked because he was part of
05:40some top secret mission.
05:41Without any other choice, I decided there was only one more place I could go to try to
05:46find him and find some answers.
05:48His apartment.
05:49I had only been there one time when I was about to move in a year ago, but I had written down
05:53the address.
05:54The building was super tall and fancy.
05:57I ran to the door and pressed the number to his unit.
05:59When an old woman answered, I asked if my brother lived there, thinking maybe she was
06:04the maid.
06:04No, he doesn't live here.
06:06Sorry.
06:07My head was spinning.
06:09What the heck was going on?
06:10I saw my brother almost every day since we were little.
06:14I knew him, didn't I?
06:16A black SUV parked right behind me on the curb.
06:19I couldn't see through the tinted windows.
06:21I ran.
06:22Just then, I got a text.
06:24From…
06:24From Ryan.
06:25All it said was an address that I didn't recognize.
06:28I tried to call, but there was no answer.
06:30What if it wasn't really him?
06:32I could be walking right into a trap.
06:33I got on the bus and headed that way.
06:36I couldn't go to the police yet.
06:37I had nothing to report.
06:39But what if I was going into a trap?
06:41But he was my brother.
06:42My protector.
06:43I had to try.
06:45Whatever it was I was heading into, I had to be brave.
06:48The sun went down.
06:49The street of the address was dark and dirty.
06:52My mom would never let me come here alone.
06:54Then, I found it.
06:55A broken down old motel.
06:58I climbed the steps and knocked on the door.
07:00My hands shaking.
07:01It opened.
07:02And I saw a beautiful young woman standing in front of me.
07:05Zelda?
07:06Who are you?
07:07I'm May.
07:08Your brother's girlfriend.
07:09Come in.
07:10I walked into the small room and saw Ryan sitting there, his head down like he was crying.
07:15I ran and hugged him.
07:16I'm so glad you're okay.
07:18I've been looking everywhere for you.
07:19What's going on?
07:20I went to your work?
07:22To your house?
07:23I lied, Z.
07:23I don't work for NASA and I don't live in that nice apartment building.
07:28I've been living here.
07:29When I showed it to you, I was a real estate agent.
07:31But I was terrible and I got fired.
07:34Now, I work at a rental car place.
07:36The Mustang is theirs.
07:37My boss caught me using it last night and fired me.
07:40But why did you lie?
07:41I thought we were best friends.
07:43We are.
07:44I was ashamed.
07:45You always thought I was so cool.
07:47You looked up to me.
07:48I said I would buy mom a house and I can't even afford to pay my own rent.
07:52She has to help me.
07:53I wanted to still be that big brother for you.
07:56The one you looked up to.
07:57You are my big brother.
07:59Of course I still look up to you.
08:01You're my whole world.
08:02I don't care what you do for work.
08:04See, Ryan?
08:05Zelda, I told him you'd say that.
08:07He didn't want us to meet because he didn't want me to lie to you.
08:10But I'm glad you're here now.
08:12And I'm so sorry, but Zelda, we need your help.
08:15No, we can't ask her to do that.
08:17She could get caught.
08:18She could go to jail.
08:19That's when they told me what Ryan had done.
08:22I was in total shock.
08:24My brother was so angry at his boss when he was fired that before he left,
08:28he snuck into the office and stole money from the safe.
08:31You did what?
08:32I know, it was stupid, it was a mistake.
08:35The security guard is there now.
08:37He knows me.
08:38When they open tomorrow, they'll see the money's gone and your brother will be on the video.
08:42We only have until 7 a.m. before...
08:45Before I go to jail and my life is ruined.
08:47My heart was pounding.
08:48My hands sweating.
08:50I couldn't believe this was happening.
08:52I know he said he was angry.
08:53But this?
08:54I don't understand.
08:56That's not you.
08:57Why did you do it?
08:58I wanted to pay back mom for all the money she let me borrow.
09:01I'll go.
09:02I'll put it back.
09:03No.
09:04Zelda, if the security guard ever sees him, he'll be caught.
09:07If he sees you, he won't know who you are.
09:10You can run.
09:11But this is my mistake.
09:12I'll face the consequences myself.
09:14I wouldn't help you steal money, but we're not stealing it.
09:17We're putting it back.
09:18So I'll help you because you've always helped me.
09:21Yes, I knew it was dangerous.
09:23I knew I could get into serious trouble, but all he wanted to do now was make things right.
09:28He drew a map of the office and explained to me exactly how to get in and out.
09:33The problem, of course, was the guard and the fact that he had been caught on tape, which
09:37meant I would have to delete it.
09:39I had no idea how, but he wrote it all down along with the combination to the safe on a
09:44piece of paper.
09:45Why not just send it to my phone?
09:47You can't take your phone.
09:48If they suspect you, they could use it to see that you were here.
09:51I'll call mom and tell her you're sleeping here.
09:53So, my mom knew he'd been lying?
09:56That's why she wasn't worried.
09:58Here, the money is in this purse.
10:00Just pretend it's yours and take my hoodie to cover your head.
10:03I left the apartment, following the directions he gave, until finally, I was outside the office.
10:09The guard was outside the gate.
10:11There was no way around him.
10:12My first thought was to cause a distraction, but there was nothing anywhere.
10:16So, I just walked right up to him.
10:19Sir, please, can you help me?
10:21What are you doing out here at night, miss?
10:22I forgot my phone in the car I rented.
10:25Everything I have is in there.
10:26Can it wait till tomorrow?
10:28I'm not supposed to let anyone...
10:29I can't.
10:34He took pity on me and let me in.
10:37He asked which car, and I pointed to a random one, getting ready to cry again when he didn't
10:41find it.
10:42And that's exactly what happened.
10:44Can I use the bathroom?
10:46In the stall, I checked the paper Ryan gave me.
10:49I had to climb into the vent to get to the office.
10:51I knew the guard would get suspicious, but there was nothing else I could do.
10:55I just had to hope he was too uncomfortable to go into the women's room.
10:59Before I put the money back, I wanted to make sure the video of my brother was deleted, so
11:03I went to the computer.
11:04There was a password, but Ryan had written it down on the...
11:07Where was it?
11:08I checked all my pockets and even the purse.
11:10It was gone.
11:11The door flew open, and the security guard aimed his flashlight at me.
11:15Come with me, young miss.
11:16I failed.
11:17There was nothing I could do now.
11:19He let me out, and at the gate, I saw the black SUV, and from inside, a man in a dark
11:25suit and sunglasses was waiting for me.
11:27What was happening?
11:28When I got close, the man smiled and took his sunglasses off.
11:32It was Ryan?
11:34Happy birthday, little Z.
11:35How'd you like your adventure?
11:36But my birthday...
11:38Is next week.
11:38I know.
11:39Then it wouldn't be a surprise, would it?
11:41I'm pretty sure this would still be a surprise.
11:43Ryan told me he did work at NASA, and he owned the car rental place because six months ago,
11:49he invented something for the government, and now he was a billionaire.
11:54What about May?
11:55She's my friend from work.
11:56If I was dating someone, you'd be the first to know.
11:59Why?
11:59Do you think she likes me?
12:00But...
12:00But your apartment?
12:02I moved out two months ago because...
12:04I bought a house.
12:05Wow!
12:06You got your own house?
12:08No.
12:08That one's yours and Mom's.
12:10Mine is that one.
12:12Mom came out from inside, smiling and waving.
12:15Thanks for trying to save me, little sis.
12:17My protector.
12:18I was happy.
12:19He really was the best brother ever.
12:21Except for one thing.
12:23You made me walk to school in the rain!
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