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The Hanson and Moffatt family hadn’t bothered to leave their homes in the passed week or so for fear of missing a call from their sons’ abductors. They had agreed to connect phone lines so that a call made to the Moffatt’s house was also made to the Hanson’s. This way the family would be able to communicate to each home in a time of need. The youngsters of the Hanson family were kept busy by making large banners that stated, "Welcome Home Guys!" to "We’ve Missed You!" and still more. These activities were designed to help take their minds off the seriousness of the situation and to Avery, Mackenzie, and Zoë it almost gave the horrible situation a festive feeling. Jessica was too old to be so naïve to the situation and was forced to sit around with her parents and worry. The absence of the three brothers from their home and the four sons from Frank, Darlana, and Sheila left a large void that couldn’t be filled. For the latter waking up each day to a household with no blasting music or softly snoring sons was the most depressing feeling one could ever feel. And the Hansons handled it differently with little difference in feelings. Diana would constantly make a large enough breakfast to feed her three eldest along with the rest of the family and would sit down to eat and see how empty the table was and how high the food was piled and break down into tears. So when the telephone’s shrill voice tore through both homes it was almost a relief to the families involved. "Hello!?" Diana, Frank, and Sheila all managed to pick up three different extensions on the first ring. Mac cleared his throat, "To whom am I speaking?" He asked professionally. Everybody stated their names and Mac ordered the two missing parents in on the conversation. A short moment later Walker picked up a chord less and was with Diana and Darlana was on one of the phones in Scott’s room listening. "After careful consideration, we’ve decided that the ten million dollar ransom fits this situation best and we’ll stick to that. You have the cash from before I assume?" Walker felt like beating this man senseless, "Yes." Frank’s voice blended with his. "Well then…we have no problem then do we? We’ve arranged a different drop point this time." He continued. "What about our boys?" Darlana broke in. "As soon as we see our money we’ll tell you where your sons are." Walker’s nostrils flared, "Alright. Where do we drop it?" Each home had a live in officer since the case was reopened and each stood by with their radios on stand-by as they waited for more information. Mac didn’t reply immediately and muffled screams could be heard in the background, "Damn it Jamie not now! If the dumb shit wants loose let him try! Don’t hit him. Christ! Look at him, does he look like he’s in any shape to get free?" A pause. "I didn’t think so. Now shut your ass up." "What are you doing to my babies!?" Diana screamed into the receiver. Mac pulled the phone back from his ear, "Not a damn thing. They’re sitting in their chairs and Scott’s going ape shit trying to get up. Put Frank on the line." "I’m here." "Wait." An eternal minute passed before Mac’s faint voice told him to talk. Frank caught on quickly and began to speak, "Scott…son you need to calm down. Please we don’t want them to hurt you." Frank’s voice came out fractured and sounding pained. All five of the parents could hear the sound of suppressed crying that obviously was from a relived son. More muffled voices could be heard in the background but there was little they could do about it. "Scott…tell the others we’ll see them soon. Tell them we love you. We love you so much. It’s going to be ok." Scott shook his head from side to side wildly. He was the only one who knew the horrible truth and Mac wasn’t about to let him use his voice and foil the plans he had so carefully laid out. The phone was pulled away before either party felt they had communicated long enough. "Now, the drop point." "No please! Let us talk to Scott! Please!" All five voices cried out at the sudden sound of Mac. "You’re hardly in any position to be asking for anything." Mac reminded them. Silence. "I want the money dropped at the blue van in front of Burger King on Fourth and Ingrid in twenty minutes. We’re leaving a man behind with an extra vehicle just in case you decide to bring the police along for the ride." "Why are you leaving somebody there?" Sheila asked the question nobody else wanted to be voiced. "We have…friends…watching the area and for every police car we see, marked or unmarked, he kills a kid. Fairly simple isn’t it?" No answer, "Good. Twenty minutes." The line went dead. None of the parents cried out as they did in the past. They were broiling with anger at the outrage of the situation but they were also brimming with eagerness to get the money to the designated point to get their sons back. "Everybody get in. We gotta leave now or they’ll get there before us." Will warned his accomplices. Mac stayed behind and smiled evilly at his young captives, "It’s been fun fellas. I can’t say that I’ve actually enjoyed this whole experience as much as you have but I’m sure you’d like to contradict me on that call." He only observed a glare from Scott. The rest of the teenagers had their heads hung against their chests or limply leaning against the backs of their chairs. Mac couldn’t understand Scott’s ability to stay so energetic after all the fighting he had done but he didn’t put much thought to it. He tossed a smug grin to the group over his shoulder and whooped as he situated himself into the driver’s seat and started the van. The vehicle braked right outside the entry and Jamie hopped out and slammed closed the door with a harsh squeal of metal hinges and the captives heard the van quietly pull away and silence that followed suddenly felt suffocating. Scott’s eyes darted frantically from side to side. This was it. This is what Mac, Jamie, and Will had talked about that long hour before his brothers had woken up. They had known he was awake and had taken great joy by revealing all their plans for them to his unwilling ears. They had mocked him and his tears and finally given him a stunning slap across the cheek when Taylor started to wake up. Star hadn’t moved since she awoke the first time in the sweltering warehouse and Scott strongly suspected that she hadn’t been awake since. His breathing accelerated abruptly and the sharp stab of realization caught him off guard causing him to cry out in fear. He was going to die here. He was going to have to watch his family die before him from starvation and dehydration. This wasn’t supposed to happen to him. He became famous to live out his dream…not to become part of this awful nightmare. << Previous Page of Story>> << Back to Story Page>> << Back To Index Of Chapters Page>> Back To Main Page>> |