THE ICE KING

Chapter 7

The Break Out

         And so it was, a few hours later that Jack and Jacques flew to Stockwell's tower and found the windows locked, and through them, could see their friend tied and gagged to a chair.

         Each raven had a strap of a yellow backpack with a red spot on it in their talons. It looked heavy. Jason struggled mightily and deliberately swiveled his head and pointed with it to the next window. He did it again. With difficulty, he jerked the chair around and pointed again and again with his neck and head at the appointed window.

         The ravens dumped their cargo on one of the windowsills and rested a bit. Then Jack (or Jacques) flew to the other window and tapped on it. The casement swung out a bit. The raven pried it open wider and flew back to help his companion fly in with the burden.

         Beneath his gag, Jason smiled. He'd unlocked it when he "stumbled" earlier and was infinitely glad he did.

         MMMMMPPPHHH!! MMMMMPPHHH!!" he groaned through the gag and struggled in his bonds although even that was hard to do. Once again, they had tied him cruelly and painfully tight and all he could do was wiggle a bit.

         The ravens seemed to understand and flew over at once to help. One alighted on the back of the chair and pick! pick! peck!  He went to work on the ropes surrounding Jason's chest, attaching his upper body to the back of the chair. The other bird went to work and pick! pick! peck! He attacked the ropes that tied Jason's feet together and to the chair.

         For a few moments there was silence as the birds worked diligently at the cruel bonds created by cruel men.

         SNAP! SNAP! Almost at the same time, the ropes on the top and bottom broke. Cawing, the birds flapped away as Jason struggled the rest of his way free. He reached up and untied the white handkerchief that covered his mouth and spit out the second one.

         "Thank-you, my little friends!" he said gratefully.

         He went over and closed the window against the cold and then turned back to the backpack. The red blob turned out to be a cartoon fuzzy monster of some sort. Inside were 3 thick bunches of rope, a book of knots, and a note.

Dear Jason,

Here is some rope to climb down with. I got the knot book from your town library. Use it to attach the ends together and tie a figure 8 knot in intervals down the length of it to give you something to grab onto as you climb down. Do you have something to protect your hands? Send this note back with the birds with the time of your escape and if you need any more rope.

Justin

         Jason unrolled the bunches of rope and tied the ends together using the book. He tossed one end out the window. He could see at once that even with the extra rope from his captivity, it would still not be enough. He hauled it all in again and went to find his charcoal pencil again. He wrote in rough letters: NEED 2 MORE BUNCHES 3 TO BE SAFE HURRY MUST BREAK TONIGHT 5PM.

         He made an arrow pointing to protect your hands? and wrote YES.

         He stuffed the letter back into the yellow pack. " Dear ravens, you understand me don't you?"

         A raven bobbed his head and cawed deep in its throat as if it could.

         "Take this with all speed back to Justin. Hurry my friends, there is not much time."

         Cawing noisily, the crows flew away with the pack between them.

         Jason got busy, tying knots. This was really happening. There wasn't a moment to lose.

JGJGJGJGJGJGJGJG

4:45 PM...

         Justin was physically, emotionally, and mentally exhausted. And now he had to get to the bottom of Stockwell's tower and rescue Jason. He took a deep breath to clear his head.

         Ready to go, little guy?" he asked.

         Pa-Paaaaa!!! I keep telling you, I'm a big boy," Gus admonished.

         "Sorry, sorry! Ready to go, big guy?" he asked again.

         "You bet! Let's go rescue Jason!" Gus was so excited by this adventure by now he was on pins and needles.

         Justin looked down at the little boy and felt such a rush of love for him that it hurt. Why didn't they understand? Had he not shown his love enough back in Pittsburgh for the rest of them to see?

         Justin thought back to earlier. After they had received Jason's latest communiqué and rushed to the hardware store to buy three more bunches of ropes and then rushed back to the tower to send them off with the birds, Justin took a deep breath and decided he needed to bite the bullet and call home.

         For a moment, he had a wild temptation to not call, just not...just keep going, get Jason, get the snowmobile and ride off into the sunset, ride off forever, just keep going and going and...

         But he knew that really wasn't an option. They'd find Bri eventually and have to come back anyway and the shit would still be there, ready to hit the fan, only there'd be more of it.

         And so, he'd taken another deep breath, told Gus to fetch a toy and then took him by the hand and took him downstairs. On the way, he had a serious talk to Gus about not telling the mommies about the North Wind, talking birds, the Garden of Eternal Summer, or any other of the outlandish things that had happened to them on their adventures. They inquired to Mr. Behr about a telephone and finally, at long last, he lifted the precious instrument up from behind the counter. He paid Mr. Behr some money, listened to the area codes that would get him to Canada (there were a lot), took another deep breath, and dialed.

         It was a bloodbath.

         When they answered there was a scrambling and strange silence and then Lindsey came on all fake sweetness and said, "Hi Justin. Where are you?" But her voice belied her worry.

         Justin narrowed his eyes.

         "OK, I assume I'm being recorded, so I'd like to start off by saying this was NOT a kidnapping. I repeat, NOT a kidnapping"

          There was a scuffling for the phone and muffled furiousness (Mel, Justin figured) but Linds won out in the end.

         "Well, what is it then honey? Gus should have been home with us a week ago. And we haven't been able to find you since then."

         "OK, listen. This is important. Gus is not kidnapped but Brian was! The kidnapper stipulated that I needed to come after him. I tried to get a sitter for Gus but before I could find one, the phones went dead. My cell was dead. I had no choice but to bring him with me. I had to leave right away."

         "What airline was it?"

         "The kidnapper arranged it. It was a private...plane."

         Boy was that an understatement! Gus snickered at that.

         "But why? Why was Brian kidnapped?"

         Justin invented some wild tale about criminals wanting ransom from Kinnetic but needing two halves of a password to get into a bank account. Brian didn't know Justin`s half of the code so he was being used as bait to lure Justin into their clutches.

         "So, you see, I had to come. And I couldn`t leave Gus alone. I had to bring him. I'm sorry I didn't call sooner. This is the first I've been able to get to a phone!"

         There was another wild scuffle for the phone and this time Mel won out. Her angry butch voice assaulted Justin's eardrums.

         "Listen, you sonofabitch, if you hurt one hair on that precious boy of put him in danger in anyway, I will hunt you down and rip your dick off and stick it down your throat so you can suck yourself off before you die! You have lost your visitation rights! I'll make sure you never see him again under article...." She started spouting legal jargon to the point where she became incoherent and then broke down sobbing.

         "Mel, this is all totally unnecessary! Gus is fine. I'm keeping constant watch over him. He's fed and warm and happy all the time. In fact, he's right here! He's been dying to talk to you." There was squealing and scuffling and a scramble to share the phone. Finally Justin handed the phone to Gus.

         "Be Cute!!" he mouthed desperately.

         Gus understood and took the phone and turned on the cuteness and charm to Sunshine wattage.

         "Hi Mommies! Boy, Justin and me are having the best time! We're having an ‘venture!...Yes, I'm fine...Yes, really...Well, I don't know...North, I think...There's a lot of snow...He's takin' real good care of me...Yup...Yup...Yes, mommy! Yes! (here, he rolled his eyes at Justin)...Don't worry, Mommy, Juss'n says we'll be home for Christmas, maybe sooner, we have to get  Daddy first though!...Yes...real soon...yes, real, real soon!....I love you Mommy! You too, Mama!...Oh, Mommy, don't cry!... Don't cry Mommy, I love you!...I miss you and we'll be home real soon, OK? OK, Mama, I'm gonna go draw now. Justin wants the phone again. OK, love you too. Bye Mommies."

         He gave the phone back to Justin.

         Justin instructed him to go play by the fireplace in the lobby. As he turned back to the phone he saw Gus ensconce himself on the floor. He lay on his stomach with his legs in the air, warm and happy. He unfolded a piece of paper and started to draw and color happily with his crayons.

         At first, the women were all tears and laughter and thanks and happiness and gratitude at being let to talk to Gus. Then:

         "We'll pay you Justin! How much do you want, we'll get it somehow, just let us have our baby back!"

         Sigh. "I told you, this IS NOT a kidnapping. No money is wanted or needed. We'll be back as soon as we can."

         "Listen, you sonofabitch! If you touch one hair on that sweet little..."

         And it went on and on. There was about 15 minutes of looping conversation where Justin tried to convince them Gus had not been kidnapped. In the end, he figured, they still really didn't get it, still didn't believe him. He couldn't blame them. If the shoe were on the other foot, he probably wouldn't believe it either.

         Finally, he gave up and moved on. "Look, I can't waste any more time on this. I have to go soon. There is one thing I do want."

         "Name it. Just bring him back."

         Justin took a deep breath. "We'll talk more about this when I get home as well but..." he took another deep breath and dropped the bomb. "I want parental rights or parental acknowledgement or whatever the legal equivalent term for that is for Gus. I want to be Gus' Papa. I want him to be mine, at least on paper."

         "The screeching and screaming and yelling was so loud Justin held the phone away from his ear for a while. It sounded like that scene in Star Wars: The New Hope, where they were trapped in the garbage compacter and C3PO thought they were dying. Only worse.

A/N: If on the slim chance you have not scene this (snicker) and don't know what I'm talking about, I heartily recommend you look it up. It's very funny. I'm sure it's on YouTube somewhere.

         Anyway, after a long time, Justin made out, "No fuckin way! He already has two mommies and a part time, halfway deadbeat Dad who love him. He doesn't need a fourth parent to screw him up even more!"

         "Now you listen to me!" Justin boomed in a deep voice with a strength that he didn't know he had, "Gus is part of the most unconventional family on the planet and he isn't screwed up! First of all, Brian isn't a deadbeat Dad and he told me he wants more responsibility for him in future. Second, Gus has dozens of people who adore and care for him. He has two grandmas, a grandpa who's also an uncle, seven more uncles, one uncle who's also an aunt, a great aunt in spirit, a former hustler cousin, two mommies, a Daddy...the only thing missing is a partridge in a pear tree!" he quipped viciously, "And he isn't screwed up yet! One more Dad...Papa...won't hurt him." He looked over at him lying by the fireplace and misted up. "He's an amazing little boy. I love him. And I'm sick and tired of people pinpointing out that he isn't mine. I want him to be mine and to be the Papa he already thinks of me as."

         "Justin, that's amazing. We never knew you felt this way."

         "Well, I do."

         "So...is that why you snatched him? So you guys could bond?"

          Justin smothered a roar of frustration. "I did NOT snatch him. All right, it looks like I can't make you understand. I need to go. Please call Deb and Em and the rest and tell them Gus is fine. Oh and I'm fine too, thanks for asking!"

         He slammed down the phone.

         Hence the well rounded exhaustion.

         They'd gone back upstairs for a bit to wait for the appointed time and worry about Jason and so Justin could lie down and rest and contemplate being a federal criminal. He had known this was going to be rough, but he had no idea it was going to be that rough.

JGJGJGJGJGJGJGJG

         Now, he ran with Gus, through the streets of Spitzburghen, taking the back ways having memorized the turns when he was above in his tower. All too soon, they arrived at the back of Stockwell's house. Justin checked his watch. It was 5 PM.

         Right on schedule, all the shops closed at the same time. People pulled shades, closed shutters. Cars turned off the major thoroughfare and vanished. People turned corners or went indoors and vanished from the streets There was a few minutes on mass door slammings. Within a few minutes the streets were deserted.

         This really was a strange little town.

JGJGJGJGJGJGJGJGJG

         Jason had spent the rest of the day tying the knots Justin had told him about. On and on, coiling, and re-coiling, tying and pulling through, he made knot after knot after knot. Fortunately, the gruesome twosome had not come to check up on him and he was left in relative peace.

         Finally he was done, and it was the appointed time. He was getting out of here.

         Around each palm he tied a white handkerchief, knotting it tightly around the back of his hand. Hopefully, this would be enough to protect his hands from the burn of the rope as he slid down.

         He tied one end of the rope around a small stone gargoyle on a windowsill. He reflected on the irony that a gargoyle would be the instrument of his freedom while another gargoyle was responsible for his captivity. He put the book of knots in the yellow backpack and zipped it up. He took it over to the window and saw far below, two small figures. He aimed the pack as near to them as possible and dropped it. Then he threw all the rope out the window. It fell and unfurled and just reached the ground.  The figures saw and made their way over to the correct spot.

         Jason hiked a leg over the sill. Good Lord, it was high! He looked down at Justin and...a little boy? Ohhhh wow, that was a bad idea! They were so small!

         He looked up again. Unfortunately that meant his gaze found the window in the prison door.

         Stockwell's face was looking through, growing redder with rage every second.

         Jason grabbed the rope and swung his other leg over. He saw Stockwell fighting with the door.

         Hand over hand, Jason felt his way down the knots and walked down the wall. He kept his gaze straight ahead. He dared not look down now.

         Down, down. Overhead, there was a booming crash. And then Stockwell's nightmare of a face was poking out the window.

         "You little pissant! How did you get out there!?"

         Jason didn't answer. He just slid a little faster down, knot by knot.

         "Stockwell changed tactics. Jason, Jason!" he said in almost a fatherly tone, "That's so dangerous! You're so high up! Tell you what! I promise not to kill you if you come back now. Just climb up...and come back in."

         Jason looked up at him in pure hate. "Not by the hair on my chinny chin chin!" he yelled.

         Stockwell snarled. He disappeared and Jason heard him yell, "Rickert! Rickert!"

         Down, down, down.

         And then...all of a sudden, no matter how much he moved down the rope, he wasn't making any progress. And then...up, up, up!

         "Help! Help!" yelled Jason, "He's pulling me back up!" And so he was.

         Down below, Justin attempted to grab the rope as it was pulled back up. His fingers missed it by inches.

         "Hang in there, Jason! Jack! Jacques! Help him!"

         The two ravens launched themselves at the window. Screeching and cawing fearsomely, they attacked Stockwell, flapping and pecking his hands, face, and went for his eyes. Stockwell flailed around and fell back. He dropped the rope.

         "AAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!" screamed Jason as he dropped at least ten feet as the rope ran out the window again. He screamed again as the recoil hit. He was jerked and spun around and around in midair. The pain was as insane as Rickert. (and that's saying something) It felt like both his arms were dislocating. The force of the recoil drove Jason about 4 knots and 10 more feet before he managed to grab one to halt his fall. His legs dangled.

         "HEEEELLLPPPP!!!" he screamed.

         "Jason! Don't give up!" a voice yelled faintly from below, "Hang on! Don't let go!"

         "It's hard to hold on! Are you Justin Taylor!?"

         "Yes! Don't let go Jason! You can do it!"

         "Yeah Jason! You can do it! And by that, I mean,...You can not do it!" Stockwell's hatefuil voice came from above. He shook the rope, trying to shake Jason loose.

         Jason yelled again as his arms were taxed to the breaking point and he was shook back and forth in midair like a rag doll. He slipped down another few notches but managed to grab a knot.

         "Damn you, you asshole!" he screamed.

         Again the ravens attacked, and Stockwell was once more driven back inside.

         "Rickert, dammit hurry up!" Jason heard dimly.

         "Keep going Jason, hurry, we're here!" Justin yelled upward.

         Jason swung himself so his feet were once more leveraged against the tower. He climbed down a little more.

         "I don't like it!" he relayed to Justin, "He's waiting for Rickert! They're up to something!"

         "Hurry then!"

         "Jason hurried but in the end it wasn't enough.

         He was still 30 feet up when Rickert's crazy, grinning face appeared above.

         "Well, my beauty, I guess this is the end! You'll always be the man of my dreams!"

         "Funny, I was thinking almost the same thing, you evil Beast!! Except you'll be haunting my nightmares! Go to Hell, you crazy bastard!"

         "I'll meet you there," Rickert said. And that's when he pulled out the long, gleaming, silver carving knife.

         In a smooth swipe, he cut the rope.

         "AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!" screamed Jason, as he plummeted down the rest of the way toward the ice and the stone of the alley below.

TBC