Danger Maze, part III

So, our first poll results are in. Apparently, Half of you enjoy the suffering of children enough to read up on a kidnapping.

On a personal note, I was able to bring in $200 this weekend bartending for Parent Weekend. It feels good stretching those muscles again, I received several compliments from the party hosts. It sounds like I have some work to look forward to if the university decides to relax their recent restrictions.

Enough with the jibba-jabba, foo'! Let's get on with it.

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Frank Ellerson looked grim. "They've got our son. His name is Andy and they just took him."

"Who took him?" B.A. asked.

"Kidnappers," Marjorie said. "He's just a boy, just twelve last month. A child."

"What have the police said?" Face asked.

"They say he's a runaway, they won't help." Frank grumbled. "But we got a call. Fifty thousand dollars by Thursday."

Hannibal frowned. "Fifty? These days, the ransoms are generally higher."

Ellerson nodded. "For millionaires and corporations, yes. We're well off, Mister Smith, but fifty thousand would almost ruin us."

"You're not gonna pay?" snapped B.A.

"Oh, we'll pay, no question of that," Frank said. "But, well, I'd like a little better guarantee we'll get Andy back."

"I've heard about some kidnap gangs," Race said. "Hit middle-class families, kill the kid, no witnesses."

"I also don't like the idea of taking this lying down," Ellerson said, his face dark. "These savages come in, steal a boy possibly kill him--"

"Oh, Frank--!" Marjorie said.

"I can't help it, Marjii, I just want to fightback!" Frank snapped. He looked at Hannibal. "About the ransom for Andy--will you handle the switch? If you can get our boy back safe, that's what's important." He grinned savagely. "But if you can take out these goons, so much the better! You do that, Mister Smith, and you keep the fifty thousand."

Hannibal looked at Mrs. Ellerson, who was biting her lip. "Do you agree, ma'am?"

"I just want my boy back. It doesn't matter about the money. We can always make more money."

"Ma'am, we'll try our best. Now, tell us the details of the switch."

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Sorry about leaving you without a decision again. These passages are quite long. Longer than I remember at least. Maybe I'm just not used to typing.

Anyway, thanks for coming and I'll type at you tomorrow.