Chapter 12-Ransom Film
Two-bit POV.
It had been over two weeks since the three youngest members of our gang had been kidnapped. It wasn't as fun and carefree as it usually was in the Curtis household. No, now it was always somber and quiet, with the exception of Tim and Curly Shepard bursting in with news on the kidnapped children. It was a usual quiet evening at the Curtis house and I was sitting on the couch watching TV. For some reason unknown, I had tuned into the news channel instead of Mickey Mouse. I was drifting off to sleep when an Urgent News Flash popped onto the news, waking me up.
"Attention viewers. We have just received important news involving the 9 missing Tulsa children. I repeat important news. I am going to transfer you over to Ralph Morgan, our Media specialist." I was paying complete attention now
"Hello Tulsa viewers. We have just received a ransom video from the alleged kidnappers of the Tulsa 9. Right now the tape is being reviewed by local cops, but if you tune in tonight at 10, we will have the video up for you to view." I ran to the phone and dialed Darry's number. Someone picked up on the third ring.
"Wright Co. Roofing Company, how may I help you?" Some girl on the phone said.
""Hey, is Darrel Curtis there? This is an emergency call."
"Yes, let me go get him for you." I guess she put me on hold, cause I heard nothing for a short while. Then Darrel came to the phone.
"Hello, this is Darrel Curtis. May I ask who is speaking?"
"Hey Darry. It's Two-bit. What time you getting off work?" I looked at the clock. It was already 8:30, only an hour and a half until they showed the ransom video. (A/N: I know this is not the normal work time for a roof building guy, but it's for the story so go along with it.)
"I was just about to clock out when you called with an 'emergency'. What do you want?" He sounded irritated.
"They just on the news that a ransom video was received for the missing kids." Silence on the other side.
"Are you sure?" He finally asked.
"Yeah, the ransom video is going to be shown at ten, so you gotta hurry home."
"Okay, I'm on my way. Get the others and tell them to come over. Tim and Curly too okay?"
"Got it. See you spoon." With that I hung up. I clicked the receiver once and began to dial Steve's number…
A/N: THE CHAPTER ISN'T OVER! I decided that I was going to show the ransom video being filmed through Ponyboy's POV. Enjoy!
Ponyboy POV.
Well, today was the day that Moorland was supposed to film our ransom videos. It was also the last day of our starvation period. I still had no idea what I was going to say on film. To make matters worse, Sodapop would have to go at the same time as me, since he was injured. It wasn't the Soda-going-on-with-me part that was bad; it was the speaking for Soda part I didn't like. He was healing, but was still extremely weak, so I would have to help him out on air. He had told me earlier today that he didn't know what to say, so he wanted me to write him a speech too. The kids all around me were rehearsing there ransom notes out loud, I guess so they wouldn't forget. I looked over at the Soc side of the room. Ever since our fight with the Socs, we had marked the room in half. One side for Greasers, one for Socs. Neither put a toe on the others side of the room. Kind of like back at home. Anyway, the Socs were still celebrating the fact that pretty soon; they would have freedom, while we would still be stuck here. I really hated the Socs. Sighing, I went back to thinking about what to say on the camera. Suddenly the doors opened and about four big guys walked in, one holding a leaf of papers.
"Okay, this is going to be alphabetical, so when I call you name, follow me." It was time. I looked over at Johnny who was sitting there against the wall, fidgeting. He already knew what to say. A voice down the hall drew my attention. Moorland appeared in the room behind the Big Goons.
"Ah hello. Were ready for the children now, but first an announcement." He turned to us.
"Bad news children. There has been a change in plans." Someone spoke up on the Soc side of the room.
"What? Don't tell me we aren't doing the ransom videos." Moorland frowned at the speaker.
"No, of course not. We've just finished filming the missing New York kids, and due to some unfortunate events, I've decide that you all will have pre-written scripts." A general groan ran through the room, but I was happy. That meant I wouldn't have to write anything for Soda or me. Good, cause I was drawing blanks.
"Good, now that I've got that news out, please call in the first child." He said the last part to the guys. They nodded and the one with the paper cleared his throat and called out the first name.
"Adderson, Randolph" A boy from the Soc side of the room came forward. I wondered how they knew who we were. Then again, these were druggie's. They probably had people everywhere, even in our records.
"Ah, very good, very good. Let's go." Moorland turned and walked back out of the room. Randolph followed him and the four guys after him. The door closed and the room was silent. Whispers broke out from the Soc Side.
"Do you think he'll be all right?"
"He's gotta be, their just filming a ransom video."
"What do you think they'll make us say?"
"Who knows?" They just kept whispering until the Big Goons came back, then it was silent again. They walked into the room and the first thing I noticed was that they didn't have Randolph. Where was he? The one with the paper stepped forward again.
"Andres, Susan." This time it was a Greaser girl who stepped forward and left with the Big Goons. Each time the Big Goons came back, they had no kids. Finally, they reached the C's.
"Cade, Jonathan" Me and Soda both looked at Johnny. He looked a little peaked, but he swallowed hard and stood up to leave.
"Good luck man. See you on the other side." Soda whispered. Johnny nodded and looked at me. I didn't know what to say so I just smiled in what I hoped was an encouraging way. It probably wasn't. Johnny weakly smiled back and headed towards the Big Goons. They left the room in silence. Angela come over and took Johnny's spot beside me.
"Hey Ponyboy. You scared?" I nodded, to afraid to speak.
"I'm sure he'll be alright. What could they possibly do to him?" She and me both knew their where a lot of horrible answers to that question so I didn't answer. She laid her head on my shoulder and we sat together until the Big Goons came back.
"Cutis, Ponyboy and Sodapop." Crap. Looked like my time was up. I got up and went over to help Soda up. He was still waking with a horrible limp and needed help. Together we hobbled over to the door. We walked out and I heard the door close behind us with a snap. Looks like we were on our own with the Big Goons now. I felt myself being prodded in the back to move. There was only one way, so I hobbled down the hallway with Soda. We came to a door I had never noticed before on my walks to the field or bathroom. One of the Big Goons stepped in front of me and opened it. It led into a dark room. I walked in with Soda still on my shoulder. There were about six shadowy guys standing around the room and the only way I could see them was from the light coming from a table. Rather a light pointed at the table. I focused on the table. It was a normal metal table with one chair sitting behind it. I looked back at the shadow guys and said in a shaky voice.
"Umm, I need another chair for my brother. They didn't respond, but I heard one of the Big Goons behind me leave the room. He came back a second later with another metal chair and placed it behind the table. Nobody said anything else, so I dragged Soda over to the table. He let go of me and dropped into the nearest chair, looking at me out of his one good eye questionably. I shrugged and sat in the other chair. Now the bright was directly in my face and I could just make out a camera pointed at me through the glow. One of the guys spoke in a gruff voice.
"Here are your scripts. Read them now. You'll have two minutes to memorize them and then you will talk to the camera. Got it?" I nodded and two pieces of paper were flung onto the table. I took mine and handed one to Soda, not sure he could read it. He took it anyways and began reading. Guess he could. I looked at my own.
Hello, my name is Ponyboy Curtis. I was kidnapped from Tulsa, Oklahoma, two weeks ago. My captors demand that my family pay ten thousand dollars to them or you will never see me again. Please send the money to 824 Lockland Drive. 89523 Reno, NV.
That was it. It was so short. And what was up with the whole 'ten thousand dollars'? Damn, not even I would pay that much to save myself. I wondered if we were actually in Reno or that was just a processing center. I was going to looked over at Sodapop's but the guys suddenly took away our papers.
"Alright, since we have two, were going to do this alphabetically, Ponyboy, you're going to say the address before Sodapop says his part. Okay, on the count of five, you're going to look at the lens and say your ransom notes. Ponyboy first and then Sodapop. Got it?" I nodded and asked Soda,
"Do you think you'll be able to say yours on your own?" He nodded. The guy started counting.
"1…2…3…4…5!" I looked straight at the camera and began to speak.
"Hello, my name is Ponyboy Curtis and I was kidnapped from Tulsa, Oklahoma two weeks ago. My captors demand that you pay ten thousand dollars to them or you will never see me again. I paused and Soda picked up where I had left off.
"Hello, my name is Sodapop Curtis and I was also kidnapped two weeks ago from Tulsa, Oklahoma. My captors demand you pay two thousand dollars unless you want me dead." Wait; did he just say two thousand? I didn't care that the camera was rolling are that I was in a room full of what were sure to be deadly men. I just blew up.
"Did he just say two thousand? What the Hell? Mine says ten thousand. Why is he cheaper?" Surprisingly, the guys weren't mad. One answered me calmly.
"Smart kids are worth more."
"SO? BEING SMART DOESN'T CALL FOR AN EIGHT THOUSAND DOLLAR RAISE!"
"Your also younger." For some reason Soda snickered next to me.
"Wow Pony, looks like your brains and youth have caught up with you." Was he making fun of me? The guy who had spoken earlier told me to finish the rest of the note. I sat back down, I guess at some point in the rant I had stood up, and said my last lines. After that I angrily stood up and walked over to the door before I remembered Soda. Grunting angrily I stormed back over and carefully grabbed Soda. Instead of leading us back to the short room, the Big Goons lead me and Soda further down the hall. So that's what had happened to the other kids. We stopped at a door with a lot of sound coming out of it. One of the Big Goons opened it and pointed us in without a word. I stepped into the room, half dragging Soda along too. The room was HUGE! It was brightly lit and the source of all of the noise was the largest group of children I had ever seen. They were so many there; I had no hope of counting them. It looked like there were children there ranging from the ages four through eighteen. Some kids were running, some singing, talking, playing or just nothing at all. I almost didn't hear the door close behind me. I took a step into the room.
Tune in next time to see what happens! BTW, I still need you to cast that Angela/Ponyboy vote. PLEASE REVIEW!
