Hello all, sorry it took me so long to get this chapter up, but you know how busy this time of year is. This chapter was quite a treacherous one for me, because i wasn't sure whose point of view would give the best account of the events as they come and go. So you'll see a lot of chopping and changing. Please tell me how i went with point of view, I've never actually written a climax before and i really really would appreciate feedback.

Happy Reading!

Boann

It is strange how a single sound could destroy everything. A sound that could send a chill down your spine and make your stomach back flip.

The sound made adrenaline rush through Jeff's already tense body. He strained his ears to hear what was going on outside. He'd been impressed by Jack's antics to keep Peter preoccupied. But it looked as if Jack's attempts had been in vain.

If Jeff, inside the car, had heard the crash, there was no doubt that Peter had too.

Jeff readied himself.

TBTBTBTBTBTBTBTBTB

"Get out, go!" Scott cried

Suddenly the front door flew open and an enraged Peter Corper ran inside, "Hold it right there!"

Scott didn't intend to stick around, but was halted in his steps by a gunshot and a bullet that slammed into the floor mere centimetres in front of his foot. He and his brothers froze and slowly turned around. Peter stood before them, holding a smoking gun in his trembling hand.

Peter's eyes darted behind him and hemurmured something incomprehensible before walking slowly backwards behind the door. He held a finger up to his lips, signalling them to be quiet.

Suddenly Scott heard his father's voice cry out and the sound of footsteps. Scott realised with horror what Peter was going to do. But crying out a warning would endanger his and his brothers' lives. He could do nothing but wait like a statue as both Jeff and Jack ran into the house, realising too late that they had walked into a trap.

Peter slammed the door shut behind them, holding the gun at Jeff's face.

"So" he said quietly, "We're all here. One happy family" the insane smile that spread across Peter's face was enough to make Scott's knees wobble

"Let them go Peter, this is between you and me" Scott could hear the anger in his father's voice as he spoke

Peter's voice was dangerously frivolous, "I don't think that's the case anymore, do you Jeff? You could have saved you and your family some pain if you had just moved on with your life. But no!" Peter's face twisted into a snarl, "You're a rich pompous fool who believed that his money would solve every problem in life. Did you believe that money would make me disappear? That I would vanish into thin air?"

"And you!" Peter pointed the gun at Jack, who stood dead still beside Jeff, "You are his mirror image! You, in your fancy house, your snotty suits, curled upunder the bedlike a dog, expecting your money to hide you from me!"

"But the ironic thing is, I had nothing. I was exiled from my own family and betrayed! Yet I am the one with the upper hand! I have the power now!"

Peter turned to Scott, "Give him to me" he ordered

Scott tightened his grip on Alan, whom, it appeared, had lost the strength to struggle, now laying limply in his arms, "Peter, don't do this. If we don't get Alan to an ambulance soon-"

"I am his father and I will decide on what's best for MY son!" Peter spat at Scott

"You were never his father Peter!" Jeff boomed, "You only pretended to be. Caught up in nothing but an illusion of self pity!"

"Don't push it Jeff Tracy!" Peter held the gun up to him, "Don't think I am not strong enough! My family made that mistake! And now look at them!" he indicated to Jack, "Where do they stand now?"

His voice softened slightly, "I'm disappointed in you Jack. Once again you have proved yourself to be nothing more than the image of our father. A pathetic, cynical bastard too wrapped up in his money to listen to anyone who did not share his point of view!"

He turned to Jeff, "That is how Alan and I are the same Jeff. We were shunned, we weren't listened to, we weren't accepted. You can't blame this on me Jeff. Alan ran from you! You forced your son into this…and you know it"

Scott couldn't bare to see his father's face fall, "Dad, don't listen to him! It wasn't your fault!"

Peter regarded him with an icy glare, "Quiet,my boy.Don't make your father lose another son"

Scott couldn't bear this any longer. He couldn't stand there while this was happening. He needed to get out. He needed to disarm Peter. He needed to help his Dad. If it meant throwing himself through the wall to get Alan to safety, he would do it. It was the worst possible feeling knowing that, at the present moment, he could do none of these. Adrenaline was coursing through him, his muscles tense and ready to run. His arms were starting to burn with the strain of holding Alan, but he didn't intend to let his grip loosen. He could feel John and Gordon next to him. John put a hand on his shoulder, obviously sensing his stress.

"Now" Peter's voice jolted him back to reality, "No doubt you are not alone. So things are going to go my way. If not, things could get ugly"

Scott exchanged a glance with his father.

It looked like there was truly no escape.

They had failed.

TBTBTBTBTBTBTBTBTB

Penelope was a patient woman through her good breeding, but she found herself being tested.

For hours she had been waiting with Parker in a small clearing and at first she had been satisfied knowing that she was playing an important role in the plan to retrieve Alan. But since the police had reported via radio that Peter had run inside the house too soon, and that Jeff and Jack were inside with him, she had been pacing restlessly.

"Can't you get inside the house?" she had asked the police chief

"That would be too dangerous Lady Penelope. We know for a fact that Corper is armed and any attempt to storm the house would endanger the lives of all-"

"Yes, I know" Penny had interrupted briskly, "But we cannot just sit here and wait for one of them to be killed"

"We will do all we can Lady Penelope, but for now, patience is the best and only plan we have"

Patience. It made Penny sick to hear of it.

"Parker, stay with the car and standby, I'm going walking"

TBTBTBTBTBTBTBTBTB

Inside the house, Jack and the Tracy's were at Peter's mercy.

Peter had Jack, Scott, John and Gordon bound at the wrists and ankles, sitting up against the wall. Jeff held Alan's motionless form in his arms. It pained him how weightless Alan felt.

What pained him even more was the knowledge that Peter was right. He had driven Alan away. He had ignored his son and pushed him into this. Alan's suffering was his doing. And Peter knew all too well that he knew this to be true. Already, Jeff had given him a weakness to exploit.But right now, the hurt didn't matter.His resolve to free his son was stronger than ever.

Peter stood up, having finished gagging his captives, "Now we move"

Jeff walked to the door Peter held open for him and outside. He felt like a condemned prisoner walking towards his execution. He knew that the police were there. But not being able to see them made the knowledge hold no comfort. Peter now walked beside him, the gun carefully hidden in his sleeve.

Jeff tried his best to slow his pace, hoping and praying that by stalling, some miracle save them.

"Peter, please, don't do this," he whispered out the corner of his mouth

"Don't make me kill you Jeff" was the reply he received

Heaven, please, Jeff silently pleaded, send me an angel

He was shocked to hear a voice call out, "Jeff, get down!"

He spun around to see Penelope, her gun held out in fierce determination. Without a second thought, he fell to the ground, protecting Alan's fragile body with his own.

It was only after this that he realised the danger Penny was in. Did she know Peter was armed?

Before he could call her name, he heard the deafening sound of a gunshot…