The heat was stifling, sweat dripping down the man's face as he leaned his head back against the bars in disgust. He was sure he reeked like a pig sty; after all it had been two days since he'd last looked at a shower, and then being left out in the sun to fry like an egg was sure to make him offend even the flies.
His wife was a saint despite that however, staying by his side during the day and curling into him to sleep at night. Whether she had gone nose blind to his stench or she just needed the comfort he wasn't sure, but he wasn't about to question it either.
Jasmine on the other hand stayed as far away as possible, though he was fairly certain that was due to her still being furious at the two of them over Danny.
Running a hand down his face where a beard had begun to grow, Jack closed his eyes tightly and sighed. He could hear the Manson's and the Foley's behind him, each family muttering about him and his family with increasingly hateful words and tones.
Everyone was bored senseless, and they'd found entertainment in the various ways they'd ruin his business or run them out of town. At this point, even Jack was considering how bad it would be to try and make a fresh start somewhere else.
Although they had the portal to worry about, and Danny. Danny wouldn't leave Amity Park so long as there was still such a strong ghost threat present. How had everything gotten so convoluted and mangled?
Rubbing at his forehead, Jack felt the train car shake, his eyes opening beneath his palm as his daughter paced back and forth in the small enclosure. Her face was red and she had dark circles beneath her eyes. Her hair was frizzy from the humidity and her shirt was torn at the shoulder from their last desperate attempt to squeeze her through the bars.
When they'd offered the idea she had nodded her approval, willing to try anything for an escape. But after an hour of exertion from prying at the bars and her trying to force her way through, they were all exhausted.
How Jazz even had the energy to pace was beyond him as the sun made their cage unbearably hot, the metal bars scorching their skin and the floor making a furnace seem chilly.
But at least the Freak had been humane. He'd made sure they had water, though only the bare minimum to get them by. And the few times his wife or daughter had to use the bathroom, he'd allowed his ghost to escort them inside.
Yet he never let that thing anywhere near Jack. He liked to think it was because he was a threat, that the Freak knew if he got free he'd wring his neck like a dishrag. But a piece of him knew that wasn't the case. It was a torture just for him, not even allowing him a chance to fight for his freedom or defend his family.
They were just animals locked away for his show waiting for the next event to jump through hoops or dance around the ring.
Jasmine paced faster, her eyes locked firmly on the floor as she chewed absentmindedly on her lip, the gears in her head turning as she walked twelve paces, turned, and walked twelve more over and over again. At the very least he could've given them a bigger prison, one where the three of them weren't constantly tripping over one another whenever they moved.
Closing his eyes again the man massaged his temples, feeling a headache rising once more as the afternoon light scorched his eyes. He was fantasizing about a giant glass of lemonade by a poolside with Freakshow's head next to him when he heard the cackling. It started down at the beginning of the train and as it grew closer Jack felt his blood pressure rise.
Pushing himself up, Maddie stepped next to him, her hand resting lightly on his arm in a calming manner. When the Freak first came into view, he was sauntering with an air of victory, a delighted grin plastered across a skeletal face that made the man sick to his stomach.
Had something happened to the kids? Is that why he seemed so giddy? If he touched a hair on his sons head, he would kill him. He would rip him apart, he would-
"Your beloved children have but a day to return my gems." Freakshow spoke loudly, pausing at the Manson's cage as he looked between Sam's parents before moving forwards. "Should they fail," Another pause and an amused sneer shot towards the Foley's. "Well, let's just say, I've got plans."
He finished, stopping in front of the Fenton's with a triumphant smile as he clasped his hands behind his back and stared Jack in the eyes.
"So, in other words," Jasmine's voice spoke up strong and clear as she stepped closer to the bars, her small frame still towering over the short sociopathic man. "We're just going to sit around until you get your stones?" The teenager scoffed as she shook her head, attracting the attention of the Freak as his smile faltered. "Not much of a bad guy, are you?"
Freakshow's glimmering façade slipped away, his thin lips twisting into a disgusted snarl as he took a step closer and stared at the girl.
"What's that?"
It was a threat, daring her to say more, and Jack was tempted to intervene. But the way Jazz held herself, her body language relaxed but her eyes calculating, Jack found himself simply watching the exchange instead.
"Well, you don't have any powers," Jazz reasoned, shrugging her shoulders. "I mean technically Lydia is a lot stronger than you and without her-"
"I will not be upstaged by ghosts!"
The Freak screamed, saliva spewing from his mouth as he cut the girl off, rage burning in his eyes as he lunged towards her, his face right next to the bars as Jasmine shuffled back a single step, her hands trembling behind her back as she stared him down.
"Wow, jealous much?"
Jasmine snickered, glancing at Maddie who returned her look, something Jack couldn't even hope to understand passing between mother and daughter as Jasmine's gaze returned to their captor.
"Of ghosts?" Freakshow gaped, backing away with a feigned look of innocence, his explosion switching immediately to a once more controlled demeanor. "Untrue, I love ghosts. I've worked with them all my life."
He said proudly, offering a swooping showman's bow as Jasmine rolled her eyes.
"By seeking to control them?" Leaning forwards, Jasmine smirked. "That's ghost envy if I've ever seen it."
"I don't have ghost envy!"
He shrieked, his left eye twitching. Jasmine pulled away and stared at him with a knowing look as the ghost who had captured them phased through one of the train cars, landing outside on the ground while adjusting her cloak. Whirling around, Freakshow's body tensed, his hands clenching into fists as he took a step towards the spiked ghost.
"Use the door like a person!"
He screamed, the ghost's eyes widening in shock as Freakshow stormed off, muttering to himself as the glowing woman glanced at the Fenton's, the confusion palpable on her face.
"He's having a bad day."
Jazz shrugged as Lydia took off after her ringmaster.
"What was that all about?"
Jack questioned, staring after the two until they were out of eyesight.
"Ghost envy, it's obvious he has it." His daughter explained, though those words meant nothing to the man as he stared blankly at her. "It's psychology, dad."
The girl rolled her eyes, turning away from her parents and retreating back to the corner she'd claimed as her own.
"Do you understand anything she goes on about?"
Jack demanded as Maddie smiled sadly, patting his arm.
"It's alright, dear. She just wanted to get him riled up, that's all."
"That's not a good idea, who knows what that Freak will do to her if she makes him that angry."
Sitting down and running his hand down his face, Maddie sat in front of him.
"We have to remember, she has just as much experience with ghosts as Danny does. She.." Maddie trailed off, taking a deep breath as she took Jack's hand in her own. "They've been fighting for a while now, perhaps she knows more than we give her credit for."
"Hmph. I still don't like it. If that Freak lays a hand on her I'll rip him apart."
Jack grumbled, looking to the other train cars as the Foley's quickly turned away, pretending they hadn't been eavesdropping on their conversation.
"Things will be okay, Jack. I believe Danny will bring the gems."
"We haven't heard from them in a while."
He said in a softer voice, his eyes flitting to their linked hands.
"I'm sure they're fine."
He could hear it in her voice, the forced optimism. She had to believe they were fine or she would break down again. He knew the nightmares she'd been having were awful even though she wouldn't talk to him about them. Whenever she woke up crying, or she shook in her sleep, he knew it was bad.
"Yeah, you're right."
He agreed, pulling her close regardless of the sticky heat. Sometimes being there for one another was more important than trying not to sweat on the other.
Resting his chin on the top of Maddie's head, Jack watched Jazz in the corner, a small notebook and pen in hand that she occasionally scribbled something down in. She'd formulated some sort of plan, she got that same look in her eyes that Maddie always did when a new gadget idea struck her. But he couldn't help the worry that ate away at his insides.
He knew his kids were growing up, and that they were a lot more so than he would've ever guessed. But that didn't mean he could just let them run head first into danger. Whatever Jazz had planned, he needed to make sure she stayed safe about it. And Danny, well, he just wanted to know that his boy was alright, that was all he cared about.
A/N
We're down to the last ten chapters! I'm really looking forward to writing the final fight scenes, there's gonna be so much angst. Also, in the next few chapters I'll be writing the Guys In White perspective, which I think will be challenging but maybe give some perspective too into why they're so intent on using such force against Danny and his friends. Thanks for reading, guys!