Sorry, I ment to update yesterday, but I have been down with the sickness... LOL!! That just kinda came out... I don't own anything, not even that corney line from a song:-)

Chapter 19

Hanson was thrown into the trunk of a car. His body shook wildly as the cold took it's toll on his body. Fortunately the trunk of the car was out of the constant wind and slowly his body began to warm. The cramps in his legs began to turn to spasms as his body warmed. The aching and throbbing caused Tom even more pain. He sucked a deep breath in through his teeth as the constricted muscles in his neck and shoulders tried to relax only to inject new turmoil through out his entire body. He scrunched his up face, closing his eyes hard to the pain as his battered body began to revolt against him.

The car came to a halt. Hanson heard voices and then the trunk opened. Hanson threw his arms up in front of his face guarding himself against a possible attack. Two sets of hands reached into the car and pulled him out dumping him on the ground in front of a raging fire. There were between fifteen and twenty people surrounding him. Darren stepped in and leaned over cutting the ropes around his wrists. Tom rubbed the red lacerated marks in hopes circulation would return to them.

"On your feet now!" Darren shouted at the police officer.

Tom struggled to gain his footing and finally stood. He was starting to feel chilled as his legs still aching as he moved. Tom looked from side to side surveying his surroundings. There was an access road to the woods, a cabin; he could here water in some direction… maybe to his left. People… students all over watching him. Oh GOD… how did I get here…

Darren stepped forward again wrapping an arm around the officers throat. Hanson instinctively clutched at the muscular forearm holding him captive.

"This is Tommy Miller… he thinks he's Blue Jacket…" Darren laughed. He had been drinking. The staunch smell of drinking alcohol penetrated Hanson's nostrils. The students all around laughed and then a voice from the back piped up.

"Who the hell is Blue Jacket?"

"Shit, learn your history asshole… Mr. Walker wouldn't be too happy with you for that." Darren yelled back. "Anyway, Blue Jacket was the white man who became the leader of the whole Shawnee Nation. At the age of thirteen he had to take on the gauntlet. He was the only one who didn't make it through. He was admired because he was the only one to walk it."

"So what does this have to do with Miller here?" Another voice asked.

"Oh, you see, if Tommy can make it through the gauntlet, I'll leave his sorry ass alone."

"Screw you, Darren!" Tom spat.

"Line up boys!" Darren shouted. He spun the officer around and was looking face to face at Officer Tom Hanson. Darren pulled a knife out of his pocket and flipped open the shinny metal blade. He shoved the sharp object up under the officer's neck. "Now turn around little puke and walk…" He forced through clinched teeth. His ice blue eyes danced wildly in the fire light. Tom tried to pull away as he felt the cool steel blade against the soft skin next to his throat. Darren grabbed the officer by the back of the neck pulling him closer, not allowing him to get away as he pushed the knife tighter against the young officers exposed throat. Hanson closed his eyes as Darren spun him back around and grabbed him by the hair. Tugging the officer up next to him he whispered in his ear. "I told you this was far from over…" having said that the younger man shoved the officer forward into the arms of the waiting ravenous beasts.

--

"Can't this thing go any faster?" Penhall shouted nervously as the vehicle the officers were in rounded a curve far faster than the recommended speed. Booker cringed as the tires on the passenger side of the car lifted off of the pavement. Ahead the road began to narrow as a sign reading "Private Property" stood out in front of the wooded entry way.

"Which way Jim?" Dean asked.

"Follow the road to where it bends and go left!" Jim shouted.

"Hang on Hanson…" Booker muttered as he clawed at the back of the seat in front of him. Dennis leaned forward as a bright orange glow caught his eye.

"Dean, over there!" Booker shouted pointing in the direction of the bon fire. The lights of the cars behind them shown brightly as caravan of cars and vans drove in the direction of where they hoped they would find Tom Hanson alive and still in one piece.

The cars came to a halt with Dean turning to Penhall and Booker and ordering "Do NOT blow your cover right now! You are still brothers and it needs to stay that way for now!" Penhall and Booker both exchanged glances and jumped from the vehicle as it just came to a stop.

They could not get over to the camp site with the cars so the officers hit the ground running. They could here the deafening shouts of the teens lined up beside the fire. Something had happened as the teens had gotten frighteningly loud. The team rounded the corner to see Darren violently thrust Hanson into the angry mob of students.

"TOM-MY!!" Penhall shouted.

--

Hanson landed forcefully in someone's arms. He was abruptly dropped onto his face and kicked in his already bruised kidney's. Tom recoiled wrapping his arms around his head. It was then someone else grabbed at one of his arms and another grabbed at his leg. They were going to tear his limbs off. Hanson screamed aloud as a violent kick jarred his aching ribs. Out of the distracted corner of his mind Tom heard what sounded like the backfire of a car and then every thing got quiet.

Tom landed heavily on the ground. He groaned as the strength waned from every pore in his body. Tom lay his head down on the ground only to be pulled painfully back up onto his feet.

"Let him go Darren" Dean demanded. The officer moved forward holding hands up in the air. "Let Tommy go now… we'll end this today… right now… What'd ya say?" Behind him a number of armed officers stood, weapons drawn, waiting for the signal from their superior officer.

Darren had his forearm wrapped around Hanson's throat with a knife up against his neck. Hanson pulled at the arm clamping down on his wind pipe. Darren shook his head as he backed away from the group of students.

"I'll kill him!" Darren stated desperately.

"Darren, let him go… we'll talk… But this has to end son." Jim pleaded.

"Dad?" Darren pulled tighter on Hanson's throat. Tom squeezed his eyes tightly shut while trying to suck in any available air. He opened his eyes and was starting to see the world through a fog. I'm not going to die… I'm not going to die… Hanson stated to himself.

"It's me son… we can talk…" Jim stepped forward with his hands up in the air. He was trying to reason with his son.

"Shit dad… we never could talk. In fact, you and mom and me… we never had a real conversation." Darren's grip started to relax as the others looked on. Hanson could see Penhall and Booker on the side behind a group of police officers weapons drawn and waiting. Booker had a death grip in Penhall's jeans jacket just waiting for Darren to release his hostage.

It was then Tom realized the knife was now down at the middle of his ribcage, and the iron grip on his throat had loosened. Hanson saw this as his only chance. He reached up and grabbed the knife and the arm holding it. He tried to pull the high school student across his shoulder only to throw the student off balance. Darren stumbled around facing Tom looking the officer square in the eye. The icy smile turned up the corner of his lips. Darren continued to retain possession of the knife and with a quick thrust forward buried the knife in Hanson's exposed midsection.

Take it away... what do you think??