Let the fun begin...

"SHAUN!" Ethan roared as he frantically searched the crowd for his son. He had let go of his hand for one second, when he was reaching for his wallet with one hand and holding a hotdog in the other. "Stay close to me son, hold onto my shirt" he had commanded.

"Ok Dad!",came the cheerful reply, before being swept away in the sudden surge of people, rushing to some event which had just started close-by.

And now… god damn it! Not again! This can't be happening again! His heart was pounding. He started to shake violently. Madison, next to him was trying to calm him down. His precious son! Who had been through so much already! No, he wouldn't lose him again! He frantically pushed roughly through the crowd not caring what he was doing. The crowd was thronging, closing in on him. He was starting to hyperventilate when suddenly, he saw a tall, pale figure squeeze past him. His face sported a faint scar on the right side of his face, pale green eyes determined. He was somewhat familiar. The absence of a suit left Ethan confused for a moment before realizing who it was.

Gathering his bearings, he took off after Norman.

Shaun stirred slowly.

"Where….am… I?" he thought to himself. His head was pounding painfully and he had a funny taste in his mouth. He looked around slowly and realized he was in a car. Houses and trees flashed by as the car increased speed.

"Well, well, woken up have you?" a sneering voice jeered. Shaun startled and looked at the driver in the front seat. He was a big man with huge muscles. Tattoos spread up both of his arms. Eyes dark as night flashed in the rearview mirror and a nasty smile appeared. Shaun huddled himself as far away as he could, pressing himself into the seat and wishing he could melt away into it.

"Dad…. Save me….." He whispered as tears stung his eyes.

"Please save me."

"Fuck!" Jayden yelled as they swerved sharply to miss an old lady making her way shakily across the pedestrian crossing. "You're driving like a madman, Ethan! You're gonna kill us before we even reach Shaun!"

"Fuck off Norman!" Ethan yelled. "I'm not going to let my son be taken away from me again! We are going to catch this bastard!"

Jayden settled back into his chair with a sigh. He knew better than to interfere with him much more. This dad had already proved his undying love for his son, as he was proving again now. Norman's sharp eyes were keeping a close watch on the speeding car ahead of them, taking down the details: number plate, body, make, colour… His hands started to tremble, his head was throbbing. A warm stream of blood oozed from his nose. "Great" , he thought to himself, "just what I need right now". He fumbled for a tissue in his pocket and held it to his nose. Another hand fished for what he knew wasn't there anymore… if only he had kept a little bit… just a tiny amount…

Ethan glanced at him. "Are you ok?"

Jayden shook himself out of his daze. "Just concentrate on the road, crazy taxi." He was thinking back to the funfair, to little James and Jessica and his sister. He felt horrible for abandoning them all, there had been no time to explain.

He hoped they would understand.

He feasted his eyes upon the prize he had in the backseat of his car. He hadn't heard the sweet sound of the last, desperate breaths of a child for a long time now. He could hardly wait to wrap his powerful hands around the scrawny throat and squeeze until there was no life left. He would have done so by now, had it not been for the annoying idiots chasing after him.

And he didn't want to make a mess in his car.

He would have to find a way to lose them. He was fast approaching his house… just a little more… He swerved suddenly, down a side alley. He glanced in his mirror and smirked as he saw the offending car whizz past the alleyway.

Screeching to a halt in front of a decrepit, crumbling house, he turned around and grinned menacingly at the cowering boy in the back seat.

"Let's have some fun, kiddo."

Will Shaun survive?

Read on...