Randy did feel a little safer once they were all out at Mark's, but he knew that it was only the calm before the storm. When the shit came down, it was going to come down hard. Knowing this, he made all the kids go upstairs and play in the attic while he and Jeff discussed what needed to be done with Matt, Katie, Mark and Glenn.
"What we need to do is lure Raven into a trap," Glenn said. He was sitting on the couch next to Mark and he was eating a popsicle. "You remember how we got him trapped and put in jail for the first place? That's what we need to do."
Jeff frowned. "I don't know if that's such a good idea. I'm sure he hasn't forgotten how we got him that time and he'll have his guard up."
Randy nodded in agreement. Raven was an evil genius, and he wouldn't fall from the same trick that they pulled the last time they encountered him. In fact, he was probably expecting something like that, and he was already working out a way to get them instead. "I definitely think luring him into a trap could potentially backfire on us. I'm more for any plan that involves us running and hiding."
"Well we're doing that already," Katie pointed out. "And that's only going to work for us so long. Eventually he will find us and then we're screwed."
Randy glared at her. "Thank you Katie. You just always know what to say to make me feel better."
"I'm just trying to be realistic," Katie said defensively. "Glenn's got a valid point. We need to try to get Raven before he gets us."
"And what do we do if we somehow manage to get him?" Jeff asked. "We saw how well jail worked the first time."
Matt shook his head. "The jail held him for thirteen years. He only got out because he managed to act like a good boy. Now that he's seriously violated his parole, he's going to go back and he won't get out for a good long while."
"That's if the cops catch him," Randy pointed out. "And even if they catch him eventually, it doesn't mean he won't do some serious damage first."
Everyone was quiet for a minute, not sure what to say next. Then slowly but surely, all eyes turned to Mark, who just sighed. "Why is it always me?" he asked in a grumpy voice.
"Because you're the big, bad Poppa Mark," Jeff said. Randy just nodded in agreement.
"Fine," Mark said. "I'll try to think of a plan that will get rid of Raven, but you mother fuckers need to leave me alone while I do it. I can never concentrate when you all stare at me like a bunch of freaks."
That was an acceptable enough condition. Randy grabbed Jeff by the hand and followed the others out of the room. "Someone is going to have to make lunch soon," he said. "The kids are probably all hungry by now."
"I think we should just order a whole bunch of pizzas," Katie said. "I really don't feel like cooking today."
"I agree with my lovely wife here," Matt said. "But who's going to pay for all the pizzas this time?"
Randy and Jeff both exchanged looks before turning to Glenn. Randy put on his most charming smile, hoping it would help persuade the Big Red Machine into doing what they wanted him to do.
Glenn shook his head. "Oh you can all just go to hell. I am not their parents. It is not my job to feed the brats."
Jeff pouted his lips. "I thought you liked our kids."
"I do, but my wallet doesn't."
Randy sighed in defeat. "Well shit. I guess we're just going to have to split the bill again." He shook his head. "Why did we all decide to have multiple children? Did we think just because we had great jobs that it wouldn't suck to pay for shit?"
Jeff shrugged and kissed his cheek. "I don't know. Just quit bitching and order the damn food already. I'm hungry now."
XXXXXXXXXX
Unbeknownst to all the adults downstairs, Jack told the other kids everything that he knew. He knew very well their parents weren't going to do it, so he figured he should just do it. "That's why we've got to help them," he said, twirling a ruler around in his hand. "Raven's evil and he's coming. And I'm not getting kidnapped again."
Little Caleb looked up at Jenny. "What's kidnapped?"
Jenny rolled her eyes. She had explained the concept a dozen times to the five year old already, but the message didn't seem to be getting through to him. "Just play with your toy cars," she told him. "The big kids are going to talk now."
Maggie put her hands on her hips. "Oh no you aren't. I'm talking too! I know what kidnapping is and I don't like it! It's bad!"
"Thank you Captain Obvious," Aaron said. "But that does not answer the question of what the hell we're going to do about it. I mean, none of us have ever tried to stop a bad guy before and I don't think any of us will be any good at it."
"Speak for yourself," Sid said. He grabbed his BB gun (which he wasn't supposed to use in the house) and shot it at a Zac Efron poster he had put up. He managed to hit the picture of Efron right between the eyes and he cheered in celebration.
Jack stared at his little brother in amazement before grinning. "Just how well can you shoot that thing?"
"I can hit anything I want from any place," Sid replied. "Why?"
Jack just continued to grin. "We're going to need that gun, a net, some rope and duct tape. I've got a plan." He only formed it in about two seconds, but he thought it was a good one. It involved Sid shooting Raven with that BB gun and them taking advantage of his pain to capture him and keep themselves and their parents safe. And he knew exactly how he would get Raven within Sid's firing range. He would use bait.
He would use himself.
