Second Chance Ch. 13-16

"You ask me that now after you've already started setting it into motion?" Jared asked him.

"Hey, just cause I started doesn't mean that we gotta go through with it. You still have a chance to call the SUV back and go home with your wife."

"Didn't you use to tell me that we're good at this because we're born for this? 'Creatures of the disease' I believe you use to call it."

"Yeah but we control the creature - it doesn't control us." Jason clarified.

"If that jackass wins be sure to tell my wife that as she's upset beyond belief because she has to let her baby go to their psycho world. Then tell me how I really had a choice about going through with this." Jared growled at him. Jason held up his hands in front of him, "Okay sorry just didn't want you to feel like this was the only option open to you. Let's go, Ty and Jerry are over here."

They walked back down the stairs and then almost behind the courthouse. The black SUV sat silently in the back parking lot of the courthouse. They each climbed into the back of truck and waited.

Soon they saw what they were waiting for. Rich, his wife Alice, and their attorney. That's when Ty flips his phone open and dials quickly, "Hi, I'm trying to reach a Mr. Alan Jenkins? Oh, he's in court? Darn it! I live right next door to him and I just wanted to call and let him know that I just called the fire department because his house is on fire. Can you pass that on to him? Yes, well I appreciate that." Ty then closed his phone and looked at Jerry. "Your turn."

Jerry then flipped his phone and dialed quickly, "Yes, Mrs. Alice Stanley?...Hi, my name is Stephan Morris, I'm the bank president at your bank, United Federal Holding, and I just received a wire to have all of the money withdrawn from you and your husband's joint account and sent to an account in Nigeria. I wanted to call and see if this is something that you were aware of?... No? Well, Mrs. Stanley, I'll actually need you to come down in person to alter the wire request. Otherwise I've no choice but to transfer the $6459.43 into the unknown account... oh, good. So you'll come right down? Great. See you then. Bye." With that he closed his phone.

They then noticed that that Jenkins had just gotten off of his phone and was in the process of running away from the couple yelling something at them as he went. Alice, who also just got off the phone, then said something to Rich really fast as she ran to get to her car. That left Rich standing there by himself.

"Let's get him." Jared said.

The SUV roared to life and sped towards the unsuspecting man who was busy looking at his phone. Before he could utter a word Jared jumped out and pushed him in the backseat without a pause as he followed him in also. The whole situation was so smooth that a bystander would have thought that they were Rich's ride.

"What the hell are you doing?" Rich screeched at them as he looked from Jason to Jared.

"Shut up." Jason said.

Rich looked at Jared, "Well I'm sure the judge isn't going to like this, maybe I should give my attorney a call..."

As he pulled his phone out, Jason snatched it and threw it out of the window. Jared looked directly at Rich, "Maybe you should be more concerned about whether you'll see the judge again. Now shut up before we shut you up - for good."

Rich visible went white.

The rest of the ride was very quiet. Even though the ride only lasted 20 minutes, it seemed a lot longer due to the strained silence. They soon reached a secluded spot in the middle of the woods. The truck was stopped and everyone got out. Rich wasn't so willing, until Jason grabbed him by the ear and dragged him into the clearing.

Jason then threw him into the middle of all of them so that they surrounded him, "You have been a very busy boy Rich! But hey let's talk more about that in just a bit until all of us get here." Jason told him; then they stood in silence. Rich was about to ask a question when another SUV pulled up four more guys got out with Alice in tow and came over to the group.

"Well, now that we're all here let's get down to business shall we?" Jason said, as he looked from Rich to Alice, "I hear that you, Rich, have a gambling problem and Alice here has a cocaine problem. In fact I hear that between the two of you, you've blown through her inheritance from her grandfather, and it's almost gone - except for $6459.43. But, even though you still got a little money in the bank you two still racked up a tidy little bill with your vices.

"Alice owes $150,000 to a drug dealer from a party that she supplied a couple of nights ago. A little early celebration anticipating her forthcoming parenthood check from grandma as soon as Rich got custody of Chloe.

Grandma has already established that she would give you all a lump sum as advancement on your inheritance from her - to get a home set up for your new family. While Rich here decided to try his hand at the poker table but he was a loser that night also because now he's into a bookie for $180,000."

"So? You have dug into our personal lives - so what?" Rich smarted back.

"'So?'" Jared repeated, "You'll not be using an innocent child to get your asses out of trouble - especially not my daughter."

"Yeah, well we'll see what the courts say about it!" Alice screeched at him.

"Well that 's where it gets interesting," cut in Jason. "See I bought your debt, so now you owe me $330,000 and this is what is known as a 'collection call'. You either hand me $330,000, or we can go see grandma and let her know about all of your extracurricular activity..."

"NO!" they both yelled at the same time.

Then Rich sighed, "We don't have the money - you know that already though. If you go to the old lady she'll pay then not give us a dime. Isn't there another way - give us time we'll get the money from the old lady as soon as Chloe..." Jason interrupted, "Oh, but you see that's the problem - Chloe is non negotiable. There's a third option though."

"Anything." Alice said.

Jason pulled a paper out of his pocket and held it in front of their faces, "Sign your rights to Chloe away and allow Jared to adopt her. I then call us even on the debts and grandma never needs to know. Hell, I will even throw in $100,000 to keep your mouth shut about this little conversation - to anyone. However if you go back on just one of my stipulations, the full amount, including the $100,000 plus interest, will be due at that moment. If you're unable to pay we'll start to remove body parts. Understand?"

Rich had a look of shock on his face, he turned to look at Alice and she looked at him and made a motion to him. "If I sign it then the old bag will not give us anything!"

"If you don't they'll kill us for the debt! We'll find another child that's older and would be easier to handle. Sign the damn paper!" Alice said again in a screech. The guys were beginning to think maybe she spoke that way all the time.

Rich took the paper and pen from Jason then leaned down and signed it on his knee and handed it back. "Is there anything else?"

"Yes, what do you know about Tom Oberman?" Jason asked

"You mean that crazy guy? Not much except he contacted us and told us about Chloe and where she was and that Olivia was with him." He said as he pointed to Jared who was signing another paper as a third man was notarizing the papers.

"Did you meet him?" Jason asked.

"Yeah, he was going to pay us to get the kid out of the picture so he could have someone named 'Raven'." He dug in his pocket and pulled his wallet out and got a piece of paper, "This is where he is staying, he said as soon as we won to go there and he'd pay us."

Jason looked at the paper then turned to walk back to the SUVs, all the guys followed suit.

"Hey what about us?" Alice screeched.

"Walk about 500 feet behind you and you'll be in the back parking lot of the courthouse." Ty said as they were all climbing in the two SUV. "Don't show back up for court." Then they backed up and drove away leaving the two individuals standing there.

Exactly at 12:45 pm Jared and Jason were standing on the court steps waiting for Olivia and Chloe to walk to them. Olivia had dressed Chloe in a nice dress and did her hair up very nice. Where Chloe looked well put together, Olivia looked like she was about to lose it. She walked up to Jared and he pulled her in his arms, kissing her on top of her head he whispered, "It's almost done, baby."

Then they headed into the courthouse to meet Anna outside of the courtroom. At exactly 12:55 they walked into court and sat at their appropriate seats. Mr. Jenkins came in and sat at the opposite table, seeming to be pissed off about something. At one the court was called to order and the judge walked in, sat down then looked around. "Mr. Jenkins, where are your clients?" "I'm not sure your honor, I've tried to reach them by phone and haven't been successful. I believe that Mr. DeGeo had something to do with their disappearance."

"Mr. Jenkins, that is a strong acquisition against a citizen who for all intents and purpose in good standing with the courts. Do you have any proof?"

"No sir."

"Then keep your thoughts to yourself. As for the case, Chloe, do you want to stay with your mommy or would you like to visit with your real daddy?" Chloe looked confused, "But mommy and daddy live together why wouldn't I be with both of them?" "Why indeed. Thank you Chloe." The judge said, "I find the obvious disobeying of my orders to be a terrible show of parental abilities. Therefore I'm denying the plaintiff's request for custody and agreeing to the defendants request for custody. As of this day Jared and Olivia DeGeo will be listed as the parents to Chloe Evans forth known as Chloe DeGeo. Mr. Jenkins when your clients finally show up please tell them my verdict and let them know that the next time they waste the courts time, they will be thrown into jail.

BANG!

Chapter 16

Jared rode home with Chloe and Olivia walking them upstairs, getting them settled, then changed clothes, kissed them both and said, "I will be back soon. It is almost over baby."

Olivia nodded her head all the while thinking why does he keep saying that? Is he trying to convince me or himself? She could not get rid of the sinking feeling in her stomach that she would never see Jared again. About 15 minutes after he left she heard the elevator going back down she picked up the phone and called Laysea.

"Hello?"

"Laysea? Hey can you tell me if Jared is still up there without actually saying it out loud?"

"Olivia he is not here - they just left. They were being very secretive."

"Do you know where they went?"

"They didn't tell me..."

"Damn."

"But that doesn't mean that I don't know. Jason dropped a piece of paper, come up and you can have it and I will watch Chloe."

They hung up and Olivia got Chloe and went upstairs immediately. After Laysea gave her the paper she grabbed her arm, "Olivia, I know you gotta do this for some inner driving reason and trust me if I was not pregnant I would be right with you. Just do me a favor - be careful! I can't have Jared mourn someone else because of me."

"I will."

Maxie walked up to them, "Here." She handed Olivia a gun, "this is the safety flip, aim and shoot. Take it just in case; only use it if you feel like you have to."

"Thank you both!" Then Olivia ran to the elevator and went to the garage and out the back security door that Laysea said didn't have a guard standing by it. Then she ran a block over and hailed a cab giving the cabbie the address then sitting back trying to relax. Her gut was really twisting; she knew if she didn't get to Jared something bad was going to happen. She was scared that she would never see him alive again. When she arrived at the location she climbed out and looked around. She saw an alley to the side of the building and headed down it, hoping to find a back door. People really should remember that there is always more than one way into a building. She thought to herself. Just in the door she saw a set of stairs and headed up to get a better look.

As Jared and the rest of the guys headed toward the abandoned warehouse he thought, 'today was his day he could feel it'. He had a beautiful wife, whom he loved and who loved him back, a gorgeous daughter who was the light of his life, now he was going to get rid of the last nightmare that still lingered over them.

When they pulled into the parking lot behind the warehouse Jason looked over at him and said, "Let's take care of this. I don't want this asshole coming near anyone else that I care about."

"Let's do it." Jared replied.

With that they all exited the SUV's and walked up to the building. Throwing the door open as if they own the place then stalking their pray.

"Tom, we know that you're here." Ty yelled out.

"Well, well, look whose come calling on me!" Came a voice from the dark. "How sweet of you to actually help me out so much Jared."

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Jared yelled.

"I have a surprise for everyone!" All the guys heard were clanks and bangs then suddenly bars were thrown up and they were all incased into a cage.

"What the fuck...?" Jason said looking at Jared and Jared looking back at him.

Tom then yelled, "Checkmate. Now be good boys and throw the guns out or else I leave right now and go find those luscious wives of yours and show them what a real man can do. Then I will slit those little brats from ear to ear...so don't piss me off!" He voice sounding crazier as time passed. The guys pulled the guns out and started to throw them out but Tom stopped them by saying, "One at a time so none can be lost in the confusion." So one by one the guys threw their guns outside of the cage in order to protect their children until an opportunity presented itself and they could turn the tables. As the last one threw their gun down, Tom pulled his own gun out, the craziness glint back in his eyes...

POW!

A few minutes before...

Olivia had slowly crawled around the balcony of the warehouse trying to locate anyone. She found the guys by the sound of the cage closing in on them. She was suddenly filled with terror as she spotted Tom standing just on the other side of the catwalk about the room. He had a gun and ordering the guys to throw theirs down. She watched as the guys did just that after being threatened with their children's lives and their wives brutal rape. She was frozen like a statue then she saw him pull a gun out and take aim. She knew he was aiming at Jared - it was the way he planned to win her. In that second Olivia remember the gun that Maxie gave her. She pulled it out of her pocket, flipped the switch, aimed as best as she could at Tom...

POW!

A few minutes before...

Tom could not believe his luck - he was like a kid in the candy store. Now he would finally have his true love Raven and Jared, Jason and the rest of their organization would be gone. He had done what no other one person had been able to do - destroy the DeGeo organization and the major players with in it. As he took aim directly at Jared's head, he almost came in his pants. Soon my darling Raven we will be together!

POW!

Epilogue - About 9 months later

"Come on Daddy! Hurry up!" Could be heard come from a very little girl who was showing all the signs of being impatient.

Heard almost at the same time were her two echoes saying, "Come on hurry up!"

"You know that there is not a set time that we have to be there right?" Asked Jason.

"You know this is the only thing that she has been asking me for since I met her right?" Jared mumbled to him.

Jason threw his head back and laughed, "True, very true. Guys, we have to wait for everyone else."

Chloe began to tap her foot as if aggravated,

"Uncle Jason can't you just order them to hurry up? It is for a really important event!"

Jared walked up to the little girl and picked her up, "I love you."

"I love you too daddy."

"We got to wait just a bit longer okay? We'll get there soon but we got to make sure everyone is ready to go or else we will end up having to leave sooner because they forgot something."

"Oh, all right daddy, I'll try but I don't promise nothing."

"That is all I can ask." The he gave her a kiss on the cheek and put her back down to play with her cousins.

"Alright me and baby Dakota are ready now, Chloe." Laysea said walking in holding the 8 month old newest edition to the 'Sex Patrol' as Jason called them.

"Maxie! Chloe now wants you to hurry up!" Ty yelled into the bedroom.

"We're coming!" A few minutes later out Maxie walked holding their 6 month old son. "I am sorry Chloe but TJ decided to spit up...you know babies do that sometimes."

"Alright, Alright, Alright! Let's go people!" Chloe commanded in her best authoritative voice.

As they entered the hospital they met Jerry and Bret who had just come from the gift shop and had a bunch of balloons. "Hey you guys finally made it!" Jerry said with a smile, "We were going to get Callie and Georgina and head over."

"So how do you like being a big brother Bret?" Laysea asked him.

"She smells funny, but dad says she smells normal for a girl baby." Bret said with a wrinkled nose.

The woman chuckled at Bret's statement then Maxie said, "Well you just wait soon she will be trailing right along behind all of you older kids."

"Hope she smells better." He said.

When they reached the 6th floor Jerry and Bret turned to the right saying they would be right there while the rest turned to the left. Jared had to admit he was as excited as Chloe when they got to the last door on the right of the hallway. Turning into the room Jared looked in at Olivia, she was his miracle and had given him the world.

"Hi, sweetheart!" he said to her and walked over and kissed her.

"Hi, yourself!"

Chloe jumped on the bed, "Hi mommy!"

"Hi baby girl! Have you been good?"

"No - I yelled at everyone to get them to hurry up but I really wanted to get here and fast!"

Olivia laughed at her just as a nurse rolled a bassinet in the room. "Look."

Chloe looked in the basinet and her eyes got huge, "Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you Daddy! You gave mommy two little brothers for me! I won't want anything else ever! Well except a sister..."

"Let's get use to the boys first, okay Chloe?" Said Olivia.

"Okay. Can I name them?"

"No!" Said both of her parents.

Jared then picked her up off the bed and told her, "Honey, remember the puppy? Well we can't name the boys after their body parts. Okay?"

"So what are we going to name them?" She asked.

Olivia looked up at Jared then said, "Daddy and I decided to name the boys Ethan and Evan."

"Ok, I guess that will do." She said.

"Hello?" came from the door.

"Hey!" Said Olivia as she saw Callie being wheeled in by Jerry as she held their new daughter Georgina. "How are you doing?"

"Getting to go home finally!" Callie laughed.

"That is awesome!" Said Olivia.

As Jared listened to his wife talk to their family and friend, he leaned down and picked up both of his infant sons, one in each arm and reflected on how he almost lost them all.

About nine months before...

In the warehouse he knew he was going to die. It was Tom's revenge. He looked up and saw Tom finally except he was aiming at that moment right at Jared. He knew that he was seconds from dying. He accepted his death, hopefully with it Tom would be permanently kept away from Olivia.

It was at that moment that a shot rang out and Jared felt nothing... no pain, no coldness, nothing. That was when Jason elbowed his side, "Jared, Olivia."

Jared looked at Jason then followed his look and seen Olivia standing in the balcony a smoking gun in her hand. "Shit! Get this fucking cage down!" As the guys tried everything to get the cage to unfold, the guys that had been left with the trucks came running in. "Get those fuckin ropes cut now!" he yelled at them. One guy pulled a knife from his belt and in one swipe cut away the rope that allowed the cage to drop away. Jared ran over to the ladder and climbed to the balcony. He had to get to his wife; he knew she had not moved which lead him to believe that she was in shock. When he got up to the balcony he could see her and she was right were she had been when he first seen her. "Olivia? Baby, please put the gun down baby." He said as he walked slowly towards her.