"IT'S TEN O'CLOCK DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR KIDS ARE???" by Rachael (char1ie@ix.netcom.com) Max was seated at the table in the dining room with the paper. Fran walks in with a three minute egg and o.j. in her hand. Max glances over the paper. Max: Thank you Miss Fine. Fran: You're welcome. Are you going to take the kids to the movies tonight? Max: Yes I was planning on it. You can come too if ya like. Fran: What are you going to see? Max: Well it's a toss up. Either RANSOM or 101 Dalmatians. Fran: So it's Gibson (Mel) or Bridges(Jeff). Hmm my vote is Ransom. Max: The only way we could go see that is if Grace has other plans. Grace comes running in and runs through while saying: "Dad don't for get my play date with Willy today." and runs back out. Max: Well, Ransom it is. Fran (practically in Max's ear): KIDS, COME ON AND EAT BREAKFAST. Max looks at Fran with THAT LOOK. Fran: Was it something I said? Max: Niles... Niles (from the kitchen): Yes sir? Max: Bring me the Tylenol will ya? I have a feeling I'm going to be needing it. Later on they are all ready, except Fran (of course). Max: Come on Miss Fine! Fran ( from upstairs): Hold on I gotta gel, moose, pluck, and blend. Max: That was your excuse 25 min. ago. Niles: No sir you're going about this all wrong. Watch and learn!! (in a sweet voice) Miss Fine, I heard they show Mel Gibson's butt in the beginning. Fran is standing there 20 sec. later... Fran: All right. Let's go. Niles looks at Max and shrugs. Niles: Have fun. At the theater Max: 2 adults and 2 students for Ransom please. Ticket person: That will be 15.00 please. Fran: These prices just keep going up and up. Max: Here you go. Ticket person: Enjoy your show. They go to the candy counter. Max: What would you guys like? Brighton: A small soda and a med. popcorn. Max: How about I get you a large and you and your sister can share. Brighton: Fine, (under his breath) although I don't know where her hands have been other than all over Paul. Maggie: I heard that little :"Mister Buying See Through..." Brighton puts his hand over her mouth and quickly removes it when she tries to lick it. Brighton: Ew gross. She tried to lick me. Everyone turned around. Max: Maggie how old are you? You should know better. Maggie: But I'm still to young to care. Max orders popcorn for them and orders one for him and Fran. They take their seats in the theater just as the movie starts. Later, while they are walking toward the exit, Max: So, did you guys like the movie? Fran (who had been practically in Max's lap by the end but who didn't seem to mind) said: I liked it although they didn't show his tush in the beginning or anywhere else. Max rolls his eyes. Max: How about you Brighton. Did you like it? Brighton: It was the bomb!!! Maggie: I loved it and I love Mel Gibson!!! Max: I thought it was very well done. 4 stars!! Fran: I always knew ya had a little Jeckel and Hyde in ya and now Siskel and Ebert too? (she laughs) Max holds the door for everyone and steps out into the cold. From here on in until it was over everything happened in slow motion. Max looks at Fran and the kids and smiles, and as he turns back around he sees out of the corner of his eye a small blue car pulling up outside of the theater. Max increases his step and so does everyone else. They get farther away from the theater and as they do, the car begins to follow them. Max: Why is this guy following us? Fran looks behind them to see who it was, but they turned into a parking spot. Fran: I think your just paranoid after that movie. I know I was. Max: I guess your right. Just then two men came walking across the street toward them and as Max went to unlock the car one seized Maggie's arm. She screamed. Max: What the.. let her go. I SAID LET HER GO!! Fran starts to beat the other one with her purse and anything else she had, but it was too late. He had picked up Brighton and had started to run. Brighton tried his best to free himself, but it was no use he kicked the guy where it counts, but the guy kept running. Brighton let out an unselfish cry that would be heard in Max's ear forever. Brighton: DAD PLEASE HELP ME. I LOVE YOU DADDY. HELLLLLPPPPPP!!! Max had absolutely been numb until this moment when he heard his daughter's scream and the unselfish cry of his son. Now he burst into action. Fran was on the ground in a panic. Her clothes had been tattered from Brighton trying desperately to cling to her as a security blanket to let him know everything would be all right. Max ran past her. People were in the parking lot not doing anything to help. They just stood there while his babies were being abducted. Max caught abductor off guard and tackled him to the ground. Unfortunately, for Max, he didn't have the kids. They were already in the truck but he did have a gun which was concealed in his jacket and as Max tackled him the only noise that was heard was that of a BANG. The gun had gone off and Max was at the wrong end of it! TO BE CONTINUED.....