Jason

Austin sighs, contemplating his options. “How about we try that, Damien, it would…” his voice trails off. “No, wait, look…”


The two thugs exit the building. “You think that kid’ll be alright?”

“Ha!” The taller one gets into the driver’s side of the van. “We’re only going for a burger, and where do you think he’s going anyway?”


Austin watches as the van pulls away. “Surely it couldn’t be that easy…”

Con gives him a sly grin. “You said you’d been praying. And now you’re surprised?”

Austin rolls his eyes. “Oh me of little faith. But we’re not going in there blind. …Mick, Rosetta, Damien… get out of your truck and position yourselves around the building, and if any of you see those guys coming back, for pete’s sake warn us. Con and Katie are going in.” He glances back to Katie. “Here’s your shot.”


It takes only a few seconds for Con and Katie to make it to the building. After a swift kick to the door by Con, they’re able to enter. No sound…the room is vacant. Con sweeps the area with his gun, finding nothing…. “Jason?” he calls quietly. No response.

He points to a basement door. “There, Katie…follow me.” He cautiously opens the door and switches on the light, glancing down the narrow stairs. Hearing no movement, he moves down the steps, his gun poised in front of him. Once he reaches the bottom, he stops in his tracks, too stunned to rush in.

Jason is several feet from the back wall, standing with feet apart and both arms stretched above his head. Ropes bind his wrists together and are secured to a rafter high above him, allowing no room for movement. His clothes are grimy and blood-spattered, and his head is hanging as if he’s unconscious, or worse. Fear grips Con as he’s suddenly scared to see if Jason is even alive.

Sensing someone’s presence, Jason lifts his head. His face is bruised and cut, barely recognizable. One eye is swollen shut, the other barely open with a deep knife slice across it that runs diagonal down his face. Seeing at least one figure, but unable to see who it is, a smile spreads, despite the pain it evokes. “Hey, Bubba!” His voice comes out hoarse, but not lacking sarcasm. “Time for the ol’ hourly interrogation, huh? Why don’t ya just kill me and get it over with, eh?” He laughs, but it comes out more as a dry cackle, and ends up in a harsh cough. “That’s what you really want, isn’t it, ol’ buddy, huh? One bullet to the head and I’d be outta your hair.” His grin remains, though he winces through a wave of pain. “Ah, yes, but your boss man said no, didn’t he? So come on… take your best shot, go ahead. At least knock me out again so I don’t feel the next one.”

“Have mercy,” Con breathes. “Jason, what have they done to you?” He makes his way across the basement floor, emotions flooding his eyes.

Jason tilts his head, still unable to make out faces through the blur. “Con?”

“It’s me Jason…and Katie. We’re here to get you out. Take it easy.”

“Well, well, well, ya came after all.” Jason winces as he’s moved so Con can reach the ropes with his knife. “Thought maybe ya’ll forgot about me.”

“Of course not.” Con slices the ropes.

Jason’s arms drop down and he holds back a cy, forcing himself to continue his train of thought. “That’s alright…kinda cozy down here after all…dark…away from it all…pretty quiet most of the time. Kinda wish they woulda had a radio or something so I could sing along though.”

Con raises an eyebrow and exchanges a look with Katie. “Either they’ve doped him or he’s completely lost it.”

Jason swings his head blindly in Con’s direction. “Tell ya what, Pal, switch places with me, then see who appears to be insane. In the meantime let me live in happy ignorance of my pain until we’re out of here.”

Now understanding, Con nods. “You’re hurting pretty bad, aren’t you?”

“Don’t make me measure it.”

Con reaches under Jason’s arm to start guiding him across the floor, but Jason stumbles, almost taking them both down. “Watch it, Con, my knee is gone.”

“What do you mean?”

Another laugh escapes to cover up a cry. “Don’t ya know that’s what happens when a sledgehammer meets bone?”

Anger courses through Con’s veins. “If we had more time, I’d…”

“Just get me outta here Con.”

Con grits his teeth and lifts Jason again, this time prepared for the extra weight leaning on him. “Katie, take his other side. …Alright…one step at a time, Hotshot. You can do it.”

They make it back up the stairs with more difficulty than planned, and once they hit the door, Con lengthens his stride against the resistance from Jason. “Help me get him in the back, Katie,” he directs.

Austin’s eyes widen as he sees what kind of shape Jason is in. “Good land…”

Con helps get Jason settled laying down in the back seat with his head toward Katie, then hops in the passenger seat. “We gotta get him to a hospital, Austin.” He turns around in his seat. “Katie, you saw the map of this area back at the ranch… do you remember where the nearest hospital was?”