Episode 62: The Rescue

CHAPTER 1: STANDOFF

"Maxwell Watkins!" the Carver County sheriff said over the bullhorn outside of the Golden Kangaroo Motel where Max and Thibault were staying, "give yourself up! You are surrounded! All we want is the boy, safe and sound!"

Max, inside his room and panicking, said to himself, "How in the world did they find us?! I kept a low profile, didn't give any attention to myself. No one saw you, Thibault!"

Thibault was hoping he would be rescued from his crazy uncle. Little did he know it was his aunt, who happen to see them as she was escaping her old life, that tipped off the authorities.

"Maxwell," the sheriff continued, "we will make a deal with you. Let us work with you. What are your demands?"

"I DON'T WANT ANYTHING YOU'RE SELLING!" Max called out. "I JUST WANT MY NEPHEW TO BE HOW HE WAS! BEFORE THE MILITARY SCHOOL, BEFORE MY PANSY OF A BROTHER 'FIXED' HIM TO, ugh, RESPECT WOMEN!"

"This guy is nuts!" the sheriff said to his deputy. Martha, Max's ex-wife, grabbed the bullhorn from the sheriff and made her own demands.

"MAXWELL, YOU NO-GOOD BASTARD!" she began. "YOU GIVE UP THIBAULT AND GIVE HIM BACK TO CHANDLER THIS MINUTE!"

"MARTHA?!" said a bewildered Max. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?!"

"Aunt Martha?!" said a relieved Thibault.

"I'm not coming out, Martha!" yelled Max. "And I'm not giving up Thibault, either! He needs to be re-educated!"

"In what?!" asked Martha. "To be a jackass like you?!" The sheriff regained control of his megaphone.

"Maxwell, listen to me!" the sheriff said. "We have the entire motel surrounded. There is no escape! You need to end this once and for all! Otherwise we will have to break the door down by force!"

"You know I'm armed, right?" Max countered. "You do that and it's curtains for not only Thibault, but anyone who tries to come in here!"

"We have a hostage standoff now," the sheriff said to his troops. "We need a negotiator."

"Sheriff, this guy is beyond negotiating," said one trooper. "He's hell-bent on whatever his mission with his nephew is and seeing it to the end."

"I'll do it!" A man walked up to the sheriff and other troopers. He was wearing a tan trench coat and sunglasses.

"Who are you?" asked the sheriff.

"The name's Tyrone," the man said. "I'm a detective from Sparkyville, where Thibault and Maxwell are from. I was originally put on the case when Thibault was first kidnapped. I know I'm out of my jurisdiction, but since this originated in my town, I'd like to have the chance to talk to Maxwell."

The sheriff thought about it. Finally he said, "Go ahead. See what you can do. Let me tell him first." The sheriff turned back to where Max and Thibault were. "Maxwell, I have someone from Sparkyville here that wants to talk to you. Maybe he can help you out and get you and your nephew out of this situation. We will negotiate with you. What do you say?"

There was silence for a moment. Finally Max said, "Okay, but no funny stuff! Send your man in, unarmed!" And the negotiation was a go. Tyrone handed the sheriff his piece and headed for the motel room where Max and Thibault were.

NEXT CHAPTER: CONFESSION TO COBRA