Authors note: The title of this chapter is a line form the song Jailbreak by Thin Lizzy
For Brian Walker, the Labor Day picnic was traditionally an affair he tried best to avoid. With the travelling carnival attached to the function; the were-otter was reluctant to participate. The last time Brian was at a carnival was before his father George Walker ran off on him and his mother; that was back when Brian was four years old.
So when he arrived at the location along with his mother and Patricia; Brian’s were-beaver girlfriend, Brian was feeling forlorn. His father languishing in the holding cells in the elder council building; returning to town, after being declared dead. An act that Brian felt was necessary to help his mother out with the massive debts George left for her to deal with.
“It’s a shame we can’t be in our fursona this time,” Emily sighing; “I wanted to feel the sun’s rays on my fur for a change.”
“You and everyone else mom,” Brian grousing; “I’d rather be at home, watching t.v.”
“Brian Smedley Walker,” Emily looking cross; “we had this argument already. You at going to spend the day with Patricia at the carnival; end of argument!”
“At least we can sneak off into the woods later on and make out,” Brian muttering under his breath.
The Labor Day picnic grounds were situation in a section by the town’s namesake; a lake in the shape of a crescent moon. Generally were’s could be in their fursona during this event; yet with a were-alert issued last Saturday after the arrival of Frederick Parker and an entourage of rough nasty men. All with one goal in mind; to get Daniel Parker out of jail. Most of those men were snatched up by Leon Talbot’s men and dropped off in the woods near the U.S/Canadian border. The rest were either arrested or killed in process of a criminal act.
Along with the usual assortment of vendors at the picnic; the carnival had set up several games of chance. Games that are usually rigged in favor of the operators; yet with this being Moon Lake and its inhabitants were’s, such rigging only served to let the residents show off their amazing near supernatural senses and skills. Also included in the carnival were several rides; a roller coaster, merry-go-round, bumper cars and other rides. What was new was a freak show attraction attached to the carnival; also new was a stage set up on the picnic grounds. Brian’s interest was piqued; he wondered if there was going to be a band or two performing later on.
His thoughts on the subject were soon pushed aside when Patricia ran up to him and nearly tackled him to the ground.
“Isn’t this place great,” Patricia beaming; “fresh food, fresh air and the rides. Oh the rides; I want to try them all!”
“You never had carnivals up in Fort Vermillion,” Brian asking.
“Not often,” Patricia answering; “it’s far up north in Alberta, so most of the year it can be pretty cold by Washington’s standards. But my family did stop in Edmonton on our way down here,” Patricia dragging Brian to the roller coaster; “spending the day at West Edmonton Mall was exciting. An indoor water park in one portion of the mall; an amusement park in the other, with and indoor skating rink near the mall’s center.”
“Sounds big,” Brian responding; being made to stand in line as others wanted to ride the coaster.
“The biggest mall in the world,” Patricia smiling; “but enough of that I want to go on the rollercoaster first. Then that swing ride over there,” Patricia pointing by the covered picnic tables; “then that ride in which you could throw up afterwards.”
Emily watched as Brian was being dragged off by Patricia; picking up snippets of her excited ramblings. Letting loose a small smile as she noticed Rachael Gauldet; the towns were-otter rep, Emily heads over to chat with the woman.
*******
“So what do you want to do first,” Spencer looking at Eric, as he stands in awe at how much was put up in such a short amount of time.
“Let’s tackle the bumper cars,” Frieda grinning; “I want to see how good of a driver you are after getting t-boned.”
“Oh your so going to regret that,” Spencer grinning malevolently; “I’m going to out hit you on that ride.”
“Not if I nail you both,” Eric smiling as he dashes of to the ride in question.
“I think,” Frieda grinning; “it’s time we nail Eric.”
“Agreed,” Spencer adding a maniacal laughter to her grin; “you take him from the front, while I get him from behind.”
*******
♫Robbin' people with a six-gun
I fought the law and the law won
I fought the law and the law won♫*
“Turn that radio off,” Frederick barking; traveling in one of the Escalades on his way to the police station; he and nine other men were about to attempt to bust into the building and break out Daniel Parker. Frederick was in no mood to listen to a song that implied his task was doomed to failure; after having to endure waking up to a wicked hangover, the revelation that the men he had with him the night before were abducted as he slept and a nasty case of diarrhea; Freddie was in an ill mood.
“Two stations in this town,” Frederick grumbling; “one is currently playing country music at the moment and the other is playing a mix of classic rock with new age metal and head banger shit.”
“We had it on that station for the news,” the driver responding; “that Crabby Camilla had a ‘tude that made Howard Stern look like the pope.”
“Bah,” Frederick snorting; “give me jazz and old bluegrass any day.”
While KMCL did play an assortment of music; each DJ that ran the college station a student, providing variety for everyone to enjoy. KPXX was anything but; preferring to play the edgier music. Catering to the younger crowd and those that grew up listening to rock. Freddie lamented over a lack of the old blues that came out of Mo-town back in the day. If he had his music player or if he could get his preferred satellite radio station to broadcast; Freddie would be listening to the works of B.B King, Louis Armstrong and all the other jazz greats.
“We are coming to the station boss,” the driver pulling over to the side; “be ready.”
“Ready for what,” Freddie asking.
*******
BOOOOM!
“What the hell was that,” Sheriff Cooper busting out of his office; the building shaking as the deputies started to release the safeties on their weapons.
“Sheriff,” Leon speaking through a walkie; “Frederick’s men came out of nowhere, and they have an RPG with them.”
“From what direction,” Douglas barking through the device; “where are they attacking from?”
“East side,” Leon responding; “fortunately they missed the mark. Your cruiser isn’t so lucky though. It got blown up from the explosion.”
“The parking lot,” Douglas signaling his men; “so much for giving Freddie a warning. Leon,” Douglas speaking through the walkie; “start launching the tear gas.”
*******
Leon watched from his perch on the roof. Observing the men in body armor scramble out of their cars and staring to approach the building. Taking a brief moment to think of his wife and children; Leon hopes that he will make it through this moment as he loads the grenade launcher with a round and firing it at the men below. Ducking back down to reload and fire again as fast as he can; Leon hopes that the tear gas will slow down Frederick’s men long enough for Douglas and his deputies to stop the assault.
Launching a fourth round; Leon was forced to scramble away from the edge of the roof as gun fire was being directed to him. Smiling as he could hear hacking and coughing coming from men below.
“Sheriff,” Leon speaking through the walkie; “now would be a good time to return fire.”
*******
“Fire another RPG,” Frederick coughing as the tear gas envelops him; the smoke coming form the destroyed police cruiser also blowing towards them, further obscuring the mobster's vision. “Take out that man on the roof.”
“The launcher’s jammed,” one man screaming; “it’s useless now.”
“Plan B,” the lead merc shouting; “shoot the windows out and then use grenades!”
“we need to take out that man with the launcher first,” another man coughing; “I can’t see in front of me!”
“No,” Frederick snapping; “this is not how this is supposed to go.”
Frederick taking a cloth and trying it around his mouth; hoping to stem the irritation to his lungs as he fights through the stinging cloud burning his eyes. Firing blindly up towards the roof in hopes of killing the man up there as he walks forward to the entrance.
“Now press forward,” Frederick barking; “no excuses! I want my son out of here!”
Unbeknownst to Frederick; Daniel Parker was transferred to Seattle the night before after Sheriff Cooper got tipped off of this inevitable jail break.
*This version of the classic song "I Fought the Law" by Sonny Curtis of the Crickets, is being sung by the Clash.