Miffed Parents...

Before you can get off the carousel you hear a lot of shouting from the other side. You figure that it's Security trying to get a handle on the situation.

You quickly pick up Courtney, and then help Jeremy out of the sled as Tommy is busy trying to get as much of the tomato juice off of his shirt. "Those little runts..."

You shake your head, "Not worth it Tommy. If something had happened Courtney or Jeremy I would be all for going around this carousel and start whomping away, but they're alright. Right?" You ask the two children. Jeremy nods, his face angry.

"I...I'm alright." Courtney says, grasping your neck tightly.

You look at Kathryn, "How about you are you okay Kathryn?"

"I'm fine...and call me Kate please." She replies with a shaky smile.

Tommy stands and stalks off towards the exit.

"Oh sh..." You quickly stop the swear from exiting your lips as you follow after the huge man.

His long legs carry him quickly as she stalks off towards the other side of the carousel.

Kathryn is following behind you holding Jeremy's hand, "Tommy wait! Don't do anything! You'll go to jail! Oh please stop!" Tears streak her face as she worries about her brother's temper getting the best of him.

Suddenly Tommy stops dead in his tracks. You step up beside him and see about four or five other father's confronting the group of teens. The teens aren't backing up as they out number the parent's two to one, but they weren't looking to sure of themselves.

Tommy looks at you and then heads over towards the group. Three of the teens see Tommy making a beeline towards them and make a break for the exit only to be caught by another old friend of yours, Jimmy Connors. In full deputy regalia. Jimmy had been the running back on your team. Or as he used to call himself, the Tank back, as his preferred method of getting passed someone was to go through them. All three kids hit him at full speed, not even moving the guy. "What the hell is going on here?"

The kids look at each other, "That big guy is coming to kill us, sir!" the lead kid says, feigning innocence.

Jimmy looks at Tommy, "Tommy Lang is coming to kill you?"

"Yes sir, you have to arrest him."

Jimmy looks at Tommy with a raised eyebrow as the other teens disburse. "UH huh. And what did you three do to make him so angry?"

The teens, still on the floor, "We didn't do nothing sir."

Jimmy nods as he looks back down at them. "I have no doubt you didn't do nothing." Jimmy drops to a knee to look the boy in the eye, "What I want to know is what did you do?"

"Nothing! We didn't do nothing!"

As you and Tommy step up to the scene a small Latina girl materializes to your left. "Bullshit Joey. You invited Kate to your house to video yourselves beating her up, just so you could then post it on Youtube. When that didn't work you decided to raid the dumpster behind the food court to get shit to throw at Kate."

The boy turns and glares at the girl, "Carissa? What the hell are you doing?"

Jimmy stands up, his face angry, "Conspiring to commit ****? That's a serious crime. Do you know what you would have gotten if something had gone wrong? Twenty five. At the least. If you lasted that long in the state pen."

"She's lying, sir!" The lead boy says, glaring at Carissa, his voice shaky.

The Latina shakes her head, "No, I'm not lying. I'm tired of making fun of Kate because of my need to belong somehow. Fuck that crap. You people are sadistic little shits with your cliques and all that. She's my friend. She used to be your friend. Now you all treat her like garbage. Like a freak, when she's nicer to me then you all have ever been. And I made fun of her too! For what?" The girl shouts at the other teens. She was tearing up at her diatribe, obviously letting loose years of pent up guilt. "For what?" Carissa is unable to continue now as she breaks down crying.

Kathryn, dumbstruck watches as Carissa cries loudly. She steps over the the shorter teen, and puts her hand on her shoulder. "Carissa...?"

Carissa turns to Kathryn and plants her head on Kathryn's shoulder as she cries, "I'm sorry. So sorry. For everything."

Kathryn wraps her arms around the girl.

Jimmy Connors shakes his head down at the boys. "It's not looking good for you three." Jimmy snaps his fingers at two other deputies. "We're going to have to take you three in. Child endangerment. Reckless behavior. Disturbing the peace. False statements. You boys are in a lot of trouble."

As the other two deputies snap the cuffs on the dumbstruck boys you look over at Kathryn's friend. Living in New York has given you some insight into how to tell nationalities apart, and she had classic Puerto Rican features about her, though her light hair coloring and complexion also hinted at some Irish in her. She stood maybe 5'2 with small breasts. You look at Tommy, "Looks like Kate was right about Carissa.