CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: trapped inside snow globe

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MAXWELL KENNER WASN'T THE TYPE OF PERSON TO THINK OF THE WAY HE WIUKD DIE. He really wasn't, not often. Sure, a handful of times, while he was working on a job. Especially the job where he was held at gun point. But, it wasn't as if he was the type of person to think so often about it, that he feared it.

He had a friend who was like that. The man had been so worried about every little thing. He never tried new foods, because; 'what if he's allergic and fiend know until he already choked by his throat closing up?' Or; 'it says it's going to be lighting, do you know the chances of being hit by lightning? I am not going to be the person!'

But, still, Max never thought he'd have a crazy, outrageous death. Maybe, if he was lucky, if old age. Or, unlucky he'd die on a job gone wrong.

But, to possibly die in snow globe? By a crazy witch?

"Dad? Max?" A familiar voice called out. "Dad! What's going on?"

"Dylan!" The two turned to see that Dylan was trapped in a snow globe, next the them.

"Where are we?" Dylan pressed his hand against the glass.

Both Jack and Max looked around.

"It's kinda hard to explain-" Max began, then seeing the refl look on Dylan's face.

"Oh, my God," Dylan breathed out.

"Oh, my God," Jack says, moving a hand out to pull Max behind him. Even if, that wouldn't do anything. It was just an instinct.

Looking into the snow glass, was a large, bald man. He had a red mustache and beard. He smiled. "It worked."

Gryla walked up to the glasses, she let out a hum. "Jack O'Malley. Maxwell Kenner, level fours. What a perfect way to start my collection. Bring production online!"

"You psychotic bit-" Max began.

"Max!" Jack cut him off, worried if he said anything to insult her, what she would do to him.

One of Gryla's sons turned on the large machine, the snow globes popping out. 

"Tonight, I will deliver one of these to every single deviant on the list. And when they wake up and open their gift, they'll join my collection and the world will be in the hands of the righteous. Finally. Tonight, I make the ride."

"Wouldn't that make you a deviant? Do you know how mutant people you are kidnapped and abducting?" Max snapped.
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"Where are we?" Dylan exclaimed. "What's happening?"

"Okay, okay, okay. Okay. Now, listen," Jack began. He sighed. "Now, I know what this is gonna sound like. Basically...Santa is missing, and that giant lady is a witch,"

"and she got the snow globes from a demonic Christmas goat hybrid thing," Max continued. "And they are going to make millions of them with that-" he gestured to the machine, which was duplicating the snow globes. "Magical copier?"

"Look, I don't have all the technical details, but basically, these globes are men's to imprison the naughty people forever." Jack spoke.

"Forever?" Dylan asked in fear.

"Not forever," Jack tried to backtrack. "I didn't...scratch that last part."
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Dylan was panicking, breathing heavily. "Is this happening because I was ditching?"

"What?" Both Max and Jack asked.

"Is it because I slashed Kevin's tires?"

"No, no,'no, no, no, Dylan," Jack held a hand up, trying to grate for him to stop his rambling.

"It's not your fault," Max tells him.

"You said it was for naughty people!"

"Well,'she said that."

"What did I do?"

"You're only here to get to us," Max says. "We were trying to help in find... Santa-" it still felt weird to say that. "Who, she kidnapped, and, since Jack and I were involved to save him, she took you, so we'd follow."

"You may have done some things that you shouldn't have. Everybody does. Everybody." Jack spoke. "There is nothing wrong with you. You're only here because-because of me."

Max looked to Jack, not wanting for the other to blame himself. He knew he couldn't.

"What did you do?" Dylan asked.

"Lot of stuff," Jack answered. "It's...a long list. But, bigger than any of that, it's what I didn't do."

"What are you taking about?"

For a second, Jack was silent. "I've been a terrible father." He says.

Dylan bored his head, unable to look at him. "That's not true."

"Yes, it is. It is. I haven't been around. I told myself I was going you a favor, which is bullshit. It was bad for you, and it was terrible for me. I've made some mistakes, pal. I know that. But, I also know that I can do better. And I know hangs easier said than done. I know it's a lot of work, and I hope it's not too late. Every day, every decision is an opportunity. And I want to start taking some of those. So, I'm not asking you to believe me. I'm just asking for you to...give me a chance. I know I may never be the greatest father in the world, but I know I can do better, and I'm telling you right now that I promise I will never stop trying."

The sound of glass breaking sounds. Max's hands fly to Jack's head, covering him in case the glass falls on top of them. The snow globe had cracked all right it, lighting up yellow.

And the they were outside of the globe, immediately Jack turned around to hug Dylan. They stood there, hugging for a few seconds before Jack pulled back to make sure Dylan hadn't been injured.

"What just happen?" Dylan asked.

"I think I just got bit nicer," Jack breathed out.

Max smiled, swinging an arm over Jack. He turns his face to say how he always believed in Jack. Jack had, before Max even opened his mouth, kissed him. Max made a surprised sound, before kissing back.

"Can we get out of here?" Dylan asked, sounding in between moods, like he was still scared but amused that his father had made a move on the man he claimed would never like him that way.

"Yeah. First, we got to find somebody. Come on," Jack gripped Max's hand before walking over to the machine. As both Max and Jack watched while Dylan examined the machine, worryingly. A hand suddenly dropped onto their shoulders. Immediately they lulled their arm out of the grip, not even turning around before sending below to whoever it was behind them.

"Ow," Callum deadpanned.

"Cal," Jack breathed out, relived.

When Callum suddenly pushed the two up against the machine that had been copying the globes. "If you could make any toy in the world real right now, what would it be?"

"Wonder Woman," Jack answered.
"Superman," Max replied.

"It's them," Callum held the people behind him. "You all right?"

"Yeah, yeah. It's good to see you."

"Before or after you made Jack shove his elbow into his rib cage?" Sarcasm laced Max's voice as he gave a dramatic eye roll.

"Definitely Max." Callum says. "Although I could have guessed by how you are looking at Jack."

"Dad?" Dylan questions. "Max?"

Dylan was a shiver distance away.

"Dylan. Buddy, come here," Jack called to his son. "I want you to meet some friends. Cal, Zoe, this is my son, Dylan."

"The one and only Dylan. You dad's told me so much about you." Callum tells him with a smile.

Dylan smiled, before looking at his father. Jack smiled back.

"Welcome to the North Pole," Zoe tells Dylan.

"Huh?"

"I can't believe she got the old Quatuplicator back online again." Callum says, as he placed a hand onto the machine that had been duplicating the snow globes. "This thing has been out of commission since the late 1800s."

"This thing was cranking out snow globes like rat turds," Jack speaks. "and it just stopped like somebody pulled the plug. Cal, we saw her. She said she was gonna do the ride herself."

"What?" Zoe asked in disbelief.

"Deliver the snow globes to each and every person on the list," Max says.

"That's impossible. The sleigh won't lift off."

"Without him," Callum says.
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