Black Christmas

Chapter 16

"Hello, Gregory."

Greg cringes slightly. Santa is the only person who ever called him by his full name, and Jack must know that. He's trying to get to him already, but he can't let that happen. "Frost."

"I knew you'd be coming." He points to the corner of his cell at his television, playing the news story about the Christmas murders.

"You're very observant, Jack."

A smile appears on Jack's face. It's not one of happiness, nor one of malicious intent. It's a sort of psychopathic smile Greg's never seen before. "Thank you, Gregory, and welcome to my 'Frostress of Solitude.'" Jack puts emphasis on his little nickname as he presents his cell in a grand fashion.

Greg is still slightly afraid to be in Frost's presence, but he won't show it. He refuses to play along with the madman's bullshit. "This is not a 'Frostress,' Jack. This place is not for your petty amusement. It's a prison, and you'll spend the remainder of your life here."

Jack's smile disappears as he lunges at the glass. "Don't talk to me like that, Gregory." His voice is filled with rage as Greg takes a step back. The smile returns. "As if I was so insane as to have a rage fit. You must have me mistaken for someone else."

Greg is embarrassed and disappointed in himself as he realizes he's currently losing to Jack's mind games. He tries to compose himself. "Look, Jack. I'm not here to shoot the shit with you. I don't want to play your fucking games. I'm here for information."

The smile does not fade as Jack walks back to his desk. It's there that he pets the Great Dane he's sculpted out of ice. "You inquire about Santa Claus."

Greg breaks again. "How the hell did you know it's Santa? The news doesn't tell you that."

"Gregory, I see why you've come here. You have so much to learn." Frost chuckles. Even his laughter sounds a bit off. Greg could have walked in right now and still known this man was insane.

"Explain."

Jack keeps laughing.

"Now."

Jack's hand moves off of the dog now. "Sanity for some is a thin line, Gregory, like walking a tight rope."

Greg doesn't have time for long explanations. "Get to the point, Frost."

"Patience. You're here for information. And I do want to help you."

It's good to hear that Jack is complying, but Greg still has his doubts as he keeps listening.

"When walking a tight rope, sometimes it only takes one mistake, or even one intervention from an outside source – a wind maybe..." Jack breathes a visible stream of cold air to illustrate his point. Through all that glass, Greg still gets a chill. "...And that's it. Mission not accomplished. Sanity breached."

Greg takes note.

"I always knew Santa was one of these people – fighting to stay on the tight rope, waiting for something to knock him off and force him to insanity. And Gregory, I know about your past. You're on the same tight rope. You watch yourself." Frost laughs again, as if he's just told some kind of joke.

The last comment did get to Greg, though. He's been trying all night to keep it together and doesn't need to hear Frost's negativity. Nevertheless, he has to keep this conversation going to get more information. "This is all very enlightening, sir, but I do have a few questions."

"Fire away."

"First off, why would Santa do this?"

"That's a question no one could answer. Could you say why I do what I do?"

Greg shakes his head.

"Exactly. Only he knows why he does what he does. He knows his motives better than anyone else."

This isn't the answer Greg was hoping for, but he can't argue with the truth. "I also want to know if he'll stop. I mean, if we don't stop him, will he stop on his own?"

The laughter returns. "Of course not. Gregory, a psychopathic killer does not stop unless he is stopped by someone else. He knows no bounds. At no point is he going to just up and quit."

Greg knows the situation is instantly more urgent. All night he's clung to some kind of hope that Santa would just stop and no more blood would be shed. He'd even wondered if he could possibly return to the way he once was. A few minutes with Frost, and those thoughts have already been dispelled.

"I know you have one more question, Gregory. I can see it in your eyes. And an obvious question it is. One that must be asked."

Reluctantly, Greg goes ahead and asks. "How do we stop him?"

"Now you know I hate Santa Claus. You know I want to see him brought down tonight."

Greg does know this.

"Unfortunately, I don't know that he can be stopped. He's magical. He's strong. He's the most powerful man on the planet, and now he has the means for human extinction. It's respectable actually."

Greg can't believe what he's just heard. Extinction. He knew lives would be lost, but it took until this meeting to realize that every life could be lost. No matter what the cost, no matter how little confidence Jack Frost has in his team, Santa must be stopped. The fate of the whole world lies within Greg's reach, and he's finally comprehending that fact.

"Thank you, Jack."

"Glad I could be of service. Good luck taking the fat bastard down. And do give him my best."

Jack's laughter fills the cell and the entire room as Greg exits.