"Hey Kara! Long time no see," John Watts, a barista at Noonan's, called out. "Where've you been?"
"I'm working different hours now. My new boss decided I would be an asset working afternoons so I don't usually come into work this early anymore," Kara explained as she dug in her purse for her wallet.
"One usual coming up?" John asked.
"Sure. Thanks. Hey, where is everyone today? I mean, this place is usually wall to wall around this time. Where's Jesse and Erin?"
"Don't tell me you haven't heard. About the park fundraiser?" John asked. "Noonan's is sponsoring A Day in the Park benefit to raise money for athletic gear for underprivileged kids. Most of the staff, as well as our customers are there today. It runs until four if you want to check it out. There's just me, Mandy, Danine, and Scott here until then. Like I said, most of our regulars are at the park."
Kara looked around at the almost empty establishment. Aside from a man and woman seated in a booth by the door, she was the only customer.
"I'll try to sneak out of work to check –"
"NO ONE MOVE!" A male voice cut Kara off. She started to turn her head and glimpsed three armed men. One grabbed the woman near the door and put his gun to her head. "I SAID, NO ONE MOVE OR THIS BITCH GETS IT AND HER BOYFRIEND'S NEXT."
Aside from the air conditioner, the restaurant was quiet.
"Good. Now everyone slowly lay on the floor. DON'T LOOK! JUST LAY ON YOUR BELLIES NOW!" another male voice ordered.
The whimper was heard again. The shuffling sound of people laying down and the room was quiet again. Kara still wasn't able to see what was going on. She didn't want to take the chance of angering whoever was making the other woman whimper.
"Hell, the cops are right on our tail!" a third male voice said. "Think we should waste them? I've got the ammo."
"No – they're too far away. Bet they're getting out the rifles. Let's get to the back," the first voice said. "Okay, listen up! Everyone belly crawl like a snake to the back. STAY ON YOUR STOMACHS! MOVE OR THIS BITCH GETS AN EXTRA HOLE IN HER EAR!"
Kara heard the woman whimper again. I can't take the chance to do anything right now. I'll play along. Give the police some time to set up and work things out. I'll use my powers only if there's no other way to avoid bloodshed. Kara crawled, with everyone else, into the kitchen.
"Good. Glad you people aren't as stupid as the last bunch I robbed. They got themselves shot. Stay on your bellies and put your arms straight out like you're a cross. Good. First person who tries to look at any of us gets a bullet in the brain. I ain't joking - ask this bitch. Well, bitch? Tell'em I'm not joking," the first voice demanded.
"He's …he's not joking. Please! I have two kids," the woman sobbed.
"I could give a flying fuck about you or your kids, bitch. If you want to stay alive all you have to do is – WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?" the first voice said as an impossibly loud gunshot sounded and the ceramic tile four inches from Kara's face exploded from the impact of a bullet. Little shards of tile peppered her face and cracked one of her glass lenses. "I SAID DON'T FUCKING MOVE. No more warning shots!"
Kara froze unwilling to provoke the gunmen into any more violence.
Rao, I can't get all three at one time even if I use my super powers. They're too far apart. These guys aren't amateurs and they aren't afraid to shoot. I'll have to think of some way to get them together if the police can't help. I can hear them setting up outside. Front and back doors. Oh, geez, they're evacuating the buildings around us. This is so not good. Who are these guys?
"Munson, they approaching the door yet?" the first voice asked.
"No. Looks like these guys decided they didn't want to die today … at least right now. Good thing we moved to the back. Looks like they're ready to snipe through the windows at anything in the front," Munson added. "Probably setting up for a barricaded gunman scene, Oliver."
"Yeah, that's okay. There's three of us and seven hostages. That gives us four dispensable chips to bargain with before things get tight," the first voice, Oliver, said. "You heard me right, folks. All you are right now is bargaining chips. Nothing else. We ain't got nothing to lose and we ain't afraid of dying. We can all go on that one-way trip together for all I care. I suggest you all toe the line or it will be sooner rather than later."
The whirring air conditioner stopped and the lights went out. The kitchen was illuminated by emergency lights.
"You were right, Munson, they're playing the barricaded gunman routine. Turn off lights and power. You ready for the flash bang, Royce?"
"As ever. Don't think they'll use it this soon. They're gonna want to talk to us first. You know, show us the error of our ways," Royce answered.
Kara, her glasses already on the tip of her nose from the belly crawl into the kitchen, checked through the wall she was facing. Unfortunately it was a now empty Alyssa's Pastry Treats. Two more evacuated stores were attached then the street. She didn't see any police officers or traffic on the street.
The police must have shut down the streets around here. I don't want to move my head to check out anything else in case Oliver decides to shoot that woman. I'll have to listen and take my chance when it comes – even if that reveals my identity.
Fifteen long minutes later Kara heard the business phone ring.
"You wanna pick it up, Oliver? I can take your girlfriend," Munson offered.
"Nah, cops love it when girls cry into the phone. Gets their he-man instincts all up," Oliver retorted as he picked up the phone.
Kara listened as the police negotiator started the conversation. At least she knows who she's dealing with. It seemed the negotiator was under no illusions the criminals holed up in Noonan's were scared first timers.
"Arrgh!" a pain filled voice on Kara's blind side called out.
"Stomp on his hand once more," Oliver ordered. "Make sure it's broken."
"AArrrgh!"
"Did you hear that? That's only one hand of one of the hostages. Plenty more body parts to mash up in here - there's even kitchen knives for us to use too. Do you really want to play the waiting game with us? We want your tactical tank, full of gas, and a plane with pilot waiting at National City Airport. You have a half hour to set it up." Oliver put the receiver back in the cradle and turned to the hostages, "You'd better hope those cops decide your lives are worth sparing and that they want you all in one piece … it wouldn't be Royce's first time dismembering someone."
Okay, that is so not going to happen. If these guys try that, I'll have to try and stop them. I hope I can do it before they shoot someone else. If they weren't spread so far apart. They know what they're doing, that's for sure. Odd – Oliver didn't even ask for money. He just wants a way out of here.
A pain filled voice, John's, interrupted her thoughts.
"You guys wait. When Supergirl shows up she'll save us. You guys won't stand a chance."
"Break his other hand, Royce," Oliver ordered.
"No!" Kara called out from her prone position. "Please don't."
"AArrgh" John's cry of pain reverberated off the walls.
"You want her done next, Oliver?" Royce asked clearly excited about the chance to hurt someone else.
"Nah. We'll save the bitches till later. If we don't get what we want."
"What about what that guy said about Supergirl?" Munson asked.
"What? You're worried about some bitch? Really? What a laugh. A real man knows how to handle a woman in a skirt," Oliver boasted. Then he grinned and walked back over to the kitchen phone and picked it up. Sure enough he was right and it was a direct line to the police negotiator. "Hey, I've got one other demand and we don't leave until she shows up. You ready? I want Supergirl here."