The door opened, all three judges looking up. Randy attentive, Paula instinctively, Simon distracted. Paula brushed Simon's eyes off her shoulder with a sly smile as the next young man entered the audition room with a nice posture, smart dress, and confidant smile. Paula felt a good first impression growing with this one, and maybe a promise of some talent.
"Good morning," she said, being the first to speak to him.
"Good morning, Paula," he said, standing in the center of the wooden floor. "Randy, Simon."
Randy looked down at the boy's audition form before him. "Alec Landry. Twenty-three from D.C. huh?"
"Yes, sir."
"All the way to New York for this?"
"It's something I know will be worthwhile," Alec said in response. "I just want to show you what I can – or cannot do," he said with a smile to Simon. Simon smiled briefly. Smart-ass.
"Hopefully you'll grant me the privilege of walking out that door with a golden ticket, so to speak," Alec continued. "To Hollywood. No chocolate factories for me," he laughed.
"And what if you don't get through to Hollywood?" Simon asked him. Alec shrugged, pulling at the sleeves of his long-sleeved polo shirt.
"It's your choice to make or break me," he said honestly, "but I've got to tell you that your decision to put me through will be much better than if you don't."
Oh yes. This was one of those 'I'm-trying-to-be-polite-but-I'm-still-a-smart-ass' comments. Simon bit the top of his pen discreetly as he stared at the twenty-three year old with short brown hair.
"And what will you be singing?" Paula asked, folding her hands and leaning in with anticipation.
"Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin," Alec said without hesitation. Randy lifted his eyebrows at the song choice. Alec looked like the sort of kid that listened to more modern music, but he had seen other random things at tryouts.
God, they had all seen them.
However as Alec sang, his voice fit the song nicely. It flowed, but it shook. It had a great range, but not a lot of power behind it. It was good, but not good enough. At then end of his small segment, he stood patiently awaiting the judges' reactions and comments. He was here to be told yes. Not no.
"Randy, yes or no," Simon said immediately.
Randy made a face of contemplation. "It was good, it was good," he said. "The pitch was there, you were in tune... but I'm just not feelin' it," he said regrettably. "Sorry, dawg."
Alec's chest wrenched as he stayed silent, but he still had two judges left to hear from. He looked over at Paula expectantly as Simon prompted her with her name.
"It's... yes for me," she said with a nod. "I like you, but you need to be more assertive with the strength of the vocals. Maybe not the best song to show us that, but I know you have the talent, and I'm saying I want to see you in Hollywood."
Alec smiled respectfully at her and still said nothing as he turned to Simon. The man who usually held the fate of each person that auditioned, and now also, the man who held the fate of the two other judges he sat with. Alec's eyes burned into him as Simon simply said, "I'm afraid it's a no for me, too, Alec. Nice meeting you."
Alec stared at them for one second, and then he inhaled a deep breath with a furious glare. A gun was suddenly out of his back pocket from nowhere, and before all minds in the room could comprehend what was happening, three shots fired. The two security guards in the room were instantly on the ground motionless as Paula screamed.
One of the others in the room ran up ready to jump Alec, but he too was shot at. The boy spun around and put his gun on Nigel, forcing him to step back against the wall slowly with his hands raised. Paula stared, mouth agape. She stood in panic, and the gun was suddenly right on her, and she froze in disbelief.
"I warned you," Alec said. "I told you to put me through. You should've said yes."
Paula's heart throbbed painfully as Simon found her wrist. He wrapped his grip around her protectively as he stared down Alec with more hate than before. Randy put an arm around Paula's back, trying to coax her back into her chair, but it was the gun that lowered her into her seat again as her eyes welled up fearfully.
"You three." A sinister smile crossed onto Alec's face for a split second, still holding the gun steady on Paula. "You didn't know it, but you were going to make me famous one way or the other when I walked into this room. Think of how America is going to react."
His eyes rested on Paula again, the sickly smile returning. He glanced at Randy and Simon. "Lock the doors without a sound," Alec said as the two men hesitantly left their chairs. "As I say or it will be ladies first."
Simon walked over to the door so many people had come through to audition. He turned with his back to everyone, feeling very vulnerable and upset that he was in such a position. He locked the two large doors, Randy's clicking in place on the other side of the room. Paula hadn't made a sound yet; Simon didn't even think she had taken a second breath since the gun had been revealed.
He walked back over to his chair, sitting just after Randy. He remained idle as Alec came two steps forward, lowering the gun some. It was still on them, however.
"Since you've chosen to make me famous the hard way, things are going to be done the hard way," Alec said to them. "I have four other weapons on me, and I will use them as need be. If any of you step out of line, you will suffer consequences. Am I unclear?"
Paula hadn't moved yet, even with Simon and Randy sitting next to her as protective as they could be in the situation. Her mind ran numb, never wanted to look up the dark hollows of a gun barrel involuntarily.
"Am I unclear?!" Alec shouted.
Finally, the second breath was sucked into her forcibly at his voice, and Paula's chest then began heaving from the disruption of her normal breathing. She was terrified, shaking her head no as quickly as possible. Alec huffed.
"Was that assertive enough for you, Ms. Abdul?"
Ryan Seacrest sat in the hotel lobby amongst many excited, frantic, and 'different' Idol hopefuls. He talked with a humble college student Francine Mare and her best friend Rich Paulsen who were trying out together.
"So you two are here on a bet?" Ryan asked from between them.
Francine smiled, tucking some hair behind her ear. "Yeah," she said. "Rich and I always challenge each other to random roller coaster rides or paintball fights."
"So, singing here on live television... is another bet?" Ryan laughed.
"Yep," Rich said.
"Who's the better singer?"
"Me," Francine said immediately.
"No way," Rich said, making her laugh. "I'm so gonna show you up on live TV and go to Hollywood."
"What if you both make it to Hollywood?" Ryan asked. "Who wins?"
"Whoever stays in longest wins," Francine said. "We don't really think we'll get passed auditions, but if by some mir-"
Several gunshots sounded off camera distantly. Ryan lifted his head with Francine and Rich, looking around with the rest of the crowd in the lobby. Another one came, and Ryan stood from his interview, eyes locking in the direction of the audition room.
A thousand situations flew by in half an instant. Ryan's heart rate picked up at his own thoughts.
People came running from the direction of the audition room in panic, but Ryan ran towards it almost instinctively. Several guys were already trying to get into the room, but the doors weren't budging. Ryan threw himself against the doors with the other men, but it was useless. It was locked. Randy, Paula, Simon, Nigel... His mind was going numb. What was happening in there?
"Get everyone out of here!" he yelled to no one in particular. Then, turned to a group of people standing behind them, part of them wanting to help but holding back. Perfect. "I need all of you to get everyone out of the hotel," he instructed the ten or so contestants. They immediately sprang into action, motioning people away. Ryan kept pushing on the door with five other men, still unsuccessful.
"Call the police," he said to one of them. "Hurry."
As two of the men left (one to phone the police, the other to round up security guards), one of the remaining began slamming his shoulder into the door. An alarm went off in Ryan's head.
"No no no no!" he said quickly, giving up on the door. "Don't force your way in. Whoever's in there is probably armed and dangerous."
"We can't just stand here," the tall man in the Hawaiian shirt, said in frustration.
Ryan pressed his ear to the door frantically, listening for any voice. He had gotten good at this, but the words were too soft-spoken. The Hawaiian shirt man and two others listened carefully, too, but nothing was heard. Footsteps ran up behind them.
"The police are on their way," the guy with the cell phone said, returning.
Ryan nodded. "Good."
At that moment, the other missing member of their door busters returned with four security guards behind them. They slowed, Ryan acknowledging them and then placing his ear against the heavy doors again.
"Who's in there?" the main guard demanded.
"Randy, Paula-"
"Frister, Barney, Ian, and Livs," one of the other guards replied, cutting off Ryan.
"Where the hell are they?" the main guard hissed angrily.
Ryan fell silent. Of course! There were security guards in the very audition room. They would contact them, get anyone out of there...
He frowned. What was happening?
Ryan shook the door handle gently, calling out to Nigel in hopes that he would here him since he sat right next to the door. "Nigel! Nigel! Simon!"
x x x
The main door rattled, and Alec looked over with Simon and Randy. Paula kept her eyes on the gun, staring down the dark, hollow barrel in fear. Please let it be the police, she thought. Please let someone just save us...
"Nigel! Nigel! Simon!"
Paula was never so relieved or worried to hear Ryan's voice.
"Don't move," Alec warned, walking towards Nigel slowly. When Nigel remained seated, Alec stepped in view of the door as it shook more and raised the gun. Suddenly, a hiss came from across the room, jolting the silence. Alec walked toward the noise curiously.
"Unit Two, please respond," a deep raspy voice said from one of the motionless guards on the opposite end of the room. "Unit Two."
Randy and Simon watched Alec intensely as he walked over to the bodies, searching for the radio.
"We have Judges' room on unexpected lockdown; please confirm your position and report to hotel lobby."
Alec found the radio, his eyes brightening with a twisted smile. He stood slowly, listening a few more moments.
"Unit Two, please respond," the voice said again. "Several people located in Audition Room in possible danger; situation and circumstances unknown."
Ryan looked up when a clear static reverberated back in the air. He looked at the guards in panic.
"Where are they?"
From within the room, Alec pressed the button on the radio as he looked at Randy, Paula, and Simon with a disturbing smile.
"Unit Two has been relieved of duty," he replied.
Outside, Ryan and the others leaned around the radio at the unfamiliar voice.
"Someone's compromised their radio system," Grohl, the head guard, said, looking for any excuse to avoid the truth. Ryan gave him a suspicious look.
"I don't think so," he said seriously. "What-?"
The radio cackled again, and the foreign voice returned. "I would like to speak with Ryan Seacrest, please," it requested. Grohl gave Ryan an uncertain look, but Ryan nodded uncomfortably, accepting the radio from the security guard.
"This is Ryan," he stated, a feebleness in his voice.
He could almost hear the man on the other end smiling. "Listen closely," Alec advised. "I am in the audition room. I have Randy, Paula, Simon, and Nigel in here with me." Ryan's heart leapt as the speaker continued. "The security guards are dead, and I not only have their weapons, but four of my own. I will use them."
Paula shuddered visibly at the threat again, and Simon took her hand again. She squeezed it tightly and said a silent prayer.
"What do you want?" Ryan's voice asked over the radio.
"I wanted to go to Hollywood," Alec said, "but your judges failed to put me through. So now, they will pay if you don't."
Ransom. Ryan took a deep breath. "How much?"
"Fifteen million," Alec said very clearly. Ryan went silent, and Alec smiled, proud of himself. "Are your judges worth that much to you?" he taunted further.
Ryan still did not answer causing Paula and Randy's hearts to hammer relentlessly. Simon still stared at the pathetic excuse and prime example of a sore loser with calm hatred. Son of a bitch.
"You have two days to deliver the money, or things will start to get gruesome behind these four walls," Alec leered with a promise he had the intent to keep. Paula stared down at the table an emotional mess, still holding tight to Simon's hand for what felt support to keep her together.
She doubted two days' time would find her alive and well.
Alec lowered the radio, looking up at Randy, Paula, and Simon.
"Stand in the center of the room," he ordered calmly. They all began to rise slowly, but Alec barked louder at them to hurry. Paula stood, following Randy around the table and avoiding the disturbed young man's eyes as much as possible.
"A straight line, please." The three of them stood in their common order on the audition floor. "No!" Alec shouted, glaring at Simon as he folded his arms across his chest. "Arms at your side."
Simon obeyed, swallowing the large lump in his throat that was his pride. Alec walked around the table and gave them all a curious look as he sat down in Paula's customary center chair. He held the radio up to his mouth and pressed the button while still looking at the judges.
"Ryan."
Outside of the doors, Ryan stood with Grohl's radio still at hand. Two of the security guards ran over at the voice to listen as the contestants were ushered outside and the hotel was put on lockdown until police arrived. Ryan slowly raised it as he stared into nothingness, his response somewhat delayed.
"Y-yes," he managed. "I'm here."
"I would like for you to relay the information I gave to you to the authorities," Alec said smoothly despite the broken static of the radio.
Ryan swallowed hard, nodding blankly "They know."
"Great. You are not to leave the building." Ryan looked up at the security guards, but Alec kept talking. "You are going to be my middle man," he explained. "Between the judges' safety and my ransom."
Ryan got a terrible wrench from his stomach. He was a horrible negotiator. How was this ever going to work?
"And if you leave this building, Mr. Seacrest," – Alec pointed his gun at Simon playfully and scanned the three of them with an eye shut- "all of your friends will be killed. Understood?"
A forceful sob escaped Paula as she looked down. Why did Ryan have to be dragged into this?
"Understood?" he repeated warningly.
Ryan's breath caught, and he mouthed wordlessly until he breathed out the word 'yes' choppily.
"Good. Your first assignment is to make a twenty-foot area between this door and the rest of the lobby," Alec said. "No one is allowed in this area except you. You are not allowed to leave it or be armed, and I better not hear any other voice over this radio but yours. You will do as I say."
Ryan nodded, still not wanting to accept what was happening. "Okay."
"You have half an hour. Radio me when you are done."
Alec leaned forward, setting the radio out on the table as if it were an apple on a schoolboy's desk. He pointedly watched his 'teachers,' and the tallest in the black shirt saw a very demented look in his eyes. Alec smiled and sat the gun on the table.
But he did not stop there. Paula's sobs failed her as he stood, removing a box cutter from his boot, another smaller gun from his large pants pocket, and a decent-sized hunting knife from inside his belt. All were tossed on the table in open sight, and Alec felt his plan's perfection heighten as Paula's eyes glazed over.
"Oh, but there's more," he said in a mock-pleasant tone. "Randy, please bring me all of the fallen officers' handcuffs and flashlights. And Simon-" he shot Alec a glare – "bring me their equipment belts."
Paula stood idle as the items were brought to Alec and laid on the table. Simon and Randy returned to her, standing closer than before for an added measure of protection. She smiled inwardly at the motion, making a note to later thank them if she ever spoke to them again. Simon's hand was at his side and distractingly close to hers; she refrained from reaching out for it.
As they stood, Alec began to pull out other assorted items from his body and the police belts: zip ties, duck tape, three other radios, wire cutters. A large pile of bullets began to accumulate on the edge of the glass table, too, as Paula slowly became desensitized from the room, wanting to will herself away.
10:47 P.M.
Forty hours left.
Simon looked up from his watch quickly while Alec's yawn died away. The young man looked at his own watch as he lounged back in Paula's chair. He lifted his eyebrows in surprise as he stood, scratching his side with the barrel of the gun he still held.
I hope he shoots himself, Simon thought with profound hate. No one came into the audition room with a bigger ego than him and won.
Alec stood, taking up the radio as he arched his back and stretched. "Ryan."
Slumped against the wall beside the audition room's doors, Ryan sat up quickly in his chair. Twenty feet away, a wall of SWAT members, FBI agents, and general policemen were patiently steady and waiting, and behind them was an endless view of media lights and newscasters that flowed out into the streets. He sat up in his chair with the radio, and the police became poised.
"Yeah?"
"Haven't you looked at a clock lately?" he chided harshly. "It's been eight hours. Wouldn't you like to leave that chair you're in? Where is my money?"
"They don't have it yet," Ryan said. "Fifteen million is hard to acquire in just eight hours. They need ti-"
"They have forty more hours. No more. And how is Nigel?"
Simon cringed, Nigel having left the room several hours previous. Ryan remembered him walking right out the doors as cameras flashed and people asked questions, but he simply left in a taxi without word once he was through the barricade.
"I don't know," Ryan said. "I haven't seen him."
"Well, his flight should be landing in a few more hours."
The taxi's destination was later recovered by police: the airport.
"You will leave this city without another word and fly back to London," Alec had told him at blank point. "When I receive a phone call from London and I will know you are there, you will have done your part to save three lives."
"Don't fall asleep, Ryan," Alec said. "I will be radioing you shortly."
Alec put the radio down on the table and turned to the judges with narrow, musing eyes. They traveled to Paula and stayed on her shapely form, Simon catching his eyes moving up and down her pensively. Paula's chest heaved as Randy pulled her towards him.
"DON'T – look at her," Simon said dangerously. Alec walked closer, merely smiling at Simon's warning. His eyes never left Paula as he held up a pair of handcuffs and began to laugh.
"I think I'll let you sit next to me," he said, grinning.
"No way, Dawg..."
"You know I can't just leave you unchecked during the night," Alec said, eyeing Paula hungrily. "Someone could get hurt."
Simon stepped forward as Randy's grip on Paula's waist tightened slightly. "I said, don't touch her."
Alec's jubilant expression turned annoyed as he looked at Simon. "No," he stated. "You told me not to look at her. But as you can see, your words don't upset me, Mr. Cowell. I don't... quiver in fear at your voice or comments or-or your name." He motioned towards the door. "I'm not one of your little contestants anymore. I am above you, and I don't care what you say because you are the one that needs to do what I say.
"Now if you're feeling brave," – Alec raised the gun – "I dare you to say something else."
Simon sneered. "You disgusting basta-"
Alec fired the gun, and Paula gasped as Simon stumbled back and doubled over, clutching his arm. She tried to reach out for him, but Randy held her back protectively.
"Simon-"
"Ah, ah, Ms. Abdul," Alec scolded lightly, gun on her. "No words, no moving."
She looked back as Simon fell to his knees gradually. Paula stood helpless at the sight, fighting off a terrible urge to run to him. The noise outside of the room was getting louder now that they had heard gunfire; almost riotous. Then, the loud hum of a chopper was heard overhead. Alec stormed to the window behind the judges' table and looked skyward, fuming.
"Ryan, tell them to get the damn helicopter out of sight!" he shouted into the radio.
"What's going on?" Ryan asked angrily. "What was the shooting all about?!"
"No one's dead yet and that all you need to worry about," Alec told him as Randy went forward to help Simon stand again. "Now get the chopper out or I will kill him."
Simon was on his feet and had a tight squeeze over the wound on his upper left arm. Paula stayed put with waning self-control as Randy coaxed him along. Alec suddenly came to them again, forcing Randy to turn and leave Paula's side. He pushed him off of the wooden floor to a thin metal pole.
"Hands out!" he shouted. In half a moment, Randy's hands were handcuffed tightly on either side of the bar. He was left there as he walked up to Paula next, swiftly grabbing her wrist and pulling her with him to the table. She put up a struggle, beating on his muscular forearm in vain.
"No!" she shrieked. "No, let go! Let-!"
"ENOUGH!!"
He soundly slapped her, the sound crashing through all of the pain and confusion Simon suffered. He looked up at Paula's shocked squeak as she fell beside the table. Alec roughly cuffed her to the leg of the heavy steel frame and went back around the table.
Exhausted, Paula's hand lightly touched her stinging cheek. She winced and began to sob; a bruise would take no time to surface.
Randy's heart sank into his stomach from his helpless position at the pole. His mouth was agape as Simon's began firing off.
"You bastard...fucking COWARD!! I swear to GOD im gonna KILL you when this is over...' he panted, staggering forward and trying to gain momentum. "You son of a BITCH!"
Alec whipped around. "Don't make me kill you, Cowell," he whined in annoyance. "I've had enough of your shit."
"Let her go."
Their captor paused, chuckling. "I can't do that," he said. "That would completely defeat the whole purpose of why we're all here." He kicked Simon's chair out from beside the table and picked up another pair of handcuffs. "Now are you going to sit and cooperate or make me shoot you again?"
Simon glanced over at Paula as she lay on the floor silently crying. He had to get her out of here before Alec really did kill her. He needed help.
Then, reluctantly, and with a disgusted sneer on his face, Simon sat in his chair.
1:47 am
37 hours left
"Ryannnn." Alecs voice whispered tauntingly through the radio into the silent hotel lobby.
Ryan sat straight up in his chair. "Y-yes?" he said in a shaky voice, which he immediatel regretted.
"Tired, pretty boy? Wheres my money? Its been... 11 hours. Surely the almighty Cowell has 15 million in pocket change..." Ryans bloodshot eyes widened with the comment. He had an idea. "Uhh... Alec, is it? Lemme talk to Cowell."
Alecs voice lowered maliciously. "Give me one good reason." Ryan said, slightly more confident, " I can get you your money."
Alecs voice lost the malice and he spoke pleasantly, almost as if he was offering Ryan a cookie instead of holding his best friends hostage. " Okay, ill let you talk to him. But if i dont get my money... ill just have to kill them. And then you, and everyone outside thats watching you, waiting for you to save their beloved judges."
Ryan closed his eyes in a moment of silence, then with shaking fingers said, "Okay. Put him on." Ryan hears nothing but dead air for a second, and then a shaky, almost whisper. "Seaweed?" Ryan almost laughed. Figures that only Cowell would say something like that at a time like this.
"Simon, what were the gunshots about?" He asked. But Simon only chuckled. "I took one for the team, Seaweed. Nothing major. My arm hurts like a bitch though. What? Oh... Alec said he shot me because i was an annoying little bitch and... what? And i didnt listen. Okayyyy."
Ryan got a little angry at the casual sound of his voice. "Its not a game Cowell. Not at all. Now, give me the PIN number for your account. Well be able to get your ransom out faster than at a bank. We'll credit you later. It wont even make a difference."
Simons next comment sounded like it was infused with hope, or maybe relief?"Uhm...83746582019384. And, Ryan? Do it fast."
Ryan smiled. They had an actual chance now, it could work. But Alec crushed that hope. "If you can get it that fast, im thinking that it needs to be here in the next hour. You understand. And i want full amnesty. Or they all die."
Ryans smile melted off his face, and he said, "I dont know if i can get that... its not my call." Alec fired 3 gunshots into the wall. "Too late, times up."
Ryans blood ran cold and he felt sick. That man had just killed his best friends. What were they gonna do? They werent making any noise, or they might have still been alive. "Haha. just kidding. I shot your wall though, might wanna get it fixed."
He was still trying to catch his breath, try to comprehend what happened, when he could hear Simon on the other end. " You fucking son of a bitch mother fucker, what kind of sick bastard are you?" Alec had had enough, and dropped the radio.
Alec picked him up, and dragged him to the center of the room. " Alright. I have had enough of your god damned comments and shit. I give up. Your fucking screwed, buddy." He shoved him to his knees and heard Paula screaming in the background, as he beat Simon repeatedly with the butt of the gun.
Simon was no sissy, he took it like any man would try, but he was being especially tough, trying to ignore the blunt pain in his back, radiating to his shoulders. He could feel Randy and Paula watching him, knew they were trying to help. He managed to look over and see Randy trying to get out of the handcuffs, and what amazed him most was that Paula was on her feet.
She was dragging the table with her handcuffs, and when she got to Alec, Simon smirked. The bastard was as good as dead. She swung her arms out in front of her, and the judges table hit him full on in the back, and he was knocked unconcious. Simon pointed to Randy, as if to say to get him out first. She dug through crazy Alecs pockets and found the key. She unlocked him, and they turned around to see Simon lying half concious.
Paula went over to him, and tried to lift him up. She only managed to sit him up, but he opened his eyes and looked at her. Randy felt a little uncomfortable and opened the door to go outside.