Note: I do not own 'Hostage'...I do own Caria Warner...I take liberties in this story...Mars is not as bad as in the movie...

"I am reporting to you from outside the police barricade. We were told that three armed men took a family hostage, here in Bristo Camino. The truck behind me is believed to belong to the men. Chief Jeff Talley is on the phone with one of them now."

I caught the close up of the truck out of the corner of my eye. I dropped the two empty mugs I was carrying and they broke. I went up to the TV and watched. They had Chief Talley discussing what was happening.

"Caria, you OK?"

"Um…I don't know. I gotta make a phone call."

I hurried to the back and called the police station.

"Bristo Camino Police Department. How may I help you?"

"I'm Caria Warner. I saw the footage of the hostage situation. I recognize the truck. I think I know who's doing this."

"Where are you? The Chief would want to talk to you."

"I'm at work. The café is a couple blocks away, on the corner of Main Street."

"I'll send a patrol car to come and get you. He'll take you up to the Chief. Sit tight and he'll be there any minute."

"Thank you."

I grabbed my stuff from the backroom and went out front.

"Cheryl, I'm leaving a bit early. There's something I gotta do."

"No prob. Dean should be here in half an hour anyway. Go lie down. You don't look good."

The patrol car pulled up and the officer got out.

"I'm Officer Hudson. Are you Caria Warner?"

"Yes."

He opened the back door for me and closed it behind me. I'd never been in a patrol car before and it was weird. Officer Hudson drove in silence but I could tell he was wondering how I knew them. I didn't really know all of them, just one more than the others.

We drove through the barricade and up to the command center. Officer Hudson helped me out and led me to Chief Talley.

"Chief, this is Caria Warner. She's the one that called about knowing the perps."

"Ms. Warner, we've traced the car to a Dennis Kelly. Is that correct?"

"I don't know his last name. I was introduced to him about a month ago. You say there's three of them in there. His brother, Kevin, is probably the third guy. I really only know Marshall. The three of them came into the café awhile back. Marshall introduced us and then hightailed it out of there before really talking to me."

"What is his last name?"

"Krupcheck. He had a troubled childhood – his father was gone and his mother beat him. He told me he had a juvie record but has been clean for several years now.

"Chief, I might be able to get through to him if you let me talk to him."

"Ms. Warner that might not be a good idea. We don't want to do anything to set anyone off."

"Right now, I'm the only person you have who has an idea of what might be going on in there. Please, let me try to talk to him," I pleaded.

"OK, but if anything starts to happen, I'm pulling the plug."

He called and someone picked up.