I'm so sorry for the wait. I just didn't know how to continue this story. I can't promise that it'll be steady updates from here on out, but I want to try to at least finish up before classes start up.
Chapter 2
The two police cars pulled up next to Paul's bus. When they stepped out two of the cops asked Paul to fill them in on what was happening. The two other cops slowly began to approach the store but stopped when Lou came into view. Frank off to the side of the door pushed it open long enough so that the police could hear Lou's warning.
"Stay back!" Lou yelled, holding Rachel out in front of him, gunned aimed at her head. The two men quickly made their retreat and told their partners to radio in for back up. They also radioed specifically for someone well trained in hostage negotiations. Although the police on the scene each went through a course on hostage situations, they rather an expert be brought in.
xxxxxx
Inside the convenience store Will Schuester's brain was racing trying to figure out how he was going to get his kids out of this situation unharmed. The first thing he had work out was how to get Rachel Berry away from the man, apparently named Lou, with the gun.
"Ok all of you slide your phones over this way." The McKinley team did as so, all except for Rachel who was trapped by the man's side.
"Pick up the phones, Frank." Once Frank had put all the phones on the counter, Lou looked outside, then back at his hostages.
"Alright you five, go sit by the front of the door." No one moved. In anger Lou tightened his grip on Rachel's arm, causing her to let out a cry of pain.
"Now!" Sam, Mercedes, Finn, Lauren, and Kurt dashed across to take seats on the floor. Frank stood to their right pressed against the wall. Will took this opportunity to address the gunmen.
"Why don't you just let her go," Will suggested calmly. Lou immediately turned to face the teacher. Trying not to let his absolute terror show, Will continued, "Listen, none of us are going anywhere, so why not let her go?" Lou looked down at Rachel then back at Schuester. Figuring it'd be easier to move around without the extra weight, the man shoved her towards the wall. Not ready for the push, she stumbled into Puck who wrapped his arms around her, turning so that his back was between her and the gunman.
"There, Mr…" Lou said indicating he wanted a name.
"Schuester, Will Schuester."
"Well Will Schuester, you got the girl back. Now shut up!" Everyone in the room was startled when one of the cell phones started going off
Anyway you want it, that's the way you need it
"It's mine." Will said when he heard his default ringtone. Lou went and grabbed the phone, dismissing the call. The phone went off again and once again Lou clicked ignore. Went it went off a third time, Lou yelled, "Who the hell is Paul Jeffreys?"
"Our bus driver. He's outside…with the cops." Will stated figuring out the police must be trying to make contact with those inside.
"They probably want to speak to you," Rachel squeaked out, obviously coming to the same conclusion, although it was hard to make out what she was saying since her face was pressed against Puck's chest.
"What'd you say?" Realizing she couldn't stay hidden in Puck's embrace forever, no mater how much she wanted to, Rachel freed herself and repeated her theory clearly.
"The police are trying to make contact with you." Lou answered the phone when the caller called back a fourth time.
"What?" he spat into the mouthpiece.
"This is Lt. Richard Morris of the Warsaw Police Department, who am I speaking with?" the cop on the line asked.
"A man who doesn't want to be fucked with!"
"No one here is trying to do that, son."
"I ain't your son!"
"Why don't you give me your name then?"
"Lou."
"Well, Lou, how am I going to make sure all those people you have in there get out safely?"
"By you and all those cop cars out there driving away."
"I'm afraid I can't do that right now, Lou. So why don't you tell me what you're looking to get out of this?" The lieutenant received no answer.
"Lou?"
"Let your men know I got five hostages in front of the doors," he replied coldly. The man saw Frank gesture towards the back, trying to signal that there was also a door in the back.
"And three in the back!" Lou lied. With that he hung up.
"Frank, keep an eye out, I'll be right back."
"You three," Lou said, gesturing to Puck, Rachel, and Artie with his gun, "Follow me." The two teens complied. Lou led them to the back door that led to the back right side of the building where the garbage bins were located.
"You three are going to sit here. I'm gonna be coming back every five minutes to check on you. If you try to leave, I'm shooting one of your friends in the front. If the cops come through this door, I'm shooting one of your friends in the front. If I hear anything suspicious from back here, I'm shooting one of your friends in the front. Got it?" They just shook their heads and sat down. Lou then left to rejoin Frank in the front and gave them a similar speech.
"The rest of you I want sitting between me and Frank." Will, Quinn, Santana, Brittany, Mike, and Tina went to the middle and took their seats.
"Lou, what are we doing?"
"I'm thinking."
xxxxxx
It had been almost two hours when Mr. Shuester's cell phone rang again.
"Yeah?" Frank answered.
"This is Captain Marcus Boyle, from the Chicago Police Department, who am I speaking with?" The long interval between phone calls was due to the fact that the best specialized hostage negotiator in the area resided two hours from Warsaw. When the original police got a hold of the man he told them to just sit tight. Boyle stressed the fact that no one was to approach the building until he arrived.
"This is Frank Ca…" He stopped, realizing his mistake.
"This is just Frank."
"Okay, Frank. Can you tell me if everyone's all right?"
" Uh…yeah."
"Are you sure, Frank?"
"One guys hurt." That was an understatement, but Frank was too afraid to tell the cops that he had killed a man.
"How badly is he hurt, Frank?"
"Pretty bad." Lou had a feeling Frank was going to crack so he snatched the phone out of the man's hand.
"This is Lou. Who's this?"
"This is Sergeant Boyle with the Chicago Police."
"Chicago, huh?"
"I was called in to speak with you so that we can all make sure today ends well for all of us."
"Guy, I'm holding thirteen kids at gunpoint. How's it gonna end well for me?" During the two hours between calls, Lou had been kicking himself for pulling his gun out. When he saw that the girl knew his partner had a gun, all he could think was that he could not go back to prison. He was violating his parole by not only being out of state, but by also being in possession of a firearm. He just pictured the short girl ratting him out and being carted off back behind bars; he panicked.
"Well, lets figure that out. Me and you." Boyle replied, trying to keep the gunman from becoming too despaired.
In the back if the room, Puck and Artie were having a hushed conversation. Rachel was sleeping lightly with her head on Puck's shoulder. Puck was surprised she could doze off when they were being held hostage by two psychos with guns, but Artie explained that it had to do with an adrenaline crash.
"What do you think the cops are gonna do?" Artie whispered. The two boys had tried to keep their minds off the situation at hand, but the conversation kept turning back to the fact that they were being held at gunpoint.
"I dunno," Puck shrugged, careful not to wake the girl next to her, "But I hope they do it soon. Sitting here is driving me crazy." Artie nodded in agreement.
Suddenly the two heard some commotion coming from the front of the store.
"Why's she breathing like that? Make her stop!" Frank yelled at Santana, who was trying to keep Brittany calm. The Latina ignored the panicked gunman and focused all her attention on her best friend. Sitting on the duty, dirty floor for over an hour coupled with the stress she was obviously feeling had triggered an asthma attack. Recognizing the asthma attack for what it was Santana asked, "Britt, baby, where's your inhaler?"
"Buuuuss," she wheezed out.
"Fuck," Santana muttered under her breath.
"San?" Brittany looked at the girl for answers.
"It's okay, Britt, it's okay. Just try to breathe with me," she soothed her as she took Brittany's hand over her chest so that the blonde could concentrating on matching the pattern.
"She needs to get outside. Now," Santana stated moving to stand up. Immediately two guns were trained on her.
"Sit the fuck down," Lou ordered. Santana gently placed Brittany's hand over Quinn's chest and once she was sure the other blonde had her, the fearless cheerleader stood up.
"Listen to me, my friend can't breathe. I'm getting her out of here." Both her teammates and the two hostage takers were impressed by her backbone.
"Sit your ass back down or there'll be one less hostage to worry about." Lou threatened, his gun pointed directly at her chest. Santana was shaking, but she stood her ground.
"I'm counting to three, then I'm adding another hole to that pretty face." The Latina remained standing.
"One…"
"Santana sit down," Quinn hissed, her eyes panicked. Tears were running down both of their faces.
"Two…"
"Santana," her teammates begged.
"Britt, I love-" BANG!