Valley of the Shadow of Death
Disclaimer: Don't own them!
Please Review! Thank you for the reviews!
Ch6: Selfless
On the outside, 6 hours later... DB and Brass join Captain Ostrander and some of the other SWAT leaders, and the sheriff. Ostrander said he had a plan. DB thought that after six hours he most certainly better have a plan. While Brass walked around like a bull ready to charge.
"Based on the statements we have gathered from the other gunmen and the hostages that were released. This is what I've got…" Ostrander started but DB looked up and saw the many monitors showing what was going on in the bank. DB had told his guys not to watch but DB couldn't look any it was a bad car accident. "I'm going to have my entry team sit up in front of the building underneath the windows, while the second entry team covers the rear. They will break the windows and toss in flash bangs and the poor SOBs won't know what hit them."
"But that will only work if everyone is in the main room and on the video we can't even see the gunmen. You will put your men at risk with this plan as well as my guys. No." DB said pulling his attention away from the monitors.
"As much as I want to disagree with you, DB. I have to agree. This plan isn't going to work. It's a no-go." The sheriff said wiping her mouth.
"After all this time this is what you come up with?" Brass said upset. Ostrander looked displeased.
"Bring me something better." The sheriff asked.
"Uh guys…" DB said walking closer to the monitors. "Something is happening…" DB said pointing to the monitor.
Meanwhile on the inside… the tension had died down a little from earlier and Nick looked over and heard strange noises coming from the elderly man that had earlier thought that the pizza was laced. The man was sweating profusely all of the sudden. Sara moved closer to the man in efforts to try and figure out what was going on. Then he falls unconscious.
"Uh… Nick, he's not breathing." Sara says checking for a pulse. Nick immediately rushes over and starts compressions. Sara finds a medical alert bracelet. This person has a HEART CONDITION. See wallet for more information. Sara starts giving the man rescue breaths. Soon the duo finds a nice rhythm.
"If this man dies, you will go to jail for murder." Nick says breathless as he works on compressions.
"You're lying." The leader accused getting worried.
"No, if someone dies in the course of a felony its felony murder. Regardless if you shoot them." Nick said as Sara gave the breaths. The leader peeks his head up and Glock whispers something in his ear. The leader's eyes become enraged as he pulls Sara away by her hair.
"Are you a cop?!" the leader asks Sara, as the phone starts to ring. A woman comes over and helps Nick with CPR. Nick looks at the phone and Glock moves aiming the gun at all of them.
"Don't answer it!" Glock yelled.
"This man needs medical attention. If I don't tell them something, they are going to come in. Two guns against fifty are bad odds." Nick said as his arms started to shake from fatigue. Glock grabbed Nick by the back of his shirt and forced him to the seat.
"Charlie oh five Stokes, have EMS on standby. Two hostages are going out one is in need of medical attention." Nick said as Glock hung up the phone.
"Get out!" he yelled the woman struggled to carry the man out but once she got out SWAT came and whisked them both away.
"Are you a cop?!" the leader asks Sara as he forces her on her knees with his hand still tightly holding her hair. Nick sprang from his seat trying to get to Sara's aid but was meant by the muzzle of the glock aimed him again.
"Is she a cop?" glock asks, Nick remains quiets. The man winds up as if to hit Nick with his gun. Nick braces for the impact.
"I am! I'm a cop." Sara yells out in hopes of saving Nick from being hit again.
On the outside… Mandy was watching the monitors. She had to see for herself what was going on, but once she saw she couldn't look away. She knew she shouldn't see Nick like this but she also felt compelled to keep watching, fearing something would happen if she looked away. It wasn't until she heard Greg calling for her did she realize that she was crying.
"Mandy, you shouldn't be in here." Greg said escorting her out as he did his best to console her.
"How come you aren't worried?" Mandy asked pulling away wiping her sore eyes.
"What?" Greg asked not sure if he should be offended or how to react.
"We saw you at the music festival." Mandy said and Greg's façade came crumbling down as he felt a rush of tears threaten to spill from his eyes.
"But do not ask the price I paid, I must live with my quiet rage, tame the ghosts in my head, that run wild and wish me dead. Should you shake my ash to the wind. Lord, forget all of my sins. Or let me die where I lie 'Neath the curse of my lover's eyes." The band played as Mandy and other members of the crowd sang their hearts out. Nick smiled as he put his arms around Mandy hugging her. "And I'll walk slow, I'll walk slow. Take my hand, help me on my way. And I'll walk slow, I'll walk slow. Take my hand, I'll be on my way." As the song wrapped up. Mandy held Nick rocking back and forth enjoying the music.
"All my practice singing in the shower has paid off." Mandy said in Nick's ear. Nick laughed as he wrapped his arms around her as they watched the band. Mandy's new obsession was this London folk band Mumford & Sons, and the fact that they played the banjo always made Nick remember of home. Nick wasn't the biggest music guy but he enjoyed them.
"I think so…" Nick chuckled, squeezing her close kissing her cheek.
"Nick…" Mandy said looking through the crowd seeing a familiar face, and then seeing more. Nick looked at her as Mandy took his hand moving to hide behind a vendor's booth. Nick was very confused as he swayed to the music of the next song.
"You saw my pain washed out in the rain. Broken glass, saw the blood run from my veins. But you saw no fault, no cracks in my heart, and you knelt beside my hope torn apart…" the band started to sing.
"Is that Greg and Morgan?" Mandy asked smiling pointing to the crowd. Nick looked and saw them dancing together.
"It is… you're right." Nick chuckled.
"We were there. Great show." Greg smiled, Greg rubbed his eyes and released a deep sigh. "We have to stay calm. Nick and Sara have been in worst situations than this. The best people to handle this are in there." Greg said trying desperately to convince Mandy.
"Okay…" Mandy said looking at the bank.
On the inside… they push Sara towards Nick and he catches her and immediately shields her holding his hands up in surrender. They had plan stuck in this bank for a lot longer than he had originally planned for, and every idea he had come up with had been shot down. Now, they stood at gunpoint again and while the gunmen had the upper hand, but as Nick came to think of it they always had the upper hand.
"Is there any more cops here?" the leader asked them angry while the other walked around, intimidating the hostages.
"No!" Nick said authoritative. Morgan looks at Nick worried, Nick looked at her briefly as if begging her to stay put and stay quiet.
"We came here on our break. I needed a new debit card." Sara lies. "Two cops are better than one."
"Let these people go." Nick begged again.
"Fine, they can go. But you two have to stay." The leader said pushing Nick into the seat so he would talk on the phone.
"Tell your friends that they are coming out so that they don't get hurt." Glock said quietly as if he too was having a change of heart.
"Charlie Oh Five Stokes, all cleared."
"Hey Nicky, how are you holding up?" Brass asked.
"Jim, the hostages are coming out..." Nick said as the man with the glock practically pushing and throwing everyone out. The leader hung up the phone.
"That's enough." The leader said coldly.
The two songs were Lovers' Eyes and Ghosts That We Knew by Mumford & Sons. The hostages are out but Nick and Sara are still inside. If you were them, how would you feel? if you were on the outside looking in, how would you feel? What if you were Morgan? What do you think? Please Review!