Disclaimer: Not again!!! Read it in whichever previous chapter you like
A/N I'm making up for my delays...I hate waiting for updates on stories I read as well so I fully understand you;)
When she arrived at the work next morning something was definitely off. Greg and Martin were already in one of the conference rooms and they were talking to some man and woman from, as Jules later found out, the Internal Affairs. They all looked very grave. When she asked them if there was any way she could assist them, Martin just ordered her to gather the team by herself and to start the usual workout. The more she was surprised when Alan walked right into the room in question and closed the door behind him. They had on purpose picked the only conference room with walls, not just glasses. Although it wasn't in her nature, she was dying of curiosity.
She waited for 'her' guys but still had eyes opened in the case she would see Sam somewhere. She had no way of knowing that all Team One members were interrogated by the IA officials. She just went about her day as usual.
The first thing to set her off was the sound of alarm. It was weird, it wasn't the usual siren calling the team to action. Something was wrong and distressed look on Martin's face as he came to get them only confirmed her suspicions.
"Jules, gather the Team in the meeting room in five, Team One is joining us." he ordered. She wasn't pleased with the information about Team One but she never let it show on her. She just asked:
"The meeting room??" it was unusual, they used that room for rest and eventually for sitting down with the visitors, but having briefing in that room, that was weird. It was even on different floor.
"Yes, you all will be informed there" and he left.
"Guys" Jules interrupted them from their exercises "You all heard the boss, get your asses down there, now" and she waited for them to leave, she left last, together with Charlie.
As she entered the meeting room she could feel the tension. There were less people then she awaited. Sam, Spike and Alan were missing from Team One. Instead, there was one of the IA officials, looking terrified.
"What the hell is going on??" she turned to Ed, who sat with grave look on his face.
Before he could even take the breath both sergeants entered the room. Greg was the one to speak.
"Settle down, everyone, we have multiple hostage situation within our own building"
Her brain processed the information with surprising speed. Before the guys even realized the danger of the situation of having hostage situation in the SRU building, she paled.
"No" she whispered "it can't be happening" she didn't know anything about what happened, she just knew that Sam was taken hostage, of that she was sure.
Wordy was the one to gave her encouraging look.
"Keep your head up, Jules, we can handle it" it was in fact more confident statement then he was feeling in the moment, but she had a tough case in front of her and she needed every support she could get.
Jules was professional and she picked herself up within seconds. There will be always time for regrets, but now she needed to act.
"OK, so what are we looking at??" she threw the question towards both sergeants at the same time. She wasn't sure towards who direct this question. This time Sgt. Carter took the lead.
"We had one hostage taker, Alan Barnes…Yes, the Team One newest member" He answered the question before anyone had time to ask it. "He is armed with two handguns. He is holding three hostages: Sam Braddock, Mike Scarlatti and Amanda Webb, the other IA officer. The first two are probably unhurt, but Amanda was hit by bullet and there is reason to believe she was hurt severely with major blood loss, so the clock is ticking." he informed.
"OK, so who's in lead" it was Nick who asked the question. It wasn't completely invalid, there were two teams at one case, it was unusual.
"Team One is three men down and there's obvious personal involvement, so we are taking the lead" Martin continued "Anyway, we are counting on Team One help. I believe we need every help we can get" he checked the approving nods at the table.
"What about Jules'es personal involvemen??t" again, it was Nick who disagreed with general opinion.
"We considered that" Martin admitted "But it was either her or Ed Lane and because Jules worked with both teams she understand how every person work. We weighted advantages and disadvantages of either choice and decided to leave Jules in lead" He nodded towards her and she blushed almost invisibly. It was huge compliment for her to be chosen over Ed. She never realized how high Martin praised her. Nick hung his head down with anger. Was there no way for him to get to the lead??
"So, as I said" he returned back to case "Jules, you are in lead of tactics. I take the lead in negotiation and Greg" he turned to the other sergeant "I'd like you to be my secondary. You had valuable insight to almost every person involved in this."
"I agree" Greg stood ready to action "Let's keep the peace"
"Wait" it was Jules, she had already head full of entrances possibility counting with all the security measurements in the building, but one thing was bothering her "We had no idea what's going on, what are Alan's goals and demands." It was valid point. It was important for her, as tactics leader to understand the motivation to estimate to what level the suspect is determined and dangerous.
Greg, too eager to have this whole matter resolved, didn't consider that matter He sat back down and explained.
"Today morning two agents form Internal Affairs came to question Alan. He was accused of rape by a girl from a local bar. One of the customers there knew he was within SRU and the victim identified him from a photo. He first tried to deny everything, but things escalated pretty fast. He started shooting. As Sam and Spike rushed inside, they provided enough distraction for one of the agent to get out, but Amanda was already down. Before anyone other could get in, Alan barricaded them all in the briefing room and hasn't contacted us since."
Jules added the new information to her plans. Fact, that was determined enough to shoot the IA officer as well as taking his coworkers hostage, was proof enough he was going to do whatever it takes and the fact he didn't hesitate to do it in the SRU building full with armed trained policemen was pointing to his desperation. He would rather go down shooting, taking as much persons as he can with him then to go down quietly.
The most reasonable option on how to deal with person like this was one well located sniper. The only problem was that SRU building had glasses that were able to stop bullets from all types of legal sniper rifles. With the best they used it would take at least dozens shots to one glass in order for it to break. Any other approach was severely complicated by already injured hostage in the room. And there were of course two of their own inside, there was no point in denying it.
Deep in her thoughts she didn't even realize how she got into her gear as well when she found herself in front of locked and barricaded doors. Behind these doors was Sam. It suddenly hit her with full force.
There inside was Sam, her Sam, with some freak pointing gun at him. She realized very painfully that he can die in there and the last thing they ever did together would be fighting, the last thing she would ever say to him would be to go away. It wasn't fair.
And Spike, the immature Spike, who just found out he is going to be a dad and he took the whole responsibility of raising a baby on himself without hesitation. It was hers duty to provide him with the opportunity to fulfill his promise. The fact that Joy would probably blow her up if anything was to happen to Spike also played important role in her motivation.
Surprisingly, it was this thought that kicked her to action. The solution was right in front of her.
"We need someone with the explosives on the wall. With perfect timing we should be able to break the glass in order to place the sierra shot, if necessary, before the suspect has time to realize what is going on." She offered the final solution. The all looked at each other little confused. The explosions were Spike's specialty. With him gone there was problem with replacement.
"I can do it" sounded silent but confident voice. Everyone turned at Charlie. He sounded like he wanted to convince not only his coworkers but himself as well. "I've trained with Spike most common explosive entries and the bullet proof glass wasn't by far the hardest one. I know how to do it."
"But you have never done it before in action" Nick had reasonable pretension this time.
"No" he admitted "but I've trained for it and I believe it is more then any of you can say" he took defensive stand, but Jules was nothing but supportive.
"Hey, Charlie, no one doubts you" Well, maybe Nick did, but there was no point in saying it out loud. The others were rather impressed by Charlie's courage. He with least experience volunteered for action neither of them dared to.
"Go get your climbing gear and get in the position. Just apply the device and stay out of the side until it is completely necessary." Then she paused for while, she needed to send someone with him, with enough experience. But the person will be out for any other actions and with at least two snipers she will have to send on the roofs, the options were getting really small. Then she smiled, but only inside discreetly. There was one person she can always spare.
"Nick, go get your gear as well, keep an eye on him." She ordered with tone that left no room for discussion.
She then checked who was left on her command. Lou was already helping Greg and Martin to set the command point, they still didn't have any contact with the inside, they had no idea what was going in there.
"Wordy" she ordered "I need eyes inside, ASAP"
"On my way" he agreed. He was going upstairs to drill a hole in the room's roof, so they can put a camera in. With only head nod Jules sent one of three remaining Team Two members with Wordy.
"Now" she continued "I'm Sierra One, Ed, you are Sierra Two."
"Yes, Boss" there was only little of mockery in his voice, he was mostly supportive and Jules was doing great work so far. And to be honest he was grateful that with naming him Sierra Two she lowered the probability with which he would be forced to shoot his own coworker. He went to get the 3D map of the surroundings to pick the best locations.
As he and Jules left the building to get to their posts, the remaining two Team Two members were left inside to cover the negotiators if necessary. They would be also the ones to start with less lethal entry, if there would be any opportunity.
Jules and Ed were long on their posts when Wordy announced.
"I've got the eyes"
Jules started her portable monitor to see up close what she already saw through her sniper rifle scope. Alan was seated at the table in the safe distance of his hostages. He provided great shot for her, probably overconfident behind the bullet proof glass. She wasn't able to see the hostages so now she was terribly grateful for the camera feed.
Finally she saw him.
Sam was seated on the floor with his back to the wall, his hands cuffed behind him safely. He seemed unharmed. Spike to her surprise wasn't seated next to him. His hands were free and he was obviously leaning over something…or someone. He was attending the injured woman. It meant she was still alive, but the time was ticking....
How are you feeling about little cliffhanger??
Next: What are Nick's demands??
