The rating has been changed, mainly for language. Hope you're still with me. The shit is about to hit the fan…

Brian had been on the phone for just over an hour. Jackie stayed quiet and kept her eyes at the floor. She could only hear one side of the conversation, but it didn't seem to be going too badly. It was obvious they were asking him questions about what had happened today and how he ended up here. For the most part, he was answering them and staying calm. Until they asked about Jackie.

"She's fine. You don't need to talk to her." Brian was quiet for a few seconds. "No! She's not coming out! That would be stupid. Then you would just ambush me. She's what's keeping you out of here right now." He sat back against the washing machine and shook his head. "She's going to stay with me until I decide what to do next." He was quiet again. "I'm not going to hurt her!"

Jackie raised her head slightly to see him looking at her.

He was staring right at her face. "That was an accident. And she's not bleeding now." He listened again. "I'm done talking about this. She's not coming out!" Brian hung up the phone. It started buzzing almost immediately, but he refused to answer it.

Michael was sitting where he could hear what was happening inside the PX. The video feed was useless because the phone was sitting next to the suspect and the camera was faced toward his leg. Jackie had been quiet, which was smart. The last thing they needed was for her to try to work things out. The negotiator needed to be able to communicate with Brian without interference.

The buzzing was driving Brian crazy. "Damnit! Quit fucking calling!" He picked up the receiver and slammed it down several times. Then he tried leaving it off the hook. It buzzed anyway. "Arrrrrgggghhh!" He stood up and paced some more. "I can't think with that thing buzzing!" He sat in front of Jackie. "What should I do?"

Jackie stared at him. It was like he was coming down again. He was up and down like a roller coaster. "I don't know, Brian. Maybe if you ask them for a few minutes of quiet..." She stopped herself. Why would she tell him that? She looked back at the floor.

Michael heard the conversation between Jackie and Brian. The negotiations commander suggested they allow him some quiet time in exchange for putting Jackie on the line so they could check in with her. Michael agreed with him. With Jackie suggesting Brian ask for quiet time, having the request honored could keep her safer longer.

Brian answered the phone. "What?" He listened. "I understand that, but I can't think with this damn thing buzzing." He looked over at Jackie. "I need you to give me some quiet time to think." Brian seemed as if he was contemplating something. "I want at least 20 minutes." He looked back at Jackie. "Okay. I'll let her talk to you, but I'm listening in."

Brian picked up the phone and moved to sit down beside Jackie. He placed the phone next to her ear and nodded at her. "Hello?"

"Hello Ma'am. This is Jeff. I just wanted to check in with you. Are you okay?"

Jackie looked at Brian. He nodded at her again. "Yes."

"Are you hurt at all?"

Jackie shook her head, as she answered "No."

"Okay. We're working on getting you both out of there safely. You just hang in there ok?"

"Ok." Brian took the phone away from her ear.

"I get my 20 minutes of quiet now right?"

Brian had moved the phone when he let Jackie talk. The MP's could see both of them on the video feed now. They also had a better idea where they were in the store. The special ops team was all ready diagramming the PX and preparing for an assault should that become necessary.

After 20 minutes had passed, the negotiator called back in. Brian answered the phone. He seemed a lot calmer now. He talked for almost 2 hours. The negotiator did a good job of keeping him calm. Occasionally Brian would hang up if he was pushed too hard but he always answered when they called back in.

Brian asked them to find his wife and bring her there. They had made contact with her earlier, but there was no way they would bring her there. They might tell him they had-but they wouldn't put her in harm's way like that. They had explained the consequences of his actions to him. He hadn't caused any loss of life and they played that up significantly. He had done some damage to the PX and he was told he would have charges pending for that, which he understood.

Denise, Gloria, and Holly were still waiting at Denise's house. Latasha and Maggie had to leave to pick up their kids from school. They had plans to come back after getting the kids settled in and having Caroline watch them.

It had been a while since Michael had contacted her and Denise was getting worried. She thought the whole thing would be over by now. As if he was reading her mind, Michael called.

Denise jumped up and got her phone from the kitchen island. "Michael? What's going on?"

"They're still inside. It seems like he's calming down. I'm hopeful this will be over with very soon."

"Oh thank God. Please call me right away? I want to be there for Jackie when she gets out of there."

"I will Denise. I promise."

Things were going well. Brian seemed nearly ready to come out. And then everything went to hell quick when Jackie's phone rang.

It irritated Brian. He got up and grabbed it off the washing machine. He answered quickly without looking at the caller ID. "What?"

There was nothing for a few seconds. "Hello? Jackie?"

Jackie could hear Kevin's voice. "Oh God." She dropped her chin to her chest. 'Please Kevin. Please don't say who you are.'

Brian looked at Jackie. "Nope, not Jackie."

"Who is this? Where is Jackie?" Kevin was shocked and confused.

"She's right here with me. Who is this?"

"This is General Clarke; her husband! Who the hell are you?"

Brian's eyes got wide. "What?" He looked at Jackie. "You're the General's wife?" He threw the phone at the floor and it shattered. "Oh my God! You're the fucking General's wife!" He grabbed his head and paced back and forth.

Jackie tried to calm him down. "Brian it doesn't mean anything. It doesn't matter who my husband is. Please! Listen to me!"

Brian picked up his weapon and pointed it.

Jackie screamed. "No! No, no, no, no! Please don't do that! Please don't!" She closed her eyes and leaned forward. "Noooooo!"

Michael stared in horror at the video monitor. "Get in there! NOW!"

They heard a single shot fired.

TBC