A/N: I know, another extremely looonnnnggg wait. And I am really sorry about that. I hope you can forgive me and accept this chapter as an apology. Enjoy.
Chapter Nine
5 hours earlier— 12am
"It's time for our lovely contestant to choose," Flick said as he grabbed Hazel up by the arm and pushed her toward a different part of the lobby. "Dr. Scott is having bad headaches, and Miss Jennifer appears to be in premature labor. Who are you going to save?"
"Don't do this," Ty told him. Flick nodded to a gunman behind the two and the gunman stepped forward, sending his machine gun into Ty's back, who fell to the floor.
"No help from the studio audience, please," Flick said.
Amy looked at Ty and then back at Flick, "I— I'd like to examine them so I can determine—"
"Sorry, you've run out of time," Flick interrupted her. "What is your answer?"
The room was silent, the air tense, until Two spoke from behind Flick. "Let her examine them," Flick turned to look at her. "Isn't it more entertaining to build the suspense?"
/
"You realize you'd be killing any chance you have of getting away?" Jake said, as he still stood facing away from the man with the gun drawn at him.
"Maybe, maybe not," the gunman replied.
"You don't see what's happening in that lobby?" Jake asked him. "Mr. One's big plan is falling apart. Now, the vault's not going to open for hours. Your boss is already starting to unravel. Even if he gets the briefcase, he's going to be so fried, he's not going to be able to pull of his so-called exit strategy." Jake slowly turned around to face him.
"What do you care?" the gunman questioned him. "You'll be dead."
Suddenly, the gunman's gun clicked and then the door to the room opened. Jake turned to see Flick standing there, his gun pointed at him.
/
"The situation remains extremely tense," a news reporter spoke into the camera. "Polices sources confirms that there has been contact with one of the gunmen inside the hotel, but–"
"God, those fool reporters just keep blabbering the same thing over and over again," Luke Ely said in frustration, clicking the television off. "Why don't they tell us something new?"
"Luke, Luke, calm down," Maxine Ely said from her place on the couch next to her husband.
"Look, what do you expect me to do?" Luke asked her standing up from the couch. "I can't be calm because Jake and Sam are hostages."
"And there is nothing we can do about it," Maxine told him.
"Oh, stop being so infuriatingly rational," Luke said. "Don't you want to do something?"
"I am worried sick about Jake and Sam," Maxine confessed to him.
"Listen, if they harm one hair on that little girl's—"
"Jake is with Sam," Maxine said. "I'm sure he'll do everything he can to protect her."
"You know, to–to make matters worse, Darrell is probably down at that hotel right now engaged in more half-baked heroics," Luke speculated.
"Luke, please—" Maxine exclaimed, standing up.
"What?" Luke asked her.
"—Shut up," Maxine told him. "My pulse is spiking just listening to you."
"You know, I don't think you need to worry because Darrell knows what he's doing," Nate commented from where he sat on the armchair.
"Yeah? Since when?" Luke questioned him.
"Well, look, if I was being held hostage and my life could be ripped away from me any second, I'd want Darrell to be the one to rescue me," Nate explained, a smile beginning pulling at the corner of his mouth. At that moment, Adam and Quinn walked into the living room.
"Oh, please," Luke said, covering his face with his hands. "That's an image I do not wish to contemplate."
"Spare us, Nate," Quinn said as he sat down on the couch.
"Have you heard anything?" Maxine asked her other two sons.
"Yes, apparently, the gunmen have agreed to release one hostage," Adam answered her.
/
"Scott, you need to concentrate on your breathing, slow and steady," Sam told him from her place on the floor next to him. "It's really fast."
"Sam—Sam, I'm not the one in labor," Scott mumbled, his voice hoarse. "That would be Jen."
"Hey," Amy said kneeling down beside Sam and taking Scott's pulse. "How are you feeling, Scott?"
"I'm fine," Scott insisted. "The pain is subsiding...a little. You need to go check on Jen."
"No, no, you don't give the orders this time," Amy told him. "You're the patient, not the doctor."
"Listen, Jen can't give birth here," Scott said, stating the obvious.
"Yeah, and we don't know if there is any bleeding or swelling inside your head," Amy replied.
"The pain is going down," Scott still insisted.
"That doesn't mean a thing," Amy said. "You have got to let me take care of you."
"That baby is going to be too premature to survive outside of a hospital,"
Amy closed her eyes for a second and sighed inwardly. Scott wasn't giving in. She opened her eyes and spoke to him again. "You remember what you told me when Soraya was shot? To think objectively, as if this were a triage situation, to consider who needs treatment first."
Scott managed a small laugh, "You mean, you actually listened to me?"
"Yeah," Amy laughed a little too. "You've shown me by example. You're a wonderful person, not only on a clinical level, but for the caring concern you show your patients. I can only hope that I can live up to your example."
Scott looked up at her, his face completely serious. "You've got me beat by a mile, Amy," Scott told her.
Amy smiled, "I want you to stick around so that I can keep following in your footsteps."
/
"They've agreed to release one hostage?" Mayor Andrews asked D.A. Saunders. "This is our best chance to storm the lobby and get those people out."
"May I suggest that we wait until morning to mount an assault?" Mike asked, turning to face the mayor.
"No, you've waited far too long already," Mayor Andrews declined. "When those doors open, that SWAT team goes in."
Mike ran a hand through his short brown hair, in frustration. "One of the hostages is a pregnant woman," he pointed out. "The other happens to be barely hanging on after being operated on with a paring knife. What do you think Soraya Martin's chances are if you mount a–a direct assault on the lobby?"
"We have to accept the fact that there may be casualties here," Mayor Andrews said.
"You calling Soraya's death acceptable?" Griffen questioned him from behind the two. In one swift motion, Griffen spun the mayor around and punched him square in the jaw.
"Griffen!" Mike exclaimed, reaching for the mayor. Another officer rushed to pull Griffen back, to stop him from continuing his attack on the mayor.
"You don't care about saving hostages!" Griffen accused.
"That's absurd!" Mayor Andrews shot back.
"The reporters have no breaking news," Griffen continued. "We're at a stalemate, and you don't like that, do you, mayor?"
"Griffen, this isn't helping anybody!" Mike told him, stepping in between the two.
"If it stops this moron from storming that lobby and killing somebody, it's doing something!" Griffen replied.
Mayor Andrews walked towards Griffen, saying, "Look, Saunders is right, those gunmen are going to kill those hostages the second that vault is open. We have to get them out now!"
"Soraya and the other hostages are counting on you to save them," Griffen said. "And you're not going to do anything, are you?"
"No, you fool," Mayor Andrews replied, shaking his head. "This may be our only legitimate chance to save those people." He backed up a step and turned to the two officers holding Griffen. "This man just assaulted a public official. I want him arrested right now!"
"Griffen established contact with the ringleader," Mike explained, calmly. "I might need him, he stays."
"Commissioner Jones, would you please place Griffen under arrest?" Mayor Andrews asked of the Commissioner. Mike looked over at Ray.
"If Griffen hadn't have punched you, I would have myself," Ray answered the mayor
/
"Interesting," Flick responded, closing the door and walking further into the room. Jake turned to face him, his hands still in the air. "The gun went off and you're still alive. Do you know why? You're alive because you're potentially useful. I may use you at my disposal." His gun was aimed right at Jake. "So, I won't kill you -- yet." He tossed something to the other gunman and ordered him to. "Now, secure Jacob Ely to the chair. I'm going to check on his lovely girlfriend. Let's hope for her sake that she'll be cooperative. Go. Give me just little more time."
/
"Mayor Andrews is at the scene," the reporter said. "So far, he has refused to comment. However, given the mayor's tough stance on crime, there is speculation—"
"Oh, god—" Luke exasperated, clicking the television off again. "Lives are on the line, and the foolish reporters are blabbering about that fool Andrews. What's he even doing there in the first place?"
"He's turning it into a photo op, dad, and I can't watch anymore," Adam answered.
"Why wouldn't they report it if they're going to release a hostage?" Maxine questioned.
"Only somebody who needs medical attention," Quinn commented.
"That's why we should go down there and show these people how to handle this situation," Nate said from his place on the chair.
"Yeah," Adam agreed, high-fiving his brother.
"Boys, you are not going down there and making it worse for the police," Maxine warned them.
"Oh, come one, mom," Adam said. "We can't do any worse than those half-pints in uniforms and badges. Besides, nobody messes with the Ely brothers." All the boys gathered around, whooping and hollering, while Maxine just rolled her eyes at her sons.
/
"Here, take his pulse every five minutes while I go check on Jen," Amy told Sam.
"Ok, yeah, I got it," Sam said.
Amy turned back to Scott, "Keep your breathing as even as you can, Scott,"
"Yes, doctor," Scott joked. Amy started to leave when Scott pulled her back. "Listen to me, let Jen go." Amy looked at him once more and then moved over to Jen.
"How far apart are the contractions?" Amy asked Hazel, who was sitting next to Jen.
"Oh, I'm not sure," Hazel sighed and looked towards Jen. "I think they're about eight minutes apart."
"Yeah," Jen breathed, nodding her head.
"Look, I'm worried about fetal distress, and without a fetal heart monitor, it's—"
"Amy, stop ok?" Jen told her. "The pains are getting less intense. And I'm sure it's just from stress and dehydration." Amy and Hazel watched her worriedly.
"Jen, you don't have to do this," Amy said.
"Do what?" Jen asked.
"Make it easier for me to choose," Amy answered. "It's too soon for this baby to be born. You know that as well as I do."
"Still vacillating?" Flick asked as he walked back into the lobby. "Indecisiveness is such an annoying character flaw." He stopped in front of Amy and pointed his gun at her.
"It took her awhile to examine them both," Two explained.
"Correction," Flick said. "It took her too long."
"The harder she struggles with this, the more entertaining for you," Two defended.
"The suspense is only pleasurable after a certain point," Flick replied. "Wrap it up. Please."
As Flick walked away, Sam turned back around with a look on her face and Scott saw it. "Whatever your thinking, stop," he told her. "You're only going to make things worse."
"Maybe not," Sam said. "Everyone has a weakness, and I just found out our fearless leader's." She turned and looked at Flick when she finished.
/
"Griffen save Soraya's life by establishing a dialogue with the ringleader," Ray talked the mayor down. "We may need him to do that again."
"You and Saunders are supposedly trained in dealing with hostage situations?" Mayor Andrews asked the two of them. "You're going to have to handle this without Griffen's input. I want him out of here." With that, he turned and walked off. But Mike followed him.
"Mayor Andrews?" the mayor stopped and turned to face the D.A. "If you're so interested in saving the hostages, as well as your career, I respectfully choose to ignore that order."
"Good," Mayor Andrews responded. "You're the one who's going to burn for this, Saunders."
/
"When that safe opens, your boss is going to grab whatever's inside and leave the rest of you twisting in the wind," Jake was saying from his place tied up in the chair.
"Shut. Up." the gunman commanded him.
"Why should he pay you when he doesn't need you?" Jake continued. "He's the only who can contact the buyer, remember? And a job this big, the payoff must be...incredible. You really think number one is going to share his profits?"
At that moment, Five opened the door and spoke to the other gunman. "Hey, one wants him back in the lobby," The gunman leaned over Jake and uncuffed and then spoke to Five.
"Get him out of here,"
"What's going on?" Jake asked Five as he pulled him out of the room. But before he left, Jake spotted a handgun just lying on the floor near the wall. His eyes narrowed.
When they had left, Darrell opened the vent and jumped down from the air duct. He had heard the whole exchange between Jake and the men. He walked towards the door, knowing he had a lot of work to do.
/
"I want coverage of those upper windows," Mayor Andrews was telling the SWAT team. "If we see movement at all—"
"You know, this all could've been a mind game," Mike said to Ray and Griffen. "They may not be intending to release any hostages at all."
"You said they agreed as a show of good faith," Griffen replied.
"I know you're hoping they'll release Hazel, but the ringleader specifically mentioned Jennifer Kenworthy," Ray told him.
"Yes," Mike nodded. "And if Jennifer and the baby are in distress, then they may need emergency care."
"Yeah," Griffen mumbled, turning to look away from both of them.
/
"No, no, no, keep Sam and Jake apart," Flick ordered when the gunman was about to bring Jake over to Sam. "They're wonderfully entertaining individuals, but put them together and their tediously devoted spouses." Sam looked worriedly at Jake. "If you keep them apart, perhaps they won't create any discord to other members of our party. Sit."
"Of course I'd rather be in a hospital, but I'm not in critical condition," Jen argued.
"But what if you're really in labor?" Amy asked her.
"I'm not, ok?" Jen answered. "I refuse to be. And if for some reason this baby decides to come early, it is going to take hours. Ok? And—and I'll be fine. We'll all be out of here by then."
"Very, very noble. Bravo," Flick commented as he appeared behind Amy. "You know as I well as I do your friend's lying. She's only trying to make it easier for you to ignore her crisis."
"Amy, don't listen to him, ok?"
"If you choose Jennifer, your poor brother-in-law won't survive," Flick went on. "If you choose him, an innocent baby will be born, or die, right here in this lobby." He bent down and grabbed Amy's hair, pulling her closer. "This is a watershed moment. Pay attention, girl!"
"Some fearless leader you are—" Ty said suddenly, standing up where he was. "— bullying women around?" A gunman stepped forward and grabbed his shoulder, but Ty ignored him. By then, Flick was up and walking toward him.
"Will you—"
"Takes a lot of guts," Ty continued.
"—Shut up!" Flick snapped. "You are such a bad example to your fellow hostages!" The gunman managed to push Ty back down to the floor. Two stepped toward Flick and put her hand on his arm.
"One?" she started. "Amy has to choose...between her dying brother-in-law and the mother-to-be. If you kill her fiancé, she'll be too hysterical to decide."
"That's true," Flick agreed, looking at Two and back at Ty. "Let's find another target." Flick moved the gun to a different part of the lobby and pulled the trigger.
Sam screamed.
"Jake! Jake?" she got up quickly and started to run to him, but Flick stopped her.
"If you don't sit down and shut up, I'll put a bullet in your head right now," Flick warned her. Hesitantly, Sam sat back down where she was. "Very prudent. Do you have anything else to add? No, feel free to answer, now that your temper is under control. I always find your comments very amusing."
"Jake needs medical attention," Sam answered without looking at Flick.
"Yes, I can see that," Flick said, turning to look at him. "But, you see, our medical personnel is running a little thin. Dr. Scott's in a condition, Jennifer is about to give birth. There's Amy, of course, but she's a little preoccupied at the moment. So who's it going to be?" Flick looked around the lobby and finally pointed the gun at somebody. "I think it's going to be Matt. Perhaps you can give some medical comfort, as poor Jake bleeds to death. Oh, on second thought— huh— Jake can't possibly bleed to death from a shoulder wound. Let's see if my aim is a little more accurate."
"You're starting to lose it, Flick," Jake spoke up as he sat up. "I thought Amy was the one that was supposed to choose. Wasn't that going to be the big event? She chooses between her brother-in-law and the mother-to-be?"
"Do you enjoy gambling, Jake?" Flick asked as he leaned down to eye level with him. "Because I can assure you, you're pushing your luck." He turned to face Amy as he continued. "But you do make a valid point. Amy has had more than enough time to think about it. So think about it, Amy?"
Amy stood up, "I've made my choice,"
"And now the moment we've been waiting for," Flick said to the entire lobby as he walked over to Amy. He put his arm around her waist and pulled her closer. "Who's it going to be? Your brother-in-law, hmm? The mother-to-be, hmm?"
/
I can only see part of the lobby through the air duct, Darrell thought to himself as he paced around the now-empty room. I need to go over the layout again. He went over to where he hid his laptop behind a dresser, pulled it out and sat down on the couch with it.
"I need to know every possible way to get those hostages out," Darrell whispered to himself as he booted the laptop up.
Suddenly, Five burst into the room. "Freeze!" he told him. Without a thought, Darrell jumped up and punched the man, who then fell to the floor in a helpless heap. He pulled the man's mask off and held it between his hands, knowing what he had to do.
Then, Darrell snapped into action and started to drag Five to a back part of the room and tied him up. He pulled the mask of his face and picked up the man's machine gun. With a deep breath, Darrell exited the room and headed for the lobby.
/
"Time's running out," Flick was saying as Darrell walked into the lobby and went to stand by Jake and Matt. "Who's it going to be, huh? The supportive girlfriend or the loving brother-in-law? Three, two, one...Time's up. Name the lucky winner."
Amy looked at Scott and Jen apologetically and then answered, "Holly,"
"Oh, a twist, I love it," Flick commented as he turned to where Lou and Holly sat. "Congratulations, little Holly. Better luck next time, you two. Oh, that's right— there won't be a next time." He turned back to Holly. "Ok, on your feet." He pushed Amy. "You sit down."
"Come on, I'll help you up," Lou said to her daughter, grateful that she was going free.
"No, you've done enough," Flick stopped her. "Put her someplace else, will you?" Two walked over to Lou and pulled her away. Holly sat very still, wide-eyed, terror written all over her face.
"My daughter is scared, she needs help," Lou argued.
At this time, the hotel manager stood up, "A couple of us can walk her out,"
"No, I said I was going to release one hostage, not three," Flick told them.
"At least let us help her to the door," Ty bartered.
"Forget it," Flick replied. "She walks out alone or she doesn't go. And to make sure of it— eight? Get a sniper rifle and take position on the second-floor window. If anyone else than Holly tries to run away, if the police gets anxious and try and storm the lobby, even if you want to do a little target practice, fire at will."
"Got it," Eight said as he walked off.
"And now that we've set the parameters," Flick started as he started to Holly and knelt down in front of her. "Hello, it's time for you to leave, Holly. Come on." Holly looked up at him and started to gather her legs underneath her. She stopped when she saw all the fearful and worries faces around and the guns.
Her lip quivered in fear. "I can't," she squeaked out.
"It's ok, Holly, it's going to be ok," Amy spoke to her, then turned to Flick. "Release Jen instead."
"Sorry, no exchanges," Flick said without taking his eyes off Holly. "It's Holly or no one."
"She needs someone to help her walk to the door!" Lou suddenly exclaimed.
"Well, that's too bad," Flick said. "She walks alone!"
"Well, you got what you wanted!" It was Amy's turn to outburst. "You tortured us all, you made me choose! Now, just let her go!"
"Wow, such passion," Flick commented. "How can I refuse that?"
"Five?" Darrell looked at Flick. "Take her to the door. Are you happy now?"
Darrell walked over to where Holly still sat. He touched her small arm and she looked up at him with the saddest bluest eyes he had ever seen. "Come on, your getting out of here," he whispered to her. Darrell scooped her up and started making his way to the door.
/
"There's movement in the second-floor window," Ray informed the unit when he spotted someone open up a window on the second floor.
"Is it a hostage?" Mike asked him.
"A sniper," the captain of the SWAT team answered him. "I can see the rifle."
"Get your men into position," Ray ordered the captain when he had walked over to him. "If he fires, take him out." Ray leaned down on the squad car he was behind and drew his gun. Everybody outside looked on, all wondering what was going to happen next.
Suddenly, the hotel doors opened and a small girl started to come out. She looked frightened as she looked back to the lobby and then toward the police.
"Someone's coming out!" a detective shouted to the unit.
"Watch the sniper!" Ray ordered. "Prepare to fire!"
As the little girl started to make her way to the police, Tim Fleming recognized her immediately. "Oh my god, it's Holly!" he exclaimed. At that moment, the sniper in the window fired.
"Take out the sniper!" the captain ordered the SWAT team. A shot was fired and then the sniper returned fire again. Holly froze at that time and her face paled.
"Something's wrong," Tim murmured to himself.
Inside the lobby, Lou launched herself at the door as more and more gunshots were heard, but Ty grabbed a hold of her. "They're shooting at her!" she cried. Tears were now streaming down her face as she thought of her daughter in the middle of a gun battle and possibly getting hit by a stray bullet.
As another gunshot went off, Holly fell to the icy ground.
"Hold your fire!" Tim yelled at the police. "Hold your fire!"
Lou turned towards Flick, who just had his gun raised to the ceiling, with that evil smirk on his face. "Just make them stop shooting!" As Lou pleaded, Sam looked towards Five, who was standing just behind Lou. Something about him seemed so familiar. Her eyes widened as she figured out who it was. Darrell.
A/N: Again, I am really sorry you had to wait this long, but I plan on getting started on the next chapter right away. I promise. You can hold me to that.