a/n:*peaks hesitantly around corner* I'm sorrryyyy! I know its been a while since I have updated I just lost interest in writing this one. sorry! Next chapter will be epilogueeee. Pleaseeee review!
We spent the rest of the night dancing and drinking, overall having a good time.
We leave the club around 11 and we drive back to my house.
"I'm gonna hit the hay." I say to them. They all agree that's when I remember.
"Hey guys wait, so tomorrow there is going to be a training seminar down at HQ that I was suppose to be a part of. How would you guys like to be a part of that?" I ask.
They all exchange looks. "Sure sounds fun, what do we have to do?" Jason asks.
"Umm you just have to be a negotiator, basically what I do everyday." I say. They accept that answer and head off to their separate rooms.
I trudge off to my room and collapse onto my bed. I set my alarm and turn over falling asleep fully clothed.
I must have passed out because the next thing I know my alarm is going off. I turn over and see the red lights flashing 5 am. Time to round up the troops.
"Wake up lazies!" I yell walking down the hallway that supports all the guest bedrooms.
I pound on every door until they start to wake up.
I head to my room and get ready. I shower than throw on some sweats since I have to change down at HQ .
Everyone gets into their cars and I drive my truck.
We arrive at HQ and I walk them towards the lockers.
"Ok, boys you head that way with Sam toward the boys locker rooms. Girls, come with me."
I lead them toward the girls' locker room.
I point toward the back of the room, "Over there you will find an extra change of clothes. Go change." I say.
I open my locker and pull out my clothes.
"Hey Kim, no one is going to walk in on us-right?" Aisha asks.
"No, no one will walk in on us as of right now I am one of the two only women on a front line SRU team and Donna isn't in today so we are good." Aisha nods and they all start changing.
I throw on my "bad guy" outfit as Ed likes to call it. Him and I are playing the roles of the hostage takers today so we have to dress the part. My outfit includes a pair of super tight skinny jeans that look like they had been painted on, a small black tank top with a red leather jacket. I topped the outfit off with a pair of leopard print heels.
"Wow, Kim that's a fierce outfit what exactly are you wearing an outfit like that?" Trini says.
"You will just have to wait and see." I say mysteriously.
"These outfits are huge!" Kat says. I laugh, "I know, they only order them in mens' sizes except for a few for Donna and me."
I lead them toward the workout room where the boys are already waiting.
"Jules, you ready?" Ed asks. I nod my head and walk toward him.
Greg pulls together my old ranger team, "Ok, so I know this is just for fun but we will play it as a real hostage situation. Ed and Jules will play the part of the hostage takers; Spike and Wordy will be the hostages; while, you all will be the negotiators. "
They nod their heads. "I will talk you through it the entire time. They will have pellet guns but I can't let you have any since you don't have any training. Any questions?" Greg asks.
They all shake their heads no. "So, who wants to go first?" They all look at their feet nervously.
Sarge picks Tommy and Jason to go first.
Ed and I have Spike and Wordy at gun point while Tommy and Jason step forward.
"Ok, so the first step is to connect. You want to try and understand them. Let them know you want to help." Greg says.
Jason steps forward and speaks first, "Ok, uhm what can we do to help you?"
"I want my friend released from prison!" Ed yells.
"O-ok, who is this friend?" Jason asks with a shaky voice."Remember Jason, keep your voice steady and let it portray confidence." Greg commands.
"His name is Hector of the drug cartel. We want him released!" I say next while waving my gun around.
Tommy looks thoughtful before speaking, "Ok, we can work on that. How about you tell us why you want Hector."
"No! No questions." I respond. "Just get us Hector." Ed chimes in.
"No, we need answers before we can get Hector." Tommy says.
"NO!" Ed yells before shooting a pellet into the air.
"Hey! No need for weapons just give us some answers." Tommy says.
"No! We don't play by your rules." I say before Ed and I pretend to shoot Spike and Wordy.
"Wait, why did you shoot them?" Tommy asks. Greg steps forward, "You didn't connect or respect. Never force an issue; if the subject says no approach it a different way. You want the subject to feel like they are in charge never have them feel like they have no power."
Tommy nods while Jason looks thoughtful.
"How about you two run it again. The subjects each have a sidearm they are pointing at the hostages heads. They are highly agitated." Greg says.
Jason steps up first, "OK, I'm Jason and this is Tommy we are here to help. Can you tell us what seems to be the problem?"
I glance at Ed and he winks at me, we are going to have some fun with this one. "We want the shipment of cocaine that was busted last night!" I say.
"Ok, we can work on that for you." Tommy says. "Try and get the hostages away from the line of fire." Greg instructs.
"We are trying to help you, could you help us by releasing one of the hostages as a sign of good faith?" Jason asks.
"Yea sure." Ed says before he motions for Spike to get up and leave.
Ed gives me the signal to start a commotion, "Wait! No, no hostages can leave! That was not part of the plan. Get back here." I yell. Spike doesn't turn around so I shoot him with one of the pellets.
"Wait! Wait! There's no need for that." Tommy yells.
"No! Don't tell me what to do!" I yell.
"Think about your hostages, one of them is lying on the ground bleeding. You need the subjects to put their weapons down." Greg says.
"Ok, ok. I'm sorry. What do you need me to do?" Jason asks.
"I want the dam drugs!" I yell-still waving the weapon around unsteadily.
"Ok, we have people working on that." Tommy says.
I laugh maniacally, "Oh! You have people working on that! HA! This guy has people. Does that make you feel powerful? I bet it does."
"No, of course not. Why would you think something like that?" Tommy asks.
"No! Wrong answer!" I yell before I shoot Jason and he shoots Tommy.
"Ow-what the hell was that for?" Jason asks while rubbing his arm where I shot him.
"You let your pride get in the way. Never let personal feelings cloud your judgment, as soon as you do they have won. You let your pride cloud what you were saying." I say.
"It seems like you guys have a really hard job. You do this everyday?" Jason says astounded.
"Yup, almost everyday. It's a high risk and stressful job, but when you save lives its rewarding." I say.
"I bet every time doesn't work out perfectly. You can't predict every outcome can you?" Tommy says.
A brief moment of sadness washes over me thinking about all those that have been lost in the line of duty, I know my team mates feel the same way.
"No, we can't but we can learn from past mistakes. Each one of these scenarios is from a past case file. We study what we could do differently and learn from it." I say.
"Does that always help?" Trini asks.
"No, sometimes no matter how hard you try. No matter how much you try to talk someone down they don't listen and there is nothing you can do at that point." I say while the memory of getting shot passes over me. Greg turns to me knowing exactly what I am thinking and squeezes my shoulder.
"Enough of the heavy stuff. I know your friends don't want to sit around here all day and listen to negotiations so how about we head to the gym for workouts." Ed says trying to lighten the mood. I agree before quickly going to change into some workout clothe.
We all enter the training room and turn to Greg. "Ok, everyone gear up and be back here in 5 minutes." He commands. I groan inwardly; I know where this is headed.
I show them where to grab a pack and a fake gun. I also show them how to put on the vest and all the things we need.
"Ok, my team you know the drill. Newbies its time to whip you into shape and show you how the big guns do it. Now being able to drag someone out of a burning building can be the difference between life and death. If you can carry the heaviest person on the team than you can carry anyone." Greg looks around and smiles at me.
"Ok, since you are new at this we will start out with the lightest person. Even with all of you here Jules is still the lightest so you need to drag her from this spot," He says pointing at the cone "to that spot over there and back. Now who's up first?"
No one volunteered but Zach spoke up for the first time that day, "How about Tommy he always brags about being the strongest." Everyone agrees. I snicker his ego caught up to him.
I lay on the ground with all my gear on. Tommy steps up and starts to drag me. He grunts and moans obviously having trouble. He barely drags me across the finish line, he's short of breath and sweating when hes done.
"Having trouble Tommy?" I say laughing. He nods his head no.
"Wait, can you really drag the heaviest man on your team?" Aisha asks. I nod my head yes.
"Sarge" I say and he lays down on the ground. I grab him by his tack vest and pull him from one side back to the other. I laugh at the expressions my friends have on their faces. They really didn't think I could drag him.
"Dam Kim" Jason says with awe. I laugh, its funny to see them so surprised at how much I have changed from the innocent, and weak Kimberly to this strong sniper. Life is funny that way I guess.
