Author's note: I'm not evil…I just write that way.
Disclaimer: If I owned them, this would be an episode...a two-parter. (Insert evil laugh.)
"I want you to pull your weapons out slowly and kick them over to me," the man said.
Elliot carefully unholstered his gun and put it on the floor, sliding it to the man.
"And the other one."
He reluctantly pulled Olivia's gun out of his waistband and sent it similarly towards the perp. He stared the man down for a moment. "You were in our room this morning," he stated.
"You have a keen grasp of the obvious."
"What do you want from us?" Elliot asked, unfazed by the man's sarcasm.
"This isn't about you. I'm here for someone else."
"And yet you've got my partner at gunpoint," Elliot replied through gritted teeth.
"You were going to interfere, and ruin everything!" the man shouted, his gun hand shaking slightly. Elliot stopped talking.
He took a moment to perform a quick visual inspection of Olivia. The cut on her jaw had opened up again, and she had blood dripping from a busted lip, but otherwise she seemed unhurt. Her eyes flashed anger, probably at herself for getting ambushed.
Elliot decided to take a different approach with this guy. "My name is Elliot, and my partner, the one you're holding at gunpoint, her name is Olivia. What's your name?"
He was momentarily taken aback, but he answered, "Jason."
"Jason, who is it you're really after here?"
"That bastard Smith!" he spat. "It's because of him that the F.B.I. didn't take me."
He was getting riled up again, waving the gun dangerously. Elliot became nervous. "Okay, okay, Jason, let's just relax, huh?" he said placatingly, holding out his hands in a pleading gesture. "Tell me what happened."
Jason took a deep breath and began to relay his story. Elliot listened attentively, encouragingly.
"And after all that, he failed me. By two points, he failed me! My entire future was ruined with those two damn points!" he concluded fiercely.
"I can understand how that would make you angry, Jason," Elliot answered. "But think about what you're doing right now. Olivia's hurt. She's bleeding."
Jason seemed to only just realize his behavior. He lowered the weapon a bit, but still kept his finger on the trigger.
"That's right, just relax. We're not against you, Jason. We want to help."
"What makes you think you can help?" Jason challenged, bringing the weapon back up. Elliot grimaced slightly.
One step forward, two steps back.
"I just want to see you get out of here okay, Jason. There are at least 18 other detectives and agents here at this hotel. Do you really think that whatever you have planned will succeed?"
Wrong choice of words.
Jason's gaze snapped back up to Elliot's, burning. "You think I'm just some dumb common criminal," he alleged menacingly.
Elliot's heart rate increased, sensing his misstep. "No," he countered.
"Yes, you think I don't know what you're doing, but I know!"
"Jason, I'm just trying to make sure everyone gets out of this okay—"
"Stop talking to me like that!" Jason screamed. He tightened his arm around Olivia's neck.
Elliot opened his mouth to reply, but he was cut off by a look from Jason.
Smith was in the lobby.
Jason motioned for Elliot to move. They went quickly to the laundry room, which was deserted.
"I'm sorry I have to do this," he said quietly. "But I can't have you interfering."
He raised his weapon and brought the butt of it down across Olivia's face. She crumpled to the floor, her head making a sickening crack on the corner of a washing machine on the way down.
Elliot stepped forward, but Jason raised his gun at him. "You stay here and look after your partner," he warned. "Don't meddle." With that, he ran out of the laundry room.
Elliot moved to kneel down beside Olivia. She was conscious, but dazed. Blood seeped from a new cut on her cheek, just below her eye. He also felt her head where it had made contact with the washing machine. She winced at the contact. He didn't feel any blood there.
"Do you know where you are?" he asked in concern.
"Yes, Elliot, I know where I am, who I am, who you are, and why the hell I'm on the floor. Just go get the guy before he shoots someone."
He brushed a hand across her forehead, still concerned for her safety, but knowing that he would have to trust that she'd be alright.
He grabbed a shirt off a nearby folding table, bundled it up, and placed it under her head. "Stay here, lie still," he instructed, meeting her eyes so she would know he was serious. She nodded, then abruptly stopped as it made her head ache.
He squeezed her shoulder once more before opening the door a crack and peering out, then exiting silently, having confirmed that the coast was clear.
He had gone back to his room to grab his backup weapon, then made his way cautiously towards the shouting taking place in the lobby.
He chanced a quick glance around the corner, then ducked his head back into hiding to work out a plan.
He was ready. He took a deep breath and stepped out in full view. "Drop the weapon, Jason!"
Olivia heard three shots from two different guns, fired in rapid succession.
She hoped one of them wasn't pointing at her partner.
To be continued…
Before you get your bloomers in a twist, let me assure you…someone just got shot. Possibly more than one someone.What do you mean, that wasn't reassuring? Geez, you people are so hard to please!