Chapter 9

"I will call back in a minute. And I will only talk with you. You may think you have the power but today you do not." The spokesman slammed the phone down and turned to the assembled group.

"Okay, now we have their attention. We just wait and let them sweat."

The spokesman walked over to one of the two other women in the group. "Iskra, how are our prized hostages doing?"

Iskra looked up from Abbey's side and shook her head. "I don't like her breathing, Kiska. It's a little irregular. I wonder if you gave her too much. I mean she is much smaller than her husband."

"You worry too much. She's fine. But if something happens, who cares? I mean we'll kill them both anyway. So to lose one early won't be such a problem. Get back to your patient."

The 'nurse' walked across the room to Jed's bedside. He had not moved since given his dose so she knew he would be out for quite a while. Squeezing his burnt hands, the President didn't even stir from the pain that would been incredibly intense if he had been even close to consciousness. "He's gone for now. You, Yakov, watch him. If he even stirs, let me know. I have a few more doses I can share with our American friends."

"Kiska, you don't really want to kill them. I mean, all we wanted to do was to draw attention to our cause. To get the media, especially the American media, to realize that all we need is our own country."

"Hush," as a hand abruptly crossed Yakov's face. "Now just be quiet. I know what I'm doing." Yakov nodded, his hand trying to cover the red mark now appearing across his cheek.

Now Spitimir came forward as he stripped off his orderly jacket. "I gave Kiska the authority to run this mission and she has done a wonderful job. Kiska, thank you so much. But now, it's my turn. I will make the decisions and I will talk with the Americans. No one else." Looking directly at Yakov, he waited for a response from the group. Only agreement was voiced. "Good, now, what is next? We have our hostages and the Americans know we're here and we mean business. Kiska?"

"We wait. We wait until the Americans cannot wait any longer. Then we tell them we will kill one of the hostages if they don't comply with our demands."

"Of course," Spitimir replied. "What are our demands?"

"To show on American TV the horrors of the struggle for our freedom and the ways the Russians have crushed us."

"Sounds good. Which hostage do we kill first?"

"I don't know. They each have their own benefit. The Americans are weak when you threaten a female. But then the President is the head of their country and I guess many people would be sad if something happened to him."

"Well, we do not have to make the decision right now. Let's see how nervous the group outside gets. It will be great to be a martyr for our new country. But before any of us commits ourselves to martyrdom, it will be a pleasure to take care of these two. They should not have shown support to Russia against our cause. They are going to pay with their lives."