Hours passed by as Jack sat slumped against the wall, analysing the criminals movements carefully, trying to detect if they really did have the guts to go through with what they'd set up. Jack asked them questions, trying to feel around for any clues so that he could manipulate them and persuade them to give up, but all he managed to do was get them worked up. Jack looked back towards the man that he'd found originally lying in the puddle of blood. He was slowly bleeding to death, and Jack could see the look in his eyes that he'd felt up on the cliff, he needed to get to a hospital.
"If you don't get that guy outta here soon then you'll be in even more trouble." Jack advised the two thugs, both with balaclavas covering their faces. They looked at one another.
"We're already in a lot of trouble.." The taller one reasoned to the other, "we didn't want it to get this far, I don't want to be a murderer." He protested. The smaller, chubbier man of the two nudged him in the ribs.
"What are you moaning about? We can't back out now! We're going to end this!" He said, raising his gun at the next hostage.
"No!" Jack shouted, earning both of the criminal's attention. "Why don't you let them go, then just have me? You'll have as much power by just keeping control of me than all of them, and at least this way you won't have 4 deaths on your conscience." Jack said. After a few moments of exchanging of looks, they finally agreed, and sent the other hostages out, carrying the injured man. Jack gave a sigh of relief as he accomplished the first stage of his mission, getting the hostages out safely. Now all he had to do was obtain control of the situation, and get out alive. He knew that this wasn't going to be as easy as his first step had been.
Martha was sat silently alone, 5 wine glasses occupying the clear table. The waiter came up to her with a slight smile on his face.
"Will that be another wine Madame?" He asked. "Or will you be retiring, as there are some couples awaiting a table." He said. Martha sighed as she gently rolled the wine glass base around on the soft white tablecloth.
"I'll have the bill please." She said, disappointment clearly present in her voice. She couldn't believe how stupid she'd been for thinking that Jack was going to propose. He couldn't even be bothered to turn up. She looked at her phone. 'No missed calls' she thought to herself. She then heard the great chime ring from the grandfather's clock that was displayed on the other side of the room. "9 o'clock." She mumbled. "Well I waited for 2 hours." The waiter returned with a smug face and the bill, gently resting it on the table and clearing the glasses. She took out her purse and paid the bill. Martha stood up, releasing a sigh, and walked towards the door, past all the sympathetic stares that she'd been receiving for about an hour and a half now. She walked out the door, humiliated.