When Max got down to the ER, all the patients, nurses, and doctors are sitting on the floor crammed into Trauma 1. The gunman is standing guard out front with Casey and Bloom as his frontline hostages.
"Hi, there guys," Max said.
"Don't come any closer. Show me your hands," the gunman said. Max took his hands out of his pockets, showing open palms, then did I quick spin just for added evidence.
"You asked, I'm here. No security. How can I help?" Max said.
The gunman looked around Max like maybe there were security hiding in plain sight behind him.
"You have access to the entire hospital do you not?" The gunman asked.
"I do," said Max calmly trying to assess how many people were being held hostage.
"And if you called Dr. Sharpe she would come, right?"
"I mean, I guess, but she might be busy. Can we please let these people go?"
"You better be convincing then. If she does not come, then these people will die."
"I understand where you are coming from," Max tried.
"No you don't," he spat.
"I do, your wife died. My wife died too. I get the pain man. I get you wanting to blame someone, but do all these people need to suffer? How about we let these people go and I will call Dr. Sharpe down, and we can have a little chat just the three of us?"
"My wife did not die, she was murdered by Dr. Sharpe. She killed my wife. She needs to pay for that."
The gunman was getting anxious and kept tapping Casey and Bloom on the side of the head with his wildly moving guns.
"Hypothetically, if I do call Dr. Sharpe down here. What would you like to do with her?" Max continued to stall trying to devise a plan out of this situation. "What do you think this vest is for?"
The gunman took one of his guns off his hostages and pointed it at his explosive vest. Several pipe bombs were attached to a string of wires that led to several more pipes of explosives.
"Ok, you have made your demands and I can deliver her to you, but I need something in return."
"And what is that?"
"I need these people to be let go and for this meeting with Dr. Sharpe to happen far from any innocent souls." The gunman was considering Max's offer. "These people did not hurt your wife. Dr. Sharpe did." Dr. Bloom gave Max a look of betrayal, Max put his hand up and gave her a reassuring look. He had a plan and she needed to trust him.
"How do I know these people won't immediately call the cops and have this place surrounded?"
"You don't, but according to your plan. You never planned to walk out of this hospital alive anyway. It's a win win. I can get you the meeting you desire in a secluded area and you will keep the casualties to a minimum. Do we have a deal?"
"Yes."
The gunman ushered for Bloom and Casey to get out of his way. Bloom hobbled over to Max putting a lot of weight on her cane.
"Bloom you need to get these people out of here. The second we are out of sight, get them out. And text Iggy to follow the plan no matter what," Max whispered to Bloom.
"Enough talking. Boss man, come with me." The gunman pointed one gun at Max while the other pointed out of the ER where we wanted to go.
"What plan?" Bloom quietly pleaded as Max walked away.
"He'll understand. Get to safety." Max had uttered one too many words as he felt the side of a gun pistol whip him in the face. Max fell to his knee and felt the blood seep out of his new formed cut on his forehead. A warming swelling sensation on his cheek.
"Get up. Move. No more talking." The gunman pointed his guns at Max's back as the walked out of the ER.
Dr. Bloom and Casey unlocked Trauma 1 and let all the patients, nurses, and doctors out. "Doctors and nurses, grab anything you need to treat these patients and head for the exits. Patients we will meet you outside. Please get as far from the hospital as possible." They did not need to be told twice. "And Casey, call 911."