A/N: Thanks for being patient with me. Here's another update sooner than the last one. I'll try to keep these frequent with the holidays upon us and all.

"Excuse me?"

Burke and Franco turned at the two women approaching them.

"LAPD," said Tori as she and Jordan displayed their badges. "Can we ask you a few questions?"

Goatee smirked and replied, "What's this all about?"

"We're actually wondering if you guys have seen anything strange?"

Jordan's query fell flat for the fellow with the ponytail. He was still engrossed in his phone call.

"What's with him?" asked Tori.

"He's in the middle of an important call if you don't mind."

The indignance of this guy was grating on Tori's nerves.

"Sir?" Jordan asked, trying to get the other man's attention. "Can you hang it up?"

Ponytail covered the receiver and snidely stated "It's important."

"Hello, police?"

Tori suppressed the urge to chuckle at Jordan's quip and continued the line of questioning.

"See we have a missing person and someone potentially dangerous running around the area. It would be beneficial if you took this matter a little more seriously."

Kristoff heard a loud clunk-click of the metal door behind him.

Alarmed, he tried opening it but it didn't budge.

"What the hell? Hey, Heinrich!"

His beefy partner ran across the long corridor to see what the problem was.

"What is it?"

"The exit its locked tight."

Heinrich positioned himself to test the door with his girth but it wouldn't relent.

"I heard something," Kristoff explained. "I think it was remotely locked."

The pair knew about the technological advances in this hotel before the mission. A place this big they had to know not just the ins and outs but any surveillance or security features that might prove useful.

Plan B was created in the chance of something going wrong where the unit couldn't simply walk out. O'Reilly with his master key was going to use the master lock system and trap guests and staff while they slipped away.

The key card would only grant them access to security headquarters which was located just above the lobby on level two. However, if the master lock was engaged to all doors, no key card anywhere would work. So O'Reilly would have to be very careful about which doors would remain accessible; they'd have to adhere to the escape route.

How would they know nobody would be around in this particular section of the hotel? They would set off the fire alarm and knowing from the diagrams the exit procedure would lead the people away from the service elevator. Locking the adjacent doors was an added security that nobody would accidentally happen upon them. This path would ultimately lead them to the underground parking where trucks would arrive to unload food and supplies.

Then its the outside world. And they would disappear.

But this wasn't right. No notice or anything; this door was now shut and nothing would open it.

"What the fuck is going on up there?" asked a worried Heinrich.

Kristoff was more angry than concerned. He didn't care for changes to the plan and other surprises without his knowing. This was not how you pull off an operation.

"Get those assholes on the phone!" ordered Kristoff.

"I don't know!" Franco loud-whispered into his phone. "We've got cops here..."

"Sir," began Jordan gripping her gun. "I'm gonna have to ask you to hang up the phone. Now."

He looked steely at them and proceeded to mutter something in Dutch into the phone.

"That's it!" Tori pulled out her piece. "Hands up!"

She knew they looked suspicious but these boys are downright criminal up close.

Jordan clicked her gun.

"I'd do what she say if I were you; she's not having the best of days."

Franco suddenly took a stance like he was going to drop his bag and throw down.

"Easy, pal!" warned Tori.

"It doesn't have to be this way," added Jordan.

Burke turned around and noticed the swarm of cop cars pulling up out front.

"Yes it does," Burke said.

He pulled a hand cannon that was tucked in his pants behind his back and aimed it.

Franco followed suit but he actually fired toward the gathering officers, shattering one of the revolving door panels.

The commotion sent everyone in the lobby into a straight panic and they ran away from the melee toward the exits and were horrified that they couldn't get out.

Someone from the crowd grabbed a nearby fire extinguisher and used it to further break the glass to get people out. Meanwhile Tori, Jordan and the guys were trying to not get trampled.

Finally, Burke shot in the air and shouted,

"ANYONE WHO MOVES I'M GOING TO SHOOT THEM!"

People who hadn't made it to the front turned around and put their hands up.

In the confusion, Jordan lost track of Tori for a moment and...

There she was with Franco behind her, arm wrapped around her neck tightly. His other arms planted his pistol squarely at Tori's temple.

"PUT DOWN THE GUN OFFICER! OR YOUR PARTNER GETS IT!"

Tori tried to tell Jordan to not listen to him and take the shot. But the air was not getting into Tori enough for her to make an audible sound. Her eyes began to get bloodshot.

Jordan stood there, frozen. She never freezes when her gun was drawn.

Her body was starting to become limp.

"OKAY!"

The redhead held up her free hand while squatting slowly to relieve herself of her firearm. She threw it across the floor.

Franco then threw Tori's form at Jordan who barely caught her. She couldn't stand on her own; she was passed out.

"Tori? TORI?"

She was still breathing but they were shallow.

Today had taken a toll on her and she hadn't been taking the best care of herself these past few weeks. In her prime, she could bounce back from a scuffle like this but he got the upper hand and she was down for the count.

Franco picked up the gun and handed it to Burke, who had just collected Tori's gun as well. He placed it in his big bag. Inside were more weapons and ammunition.

"Can I have your attention please!"

He didn't scream but he spoke sternly and with authority.

"Everyone get down on the floor and STAY DOWN! If you cooperate, you can walk out of here. Disobey or drag this whole situation out, and we will start executing people. UNDERSTAND?"

Muffled screams and cries permeated through the massive room.

"And I promise you, if I run out of people here there is a whole hotel full of people that will die!"

Burke walked up and down the lobby, checking areas where people might be hiding. Directing people with his head movements, since he was double-fisted, he drew them out and rounded them together with the others.

Jordan held Tori's head in her lap.

Franco fished out his phone and with one hand dialed his cohort.

"O'Reilly? What's your status?"

(You have got to shitting me!)

"Well we have our own problems down here. Engage the fire doors. Now."

O'Reilly and Esperanza jumped between the railings in the stairwell to descend floor after floor in mere seconds. But they ended up losing Carlos.

"What's happening?" asked Esperanza when O'Reilly hung up his phone.

"It's a lot worse. Let's say our little problem is smaller by comparison."

The tan assassin wasn't amused.

"Pardon?"

"Downstairs in the lobby is a hostage situation and the building is now surrounded by LA's finest."

"Carajo!"

O'Reilly added, "I need to engage the fire doors so the cops don't get in. Think they know the exit for Plan B?"

"Lets us pray that the swine do not know. When you're done, touch base with Kristoff and Heinrich. I'm sure he's pissed off."

"Where are you going?"

Esperanza cracked his neck as he checked that his gun was loaded and ready.

"I'm tired of you slowing me down. I'll find Carlos myself."

(You want something done right, you have to do it yourself. These morons had better make sure we get out of here alive.)