A/N: Things are not getting easier for our heroes. But such is life; plans go wrong, things get sticky, a situation can turn on a dime.
What will they do now?
BTW; that MGM Grand fire was very real and its fascinating to learn about. There's a doc or two on YouTube about it. Plenty of photos and video to give the impression of how bad it was.
I'll try to crank out another chapter in time for Christmas. I'll see you either the 24th or the 25th!
;-)
Kristoff and Heinrich joined their brethren in the hotel lobby.
"So this went from bad to worse," sighed Heinrich. He then looked at Jordan still holding Tori, who was now coming to. "What's with these two?"
"They are the police officers who are going to arrest us," quipped Franco.
Heinrich knelt beside them.
"Oh? How adorable."
"Enough!"
They looked toward Kristoff.
"No more games; we need to figure out our strategy," he pointed to the fire doors. "That has bought us a little time but we need to wrap this up quickly."
He then turned to Franco.
"Where is the Mexican?"
Before he could speak, O'Reilly descended the stairs to the lobby.
"He's on the case with the..." he looked around for any listeners. "the target."
Kristoff shook his head.
"Explain to me how he managed to slip between your fingers."
O'Reilly gave him a stare.
"Dunno, I was only going by YOU'RE intel!"
Kristoff didn't flinch but he was confused by that.
"The hell are you talking about?"
"Right floor, WRONG ROOM!" This time the ginger was in the blond's face. "And if you think I'm pissed about that, I can hold a candle to how much Esperanza is fucking livid. If it weren't for me, the LAPD would be cracking open your skulls like ripe melons. So get off my back!"
"OKAY!"
Franco's thick accent resonated throughout the room.
The group of men clad in black huddled close while keeping a peripheral on the crowd for any sudden movements. They didn't need to be privy to the conversation. The people must always think that they are totally in control.
"Let's focus here. O'Reilly? You're our eyes and ears for outside. Think you can tap the radio signals?"
The carrot-top nodded.
"Whatever the cops are planning, we need to know. Kristoff and Heinrich can maintain crowd control."
Franco then focused on the man with the goatee.
"Burke? You escort the cops out of here and lock them up in a closet or something but keep them alive. They might be bargaining chips; the police won't kill us while we are in possession of two of their own."
"What about you?" asked Kristoff, indignantly.
"I'm getting us out of here while all of you maintain some kind of order."
"And just how are you going to do that?"
Franco winked.
"Trust me. I have as they say...an ace in the hole."
"Uh guys..."
The group turned toward Burke, who was standing by himself.
"Why are you just standing there?" asked Franco. "Get the cops and..."
"You mean the cops that were right here?"
Franco's eyes widened and he fully took in that the guy was standing right where the two officers were.
They're gone.
"SHIT!"
"Did you say Vega?"
Talmadge's question derailed Dillon's train of thought.
"Yes, sir. Tori Vega and Jordan Silver."
"JESUS CHRIST!"
The man paced a few steps back and forth in a messy circle.
"Of all the blues to have inside we have those two?"
"Is that...bad...sir?"
"If by bad you mean TNT and gasoline being brought to put out a fire, then YES! Those two are nothing but trouble, especially Vega. Trouble just follows that pair and if I can somehow get through this whole shit show without talking to..."
"Deputy Chief?" called out a female voice.
"Yes?" he asked.
"Tori Vega is on the phone She's asking for whoever's in charge out here."
Talmadge looked at the sky.
"For fuck sake!"
Jordan stood by the door of the hotel manager for backup. Luckily they never frisked her; she had her two spare smaller handguns. They're petite but they can pack a punch. She's no sniper; she doesn't need much to inflict damage when she's packing.
She looked briefly back at her partner, who was able to sit up and hold her phone.
Tori's head was in her other hand; still swimming a little from being passed out.
"Who is this?" she asked.
"This is Deputy Chief Ken Talmadge, LAPD."
(Okay, the LAPD was implied but you do you, my dude.) Tori thought.
"This is Tori Vega. I'm here with Jordan Silver. We are both trapped in here with the hostages. Have to be at least fifty or sixty in the lobby. We appear to be sectioned off from the rest of the hotel."
"And where exactly are you calling from?"
"We managed to slip away while they were distracted. They're ruthless but not what I would call organized."
"So you are no longer in view of the hostages?"
His tone was not sitting well with Tori.
"Maybe its the temporary deprivation of oxygen talking but I'm getting the impression that you're being accusatory."
"Well what else can I think? You just abandoned those people..."
"What exactly was I supposed to do?" growled Tori. "We saw an opportunity and we took it. Right now they have the upper hand. If we're going to tip this back in our favor and take them down, we need to act."
"Just like your father..."
Tori gripped the phone so tightly she looked like she would break it into pieces.
"Don't you EVER mention my father! You even say anything bad about him in a dream, you'd better wake up and apologize!"
Jordan looked like a deer caught in the headlights and that isn't a look normally seen on her.
Blood-boiling Tori Vega can be a scary thing.
"He is more of a man and more of a cop than you could ever hope to be!"
(Where did this all come from?) wondered Jordan.
"Listen to me Sergeant..."
"No, YOU listen! I know all about you, Talmadge. Throwing my dad under the bus when you were partners. How could you?"
"He was soliciting..."
"HE WAS UNDERCOVER! AND YOU KNEW!"
The accusation wasn't entirely unfounded. David Vega when he was a detective was given a deep cover assignment to flush out a human trafficking ring in LA. He was only partners with Ken Talmadge for six months. But Vega was told to keep this assignment close to the chest. He wasn't to disclose the thing to anybody, not even his partner. So when Talmadge followed him one night, he was under the impression that Vega was on the take. He reported him to their superior and it caused a shit storm.
The government agency that recruited the young Vega basically distanced themselves from him because they didn't want to jeopardize a three year investigation. It wasn't until the primary arrests were finally made and the whole operation was dismantled that the truth finally came to light. David Vega had to endure a reputation as a dirty cop during that whole time before everyone knew what had really happened. He never forgave Talmadge and to the latter's dismay, rose to the ranks of Captain and was able to keep his department in ship shape while Talmadge surpassed him and was poised to become the new chief of police.
But David didn't care. His name was exonerated and he dedicated himself to his fellow officers, including his daughter who proved to be quite the prodigy.
Tori didn't tolerate for anybody to talk shit about her deceased father but especially Ken Talmadge, who stabbed him in the back.
"GUYS!" Jordan shout-whispered. "Can we stop the squabbling, please? I have been the responsible and level-headed one all day and I'm exhausted."
A silence hung in the air until Talmadge broke it.
"Listen, Vega. You don't like me and the thought of you gives me anxiety."
The half-Latina smirked. She took that as a compliment.
"But we are they only chance these people have. So, truce?"
Tori looked tiredly at Jordan.
"Yeah, I can do that."
Jade looked around for something to wedge between the elevator doors to pry them open.
No such luck.
She kicked the wall, making a loud thud. Crossing her arms, she had an idea and looked up.
There was a service hatch. With a key lock.
"Well shit," she sighed. "So much for that idea."
Jade rubbed her eyes until they felt like they were going to burn out of her skull.
"Nothing left to do but..."
The red button beneath all of the floor buttons.
PRESS FOR EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE.
(Do I even have a choice?)
BOOP BOOP BOOP BOOP
"Mmmmm," mused O'Reilly.
"What's that blinking?"
He pointed to the flashing yellow dot on the grid of the hotel displayed on-screen.
"Elevator number 6. Seems we have somebody stuck on the tenth floor."
"Is it a problem?"
O'Reilly shrugged. "Not really. But..." he grinned. "It may just be our wayward policewomen."
"I'll check it out."
Renato sat back in his chair and dialed for Esperanza but it went straight to voicemail.
"Rude."
He then got a call from Franco and pressed the green spot to answer.
"What is going on?"
"Not much, boss. Just all hell breaking loose. Might want to shoot whoever gave you the room number for Carlos."
"Shit," he sighed heavily. "What's the damage?"
"Two civilians dead. But that's not the worst part."
Renato could feel his blood pressure rising but tried to maintain his composure.
"What happened, Francisco?"
The man from the Netherlands didn't care for the diminutive but if he was going to play nice with anyone, might as well by the one who pays him.
"I don't know what happened here but the cops are surrounding the whole building. It's like every cop in the city is on our doorstep."
"Sounds like you are in a bad situation, my friend."
"We've got the the situation in hand for now. This place is sealed tight from the authorities."
"But you are trapped as well."
"Yes. I'm going to need help. In case we ran into trouble in Los Angeles. You mentioned before that you have...acquaintances that owe you a favor or two. Now would be a good time."
"Alright, Franco. Give me a little time. Just let me ask one more question."
"What?"
"Have we taken Carlos out yet?"
"Last I heard Esperanza was on the case."
"Listen and listen well. I am willing to pull the strings necessary to get you all out in one piece. But none of you are getting out of that building until your original target is terminated. I did not go through great expense and effort to send six killers to one man and they couldn't even do that."
"But boss..."
"You will get Carlos. You will kill him and send me proof. Only then will I allow you to leave. And you will be fully paid as promised BUT Carlos must be eliminated. Understood?"
"Yes."
"I will call with further instructions. In the meantime don't do anything stupid."
He hung up and stared outside his window. The sun was setting over the lush trees that stretched into infinity.
"And I know just the tree to shake."
"Anybody out there?"
Jade pounded on the metal doors, her hands becoming sore from the effort.
"SOMEONE HELP!"
She then heard what sounded like footsteps approaching. This loud coming through the walls had to be boots.
"Hello?"
The male voice sounded like it couldn't be real. She thought for a second that she had imagined it.
"Can you hear me?" Jade shouted.
"Yes! You're trapped?"
(No shit, Sherlock!)
"Is anybody else in there with you? Anyone hurt?"
"No just me!" she replied.
"Are you okay?"
Jade nodded. "Yes, I'm fine."
"Alright, stand back."
She heard the unzipping of a something and the banging of metal (tools?) and was startled by the heavy tap on the doors. Then a slim crowbar appeared between the metal monoliths and turned sideways, pushing them open.
Once wide enough, the metal bar was jammed between them to leave plenty of room.
But Jade's face fell when she got a good look at her rescuer.
He was grinning and holding a gun at her.
"Well hello there!" said Burke. "Small world, isn't it?"