Part Six
Alex Karev paced restlessly along the edge of the pavement, hands deep in pockets, his thoughts in turmoil. Unable to do anything or play an active role in the hostage negotiations, Alex felt useless. He hated the feeling and ever since his hesitation to accept the scalpel from Dr. Burke when trapped in a lift with O'Malley and a deteriorating patient, Alex had vowed to never feel so powerless again. Standing by bagging the patient while O'Malley had his hands in the chest made Alex feel small and insignificant, just like the present situation he had unwittingly strode into, guns blazing. And he wanted to keep it that way. It wasn't in his nature to sit idly while someone he cared about was in danger.
Officer Murphy watched the frustrated doctor, sympathizing with what the older man was feeling. He knew he would never fully understand and hoped would never actually be able to. Emerging from the nearby café, two cups of coffee in hand, he walked up to Karev, handing him one.
"Anything new?" Alex asked, accepting the proffered cup.
"Officer Grant managed to negotiate the release of two injured men."
Alex was somewhat relieved. So far so good. If Grant was getting through to the hostage takers, perhaps this whole mess could be over soon, without casualties.
"But" Murphy added, unsure whether or not he ought to proceed. Grant would chew him out if the doctor stormed through the place in a fit of emotional desperation. Yet he felt obligated to tell the man everything considering how much he had already contributed. "They're threatening to shoot one hostage every twenty minutes until the helicopter picks them up."
"You must be joking!" Alex exclaimed, staring intently at the bank building, his fear and worry increasing. "So what are we going to do about it?"
Officer Murphy didn't miss the 'we' in the question and knew he had to thread very carefully. Not only did the doctor look like he was ready to barge into the bank, now he sounded more than prepared to. "The S.W.A.T team has positioned marksmen on the roof. Last I heard, they've got a clear shot of the gunman by the window…"
"Then shoot the bastard!" Alex cut in loudly.
"They can't" Murphy explained patiently. "The other gunman has remained out of target range. So until we can secure his position, to be able to take them down simultaneously, there won't be any sniping."
"We have to so something quickly! Now! The assholes said twenty minutes!" Alex shouted, voice continuing to rise with each sentence.
"If they can't delay, another helicopter is being prepared right now to move in and take both bastard and asshole, as you aptly put it, out as they exit the bank." Murphy added, taking on what he hoped was a placating tone.
"I'm not liking this."
"There aren't any guarantees" Murphy admitted reluctantly. "Sit tight, I've got to report back to Officer Grant."
Alex nodded, gazing at the policeman's retreating back. Alone once more, Addison Montgomery was yet again the sole occupant of his thoughts. He couldn't deny it any longer. Lately she had become the one and only object of his ruminations even before she had softened up towards him. Although he hadn't shown it, he basked in the fondness of her gaze and the warmth of her voice, finding himself frequently putting in extra effort to receive her approval. But gradually he wanted more.
The Alex of old would have been frightened of the strong feelings he had regarding a certain redhead, but since becoming an intern, especially one mentored by Dr. Montgomery, he had learnt that heartfelt emotion could be channeled to fuel great accomplishments, bringing joy and fulfillment. He saw Addison with her patients and absorbed the way she showed genuine concern for their welfare. Unknowingly, she had rescued him from a lifetime of selfishness and ostracism brought on by his inability to connect with others. Alex had pretended not to care, perfecting a mean, soulless, bad-guy routine. Addison managed to see through his act, and he loved her for it. She had saved him by showing him that he mattered, and there wasn't a thing he could do to help her.
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"What did yer mean when yer told the officer that we're going to start killing 'em?" Freddy asked, casting a shocked looked at his partner.
"Take a guess" Lance replied angrily. "You're the one who decided that the best way to get hard cash was to rob a bank, so you're the one who got us into this shit. I'm going to dig us out."
Addison had doubts that Freddy had enough brains to have come up with any sort of master plan to rob a bank. Taking Freddy's flabbergasted expression into account, she knew for sure that Lance was making Freddy the scapegoat.
"They're not going to let us get away with shootin' people, Lance" Freddy replied. He was aware of Lance's dangerous streak when provoked and didn't wish to incur his wrath. In short, Freddy allowed Lance to wear the pants in their partnership because he was afraid of him.
"You think I don't know that? At least they'll hurry up on our orders. Quit jabbering unless you want me to kick you out and into their arms!"
Addison was surprised to hear Freddy continue. She figured he hadn't the balls to stand up to Lance, or maybe he had a death wish. Either way, between the two, he appeared to be the voice of reason. "If we start shooting, they'll start shooting back. We'll give 'em no choice but to take us out because we're going to be killing 'em hostages anyway. Those policemen with the fancy guns won't miss."
Just as Addison thought that Lance was softening up to Freddy's logic, her cell phone chirped. The contemplative look on Lance's face disappeared as he regarded the ringing phone in his hand. He tabbed the green button, listening silently to the speaker on the other end. Addison hoped his silence was a sign of contentment with what the police were going to provide.
"We've been ready for awhile. You'd better be ready to roll 'cus I'm certainly ready to fire my gun and I may well get off more than one round into more than one body."
Hearing Lance's reply, Addison realized he was a certifiable, cold-blooded killer. As she was only able to hear one side of the conversation, she couldn't ascertain whether the negotiating officer had the situation under control. Needless to say, all their lives depended on the said officer's capabilities and Addison was worried those capabilities wouldn't measure up.
Silence echoed loudly in the room as everyone listened with bated breath, not daring to make a single sound lest it spark off a tragic sequence of events.
Switching off the phone, Lance informed the hostages "The helicopter is supposed to be arriving soon. You all better hope they live up to their end of the bargain."
Striding to where they had unceremoniously dumped the security guard, Lance grabbed the poor man by his lapels. "Stand up!" he commanded.
"Take it easy man" Freddy advised.
Lance was not to be deterred. "Don't you dare tell me to calm down. I'll calm down when we're out of this hell hole and in the Bahamas!" He pressed his gun into the injured guard's back, prodding him forward towards the similarly injured father. Bending down, he grabbed the father by his upper arm, roughly jerking him up. Pushing the security guard and dragging the father behind him, the trio tottered clumsily to the glass doors.
"Daddy!" the little boy called out, twisting his body, loosening Addison's hold on him. Fear of being abandoned by his father caused the child to become hysterical, and his strength borne of this terrifying prospect enabled him to break free of Addison's arms and scramble out of her lap.
The gunman turned his weapon on the small, approaching figure, index finger placing pressure on the trigger.
Before any thoughts of self-preservation could enter her mind, Addison shot to her feet, hurriedly placing herself in front of the child.
Lance narrowed his eyes, lips curling into a manic grin. "Bitch, I'd pop one into you with pleasure."
Addison's mind reeled as she flashed through different solutions, none of which guaranteed the boy's safety. Her previous action had been a result of instinct and adrenaline, but her subsequent ones needed to be made with caution and strategy. Otherwise, she would be in bigger trouble than she had already put herself in. Addison knew there was only one thing she could do. "Why don't you let the little boy go with his father?"
"No!"
"Lance, maybe we should. The kid's been nothin' but trouble" Freddy spoke up, lending support to Addison's quiet suggestion.
"I said it once, I'll say it again" Lance began. "The kid stays. No more arguments or I'll lose my patience!"
From the child's confused look, Addison was aware that he had no idea of what was about to happen. She got down on one knee and embraced the boy in a tight hug, pressing his face into her shoulder.
Turning on his heel, Lance was about to shove both men out the door, when the father lashed out with his elbow in a last ditch attempt to take out the gunman and be reunited with his son. Although the force behind the swing was weak, Lance was taken by surprise and released his hold on the injured man. Granted momentary freedom, the father called out to his son, intending for the boy and him to make a run for it.
Addison had her back to the commotion and couldn't see what was going on. All she heard was a grunt followed by a scuffle then a shout for "Jake" and before she realized that everything was going to hell, the little boy had slipped out of her arms, heeding his father's call.
"Stop!" Addison screamed, leaping after Jake, hands outstretched in a bid to grab him from behind. She was so intent on reaching the child that she didn't realize their close proximity to the rotating doors. And to the now furious Lance. As her momentum propelled the boy and herself into the father and further into the doors, Lance stepped in and with a ninety degree turn of the rotating panels, all four were deposited out front.
A/N: Oh I do love cliffhangers… -Rubs hands gleefully- but I love reviews more!