Chapter 4 The View From Under the Table
Jeff landed hard on several boxes that collapsed under his weight. As he struggled to stand up he heard terrified cries around him. Once standing, he realized that a man had just been killed. He froze, his insides shaking, unable to look away from the gunman, even to find Bogg.
Suddenly he felt a firm hand on his shoulder, pulling him backwards. He stepped back quietly and suddenly Bogg was in front of him, blocking his view of the gunman. In one fluid motion, he felt himself pushed down roughly so he was suddenly under a table facing the side of a small filing cabinet. Then the hand was gone and he was alone, kneeling under the table, his heart pounding. He quickly realized that he was behind a metal cabinet and much safer than he'd been just a moment ago. Bogg had pushed him into the safest place available. He felt himself calming down, though he had no idea what to do. Suddenly he saw a hand shoving the omni in his direction and realized what Bogg was doing. He wanted Bogg to have it, he'd be in more danger out there, Jeff was protected here under the table, behind the cabinet. But he'd been voyaging with Bogg long enough to know that this was no time to argue or even discuss any other course. He took the omni and reached up and squeezed Bogg's hand to let him know he understood. When Bogg squeezed back, Jeff felt tears in his eyes. He was terrified that Bogg would be hurt, or worse. He didn't want to even let the thoughts form in his mind. Suddenly, the hand was gone and Jeff was alone again.
He checked the date, hooked the omni onto his belt and wiped his eyes. He told himself he'd have to be calm and think, then took stock of his surroundings. A black tarp was crumpled up against his feet. It would keep him hidden if anyone looked under the table, so he pulled it up to cover the lower half of his body and continued to look around. He leaned back against the cabinet. There was an air duct opening in the wall on his right, an old crumpled up lunch bag and a pencil on the floor at the other end of the table. To his left, he saw Bogg's legs for only a second and when Bogg walked away, he could see the door to the hallway was open and about 6 feet away.
He listened to the conversation in the room and heard Bogg arguing for the child's life. He didn't need to see in order to know that Bogg had put himself in front of the gun and he knew that man had already killed today, twice. His whole body shook as he listened. Finally it seemed that both Bogg and the kid were out of danger and food and water were on the way.
He pulled the black tarp higher when the second gunman left to get the food and water. It was very hot and when he could hear the hostages drinking, Jeff realized how thirsty he felt. He watched as the boy ran out of the room and a few seconds later, was startled to see another person with a rifle in the hall. He started shaking when he realized they had seen him too.