A/N: I understand if you hate this chapter. I hate this chapter. With a PASSION. It's got to be the most boring chapter I've ever written. Or something like that. So I apologize at the terrible boringness. :P

Enjoy!

"Where are they?"

Henry O'Connell turned to see a slim brunette woman striding towards him, a preteen girl close on her heels. They slipped under the yellow tape that held the spectators back, ignoring the protests of Henry's teammates as they went.

Great. Just what he needed. Henry rubbed at his eyes with one hand, tired of all of the things going wrong. First the press screwed up and let the robbers inside the bank know that they had celebrities as their hostages. Then one of the ex-hostages that came out demanded to go back inside to help out the teenage boys still trapped in the bank—and she was only nine years old. And now this. Whatever this was.

"Ma'am," he said, coming up to the woman, "this is a restricted area. You really shouldn't—"

"I am the mother of Kendall Knight," she snapped. "I am the legal guardian of the three other boys in that bank. You tell me right now what you're doing to get them back or so help me, I am marching in there myself."

"You are not allowed back here," Henry said firmly.

"We're not taking no for an answer," the girl said, standing next to her mother. Simultaneously they crossed their arms stubbornly, glaring at him.

Henry didn't have the time to deal with this. "Martin," he called to his younger partner. Josh Martin hurried over with a curious look in the women's direction. "Take these young women to the van," Henry said. "Brief them on what's going on."

Martin obviously caught the pleading look in his eye, because he nodded and took the woman and her daughter without one smart aleck comment.

Henry gazed at the bank's windows. The sun reflected off of the glass, preventing them from seeing inside. But if what Rick had said was anything to go by, he realized that it might now be going so well in there.

…

"And they say smoking can kill you!" Rick laughed loudly in Logan's ear. He held him close to his chest with one hand clapped over his mouth, the other hand clutching a cigarette.

Carlos wanted nothing more than to rush over and beat the living daylights out of Rick. As it was he could only glare and try not to fall apart as Rick shoved the burning cigarette onto Logan's exposed arm. Logan whimpered and squirmed uselessly in Rick's grasp, making Rick laugh harder.

James was the only one still shouting at Rick to stop, but even his voice was growing hoarse. Carlos felt drained and frustrated knowing he couldn't protect his friends. Kendall had passed out a long time ago, being the first to learn Rick's definition of "fun" when the robber poked his broken ribs, burned him with his cigarette, and very casually leaned with his boot on Kendall's windpipe until the blonde lost consciousness. It was the scariest thing Carlos had ever seen, and he knew that Logan was about to receive the same treatment.

Sure enough, Rick grew bored with Logan's weak struggling and released him. Logan crashed to the floor and landed on his side, gasping lungfuls of air as if he'd never breathed before. Rick used his foot to nudge him onto his back and started to lift his boot into the air, when the phone's shrill ringing shattered the tense silence.

Annoyed at the interruption, Rick lifted his gun and said threateningly to Logan, "Don't move, Doc."

Logan didn't move. The boys watched at Rick strode to the counter and picked up the phone almost lazily. "Yo."

He listened for a second. "You got my money, but you don't have my escape plan." Sighing heavily, he made a hissing sound through his teeth. "I don't know how long these boys can hold out until one of them dies…"

Carlos ground his teeth together at the poorly veiled threat. He hated this—hated it. It wasn't just not moving. It was not being able to help Logan as he rubbed his burned arms on the cool tile floor, or preventing Kendall from passing out two feet in front of him. His friends were hurting and he was the only one still intact, and he hated it.

He watched as Rick's face turned red. "You listen here," he said tightly, "I am not letting you even lay your eyes on them until I get my money and my bus. Call me again, and I shoot the blonde."

Rick slammed the phone down on its cradle, making Carlos flinch. He looked over at the three who were still conscious, taking note of James' glare, Carlos' struggling to get free, Logan's hard time breathing. Shaking his head, he said, "What makes you boys so special, hm?"

"We're everything you're not," James said caustically.

"James," Logan breathed in warning.

Rick walked to James and knelt in front of him. James' jaw clenched as he held his gaze. Rick nodded, brought his hand up, and backhanded him across the face.

"James," Carlos started to say, but stopped as Rick turned to glare at him.

"Trust me, kid," he said to James as the brunette turned to face him again. "If I had duct tape on me, you wouldn't be talking. But I can always use your sock. So do us both a favor, and shut the hell up."

"Rick," David called.

Rick looked up expectantly, and David nodded. "We found it."

"Good." Rick straightened up slowly, nodding as a slow smile spread across his face. "Good."

They watched as he walked briskly to the back room, nearly running over David. The kinder robber turned to them and locked eyes with Max, the only other robber watching them.

"Rick might need help opening it," he mumbled.

Max didn't move for a second, studying David. "Fine," he said. "Watch them, though. And don't go mushy on us. If you mess this up…"

He let the threat hang in the air for a second before turning to follow Rick through the doorway. David waited another beat, and then hurried to them, surveying their injuries. His eyes fell on Carlos, the least damaged.

"Don't have a lot of time," he said quietly, kneeling by him. "And I can't help you. But here."

He reached around Carlos and slipped something into his hands. Carlos frowned as he held the cool metal, trying to figure out what it was. Logan helped him out by peering behind him.

"A pocket knife." Logan looked up at David. "Why are you helping us?"

"It was never supposed to go this far," David said, looking away. "Now that Rick knows who you are… he's not going to let you go."

James frowned. "Wait—you knew?"

Even though the man was masked, they could sense him smiling faintly. "I have two nieces who are big fans," he said.

Voice drifted back to them, and David stood abruptly. "I did what I could," he whispered. "The rest is up to you."

"Wait, David,"eHe Carlos said. David stopped and turned to look at him, and Carlos gave him a genuine smile. "Thank you."

David paused for a second. "Press the button on the side, but make sure it's pointed away from you," he said finally.

Carlos turned the knife over in his hands. He'd never used one of these before. What button was David talking about? Oh wait—Carlos felt his thumb slide over the risen metal button on the side of the pocket knife. He was about to depress the button when Rick stomped into the room, glaring at David.

"What the hell is this?" he seethed, holding up a box.

"Um, a safe deposit box?" David turned it into a question, sounding confused.

"No, moron," Rick snapped. "This." He pointed to the lock. A key seemed half-shoved into it, but it obviously didn't fit. "This isn't the right box."

David sighed. "Yes, it is."

"No, it isn't." Rick looked about ready to throw punches. "This is his key, David. Obviously, it isn't his box."

"You need the bank manager's key to open it," David explained. "It fits with the customer's key. You know, so nobody steals it."

His voice was slightly mocking, and Rick's fair skin turned red in anger. "And you didn't think to grab the bank manager's key when he was still in here?"

David pursed his lips and didn't answer.

"Idiot!" Rick grabbed a fistful of David's black sweatshirt and pushed him to the ground next to Logan. Logan flinched away as their eyes met.

David got to his feet and ducked his head. Rick sighed heavily and pinched the bridge of his nose. After a moment of thought, he walked back to the counter and picked up the phone, hitting the redial button.

David threw a look over his shoulder at Carlos, and the Latino boy nodded. He flipped the switch and had to gulp back a yelp as he felt the blade snap open, nearly nicking his skin. Carefully he slipped it between the thin plastic that bound his wrists together. It took a tug, but the zip tie released him.

Carlos' eyes widened. He looked at Logan and James, and saw that they were both staring at him and trying not to grin.

"Henry," Rick said conversationally into the phone. "I've got some good news for you. I want to trade. One of these brats for the bank manager." He paused, listening, and frowned. "What do you mean, he's gone? Where did he go? The hospital, huh. Well, I suggest you go hunt him down. This offer only stands for thirty minutes."

Carlos waited another beat, until he got the "all clear" nod from David, and turned to he could slip the knife into James' hands. James gave him a small grin.

"You heard me," Rick said coldly. "And you know, I don't even want the manager. I just want his keys. Understand? Keys for… hm, how about the blonde? He gets on my nerves."

"His name is Kendall," Carlos snapped, leaning slightly towards his unconscious friend.

Rick waved at him, like it didn't matter. "Fine, whatever. Just get me those keys. Or else." He didn't even try to make his voice sound threatening before he hung up.

He looked at Carlos, Logan, and James. "Well, boys," he said, arching an eyebrow, "you better hope I get those keys." He pointed at Logan and smiled tightly. "We have some unfinished business, doc."

Logan glared at him, and Rick laughed. "Ooh, have we grown a spine now? What are you going to do?"

The two held gazes for a second longer, until Logan averted his eyes. Rick nodded. "That's what I thought." He looked at David. "David, a word."

A pang of panic struck Carlos at the look on Rick's face. David was the only one who looked like he actually wanted to help them. If Rick suspected that he was helping them, he would kill him, no doubt about it.

David took a deep breath and nodded, following Rick to the back room. Max and—what was his name? George?—stayed on either side of the door way.

"What…"

Carlos whipped his head to where Kendall lay. His eyes were fluttering open as his head rolled to face Carlos.

"'Los," he mumbled. "What… what happened…?"

James was the one who answered. "We're almost out of this," he muttered so only they could hear.

Kendall opened his mouth, but yelling cut off whatever he was about to say. Carlos jumped slightly as a gunshot echoed through the bank. Kendall's eyebrows furrowed and he turned wide eyes to Carlos, the closest to him.

Carlos shook his head. He didn't even know what to say.