Brot found Jesse talking to the Sergeant in charge of the perimeter. The press were beginning to arrive in droves and not all the back-up had turned up yet.
"Sir," said Brot, leading Jesse to one side. "All three teams have reported back. The rest of the fourth floor is clear but all access to Patterson ward has been blocked. The doors are jammed shut. That's not to say a battering ram couldn't break through but that would also alert the assailant to our presence."
"Have the teams hold back for now." said Jesse with a sigh. "Has there been any progress with the security camera footage?"
"The cameras in that area of the hospital has been disabled, but Natalia was able to get this single image of the man doing the sabotaging."
Brot pulled out his phone and located the image Natalia had sent him.
Jesse took the phone and stared at an all too familiar face.
"Ricky Torres." he muttered, his suspicions finally confirmed.
"So what's our next move sir?" asked Brot.
"The only move we have left. We find out what he wants."
"And if all he wants is revenge..?" asked Brot.
"No… if that was the case he wouldn't be holed up like this. That man has a plan and we need to find out what that is."
"How do we do that?"
"First get Natalia to chase up on the Llanview coroner. I need to know how that man cheated death… And I guess it is time I made a phone call."
…
Kendal was terrified. She thought she was stronger than this. She should be angry. She should be fighting back with all her strength, but her strength had left her. She kept picturing the last time she had seen Ricky Torres, he had come so close to killing her, or worse…
She had felt so strong back then; invincible because she had right on her side. But she hadn't been strong enough. Now… now she knew she was weak.
On her knees in the doorway, she fought the urge to close her eyes and wait for Ricky's next move. Was he going to kill them?
Time ticked on and Ricky did nothing. He was waiting for something. Whenever someone spoke he harshly ordered them to shut up but beyond that they waited in silence. The only noise was the odd blip from the equipment monitoring Bianca's heart. Kendal was sure the blips were slowing down. Was that what Ricky was waiting for? Did he want Bianca to be the first one to die?
The sudden blare of Dolly Parton's '9 to 5' made everyone jump.
"Who's phone is that?" Ricky asked.
Kendal swallowed nervously.
"Mine."
She felt a hand on the back of her neck.
"Well you had better answer it hadn't you."
He dragged her to her feet and propelled her towards where her purse was sitting on Bianca's bedside table.
"Quickly." He prompted, waving his gun once more for emphasis. "And the rest of you, eyes front; hands on heads!" he barked as the others turned back to watch.
Kendal scrabbled into her purse and pulled out her phone. She didn't recognise the number.
"Answer it." said Ricky stepping closer as she put the phone up to her ear.
"H…hello." She stammered.
"Kendal, it's Chief Hubbard. Firstly can your captor hear this conversation?"
Ricky's head was right by hers. She hated the fact that he was so close and tried to shy away but he gripped her arm.
"Well talk to him." prompted Ricky
"He can hear you." answered Kendal.
"Could you tell him that I would like to talk to him?"
"Well I don't want to talk to him." said Ricky, pulling away from her slightly. "Tell him I refuse to talk."
"He doesn't want to talk to you." echoed Kendal.
"We need to know what he wants." said Jesse. "Is he prepared to tell us his demands?"
"They want to know your demands." Kendal relayed.
…
Jesse was sat at the security station surrounded by recording equipment and his initial team had been supplemented with a S.W.A.T. team and other high ranking officials and agents starting to arrive, but no one had made the move to take over the investigation as of yet.
Now he was using one of the last tools at his disposal before they would be forced to go on the attack and endangered lives, negotiation.
The phone at the nurse's station was disconnected and no one was answering the phone in the doctor's lounge. In the end the only option left was the phones of the hostages. Being the most at risk Jesse chose to call Kendal's cell first.
…
He could hear the tension in Kendal's voice when she answered his question.
"He demands that you leave. All the police and whoever else is with you, just leave. His argument isn't with you."
"You know we can't do that." said Jesse. There was a moment of muffled conversation before Kendal relayed the next message.
"In that case Ricky demands that you bring him a helicopter… a 1968 Camero… and… and plane tickets for two to Bolivia in a bag also containing twenty thousand dollars and forty-six cents… The bag has to be green."
"Ricky?" said Jesse, acting surprise at her admission in the hope to keep her talking beyond these obvious time wasting demands.
There was the sound of sudden movement and it was Ricky's voice that answered.
"Oh chief, as if you didn't know." he said coldly.
"Ricky… I need to know if everyone is safe?" Jesse asked hastily.
"Of course they're not safe." said the escaped murderer, an amused edge to his voice. "I have a gun." The bastard was enjoying this.
"Ricky we both know…"
Ricky didn't let him finish his sentence.
"No. I'm done talking with you chief. Call me back in an hour to tell me how you are progressing with my demands. This conversation is done."
With that the phone went dead.
…