OSCAR JAMES

Jesus Christ why don't things ever work out for me? I thought I was going to fucking pass out when she came though the door but not me. No way, nah uh. I know what I'm doing. She's just a glitch in the works. She looked like she was going to piss her panties when I shoved my gun in her mouth, stupid cunt. She turned all red when I yelled in her face but you know what? I almost blew a wad. It gave me such a feeling of power over the entire fucking world my dick got hard.

"What are you doing here bitch?" I hauled her skinny little ass in like she was a rag doll. I wasn't quite sure what I was going to do with her but there was no way she was going to stop me from doing what I came here to do. McCullough had to pay. He had to pay for it all. I lost my fucking house, my family and every drop of dignity I ever had. I was a soldier damn it. I fought for my country in the Gulf war and you think Uncle Sam gives a shit? Assholes like McCullough pass out dollars to welfare sucking frauds but they don't give a shit about no gulf war syndrome.

"Why'd you come in here? You work for that cocksucker? Speak up bitch or I'll blow your goddamn head off." Fucking figures all she'd do is whimper. I had to change gears to get anything out of her so I pushed her against the wall and took the gun out of her mouth. I should have stuck my cock in there. I bet those pretty little lips would stretch out nicely.

"Quit bawling. I won't hurt you." LIE. "Shut up!" God damn, why do woman whine so much?

"What do you want? Who are you?" She finally said something to me.

"Why couldn't you mind your own business huh? Why'd you come in here? That metal mouth snatch maid say something to you? I'll fucking fix her right after I finish McCullough. You're gonna help me now you got it?"

She didn't respond, but I didn't need her to cooperate. As far as I was concerned she was nothing but bait. Her timing was off but I had to deal with it. The Senator wasn't due to arrive until later in the evening.

"You got a cell phone?" I asked but she just shook like a dog shitting peach pits.

"Answer me, bitch. You got a cell phone?" The way she nodded her head made me laugh. One of those short snappy little nods like a bobble head in the back window of a Plymouth. "Use it. Call your desk and tell them to send McCullough up here. I'll exchange you for him. Senator McCullough and I have some things to discuss. I'll kill you if you say one word out of line."

RILEY

I did what I was told. My hands were shaking so hard I could hardly locate the speed dial button. I could barely talk; it was as though I was being strangled. And truth be told, my mind was spinning so fast I couldn't even see straight. The metal he'd stuck in my mouth had nauseated me. My insides were shaking and I wanted to crawl into the furthest corner and curl up in a ball, become a dung beetle, protected inside its shell. Maybe if I was that small, that quiet he'd forget I was there?

But he wouldn't let me go! I felt my arms bruising while he squeezed, my back ached from the way he had twisted me against his body.

I finally hung up the phone and he grabbed it, ripping it from my fingers.

"Oh God! Let me go, please let me go! I'm pregnant. Please!"

With that his eyes went black as night. "Your problem!" he yelled then slammed the phone across my cheekbone and I cried out. I'm sure he broke my cell.

TERRY

I was standing in the foyer when I heard the scream. Marla's voice sent such a shiver up my spine I thought she'd got a visit from those blokes who drop off the big check from that magazine company. The look on her face told me something bad had gone down.

"What is it?"

She was babbling on about Riley and some bloke with a gun but she wasn't making sense.

"Get a hold of yourself Marla. What the fuck is going on?" My heart was in my throat and I pulled out every stop to get her to calm down and spill.

"Okay. Take it easy. I'll handle whatever it is. Just breathe and tell me. What happened to Gamer?"

"He's got her!"

"Who's got her?"

"The man with the guns, he's got her and he wants the Senator in exchange for her. Senator McCullough's not even checked in yet!" Man? Guns? I didn't need any of it clarified. I knew what I needed to know. Some psycho had Gamer and he was holding her hostage. This is my job. I had to detach and go into work mode.

"Call the police. Have them put EMS on standby too. What room is it?"

"Room seventeen."

"Where's John?"

"He went to Morgan Outfitters this morning. He hasn't gotten back yet."

Just then, Natalie turned the corner and joined us, her eyes wide. She'd heard everything. Fuck. All I could hope was that she wasn't going to become a basket case too. I focused on Marla. "If he gets back you hold him here. You hear me Marla? Don't let him talk to anyone but me." I watched to make sure she understood. Right, now it was time to feel this bloke out. I tried calling Riley's cell phone but there was no answer. It was strange considering this perp was asking for an exchange. Maybe she didn't have the ring on. Fuck only knows.

I took Nat's shoulders in my hands. "Listen, I want this place evacuated now. Send the guests and staff through the back and try not to alarm them, but tell them they have to go. No panic, Natalie, got it? Do a head count. I want everyone accounted for."

"Okay. Yeah, I got it." Fuck's sake, she did look like she had it together, heading back toward the kitchen with purpose.

Marla was calling local law enforcement as I went outside to find the windows to the room where Riley was being held. They were facing front, thank God. There was no one in the courtyard and I reckoned most of the guests were still out at the slopes.

I found a spot along the edge of the main building which allowed me to look up into the windows of the room. There was no movement. This bloke wasn't a faction, he was an individual. How smart could he be? I don't reckon he'd ever done this before. The first thing I had to do was to try to open a line of communication with him. The locals were fast enough anyway. The first car pulled up and I recognized the sheriff right off. Ducking and moving to his car, I managed to keep him right at a part of the drive where we could still see the house.

"We have to stop traffic on the main road, Mike."

"I've already done that Terry. Fill me in." I gave him everything I knew and pointed the window out where Riley was being held.

"Have you been able to negotiate?"

"No. I think her phone is off. I'm going to go up there. "

Before the Sheriff could reply to me his radio crackled and the deputy announced that John and Bridgid were on their way in. He didn't have to tell me. I was already on my way to meet them. John was on me like white on rice.

"What the fuck is going on, Terry?"

I knew he was going to react and not in a good way. I put my hand at the center of his chest before I spoke. "I need you to stay calm, mate. Listen to me. Riley is in trouble. We're going to take care of it but I need you to stay calm."

"What the fuck Terry! Where is she?" He struggled against me and I could see the fear ripple out of him.

"There's a bloke with a gun. He's nabbed her but she's not his target. We'll get her out of this safe and sound, mate. "

"Fuck you! I'm going in there for her now. Where is she? Which room?"

"John, damn it you know better. You were a cop. Think man!" Speaking of cops, I saw Bridgid from the corner of my eye. Holding John against the truck I turned to her and asked. "You have any tactical gear?" She's not dumb. Didn't ask any questions, she went for the gear.

BRIDGID

I could hear them talking and I got the gist of it. I thought I left this stuff back in Philly. I kept my mouth shut and just listened as I got into my gear. I knew I left the Kevlar in the truck for some reason. Shifting my gun from my back holster to my tactical one, I reached into the truck and pulled my second vest out and laid it on the hood of the truck for Terry. He sounded so much like the captain back home when he said "Good girl" to me. I fucking hate that phrase.

TERRY

"Do you trust me, mate?" John was the most pig headed son of a bitch I've ever met. Can't say I blame him right now but he needed to get his head out of his ass and quickly.

"Yeah. Yeah. Alright." When he raised his hands and said it, I knew he was on the right track.

"I'll trust you, John. Keep your cool, mate." I let him go and my heart started to break for him. What would I do if I were in his shoes? There was no time to think about it now.

"C'mon Morgan, we're on. " She threw a headset to me and a portable radio. This Sheila has been around the block. She asked me if the Sheriff had a shotgun she could use and I nodded. That's just what I needed to cover my back. The three of us moved back to the Sheriff's car and I posted John there. It was what he said to me right then that rocked me a bit. He told me something about Gamer that no one else knew. I had to get her out of there even if it cost me my own life, two for one, what a deal.

JOHN

Stationed at the Sheriff's car. That was me. Common sense said Terry knew what the fuck he was doing but we're talking about my wife here. My wife! Jesus fucking Christ. I paced and watched Mike, Terry and Bridgid talk. It was right; I actually should be someplace else. But the closer I was, the better I'd know what the fuck was going on. I told Terry about the baby and I promised him I'd stay put. Not sure I could keep that promise. Not sure at all. That fucker hurts my wife and baby, the fucker is dead.

That's when I realized. Mike and his guys were setting up, paying no attention to me. Promise or not, I was following Terry. I'd stay back, but I had to stay close. I had to!

TERRY

"I got a name on him Terry," the Sheriff told me. He'd been working on the MDT (mobile-data-terminal) in the car and came up with Oscar James from the VIN (Vehicle Identification number) off of his car.

"Good work, mate.

Morgan and I formulated a plan. With the layout of the Inn the way it was, it was dodgy at best, but it was all we could come up with. She was going up onto the roof and I was going into the hall to try to negotiate with Oscar James. This is just a job. This is what I do. I had to keep telling myself that or I'd lose it.

"You ready, Morgan?"

"Yep."

We tested the comms quick and moved in. I waited until she was in position and I could see where she staged before I entered the Inn. The woman moved like a cat and, if anything, Oscar may have written any sounds she made off as birds. If I had to get stuck with a partner, I'm happy it's her. Her demeanor is calm and I reckon she's more relaxed than me. I hope she's got a pack of cigs.

Once I got into the building I moved up into the hallway just outside of the room. I didn't want to startle the man so I tapped on the door and stepped aside. Fucking nut might have taken a shot through the door and I wasn't in the mood for a case of lead poisoning.

"Oscar James." I heard some shuffling and then I heard Riley's voice. Thank Christ she was alive.

"Who are you? What do you want?" Oscar sounded shit scared to me

"I just want to talk to you, mate. My name is Tio. I just want to see if we can get you out of the mess you're in right now without you or anyone else getting hurt."

"I want to talk to McCullough."

"It's not going to happen right now, Oscar. He's not here yet, mate."

"We'll wait."

I heard more shuffling around and Riley squealed. If he hurt her I swear to God I'll…this is a job. This is what I do.

"Okay. We'll wait. Meantime, why don't you let the girl go? Her family is worried about her. You can hold me instead. I'll come in there and switch places with her."

"You must think I'm stupid, you fuck. You'll kill me the moment I let you in. The girl stays."

"Like I said, her family is worried about her. Let her say something to me. Let her tell me she's okay. Her name is Riley. Did she tell you that?" Telling him her name makes her more human to him, just like mentioning her family. It's a subtle tactic but it does work sometimes.

There was silence for a few moments and I could hear my god damned heart beating in my ears. Then she spoke.

"Terry. I'm sorry."

It was all he let her say. I could hear her struggle and I had no idea what he was doing to her

"I thought you said your name was Tio. You're a fucking liar. You get the fuck out of here or I'll send her out with a dozen holes in her."

"It's a nickname, mate. Take it easy. I'm not lying to you." Shit I didn't figure that to happen. I had to shift gears.

"Oscar, listen to me. Are you okay in there? It might take a while before McCullough gets here. I can get some food for you or something to drink. What about Riley? Does she need food?"

"We don't need nothing, asshole. Bring that cocksucker McCullough here and I won't hurt her."

"No matter which way this turns, mate, you're not going to win. Why make it worse for yourself? The Senator will hear what you have to say and it will be a lot easier on you if you let her go."

Once again I got silence followed by a struggle. I could hear him saying something to her and it made her cry. She was sobbing. This is my job. This is what I do.

"Call off the dogs, Tio. Get rid of the cops outside."

"I can't do that Oscar. You know it."

It was then that John came into the hall. He called out to Riley in his panic and Oscar heard him. He bellowed something and Riley screamed. I heard a shot and that was it. I had to move in. Keying up, I said one thing on the radio

"Morgan!"

I slammed into the door, crashing though just in time to see Morgan coming through the window. Oscar's attention was on her and he raised the smoking gun to shoot her. Before she could fire hers I took him out. One shot, one kill. His head exploded in a spray of crimson and as he slinked down I could see Riley lying on the floor. We were too late. Blood hell we were too late. My heart sank and I ran to her just as Morgan secured the dying Oscar. Gamer was covered with blood and I lifted her into my arms.

"Gamer!" I held her close and I swear she was trying to talk to me but all I could hear was Morgan's voice as she called for the EMS team to move in.

"Gamer!" Her eyes opened and she looked right at me. I could barely breathe. There was chaos as John and Mike entered the room.

"It's not my blood," Riley cried and it was music to my ears. She was covered with Oscar's blood. I reckon she must have struggled when she heard John's voice and Oscar pulled off a shot. Thank God the bastard missed, but I didn't.

John just about broke my neck to get to Gamer but who could blame him? I stood and holstered my gun. My eyes met Bridgid Morgan's and all I could do was nod to her. The blood on my hands felt like acid and I think she sensed it. She grabbed a towel from the bed and reached for me to wipe it off.

"Riley's alright Ter. You did a hell of a job."

"Yeah," I replied. "It's my job. It's what I do."

BRIDGID

Terry Thorne was a pro. I had no doubt in my mind, but this incident hit close to home. Let me rephrase, this incident happened at home. I don't know how he kept it together so well. If I were in his shoes, I may not have been able to.

This was a small town. In Philly we'd all be hauled in for a debriefing ASAP but here, I reckon since everyone knew everyone involved they'd let it slide for a bit.

I watched Terry as the EMS team tended to Oscar's body. He looked different. I'd like to say he was fine but I wasn't sure. No one saw him leave except me so I followed him. I called out to him when we reached the porch to the other tower.

"Terry, wait up..."

He stopped and turned. "Morgan, nice work. Go home."

"You need to talk?"

"Talking is the last thing I need... "

"Drink?"

He shook his head; Terry went into one of the suites and closed the door. I stood there for a moment before I knocked. I knocked again but heard nothing. Suddenly the door opened and I was pulled inside. I'd say more but I can't catch my breath…Now I know exactly what he needed. Care.