The Next Wrinkle

As we tried to determine our next course of action, a new wrinkle was added to the mix. The lights briefly returned and went back out. Presumably other circuit breakers were tested until the loudspeaker crackled to life. For a time there was only distant noise being broadcast but eventually a grumbling became clearer and clearer. This culminated in a while of feedback and the sound of microphone adjustment before speech was deliberately broadcast.

“Okay lady! Very funny! I'm trying to be nice here. I wanna do this the easy way for both of us. No fuss, no muss, in and out without having to bust up the joint too much. But let me tell you this: you only get once. That's it! And that was it! You got ten minutes to meet me at that door and open it or we're gonna start throwing dummies at that thick glass window until it breaks. We may get a little trigger happy at that point too. Ten minutes! Tick-tock! And bring your chair-swinging boyfriend with you too!” Squealing, the microphone was roughly thrust aside.

Larry broke the awkward silence. “Well, he certainly sounded cross.”

Harry hummphed with irritation. “Thank you for that observation. I don't know that we had noticed that.”

“It's not an unreasonable point to make,” I interjected. “There didn't seem to be any bluster in that speech. He's mad and likely to do what he says he'll do.”

Ms. Chapman was clearly uncomfortable. “I don't wish to return to his clutches. At the same time, if we don't placate him, I'm concerned about the consequences, not so much for the building, but for the people yet inside.”

“We don't know who is left in the building,” Harry pointed out.”We may well be all there is left.”

“There are some left in the office,” Ms. Chapman retorted. “They were captured with me.”

“They may already be dead at the hands of these violent men,” Harry suggested.

“If they are not?” Ms. Chapman demanded. “If they are unharmed and become harmed due to my inaction? How should I feel then?”

“You're starting to make me feel guilty for pulling you away from them,” I noted.

“Had I thought it was that bad an idea, I could have resisted more.” She smiled slightly. “It's not like I wanted to stay with that criminal and help him accomplish his wicked goals.”

Harry was clearly concerned. “It doesn't seem right that you should give yourself up like that. There must be something we can do to help.”

Larry blinked. “We?”

“You and I,” Harry explained. Larry just stared at him dully, causing Harry some excitement. “You're not just going to tell me that you're just going to walk out on these people in their moment of need, are you?”

“Can we?” Larry asked.

“No we cannot,” chastised Harry.

Larry smiled brightly. “I was only checking.”

I had a thought. “It seems that our problem, at a very basic level, is that these bad guys have hostages. If you two can try to free them, it removes that bargaining chip from their side. I know it won't be as simple as that...”

Harry interrupted. “Sir, you may rely on us.”