Hostage

'I want more than just seeing them. I won't give you the disk until I have them.'

'I understand.'

Howell heard the car before he saw it. Clewes wheeled to a stop in the empty space next to the Mustang, the nose of his car framed dead-center in the open door. The woman, Jane, was in the passenger seat. The daughter was in the rear. They were both tied, their mouths taped.

Howell saw Talley move slightly toward the door and his wife, then catch himself before looking back at Howell.

'Tell him to get out of the car.'

Howell raised the phone.

'Marion?'

Outside, Clewes lifted his own phone. They could see each other clearly through the open door.

'Yes, sir?'

'Aim your gun at the woman's head.'

MARION CLEWES

The world was comfortable here within Marion's car, which still held that yummy new-car smell; with the windows up, the engine idling, and the air-conditioning blowing softly, Marion could hear only the two women crying and the voice in his ear. He took no pleasure in their tears.

'Yes, sir.'

Marion had his orders. Just as Glen Howell's job was to recover the disks, Marion knew exactly what he was supposed to do and when he was supposed to do it. It was all about doing your job, being rewarded if you succeeded, being punished if you failed. Success or failure were defined by the disks.

Marion raised his gun to the mother's head. She trembled, and clenched her eyes. Behind her, in the backseat, the daughter moaned loudly.

Marion smiled warmly, trying to lend comfort, even as he watched the events within the motel.

'Don't worry, ladies. You'll be fine.'

His gun did not waver from its mark.

TALLEY

The world collapsed to an automobile only ten steps away. Talley saw everything happening inside the car with a clarity so great it seemed unreal: The man behind the wheel touched a small black pistol to Jane's temple. Glistening tears spilled from Jane's eyes. In the backseat, Amanda rocked from side to side, also crying.

Talley screamed, 'NO!'

Howell kept the phone to his mouth, speaking to Talley but also the man in the car.

'Give me the second disk or he'll kill your wife.'

'NO!'

Talley jerked his gun to the man in the car but was scared that the angle of the windshield would deflect his shot. This wasn't like when Neil Craimont had killed the man holding a gun to Talley's head at the day-care center; the man in the car was surrounded by glass. An accurate shot could not be guaranteed. Talley jerked his aim back at Howell. Everything was suddenly wrong; everything that he was trying to do had gone to hell.

Howell was winning.

'I'll kill you, Howell! You'll never get the disk!'

'He'll kill your wife, but your daughter will still be alive. Are you listening to this, Marion?'

Talley saw the man behind the wheel nod. Talley shifted his aim again, back to the man in the car.

'I'll fucking kill you! Can you hear that, you sonofabitch?!'

The man in the car smiled.

Howell spoke reasonably.

'I'll still have your daughter. Your wife will be dead, but your daughter will be alive. Do you see her there in the car, Talley? But if you shoot me, then he'll kill your daughter, too. Do you want to lose both of them?'

Talley aimed at the man in the car again. His breath was coming so hard that his gun shook. If he shot low, the bullet would deflect high, but he didn't know how much; anything short of a perfect shot would cost Jane's life. If Talley shot at the man in the car, Howell or the man with the big head would shoot him, and then all of them would be dead.

Howell said, 'The negotiation is over, Talley. I won.'

Talley glanced at Howell. He measured the shots; first the man in the car, then Howell, lastly the man on the floor. He would have to make all three to save his family. He didn't think that he could make them.

Howell said, 'Drop your gun, and give me the second disk. Give me the disk or he'll put her brain on the window.'

Talley's eyes filled because he thought they would all die anyway, but he still had one chance left. One small chance, because Howell and Benza still wanted the disks.

Talley dropped his gun.

The Mustang man jumped out of the way. Howell and the big-headed man charged forward. They scooped up Talley's gun and shoved him against the wall, pinning him like an insect to a board. Howell searched him even as Talley told him about the second disk.

'It's in my left front pocket.'

Talley felt numb. Defeated. Outside, the man behind the wheel climbed out of the car and came to the door. Talley watched Amanda and Jane in the car. Jane met his eye, and in that moment he felt buoyed by a tide of love that felt as if it could carry him away.

Howell loaded the disk into the ThinkPad.

Talley watched him open the disk, and took a grim pleasure in watching Howell's face darken and grow fierce.

'You sonofabitch. This isn't the disk. This isn't the second disk! It's a goddamned blank!'