Hostage

Kevin eased the door open and peered into the hall. Dim light glowed at the stairwell, coming from below. The hall seemed darker than before, masked in a blackness that made him wish for a flashlight. He heard voices and grew even more worried. If Mars and Dennis were in the office, they would see the three of them coming down the stairs.

Kevin pulled the door shut behind him and crept back along the hall to the stairwell, listening. Twice the hall creaked, making Kevin cringe. When he reached the top of the stairs, he listened harder, then felt a well of relief. The voices were coming from the television.

He turned back toward the boy's room, telling himself to hurry, to do this quickly without noise, to do it now or else the moment would pass and he would never do it; he would be trapped in this house with Dennis and Mars, and he would die. Kevin was so frightened that it was difficult to think. The boy, the girl, out. He repeated it to himself like a chant.

Something moved in the darkness ahead of him.

Kevin froze, his senses straining, his heart pounding. The girl must have come out of her room. He whispered.

'Stay in your room.'

A black shadow drifted against the darkness outside her door, but the shadow did not answer. Kevin strained to see into the bottomless grave of the hall, but saw nothing.

The floor creaked behind him. Kevin spun around.

Mars stood inches away, backlit by the light from the stairs. Kevin jerked backwards. They were screwed unless he could keep Mars away from the front door. He thought of the security room, as far from the front door as it was possible to get in this house.

'Jesus, Mars, you scared the shit out of me. I was looking for you. Dennis wants you to watch those monitors back in the bedroom.'

Mars stepped closer, his pale face empty.

'I heard you with the girl, Kevin. You're going to leave.'

Kevin stepped back. Mars followed him, staying uncomfortably close.

'That's bullshit, Mars. I don't know what you're talking about.'

'Don't ruin a good thing, Kevin. You'll regret it later.'

Kevin felt a stab of anger that shook him. Fuck it. Mars had heard; let him hear it all. Kevin stopped backing up.

'Then you can stay! I've had enough of this, Mars. We're trapped. It's over! If we stay, the cops will kill us. Don't you get that?'

Mars stared down at him, his pasty face thoughtful. Then he stepped aside.

'I get it, Kevin. If you want to go, go.'

Kevin waited for more, thinking that Mars was upset or angry, or would drag him downstairs to Dennis, but Mars only raised his hand, offering the way to the stairs. His voice was soft and encouraging.

'Go.'

Kevin glanced toward Thomas's room.

'I'm going to take these kids.'

Mars nodded.

'That's okay. Go.'

Kevin stared up at Mars, then turned and stepped into darkness.

TALLEY

After Talley and Jones had spoken with Martin, Jones moved his two vans to the mouth of the cul-de-sac. Talley returned to his car, where he sat by himself, watching the two vans. Jones and one of his men, a blond guy with a crew cut and wire-rimmed glasses, left the vans to scout the perimeter.

Talley felt like a traitor and a coward. He had returned to his car so that he could avoid the Sheriffs and his own men. When he and Jones were in the command van with Martin, he couldn't bring himself to look at her. He let Jones do the talking.

When Jones and his man disappeared into the cul-de-sac, the street was still.

Martin climbed down from the command van, saw Talley in his car, and walked over. She had taken off the flak vest and all the crap SWAT cops clip to themselves, and was wearing only the black fatigues and a cap. The cap read BOSS. Talley watched her approach, hoping that she would continue into Mrs. Peña's, but she came to his side of the car.

Martin stopped a few feet away, took out a pack of cigarettes, and offered one to Talley.

'Don't smoke.'

Martin lit up without a word. She drew the smoke in deep, then blew a plume that gassed into the night air like a shroud of fog. Talley didn't know many SWAT cops who smoked. Bad for the wind.

When she spoke, her voice was calm and reasonable.

'You gonna tell me what's going on?'

Talley watched the smoke.

'What do you mean?'

'I'm not stupid.'

Talley didn't answer.

'All the phone calls. That scene in the ambulance between you and the doctor, wanting him to wake Smith; I thought you were going to shoot the guy. Whatever you were talking about with that kid, then charging off to the hospital. I had my I.O. call over there, Talley; if someone phoned in a death threat, it's news to everybody else out here, including the people back at your office.'

She drew more smoke, then appraised him.

'Now we got the FBI with this bullshit about Smith being in witness protection. What's going on, Chief? Who is Walter Smith?'