“I’m just heading back in there now. The overnight negotiators say the hostage-takers are getting tired. Hopefully we can wear them out further today.”
The Incident Commander rolled his shoulders. “How long is it going to take to talk them out?”
Dominic cocked his head. “How long?” he echoed.
“Yeah. This entire facility has been on lockdown and there are hundreds of prisoners who need to be taken care of.”
The prisoners were all fed and watered. The authorities had started transferring some of the lesser offenders to a minimum-security prison nearby. Ironically, this situation might hasten the release of some of the other prisoners while extending that of Gino, Frank and Milo—not that Milo was ever getting out into the general population again. He was lucky not to have been put on death row down in Florida where he’d committed some of his atrocious crimes.
Dominic knew the Incident Commander was stressed and worried about the fate of the hostages. Dominic was worried too, but rushing the process didn’t help. “I realize this must seem frustrating to you, but progress is being made. So far they haven’t harmed the hostages and they are talking to us—except Milo.” Dominic hoped to talk to the prison psychiatrist today. The guy had been on a European vacation. Now he wasn’t. “I think we need—”
“What about pumping gas into the kitchen area via the air ducts?” the IC shot out.
Dominic crossed his arms and shot Kurt Montana a cool look. “That hasn’t been used very successfully in the past. I’m thinking specifically of the 129 hostages who died during the Moscow theater siege, 126 of whom were believed to be killed by the anesthetic the authorities pumped into the theater prior to the rescue attempt.”
The Incident Commander pursed his lips worriedly. “I don’t want any hostages to die, but this is costing a fortune. Surely they don’t think they can get away with it and actually escape?”
“Waiting these guys out is the best way to achieve a peaceful outcome.” Dominic mirrored Hamner’s body language. Talking to the bosses was often a negotiation in itself.
“I suppose you’re right.” He sounded doubtful.
“Not to mention the millions of dollars in wrongful death suits that the families will bring if we don’t at least try to talk these guys out.”
The Incident Commander frowned at Kurt Montana who adjusted his thigh holster with a tight smile. Kurt was a man of action—a great guy, but not one who enjoyed the waiting part of the game.
“How long will it take you to get inside the kitchen if we need to stage an assault?” Dominic asked the tactical guy.
Kurt threw back his shoulders and pushed away from the wall. “With the hostages being kept next to the outside exit door we can only assault through the cafeteria. I have a team figuring out exactly how much C4 we need to unequivocally blow the hinges without killing everyone inside. Hopefully once we perfect that part of the assault the siege will be over in under a minute.”
It only took a few seconds to slice someone’s throat.
From the look Kurt threw him, he knew it too.
“Let’s continue to tire them out. If things deteriorate, we’ll do it your way,” Dominic agreed. “But we need to be very sure we have exhausted all peaceful avenues first.”
Kurt looked surprised by that. Surprised Dominic would consider an assault at all.
“I’m worried about Milo,” Dominic admitted. “He’s not communicating with the negotiators, and he’s incarcerated for horrific crimes. He has nothing to lose by killing everyone in that room.”
“Maybe he’ll do us a favor and off the other two hostage-takers first,” Kurt quipped.
“It’s my job to try and get everyone out without them coming to any harm.” Dominic stared the man down.
Kurt’s lip curled.
“Obviously we prioritize the hostages.”
“That’s good of you.” Kurt sneered.
Dominic didn’t drop the other man’s gaze. “I’m sorry if this job is coming between you and your playtime back at Quantico but saving lives has always been CNU’s main goal.”
Kurt bristled.
“Even if we do stage an assault, I’d suggest waiting a few more days to prove we really did give negotiation time to be effective. Otherwise the senate oversight committee in DC will eat you alive.”
“Well, I’m sure daddy’s connections will allow you to sail right through that process.” Kurt got in Dominic’s face.
Dominic didn’t know what had crawled into Kurt’s craw, but they didn’t need it here. He kept his expression bland, but he didn’t back down. In fact, he took a step closer. “Following the code of conduct and doing everything we can to talk these hostage-takers out peacefully until such a time as the hostages are deemed to be in immediate danger is what will get me through any review. But you be sure to blame all your mistakes and fuck ups on me and not your inability to see past your dick. And remember, if any of your guys die when we decide to go in guns blazing if we haven’t exhausted all peaceful options, that will be on you. Now get the hell out of my way and let me get back to work.”
Chapter Seventeen
Fernando Chavez had done very well for himself over the years and was now a supervisor in the FBI’s Reno Field Office. One of his favorite pastimes was waterskiing on Lake Tahoe with his wife and their three young children.
Such a pity they all had to die.
Chavez’s ego had placed his family in danger. That and the desire to prove he wasn’t scared, or changing his routine just because of “some asshole.”
They were all so boringly predictable.
When Jamal Fidan had drowned, Bernie had spiked the man’s drink and when he was incapacitated, shoved him over the side of the boat, leaving him to flounder and flail until he finally sunk beneath the surface.
This was going to be a little different.
The “friend” accompanying the family on this beautiful Saturday morning was obviously some sort of undercover bodyguard.