Hostage

'Let go of him. I'll have you brought up on charges, you sonofabitch.'

Smith's eyes lost their focus and closed. Talley took Klaus by the arm, trying to make him see.

'Use smelling salts, give him a shot, whatever. I just need a minute.'

Colby cranked the engine, and Talley slapped at the wall, shouting.

'Don't move this van!'

Klaus and Bigelow both stared at him. Klaus slowly looked at Talley's hand gripping his arm.

'I'm not going to wake him. I don't even know that I can. Now let go of me.'

'We're talking about lives here. I

'Let go of me.'

Talley stared into the hard, angry eyes. Tension knotted his face and neck. He held tight to Klaus's arm and thought about the Colt folded in his sweatshirt.

'Just one question. Please.'

The hard little eyes showed no mercy.

'He can't answer you.'

Talley stared at Smith's still form. So close. So close.

Klaus looked down at his arm again, Talley still squeezing tight.

'Let go of me, goddamnit. We're taking this man to the hospital.'

Martin was watching him from the door, Ellison and Metzger behind her. Talley released the doctor's arm.

'When is he going to wake up?'

'I don't know if he'll ever wake up. You get bleeding between the skull and brain, the pressure can build to such a degree that brain death can result. I don't know. Now stay in or get out, but just let us go.'

Talley looked at Smith again, feeling helpless. He climbed out of the ambulance and pulled Metzger aside.

'Who's still here? Which of our guys is still here?'

'Jorgy. I think Campbell is still-'

'Then Jorgenson stays here. I want you waiting in this guy's lap. I want to know the second, and I mean the second, that he wakes up.'

Metzger turned away, keying her shoulder mike for Jorgenson.

Talley walked back to Maddox's car for the rest of his gear. His chest heaved. He felt angry and closed. He had put everyone at risk, and Smith was beyond him. Smith couldn't talk. He stared at the house, wanting to do something, but there was nothing to do.

Talley felt himself hating De

He turned away and saw Martin watching him. He didn't care.

None of it looked real: Talley and the other guy in their underwear, carrying Smith away; Smith being loaded into the ambulance; the search-lights from the helicopters crisscrossing each other over the ground like light sabers. The pools of light were so bright that all the color was washed from the picture; the cops were gray shadows, the ambulance pink, the street blue. De

Mars stepped up beside him with the same look he had for the Mexicans at work: I can see inside you; I know what you're thinking; you have no secrets from me.

'They would have killed you as soon as you got into the ambulance. Better to stay in here.'

De

'Staying here sucks, Mars. You might like it, but I want to get the hell out. I bought us some time, now we've got to figure this out. Any ideas?'

He looked from Mars to Kevin, but neither of them answered.

'Great. That's just fucking great. If anyone decides to help, just speak up.'

De

'All right. Your old man's out. You happy now?'

'Thank you.'

'I'm fuckin' starving. Go back in the kitchen and fix something else. This time don't throw it on the floor. And make some coffee. Make it strong. We're go

Mars took the girl back to the kitchen.

When they were gone, De

'What?'

'We're not going to get out of here.'

'For chrissake! Please!'

'Mars and I don't care about the money. You won't let go of it and that's why we're still here. There's no way to get away with it, De

De

'We're fucked until we think of a way out, asshole. Then we're not fucked, we're rich.'

De

'Keep the change, m'man.'

De

They lived in a one-bedroom apartment above an Exxon station, De

De

'They're doing it.'

'Nuh-uh. Stop saying that.'

'Can't ya hear'm! They're doin' the nasty. Let's go see.'

They had lived in more apartments than De

De

'Don't ya want to see'm doin' it!'

'No!'

'You said you did! Listen to what he's doin' to her!'

'De

The scent of sweat and sex hung sharp in the air, and De