Tolerance Book III

Chapter Fifty-Five: Fatal Ultimatum

Command Post

Voights' query to Al about a change of job had been in jest.  He had decided however that they needed to get proactive and with that in mind he now watched as two Uniformed Police officers both balanced several pizza boxes as they prepared to enter the bank.  His contact with Billings had been brief and to the point.  After confirming that there would be no attempts made to breach the bank the Sergeant had stated the welfare of the Hostages meant they needed to be given adequate food and water.  Billings had not been pleased with the Sergeants' uncalled for input and initially resisted the suggestion but his reticence was quelled after Voight pointed out if he was taking Hostages with him they needed to be in good condition so they would not slow him down.  This had been a calculated gambit on Voights' part.  The man had to believe they would be taken off guard by an explosion.  The gruff man needed Billings to assume they had no knowledge of the explosives his Detective had alerted them to.   Voight was unsure how much time this tactic would buy them but it was better than nothing.  It didn't sit well with the Sergeant sending two unarmed Officers into the bank but given Billings' interest in Jay he could not take the risk of sending in any of the Unit in case they had been researched.

Bank

Jay had been caught offguard by Billings' eventual acquiescence to food being delivered.  It worried him enormously that the man still seemed unfazed by the stressful situation he had engineered.  Unsure who was going to bring in said food Jay had offered to go out and bring it in himself.  The offer was made partly to give him a chance to converse with one of the team and also to avoid endangering anyone else.  Billings however had flatly refused and insisted only two unarmed Uniformed Officers could make the delivery.   Jay too had realized it would be too risky to allow  any of the team to enter although Billings hadn't met them all.  This meant he could not pass on a message easily to Voight.  Of grave concern to Jay was the possibility that Billings, who was neat and fastidious, would at any given time notice the earth deposited on the ground by the flower pot.  If the man  made that discovery he would have to assume there was a strong possibility Jay had noticed same and worked out where the explosives were hidden.   Now with food and beverages being delivered the green eyed man knew he had to avail of the one opportunity to get rid of the incriminating earth.

As Billings strode over to the entrance doors after Voight announced via loudspeaker the food was going to be sent in Jay shared a quick look with Will and Conor before he followed their Captor.

"You Detective make sure none of the Hostages get any ideas," Billings instructed firmly as he gestured with the rifle in his hands, a hint of menace colouring his tone.
"Okay," Jay acknowledged the order flatly as he walked over to where the seated Onlookers silently watched proceedings, the relief he felt was nearly overwhelming but he didn't show it.
"And Detective?"
"Yes?" Jay halted his steps and turned to face the older man.
"After this you get to pick who will be made an example."

This ominous statement didn't need any clarification and it was clear as he turned around and walked towards the Hostages that they too understood the malevolent connotations.

Surveillance Van

Billings' words had struck a cord of fear in all gathered as they listened and once again watched the scenes inside the bank.  Voight cursed inwardly.  The food delivery clearly was not going to provide much of a stalling tactic as they had hoped.   He worried too because their target had no compunction about killing so forcing the young Detective to choose a candidate would likely be, to all intents and purposes, conferring a death sentence on the individual chosen.

"Is the Bomb Squad here yet?" Murphy checked, more for something to say to break the tense silence which had fallen than actually wanting an update.
"ETA ten minutes," Mouse confirmed distractedly without removing his gaze from the monitors he sat before.
"We can't let Jay choose a Hostage!" Adam stated in a half plea, his friend was going to be faced with a diabolical decision.
"Seems like Billings is adhering to a time schedule," Al offered up, it was clear the food delivery was not going to be allowed to deter the man from his agenda.
"We knew that," Voight nodded his agreement then continued unhappily, "just wish we had some way of neutralising the explosives."
"Well since he's talking about making someone an example we have some time to form a strategy," Antonio infused his words with an optimism he didn't feel.
"Don't think the person who's going to be an 'example' would appreciate that viewpoint," Al stated sardonically.
"No one is going to be killed," Voight declared in his most formidable voice, it would not happen on his watch!