Hostage Crisis

"Lorie, hurry up. You’re going to be late for school." My mum yelled. "Coming!" I yelled back. "You know if you could have accepted the dorm offer, you wouldn’t have to travel to the university Lorie." My mum reminded me. "We’re not going to have this conversation again mum…" I answered.

There was something different with today; I just couldn’t put my finger on it. I know something’s off. As usual I arrived in my English class 5 minutes early. I looked around, everyone seemed fine. The weather was great but I just couldn’t understand what I was feeling. It was as if my gut is telling me something nasty’s going happen.

After lunch was my Philosophy class with Ms. Lao. She introduced a new student, her name was Rebecca Morre. Ten minutes after something happened.

"Oh my God! What’s happening with Ms. Lao?" one classmate shouted. Automatically I raced to the front of the room to help the teacher; she was having seizure so necessary first aid had to be done. I looked for a ruler and a handkerchief to put in her mouth after I did this I heard somebody shout. "Everybody stay where you are. My name is Vladhimir Khadafi and all of you are my hostage! We will stay here until I say so. UNDERSTAND!" then a phone rings. As I was about to reposition Ms. Lao, I felt a gun nudge behind me. I turned to see who it was. It was the new student, Rebecca. "Move! Stay with the rest of them." She pointed towards the class, but I hesitated "what about Ms. Lao?". She just replied "Do you want to die?" I couldn’t do anything but obey what she said. When I sat on my chair Ms. Lao suddenly rose and talked to them.

"Great acting there Lao. You almost had me there. (laughs)" Vladhimir praised. "You said you needed distraction so I gave you one. (turned to face me) That was very heroic of you Ms. Baites, thank you. Anyway. Class please cooperate, I don’t want to shoot anyone today. We just need to get someone’s attention." And turned back to face the other two. Three minutes later, 5 other guys in bonnets came in with guns.

"I knew I should have skipped class today." A guy beside me said. "Just relax ok. I’m sure they’ll let us go." I said "I hope."

I was about to search my pocket for my mobile phone when I remember that it was on my bed when I left for school. "great! Now how on earth am I going to call Bob about the SITUATION that I am in right now." I told myself.

"Ok everyone, can you please empty your pockets and place them inside your bags. After which please pass them to the front. (silent) That’s good." Ms. Lao instructed. "You! Get the bags and place them here." Rebecca ordered.

As I emptied my pockets I placed my "hearing aid" into my ear and wore my glasses.

"In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." I muttered to myself. "That’s a good idea, we should pray! Maybe God could come down and save us." David "the jock" sarcastically said. As I was about to turn to give him an annoyed look, a voice in my hearing aid replied "AMEN!" I didn’t have to say much to the person on the other line to give him a hint of what was happening.

"Lao, we have them." Vladhimir announced to Ms. Lao. "Good. I’m glad we got their attention. She placed the phone on loud speaker. "This is Capt. Arnold Castro of Patsville PD. Is everyone alright?" the Captain asked Lao. "You don’t have to worry about them Captain, they’re fine. All you have to do is concentrate on our DEMANDS. I will call back again after two hours for the details." Lao asked. Then the line went dead.

"Um…Captain, I think you need to see this." The deputy pointed to the tv.

"Ok… Ladies and gentlemen we have a news flash, Mickey Dew is on the scene. Thank you Tara, as we speak the students of Havana University have been held captive by militant men for over two hours now and as you can see in your TV this has been the situation inside their classroom. Patsville PD has been communicating with the men inside for their demands. Right now we do not know who these people are and what they want. This has been Mickey Dew of ASS channel 06 news reporting."

"How the hell did they get that! Get me…" Capt. Castro was cut-off ass the phone rang. "(smile) As you can see Capt. everyone is doing well. Now, Captain don’t do anything stupid as you saw from the footage of the reporter we have one student wear a vest that is full of explosives; one wrong move from your people and KABOOM. Got that Capt.?" Lao informed. "I don’t think there is a need for anyone to die. Just tell me what you want and I’ll do what I can to give it to you." Capt. Castro negotiated. "Our demand is simple Captain. I just want the Mayor that’s all… (tot-tot-tot)" the line went dead again.

"OMG Lorie are you ok. Is anyone hurt?" Mark asked on the other line. "Everything’s ok Mark. I need back-up and fast. While you’re calling for back-up try to check in our database for the persons in front, two women and a man." I whispered back. The girl beside me glanced and gave me a scared confused look. I asked her if she was ok. She replied with a question, "Who the hell is Mark and why are you talking to yourself?". "Nobody, I was just like talking to myself. It helps me clear my head. You should try it." I lied.

"um… Sir, the Mayor’s here. He saw everything on the news." A deputy informed Castro. "Capt. my son is inside, do everything you can to get him out." The Mayor pleaded. Castro told the Mayor that they need to talk in private.

"Mayor, is there anyone you know who may hold a grudge against you?" Castro asked. "Why do you ask me this Captain, I don’t think that has anything to do with the situation. Clearly these people are terrorists who only want money and chaos." The mayor said with fear in his eyes. Castro relied, "I don’t think that’s what they want sir. They specifically asked for you….". The Mayor didn’t answer.

"Lorie. Listen carefully, the people you’re dealing with are the Heads of a secret society called Gizli Toplum. They are your modern day vigilantes; the fun part is if the person who hired them turns bad they will make him pay. I’m guessing someone with you hired them. We just don’t know who it is yet." Mark informed. "I’m going to look around and try to cross reference everyone with a politician or somebody who is rich enough to pay them." I said as I looked at my classmates one by one.

"The Mayor please…" Lao said. "This is the Mayor." "Good! I’m sure you know who I am… I’m going to skip with the pleasantries and go straight to my point. I heard that you’ve been travelling a lot with your business friends and you were generous enough to shoulder the expenses. As far as I know you can’t afford that amount of money…" Lao trailed off. "I don’t know what you’re talking about! That’s non-sense." The Mayor angrily replied. "But on the contrary, a reliable source tells me that these business friends of yours are part of an underground syndicate and they have been helpful to you during your campaign period. Anyway, enough of that. We’re here because we want to give this town a favor by eliminating you… (short pause) You will come with us and all of this will end but if you don’t then we’ll be forced to take matters in our own hands… starting with your son. (tot-tot-tot)" Lao said. "No! don’t touch my so-n hello hello." The Mayor repeatedly said.

"Ok…Lorie, I’ve crossed referenced everyone" Mark started to say. "I know Daniel Waters, Mayor Ford Waters’ son." I added to what he was about to say. "You’re good…" Mark praised. "I heard Lao talking to Waters." I told him. "I don’t feel so good. I think I need to go to the ladies room." Margie informed everyone. I automatically stood and said "ah, Ms. Lao Margie needs to go to the ladies room. I think she’s going to vomit.". Lao looked up and then signaled one of their men to accompany her. "You’re going to come with me to the rest room? You’re a guy!" Margie protested. "Can I accompany her Ms. Lao? Please?" I suggested. Rebecca made a face and was about to object to my suggestion but "Fine. Accompany her but make sure that you two won’t do anything stupid."

Margie and I were escorted by an armed guy to the ladies room. As we entered the room, Margie rush to the sink and vomited. I went to her side and patted her back. "Here. (handing her a paper towel) I need you to keep quiet, ok? And stay here." I instructed Margie. I went out and hit his nape which knocked him out in just seconds. I dragged the guy inside the ladies room, "What the hell are you doing Lorie! You’re gonna get us killed." Margie said with a panicked voice. "Relax! I know what I’m doing just keep quiet ok. I’ll get us out of here. (took a deep breath)Mark were the hell is back up!" I said as I spoke to Mark. "RELAX Lorie, they’re on their way." Mark replied. "They better be." I answered back. Margie and I looked for something to tie the hands and legs of the guy and Margie came up with a great idea. "You know, we can take off his clothes that way he won’t be able to informed the others right away that we’re missing" Margie suggested. "That’s a brilliant idea Margie. It will buy us time. Ok, toss his pants into the toilet." I said. "We have to move fast. I’m sure their wondering what happened to us. Just keep close ok." I told Margie. We were able to get out of the building, "Margie, see those police cars?" I pointed to the east direction. "I know, we’ll run towards them. Right?" Margie added. "Right! Ok, at the count of three I need you to run towards them." I instructed her. "Wait. What about you?" Margie asked. "I’ll be right behind you." I lied. Margie ran towards the cops and was safe now. My next step is to go back inside.

I ripped my clothes and tossed my hair a bit. I scratch my arm, that part I kind of got overboard. As I slammed the door the show started, "huh huh huh… Please help me. That guy that guy!" then I started crying. Ms Lao came up to me and led me to the chair, "What happened? And where is Margie?". "I don’t know where Margie is. Huhuhuhuhu… We went into the ladies room and after I wash my hand, the guy who was with us grabbed me and huhuhu…" I looked at myself, praying that they would buy my story. "My goodness, you poor thing. Where is he?" Lao asked. "I don’t know. Margie hit him on the head and we both ran. Huhuhuhu…" again I lied. Lao took one of his men to look for the other guy.

"Wow, I swear you could get an Oscar for that performance. Hahaha… Anyway back to business. Back-up is in the vicinity and is 5 minutes away from where you are." Mark informed. "What’s the plan?" I asked. "Simple, we’ll create a distraction from the westside of the room that way we can enter through the back door." Mark replied. "That’s all you guys came up with?" I mocked. "The truth is, that’s my plan. I don’t know with the guys."Mark confessed. "Great! God help us then." I answered sounding annoyed.

Then Rebbecca instructed us that they are going to transfer us to another room then BANG! BANG! Everyone ducked and I grabbed the opportunity to snatch the gun from Rebbecca. As she kicked me I landed on my back and heard someone say "CATFIGHT!" and continued to get the gun. I hit her on the nose then she shouted "You broke my nose!" I ignored her whining.

As I pointed the gun at Rebecca, "Don’t move a muscle. You know I almost believed your story but Vladhimir had a feeling that you were lying so I thought of coming back." Lao said as she pointed the gun at me.

A minute later the room was already surrounded by the operatives of Servizi Segreti. Lao grabbed me, "Don’t shoot or she dies. Toss your weapons." Lao instructed everyone. As she was backing up I tripped her foot and we both fell. We wrestled for the gun. BANG! We both froze. Our operatives took the chance to grab Lao.

"Lorie! Is everyone ok? Lorie! Speak to me." Mark shouted on the other line. "Geez. Relax man, everyone’s ok."

We escorted everyone including the bad guys outside. "I need a medic!" my senior shouted. "I’m ok boss. I’ll live." I joked to him. I was assisted to the ambulance. "You did a great job back there Lorie. We couldn’t have done it without you." My senior praised. "ahh, shucks boss you’re going to make me cry…" I mocked. "It’s part of what I signed up for." I added.

Waters was taken into custody by the police after all the things that were discovered.

2 days after…

"So Lorie how’d you do that?" Daniel Waters asked. "Do what?" I answered. "You know that karate stuff that you did when you grabbed the gun." He explained. "Duh! I had karate classes before. I never thought I’d use them." True I had "karate" classes before but it was never because I had those classes, it was because I lived a double life; a life as an ordinary student and as an agente dei servizi segreti.