King of Crime ✔️

A Big Fish

"What was that?" Saunders sounded irked through the earpiece. 

Why's she still listening? I felt annoyance creep up as I rejoined with Matthias at the van.

"A slip-up on my part," Matthias grumbled. "But we can always start giving warning-shots."

"Not a chance. Too much risk," she retorted harshly. "If you caused it, you're going to be the one to take responsibility." 

My partner sucked in his lips, restraining himself from getting mad at our colleague. I was about to offer a way out of the situation, when movement at exit A caught our eye. 

Five men came out with hands in the air, to be immediately taken into custody by the agents surrounding the entrance. Both Matthias and I let out a relieved sigh. Six men out without a scene, about two left. 

"Five more home. Aram, where's the rest?" Matthias asked.

"One stayed behind by entrance A. He's crouching down with a gun, I think, behind the door. If I may, you could come in through B and surprise him from the left, he doesn't seem like a violent guy," he offered. 

Matthias nodded and spoke through another channel to the agents at the building.

I leaned back. "And the other?" 

"Yeah... uh, she's upstairs. I'm sorry. She has a gun, as well. First room on the right if you arrive via the main stairs. By the way, I'm seeing some pretty interesting stuff here, advanced computers, nothing like I've ever seen before. Definitely worth checking out. Oh, and the second floor is completely made out of wood, strange enough. I think that's to not hold back signals in any way, but that counts for bullets as well, of course." 

I mumbled an 'alright, alright' back and followed after Matthias as the wind cooled my body off, that was heating up severely by the blasting sun.

"Top or bottom?" Matthias called to rise his voice above the wind. "You know I myself am more of a bottom guy, but top is kind of my responsibility."

"I'll do top," I said. "I know you can't handle stairs well." I received a glare back as Saunders sighed aggravated through the microphone. 

When we arrived at B, everything suddenly went very fast. Matthias apprehended the guy behind the door within no time, while I headed up the stairs with two other agents, breathing through the fabric of my vest against the smoke. 

The first room's door stood open. I felt my heartbeat quicken as a nauseating feeling surfaced. If she was unwilling to come out of the room and threatened with a gun, I'd have to give the order to snipe her down. I knew that.

"She hears you." Aram whispered, like he was there with us. "She'll shoot you if you come through the door."

"Federal Agent. Drop your gun and show yourself," I calmly demanded. The woman fired two shots through the opposite door in response. "If you cooperate, nothing will happen. If you refuse, we have no choice but to take you out with force. Do you understand?" 

She kept silent.

"Do you want me give permission for a critical shot?" Matthias carefully asked, after a minute of silence.

"No." 

She could've sent bullets through the wall where she heard our voices, but she didn't. Plus, she was remaining perfectly calm, not saying a word. "Do we have some kind of negotiator? I think she's here to buy someone time." 

I gestured for the agents to keep watch on the open door, while I prepared myself for a sprint.

"Buying someone time? Wait..." Aram's fingers typed frantically. "I think you may be right. Can you get to the third room on the left? There's a blind spot, but I think I saw movement just now... and there's a fire exit in that room, according to the blueprints."