Tolerance Book III

Chapter Forty-Nine: Stalling Tactics

Bank

Conor and Will exchanged brief looks as Billings posed the heavily nuanced question.  Both studiously avoided looking at Jay.  By this time they had both independently concluded the man brandishing the weapon was indeed the Serial Killer Jay and the Unit had come to New York to track down.  So far neither the redhead nor the Surgeon had been obliged to speak therefore the fact they weren't New Yorkers had not been revealed.  The worry now was Billings ascertaining the fact they were from Chicago and deciding it was too much of a coincidence that Jay was also.  Having resided in the Big Apple for several years Will could put on an adequate enough accent.  Conor however was a different story.  The Surgeon hoped his nondescript tone would go unnoticed. Although born in Chicago he had spent his school tears in boarding school in Connecticut and subsequently spent time in various places pursuing his career.  As a result he didn't have a strong Chicago tone so there was a chance the connection to the Windy City would not be made.  Thinking on that the black haired man suddenly thought of the wallet in his back pocket.  It was a ticking timebomb and judging from Wills' stricken look the same realization had just struck him.

Whereas Will and Conor had belatedly remembered their identifications sitting snugly within their billfolds Jay was already well ahead of them.  Used to changing circumstances and assessing situations promptly thanks to his military background he was always trying to think two steps ahead of his quarry.  The possibility of Billings finding out his brother and friend were from Chicago struck fear inside him but he didn't flinch.  Now was a time for clear thinking even if his insides were in turmoil at the danger facing Conor and Will.  Looking at Billings with a purposefully perplexed expression he spoke quietly but evenly.

"Before you do anything else shouldn't you make sure everyone is okay?  By now a restroom break must be in order."
"I don't care about that!"
"Says you now but believe me after a few hours the smell will make you care," the Detective pointed out ruefully with a shoulder shrug as he continued recalling from research the man before him was a stickler for hygiene, "just stating the obvious.  People tend to forget the practicalities of these situations."
"And what would you suggest?"
"Let them go to the restroom ... in turns ...,," Jay began only to be cut off.
"That's ridiculous ....,"
"Anyone who doesn't come back will be responsible for another Hostage getting hurt ....... or killed."
"Well ... when you put it like that," Billings contemplated the suggestion carefully, truth was he was fastidious about cleanliness issues and Jays' scenario had dismayed him, "okay but only one at a time."
"That will take ages," Jay pointed out.
"I have all the time in the world."

Jay grimaced internally.  The response further bolstered the likelihood that Billings had no intention of leaving the bank.  In general bank sieges tended to diminish exit plans.  After all most bank sieges arose out of robberies gone wrong.  A siege was not the intended outcome rather a quick getaway was.  The present siege however was a purposefully arranged one with Billings orchestrating matters so there was no rulebook to follow.

Surveillance Van

Murphy and Parker had headed back to Headquarters after being summoned by Thompson.   Voight and the Unit had transferred to the Surveillance Van and now watched proceedings intensely, grateful to have audio.  Jays' delaying tactic of suggesting a restroom break seemed to have worked for the time being  but it would only grant a reprieve rather than an alternative to using a Hostage as an 'example'.  Of course the term 'example' could intimate numerous possibilities but the seasoned Law Enforcement Officers all knew none of them were good.  Mouse kept a close eye on his fellow ex-Ranger looking for any signals his friend might send.  The IT Specialist hated being outside when Jay was, to all intents and purposes, in the eye of the storm.

"Anyone surprised Billings agreed to put off picking a Volunteer so easily?" Antonio posed the question at the forefront of his mind.
"It's surprising alright," Kevin quietly confirmed what everyone was thinking.
"Hell everything the guy is does is unpredictable!" Adam observed angrily.
"Leaving the surveillance cameras operating is risky," Voight gruffly concurred as he referred to one major flaw if the man wanted to get away.
"There's no sign of any explosives," Mouse pointed out, he had been paying particular attention to every nook and cranny covered by the cameras and nothing untoward was visible.
"That doesn't mean they aren't there," Al commented.
"He must have had access to the bank well in advance of today," Kevin speculated thoughtfully, "he obviously knows the layout".