Page 46 of Every Last One

“If they suspect something specific, they’re not saying.”

Which, to Sandra, wasn’t a good thing. They wouldn’t want to share a dire prognosis for it to be proven false.

“I assume the tests they’re going to run will give them some answers,” Dana added. “And Ms. Vos, I know you’re worriedabout your mother, but there’s no need. Please, trust me. I’ll call you should anything change or take a turn.” Dana’s soothing voice helped her words penetrate.

“I trust you with her life.”

“Thank you, Ms. Vos. I will call when I have more.”

“Thank you.” Sandra hung up and swallowed back the fear that rose in her throat and returned to her workstation. Focusing on work would get her through.

She put her headset in place, and said, “I’m calling the boardroom.”

The rest of the team got on their headsets and nodded when they were set. She made the call.

“What do you want?” the woman answered, tense and immediately on the defense.

It wasn’t a good sign of what was transpiring in that room, but Sandra was calm when she replied. “This isn’t about me. You can talk to me, and I will listen.”

“You’re just saying that. I need you to leave me alone so I can take care of what I need to.”

People gasped in the background. One man said, “She’s going to kill us.”

“Shut up or I will, I swear,” the woman threatened.

“Please,” Sandra inserted. “There’s nothing you can’t still walk away from.” Not entirely the truth, obviously, but it could get worse.

“Are you crazy? I’m not going anywhere until I get what I want.”

Sandra sensed Brice looking at her profile, but didn’t turn to him in fear of losing the thread with the HT. “And what do you want?”

“I want them to pay!”

Brice scribbled,revenge or is this about money?

“You’re angry,” Sandra empathized.

“Damn right, I’m angry. They don’t care about people. That’s a lie they sell to make money. They’re fat cats lapping up the cream. All of them.”

Brice scratched outrevenge, but Sandra wasn’t so sure. She shook her head but didn’t make eye contact with him.

“‘Lapping up the cream’?” she parroted back.

“Making themselves rich off people. People who have nothing to start with, not that they care.”

“Help us!” someone screamed in the background.

“Shut up!” the hostage taker yelled back.

Sandra feared the situation in the room was escalating. If the woman’s hostages didn’t calm down, this wouldn’t come to a good end. “They’re scared, that’s all. Just like you.”

“I’m not scared.”

“What you’re doing today is extremely brave.” Sandra fed the woman’s ego, approaching things from the way she’d see her actions.

A few seconds, then, “If they’d just do as I ask, then maybe we could end this.”

Brice wrote,After something from them…