American Shutdown - Chapter 11: Roll Call

bennybelljr (32)in #hostages • 6 years ago

Chapter 11: Roll Call

Sam took his headset off his ears to give them some cooler air when he heard Agent Dean give an order to the command center to make sure they were getting the hostage calls recorded and sent to head quarters for analysis, ASAP.

Agent Dean looked back at him and Captain Jim and said loudly, “Sam, I’m going to let you handle the hostage interviews. I’m thinking that will go over better with your pal, Bernie.”

Sam shook his head yes and heard the headset click live. He was up at bat to take roll call.

He opened with, “Hey, Bernie. How’s your battery doing? Let’s get going and do the check up calls. You good to go?”

Bernie replied, “Yeah, I guess. This is going to be like a family reunion for you. First, here’s that Asian kid, Chang Sun, who’s going to get you back into M-Mtek. At least that’s what his file on you says. What an asshole you are for not just telling him he could stick it where the sun don’t shine, Sam. What the hell are you going to do for $35 an hour? Count parts? Cut me a break. Who gives a crap, right? Here’s the kid.”

“Sorry Mr. Palermo, but he snatched all my files off the desk while we were against the wall,” Chang said.

“I’m doing OK. Most of the others are, too. We weren’t affected by the bomb that went off downstairs but it scared the hell out of us. The three girls started screaming like crazy and Bernie lost it, which made things, worse. Thanks, sir. I’m giving the phone back to Mr. Soloff.”

Bernie grabbed the phone and said to Sam, “Now what?”

“Bernie, having you been taking your meds? Do you have them with you?” asked Sam.

“Screw the meds. They just make a Zombie out of me. But, thanks for caring, you traitorous S.O.B.,” Bernie told him. “Here’s the three girls who were in the conference room when I took over. Maybe one of them will speak for the other two.”

Sam heard him ask the group of girls if one of them wanted to speak for the others. Then he heard one say she would.

Bernie handed his volunteer the phone and she said, “Hello, Mr. Palermo. I’m Marsha Riley-Hubbard with TechCall Services. Remember me? I was the one you dealt with at the separation package table. Me and the other two girls are scared out of our minds. Are you going to get us out of here?”

“I’m going to try,” Sam said. “First, give me the other girls’ names. They both work for TechCall, right? And, just call me, Sam.”

Marsha replied, “Yes, Mr. , er, Sam. We were up here visiting Chang and Mikal. One girl’s name is Debbie, Deborah - I guess - Lee-Mastrodonato. The other one is Trudy Markham-Roberts.”

In a hushed tone Marsha said, “Sam, he can act crazy, sometimes.” In a normal tone, she said, “Mikal, you take it next.”

“Hey, this is Mikal from TechCall. Mikal Malikov. I’m sorry I came up here. The girls asked me to. My ears are still ringing from the bomb,” he told Sam.

Sam told Mikal, “It’ll go away in a few more hours. What’s your take on the others? No one is harmed from the blast, I hope?”

Mikal responded, “Nope. Given the circumstances we’re doing our best to hold it together. Hey, you want to talk to that Ishaan guy, now? He a big stud around M-Mtek HR, right?”

“Thanks, Mikal, but first give it back to Bernie.”

Sam heard Mikal say he wanted to talk to Bernie. He passed the phone to Bernie who said, “Judas priest you’re a real pain in the ass. You still have that HR dweeb to go.”

“Bernie, I’m worried about you. Sooner or later we’re going to have to talk business, here. I want to try to do it calmly. How are you feeling?” Sam asked.

Bernie spat back, “Why? You afraid I’ll go postal? Actually, I’m so angry I just might do that. Look, here’s that Ishaaan guy. Later.”

Ishaan grabbed the phone and said mildly, “Well, Sam. We meet again. How’s your day going?”

“Now who’s keeping their sense of humor,” Sam fired back. “Look, try to answer some of my questions with short yeses and no’s, Ok? Start with your full name.”

“For the record, my name is Ishaan Gilbert. I’m M-Mtek’s corporate HR VP. I was up in the third floor conference room looking over some paperwork we were assembling relative to the plant shutdown. That was supposed to happen by six tonight.”

Sam broke in quietly with, “How does the group other than Bernie look to you?”

Realizing Sam was playing the game to get intel on the hostage situation without alarming Bernie, Ishaan answered, “Well, Sam, once things settled down everyone looks like they’re ok, now. We could use a bathroom break and some water. The upstairs bathrooms are just down the hall.”

Almost to a whisper, next Sam asked, “Does Bernie have weapons of any sort with him.”

Sam got his response, “Yes, you could say that. It looks that way.”

Next, Sam asked if Bernie had a satchel or bags that look out of place for a conference room that he might of carried in with him.

Ishaan’s answer was that it appeared so, but he wasn’t sure.

At that moment he heard a startle from Ishaan as Bernie grabbed the phone and screamed into it, “You bastard, Sam. I’m telling you now. Get this straight. Don’t try anything stupid. I know this place and the networks like the back of my hand. I’m going off-line for now. Got to charge this battery and finish some work up here. Tell me what you want to do about a toilet break. And, I’m telling you. Don’t try any funny business. What the hell you think I’ve been doing all day? Practicing my golf swing?”

On that note, Bernie hung up, leaving Sam, Captain Jim and Agent Dean looking at one another while shaking their heads. They realized their hostage ordeal wasn’t going to be easy.