He glanced beyond her at the other hostages. "Not the two Mexicans. And not him," he said of Agent Cain. He had regained consciousness but appeared still to be incoherent from the kick in the head Juan had given him.
"The old folks and her. They can go."
When he pointed to Donna, she clasped her claw-like hands beneath her chin. "Thank you, Lord."
"I don't want to go," Gladys announced. She was still holding the sleeping infant in her arms. "I want to see what's going to happen."
"We'd better do as he says," Vern said, patting her shoulder. "We can wait for everybody else outside." He assisted Gladys up off the floor. "Before we go, I'm sure Sabra wants to tell Katherine goodbye."
The old lady carried the baby over to Sabra, where she was leaning heavily against Doc.
"Shall I notify Galloway of your decision?" Tiel asked Ronnie.
He was watching Sabra and his baby. "Half an hour."
"What?"
"That's the time limit I'm giving them to get back to me. If they won't let us leave in half an hour, we'll… we'll carry out our plan," he said thickly.
"Ronnie, please."
"That's it, Ms. McCoy. You tell them."
Galloway answered her call before the completion of the first ring. "I'm coming out with the baby. Have medical personnel standing by. I'm bringing out three of the hostages with me."
"Only three?"
"Three."
"What about the rest?"
"I'll tell you when I get there."
She hung up on him.
As Tiel approached Sabra, the young woman was crying.
"Bye-bye, sweet Katherine. My beautiful baby girl.
Mommie loves you. Very much." She was bent over the child, inhaling her scent, touching her everywhere. She kissed Katherine's face several times, then turned her own into Doc's shirt and sobbed.
Tiel took the baby from Gladys, who'd been holding her because Sabra didn't have the strength. Tiel carried Katherine over to Ronnie. As the young man gazed at the baby, his eyes filled with tears. His lower lip trembled uncontrollably. He was trying so hard to be tough, and failing miserably.
"Thanks for all you've done," he said to Tiel. "I know Sabra liked having you around."
Tiel's eyes appealed to him. "I don't believe you'll do it, Ronnie. I refuse to believe you would-could-pull that trigger and end Sabra's life and yours."
He chose not to respond and instead kissed the baby's forehead. "Bye, Katherine. I love you." Then, his motions jerky and abrupt, he stepped behind the counter to release the electric door lock.
Tiel allowed the others to go ahead of her. Before stepping through the door, she glanced over her shoulder at Doc. He had eased Sabra back onto the floor, but he raised his head as though Tiel's gaze had beckoned him.
Their eyes connected for only a millisecond, but, undeniably, it was a meaningful span of time and contact.
Then she slipped through the door and heard the bolt snap into place behind her.
From out of the darkness paramedics rushed forward.
Obviously, pairs of them had been pre-assigned to each hostage. Vern, Gladys, and Donna were surrounded and barraged with questions, which Gladys answered in a decidedly querulous tone.