“I’ll keep you safe.” Grace turned to him, about to plead. “I follow Ice’s orders.”
Grace returned to watching the television, using it to distract her from what was happening around her. The same news kept repeating itself, however, and she quickly became bored, beginning to feel uncomfortable.
“I need to go to the restroom,” she whispered to Max, ignoring Jackal’s silent presence next to her.
He stood up, and when he did, Ice left the men he had been helping, using whatever they could to block the windows.
“She needs to use the restroom,” Jackal told Ice.
Her face turned red in embarrassment as Ice took her arm, leading her to a door on the side of the room. Opening it, he motioned her inside. She walked in, seeing a toilet and sink.
“Hurry up.”
Grace jumped as he closed the door behind her. She used the toilet as fast as she could, afraid he would open the door, then hurriedly washed her hands. As soon as she turned off the water, the door opened. Their eyes met as she walked toward him. He didn’t try to hide his gaze from traveling down the length of her body, lingering on her breasts.
Ice didn’t move away from the doorway as she drew closer.
“Don’t worry so much. I’m not going to let anyone touch you.” His words weren’t reassuring.
Grace took a step back waiting for him to move from the doorway, not wanting to get too close. “Does that mean you, too?”
“I don’t make promises I can’t keep.” Giving her a cold smile, he moved away from the doorway, giving her room to slide by. He took her back to the table where Jackal and Max were waiting.
“Be good.” With his warning, he went back to fortifying the windows.
“There’s no way they’re going to let you men out of here.”
Their amusement showed, but they didn’t talk to her, both watching the television screen.
In the brief minutes she had been in the bathroom, the news had updated. Now it showed the many police cars and tactical teams surrounding the prison.
A man was giving a statement, and across the bottom of the screen it stated he was in charge of the prison.
He quieted the reporters before speaking, stating without emotion that, inside the prison, there were four hostages, three of which were guards and lastly her. He released her name and said her family had been notified and were in transit, bringing her fears to realization. Her parents and brother were on their way to the scene she was watching on the television.
He ended by saying he would give more information when available.
“Short and sweet,” Ice said, coming to the table. “Want to bet he’ll be looking for a new job when this is over?”
“Won’t touch that one,” Jackal said. “Church settle down?”
“For now. He’s not happy and will be waiting for the chance to take control. Nothing we didn’t expect.”
“It helps that most of his men are locked away in their cells.” Jackal grinned. The scar that ran the length of his cheek made him seem even more sinister. She didn’t want to know how scary he would look when he was actually happy.
“Hungry?” Max asked. Ice didn’t seem to care if she ate or not. Max, on the other hand, wanted to make her comfortable and not as afraid.
“Yes,” Grace admitted. She had planned to get something to eat after class, which was two hours ago now.
“I’ll get it.” Max left and Ice took his seat. It only took a few moments before he was back with a soda and a pack of peanut butter crackers for her. She opened them gratefully and bit into one.
“Aren’t you going to eat?”
“No.”
Grace realized that, with them trapped inside, there wouldn’t be much food available. They could get water out of the bathroom sink, but the food was probably limited to a lone vending machine. With thirty men closeted in the room, it wouldn’t last long.
She tore open the package and pushed a cracker toward each of the three men. The men didn’t try to pick it up, just stared at her.
“Eat it,” Grace encouraged. “I’m not that hungry,” she said, taking the last one for herself. She told herself she got the extra cracker because it was their fault she was there.
Each of the men except Ice picked up their cracker, chewing it while they watched the news footage. Grace reached back over and took it back; she didn’t know why she had given the asshole one in the first place.
Grace almost choked on the last bite of the cracker when CeCe’s face filled the screen.
“Ms. Clark, you are a teacher at the college. Are you acquainted with Ms. Andrews?”
“Yes, we both teach in the computer department. Not only that, but we're good friends.” CeCe smiled seductively at the camera.
“Can you tell us how she may be reacting to the dangerous situation she has found herself in?”