supermarket flowers ⇢ s. reid

xxxiii.

It was only a matter of time that the building of the D.C. Times was surrounded by cops, and little to everyone's knowledge - the FBI. It took a lot of pleading from Emily for letting them join the investigation considering it wasn't needed for the bureau to join something like this. Then again, when hostages are involved how could the police department say no to it.

Inside were scared individuals who were sitting down on the floor scared for their lives. Some were huddled together to keep comfort for one another. The three men who had invaded the building had mostly been pacing and trying their best to figure out what was their best option to getting out alive. No one still knows why they were in here in the first place. There was nothing for them here.

"I know that wasn't your mom you were calling." Sam said softly to Melanie. The two were sitting next to one another on the floor with their backs against the walls. Sam had politely asked one of the men to have her with him considering the fact she was hit over the head with a pistol. "Do you think they got the message?"

Melanie sighed softly, shrugging her shoulders. "Probably? Maybe. Emily asked if there was something wrong and I said yes. But of course I had to follow up with something witty. I just wanna know why they're here. I'm not even scared anymore."

And she wasn't lying one bit. The journalist was mostly frustrated at this situation. Clearly this wasn't part of the plan. Something must've happened for them to just randomly show up.

"Maybe I should ask." Melanie added. She was about to stand up when Sam grabbed her arm.

"Are you crazy?" Sam hissed. "Do you want to die?"

Melanie rolled her eyes. "If it means the possibility of getting everyone out of here."

Sam just shook his head and let go of her arm. He hated how stubborn she was but he couldn't stop her even if he wanted to. Melanie was always determined. She stood up from the floor and walked towards the aisle. Nothing but wide eyes from her co-workers were staring at her: both in shock and amazement.

"Hey assholes. What the hell do you want? We're not gonna sit here and wait for you airheads to come up with a plan which clearly you dont have. So why dont you just surrender?" Melanie called out. Despite the fact she was being fearless, her heart was pounding against her chest and her palms were becoming sweaty.

One of the guys from the pact stormed up to her with a gun pointed at her face.

"Sit down you little bitch." He spat. "Unless you want to die."

But Melanie stood her ground.

"What is it that you did? Rob a bank and the heist wasn't as successful as you thought it was?" Melanie retorted.

"I said sit down." He growled.

From the corner of her eye, she could see the familiar blue and red lights that were flashing. In the heat of the moment, she had forgotten about the big clear windows that were at the front of the building. The blinds were typically up which meant that both the DCPD and the bureau could get a good glimpse of what was happening inside.

Before Melanie could respond, a voice came onto a megaphone from outside. A voice that made her sound so relieved to her and knowing that her message to Emily was relayed.

"Charles Clayton, James Hyland, and Ron Blunder - this is Luke Alvez from the FBI. We know all three of you are in there with hostages. Now it doesn't have to be this way, man. Just release the hostages and we can talk." Luke said. "No one has to get hurt."

This had caught the male off guard. Melanie looked out the window and saw Spencer look right at her. She gave him a smile of reassurance even though she wasn't sure if he was able to make out her facial expression from the distance she was in.