"Alex, stop!" Doctor Lori yells as Alex reaches for the handle of the door. Lori sat in a chair behind her near the window in a small room at the SRU headquarters. Alex lowers her hand slowly and turns around to look at her. "I'm fine" she whispers. "You might think that...But, Alex you held a gun up at your father. Eddie, Wordy, Spike, and Lou had their guns pointed at you" Lori explains as if Alex didn't already know. "Actually, I don't believe it was me. Maybe my alter ego, but it wasn't me" Alex jokes as she crosses her arms over her chest.
Lori gets up off the chair and slowly walks over towards Alex. "Your alter ego is a second personality that is inside of us, Alex. It tends to be the opposite of what our conscious self shows" Lori mentions as she nods her head slowly. "Of course you have a definition for and alter ego memorized" Alex whispers as she walks past Lori and sighs. "Look I would never hurt anyone on this team Lori, and you know that" Alex snaps. "I know. That's why I'm letting you go" Lori then says, causing Alex to stop and look back at her shocked. "You can rejoin Team one, but no weapons" Lori smiles as a big grin appears on Alex's face. "About time! Thank you" Alex laughs as she hugs Lori before opening the door and quickly running out of the room.
Alex runs down the hall and towards the briefing room and stops as she notices Team One turn around. "So?" Eddie asks quickly. "Guess who's back on Team One!" Alex shouts excitedly. Everyone stands up from their chairs clapping and cheering as they all walk towards Alex. "Congrats, Little Parker" Wordy smiles as he hugs Alex. "How do you feel?" Eddie then questions. "I feel great. I have missed you guys so much" Alex answers as she looks around at the team. "So, recruiting huh? Three hundred, now you're down to six. They better be amazing" Alex continues as she notices the bored full of notes and pictures.
***
Alex sticks with her father and Eddie as they stand and watch the recruits fight in the training room. Alex slowly walks around the circle and notices one of them staring at her. She rolls her eyes and walks up to him. "What? What are you looking at?" She asks quickly. "You, of course. How old are you?" the guy asks confused. "I'm nineteen, but that really wasn't any of your business" Alex smirks sarcastically. "How did you make it to the SRU, if you're only nineteen? You probably can't even fight" the guy laughs as he looks over his shoulder at his friend.
Greg and Eddie smiles as they watch Alex take a deep breath. "What is she doing?" Spike asks curious as him, Lou, and Wordy all walk towards them. "He just said that he doesn't think she can fight" Greg smiles. "Wrong choice" Wordy's voice says quietly. "So, now she's proving a point" Eddie laughs quietly.
Quickly Alex takes the guy's arm and twists it, throwing him over her shoulder and making him land in the middle of the circle with a thud. The recruits all gasp shocked and some look away, as Alex releases his arm and looks down at him with a big smile. "What were you saying?" she questions. The guy quickly shakes his head and gets up, walking quickly back to his spot in the circle. "Okay. Now that the snarky remarks are done...Continue what you were doing" Alex demands as she walks out and towards the team. "I hate people who underestimate me" she laughs, causing the rest of them to laugh as well.
***
Alex and Greg sit down in the briefing room and interview all of them one by one. Suddenly, a woman with blond hair comes in that Team One has had a close eye on. "Donna Sabine. Nice to meet you, I'm Alex, this is Sergeant Greg Parker. We're just going to ask you some very simple questions. Okay?" Alex explains as she shakes Donna's hand and she nods. "Why The SRU?" Greg begins as he looks up from his note book. "Probably the same as you. There's no place like this. No work like this" Donna explains as Greg hands Alex her file.
"With your skills, You could work any number of different places. You did well in undercover" Alex advises. Donna sighs and smiles. "Yeah. I've done my time behind enemy lines" she states. "Enemy?" Greg questions confused as he leans forward slightly. "Sorry, I don't mean-" she begins to say. "No, you know, the whole war zone imagery thing doesn't really fly around here" Greg admits quietly. "Okay, sorry...You know what I mean though" Donna says quickly as she leans forward in her chair. "Do I?" Greg questions, casing Donna to look up at him confused and a little scared.
"It's an expression, come on" Donna snickers. "Oh yeah, It's a pretty revealing expression" Greg states bluntly as he leans back. Donna looks over at the table worried and leans back. "You're mirroring me" Greg advises quickly. "What?" Donna questions confused. "Your body language. You're showing me, me now. Do you know you're doing that? Or is that just reflex by now, from all your time among the enemy?" Greg asks.
Alex looks at the file again and then back up at Donna. Alex gets up out of her chair and walks in front of Donna and sits up on the table next to her. "Constable Sabine, You got the bonding moves down, Belonging, Being what someone wants to see, And that's all very, very useful. But it concerns me a little when your psych eval shows inconsistencies on self-reporting. It's like you can't keep your story straight about who you are. This job, connecting to people, I need to know you've got something to draw from" Alex explains as she looks down at Donna with sympathy.
Donna goes to answer but the loud alarm stops her. Alex and Greg stand up, and Alex holds up her hand to stop Donna. "Hold up" she whispers. "Team One, suit up. Hot call, hot call. Gunmen at large in the Commerce Tower" Sally's voice states quickly. Alex looks back at Donna. "Someone to draw from....Pick this up later" Alex advises as she walk towards the door of the briefing room. "Awesome" she hears Donna sigh. "Awesome...yeah" Alex whispers sarcastically.
"Sally, how many gunmen?" Eddie asks as him, Alex, and Greg walk towards her desk. "We have multiple witnesses reporting a single gunman or pair of gunmen, At different areas on the eleventh floor. Could be one suspect, could be a team" Sally explains quickly. "What are they carrying?" Eddie then questions as they start to head towards the hallway leading to the garage. "Handgun, rifle, shotgun? Take your pick" Sally states.
Alex follows Greg and Eddie towards the weapons room but stands back, letting them pack what is needed. "She rappels like a spider" Spike says excitedly. "Thinks on her feet" Lou agrees. Wordy looks back towards Alex with a smile. "Is it time for a vote yet or what?" he questions, causing the rest of the Team to look over at Alex. "I'm thinking I need to think some more" Alex states seriously. "She's a no-Brainer" Eddie advises. "She's got the chops, no question about it" Alex admits. "But?" Eddie questions. "Sarge, needs to think" Spike smiles. "Copy that. Sarge needs to think" Wordy snickers as they start to walk past her and towards the SUVs. "Let's go" Alex laughs as she pushes Spike gently.
Alex heads towards her SUV and pushes the button to unlock it. "Alex" Lori's voice quickly shouts, causing the Team to turn around and look at her. "Lori" Alex states bluntly. Lori holds out her hand and looks into Alex's eyes. "Car keys" she demands. "What! You're not serious, right? Now you're not going to let me drive?" Alex snaps. "Alex. I don't believe you're in any state to drive" Lori explains as Team One gathers around them. Alex snickers under her breath and slams her door shut, locking it, and handing the keys over to Lori, knowing she wouldn't win this argument. "Thank you" Lori whispers and Alex shakes her head, frustrated and walks with Lou and Spike and climbs in the back of their car.
Team one quickly heads out and races through the busy streets as Alex sits in the back of the SUV and looks out the window. "What was that about?" Spike asks curiously. "Oh nothing. Doctor Lori just thinks I'm a ticking time bomb. She believes that I will explode at any second" Alex explains furiously. She then takes a deep breath and looks over at Spike. "You guys do believe me when I say that it wasn't me on that ledge right? I mean, it was a part of me, yes...But it wasn't me. I would never hurt anybody on this team. I would never attempt to-" Alex begins to say and Spike quickly looks back at her and takes her hand in his. "We believe you" he smiles. "Of course we do" Lou agrees.
When they arrive at the tall building downtown. Alex jumps out of the car and looks around and notices large crowds of people and Police Officers running around. "I'll take negotiations while you guys do your thing" she smiles. "Copy that" Eddie agrees. "I'll be here if you need me" Greg smiles as he places a hand on Alex's shoulder.
Alex walks inside the building, closely followed by Team One. As they walk through the door a Police Officer approaches them. "Number of suspects?" Alex quickly asks as the Officer walks beside her. "One In the media centre, demanding to see the Grayson Kearns, CEO" the officer explains as they walk down the hall crowded with people trying to leave. "The Media Centre, what's that?" Alex questions curiously. "It's down the escalator, off the trading floor. It's where the reporters do all their stand-and-talks. Lots of big screens, tickers. It's like they're right there" the Officer advises quickly.
"Subject in the media centre, is he armed?" Eddie asks as he walks closely behind Alex. "No. No, visible weapons. My guys are holding him there. Cops just showed. I've got CCTV tapes" he says. "Eddie, i'll take the guy in the media centre. Spike, you're my second. Set up a command post at that security desk. Sarge?" Alex demands. "I'll be there with Spike" Greg answers. Alex nods and looks back at the officer as Spike and Greg run towards the desk.
"Where were the gunmen last seen?" she asks. "Grayson Kearns' head office" the officer answers. "Lou, Sam, Wordy, with me. We need one of those elevators unlocked. Keep the rest of them shut down tight" Eddie states as they all run off down a different hall and Alex follows the officer down the escalators.
"He what?" Alex questions concerned. "The guy's spilling gasoline everywhere!" the Officer panics as he hangs up his phone and they both run down towards the Media Centre and the officer opens the door, letting Alex run in quickly. She runs around the glass wall and past all the cops standing around, to see a man pouring gasoline around him on the floor.
"Hey buddy, what's going on? What're you doing?" She asks loudly, causing the older man to turn around and look at her confused. "Don't touch the camera. Camera stays on" the man snaps as he points at her furiously. "I'm not going to touch anything" she says softly as the man pours the remaining amount of gasoline on himself. "What're you doing that for? Come on, just put that down" Alex shouts. "Stay back! Stay back!" the man snaps quickly. "Okay, okay. But why don't we just go outside, We can talk about this?" Alex questions.
The man looks at her and quickly holds up his hand. Alex looks closely and notices a lighter in his hand and she quickly and quietly gasps shocked. "I warned you...stay back" he demands quietly. Alex nods and continues to watch him carefully. "Nobody comes any closer" the man continues as he looks around frantically at all the officers in the room. "Okay, okay. Alright, let's all just move back. Let's give this man some space...Give him some space!" Alex agrees as she turns around and takes a few steps away from the man.
"Eleven oh-nine am, Sergeant Alex Parker initiates negotiation. Subject is level red, threatening self-Immolation" Spike's voice says through the headset as he starts the transcripts. Alex turns around and looks back at the man and notices that he lowered his arm, but is still holding the lighter. "My name's Alex Parker, I'm with the Police Strategic Response Unit. I'm here to listen to whatever you have to say, sir...I'm here to help you" Alex explains slowly. "Your young to be a Police Officer" the man states. Alex nods and smiles. "I get that quite a bit" Alex smiles. "I don't want to hurt you, but I'm not going anywhere" he states loudly. "Nope, no one's gonna force you to do anything" Alex explains.
She takes a deep breath as the smell starts to give her a slight headache. "Spike, let's get the fire department on standby, But no entry. Repeat, no entry until my command. And let's get ambulances in the area on standby as well" Alex demands quietly through the headset. "Copy" Spike answers as Alex walks towards the officer that she came in with.
"Let's evacuate the area, And then I need you in the Security Room with my guy, alright?" she says. "Yeah" the officer quickly answers as he turns around and escorts all the other Police Officers out of the room. Alex then notices a reporter standing behind the glass. "Miss, did you talk to him?" Alex questions and the woman quickly nods. "I want you to stay right there, okay?" Alex demands as she rubs her nose as it starts to burn from the smell.
Alex's breathing suddenly becomes deeper and quicker as she feels her lungs start to burn as well. "Spike, we've got a gentleman here releasing gasoline into an enclosed room without any ventilation. The concentration of vapours is high and growing...and he's holding a lighter" Alex states quietly as she turns away from the reporter. "Alex, the gasoline fumes can cause carbon monoxide poisoning. Your lungs, his lungs, and anybody else's who is in that room are being damaged with every breath you take. Also, it's not just the lighter i'm worried about. Anything sets off a spark, you got a fireball" Spike panics. "I'll be okay..What about firearms?" Alex questions. "Lethal, non-Lethal. Muzzle flash would be all it takes" Spike advises loudly. "Alright, copy that. See if you can get some airflow going in here too, okay?" Alex says as she closes her eyes for a minute and takes a deep breath through the burning pain.
"Sir? It's Alex again. What's your name?" She asks as she takes a tiny step out from behind the glass wall. "If you don't want to tell me that's fine. You don't wanna talk to me that's...Not a problem, no pressure. In fact, I'll tell you what? I'll give you one less thing to worry about, okay?" Alex smiles as she looks around the room at the remaining officers. "I want everyone with a firearm to leave this room. Everyone with a firearm....Fast is good...Right now" Alex shouts as the man looks up confused.
The officers walk towards the door and leave Alex in the room by herself. "Okay, all done.
You alright?" Alex questions as she looks at the man and sees him slowly nod. "Got CCTV of our subjects. Portraits of the gunmen coming at you" Spike announces. "I'll be right here" Alex smiles as she walks back towards the glass wall and signals for the reporter to come closer.
"Can we cut the video?" Alex asks as she pulls out her phone. "We can't reach our cameras from here. And I don't think he's gonna want us to turn them off. That's sort of why he's here" the reporter explains. "Oh yeah? What'd he tell you?" Alex questions curiously as she looks up at her and then back down to her phone. "Well, he and two others have been trying to get Joel Graves's attention for a long time" she adds. "Joel Graves? He's the guy who collects a fat bonus while Rome burns, right?" Alex asks sarcastically. "Mm, this is the guy" the reporter agrees with a snicker. "Okay, I want you to tell me about his company, Grayson Kearns" Alex continues. "Okay" the reporter quickly nods.
Upstairs team One watches the videos on Lou's phone as they wait for the elevator doors to open. When they do, Wordy is the first to leave and head down the hall. He opens the door and Eddie quickly walks in. "SRU...Which way did they go?" he asks as a crowd of workers stand in the office scared. A woman points to the left and Wordy quickly opens the door. "Clear" Lou states. "Everyone stay calm" Eddie demands slowly.
They continue to walk down the hallway and check the rooms as they go. "Clear" Sam's voice calls. They then walk into another busy room and quickly see everyone turn their heads to look at them. "Folks, need to see your hands please. We're with the SRU. Let's see some hands" Eddie shouts as the team holds up their guns. "Clear" Lou states quickly. "Which way did the gunman go?" Eddie asks and watches as everyone points towards another large door.
Down in the media room, the reporter finishes explaining the story to Alex. "Alright, let me get this. Grayson kearns gives away mortgages like it's candy. When the market slides, they dump high risk clients to the highest bidder, right?" Alex asks curiously as she makes sure she understands everything that was said. "Who Re-Offer it at rates these guys can't afford. You know they seem like regular guys. They probably just want their houses back" the reporter explains as she looks over at the man now sitting down on a stool with the lighter still in his hand.
Alex looks over at him and shrugs her shoulders. "Yeah, I think our friend wants more than that. He tell you his name?" she questions as she looks back over at the reporter. "Stan Matthews" she whispers as she rubs her nose. "Okay, thanks. You can get out of here" Alex whispers back and the reporter quickly turns and walks towards the door. "Thank you very much" Alex continues.
She then turns back around and looks at Stan and notices him breathing heavily. "Fire department's on standby, Alex, Waiting for permission to deploy" Spike advises. "Negative, if he sees fire hoses, He just needs a split second to beat 'em to the the punch and spark an explosion" Alex panics quietly. "Copy that. They gotta stay out of the line of sight. Gotta keep thinking outside the toolbox" Spike answers.
Alex looks back up at Stan and takes a deep breath. "Alright, sir, I understand you're looking for some information from Joel Graves. He's been in the spotlight quite a bit these days, huh? He's doing okay for himself" Alex began as Stan looks up at her. "You talking about the twenty-two million dollars? His bonus?" Stan calls furiously as he stands up. "Yeah...Yeah, something like that" Alex answers slowly. "Here's a guy who's got four houses already. Books a five-Star caribbean resort with his buddies to brainstorm how to make the most of these troubled times" Stan snaps.
Alex looks at him and shrugs. "What can you do?" she questions, and Stan just looks at her. "What do you want from him?" she then asks louder. "I want him down here" Stan hisses and Alex slowly nods. "Okay, Alright, let's work on that...Spike, let's get a twenty on Joel Graves" Alex demands loud enough for Stan to hear.
"We have ID on one of our guys. Stan Matthews. He's a Grayson Kearns account holder. They all are" Spike explains quickly through the headset. "I've narrowed the national list by city, male account holders. There's still a lot" Sally's voice admits. "Might wanna try recent foreclosures" Spike advises. "Foreclosures...Here he is, Stan Matthews. There's another one who lives on the same street, a Lorne Wilkes" Sally informed. "Good. See any other connections?" Spike questions. "Hold on there's a Brian Baumann, Same employer as Lorne Wilkes. Ex-Employer. They were both recently laid off from the auto plant" Sally answers. "Copy that. You know what'd be really great, Sally? Some cell numbers for these guys" Spike smiles. "Copy" Sally agrees.
Stan looks back up at Alex and sighs. "How is that fair? Can you explain that to me?" he asks. "I don't know" Alex says as she shakes her head slowly. "You tell me, Stan." "It was just me and Carol. Thirty-nine years. I hated math, she hated power tools, So we had a deal: She managed the books, I worked. We scraped together everything we had and we found this little mutt of a fixer-upper. Didn't look like much, but we knew what it could be" Stan starts to explain as Alex listens.
"I'll never...I'll never understand why she would do something like that" he continues and Alex looks at him confused. "What do you mean? What...What happened, Stan?" Alex asks. "I loved that woman...I loved her...I'm so fed up" Stan admits as he looks down at the ground and starts to cry. "Stan, it's okay. Really it's okay. Why don't we take a break? Huh? Tell you the truth, I'm getting a headache from all the fumes. Why don't we just step outside and just get some air?" Alex questions slowly.
Stan quickly looks back up and grabs a gas container and starts to pour it on himself. "Stan! You don't have to do that!" Alex snaps as she takes a quick step back. "No!" Stan screams as he looks at Alex and holds the lighter back up. Alex looks at him and shakes her head slowly as she takes a few more steps back.
"Ed, elevators are locked down, right?" Spike asks confused. "Affirmative" Eddie replies as he follows Wordy down a hallway. "Well, elevator three is on the move. Floor twelve, going down" Spike admits. "Where are the other elevators?" Eddie quickly questions. "Ground floor" Spike answers. "Stairs are faster" Wordy states. "Alright, head's up, guys, subjects are on the move, They probably have security cards and keys. Spike, get me uniforms on all the elevator exits, In case they step out before they reach bottom" Eddie demands as him and Wordy run towards the stairs.
"Security has reported two men entering the elevator" Spike announces. "Just two? Where's Graves?" Alex questions confused. "Sally's got cell numbers. You wanna give it a try?" Spike asks. "Negative, you make the call, Spike. I need my full attention on my subject here" Alex clarifies as she looks back over at Stan.
A few minutes pass and Spike's voice erupts through the headsets again. "They're not responding to the phone. They've stopped the elevator between floors. Floor seven, floor six" he says. "Sam and Lou, cover the sixth floor exit. We'll go above" Eddie demands quickly. "Copy that. Bravo team proceeding on foot" Sam shouts as Lou opens the door to the sixth floor.
Wordy and Eddie approach the elevator from the seventh floor and get their equipment ready. Wordy uses a crowbar and opens the elevator door as Eddie gets his harness together. "Bravo team in position" Sam states quietly as him and Lou stand in front of the elevator door and hold their guns up.
"Still no response on the phone. What can you tell me about overriding manual controls?" Spike asks the Officer as Eddie ties his harness to the door handles across the hall and secures it. "Listen up, guys, we got a window of opportunity. There's a trap in the ceiling. I don't feel like dropping in without a distraction" Eddie explains. "I hear you" Spike agrees. "CS gas standing by" Wordy admits. "No five fifty-fives. What about five seventeens?" Eddie questions causing Wordy to look in the bag of supplies. "Still overkill in that space. Ditto flashbangs. Serious risk of eye and ear damage" Spike advises concerned.
Wordy continues to dig through the bag. "Hey! How about this, uh...training flashbangs? Used them on the recruits this morning" Wordy advises. "You got training flashbangs? Sure. Just open the doors a little first" Spike explains. "Reduce the concussive effect. I like it, let's do it" Eddie demands. "Okay, the elevator has two emergency override patterns: A ground floor And a nearest floor cycle pattern" Spike informs quickly. "Dropping down a floor, we'll deploy from above. Sam, Lou, meet and greet when the doors open" Eddie states clearly as he takes the training flashbangs from Wordy. "Copy" Sam answers. "Alex, you good with this?" Eddie questions.
"Just go careful. These guys don't have records, It just sounds like they've been pushed too hard" Alex mumbles quietly and then looks back at Stan who is sitting on the stool panicking. Eddie looks at Wordy and nods his head. He then jumps into the elevator shaft as Wordy keeps an eye on the harness. "Copy that. Distraction standing by" Eddie says as he stands on top of the elevator. "Standing by" Lou and Sam both say in unison.
"Spike, countdown override procedure" Eddie demands quietly as he looks up at the harness. "Override in five...four...three...two...one. Triggering override" Spike announces. "Distraction on my go" Eddie advises. Sam and Lou stand still and hear the elevator door ding as the door slowly opens. When they do, they see a man holding a gun up at Joel Graves. "Back off!" the man yells as he pulls him back. "Hold. Hold, Eddie" Lou whispers. "He's got Graves" Sam states as the elevator doors slowly close.
"Eleven thirty-six am, Armed subject with hostage in elevator" Spike advises as he speaks into the mic for the transcripts. "We have one subject in the elevator with Joel Graves. He's armed with a snubnose, thirty-eight" Sam explains loudly. "Fall back. New deal. Hostage situation. Decrease pressure" Alex demands quickly as she paces. "Copy that" Eddie answers as he climbs back up the elevator shoot. "Spike, keep trying the phone, Maybe they're ready to talk now" Alex states as she sniffles and ignores the pain.
She looks towards the door and notices the fire department coming through the door. "No, no, no" she whispers as she quickly walks towards them and pushes them out. "See if we can get the ventilation going in here, And keep your guys out of sight" she continues as they turn and walk out the door. "Alright, change of plans, Spike. Go for the ground floor override sequence. We'll have more tac options in the open lobby Than in one of these hallways" Eddie's voice says through the headset.
Lou and Sam quickly head down the stairs and instantly see a man standing there. They raise their guns and the man quickly raises his hands. "I'm giving up" the man shouts quickly. "Put your hands on your head! Stay right where you are!" Sam yells as they both walk towards him. Lou stands with his gun pointed at him as Sam handcuffs him. "We got a subject who has surrendered" Lou states. "Copy that. Sam, you're Sierra. And, Lou, let's bring the guy down here" Alex demands. "Copy" Lou agrees.
Lou takes the guy and walks with him towards the escalators as Sam loads his gun and stands in front of the elevator doors. "What's he going to do?" the man asks worried. "That depends on your friend" Lou answers. "Please don't hurt him" the man pleads as they walk quickly down the escalators. "We don't want to. Why don't you help us out?" Lou questions as he pulls the man along with him. "What's that smell?" the man quickly questions as Alex walk out of the room and takes a deep breath.
"What's going on?" the man asks confused as he looks at Alex panicked. "We're trying to help your friend" Alex answers. "What happened?" he questions. "You don't know?...He soaked the room with gas, including himself, And now he's threatening to light it up" Alex explains as the man looks at the T.V. screen showing Stan walking around in the room. "Oh my god. No, no. None of this was supposed to go like this. Let me talk to him!" the man snaps as he bumps into Alex, but she quickly pushes him back towards Lou. "No, I can't let you do that" she states.
"Lou, I got him, it's okay. You wanna help your friend? You need to keep talking to me" Alex states as Lou walks back towards the escalators, but gets distracted when he spots something else. "Spike. The gas in the media room? I think we got another option" he informs slowly as he walks towards it. "Talk to me, Lou" Spike answers. "How close can we get to the subject?" Lou asks as he walks up towards two big fans beside the media room.
"No one's accountable. We're all just pieces of paper crossing his desk. He sells a piece of paper and we lose everything" The man explains to Alex as he watches Stan on the screen. "And that's what happened to Stan too?" Alex questions curiously. "Brian and me worked at the plant eleven years till it closed five months ago. Stan lives on Brian's street. We've all been buddies a long time. Brian thought...He was doing us a favour. Here's these amazing mortgage deals" the man continues quickly. "And he talked you and Stan into it?" Alex asks. "Me and Carol" the man admits as he looks over at Alex. "Carol is Stan's wife?" she questions again. "Late wife" he answers.
Alex looks at the screen and watches as Stan paces the room with the lighter still in his hand. "Stan fixed his place up with his own hands. Did it for carol. Did it to give her the home she always dreamed about. Then one day they get a letter in the mail, Her payments have been tripled and there's no way they can pay. Their pensions already decimated. What're they gonna give up? Heating? Groceries?" the man argues as he begins to feel frustrated.
He takes a deep breath and looks over at Alex. "She sees it's coming, right? All he put into it, all he did for her, It's all gonna be gone. But she can't bring herself to tell him. So she hides it, right? And hides it ...And one day, she's out of time. Makes no sense. I mean you love someone, you stick around, You fight, but she couldn't. He comes home after work one day and he finds her...He finds his wife. That wasn't a great day" he continues as Alex looks down at the floor. "You really think Graves is gonna care? Or you just want him to see what he's done?" Alex asks quietly.
"We want him to see the people he's wrecked, up close. We want his face on camera saying, I made this choice.I sold out a thousand families for the price of my twenty-two million dollar bonus, I knew what I was doing and I did it anyway, and i'm sorry" the man admits. "Okay... Constable" Alex says as she signals for the officer to take the man.
Alex walk back into the media room and sighs. "Eddie, I need to stay here with Stan. I want you to meet the elevator to start negotiating. You catch that conversation I had with my friend, Lorne?" Alex questions. "Yeah, copy" Eddie answers. Alex looks around the glass wall and nods. "Okay" she whispers. "Spike, start the override procedure" Eddie demands as him and Sam stand at the corner and watch as the numbers count down from six.
"I can't hold the elevator doors open when they hit the lobby. It'll cycle open automatically. And we're at Five...four...three...two...one" Spike advises as the doors to the elevator open up to reveal the subject and the hostage. They step out and Eddie puts away his gun. "Move away" the subject mumbles as he holds the gun up towards Graves head. "Move away!" he snaps as he stares into Eddie's eyes.
"My name's Ed lane. I'm with the Police Strategic Response Unit. How you doing?" Eddie questions calmly. "Get out of the way!" the subject demands. "It's Brian, right? Brian?" Eddie asks. "We're coming through" Brian states as Alex listens in on the headset. "What's going on? Have you got him? Is he coming?" Stan shouts, causing Alex to look at him. "Just try and understand where we're at, Stan" Alex answers.
"Alex, me and Lou are working on option B. Big reno on the main floor. Big paint job. We may be able to neutralize the lighter. Could buy you a few seconds" Spike informes slowly. "Yeah, I hear you. That's good" Alex admits as she watches Stan become agitated. "You better get him here.
I'm done waiting!" he snaps as he holds up the hand with the lighter. "Just stay calm, Stan. Just stay with me" Alex shouts. "Lou's got uniforms moving on it" Spike advises. "Okay, but move fast, move real fast. And give Ed whatever background you can on Brian Baumann" Alex demands quickly. "Okay" Spike answers.
"Still workin' on it. We're still workin' on it. Five more minutes, Stan. Five minutes" Alex says loudly. "I got the solution" Sam states. "Copy that" Eddie answers. "He's gonna talk. You gonna talk, right?" Brian questions as he looks up at Graves. "I know what's going on here, Brian, okay? And I gotta tell you right out of the gate, I'm sympathetic" Eddie begins as Brian looks at him confused.
"Laid off from the auto plant five months ago. Lost his house to foreclosure. No listed address. No family" Spike explains quickly. "We got a lot of people here who are very sympathetic. They understand exactly what it is you're going through" Eddie continues as he listens to Spike through the headset. "No!" Brain snaps. "Yeah they do" Eddie argues camly. "No! They don't!" Brian snaps. "That's why we're going in there with the cameras, And he's gonna say what he's done. That's what we're here for."
Eddie watches as Sam slowly walks behind Brian to the other set of elevator doors. "I get that, Brian. Okay, I get that. When I was a kid, I saw my folks go through the very same thing. You feel...helpless" Eddie admits. "You get it? Then you get why this guy has to go in there and own up to what he's done" Brian explains.
"Where is he?" Stan screams as he looks up at Alex. "What do you want, Stan?" Alex questions loudly and a little frustrated. "Why aren't you letting him through?" Stan asks furiously. "Brian and Lorne, they want to make things right again. Lorne wants a house for his family, I get that. But what do you want from Joel Graves?" Alex yells. "I want him in here" Stan mumbles quietly. "You know what I think you really want? What you really want, you know he can't give it you. You know he can't bring it back" Alex snaps as her eyes begins to go blurry and her lungs feel like they're on fire.
"Lou, you gotta hurry...You gotta hurry, Lou" she whispers as she covers her mouth and nose with her hand. "Okay, copy. On our way" Lou answers quickly.
"Don't try to stop me. I owe this..I owe this to Carol" Brian admits. "Carol?" Eddie questions confused. "Stan's wife. Recession suicide" Spike advises quickly. "He found her in the garage. She had her good coat on. Her good coat, like she was going somewhere! She left a note on the hood of the car 'Cause she couldn't tell him. She...she thought she let him down" Brian explains as tears begin to form in his eyes. "I hear you. That's not right" Eddie whispers as he shakes his head slowly. "Yeah, it's not right. It's not right. You hear me? You get it? Then you let me through!" Brian cries. "Now, listen to me, Brian. In this job, I hear a lot of people asking for a lot of crazy things, and what you're asking for, it's not crazy. It's not. It's just not something...It's not something that we can do, okay? We can't do it like this. You know, I get it. I get it. You just...you just wanna do right by your friends. You just wanna do right by Stan. Brian, Stan is down there right now, doused gasoline, with a lighter, and he's gonna light himself on fire" Eddie explains slowly as Brian looks at him afraid.
"No...No!" Brian argues. "Now, I know you've lost a lot, But you don't want to lose Stan too. So i'm asking you, Show him that this isn't the way. Just show him that there's another way to end this. Okay? Please?" Eddie begs as Brian looks at him and slowly breaks down in tears. He back away from Joel and lowers the gun. Eddie steps back and releases his breath. "Thank you" he whispers as he looks at Brian as Sam walks quickly behind him, takes his arms, and handcuffs him.
"And I know how hard it is to lose someone. To lose someone you love. To lose something that's so important to you and have it ripped out of your life!" Alex shouts. "You have ten seconds" Stan whispers. "This isn't the way Stan!" Alex screams. "Nine!" Stan argues. "It's not the way. Your friends know that" Alex panics. "Eight!" Stan says completely ignoring what she was saying. "Your friends know when it's time to stop!" Alex screams again, but this time causing Stan to look at her furiously. "You get him in here or this ends right now" Stan warns as he places his thumb on top of the lighter. "Just don't do it, Stan" Alex begs quietly.
"You did the right thing" Eddie smiles as he walk up to Brian and places a hand on his shoulder. Eddie looks over his shoulder and notices Joel walking away quickly towards the police line and the reporters. "Mr. Graves" one of the reporters say as they too walk closer to the police line. "Hi" Joel says quietly. "What do you have to tell us about today?" the reporter asks as flashes and other microphones come rushing towards him.
"Hi, uh i'm Joel Graves and In response to today's events, I'd just like to say a few words, Um I'm moved by the losses of these men" Joel starts to say as Alex and Stan watch from one of the T.V screens in the media room. "Eddie?" Alex questions quietly as Stan turns around shocked. "And I understand the need to turn to someone for an explanation. What these men lost was more than four walls and a roof, But, that's the part that I took from them. It made sense on paper, but up close It's a different story" Joel continues as Eddie walks in front of him and gently pushes him away.
Joel moves away from Eddie and heads back towards the cameras. "Up close it's not the same, I'm sorry. Stan, I'm sorry. If there's anything I can do to help" Joel finishes as he looks straight into the camera.
Alex watches Stan carefully as Joel turns and walk away with Eddie. "Well, he got up there, came clean, said he was sorry, That's what you wanted, right?" Alex asks with a little hint of attitude as Stan slowly turns back around and looks at her. "It's not enough" he admits as he slowly shakes his head. "I know. But, nothing's gonna take that pain away" Alex sighs.
Stan looks down at the floor. "Now he wants to help. How's he gonna do that? Being sorry gets him off the hook? I wanna help makes things better" Stan begins as he looks back up at Alex. "What's he gonna do? Is he in the business of giving back lives? What about my wife?" he continues as he slowly lifts his arm back up and places his thumb on the top of the lighter. "Just don't do it, Stan...Just don't!" Alex screams as Stan slowly closes his eyes.
"Ready, Alex" Lou's voice echoes through the headset as Alex begins to feel the room spin. "Go" she whispers. The back doors suddenly open and Lou and other officers wheel in the fans, causing papers to fly around the room and Stan to fall to the floor. Alex quickly runs towards him, tackling him, and takes the lighter from his hands as Lou runs up and takes his arms. "Subject contained" Alex sighs through the headset as she looks towards Lou and we smiles and winks at her. "Twelve sixteen pm, Third subject, Stan Matthews, contained" Spike says through the headset, while Alex snickers and playfully hits Lou's arm before standing back up.
Alex slowly walks out of the room and continues to feel the pain in her chest as the room continues to spin. As she takes another step, her legs give out and she quickly feels herself fall towards the floor. Before she could hit it, Spike quickly catches her and picks her up bridal style. "I got you" he whispers. "We need oxygen, stat!" Spike yells as Alex looks at him and smiles. "I really hate spinning rides" Alex laughs as the medics come running down the escalators.
***
Later, back at headquarters, Alex walks up behind Eddie and Greg quietly and quickly grabs both of their shoulders, making them jump. "Alex!" Eddie breaths as he places his hand on his chest. "You're welcome" Alex laughs. "For what?" Eddie asks loudly. "For making that old heart of your beat just a little bit faster" Alex teases as she runs past Eddie as he goes to reach for her. She looks back laughing before heading into the Briefing Room. "Isn't she amazing?" Greg smiles and Eddie looks towards him shocked before shaking his head and laughing. "She's something. That's for sure" Eddie jokes as they now enter the briefing room as well, but before they enter Alex walks back out and stops them.
"Okay. What are we going to do?" Alex asks curiously. "You mean, what are you going to do?" Eddie corrects. "It's your decision" Greg then says as Alex looks back and forth between them. "You know what? She blew by everybody in there. Nobody can touch her. Alex, nobody. So what's the problem? You don't think she'll work? You don't wanna let Jules go?" Eddie questions causing Alex to quickly look up at him shocked. She sighs and nods as she turns and walks back into the briefing room.
As Alex, Greg, and Eddie walk into the room, Donna quickly stands up. "Constable Sabine...Sit down" she smiles as she carries a large folder with her and places it on the table. "Good call today?" Donna asks curiously as Alex sits down in the chair beside her. "Well, no one died" she admits as she looks at Donna.
Alex then reaches for the file and opens it up. "This guy wanted to die today, but he didn't get to. This other guy, he's got a family who's gonna go without a father for a while. This guy's going to jail 'Cause all he wanted to do was help out his two friends" Alex explains as she points to the men in the photos. "I get it" Donna admits quickly. "Yeah?" Alex questions curiously. "It's not black and white" she answers.
Alex leans back in her chair and looks towards Eddie and Greg. "Everyone's a constable here. There's no rising up in the ranks. You don't make more money because you risk your life everyday, you make less" Alex explains bluntly as she looks at Donna seriously. "I know" Donna answers. "You're not gonna be out in the field alone, you're gonna be in it with a team...I'm not gonna lie to you, if Jules makes it back, she's got a place here" Alex continues. "Fair" Donna agrees as she nods her head.
"But that doesn't mean I won't put my faith in you" Alex admits. "I'm not gonna let you down" Donna advises. "I hope not. This is my team, Donna. If you're going to be part of it, you need to promise me you will work with the team" Alex says slowly. "I promise" Donna clarifies quickly. Alex looks at her for any sign of lies and quickly stands up. "Okay" Alex smiles. "Yeah?...Okay?" Donna questions confused and excitedly as she takes Alex's hand and shakes it. "Yeah, let's keep the peace" Alex states. "Yeah, let's do that" Donna smiles. "Thank you" she continues. Alex nods and smiles. "Your welcome" she says.
Donna, Greg, and Eddie all leave the briefing room excitedly as Alex sits back down in her chair hearing the back door to the room open and close. "I made the right choice, right?" Alex asks as she hears footsteps slowly approaching behind her. "Does it feel right to you?" Spike's voice questions as he wraps his arms around her from behind. "Yeah" Alex nods. "Then I think you just answered your own question" Spike snickers as he leans in and kisses Alex softly on the cheek.