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“No.”
“Are you able to confirm they are in there?”
“We haven’t been able to confirm it yet, no. But looking at Tyler’s file, it’s safe to assume — ”
“And have you been a part of the ongoing investigation?”
“No. I came in as part of the response team.”
“One hostage?”
“Yes, a girlfriend, from what we understand.”
Clement looked at the two men, then turned toward the house. “Seems an awful big response for one hostage.”
Thomson spoke up. “It’s the weapons and explosives we’re concerned about. If our intel is correct, he could take out this entire neighborhood.”
“So I’m here for the hostage, the explosives, and Mr. Tyler? I take it you’d prefer him alive as well?”
“If possible,” Thomson said. “Yes, we’d like to take him alive for questioning.”
Aaron shook his head.
“Do you have something you’d like to add, Pritchard?” Thomson eyeballed him.
“You won’t take him alive. He won’t let you. He’d rather blow us all up before he agrees to anything.”
“But he’d take himself out too,” Clement said.
“Yes.”
“And you haven’t seen the explosives.”
“I feel like we’ve had this conversation before.”
“Pax per conloquium. You know what that means?”
Aaron pushed his tongue into his cheek and looked at the ground, huffing out a breath before responding. He was already on edge, and Clement wasn’t helping his attitude. “Yeah, I know the crime negotiation unit’s motto: ‘Resolution Through Dialogue.’”
“Excellent. Have you established communication?”
“Besides the filth he’s been shouting out the window? No. But I can tell you now, it’s not — ”
“Does he have a phone? Or do I get to play with the megaphone?”
Aaron’s lips flattened. “Play?”
“Well, you know, everyone has a phone these days. It’s rare that I get the satisfaction of projecting my voice into the atmosphere.” He made a clicking noise with his cheek.
“We have a cell phone number for him,” Thomson said. “But we don’t know whether he has it on him or if he would even answer.”
“There’s only one way to find out.”
While Clement attempted to make contact with the monster, Aaron paced. People were going to die tonight, and he was powerless to help.
He lifted his eyes up to the sky. His previous MO in situations like this was to ask for God’s wisdom. But as he stared up into the darkness above, he had the distinct feeling that God wasn’t interested.
When he’d walked into that drug house six months ago, God was close by his side, but the longer Aaron stayed there, the further his heart sank into a miry place that even God wouldn’t trespass into.
