Captain Rodriguez shook his head grimly. "We can't risk it. Not with a gun to his chest. We need to wait for an opening." Back inside, Miles felt the cold press of the gun barrel against his ribs. He understood the urgency of taking action, but a single misstep could put everyone in the bank at risk. "Pay attention," Miles said in a calm tone, "you're in a difficult situation."“I understand. However, murdering captives will not enhance your circumstances. Why not discuss this? Perhaps we can discover a solution that avoids causing harm to anyone else.”The leader hesitated, his grip on the gun loosening slightly. "You think you can negotiate better than that idiot the cops sent earlier?" Miles nodded slowly. "I'm willing to try if you are. What do you say we start by letting some of these people go? Show of good faith." For a moment, it seemed like the leader might consider it. Then his eyes hardened. "Nice try, but I wasn't born yesterday. You're stalling." He turned to his accom
Miles seized the moment of distraction. "Listen, I have a proposition for you. One that could get you out of here alive."The leader's attention snapped back to Miles. "Talk fast.""Release the hostages," Miles said, gesturing to the terrified civilians huddled on the floor. "Keep me and the officer as your primary bargaining chips."Elena, who had been silently observing, spoke up. "Are you insane? We can't-"Miles cut her off with a sharp look. "Trust me, Officer. This is our best play."The leader laughed bitterly. "And why would we do that? These hostages are our insurance."Miles leaned in, lowering his voice conspiratorially. "Because I'm worth more than all of them combined. I'm the son of a major political leader in the capital."Elena's eyes widened in shock. "What? But that's not-""Not public knowledge, I know," Miles interrupted smoothly. "But it's true. And it makes me a very valuable hostage."The robbers exchanged glances, uncertainty creeping into their body language.
Stepping out of the bank, Miles was momentarily blinded by the bright sunlight. Blinking, he adjusted his eyes and found himself instantly encircled by nervous cops. "Mr. Miles! Are you alright?" The director rushed forward, concern etched on his face.Miles nodded, his expression grave. "I'm fine, but we have a situation inside. A forced attack won't work. We'll lose hostages."Captain Rodriguez frowned. "What are you suggesting?"Miles took a deep breath. "I've negotiated a deal. They're willing to release all the hostages in exchange for keeping me and Elena as key hostages."A collective gasp went through the gathered officers. Sergeant Frond, a stocky man with a perpetual scowl, stepped forward. "Are you out of your mind? We can't let them keep Elena!""Calm down, Sergeant," the director interjected. "Mr. Autumn, explain your reasoning."Miles nodded. "It's our best shot at getting everyone out alive. The robbers believe I'm the son of a major leader in the capital. They think I
Inside the bank, Elena was indeed growing increasingly agitated. "Where the hell is he?" she muttered, glancing at the door for the hundredth time.The lead robber paced nervously, his gun twitching in his hand. "If your buddy double-crossed us, you'll be the first to know," he growled.Elena glared at him. "He wouldn't do that. He's not that kind of person."But as the minutes ticked by, doubt began to creep into her mind. Had Miles really abandoned them? Was this all part of some elaborate plan she wasn't privy to?One of the other robbers spoke up. "Boss, maybe we should cut our losses. Use her as a shield and make a run for it."The leader hesitated, clearly torn. Elena tensed, ready to act if necessary. Just as the situation seemed about to boil over, a voice came over the megaphone outside."This is Nathan Chen, crisis negotiator. I'm coming in to talk. I'm unarmed and alone."The robbers exchanged glances. The leader nodded to one of his men, who cautiously approached the door.
The robber's eyes widened. "How did you-""Let's just say I have connections," Miles interrupted. "Now, shall we?"The head robber nodded to his three accomplices. "You two, grab the money. You, keep an eye on the cop. And you," he said, pointing his gun at Miles, "you're driving."As they made their way to the car, Elena whispered to Miles, "What are you doing? This is insane!"Miles muttered quietly, "Believe me, I have a strategy." The group crammed into the vehicle, Miles at the wheel while the thief's leader sat in the front, holding a gun aimed at Miles. Elena was wedged between two thieves in the rear, while the fourth one sat alongside the money bags. As they pulled away from the bank, police sirens blared to life. The head robber tensed. "Lose them!"Miles navigated the streets with skill, weaving through traffic and taking sharp turns. Elena watched in amazement as he seemed to anticipate every move of their pursuers.After several tense minutes, the sirens began to fade.
The man stumbled back, clutching his wound. "Shit! Fall back! Get inside and call for backup!"As the robbers retreated into the villa, Miles turned to Elena. "We need to move. They think we're still here."Elena nodded, her eyes scanning their surroundings. "The villa door. It's our best shot.""On three," Miles whispered. "One... two... three!"They ran quickly across the empty area, with bullets raising dust behind them. As soon as they got to the door, a barrage of bullets hit the car they had been using for cover. Within the villa, they leaned against the wall, taking deep breaths. "Nice shooting, Tex," Elena quipped, nodding towards Miles' gun.Miles smirked. "You ain't seen nothing yet, partner."The sound of approaching footsteps had them both tensing. Miles held up three fingers, counting down silently. As he reached zero, they both spun around the corner, guns blazing.Two robbers went down immediately, caught off guard by the ambush. The third managed to get a shot off, t
Miles opened the front door of his house and guided Elena in. Both of them appeared unkempt, their clothing showing signs of their recent difficult experience. "Feel free to relax," Miles said, pointing towards the living room. "I will get water for both of us." Elena settled into the luxurious sofa, grimacing a bit while extending her arm. "Thanks, Miles. For everything."Miles returned with two glasses of water, handing one to Elena. "Don't mention it. It's what partners do, right?"Elena took a sip, then set the glass down. She stood up, facing Miles. "No, really. I mean it. What you did today... it was incredible. I don't know how to thank you."Before Miles could respond, Elena came up to him and gave him a tight hug. Taken off guard, Miles hesitated briefly before returning the embrace. At that instant, the front door opened again. "Dad, we have returned!" exclaimed a young voice. Miles became motionless, his eyes becoming larger at the sight of his wife Lola entering with t
The stylish black vehicle arrived at the grand entrance of the mansion. Miles paused and took a deep breath before finally placing his hand on the door handle. That was the conclusion. The instant he had both feared and desired his whole life. Upon exiting, a well-dressed elderly gentleman came towards him. "Mr. Creek, welcome. I'm Dorian Dean, the butler."Miles nodded, his throat dry. "Is it true? Is he really here?"Dorian's eyes softened. "Yes, sir. Your father is waiting for you inside."Miles followed Dorian through the grand entrance, his footsteps echoing in the cavernous foyer. They stopped before a heavy oak door.""He's right over here, sir," Dorian mentioned, with his hand on the doorknob. Miles whispered, "Hold on," speaking in barely audible voice. "Is he... is he alright?" Dorian gave a gentle smile. "Why don't you take a look, sir?" The door opened, showing a study illuminated by a cozy lamp. By the fireplace stood a man that Miles recognized from old photos and b