Ah, the writer returns! And with theme music! Let's try this out, shall we? Totally optional, I know many people like to enjoy the silence in reading...but this is what I was writing to for this sort of dark-ish chapter...

www. youtube .com/watch?v=jl-v81hi2rQ

if you copy and paste that into another tab on your internet or something, erase the spaces after www. and youtube. this wenbsite doesn't let me type out the whole link like that for some reason, as I'm sure many of you know. so erase the spaces and then it will take you to my youtube site for the music. Or simply youtube . com/sidjamestdlemon1900. its sid, not sidney on there. couldn't fit it all in :( ANYWAY! Go on and read my next bit here.

10. Let's Test Those Nerves, Shall We?

Back in Lightman's office, everyone else waited anxiously. Davidson and Shelia sat on one of Lightman's sofas in the corner, Davidson with his arm draped around Shelia's shoulder as she merely stared at the carpet with little emotion on her face, trying to keep calm. The young Tim Smith was pacing by Lightman's bookshelves, occasionally pausing to pick up a volume to examine it. Heidi tried to keep herself distracted and busy with some paper work as she anxiously worked on the coffee table. Loker and Torres were of course up by Lightman's office, Torres on the corner of the desk, Loker in the chair across from it, feet propped up on it.

Eli was extremely annoyed with their lack of power at the time since he had planned on hacking into Lightman's desktop to use the security cameras to keep an eye on things and to catch a glimpse at who their captors were. Instead, he casted a shifty glance at Torres. "How are your nerves?"

"We should be doing something," she hissed, "I'm tired of just waiting around for this crap."

"Well, what do you propose then, hmm?" Loker whispered back.

Ria paused as she considered. "We could take the fight to them."

An uncomfortable smile was set on Loker's face as he stood from his chair, touching Ria on the arm. The rest of the room glanced up at him and his sudden movement. "Let's move in here, shall we?" he suggested as he gently dragged her into the study next door. He cheerfully nodded at their onlookers as he slid the door closed. "Are you nuts?" he spat.

"What?"

"Take the fight to them? We don't even know who we're dealing with yet. We could get everyone here blown up and killed!"

"We could stop them though," Torres started, "Surely we've got the upper hand here. You, me, Reynolds, them…" she gestured to the four in the office, "they wouldn't see us coming."

Loker shook his head in utter disbelief. Normally he was the one with the wacky ideas and it was Torres who tried to keep him grounded. It was strange to be on the other side. "No, you can't bring them into this."

"Then just you and me then. We would have the element of surprise on them…look…" she trailed off as she quickly went over to the far wall and kneeled down next to…

"Um…Torres, what are you doing? That's Lightman's safe." She gave no response to him as she fiddled around with the electronic keypad on the front of the silver safe. We are definitely going to get fired. "Ria, stop," Loker tried again, stepping forward, "We are not about to break into Lightman's-…" he paused when the door open and he caught a glimpse inside. "…his…arsenal?" he concluded with a head tilt.

"He showed me this after Matheson was here…wanted to assure me that this can be a safe place if it was necessary," Torres explained as she reached in and pulled out two small pistols. She handed one to Loker.

"I'm not much of a shooter-killer-guy," Eli said weakly as he limply took the weapon from her.

With a small grin, Torres shrugged as she cocked the gun. "Just shoot 'em in the leg then."

Loker had to look away as he found gun wielding, tough women somewhat…hot. We're not going to get fired. We're gonna die… he thought hopelessly.

-

The tension in the conference room was unbearable. Foster's eyes kept darting back and forth between Rader and Lightman, her face screwed up with confusion and worry. Lightman merely sat leaning forward against the table, starting calmly at his enemy across him. Reynolds was silent, but only for a moment before he slammed his fist on the table, causing Foster to jump a little and the gunmen to step forward, P90s raised.

"What the hell are you playing at, Rader?" Reynolds demanded. "You are out of your goddamn mind if you think you can get away with this."

"Well you see, Agent Reynolds, I'm not out of my mind because I know I'm going to get away with this. My alibi for this whole week is already safe. And as for you people…well, like I said, that can go one of two ways. One, you can try and fight me and you'll all die in the process, leaving me to be the only living deception expert left, therefore raking in all of your non-existent business. Two, you hand it over to me and walk away without causing a fuss."

Gillian spoke for the first time in a while. "And what makes you think we won't go straight to the authorities after this? You can't seriously expect us to just stay quiet forever."

Rader shook his head, that sickly grin still etched o his face. "No, I didn't expect that. Not willingly, anyway." The man paused and looked slowly at each of their faces. "How are your families doing today?" he asked darkly. "Reynolds, I'm sure your parents are just now finishing up dinner, and your father is getting ready to watch basketball like he does every night, right?" As he listened, Ben's hands clenched into fists as he began to breathe heavily with anger. "Foster…well, god only knows what your ex-husband is up to, right? But we've got our eye on him anyhow. Along with the daughter you never got to have, Sophie." Gillian raised a hand to her mouth and her eyes slowly began to glisten. Finally, Rader cocked his head to look at one last person. "Lightman…your ex-wife is probably just now heading back to her hotel in Chicago for a lonely evening of business and wine. And I'll bet you only think that Emily is home alone tonight."

In a flash, Cal jumped from his chair, sending it flying back into the wall, and reached over the table, close to attacking Rader right then and there. Reynolds was quick enough to grab Cal by the shoulder to help keep him back. Rader quickly scooted the chair back in surprise while the gunman behind him pointed the weapon at Cal's face. It took all of Reynolds' strength to keep Cal from flying across the glass table to strangle the man. "You son of a bitch!" he shouted as she struggled against Ben's strong arms. "You leave them out of this! Or I swear I'll-" he had to stop his raging as he let out a strangled sounding cough.

"Cal, stop!" Gillian pleaded as she too grabbed his arm and pulled him away, nearly in tears herself.

Rader only laughed as he waved to his partner to lower his gun. He placed both palms on the table and leaned in close to the furious Cal, whose eyes were flashing with rage. He was shaking, partly from the cold, partyly from pure hatred and anger. A few strands of messy, sweaty hair dangled in front of his forehead, jerking with every movement of struggle he made. Rader shook his head at the sight of him. "Or what? You'll sneeze on me? You can't do anything to me Lightman. Not if you want any of these people to live. I've trained my guys to not only be very skilled assassins, but experts of deception as well. I mean, hell, I learned from the best," he winked at Cal. "Your families have no idea that they are being watched and they never will. So let's say you turn me in after all this is over. As soon as I go to jail…your families will die. Simple as that."

Across the table, Cal was still being held back by Reynolds and Gillian as he stared daggers into Rader's body. After several tense moments, he quickly ceased his struggling as he started to feel weak again from his illness, slightly going limp in Ben's arms.

"Woah, woah, easy there, Cal…" Reynolds muttered as he had to shift his weight to hold Cal. Gillian quickly pulled the chair back under him as Reynolds eased him into it.

Cal stifled a cough and looked up at the grinning Rader with tired eyes. "You're a bloody bastard, you know." Beside him, Gillian was gently rubbing his back as he coughed horrendously again, feeling his body shudder beneath her palm. She looked worriedly up at Reynolds, but he was staring at Rader again.

"Yes, I know," Rader replied smoothly as he slowly returned to his seat as well. "Now, can we talk about my new company?"

Evil money-lovin jerk. More to come. Oh, and thank you so much for the feedback from the last few chapters and the authors note. Thank you thank you. You all are wonderful!