Jason laughed. “You remind me of the cows who try to trample me when they realize I’m going to turn them into minute steaks. Same result, too.” He squeezed Covington’s neck till his face turned purple. “Now slide your gun to me and undo those buckles.”
“Go ahead, Detective,” Cross said. “They aren’t going anywhere.”
She nodded, understanding he still needed time. She put the Glock on the floor, kicked it Jason’s way, and started unbuckling the heavy leather.
* * *
The demo man bomb-puttied the chamber door, from the side the Trents couldn’t see. “I’ll attach every bit of explosive I’ve got, Lou,” he whispered. “But it won’t be enough. This was designed by the folks who built Fort Knox.”
“We’re gonna give you a helping hand,” Annie said. “Rest of you, this way.”
Corey sprang from the chair, sank a fist in Covington’s belly.
“You’ll have to finish that later, brother,” Jason said over Covington’s groan, keeping the polymer blade tight. “Power’s only good till twelve-thirty.” He looked at Emily. “You. In the chair.”
Fear soaked her pants.
“Hey!” Marty roared through the glass. “You said you wanted me. So do it, you coward. Kill me and let her go.”
“You beat my brother half to death,” Jason said. “Broke his arms, gave him that steel tooth. Then put him in this slaughterhouse. Killing you would be too easy a punishment for your vast crimes. Instead, you’re going to watch Emily snap, crackle, and pop in Old Sparky. Just like you’d planned for my brother.”
Corey giggled.
“I knew you’d like the symmetry, bro,” Jason said. “Strap her in.”
“Shoot the bastards, Em,” Marty said, vision swimming. “Both of them. Now. Covington created this mess. Let him take the heat for it.”
“I have to protect the governor,” she said, the back of her knees slippery with sweat. “You know it.”
“Dammit,” Marty said, gritting his teeth and forcing his head to clear.
Corey shoved Emily in the chair. Buckled the straps so hard her hands and feet puffed. Ripped out a lock of chestnut hair. She wanted to yelp but wouldn’t give these two cacklers the satisfaction. Corey locked the skullcap on the bare spot: “Don’t worry, hon, blood improves electrical conductivity,” he said - then he ripped away a trouser leg and locked the exit electrode to her calf.
“Love that bullet scar,” he leered, dry-humping her knee. “Makes me wish we had five minutes. That’s all it’d take, babe. Five minutes with me and you’d forget all about Marty-boy.”
“Five minutes with you,” she snapped, “I’d fall asleep from boredom.”
“That’s good, honey,” Jason said as Corey slapped her. “Go down fighting.”
“Only one going down here,” Emily grunted, cheek on fire, “is you and baby-killer.”
Jason laughed, turned to Covington. “All right, Mr. Governor, this is it. You’ve got one chance to save the damsel in distress. And yourself.”
“We’re ready, Lieutenant,” the National Guard demolitions commander said from the top of the ladder. “There’s enough C-4 on this ceiling to blow it to Pluto.”
“And not collapse the entire building?”
He shrugged.
“Close enough,” Annie said.
“Pardon your brother?” Covington snapped. “Like George Ryan let all those maniacs off the Row? Are you out of your mind?”
“Probably,” Jason said. “But if you put it in writing and declare it was done freely and without coercion, I’ll let Emily and you go.”
“No way.”
“Is that your final offer?”
“I said no.”
Jason smiled. “I didn’t think you would. Your obsession with avenging your brother precludes all common sense. On the other hand, I can relate to that.” Jason looked at the clock over the viewing window. “You’ve got ten seconds to say yes, or Corey pushes those buttons.”
“Take the deal, Wayne,” Cross said. “If you don’t, she’s dead, and so are you.”
“Corey Trent cannot go free,” Covington said.
“Even if means killing an innocent like Emily?”
“Even if.”
“You son of a bitch,” Marty raged. “Sign the goddamn paper before I kill you myself.”
“And that’s ten,” Jason said. “Corey, head on in.”
Corey hustled to the anteroom. Ordered the frightened executioners out at gunpoint. Went inside, locked the door, laid a mop handle from the janitor closet across the three red buttons.