However, he had no time to think about that carefully now. Each of the hostages should be safe. He then told the captain about what Brian said, and then asked, "What do you think are the chances that we can make it?"
The captain's face became more serious at his question, and said, "If we do so, we are afraid that the kidnappers might detonate the bomb in case they find out." He paused for a while then added, "They want us to free Culpeo. I'm afraid there would be another event even if this one here ends before we can even take Culpeo away!"
The police officer beside the captain thought about it as well and said, "You are absolutely right!" "It is reported that a 24-hour convenience store has been robbed in the Northern district," he added. The police officer sighed and went on, "It is not that severe and it has been under control." His eyes then cast a pointed look at Edgar and he continued, "If it goes on like this, the whole city would not have a peace. We cannot handle this without any extra support."
"How much time do we have here?" Just then, Edgar's voice interrupted the discussion.
The police officer quickly checked his watch and said, "Less than five minutes!"
Edgar gazed at the art class as he told the rest of them, "What is happening here is the main event. The rest of the crimes in other places are just to distract us, our energy, and resources." He then went over behind his car, opened the door and took out a black bag. Then, he pulled out the bag's contents and started to change his suit. He continued talking as he did so, "Everyone stays here to await orders." His eyes turned to Brian who had already changed and said, "Keep the radio on so we can contact at any time!"
Meanwhile, the captain rushed to Edgar when he saw the general change suits and tried to stop him, "Sir?! Let me do that!"
"Keeping all the hostages safe is the most important," Edgar's face turned darker, and said as he passed the binoculars to the captain. He added, "I am taking my responsibility if there is an accident!"
After his speech, Edgar double-checked his gun and the bullets once more then put it back into its holster. He then grasped an assault rifle and ran towards Brian and said in a firm voice, "I will go with you!"
Brian paused and gazed at him for a few seconds. He calmly said, "I hope you are still as good as you were before you became the mayor five years ago."
Edgar's brows shot up as he answered back, "Why don't you try?" Then, he huffed coldly and said, "You go left and I'll go to the right!"
However, Brian strongly refused. "No, You go to the left and I'll go to the right!" He countered back. Before Edgar could even respond, Brian continued, "If you want all the hostages safe, do as I said!"
At this, Edgar only gritted his teeth without a word. Then, both of them ran to either side of the stairs they were assigned to. In under two minutes, Edgar and Brian arrived at the top of the building from the left and right staircases almost at the same time. There were already people from XK Intelligence Agency waiting for them when they got there.
The radio released a muffled sound then a voice frantically spoke, "Sir, there are barely two minutes left!" It was the captain, who held the binoculars previously passed to him by Edgar.
Edgar turned his head to his radio mic. "Get it!" he hissed in a low voice. While he did so, he saw Brian communicate with the people of XK Intelligence Agency by gestures and in a language he did not know at all.
Brian quickly finished giving out his instructions and his people nodded, then proceeded to execute their orders. They found suitable positions and got ready. Edgar and Brian both glanced at each other and took out a rope from their bags, then fixed them to the ledge of the building roof top. After that, they put the type D buckles on their ropes and got into position, then slid down the building facade swiftly and quietly.
Inside the room, Molly wasn't sure if the people outside understood her hand gestures. Her eyes darted to the wall clock. There was only a minute left from the time set by the kidnapper awhile ago.
She held the little girl in her arms tightly. Molly got increasingly worried as the hands of the clock ticked by every passing second. If it was only her, she could fight off the kidnappers. However, she was surrounded with many children, then there was her son Mark, too. There was no way she could try to fight, nor she dared to!
"Mummy, don't be scared," Mark said in a low voice from beside her. "Vincent will come soon," Mark added and tried to relax her.
Molly's eyes widened at her son's words. He continued whispering, "I sent message to him with my cellphone just now." His big eyes looked around first, then he continued, "Don't be afraid, Mommy. Papa Brian will soon arrive here."
After he finished saying those, Molly's worrying ceased and she calmed for no apparent reason. Even if she knew that there was no way Brian could come to rescue them right now, she felt fearless when Mark told her so.
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