CHAPTER 102

TOMMY KEPT HIS GLOCK G17 in one hand and the other on his waist, in case he needed it. He walked carefully through the building, with silent steps and steady hands in front of him, ready to shoot whoever it was, and Katherine was right behind him. After everything he had seen outside, situations and reactions that were inexplicable from any point of view, it was a mystery what they would find when they went out.

It all seemed like a nightmare that was not close to ending...

They followed the corridor until a point where the path turned to the right. The lighting inside the building was diffuse, even in the brightest afternoon light, few lights were on and there were no windows in the place, only doors to the many rooms in that wing.

Tommy stopped near the corner of the wall, before the turn, to check for danger, but before he could even take aim, amidst the contrasting sepulchral silence that now dominated the library space, they both heard the sound of a door opening, the click of the lock followed by the sound of its hinges moving.

Without hesitation, Tommy leaned his back against the wall, pulling Katherine into the same position, and waited, right at the turn, trying to hear the footsteps of whoever it was. The light sound of wooden floorboards hitting the floor revealed the sole of a man's shoe, confirmed by the stiff rhythm of his walk.

The supposed man seemed to be walking carefully, with studied and cautious steps, unusual for any civilian. The stranger's gait revealed that he was possibly searching for something, a study of the territory, typical of military personnel and other types of trained people, leading the young man to deduce danger. The very low footsteps slowly approached the turn of the corridor. When Tommy noticed the encounter, he didn't think twice and threw himself at the stranger who was turning the corner, violently throwing him against the other wall.

A metal pipe whistled near his face during the attack, revealing that his opponent was also armed. He tried to dismantle it, but was unsuccessful.

The two began to hit each other, furious, with punches and elbows, but Tommy had the advantage, pressing the man against the wall. The confrontation continued until Tommy held him by the neck with one hand, face to face, placing the barrel of the gun against his forehead. The man pressed the barrel of his pistol between his ribs.

Katherine groaned in distress, there was nothing she could do, especially since she was still suffering strongly from the strange effects of the sound, balancing herself on the wall to stay upright.

— Who are you?! — Tommy asked nervously. — Speak!

— I'm the one asking you that question! — the man replied resentfully.

Gregory noticed that he was also wearing a suit and a kind of hearing aid in his ear, with a spiral wire that went down to his collar. A profile like that, of someone wearing a black suit, carrying a pistol and with that kind of equipment could only be translated as a federal agent; it would never be a henchman like him.

— No matter where your bullet goes, I'll still have time to pull the trigger on your head! — said Tommy.

The man, without many options, due to his underprivileged position in the situation, continued the conversation:

— Special Agent Jerry Hines, FBI.

— Tommy Leone... husband of the librarian behind me... — he answered, confused, as he didn't have an acceptable description to give of himself.

— I think we can lower the weapons... — suggested Agent Hines.

— No, you're going to lower yours, press the safety button and hand it to me. Then I'll take mine off your forehead.

— And what guarantees that you won't kill me after that? — the agent challenged him.

— Well, I haven't killed you yet, take that as a guarantee...

The man decided to listen to him, locked the gun and handed it to Tom, who kept it attached to his belt along with the other one.

— How many are with you? — Tommy asked.

— Just me.

— Don't mess with me, you never walk alone...

— You know things well... There's a team with me, I don't think you'd be successful against all of them.

Tommy took a deep breath, somewhat annoyed by the flow of events.

When things didn't seem like they could get any worse, they surpassed any negative expectations...

— Listen — Tommy continued irritably. — I just came to get my wife and I just want to get out of here with her safely. The problem is that things are really strange out there and wasting time here with you won't do much good. I want you to take me to the exit safely and let me go, so no one gets hurt.

The man looked at Katherine and asked:

— Are you really his wife?

— Yes, yes! — she replied nervously.

— Okay, okay... — the agent replied, discouraged. — But I think it's easier to put your gun away and go calmly.

— I prefer the hard way, right now it's what gives me the most security. — Tommy replied.

THE THREE WENT THROUGH THE BUILDING until they returned to the entrance hall. Agent Jerry was in front, followed by Tommy, still holding his shoulder and with the pistol pointed at his back and lastly Katherine followed them.

— Why don't you do it his way? — she whispered in his ear as they walked.

— I don't trust him... — Tom replied in the same tone of voice.

When they arrived at the reception hall, where Kenan, Floyd and the others were, a new commotion broke out. Upon seeing them, the agents quickly realized that Jerry was Tommy's hostage and pointed their guns at them, Floyd protecting Kenan.

— Drop the gun! — one of the agents shouted.

— I don't want any trouble, I'm just with my wife and I want to get out of this damn place! — Tommy shouted. — Just open the door and let us out!

— No one is going to open that door! — shouted Floyd Kenagan, aware of the danger that lay outside the building.

Katherine appeared behind him, so that the men could see her. She looked around fearfully, and when she realized, she was very surprised to see President Kenan Vaine in the center of the group.

She approached her husband and whispered in his ear:

— Look, honey, that's the President!

Only then did Tommy realize who was in front of him...

Yes, it was him...

What the hell! How did this happen? Now that we're really going to die... — he complained to himself in his thoughts.