14. Hostages

- "Operator-san, any news?" - asked Kazuki, waiting for the rebels on the bank's back door.
- "Not yet. All signal I have is Haruka's position, still on the bank. Renegade's equipment jammed our cameras, so we aren't receiving the feed and NCID's communication."
- "I see. Maybe we should have prepared for that, honestly" - Kazuki gesticulated, angry - "Also, this is taking longer than expected."
- "Yes, but remember, Kazuki-kun, you have to wait for information, any incursion without information has not been allowed."
- "Yes, I know" - he sighed. Kazuki couldn't stay quiet and moved around while he alternated between looking at the door and looking at the laptop they had by the side. One of the agents was operating it, it was receiving the feed from the bank's cameras, which were all black. However, on a moment that Kazuki looked, a man's face was there, he had long blonde hair. He started talking through the video:

- "Hello, bankers, police, special forces, whoever you are! My name is Eisubel and I'm i the process of stealing this bank, as you may or may not know" - Eisubel smiled and moved like he was hosting a TV show. - "You, someone there responsible for your operation, you will give me a escape van without trackers and let me leave this bank." - all the agents were now tensely looking at the screen - "Why you may ask? Because I have three hostages, and if you want to save their lives you are going to do as I say" - he started moving the camera - "first we have a guard!" - the guard was tied on the floor, completely quiet - "then we have a terrible rebel, you can have her, I don't care" - he showed Renegade, arms and legs tied to a chair - "and our grand prize, I believe one of yours, Velvet!" - he showed Haruka in a chair, her mouth was taped, with her hands and arms tied and her feet encased in ice. She was panting heavily and Eisubel used his hands to send a stream of ice on her legs which made her flail, shiver and shout, without a sound. - "so, the case is clear, I will give you half an hour to give me the vehicle, or I will kill the hostages one by one." - he smiled and continued - "and don't worry, Velvet will be the last, you see... she needs to chill out a bit" - then he ended the transmission.

Kazuki punched the wall of the bank and shouted on the NCID:
- "Operator did you see this?! Did you see what this wanker is doing? Why the hell did we let them jam our systems? I should be there already shooting this bastard down"
- "Please, calm down, Kazuki-kun."
- "Calm down? How on Earth can I do that?" - he shook his arms - "My partner is being tortured and my hands are tied! Do you have any bright ideas?"
- "Not ye.."
- "Alright, I'm going in then!"
- "Kazuki-kun, you can't!
- "I can and I will!"
- "Please wait, we have orders. I will try to do something here."
- "Then, be quick!" - Kazuki then called the agents and said:
- "Attention everyone, keep calm and ready to act. This may get ugly and we must let the hostages be killed, specially our agent, is that clear?"
- "Yes, sir!" - they all replied in unison.

Kazuki spent a few minutes in anxiety before the operator called him:
- "I checked all the information we have and talked with the Colonel. He took a decision."
- "What is it?" - Kazuki replied quickly.
- "We are sending the vehicle Eisubel asked for. His strategy is to trace their hideout and catch them, but prioritize the hostages."
- "That's absurd!" - Kazuki shook his head - "they are not trustworthy in any way. Eisubel will simply keep hostages in the vehicle, we cannot answer to their demands!"
- "Kazuki-kun, I understand your concerns, but we have orders. The Colonel thought of the possibilities and the risks."
- "What do you think then, operator-san?" - there was no response - "come on, what do you think?" - she still remained silent. Before Kazuki asked again, a new transmission came on screen. It was Eisubel talking again:

- "Ten minutes have passed! And no communications! I ask myself if you don't think I am serious. Well" - he wore a wry smile - "let me show it". He showed Renegade on the camera. Hammer punched her three times, one on the face and two on the belly. She screamed and spit blood. Haruka got agitated and Eisubel sent a stream of ice all over her. Her hands were getting purple as she flailed desperately. - "Now you can see I'm serious! Remember to call me and give me the vehicle as soon as you can if" - he paused maliciously - "if you want to see my hostages alive."
- "Did you see that?!" - Kazuki shouted - "do you really think we can give the vehicle to this bellend bastard?"
- "Well, I'm..."
- "Alright then!" - Kazuki stopped himself. He took a breath, looked around, thought for a short while and continued - "alright, I will tell you what I will do. The situation has changed and the hostages are running immediate risk. So, the decision is mine and I'm going to enter the bank and assault them to free the hostages. We are probably going to have a wild shooting, but that's our best chance, we need to save them. I" - he paused - "I need to save Raikubo-san." - he paused again and prepared his rifle - "I'm going in with the team!"
- "Wait a minute Kazuki-kun!"
- "What is it?"
- "I have an idea." - the operator hesitated - "I have the bank's building plans here. There is a very large air vent in which you can sneak in. Why don't you go in alone through it in order to surprise them? It is risky for you, but much safer for the hostages than a full-on assault." - Kazuki was frowning a lot, but took a minute to think before replying:
- "Alright, if it is safer for the hostages I agree. What should I do?"
- "Right next to you, there is a grate. You can remove it and enter the vent. Then I can guide you through the tunnels until you are very close to then. In the manager room where they are there are two vents you can use. There, you will be on your own."
- "Alright, I'm ready. " - he sighed - "let's go Operator-san."
- "Let's go" - after her reply, Kazuki asked the help of the agents, who removed the grate. He told them:
- "I'm going in alone to try to save the hostages. If I don't return in ten minutes, communicate with Eisubel and continue following the Colonel's orders with the help of our operator. Is that clear?"
- "Yes, sir." - the agents replied. One also said:
- "Good luck, sir."
- "Thank you." - after that, Kazuki crouched and entered on the vent.