“Are you all right?” Andrew asked her.

Meliza nodded and glanced at Tina, who was frozen in her spot.

“Everyone put your hands up! Now, empty your pockets, wallets, purses…and give them to the gentlemen with black bags!” the GM announced.

Several men in black and white suits went through the crowd, each holding a bag to obtain the valuables. Tina whimpered as she put her bracelet in the bag. The lackeys continued onward, obtaining all the valuables they could grab. The goon stared at Meliza, a pistol held in his right hand.

“All valuables go in the bag…” he reminded with harshness.

Meliza frowned. “I don’t have anything…”

Andrew tugged his earlobe in indication. Meliza sighed, flicking her hair back to remove her sapphire earrings. She placed them in the bag. The guard stared at Andrew before moving on, noticing that he didn’t have anything of value…at least…in view.

“It never fails to amaze me how much trouble I run into,” Meliza said quietly, remembering the casino where she had met Tina. Now this.

No kidding. “It just seems to follow some women,” Andrew quipped.

“Hey, shut up!” a goon shouted at them.

The two nearly jumped.

“Should I take that as a compliment?” she murmured through the side of her mouth.

“Take it any way you like,” he muttered back.

“All right…here’s the deal! Anyone who tries to escape gets shot and will probably die,” the GM announced. “The police have already been informed that this building was taken over. What they plan to do is really none of mine…or your concern. I have asked for five million dollars to be delivered in one hour. The sooner, the better. I have also informed the police that after every half hour they delay, I will shoot a person. Any of you could be next.”

“You sadist!” someone shouted.

He narrowed his eyes. “I consider myself a fair man. At least I gave you a warning.”

“Some warning!” a man next to Meliza called out.

The GM frowned and made a signal to one of the guards. The guard pulled out a handgun and shot the man in the shoulder. Meliza jumped and screams could be heard.

“Anyone else wish to voice their opinions?” the GM mocked.

The man who had been shot clutched his wounded shoulder, his eyes wide with fear. Andrew removed his black blazer and covered the man, who was trembling.

“You’ll be okay,” Andrew informed him. “Help’s on the way.”

“I hope so,” the man replied, grinding his teeth in pain.

Tina had managed to crawl over to the two. She touched Meliza’s shoulder. “We’re gonna die…I’m gonna die…” she whispered repeatedly.

“Hey, calm down,” Meliza said, although she was shaking inside.

Surveying the room, Andrew got an idea of which guard was where, and how many people were around him. There were at least ten guards and about fifty people. He narrowed his eyes slightly. Too many people to try and take down the guards. The GM and two guards were about ten feet in front of him…he could easily cross that distance in less than a minute. He might be able to take him down first. The classic ‘eliminate the boss and the goons won’t do anything’ might work here. And the GM’s weapon had several rounds in it. He might be able to move quickly and disarm the GM, and hold the gun against one of the guards. But he had to take his time. Things like that weren’t rushed.

Andrew sat beside Meliza, his mind working quickly.

“I’m going to take down the guard...” he whispered, his eyes shifting to the lone guard who paced in front of them, FAMAS in hand, making sure everyone was behaving.

Meliza’s eyes rounded, and she snatched his arm. Tina began to whimper again. “What?!” she whispered. “Don’t do this…I don’t want you playing the hero.”

“I’m not playing the hero,” he repeated.

“Are you crazy?” she hissed. “You could get killed.”

“Probably,” he agreed. Andrew might have looked calm, but inside, his heart was pounding. Other people’s safety was at stake here.

At just the right moment, Andrew tossed a card of energy, landing it right in front of the guard. The guard frowned and bent over, about to pick it up when it exploded in his face.

Andrew jumped on his back and tossed another card at the GM.

“What the…!”

The GM moved to the side, the attack hitting his other bodyguard. People seemed to be inspired by Andrew’s sudden movement, because seven other guards were taken down. Andrew engaged in hand-to-hand combat with the GM.

The GM was a master in Tae Kwon Do…so he proved to be quite a challenge to Andrew, who relied on his speed and strength.

The GM nailed Andrew with a high kick to the chest, knocking the gambler to the floor. The crowd dispersed, not wanting to get injured. Andrew coughed, trying to catch his breath, then performed a low kick, causing the GM to his the floor face first.

“You b*st*rd!” the GM screeched.

Andrew rose to his feet only to land hard on his back as the GM grabbed his feet and yanked them forward, causing him to lose his center of gravity. Andrew grunted and kicked the GM’s shoulder, nearly dislocating it. His opponent screamed in pain before grabbing his gun to fire it. The gambler had moved out of the line of fire just in the nick of time.

Andrew lifted his head to see a bullet imbedded in the wall. At the click near his temple, his breath turned solid in his lungs.

“Get up and turn around,” the GM ordered menacingly.

Feeling the cool metal barrel press against his head, Andrew swallowed fiercely before slowly rising to his feet.