The Ultimatum

by Nancy Moser

  Jered's face was petrified. “What are you going to do?”

  Jinko took the stairs two at a time.

  The gun was so heavy! Jered had never held a gun, and he didn't like the feel of it. Could it go off if he jostled it the wrong way?

  He decided the best thing to do was to keep his finger off the trigger. Just hold it. Point it. Hopefully that would be enough.

  They heard Jinko upstairs, banging, tossing, breaking things. That wasn't like Jinko at all. It made Jered nervous.

  “If he's looking for more coins, there are none,” Cal said quietly.

  Jered cleared his throat. “Why should we believe you?”

  “Because we're telling the truth.” Cal pointed to Scott. “Can I get this ice to him?”

  Jered shook his head violently. “Jinko said not to move.”

  Annie spoke, her voice calm, as always. “Then you give Scott the ice pack. You do it.”

  That was a possibility. But first, Jered had to get Cal out of the way. He pointed to the recliner. “Sit.”

  Cal sat.

  Keeping his eyes on Cal, keeping the gun on him, Jered retrieved the bag of ice and brought it to Scott, who took it weakly but managed to press it against his wound.

  The little girl was whimpering. He hated when kids cried. “You okay?”

  She looked up from her mother's shoulder and nodded. “I'm sorry I came out.”

  Her mom pulled her head close. “It's okay, sweet-apple. Its okay. You were a good, brave girl to stay in there alone so long.”

  Jered thought of something. “How did she eat?”

  “I snuck her food,” Annie said.

  The little gid sat up. “I'm hungry.”

  “Not now, okay?” Jered said. “Later. But not now.”

  She nodded and rested her head against her mom.

  Jered had no idea what to do next. Things were nerve-racking enough without Jinko going crazy upstairs. Jered hoped he was finding a way out.

  “I wish he wouldn't break things,” Cal said. “He doesn't have to break things.”

  “He can do what he wants,” Jered said.

  “Your dad's outside,” Annie said.

  Jered's heart bounced. “I know.”

  “You saw him?”

  “I saw his car.”

  “He's there with Merry. They're in her van in front of the neighbor's.”

  Jered had to see. He moved to the window, then remembered he was supposed to be holding the gun on the McFays. It was awkward doing both. He parted the drapes just enough.

  “To the right. The tan van,” Annie said.

  Jered saw a bit of the van just beyond the police cruisers and the cops that were hunkered down behind them talking on walkie-talkies. He didn't see his dad though—

  There! Was that him poking his head up? Dad? Is that you?

  His excitement flipped to shame. His dad was a witness to all this…this mess he'd gotten himself into. Now he'd never be proud of him. Now he'd never want Jered back.

  He thought of the birthday card he'd taken from his house when he snuck in to get his guitar. He'd looked at it often—and memorized its words: Happy birthday, son. May all your dreams come true.

  Dreams?

  They were gone. All gone.

  He turned back to his hostages. “I don't want to hear any more about my dad. We're living separate lives now. I can't live the kind of life he wants me to live.”

  “So this is the kind of life you want to live?”

  Annie had a point. Jered changed his weight to the other foot. “Jinko says we have to live for ourselves. If were worried what other people are thinking or feeling, we'll drive ourselves crazy.” He hesitated. He wasn't sure about this next part. “We have to believe we're better than the rest.”

  Annie shook her head. “That is completely, 100 percent wrong.”

  “It's not. Jinko says—”

  “Jinko says whatever it takes to make you do what he wants you to do. Jinko says whatever it takes to justify stealing from and hurting other people, using them for his own gain and pleasure.”

  “Now is not the time to debate philosophy, Annie,” Cal said.

  “It most certainly is. Jered's on the edge of a huge decision and—”

  “No, I'm not.”

  “Sure you are. What did you and I talk about on the stairs, just this morning?”

  Was that just this morning? Jered didn't want to go into it. Not in front of the husband. “That was then. I was mad at Jinko. You caught me at a weak moment.”

  “No, God caught you. You said you wanted to start over.”

  Cal's head whipped toward Jered, then back at Annie. “You talked to him about God?”

  “Of course.”

  “Where was I?”

  “In the kitchen with Jinko.” She waved a hand. “The whens of it aren't important. What's important is that you've already made a choice, Jered. God knows you're thinking about Him. You can't go back.”

  Jered was surprised to find he was glad about that. Though he had no idea how to glue what happened earlier onto this moment, this crisis, he was glad it wasn't for nothing. It counted.

  Annie glanced upstairs and lowered her voice. “Let us go, Jered. Let us go out the back door and run to the police and be safe.”

  “Cans are in the way.” I already tried that.

  “So we make noise. We'll do it fast and be gone before Jinko can react. Besides, you have the gun, and I know you won't use it.”

  She has me pegged. Jered pointed to the man on the couch. “What about him?”

  The man opened one eye. “Just get me outta here.”

  Jered looked up the stairs. Jinko had moved from the back of the house to the front. As long as he was noisy, he was busy. But what about me?

  Annie answered as if she'd heard. “You can come with us.”

  “But I'm wanted by the police.”

  “I don't know what you did or didn't do,” Annie said. “But who would you rather deal with: the law or Jinko?”

  Cal sat forward on the recliner, his eyes flitting from upstairs to the conversation. “If we're going to do this, we need to—”

  “If you're going to do what?”

  Jinko!

  Jered instinctively moved to the far side of the room, away from the stairwell. He stood next to Annie. Only when Jinko started down the stairs did he remember the gun. He raised it, pretending to be doing his job.

  Annie started rocking again. “If we're going to get something to eat—Avis hungry—we need to do it soon.” She began to stand. “I'm going to make her a—”

  Jinko took a step toward her, and she—and Jered—flinched. He stopped, then stared at Jered a moment. “What's gotten into you, kid? You're acting like a scared rabbit.”

  Jered cleared his throat, hoping his voice wouldn't come out in a squeak. “I was thinking—”

  “Well, stop it. Let me do your thinking for you.” Jinko grabbed the gun away from him.

  He was only too ready to let it go. Annie shook her head, and he realized that what Jinko just said was wrong. Jered had to think for himself. Make his own choices.

  Jinko pointed at Scott. “Why does he have an ice pack? Who gave him an ice pack?”

  “I did,” Jered said. “He needed—”

  “He needed? It's not what they need, kid; it's what we need, what we do, what we decide. If you're so keen on their needs, why don't you go out to the kitchen and make the kid a sandwich? You could even ask her about what kind of jelly she wants.”

  “Grape,” the girl said.

  “Shut up, kid.”

  “Don't talk to her like that,” Annie said.

  “I'll talk to her any way I like. I'm the one in charge here. I'm the one—

  The phone rang.

  They all looked in the direction of the kitchen.

  Maybe its the police. Maybe its my dad. Arent you going to answer it, Jinko? Just answer it and get this thing over.

  The answering machine pick
ed up. “Jinko Daly? This is the police. Pick up. We want to talk to you.”

  Jered stared at Jinko. Come on…pick it up.

  Jinko pointed at Jered. “Get it.”

  “Me?”

  “I'm not leaving this room. Get it.”

  “What do I say?”

  “Say hello, kid.”

  Annie dealt with two conversations at the same time. On the one hand, her ears strained to hear all that Jered said into the phone; at the same time, she was having her own conversation with God.

  “No, this is Jered. Jered Manson.”

  Father, I know You re here among us.

  “Everybody's fine. Or pretty much fine.”

  We need Your guidance and direction.

  “Uh…Jinko has a gun.”

  Jinko took a step toward the kitchen. “You tell him Jinko will use that gun if he doesn't get what he wants.”

  As Jered repeated the line, Annie pulled Avi even closer and exchanged a look with Cal. Lord, protect us. Keep us safe. Make this end soon.

  “Uh-huh. In the living room—”

  Jinko rushed into the kitchen. “Give me that! Move in there.”

  Suddenly, Jered stumbled into the entryway. He blushed and put his hands in his pockets.

  Annie's first reaction was that she felt sorry for him. Jered wasn't on Jinkos side anymore. But was he on their side? Another fact hit her. The man with the gun is in the other room! Busy. On the phone.

  She glanced at the front door. Cal followed the direction of her gaze. He looked behind him toward the sound of Jinkos voice. Then he looked at Scott and shrugged. Would it be possible to make a run for it?

  Jered took a few steps toward them, shaking his head and waving a hand. “Uh-uh. No way. Don't even think about it.” He whispered and pointed toward the kitchen. “He's right there.” He made a motion with his index finger and thumb, like a kid pretending to shoot.

  Annie leaned back against the rocker and let up on her grip of Avi. She hadn't been aware that she'd leaned forward and was holding Avi as if flight was imminent.

  “We can't, Mama.”

  Annie kissed her head. “I know.”

  “But what can we do?”

  “Pray, sweet-apple. Pray.”

  Avi nodded against her chest.

  They heard Jinko say, “Call me back in five minutes,” and hang up. He appeared in the living room and gestured upstairs. “Everybody up to the master bedroom. I need you contained and away from a door.”

  “But Scott…” Cal said.

  Jinko pointed the gun at the man on the couch. “Scott has no choice. Now go. And once you're up there, shut the door. Jered, you hang out on the stairs and guard them.”

  Cal helped Scott to his feet and up the stairs, letting Annie and Avi go first. Although the move was taking them farther away from a door to escape, Annie was glad to be together, and she was especially glad for the requirement of the closed door. It would give them a chance to talk. And any place away from the gun was an improvement. Thank Youy God!

  The bedroom was a pit, drawers open and rifled through, boxes in the closet tossed on the floor. Annie knew they had nothing of value for Jinko to find. But what bothered her more than the mess or losing a few trinkets was what Jinko's rampage revealed of his character. Up to now he'd been pretty controlled. Calm. The destruction upstairs showed his other side.

  They settled Scott on the bed. “Can I get you anything?” Annie asked. “Aspirin? A cold compress?”

  “The compress would be great, but I don't know if I should take medicine.”

  Annie and Cal didn't know either. They decided against it.

  “Can I go in my cubby?” Avi asked.

  Annie was going to say yes—after all, it was a place that would give Avi comfort—but then Cal answered, “Not now, darlin. We need to stay close. Together. In case we have a chance to get out.”

  “We can bring some of your pillows and toys out here. Make you a little cushy place in the corner. Does that sound good?”

  Avi nodded to her mother wholeheartedly. She and Annie made it happen. Within a minute, the little girl had a comfy pile of blankets, pillows, and books in the corner by the window.

  Ignoring the mess, Annie moved the bedroom chair that usually sat in that space to the far side of the bed, near Scott. She offered it to Cal, but he insisted she take it, while he sat on the bed next to his friend. They formed a tight triangle.

  “I'm so sorry I got you into this, Scott.”

  Scott touched his head. “Me too, Cal. Who are those guys?”

  “I met them at the auction. They saw what I bought and followed me home.”

  Annie waited for him to add the part about bragging about coins he did not have, but he didn't say more.

  “I thought it was odd you wanted me to bring the collection here.”

  Cal shrugged. “Their idea.”

  “But then seeing the police out front when I drove up…”

  Speaking of… They all remained silent a moment and listened. They could hear Jinko on the phone in the kitchen below. “I need to get to my car, but its blocked into the garage. So this is what we're going to do. I want whatever police cars are out there to park your cars perpendicular to the street, one after another, real tight.”

  Cal illustrated Jinko's words by making a slicing motion with one hand forming a cross over his other, demonstrating the cars' position in the street. “They won't be able to go after him,” he whispered.

  Jinko wasn't through. “I'll toss the McFays' car keys outside so their cars can be parked nose-in toward the file of cruisers, in front of them and behind. And then I want their keys put in my vehicle. Also in my vehicle you will place a bag containing fifty thousand dollars. Only then will we get my car out of the garage and—” Jinko paused. “Hey, I don't care if you find it acceptable or not. I'm the one calling the shots here. And by the way, just to make sure you don't take any potshots at us, we're going to bring a hostage with us.”

  Annie grabbed Cal's knee. “He's going to take a hostage?”

  “Shh!”

  Jinko yelled, “Don't talk to me about time! I'll give you five minutes to say yes, or the next sound you hear will be the sound of someone dying.”

  Twenty

  Everything belongs to you,

  and you belong to Christy

  and Christ belongs to God.

  1 CORINTHIANS 3:22-4:1, NLT

  THE PHONE RANG DOWNSTAIRS. Annie and Cal held their breath.

  Jinko answered it. “You made a good choice. I'll toss the keys out now and give you an hour to make it happen.”

  Annies stomach fluttered. “It's going to happen.”

  “I know.” Cal swallowed hard. “And soon. I'll be going soon.”

  Annies heart flipped at her husband's words. “Cal…”

  He looked straight ahead, then at her. “I'm going, Annie. You know it.”

  She knew it. Scott couldn't and Annie shouldn't. And Avi…surely Jinko wouldn't even consider that.

  They sat still a few moments, the only sound Jinko's and Jered's murmurings from the living room and Avi singing quietly in the corner as she played with her bride paper dolls, ‘“Seek and ye shall find, knock, knock, and the door shall be opened, ask and it shall be given, and the love come a-tumblin' down.’”

  Suddenly Cal pulled Annie to her feet. “We need to talk.” He led her into the closet. They immediately found each other's arms and let the contact do the talking a few moments.

  “Cal, I don't want you to do this.”

  “And I don't want to do this. But we heard him. He's going to take a hostage. It has to be me. There's no other way.”

  She pushed back from him. “There has to be. I don't want you alone with him. Who knows what he may do to a hostage once he's safely away.”

  Cal looked past her. “Hopefully, he'll just drop me off out in the country somewhere. There's no reason for him to kill me. The police know his name. They know his car. Killing me would just
get him into more trouble, and he doesn't need that.”

  Suddenly her legs were weak. She buckled and slipped to the floor, with Cal's arms slowing her fall. They hugged and rocked in the same way she had rocked Avi.

  “I love you, Annie,” Cal said.

  “I love you, too.”

  “And I want you to know how proud I am of you.”

  She had to look at him. “Proud?”

  He looked uncomfortable with the words. “During this entire thing, you've become so strong, so calm, so—”

  “It's not my doing, Cal. God did that. God gave me the strength to find the calm. It's His calm.”

  He shook his head. “Don't start. Not now.”

  She shoved him away. “Yes, exactly now. We don't have time for games or power plays. For weeks now, months, we've either been arguing or tiptoeing through each others worlds, skirting past each other, being careful not to intersect. I've hated it. Haven't you?”

  He shrugged.

  “No! Don't shrug at me. This is important!” She lowered her voice. Lord, please… She took Cal's hands in hers and studied them. Such strong hands from such a strong man. A stubborn man.

  “You once gave me an ultimatum. Choose you or God.”

  “Yeah, well, you pretty much made your choice. You haven't been the same.”

  “No, I haven't. But instead of seeing the change as bad, I wish you'd see how good it is.”

  “It's not good. I don't want you ending up broken and confused like Treena, or worse, judgmental and mean like my dad. It's tearing us apart, Annie-girl.”

  “But it doesn't have to. I've been aching to…to…”

  “Convert me.”

  “No.” She tried to calm her breathing. “This has nothing to do with converting. ‘Converting’ is calculated, high-pressure.”

  “And your point is?”

  She let out a breath. “If I've been pushy, forgive me. I'm still trying to figure out how it's supposed to fit together. In the process I may have been too…passionate.”

  He snickered. “Tell me about it.”

  Oh, dear. Had she done everything wrong? Not talking or talking too much? She tried to make amends. “Like I said, this has nothing to do with converting; it has to do with sharing, with loving another person so much that you ache for him to understand what you have. You want him to see the light.”