“Now, in addition to all those pretty little rings and watches you folks have on, my boys and I are also going to load up Mab’s treasures in the rotunda to take with us. In fact, we plan to clean out the whole museum while we’re here,” she said. “Since this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. So to speak.”

She chuckled at her own bad joke, but I was thinking about her words. Loot the entire Briartop museum? Countless millions in art decorated the hallways, galleries, and other exhibit spaces. I’d counted around twenty giants outside earlier, and there were more than thirty in here right now. No wonder she’d brought so many men. She’d need them all to haul so much loot away with her. Clementine definitely didn’t think small. I wondered how long she’d been planning her heist—and what I could do to stop her.

“So while my boys and I go about our business, you’re all going to be spending some quality time here in this beautiful rotunda,” she continued. “As long as you sit still, be quiet, and behave, you will all come out of this just fine. My boys and I are only interested in what the museum has to offer. We don’t want any more blood dirtying up things. Lowers the resale value.”

She let out another hearty chuckle, but once again, no one joined in her laughter. Couldn’t imagine why. She should have brought a giant with a set of drums along with her. That way, he could ba-dum-dum in time to every one of the corny jokes she was cracking.

“But know this,” Clementine said. “We won’t hesitate to fill your guts full of lead if you so much as twitch funny.”

Her smile stayed soft and pleasant, her voice as warm and welcoming as apple pie, but her eyes took on a chillingly empty look. She stared at first one hostage, then another, making sure they all realized how serious she was. Everyone got the message loud and clear.

“Now,” Clementine continued, “there’s actually another reason why my boys and I are here tonight, other than the obvious payday we’re getting. And that reason is that we’re tired—tired of all of you.”

The hostages glanced at one another, wondering what she getting at. So did I.