Wolf’s not being altruistic, Parker realizes. He just doesn’t want any surprises. He already has more than enough hostages penned up in the hall. Better to encourage the ones he can’t control to leave than to have his head on a swivel.

At the other two intersections, the ones Parker can’t see down, Wolf repeats his invitation.

And then the only people left are trapped between the bike-locked doors and the security gate.

As Wolf comes back to the gate, Mole shouts, “We need some of you to line up against the glass doors. Come on, do it now!”

As Lips begins to herd people toward the bike-locked exit doors, Parker takes one step away, then another.

“And all of you at the doors, I want you facing the parking lot,” Wolf commands. “I want them to see exactly what is at stake if they don’t meet our demands. I want them to see who they’re going to have to kill to get in here.”

“Come on, hurry up,” Lips says. “Don’t make me shoot someone to make you go faster. Line up shoulder to shoulder.”

“Santa!” Wolf yells. “You get up in front of the doors. You’ll be the next trending topic on Twitter.”

The guy dressed as Santa starts moving through the knots of people. His tearstained face is nearly as red as his outfit.

As people move toward the windows or away, Wolf speaks in a lower voice into the mic on his shoulder. “Come in, November. Do you copy? November?” When there’s no answer, he switches to “Romeo, have you seen November? Over.”

The answer that comes from his mic is short and decisive. “Negative.”

Parker is at the entrance of the Shoe Mill now. Everyone is focused on what’s happening at the glass doors. He takes one more step back and into the store. Now he can’t see any of the terrorists, which means they can’t see him. But he can still mostly hear them.

“Kilo, the hostages are secured,” Wolf says. “Repeat, hostages secured.” Wherever he is, it’s not in this hall.

Kilo’s voice issues from the killers’ mics. “Good. How many casualties?”

“Nine in the food court. Possibly more who were initially able to leave. One here. So far.” Wolf’s voice is filled with disdain. “He tried to keep his phone.”

“The other guards?” the unseen Kilo asks. As Parker slips deeper into the recesses of the store, he wonders how far away Kilo is. How many other killers are there?

“Taken care of. And Romeo’s in touch with the cops.”

“Did you distribute the message?” Kilo’s voice is barely audible.

“Yes,” Wolf says.

“Then we wait.”

Wolf starts to respond, but his words fade as Parker keeps walking backward into the shoe store.

@jennyhkoln

Portland Police confirm there has been a shooting at Fairgate Mall.

@carriefriday

NOT AGAIN. Praying for everyone at #FairgateShooting. Stay safe.