“Hold Javier’s gun to his head long enough to get his real gun,” Miranda adds. She thinks of Parker and his little sister. “And we’ll make them let everyone go.”

“We aren’t even sure if he put Amina with the rest of the hostages,” Cole says. “And what’s to stop the guy from detonating his vest and killing us all?”

“Would you stop nitpicking everything!” Grace whisper-shouts. “What’s the point in worrying about what could go wrong? Everything already has. And the reality is that we’re probably going to die anyway. The cops aren’t going to want to come in, not after that bomb. Who knows how many places are booby-trapped?”

Miranda takes a deep breath. “I say if we’re going to die, we might as well go down swinging.”

“You’re right,” Javier says.

Cole looks at Grace. After she nods, he does too.

Miranda says, “As for the suicide vest, we grab the guy’s hands first thing. We don’t even let him have a chance to push a button or pull a cord or whatever it is you do.” She points. “We can use some of those scarves to tie him up and gag him.”

“Then we need to practice.” Cole takes the broom handle from Grace and holds it like a gun. Even though it’s just a round length of wood, in his hands it somehow transforms into an automatic rifle. “Everyone has to know what to do. If we have to take time to think about it, that’s too late.” He puts the “rifle” in Miranda’s hands.

“Okay, this is what I’m going to do.” He catches Miranda’s eye and says, “Don’t worry, I won’t hurt you.” When she nods, he says, “Point it at me.”

She swings the end of the handle in his direction, the wood slick under her trembling palms.

Cole put his hands up chest high, miming fear and surrender. His hands aren’t completely flat—the fingers curl over. With his left hand, he suddenly pushes down the barrel of the “rifle” so that it points at the floor. With his right, he mimes quickly punching Miranda twice in the face. His hand is a blur, so fast that she doesn’t even have time to flinch as it stops a millimeter from her nose. Then his right hand grabs the end of the broom handle, the part that corresponds with the stock. With both hands, he twists and yanks the “rifle” back and turns it on Miranda.

She raises her hands over her head, not even really playacting anymore. Her heart is beating so hard that she can feel it in her throat.

Cole shakes his head. “Not so high. Remember to keep your hands in front of your face so you’re ready to use them. Now you do it. Take the gun away from me.”