A Hostage Situation (FICTOID)

A trickle of dark goo from the licorice plug in his mouth trickled down the thug’s chin to his lapel.

He ignored it.  Licorice stains would not matter once he got the authorities’ pledge that he’d get the ransom he demanded and be allowed to leave.

The Hawaiian police needed to promise they’d make no effort to stop him from leaving the island – or else the hostages would die.

“Are we sure he’ll kill them?” the police asked one another.

“We’re sure,” was the answer.

The thug assumed a modified karate stance on the terra cotta tiles outside the house; from inside the house the police could hear the thug’s accomplice playing a kazoo to amuse the children.

“Time’s almost up!” said the thug.  “You gonna pay or what?”

“We’ll try for ‘or what’,” said the one-eyed police chief with a growl.  “Okay, team – open up!”

Two shots rang out – and the hostages fell dead.

“What did you do that for?” the thug yelled.

“We never negotiate with terrorists,” said the chief.

© Buzz Dixon