"Just a sec," Corona said as Taura closed the window. "Can you find out which cops have been posted here? Maybe there's one who's a little more understanding about our situation."

"Good luck with that," Jack grumbled.

Taura shrugged and went back to the surveillance system, switching through the cameras and taking a quick look at the officers on each one. A few seconds later, she pointed at the image. "That looks like Detective Ramirez and her partner Montoya."

"Oh, Kim's mother. Perfect!" Corona grinned and plucked her phone from a pocket in her cargo shorts.

"Hope her hands aren't tied," Jack said under his breath.

Taura nodded. Lola Ramirez was on good terms with Corona because Corrie had protected her daughter from a stalker a few days ago, but there was only so much a plainclothes detective could do.

"Montoya's a decent guy, too," Jack said. "They're the only cops I've ever met who never gave us any shit."

"Hope she has time to answer it," Corona said as she pressed the call button with a claw tip.

Taura looked up at the window and watched Ramirez and Montoya talking with one of the uniforms. Ramirez took her phone out, glanced at its screen, said something to Montoya, and moved away from them.

"Hi," Corona said. "Yeah, it's Corrie. Yeah, I know, but that's why we're here." She took a moment to get Ramirez up to speed on their involvement. "So, think you can help us out?"

Taura heard the detective's reply: "I'd love to. I can understand why they're holding back, but this is getting ridiculous. It's really frustrating."

"I can imagine. We just need to get into the lab without any interference from the police. Then we'll take it from there."

"Well … I shouldn't -- but the longer we wait, the more likely this guy will lose it completely and kill someone. I'll do what I can. As long as the hostages don't get hurt."

"We'll keep 'em safe. Thanks, Lola." Corona smiled and gave the others a thumbs-up. "Let's do this."

Jack zoomed in on the cops as he and the girls walked up to the photo lab's mall entrance. Ten uniforms plus Ramirez and Montoya. Several of the cops spotted them and glared. Two of them put their hands on their guns.

Taura growled. "Don't even start that shit."

"Easy, Taura." Jack held his hand up, but knew better than to touch her this time.

"I've already explained the situation to you," Ramirez said to the others. She ran a hand through her hair and sighed. "I'll take full responsibility. Just let 'em through."

"This is bullshit," one of the others snapped.

Ramirez jabbed a finger at him. "Do you wanna be stuck here for the next twelve hours? Then shut the fuck up and let these people do their job."

Several of the cops muttered and grumbled, but made no move to stop Jack and the girls. Jack fought the urge to grin as he approached the door.

Corona and Taura joined him at the door, taking positions on either side to remain out of sight. Jack leaned over far enough to peek through the glass door and took a quick look around. The hostages hadn't moved from their positions on the floor, leaning against the counter, and Givens was still pacing around and ranting into a phone.

"He's yelling at someone I presume to be the negotiator." Taura glanced at Ramirez and Montoya, who were crouching beside her. "Has he made any demands?"

"Not the kind you'd expect," Montoya said with a shrug. "He just wants to be turned loose."

Ramirez snorted. "Oh yeah, after assaulting someone for no reason at all, he thinks he's just gonna walk away. Like that'll happen."

"Typical asshole customer." Jack shook his head. "Most of 'em don't go this far, at least."

"Can you take him down without endangering the hostages?"

"Yeah. Get ready to yank the door open." Corona nodded at Jack, took a deep breath and crouched.

Jack reached up and grasped the door handle. He'd seen Corrie in action often enough to know that she was preparing to shift her body into its combat mode, which would boost her speed and reflexes far beyond normal for a brief period.

She nodded once more. He stood and pulled the door open, and Corona launched into the lab, moving so fast that she was just a blur. A gust of wind whipped up by her wings ruffled his hair -- and then she was inside, bearing down on Givens before he could turn to see what the sudden noise was.

Corona clamped one hand onto his wrist, forcing the gun upward and squeezing until he couldn't keep his grip on it. It fell and she snatched it out of the air, ejected the magazine, and racked the slide against her belt to pop out the chambered round, while Givens shrieked and clawed at her hand. She tossed the gun aside and cocked her fist back.

"No!" Givens screamed.

She punched him in the face, snapping his head back and knocking him out cold. He farted as he passed out. Corona grimaced and let him fall to the floor.

Jack and Taura stormed in. Taura sniffed and wrinkled her snout.

"He shat himself, didn't he?"

"I think so." Corona headed for the door, waving a hand in front of her nostrils. She nodded at Givens and called out to the police. "He's all yours."

"That's it?" one of the cops mumbled as they flowed through the door. "We waited all these hours and that big lizard finishes it in two seconds?"

"Lizard?" Jack snapped -- but Corona put a hand on his shoulder and shook her head before he could say another word.

"It's okay, Jack. Choose your battles wisely." She shrugged at the cop. "Any of you could've done this at any time. Or, hell, you could've just had one of your sharpshooters take him out. Why didn't you?"

"We were waiting for the 'go' order," another cop grumbled as he and two others grabbed Givens and put cuffs on him.

Jack looked over his shoulder at the hostages, who were just now beginning to absorb what had happened. A few of them pushed themselves to their feet and glanced around with confused expressions.

"Damn," one of them said under his breath, "that was fast."

"Yeah," another said. "We were stuck here all day, and it was over in a second."

Corona grinned and gave Ramirez a thumbs-up. "Now you can be home in time for dinner."

Ramirez chuckled. "Thanks." She and Montoya strode through the door. Both of them scrunched their faces up when the uniforms dragged Givens past them. Ramirez pinched her nose shut and muttered, "Jesus. Something crawled up this guy's ass and died!"

Corona giggled and put her arms around Jack and Taura. "Y'know, I could start to like this job."

"Eh." Jack shrugged. "Don't expect 'em all to be this easy."

"Try not to be so optimistic." Corona winked and leaned over to nuzzle his cheek.

"Well, there's a dark cloud around every silver lining." Jack tossed her a lopsided grin.

They walked out the front door and headed back to his hearse. As soon as they stepped over the police tape, Jack found a microphone shoved into his face.

"What the hell?"

A cacophony of voices battered him from every direction, shouting questions about what had happened in the lab. Jack took a slow look around. He and the girls were surrounded by people carrying cameras, microphones and spotlights. He hadn't noticed them on the way in. He groaned.

Corona stared at the people in front of her for several seconds until she recovered from the shock. Then she grinned and waved into the cameras. "Hi!"

Jack shook his head. "Ah, shit."