While Russell talked to Palmer, Brock couldn't keep his mind from going back to Gillian's words about him. Was there a warm inflection in her voice or he had just imagined it? However, all in all what she'd said matched perfectly her oh, captain, my captain that had been going round and round his head ever since that awful night in the blasted building. Especially after finding his notes about how they'd first met.

"Back at the Academy, twenty-four years ago," Russell said, and scoffed. "Yeah, I know she can be a pain, but you take care of her, Phil. For me."

Brock scowled up at him while Russell hung up, a little smile still curling his lips. He met Brock's half-questioning, half-annoyed glare and smiled a bit wider.

"He's calling back," he said, and Brock regretted forgetting to pick up the earphone to listen to that last call. Jeez, he got distracted for a minute and Russell was already befriending Palmer best Gillian way. Were they all going together for a drink later?

Inside Orlando's, Gillian asked, "Russ is asking you to let the women go, Phil?"

Palmer sounded upset. "Yeah! But they wouldn't even bring Strafford anywhere near here! Can't they see that's all I want?"

"They know, kiddo," she replied. "But they still can't. You can help them do it, though, if you let the women go."

"You're in a hurry to join them, huh?" he snarled.

At the tent, all of them waited for her answer, and she was chiding him. "Jeez, kiddo! Didn't I tell you I'm staying? You can let them all go, for all I care! I'm not leaving without you!"

They could hear Phil's smile in his answer. "Nice played, ma'am. Not all."

Hank hurried to alert uniforms and paramedics as the phone on Tanya's table rang. Russell picked up right away.

"I'm letting the women go, as you requested. But bring Strafford, Agent Coleman, 'cause nobody else is leaving here until I see him."

Phil hung up and nodded at Gillian. She signaled at the women and the little girl to go to the door. Phil stopped her with the barrel of his shotgun. "Only women, ma'am. No tricks."

She faked an annoyed huff. "Go fix me a latte, would ya."