what are you doing here, lampley? shouldn't you be out exposing tragic miscarriages or justice or something?
you know more than i do.
hey, then we're even. i never believe a word you guys say either.
zip. nothing. read my lips. i just got here. but i promise, as soon as i know anything, you'll be the last to know.
yeah, well.
any other way in?
how many hostages?
any security cameras?
pinpoint cameras? i don't understand.
can we get them?
are you in charge of security?
not anymore it ain't. get him down here. i need to make contact with this guy. can you get me a secure line?
alright, but put a clamp on all phone lines to the emergency room. if he picks up the phone, i want him talking to me.
and keep the media on a need to know basis. until i say so, the press doesn't need to know nothing. now who's in charge of this hospital?
jesus christ. does anyone work at this hospital?
so what? people get sick on saturday, don't they?
hello? hello? anyone there?
this is lieutenant frank grimes of the chicago police department. are you the man in charge?
who am i speaking to?
come on, my friend. we're going to be doing a lot of talking today. you don't have to give me your real name, but i've got to call you something.
alright, john q. again, my name is lieutenant grimes. but i want you to call me frank. can you do that?
i'm the hostage negotiator. i've been a cop for thirty-five years and this is all i do. i don't play games. and i don't fool around. so if i say something, you can take it to the bank. now, let's get down to it. is anybody hurt?
good. as long as it stays that way, we can keep talking.
murphy's law, john. you picked the hottest day of the year. it's a hundred degrees out here. and i'm allergic to the heat. so let's wrap this up as quickly as possible. now, what exactly is it you want?
kid? boy or girl?
how old? you know, i've got two boys. two girls and two boys.
take it easy, john. the idea's not to get too excited.
alright. i hear you loud and clear. rebecca payne, right? i'm writing it down. lot of cops out here, john. are you sure you want to go through with this?
alright. sit tight. you're in a tough spot, john. a lot of trouble. but if you work with me, if you're reasonable, we'll figure a way out of this. we have to have a little faith in one another.
why? because that's what faith's all about. believing when you don't want to believe. besides, what else are you going to do?
alright, what the hell is a donor list?
this is frank grimes.
the line is clipped, john. you pick up the phone, you get me. can i help you with something?
i'm working on it, john. but i need some time.
i want to talk about the hostages.
what's going on in there? how are they?
i want you to let some of them go.
i do for you. you do for me. show some good faith. we've got a lot of nervous people out here, john. make everybody breathe a lot easier if we saw some happy faces.
put people on the door. nobody talks to the wife but me.
good to see you, gus. how are you?
you're looking at it.
yeah, i'm here.
great, john. that's the right thing.
isn't it a little early for you to be here, gus? who called in the heavy artillery?
well, give me some time. i'm working on it.
i got it, john. i'm hearing you. one hour.
where are those hostages, john?
you mean all of this could have been avoided if you had just put the kid's name on a list?
do you have any children, miss payne?
mrs. archibald?
could we have a word with you?
i understand. is he a violent man, mrs. archibald.
that's not what he's saying. he's talking about killing people. has he spent any time in the military?
he's in a lot of trouble, ma'am. we're going to need you to talk to him.
you're good.
with the archibald woman back there. quite a performance. the sincere look, the comforting embrace. for a minute, i almost believed you cared.
what's going on? where is everybody?
is that right?
on who's orders?
gus.
i'm not going to say anything. i'm just going to go get you your red nose.
you going to do this behind my back, you sonofabitch?
so goddamn stupid.
there are no great ideas!
the wife has agreed to speak to him. let her talk him down.
what? you use the man's wife to set him up?
bad for who?
so, you kill him? that's a p.r. bonanza.
out?
you?
yeah.
what about the hostages?
but he's not a wacko, gus. married with a family, no history of mental illness. no radical political views. he doesn't fit the profile.
how long have we been doing this? you've got to trust me on this one. gus, i like the guy.
he's not a nut job.
i'm telling you, you're making a mistake.
i want to be on the record. monroe hands grimes a set of headphones.
gus.
your kids are lucky, gus. their father's coming home tonight.
this is very bad, gus.
alright, what?
but i thought you said i was out.
hold your fire.
john.
this is sergeant moody and police chief monroe.
i don't want you dead.
nobody wants to kill you.
that wasn't my call. i --
what are we, friends all of a sudden? all of a sudden, we owe you something? you pulled the gun. you're the one that took the hospital. what did you think would happen? you want truth here's some truth. this is going to end up bad for you. there's only two ways out of here. jail or dead.
look around you. look at all of it. it's crazy. you don't want to do this.
i understand. it's hard to be a man these days. hard to know what the right thing is. put the gun down, john. it's all over. you got everything you asked for. mike is on the list. status one.
i give you my word.
hey, what are you doing? stay with me, john. you think these people give a shit about you? they don't. you're just the cause of the moment. believe me, in a couple of days, they'll be outraged about something else. nobody cares, john. that's the real truth. nobody cares. only you. it's only you and me out here, and all these guns pointed at you. so, what do you want to do? it's your call.
i say give it to him. he's not going to hurt his boy.
you really put the kid on the list?
mrs. archibald? i have some very, very good news.
you want to do the honors?
it's time, john.
sure. put these on for me, will you?
time to go, john.
he said, "america is the greatest goddamn country in the world." now excuse us, i have to take this man to jail.
look at all this. you're a celebrity, john.
what can i tell you? you're their hero.
yeah, right.