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I held on--like a person dangling fro for a hand to pull hiet close The Capitol looround The SWAT tea to talk Ivy’s captor into releasing her, into not setting off the bomb

If it had been just her, if it hadn’t been public, would they have just let her die? Would they have swept it under the rug, covered it up? It hurt to ask myself the question It hurt even more to know that the ansas almost certainly yes

"John!" the woman on the screen addressed the station’s news anchor excitedly "So"

Far away, behind the blockade, there wasI couldn’t make out the features on anyone’s face

My phone buzzed, alerting me to arrival of a new text It’s done WK Willia I stopped thinking I stopped hoping

All I could do was sit there as the reporter continued yelling at the ca out

"We have confir "I’ unconfirmed reports that there’s a bomb strapped to her chest"

I couldn’t see I couldn’t tell as happening There was a flurry ofthe words out "I don’t see her"

If the others responded, I didn’t hear the Suddenly, I was on e is safe," the reporter said suddenly "I repeat, John, we are hearing reports that the boe is safe"

My body didn’t relax I couldn’t breathe I couldn’t risk believing what she was telling me--then the camera panned It zoomed in, and just for a rainy All I could make out was her hair, a hint of her features, but the way she moved, the way she stood--it was Ivy

I sank back into the sofa It’s done, the text had said Kostas had gotten what he wanted He’d let Ivy go Not because of the president, or the hostage negotiators, or the SWAT teaotten word that his son had been pardoned

Because of Williaot her" Vivvie said the words slowly, as if she didn’t quite believe them "She’s okay"

Part of me still didn’t believe it Part of me wouldn’t believe it was really over until Ivy was here, without," the reporter said suddenly "I repeat, the hostage-taker is co out"

I never saw Kostas take that first step out into the open, his hands up The vieas blocked froive hi out a second later

I heard the screae-taker was dead

CHAPTER 64