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Sarah screamed. The bullet hit Ray and he collapsed to the floor. A line of blood welled up along the edge of his scalp, dark red against the tanned, smooth skin. Without thinking, she headed to where he'd fallen, but the big man jerked her back so hard, it felt as though her arm might pop from its socket.

Pain ricocheted down her shoulder, all the way to her fingers, but she ignored the agony and struggled against the man. She had to get to Ray! Someone had to help him! Twisting and turning she fought until the robber subdued her again. The only reward she got for her effort was a quick glimpse of Ray's body.

What she saw made her ill. She actually went weak, her legs turning to rubber.

The man she'd kicked was dragging Ray's limp form toward the wall opposite from where the other hostages were gathered, his head bumping along on the floor, a streak of red marking its path. She swallowed down a wave of nausea and pulled herself together. Was he alive? She couldn't tell.

At least the SWAT team had arrived.

Like a prayer, she repeated the words in her mind. The team was here. Everything was under control. The team was here. Lena, Beck, everyone else. They wouldn't let anything bad happen to them.

She repeated the mantra several times, as the beefy man at her back tied her hands then pushed her toward the wall. She crashed into the elegant paneling, then slid down into a pile, Ray right beside her.

The second robber tied Ray's hands together then he sent Sarah a nasty look and kicked Ray once, hard and fast. Ray groaned and the man turned and ran to where the other three men waited. They converged, a frantic huddle as the bullhorn outside continued to sound.

Her eyes went back to Ray's face and as she watched, he moved slightly. She felt a wave of relief wash over her as he groaned again. At least he was alive!

A second later, the robbers went back to their work, frantically filling the bags behind the counter. They acted as if they didn't care the team was outside. Didn't they understand what was going to happen? They'd never get out now!

Sarah hadn't exaggerated to the green-eyed robber. The Emerald Coast SWAT Team was the best there was. Every year they won competitions; every year they won awards. No one had a better record for arrests and safe recoveries.

But they'd have to do their job, and Sarah knew better than most what that really meant.

Her throat so tight, she could hardly breathe, she turned back to look at Ray. His wound was vicious, the bullet had cut a wide swath across his head and he was bleeding furiously. It needed immediate attention.

Her gaze then went to the mother still crumpled on the marble floor. A few steps from her was Tommy, obviously dead. She strained against her ropes but they were too tight. She'd never get out of them.

Closing her eyes, she continued to struggle against them anyway. After a while, she gave up and did the only thing she could; she prayed.

Two hours passed.

Unable to move or do anything to help anyone, Sarah was growing desperate. The team continued to try to contact the people inside the bank, but so far the robbers had resisted all efforts. As long as they didn't talk, they seemed to think, they'd be safe.

If they only knew, Sarah thought... There were plenty of ways to handle this situation and if things didn't start to move soon, something would break loose.

Lena didn't let incidents drag out. It wasn't her style; the team members wearied and then mistakes were made. By now, she'd have set up a perimeter and was probably getting information on the bank's layout. Guessing who was inside and praying for their safety.

All the planning would be taking place in the War Wagon, a remodeled Winnebago that carried the team's equipment and Sarah's own workstation. She wished she were sitting there instead of here.

Once again, Beck Winter's voice filled the lobby from outside the bank. "If we don't hear from you soon, an entry will be made. Do you understand what I'm saying? An entry will be made!"

Sarah swallowed hard and inched her way toward Ray. She'd been trying to rouse him for hours, but he'd fallen silent. She was getting more and more worried. He could have a concussion...or worse.

"Ray?" she spoke urgently. "Ray, can you hear me?"

He didn't answer, and all Sarah could do was think again about the men and women outside the bank. They were doing everything they could, she knew.

Another sweep of helplessness came over her. She should be doing something besides sitting here, thinking about what her team was planning. She looked across the lobby at the group on the other side. Lucille, the mother and two kids, the businessman...

With her hands tied and no weapon, there was little to be done, but the more Sarah thought about it, the faster the ideas came. Suddenly, she knew what she had to do. She gave Ray a final look, then she struggled to her feet.

"Hey!" she called out. "Hey, you..." She raised her bound hands and pointed them at the man in charge.

The startled robbers, in a group by the teller's counter, broke apart, their eyes turning her way.

For a second, she didn't think they'd answer, then the man in charge broke away from the others. As he stepped toward her, a stutter of fear made its way down her spine. But it was too late now. She'd caught his attention.

"What?" he growled from across the way.

"Get over here," she said. "Right now. I've got a proposition for you."