“What if they recognize the Miller boy from the rescue attempt?” asked a councilwoman.
“It doesn’t matter,” responded Mac respectfully. “The situation is still the same. We want the boy back and for them to move on down the road. We will get everyone together and on the same page for initial contact, late tomorrow morning,” he added.
* * * * * * *
Chapter Twenty-One
Saddle Ranch
Loveland, Colorado
Mac and Cory went to work on the idea, meeting with the former agent later in the afternoon. She was pleasant but direct.
“My name is, or was, Agent Lee, but everybody just calls me Yin, since they can’t pronounce my first name. I was born and raised in South Korea, first coming to America on a visa at age 17. I became a citizen officially when I was 19 and attended Boston College, graduating with a communications degree at 25. I applied for the FBI’s special-agent program at age 27 and served more than my 20-year requirement for retirement.
“My last case was negotiating for a boy, not much older than Joshua, being held by a man with nothing to lose, who had a history of violence with children. We did everything by the book, no mistakes, and couldn’t save him. I still remember everything about that day, like it was yesterday.
“It was my last case on the job. I just couldn’t do it anymore. So, I’m not here to join your security team or anything like that, but I will help you get my new friend’s son back. I will instruct you on the very basics of negotiating with a hostile person; but remember, it’s just the basics because time is not on our side. And lastly, I will not be heading up the mountain with you.”
“We appreciate the help,” said Mac, “and we can head up there first thing tomorrow morning…”
“What?” Cory asked, as he got a look from Yin.
“The longer we wait,” she said, “the more likely we are of not bringing him back alive.” Cory nodded his head in agreement. “She’s right,” he concurred. “It has to be now.”
“Okay,” said Mac, thinking he should radio Sarah first.
Yin went to the marker board and wrote the numbers 1 to 5 from the top down.
She wrote “Behavior Change Stairway Model” in large letters in red across the top of the board.
“These are the five steps developed by the FBI hostage negotiations unit, called the Stairway Model.
“Number one is Active Listening: Listen to what they have to say and make sure they know you are.
“Number two is Empathy: Understand why they feel the way they do and then connect by sharing those feelings. I’m not saying you need to agree with them; just communicate that you understand.
“Number three would be Rapport: Only after you have a clear understanding of their state of mind, objectives, and motives can you respond with words that will resonate with them.
“You will reach them through their own views of themselves and the situation as a whole. This is not manipulation, and if you forget that, you’ve already lost them.
“Number four is Influence: Again, this is not manipulation, as they have the leverage and not you. Show that you understand their objective and your willingness to work with them on ways to achieve it.
“And finally, number five is Behavioral Change: This is where most people start when trying to problem-solve anything. This step is not meant to tell somebody what they are doing wrong, but instead to modify the original behavior enough to achieve an outcome that is agreeable to both sides.
“After all, it is negotiation.”
They reviewed the steps several times as it would relate to Ralph, or whoever was in charge, should he have recently died of his injuries.
* * * *
Four-wheelers were taken up to the old campsite, the same as last time, but today the mood was different, somber even.
The team headed by foot up the mountain, bypassing the main road by 50 yards, followed by the two former officers Cory had handpicked for the project.
Cameron was told to stay back with the machines and get with John if anything happened to his father.
“We’ve got only a few hours before dark, so we need to get this done right the first time,” called out Mac in a team huddle, only a quarter mile from the MacDonald compound.
Once close to the house, Mac and the two other former officers climbed the steep cliff overlooking the area. Mac had not been up here before and commented on the clear vantage point it gave.
Cory and Drake cautiously approached the front door of the house unarmed.
While not in uniform, he was still surprised that the dozen or so men, women and children milling around outside paid them no attention.
“That’s interesting,” he whispered to Drake.
“Same thing I done saw yesterday,” Drake replied. “They just don’t care, or they don’t know, is all.”
Mac flashed a mirror, shining a small beam of light in front of Cory, signifying they were in position.
He took a deep breath, asking Drake if he was ready.
“Yes, sir, and I’ll let you do the talking, if that’s okay.”
“Sounds good to me,” Cory replied, as he knocked loudly on the door.
* * * * * * *
Chapter Twenty-Two
Saddle Ranch
Loveland, Colorado
The music inside seemed to drown out the first knock, so he followed it with another.
This one was met by several men with rifles, as the front door swung open.
“State your business,” barked a scruffy, bearded man with an odor following behind him.
It hit both Cory and Drake like a punch in the
