Chapter 17 Wednesday, 0830 hours (8:30 AM)

Joshua walked briskly into the TV broadcast room. There was a crowd of Calfers already there, and the throng separated, like the parting of the Dead Sea, giving him clear passage to the desk. Jack and Wolf followed behind in the wake. Although he was enjoying it thoroughly, Joshua held the fixed expression of a serious visionary, like Hitler addressing his followers. He knew that the Calfers called him 'Der Furher', and that was fine with him.

Except for a few on critical duty, the Tramway spotter, a techie at the listening post, and one or two mobile sniper patrols, the Calfers were all there. Joshua had suggested a pre-broadcast meeting and of late, with CALF without elected leadership, his suggestions had virtually the force of law. He had said that having the membership on camera during the broadcast would be a show of solidarity, but knowing how groups work, he had another reason. The pre-broadcast, with the Calfers tooth by jowl in a smallish room, would be in the nature of a college pep rally. They would go on the air pumped up and united.

Joshua waved to acknowledge the crowd. The wave was actually more like a salute. The Calfers were boisterous and that was good. At home, Joshua was surrounded by silence. Here he could drink in these young people's vitality and enthusiasm. Joshua waved again, this time for quiet, and sat down at his desk. Jack pulled up another chair and joined him. The Calfers became still. Only Brian continued moving, fastening a lavaliere mike to Joshua’s collar and arranging Wolf for best photogenic effect. Joshua, ignoring Brian’s scurrying, began to speak. It was not a good nor memorable speech, but it was impassioned, and it did what it was supposed to. The CALF membership, approving, chanting, and shouting with righteous enthusiasm did not balk when Joshua announced they would sacrifice a hostage. They’d take the hostage, throw him in the bear den, and let the polar bears decide his fate.

"Let the bears decide his fate," they chanted, even though many of them knew that polar bears hunt people, and the fate would undoubtedly be death. The chanting Calfers would be murderers, or at least accomplices to murder, but it didn’t seem to matter.

Joshua continued speaking, now explaining how important, significant, and how difficult the act would be. It would require all the dedication that he knew the CALF membership possessed. And it would take exceptional courage. He asked for volunteers for the Bear Detail, as he called it. For a few dangerous moments, there was no sound and the membership, as individuals, were alone with their thoughts. Then Jack, sitting to the right of Joshua, stood up.

"Count me in," he said.

Joshua stood up and clapped Jack on the shoulder.

"Good," he said.

The ice was broken by Jack’s action, well planned as it turned out to have been. The volunteers were soon found. Most of the membership though, still had serious reservations and were thinking how to deal with them when Joshua announced that the act would be broadcast live.

"That’s impossible," shouted one of the techies. "There’s no way we could do a live feed. We have no RF relay and laying cable would degrade the signal."

"No, We could move the transmitter, get power at the bear enclosure and rig a temporary broadcast antenna," said a second techie.

Joshua, who might have been expected to be disturbed by these interruptions, was smiling broadly. Now the membership were discussing logistics and minutia. The actual brutal act was now shifted to the background, and therefore tacitly accepted.

"Won’t work," said the first techie. "With a low antenna our signal would get out about two city blocks, if we’re lucky."

"Well, we could do a live audio link instead. We have walkie-talkies."

"Naa. That would be about as interesting as a live radio broadcast of a tennis game. Unless you intend to have color commentary, The bear on our left is walking slowly towards our microphone. No. I don’t think so."

"All right," said Joshua closing discussion with a wave of his hand. "We’ll do it on tape instead. We’ll put it on during the noon broadcast. Our best videographer, Brian will do the live camera work. Now though, we have the morning broadcast to attend to."

"9AM broadcast live in five, four, three, ..." said Brian behind the camera.

"Good morning," began Joshua.

Joshua gave an abbreviated version of the warm up but left out any mention of sacrificing a hostage.

On schedule at 9:15, the police negotiator called. Joshua didn’t lift the receiver, but instead pushed the speaker button. This time, they would also broadcast the negotiators voice. There was a squeal of feedback.

Joshua smiled, knowing that the feedback meant that the negotiator was watching him on TV.

"George. Turn your TV volume down," said Joshua.

George started talking and Joshua tried not smile. It was almost pitiful how George, anxious not to excite or provoke, was trying to build a private, personal relationship with Joshua in the same way as he had done before. "I'm not that green kid, Brian," thought Joshua.

"Do you need anything?" asked George.

"Yes," answered Joshua. "We want newspapers, three color television sets, and about 100 fresh croissants."

"What?"

"Fresh croissants. We have lots of food, but the croissants are beginning to go stale."

"Well, I think I can arrange that," said George.

Joshua went on, "I assume you have no news on our demands?"

"Not yet. These things take time," said George.

"Of course. Oh, one more thing," said Joshua. "We want to see the news anchors of the three TV networks. We want to give them a few video tapes. See that they’re at the Southern Boulevard pedestrian entrance at 11:30. Have the newspapers, TV sets, and croissants ready for us then too."

"What kind of video tapes?"

"You’ll see, but it’s important. You must have the TV anchors here," said Joshua. He looked directly to the camera, talking past George.

"I know the Networks are watching this broadcast. I’ve got important news for you, too important to relay through the police. I want to hand each of you a video tape. Lives depend on it," said Joshua. He turned his attention back to the phone.

"Will you do this for us, George?" asked Joshua.

"Yes, but how about releasing some of the hostages."

"No," said Joshua.

"Come on. You don’t need them all. How about releasing the children? Look it’s only a half dozen or so kids. What harm is it?"

Joshua paused an instant, digesting this new information. "We’ll think about it," he said.

"I don’t think my supervisor will let me do anything for you unless you show us some kind of good faith gesture."

"Fine. We’ll release a hostage. After that, we’ll see," said Joshua, but his mind was elsewhere.

Joshua had assumed that the kids had somehow managed to get out of the zoo, but apparently not. They were still here. "As soon as that matter of the polar bears is taken care of, I’ve got to find those kids."

Joshua was surprised at his hostility towards the children. He was actually beginning to dislike them. Perhaps they were too genuine, too feral, maybe even too young.