Tim answered his cell phone on the fourth ring and then purposefully waited a few seconds to speak. “Hello,” Tim said. “I take it you made your flight.”

“I just boarded and I believe I’m paying you boys enough money to answer my calls promptly and not waste my time!” Dr. Barry roared.

“Things have changed. We’re no longer your employees.”

“What are you talking about, idiot? Holding out for more money, are ya?”

“The moment you left us with a hostage situation you forfeited your right to boss us around, capiche?”

“You’re really relishing your new role now, aren’t you?” Dr. Barry said with a sinister chuckle. “But you’re nothing more than a troupe of second-rate method actors who haven’t had a callback in years.”

This temporarily took the air out of Tim’s sail. The rest of the crew watched as his face quickly lost color and then turned bright red.

In a cold tone, Tim said, “We’ve already made our demands to the police. Your plane is grounded indefinitely until we receive a token of loyalty.”