The Baie des Palmes Resort

It's not been a good season for the tourist industry in Solaria. The Contre terrorists have been involved in guerrilla warfare, aimed especially at foreign companies and government agencies. The Baie des Palmes resort manager, Roger Timms, has his maintenance man away, so he is cleaning the pool one evening. It's not ideal, but he is trying to save money.

Roger turns to walk back to the maintenance room when he is confronted by two men wearing army fatigues and pointing automatic weapons at him. He freezes.
Gunman: Don't make a sound. Just keep your hands where we can see them and do exactly what we say.
Roger carefully moves his eyes to the side and sees some other gunmen moving through the main building. He realises this is a major assault by the Contre.

Roger waits for some minutes before a gun barrel is waved at him to move, and he walks into the reception area. It is there that he meets the leader of the group, Javier.
Javier: Welcome to the new era of Solaria.
Roger looks around the lobby and sees some guests and staff members of the resort being held at gunpoint. Among them, he spots Suzie Hampton, a temporary guest who'd been staying at the resort for two weeks and had just extended her stay. Roger was happy as he did like her, but right now, that is the last thing on his mind. She looks terrified while trying to keep her composure.

Javier: You're the manager, right?
Roger: Timms, Roger Timms.
Javier: Good. You're going to be very helpful to us if you want to survive the night.
Roger: What do you want? Please, just don't hurt them. They're our guests.
Javier laughs, a cold, dry sound that echoes through the marble lobby: Tourists and businesspeople. In our eyes, they're symbols of the greed that's choked this island for decades. But we're not mindless killers, Timms. We're moving toward the capital city, Port-Lilas. This is a message to the government and the world that we mean business. We control 20% of the island now, but this sea based assault that is well into government territory will send a message, loud and clear. We are coming. He laughs heartily.

Roger reasons that the resort is in a lowly populated part of Solaria and government forces are deployed in areas more populous and valuable. There is no immediate help.
Javier: Now, Timms, tell us where the resort's communications system is located. I know you have a satellite link here.
Roger: It's in the main office.
Javier: Lead the way.

They enter and Roger explains how to use it. He is then ushered into the main lounge, where about thirty staff, businesspeople and tourists are standing in a group, looking nervous. Two gunmen are there, alert to any stupid theatrics.
Roger addresses them: We all need to stay calm and do as we are told. There is no reason to think they mean us any harm.
Guest: They don't seem to like tourists, so how can you be so sure.
Roger: I can't be certain about anything except one thing. Cooperate and we lessen the risk of harm.

Suzie Hampton catches Roger's attention and takes him to one side and speaks quietly: I'm ex-army and worked in security. Trust me.

Roger: Thanks, that may come in handy.
Suzie: It seems that there are only a few of them, perhaps six? I also sense a lack of experience.
Roger: Your expertise is useful. However, we had better stop talking for now, so as not to raise suspicion.

Roger goes over to the soldiers and asks if they could have some liquid to drink. They nod but do nothing until a third soldier enters the main lounge. They inform him, and shortly later, some bottles of mineral water appear with paper cups.

Javier returns: Who are the kitchen workers?
Two put up their hands and he ushers them into the kitchen. The soldiers get a feed and then some food is brought through to the hostages.
Javier: Does anyone want the toilet? One at a time will be allowed to go.
Each one is escorted by a soldier for their visit.
Roger whispers to Suzie: It's impossible to plan anything with thirty scared people. I guess we need to be patient and see how things develop.
Suzie: I agree. She looks around cautiously and then continues. Did you see the sentry by the door? He's young, he carries his automatic weapon loosely. He's also masking that he's scared, Roger. And scared men are unpredictable. Let's just wait for the right moment to see if any of them slip up.
Roger: The Contres are fully stretched fighting government forces. This is just a propaganda excercise and we are a soft, undefended target. They have sent in new recruits as a result. Good in one way, uncertain in another.

Javier walks in: Now you are going to sleep. Here, on the floor.
A few need medications and one by one, they are escorted to their suites to get them. Blankets arrive and the hostages start getting down on the floor. Roger makes sure he and Suzie are lying next to each other. The lights go out, with an ambient glow coming through the glass walls from adjacent rooms. After a while of sleepless nervousness, Suzie taps Roger.

She whispers: Roger, look at the entrance. One sentry has gone for a snack and the other sentry has fallen asleep. Roger sees that the soldier is indeed sleeping and his gun is free, by his side.

Roger: It's too risky to move now, Suzie. If we disturb the other soldiers, we could be executed on the spot. Let's wait and bide our time. Why risk our lives if we are not in any immediate danger?

Suzie: I wasn't suggesting that we take unnecessary risks, just scoping the situation. 

She looks around some more. 

Suzie: There is someone crouching by the outside window, trying to get our attention. Roger peeps over and sure enough, someone is waving and pointing to the sleeping sentry.
Suzie: This is it. When that person waves again, we go for the weapon. Are you with me?
Roger's heart is racing: I'm with you.
Suzie: I'll lead. I'll get the gun and if the soldier does anything silly, you jump on him. 

Suzie waits and another signal from outside is given. She stealthily covers the floor and scoops up the gun. The man awakens and freezes as he sees the automatic weapon pointing at him. Two other burly male hostages are asked to help. Roger signals to them and they quietly lead the sentry away, holding him on each side.

A second soldier enters, eating a snack and stops when he sees Suzie pointing a gun his way. He slowly puts the gun down and Roger picks it up and leads the second soldier to the same spot as the first. They are both searched for more weapons, which produces two knives. They are then quietly told to sit with their hands on their heads.

Gunfire is suddenly heard and terrorist soldiers are seen running. They are followed by government forces and the relatively few Contre soldiers soon surrender and are rounded up. They are taken outside as a truck pulls up, ready to take them away.

The shaken guests return to their suites. Roger is taken into his office for a debriefing.
Government officer: Thank you for the excellent way you assisted us in what was a tense situation. We got intel at short notice to say that an attack was imminent. Roger, your recently signed up maintenance man Carlos, he points to him, who is actually a government agent. He was sent here recently as insurance due to the resort's vulnerability.
Roger nods with approval at Carlos, who returns a smile.

He continues: When we heard that the attack was due to take place, he left quickly at short notice to team up with government forces and his knowledge of the facility was vital in helping us. Repelling this terrorist attack was important for morale as much as its strategic value. 

Suzie was also on our team as a mercenary, Carlos found out about her past employment and notified us. She agreed to become a tourist on an extended stay and was our person inside to help facilitate the operation if required. 

Roger looks across at Suzie in disbelief.
Suzie: I'm sorry I had to play down my role, Roger. But it was the only way to ensure the security of the operation. You did a great job managing the panic. You're a brave man.

Later, when things are back to normal, Carlos leaves and is replaced by another maintenance man. Suzie is now going to head home but takes a couple of days off to relax. Roger invites her to a special meal together.
Roger: I can't believe you were seconded. I felt like I was leading things, and it turns out you were the one actually in control.
Suzie laughs, a genuine, warm sound that replaces the tactical coldness she showed during the assault: You were leading, Roger. You kept those people calm. That's a different kind of courage. 
Roger: You were good, and I can understand your not letting me know too much. That would have added pressure.
Suzie sips her wine, looking at the sunset over the Solarian coast and its famous palms: But honestly, it's nice to be just a guest for a few more days. No missions, no rifles, just a very good glass of wine and a view to die for.
Roger: Eh..no talk of dying if you please. The government has given us a grant to compensate for the war and the reduced income for the industry. Not a lot, but much appreciated. I'll use a little bit of that money to make sure you are pampered for the next few days. The least we can do.
Suzie smiles softly, her eyes softening as she looks at him: You're too kind, Roger. It was my job. The government has already compensated me personally. 

Suzie moves on and Roger continues operating the hotel. The Contres are soon defeated and Solaria returns to its former peaceful self. Another futile uprising with many lives lost. Thankfully, none at the Baie des Palmes resort were harmed.