Aim up.

You point your arm instead to the one above. However, he simply grins. After readjusting his suit, he grabs onto the railing and you expect him to lean, however, his hands simply phase through the metal, as if he's resting on something that isn't there at all.

"Damn. A hologram," the smuggler curses under his breath.

The man above laughs boisterously. "You've walked right into my trap. Finally, after all this time, I've managed to catch the elusive smuggler I've so longed to kill. The man who has, time and time again, put a stop to my work. You couldn't resist helping a young woman in desperation. Isn't that right?"

His brow twitches as he aims upwards as well. "You... That's messed up!"

Wow. We're going to be escaping with some kind of cool vigilante? I can't help but be a little excited, if he's the kind of man to fly around space, stopping crime bosses. I thought Doctor said he was a nobody. That's weird. Is this really going to be okay then?

"The unstoppable gunslinger is stopped at last," the man continues. "The Red Rocket, Carlos Falconwing."

Once again, there's a long, uncomfortable pause. You feel an uneasiness in the air. With the poor woman caught in the middle of this, you can't help but feel bad. He's a hologram, so shooting won't do anything, but that also might mean there is no hostage situation. Not yet, anyway. Surely this trap hasn't finished springing.

"... Who?" the smuggler asks.

"Don't act coy--Wait a minute." The hologram leans in closer. "Who the hell are you two?"

You both look to each other, and then back to him.

"Uhm. I'm Julie," you reply. "I just came because I heard the scream. I'm--Ah, I have really really good hearing."

The fellow nearby tips his cap. "That's why I came too. The name's Carl. That's close, but I dunno about the rest of it. That guy sounds pretty badass though. Maybe I can serve as a replacement, eh?"

"Son of a bitch!" Despite him being incorporeal, when he slams his fists down, you hear the sound of a desk being shaken. The microphone must still be picking up whatever room he's currently in. "My information got all screwed up. Horns. Red skin. Carl... Ah, god damn it."

The woman looks around. "So uh, are we done here?" she asks, with a far more calm, grumpy tone than you expected.

She was playing us too!?

You look to Carl. "So you're not a space-faring vigilante?" you ask, feeling quite disappointed.

"Aha, well... I mean, I am sometimes?" He laughs awkwardly. Then his attention snaps right back up to the hologram. "You bastard! You're making me look like a pathetic idiot in front of a cute girl!"

The man grumbles. "I spent all this time and money, so I'm not letting it go to waste. Maybe you're all worth something to me. All three of you."

Three? The woman... No, wait--!

As you turn, you look in terror at two men with handguns pushed against the body of Dr. Freling while they guide her inside the warehouse. On top of that, a third figure emerges down the catwalk above. It's a woman, also armed, who points her weapon right down towards you. "Don't budge," she says in a commanding tone.

"Doctor!" you shout.

Carl grumbles under his breath. "... Why is nobody aiming at me?" Then he glances back and forth--up and down. The next words are so quiet that nobody could ever hear him. Well, nobody but you. "Nod if you can hear this, cute girl in the skirt."

Though you're not looking at him presently, which may be for the best to hide the faint blush in your cheeks, you nod in response.

"You weren't kidding. Well, I have a plan. Listen close. I need you to trust me. On my signal, turn around and fire at the woman up top. I reckon that big cannon of yours isn't going to be quick or precise enough to save your friend."

You swallow hard. Then, you nod again.

"Good," he continues. "And if we get through this, you can reward me with a little peck on the cheek."