Giving in to not quite what they're being asked to do and trying to buy time does smell like 5-0. If I were them I'd release it at the first signs of stalling a

Giving in to not quite what they're being asked to do and trying to buy time does smell like 5-0. If I were them I'd release it at the first signs of stalling and then move on to blackmailing the next company, who will know better than to contact police and just pay the 50K.