and get some feedback. Trying to decide whether to make this
a three-parter or not...
Next up from where I've left off will be non-stop Bonta-kun Rescue
Insanity!! Hold me to that
Regards
---------------------------
Sterns could feel his entire body shaking, partly from rage, partly from the saturation of caffeine in his body. He needed to keep alert and awake, calm and focused. Already his press liasions had beat off a horde of crazed reporters begging for details into the explosion. Someone in the command center had reviewed the recent feed from the newsies and the spin they were putting on it. Godammnit! They're playing right into these bastards' hands! Can't they see that?! He'd wanted a blanket media blackout, but had been overruled on that... One thing at a time.
"Alright people, let's take it from the top! First of all, IDs on these fudgie!"
"FBI ran 'em through their machines. They say they need another forty-five minutes to get anything substansive. We've yet to hear from INTERPOL." Which boiled down to jack-all on that end.
"Second, ID on the victim." Sterns had to struggle to keep the emotion tinging his voice when he said that. That should've been me. I was supposed to protect her!
Someone flipped through a stack of records. "Here... Darlene Wright, teacher at that school, grade seven."
Shunya turned pale when he heard that name. "My daughter's teacher..." he whispered. Dear God, he'd met her in person numerous times, recalling her as a competent, compassionate professional. She'd spoken with such warmth about Ayume and her contribution to the class.
The next question came harder. "Any... any family we have to notify?"
"A mother somewhere on the coast..." Sterns cut off any further comment. It was like slow-acting acid on his soul.
"Alright... so where does that leave us? Comments?" Sterns hoped anyone would step forward, anyone but 'the mouse.'
"Fumo fumo fumo fumo fumo."
"Their actions have shown they are hardened types, they will not negotiate, nor will they surrender."
"Fumo fumo fumo fumo fumo."
"The only way to deal with them in through force. Kill or be killed."
Sterns was getting tired of this game. Bonta-kun, or whatever he called himself was a joke, with Corwin running around as his translator, or whatever it was he was doing.
"I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU TWO TO GET OUT, NOW!!"
"Fumo fumo fumo fumo fumo."
"We do not have time to argue. You need my help here."
"YES, I NEED HELP, BUT NOT THIS KIND, DO YOU GET ME?!?! SECURITY, GET THESE TWO SIDESHOWS OUT OF HERE!!"
"CHIEF! Something you have to see!"
* * *
The Leader slowly walked from end to end of the school gymnasium, quite confident of the outcome. Option One, they give in and America's presitge will go down accordingly, and we'll have achieved our objective. Option Two, their children here will die, and they will still have lost face, and we still win. Before executing the plan, they had considered the possibility of an option three, that America would fight back, but on their own soil?
The would not willingly spill their own blood on their home ground... they don't have the stomach for that. Overseas they would, especially if it is not their own blood, but the blood of proxies... Proxies like the nation of Israel, and the Royal House of Saud. He hated them with as much passion as he did America, for they were the so-called 'Twin Pillars' of American-dominated hegemony over the Middle East. So long as they were under Western support and protection, they assured the West their precious lifeline to their critical oil supplies, and in turn ensured Western-perpetuated dominance over the political and economic outlook of the region. No more, from now on, WE shall dictate our own future!
Over by the television, several of his men were clustered around it, apparently fascinated by what was being reported. He didn't pay it much attention, but some of the conversation caught his interest.
"...but if it is true..."
"...this is the West! Spinning out lies through their media is commonplace!..."
"...if she is among us..."
"...it is not for us to decide, we must let the Leader know!"
"What must I know?" He watched the news broadcast intently.
"...NY Evening News Exclusive, we've just gotten this update on the hostage situation. Apparently the daughter of the UN High Commissioner on the Environment, Ayume Chidori, is a student at the school held by the terrorists." The reporter's face was overlaid with a photograph of Ayume, no doubt to help viewers 'connect' and 'humanize' with the girl and her situation. "We've been unable to reach the Commissioner for a comment on this as of yet, but..."
The Leader stuggled to keep his face clam and composed; it would not do to show anything to his subordinates just yet. He listened more to the reporter on screen.
"...with us in the studio is Dr. George, from the University of New York Political Science Department. Doctor, what can you tell us about how taking hostage the child of a UN Commissioner will affect the resolution of this situation?"
"Well, Katie..."
The Leader's excitement was growing more and more difficult to control, as was the urge to laugh at the incompetence of the reporter on screen. She'd assumed that taking hostage the daughter of a UN Commissioner was an actual mission objective of theirs? He began to openly laugh. "It seems we've been dealt a munificent reward from Allah!"
* * *
"I WANT THE HIDE OF THE ASSHOLE WHO LEAKED THAT INFO TO THE MEDIA NOW!!" Sterns screamed. Goddamnit, we had this situation quiet, and now...!! How do I explain this to the Commissioner? he wondered. Sterns was a father himself, and he could easily guess what kind of reaction he'd get from the Commissioner, and the repercussions of that. Worry about the inquiry later, I have a school of teachers and students to worry about!
"Alright, people, the stakes just went up! No doubt these bastards are tapped into the local news accounts, and they just found out they've got the Commissioner's daughter in there with them. I want contingency planning, I want options... AND I WANT THE LEAKER FOUND NOW!! FROM NOW ON, TOTAL MEDIA BLACKOUT!! The press doesn't find out what's going on in here, PERIOD!! GOT ME?!"
"Chief Sterns..."
Sterns felt a shiver down his spine. "Commissioner... I assume you've heard the news..."
"Yes, I have."
"I've..."
"Chief Sterns..." Shunya held up his hand to stop Sterns from saying anything unecessary. "I won't insult you or make your job more difficult by telling you that I value my daughter's life highly. I understand there is many more children in that school, equally valued by their parents, so please do not talk to me in platitudes."
Shunya didn't have to fight very hard to keep his voice level, using his 'diplomant's voice.' But the thought always in front of his mind was that this time, he was personally involved, that his daughter's life was at stake, not scratches of ink on a treaty, or with people he didn't know over some issue.
"If there's anyway I can help, to negotiate or to call..."
"Thank you, Commissioner. In fact, I've always held you as a possibility in helping me negotiate with these..."
"Fumo! Fumo fumo fumo fumo fumo! Fumo fumo!"
The two men were broken out of their solemn moment by it again. Much as they tried to ignore it, it continued to be someplace it shouldn't be. They tried to resist, but it managed to steal their attentions for a moment.
"Fumo! Fumo fumo! Fumo fumo fumo fumo!"
Corwin sat there with the look of incredulity on his face. Bonta-kun couldn't have been saying that, could he? It was insensitive at best, inappropriate at worst. Sterns caught him by eye. He felt he had just been put under a VERY powerful microscope.
"Corwin, I don't think what your little toy said sounded particularly nice. AFTER you tell me what he said, I'll give you both the choice of of being escorted out of here in cuffs...," and he paused slightly dramatically to emphasize his anger, "or getting off the premises on your own two legs!"
"Err..."
* * *
Ayume was VERY afraid now. Miss Wright hadn't been returned to them, and when the men in the gym had opened fire, her classmates had feared it was to kill them all. Instead, it seemed they'd been happy about something that happened on the television... is it something about us? she wondered. Miss Wright...
"Students of this school. I am looking for an Ayume Chidori. It is very important that I find her. First one to tell me who she is... let's say that they can go home, alright?"
The air was very still for what seemed like eternity. Ayume had no doubt some of her schoolmates were weighing the odds of answering. No! Don't tell him! DON'T TELL HIM! she mentally screamed.
"I am looking for an Ayume Chidori... daughter of High Commssioner Chidori? I'm sure you all know her. If you know where she is, or where I can find her...?" He continued to pace around the gym. "I promise to let you go... I swear!" he added in a half-joking voice, the one adults used to soothe recalcitrant children. No one took the bait... yet.
He turned to one of the men holding a gun. The man pointed it in a random direction and cocked the hammer. "No one? Then SOMEONE will pay the price... My man here will choose one at random every five seconds Ayume Chidori is not shown to me..." He nodded and the man began his search, deciding on who would be first to pay the bill.
"WAIT!"
* * *
"Well, THAT was brilliant!"
"Fumo."
"Pink slip AND a chew-out by the NYPD Chief himself! Can life get any better?!"
"Fumo fumo."
Corwin tore off the headset, tired of playing Bonta-kun's translator, tired of trying to prove... whatever! Tired of... everything! "I'm outta here... Wherever you wanna go, Bonta, I don't even WANT to know!"
"Fumo."
"I quit, Bonta! YOU HEAR ME?! I'm NOT doing this anymore! I've JUST lost my job, my dignity... let me at least keep my sanity!!" Corwin turned around to walk away.
Bonta-kun's arm fell over his shoulder, not letting him walk any further.
"Fumo. Fumo fumo."
"DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME IN THERE, BONTA! FIND YOURSELF SOME OTHER PATSY!! I QUIT!!"
"Fumo." Suddenly, one of Bonta-kun's eyes became a television display. Corwin looked at it incredulously.
"...NY Evening News Exclusive, Update on the School Terrorists. Katie Williams on the scene here, our aerial camera caught these pictures from the school's roof. Can we zoom in here... okay, the terrorists seem to have another hostage, and they've taken him or her to the roof. Can we zoom in more? No? Anyways, NY Evening News has just gotten word that the Terrorists wish to deliver a message exclusively through this station... stay tuned!"
Corwin wanted to find the damned reporter bitch and kick her one in the ass. Here was a school full of children held hostage, and all it seemed she was worried about was how exclusive it was that her station had gotten on scene first. Goddamnit, it's like the goddamn SuperBowl to them! he cursed. Those are people in there, and all the newsies are worried about is who scores the next big scoop! Pulitzer-bucking Bitch!
* * *
"This is a message from those who hold this school. We have Ayume Chidori, daughter of the UN High Commissioner Chidori. We wish to be clear on one point. Our war is against the United States of America and the West... it is not against the innocent, such as Ayume here. America and her allies have for the last fifty years waged a war against our innocents, while loudly proclaiming that they were not. We know otherwise, and tonight we find out if America lives up to her words with deeds! If America and her allies truly are not for harming innocents, they will abide by our demands peacefully and fully! We say again... She is not a bargaining chip... she is, as you put it... 'a Casualty of Someone Else's War.' Her blood is on your hands, America."
Kaname fought back the urge to vomit. My own sister... my OWN sister! This is some screwed-up NIGHTMARE!! When does it end?! She had an idle fantasy that Sousuke would suddenly appear, pull out every weapon he had hidden in his pockets, rush into the school every weapon blazing, and save Ayume. Mithril would get called in as backup, and call in an airstrike and level the school, with all the terrorists still inside, injured, bleeding and pleading for mercy...
Reality came crashing down on her as she looked towards the door that lead to the command center. Her father had left her here outside as a way to keep her somewhat in the loop but out of the way, especially with the news crews... she desperately wished to know what was going on inside the center. And she desperately wished Sousuke were here doing something to solve the situation.
Sousuke... where are you, you stupid otaku jerk?!
* * *
"This is Shunya Chidori, High Commissioner, Environment to the UN..." He struggled to keep his voice from breaking as he read the next line. "...Father to Ayume Chidori... to whom am I speaking with?"
"This is the leader of those who hold this school."
"I am here to act as negotiator for your demands, may I have your name please?"
"We have no names, we have no use for a negotiator, we do have our demands, Commissioner Chidori. If you truly value the life of your daughter, you will do everything in your power to expedite its fulfillment. We will wait no longer!" The line went dead after that.
Enraged, Shunya struggled to gently set the phone handset back into its cradle, then buried his head in his hands. Chief Sterns stood back a bit, letting the man have his privacy, sharing the man's deep concern whether he'd condemned his daughter to death or not.
* * *
"Okay, I got it Bonta... Thank God I still have some friends in low places."
"Fumo."
"Okay, here's the plans for the school." He spread out a paper-rollup of the blueprints onto the floor of the SWAT van. "From the looks of it, they've got the advantage. There's no way in that they can't've covered with guards... and we still don't know how many of them there are."
Bonta-kun rapidly scanned the pages into its memory and acknowledged the information with a simple "Fumo."
"Here's the layout for the block... SWAT's got four sniper teams laid out: two here at the front, and two at the back. That's going to work against you as well 'cuz of their good lines-of-sight and view of the area... never mind how highly visible you are wearing that... suit."
"Fumo."
"You got your pick of SWAT's finest weapons here: M-16 assault rifles, MP-5 automatic weapons, hollow-charge door-busters, tear gas grenades, non-lethal fits... the Works. They WERE to equip the other Bonta suits, but..."
"Fumo fumo fumo."
"So what's your plan of action?"
"Fumo. Fumo fumo. Fumo fumo fumo. Fumo fumo."
If Corwin though Sousuke / Bonta-kun had no more crazy plans or blunt statements to make, he was dead wrong.
* * *
Ayume stood out on the school roof in the frigid air -- the man hadn't even allowed her to get her coat from the room, and autumn nights in New York were known to get fairly cold.
The helicopter continued to circle above her in a meandering circle, its spotlight constantly focused on her. At first, she hoped it would be the police, but it just sat there, doing nothing. To say nothing of the man left behind to 'watch' her -- he was hidden in the shadows, with a gun pointed at her if she 'tried anything funny.'
Tempting danger, she peeked out from the ledge to the schoolgrounds, four stories down, idly wondering if she'd even have a chance if she tried to jump. No way! came the immediate response from her instincts.
Sis... I wonder what you're up to right now.
* * *
"Okay, it looks like she's still alright, Commissioner."
"Yes, but for how long?" Shunya nursed his cup of coffee... it was close to ten o'clock at night; he'd been at this for the last seven hours, and his body was beginning to feel the effects of that. "Can we do anything?!"
Sterns knew what the textbook answer to that was, but it felt like an insult to even contemplate using it for a response. Their backs were to a wall, their every move controlled by the terrorists. There had to be some way of dealing with them, but...
"HEY! WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE LIGHTS?!"
* * *
"Katie Williams on scene at..."
Static abruptly filled the screen.
"Katie... Katie... We're on air?! Where the hell...?!"
* * *
Sterns peeked his head out the door to the command center. The lights for the block were out, the whirling colors from the emergency vehicles the only illumination.
A loud bang and a bright flash caused him to cover his eyes. "WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?!"
* * *
Under the cover of the blackout, the flare and the general confusion, Bonta-kun 01 ran straight for the side-door of the school. The infrared vision had told him that no one was there at the moment, so he'd evaluated that as the best place to get inside.
"Fumo." Clear. Firing flare.
A second bright flash concealed Bonta-kun 02's rush for the same door. They were commited now, no going back.
"Fumo fumo." Split up, initiate plan as discussed.
"Fumo." Roger.
* * *
Command center had degenerated into total chaos with the loss of power. Sterns had a team sent out to check the lines, while another team went to kick in the backups. Damnit! What the HELL is going on! Who authorized this?!
"Okay, auxilary power's kicking in!" Screens flashed back to life and external communications were restored."
"We track down the source of the problem?! Put in a call to the power company!"
"On it now, Chief!"
* * *
Bonta-kun 02 hurried down the hall, the distinctive Bonta-kun running sound seemingly amplified by the building's structure and emptiness. Infrared vision told him no one was around... emphasis on the yet part.
He rapidly scanned side to side, struggling to remember the blueprints he'd commited to memory before embarking on this crazy-ass mission.Okay, coming up on a wing of classrooms. Bonta-kun said the most likely place the terrorists'll be holed up is in the gym...SHIT!
His M-16 immediately cocked up into firing position and a quick burst splattered into the two figures in front of him.
"Fumo fumo." Two targets down, east wing... proceeding to gym.
"Fumo." Acknowledged.
Skidding around a corner and picking up speed, his gun fired again. "Fumo." Target down. He tried to block it out of his mind that he was taking human lives here, but all it took to remind him of what he had to do, what Bonta-kun told him was the alternative...
"Fumo fumo." In the west wing, no opposition encountered yet.
Lucky guy was all Corwin could think.
* * *
They were entirely in the dark... without light, without power. His remaining men were getting out of hand, disjointed, confused... He had to restore some order, or else...
Then they heard the explosions. His fingers groped for the portable radio on his person.
"What is going on? Report!"
"I... I don't know... my eyes..."
"What?! What is it about your eyes... What about the Chidori girl?!" Yelling futilely into the dark to anyone who could hear him, "Get out there... reinforce! They're making their move!"
* * *
Bonta-kun 01 and 02 were now in position just outside the gym. Total body count was eight... easy kills in the dark and confusion, but Corwin didn't feel in the mood to celebrate. Bonta-kun briefed him over the comm channel.
"Fumo. Fumo fumo." On my count. Use your flashbangs and aim high. We do not want any civillian casualties.
"You don't have to tell me that twice, Bonta," Corwin muttered to himself. "AI, switch gun to single shot and the ammo to non-lethal. Do not allow weapon to drop below -1.2 degrees azumith."
"Roger."
Corwin picked his targets carefully; his ammo may be non-lethal, but he REALLY did not want to hit something he would regret later.
Bonta-kun 01, on the opposite side of the gym as Bonta-kun 02, had the same thoughts. Through his infrared vision, he could see alot of bodies rushing around in confusion, but there was no easy way to tell who was the terrorist and who was a non-target. The clock was ticking, he had to make a move soon before...
The audio receptors picked up a faint sound of automatic gunfire. "FUMO!!"
* * *
"SIT DOWN, OR I WILL SHOOT!," The Leader screamed into the dark. There was only himself and another of his followers with him, the rest having found a flashlight in their supplies and gone out to face whoever it was that had foolishly decided to attempt a rescue. His yelling was largely lost in the screams and sobs of his hostages, but it didn't matter any more. By this action, as far as he was concerned, the Americans had sentenced his hostages to death.
He pointed his gun straight up and fired a few stray shots, but it had only served to worsen the situation and draw attention to himself. First, his hostages, their fear and nerves worn thin by the day's events, had broken out into pandemonium but had kept low to avoid being picked as the next target of his gun.
Second, as he and his reamining man were the only standing targets, they were easily distinguishable in Starlight visual mode.
Two lasersights stabbed out into the darkness and immediately locked onto him. "LEADERRRRR!" his accomplice screamed, throwing his body into the line-of-fire to 'catch the bullet.'
Two non-lethal rounds flew towards their target, impacting against the man's body and knocking the wind out of him straight into The Leader. The Leader was knocked aside unhurt, his weapon slipped from his grasp.
No, NOT like this!! he inwardly cursed.
* * *
"Command! Command! Shots fired! Shots fired!"
"Sniper Teams, do you see anything?!"
"Negative, Negative!"
"Who fired? Weapons are to remain TIGHT!"
"It's not us! Repeat, Command! It's not us!"
Sterns felt control of the situation slipping from his fingers. Dear God, we've just condemed those people to death!
* * *
Both Bonta-kun 01 and 02 had their searchlights on, directing the rush of students and teachers out. "Fumo fumo! Fumo fumo!"
"Hey, what is this? Who are you?"
"Check it out, it looks like..."
"FUMO!"
"Fumo? What the heck is a fumo?"
"No dawdling! Out! Out!"
Corwin had to breathe a sigh of relief. It'd been a quick firefight, fast and furious, but seemingly no friendly casualties... he hoped. The on-board computer rapidly scanned the faces of the passing hostages, and so far...
"Bonta, I'm clear here... how are you there?"
"Fumo. Fumo fumo." Clear so far. I am going to sweep the building, get the civillians out of here!"
"Roger. Come on, people! Move your ass!"
* * *
The Leader struggled to his feet. No, it COULDN'T end like this! Not after they'd put so much planning and effort into ensuring its success! He'd heard the near-stampede of hostages as they rushed out of the gym; for a moment, he'd thought of finding his gun and claiming a few more casualties yet, but no... there was a better way to make them pay!
He staggered off to the door that lead to the school roof, his hands feeling his final gambit hidden in one of his pockets. It will not end like this!
* * *
"Command! Command! Target on roof's getting up! He's making a move for the girl! Clear me to shoot!"
Sterns' reaction was immediate. "Command... take the shot!"
"Target down! The girl's fine!"
One out of the way... but how many more do we have? "Do we know what's going on? What'd the power company say?"
"Nothing on their end..."
"Chief, I just checked the switch box for the block... it's been blown up!"
"WHAT?!"
* * *
Bonta-kun was running around seemingly madly, but there was a purpose to it all. Ayume... must get to Ayume. Corwin, he believed, could handle the rest of the hostages -- somewhere, he felt the man would make an excellent AS pilot, in addition to his incredible mechanical skills. He filed that away for later consideration.
Infrared scans had shown no sign of any more of the terrorists, yet his combat sense knew there had to be at least two or three more. His radio tuned in on the police bands, he heard of the one on the roof. He was about to find a way there when he heard that the SWAT teams had eliminated him already. There must be more of them! Where...
* * *
The Leader cautiously peeked out the door, seening the body of one of his men lying a a congealing pool of blood. He offered a silent prayer to the man's soul, and a curse to his killers. He'd told the man to stay close to the Chidori girl, for the SWAT men would not dare take a shot so long as they didn't have a clear shot.
The Chidori girl was still there, somewhat groggy, but he could handle that. His right hand dug out a phone and dialed a number as his left hand gripped his final gambit.
"Police Chief Sterns, NYPD? I'll assume this is your handiwork, and that this is your declaration of America's non-fulfillment of our demands. Very well, I promised America would pay the price, and I mean it!"
Timing it carefully, he ducked out the door and dashed towards Ayume, wrapping his body around her.
"Ahh! HENTAI! ECCHI!" Ayume screamed, struggling to get the man off of her.
"Listen to me carefully, Police Chief Sterns. I have Ayume Chidori with me, and as my men go down, she will go down with us!!"
"FUMO!"
Both The Leader and Ayume looked up at what had made that strange noise, completely dumbstuck.
* * *
"Sniper Team! Repeat your last transmission!"
"I say again, I got... something on the roof. I don't know if it's friendly or not... the best way I can describe it is an eight foot tall mouse!"
Sterns was within an inch of blowing up! Corwin! Goddamnit!
"Chief, Corwin on the line. He has the hostages, they're alright!"
"WHAT?!"
The radio tech pressed the headphones closer to his ears. "He says they're coming out the North door, he needs backup ASAP!"
Tempted as Sterns was to grab the 'phone and give Corwin a good chewing out, his duty came first. "Don't just sit there, man! Get it over there, NOW! And warn Sniper Team Three to keep a close eye on them!"
"Chief Sterns, what about my daughter..." Shunya nervously asked.
* * *
"I assume you are a member of this country's police force..."
"Fumo."
This can't be happening...
"...and that you are here to demand my surrender into your custody and the release of my hostages..."
"Fumo."
...this can't be happening...
The Leader started laughing, low and gutteral. "You THINK you have defeated us... BUT YOU HAVEN'T! So long as I have her... AND THIS!"
...Bonta-Kun?
Bonta-kun did a rapid scan of the device in the man's hand. Intermittent radio frequency eminations... A DETONATOR!
"WE GO DOWN, SHE JOINS US!"
"WAIT!" an amplified voice boomed out.
* * *
"Still no shot, Command! He's too close to her!"
"What's the thing in his hand?!"
"I can't tell! You'd have to ask the mouse! He's backed off from the guy!"
Goddamnit! ALWAYS the mouse!
* * *
"AI, open the hatch."
"Yes, Sergeant."
Sousuke let his emotions drain from him -- they were not needed for what he had to do next. He hopped out of the Bonta-kun suit and onto the roof, Glock in hand. He raised it towards The Leader, sighting it on target. No mercy...
"Mahumaaaaaar!"
* * *
Ayume watched as Bonta-kun's head suddenly popped up and forward, a young boy not much older than her hopping down. My savior... Her heart seemed to skip a beat as she got a closer look at him. Oji... -sama? she whispered.
* * *
The Leader stopped momentarily from his path of self-destruction, surprised that someone knew his old name. He regarded the boy approaching him, gun in hand. "Mahumar is DEAD! He DIED with his family! When the AMERICANS killed them!"
Sousuke walked ever closer towards his target, every last shred of humanity gone. He was naked purpose now. He kept his gun's sights on Mahumar's head.
"One step closer and she dies!"
* * *
"Command, the boy's walking towards him! Repeat, the boy's walking towards him! SHIT!"
Sterns gripped the handset tighter, the ball of ice in his guts about to explode.
* * *
Sousuke kept his gun sighted on the target's head. Something within him kept whispering shoot him, kill him over and over. Why? Why can't I shoot. I MUST shoot... to protect... Why?...
"STAY BACK!"
"OJI-SAMA!"
Sousuke pulled the trigger...
* * *
"DOWN! Target is down!"
"Sniper team... status of the girl?"
A long pause before they heard, "She's alive. The kid's got her in her arms."
The Command center erupted into cheers and mutual congradulations. Shunya, drained by this ordeal, sat down heavily into a chair. For a moment, he had to will himself to breathe. Was it truly over? Had it all been a dream?
"Alright, people! We still got a job to do! Mop up duty! I want a FULL sweep of the school!" Sterns put down the handset and looked over at the Commissioner. "I'll go get your daughter for you, sir. I have... matters to attend to."
"Thank you, Chief Sterns."
"Hey, don't mention it. It's my job."
"Father?"
Shunya looked up. "Ka-Kaname?"
"I heard the cheering. Is... is it over? Is Ayume alright?"
"She's fine." Sterns answered. "I'm about to get her right now. You two just stay here, alright?"
Sterns left the room to leave the two some privacy. He knew after tense situations like this, there was nothing like bonding with those closest to you. He also had to deal with Corwin... his mind already had drawn up a list of charges that could be brought against him for this stunt! Misuse of police property, destruction of city property, reckless endangerment of lives, disobeying police procedures...
"Chief... this boy insists on seeing you."
Sterns sized up the boy. Late teens, a mop of ruffled, unkempt hair, a cross-shaped scar across his left cheek... Normally he'd've assumed he was some juvenille delinquent and left it at that, but something about him... Sterns felt he could not let the boy's gaze go. The boy's eyes... burning with...
"I believe this belongs to the Chidori family." He gently handed over the slumbering form of Ayume Chidori, as if he were handing over the most precious gem in the world to a curator. "Please ensure it gets to them, along with my apologies."
"But..."
The boy drew himself sharply to attention and saluted Sterns before walking towards a man in a dark suit and sunglasses.
What the hell was THAT! Sterns was left wondering.
"Chief..."
"I'm... I'm on my way..."
* * *
