//------------------------------// // Chapter 10 // Story: The End has Begun // by Bronycommander //------------------------------// Chapter 10 1 hour earlier Perspective: Dinky Hooves. I was excited. Today, we would make a school trip to Manehattan! I was never before there. “Can you believe we are in Manehattan?” Sweetie Belle was also excited. “No.” Scootaloo and Apple Bloom spoke together as we leaved the train. I had heard that Manehattan had many landmarks, like the Statue of Liberty, the pony Square, Manefair Hotel, just to call a few. “I’m so excited I could burst!” Sweetie Belle’s was causing a spark of her horn. I looked around, enjoying the sights. “Mah sister told me once about Uncle and Aunt Orange living here. Think Ah could meet them? But Ah’m sure Ah will meet my cousin Babs Seed!” Apple Bloom exclaimed. “I’m sure you will! Mommy always told me how exciting it is for her to deliver mail here. After this school trip, I should make a trip with her, sister and daddy here.” I replied, having my magic under control, yet smiling. “Rarity told me about the Fashion designs here, they’re amazing! I can’t wait to see them!” Sweetie Belle added. “Yeah, but for me, the buildings are amazing! I wonder how they could build them so high without any Pegasus ponies!” Scootaloo flapped her wings in excitement. “Alright class, we are going to visit a school here, so behave okay?” Miss Cheerilee was happy as always. “Yes, Miss Cheerilee!” We all replied. After some walking, we reached the school. It was a High school and a multistory building. All filly’s and colts were older than our class but friendly and politely. The entire class was excited, even Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara. Cheerilee was talking with another teacher as suddenly a scream came from the lower floor. Several humans wearing black clothing consisting of black battle dress uniform and pants, Kevlar body armor and balaclavas covered their faces, stormed the floor we were on. They also had headsets and some kind of targeting assistance over one of their eyes. They had the same body as Peter, so I assumed they were also humans. One of them fired his rifle into the air and shouted, ”Listen up everypony! You will not be harmed! Think of your parents and friends, don’t risk your life! Don’t try to be a hero! Just be quiet and stay down, and this will be over in no time!” I panicked and tried to run, only to pump into one of them. “Where you think you’re going?!” He pointed his rifle at me. I crawled backwards. “Back to the others!” “I-I'm sorry, okay, okay...don't hurt me, I'll go back.” In fear, I got up and walked back. “Why are you doing this?!” Cheerilee demanded but one of the terrorists punched her with his weapon in the nose, causing it to bleed. “None of your business! Now stay down or you force me to take a children’s life!” He aimed at me and Twist. “Please, don't kill me.” She whimpered in fear. "Please, don't hurt me.” I whimpered. I was never so scared before. All other foals were crying, even Tiara and Silver Spoon. "Wait! Don't harm them!" Our teacher pleaded, caring for our safety. "Then be quiet!" One of the bad guys yelled, aiming at her. "Okay, just...just don't hurt them." She wimpered before the bad guys got cable ties to retrain us all. “Please, just end this peacefully.” Cheerilee tried to hide her fear as they restrained us all. “Don’t worry kids, I am here for you.” She tried to comfort us all. Still, I called quietly out, “Mama, Papa…” Perspective: Peter A chariot pulled by Storm and Sentry brought me to Manehattan. It looked like the Manhattan in New York. Sergeant Arrow was riding with me. “What do we know about the hostage takers?” “They identified themselves as members of the Forgotten Army. They hold Cheerilee’s class and some of the teachers and students of the school as Hostage.” This enraged me. “Not on my watch.” “I can shield you if things go violent.” He offered. “First, we need to get a sitrep of the situation.” We landed. Ponies in police uniforms, Royal Guards and worried parents were at the scene. Celestia and Shining Armor were also here. “You’re here! We need your help!” Shining Amor exclaimed. “What’s the situation?” “Members of the Forgotten Army stormed the school and took the foals and teachers as hostages. There are at least 20 men. They won't negotiate and I will not risk the lives of my subjects. I wanted you here, as you have experience with situations like this.” Celestia was calm. “Indeed. I was called to rescue hostages when negotiation is no longer an option.” “Hold still.” Celestia putted a spell on me. I found myself in my uniform after the spell was complete. My Taser and my MP12 were on my back. “Lieutenant, take a look at this.” The captain showed me the Building plan. “We suspect that they are holding the hostages on the third and fourth floor. They barricaded the main entrance but forget the basement.” “Good.” I looked at the map. “I will enter through the basement. Arrow, you cover me. And when I reach the third and fourth floor, Pegasus Guards will attack through the windows. With that, we will surprise them before they can react.” “Good Idea. I will assist you too.” Shining Armor offered. “Do you want them alive?” I asked Celestia due her peaceful nature. “Even if I don’t like it to say this, you have permission to use deadly force.” “I learned two things about terrorists. First: Don’t negotiate with Terrorists and second: Only a dead Terrorist is a good Terrorist.” “I can use a spell which allows us to see the operation through your HUD.” “Do that, princess Celestia.” Before I entered the basement .a mare shouted in despair, “Please! My daughter Twist is in there!” I saw her before at the party. Ms. Trissie if I remember correctly. It’s been a long time that I read the comic Junior Gala. “Don’t worry Ma’am; I am a highly trained professional. You all will see your kids again safe and sound!” The basement was empty. “Clear.” As I moved upstairs, a terrorist ambushed me from the side. Shining and Arrow were caught off guard too. The Engineer tried to choke with his rifle after he threw me to the ground. I used all my strength to choke him with his own rifle. As I pushed the rifle against him, I hit him with the butt of it, getting him of me. As I got up, he punched me into my face and grabbed the rifle again. He was getting weaker. I managed to hit him with the barrel. “Take that!” He charged at me but I hit him with the butt again and dropped the rifle after he fell dead to the ground. “You ok?” I asked after Shining and Arrow had taken out their attackers too. “We’re fine. 3 down, 17 hostiles left. Let’s go.” At the ground floor, three hostiles had their back to us. I gave both guards a sign to stay back and took the hostiles with my Taser out. 14 left. “Please, hurry! We got word from the leader that they will kill a foal if we do not withdraw our forces.” I heard Celestia spoke via my radio. “We are moving to the second floor.” The second floor was booby-trapped but Arrow and Shining were able to defuse it with their magic. I don’t know how they did that, but as it was silent and quick I didn’t ask. “Nice work. Keep your eyes peeled.” They nodded. We came to the third floor to a classroom. “Lieutenant Storm here, we are in position.” Then we heard a shot. I breached the door. “Kill them all!!! Execute them all!!!” a Terrorist shouted as we moved in. However, none of them could do this, as Pegasus guards breached through the windows and surprised them. “Clear.” The hostages were the teacher and students of the school. The teacher was shot in the gut. “I-I was struggling with one of them for his gun as he tried to kill one of my students.” He said to me. “Don’t worry, I got you.” Arrow took care of the wound. “Cheerilee’s class is upstairs.” The teacher added. “Good. Shining, on me.” “I cover you.” Upstairs I heard Cheerilee begging, “It's not too late to surrender.” “Ready?” “Ready when you are.” I breached the door. “Kill them all!!! Execute them all!!!” Just like last time, we surprised them. Yet one surviving Terrorist was using the pony teacher as shield. I could see the fear in her eyes and my HUD showed that her heart rate was 180 beats per minute. “Drop it, now!” “You come any closer, I’ll pull the trigger.” She struggled in his arms. This gave me a chance to put him down. The CMC, Twist, Tiara and Silver Spoon were not along them. “Where is my daughter?” Storm was worried. “They took them to the roof.” Cheerilee replied after she calmed down. I wasted no time as I run upstairs and killed 1 member of the Forgotten Army by hitting him with his rife into the gut then into his head. “They're gonna kill us, help!” Dinky screamed in fear. On the roof, a hostile was about was about to kill her, as she was lying on the ground, helpless. The other foals watched in terror, all had heartrates of 180 beats per minute. However as he saw me, he dived to cover behind a vent. The kids were out of the crossfire so I called out, “Just you and me. You can live to tell the tale.” But he did not oblige. As he disengaged from cover, I putted a bullet into his head. I was about to untie the kids as Scootaloo shouted, “Watch out! Oh, right behind you!” I turned around, only to be hit in the face by another Terrorist. He attempted to shoot me, but his rifle jammed. I quickly got up and punched him into the face. He charged at me. We both struggled for the rifle. He tried to throw me over the balcony. I saw how the pony’s gasped in shock. However, I managed to shove him back. Again he charged, but I grabbed his rifle to turn him around. As I threw him over the balcony, he grabbed me in an attempt to take me with him. He fell down with a scream to the balcony under us, which killed him. I nearly fell myself off but instinctively grabbed the railing and used all my strength to pull myself up. Dinky and Sweetie Belle used their magic to assist me. I rolled over and got up. Blizzard and Rainbow were joining us. “Daddy!” Scootaloo hugged him tightly with tears after she was untied. “Shh, it’s over, no more tears shh…” I looked at the killed terrorist in disgust and looked away. “You look spooked, Peter. I thought you’d been under fire before.” I sighed. “It never gets any easier, Rainbow.” As we walked downstairs, another terrorist tried to attack me with a knife. I responded by grabbing his arm and he rammed it into a wall. Then he took it out and we struggled for it. I punched him and he fell on a table. I was kicked out of the window by him. Using both hands to prevent him from killing me, I saw my MP12 next to me. He stumbled after he was hit by the butt of my gun. Spotting a grenade on his pocket protector, I pulled the pin. After he realized what I had done, I shoved him back into the building. No one could survive this explosion. “Here they are! Safe and sound!” I heard Ms. Trissie. “Oh, Sweetie Belle! I thought I’d never see you again!” Rarity was glad to see her little sister. “Mommy! Daddy!” other foals called out for their parents. I was about to join them, but then, I became dizzy and everything went black. It was warm. Opening my eyes, I found myself in a bed with a warm blanket over me. It was a normal house, not a hospital. The door opened and Time Turner walked in. “You’re awake. You were really exhausted. And thank you again, for saving my daughter.” “I only did my job.” Getting up was no problem. “Where is she?” “At school. My wife’s at work and so is Sparkler. I work as a watchmaker.” By his voice, it was clear that it was more than a simple thank you. “You’re hiding something from me.” He sighed. “You’re actually the first human I met in a long time.”