//------------------------------// // Standoff // Story: The Devil Inside // by Chelis //------------------------------// The first to arrive on the scene was a black, unmarked police car, which stopped in front of the school. The moment the unmarked car arrived, the two men stationed in the classrooms above the doors fired their rifles, which made Thunder Breeze and Solar Sword duck behind their car with their hands to their holsters. "I don't think their firing at us," Solar said. "That's because… Oh god dammit!" Thunder shouted as he realized who they were shooting at. One of the students had snuck out of the roundup but had got herself caught and hiding behind what was left of the horse statue. The shooters were trying to draw her out so they can take her down. "Keys," Thunder ordered "What are you planning?" he asked in worry. "Something incredibly stupid, don't tell my wife," he said as he took the keys from Solar. He went over and opened the truck, and pulled out a rifle and a few of the rifles magazines and tossed them to Solar. "Here, you're going to cover me in three." "Thunder, you are absolutely fucking crazy." "Two!" "Are you really going to do this?!" "One!" "Hold the fuck up, I'm loading this son of a bitch!" Thunder got up and began to run while crouching, one of his hands on his holster. "Fuck!" Solar shouted as he got up and fired his semi automatic rifle at the two windows, causing the men to duck away from the windows. Solar held his fire and only took a shot when one of the guys decided to pop their head out. "Hurry the hell up, Thunder!" When Thunder Breeze reached the girl, she was obviously frightened, her only injury was a scraped knee that hindered her ability to get away when she tried to run. "Can you run!?" Thunder asked, "Yea!" "Let's go!" he yelled as he helped her up and they began to run back to the car. A few more squad car arrived as well, their officers had their rifles drawn and aimed at the building. The helicopter was in the distance, moving at its top speed to the scene. "You crazy old man!" Solar said as he ducked behind the car. "One down, many more to go!" thunder said, catching his breath. * * * While the shootout was happening, everyone in the gym became frightened by the sounds of gunfire being heard. Some of the students and teachers wanted to move away from the doors or windows, but the armed thugs kept them from getting up with kicks or punches. What was more terrifying, was a few of the thugs were wiring a square pressure plate in the center of the room and were finalizing the pressure plate bomb, which was to go off if the person who would be standing on the plate decides to step off. "Well, somehow this has gotten worse," Sunset thought as she saw the bomb being completed and the thug standing on the pressure plate. "What can we do now?!" Twilight asked, seeing the situation go downhill. "I don't know, you have to take out the guys but without getting anyone here killed. First I have to take out the guy and stop the bomb, but that means Celestia gets shot," Sunset observed, as she looked to Celestia on her knees on stage, the leader had his rifle aimed at the back of her head Sunset knew there wasn't much time. "Girls, a favor." Sunsets friends crowded around her, which left sunset concealed in a wall of flesh, and concealed from the thugs. In her bag was an old flip phone that had a prepaid service attached to it. It took it a while to turn on, and when it did she made one last call. * * * Within thirty minutes of the takeover, the city's armed response units, mobile headquarters, and a triouge unit was set up in front of the school. An army of Baltimore's finest, clad in heavy black military body armor and weapons had the school surrounded. Unless the gunman planned a helicopter escape, they were going nowhere. All of that was playing out on live television in the nearby grocery store. Hazel Cinamon was on a mission herself: highest quality meat for that night's meat loaf. Normal people just picked out what they saw on the counter of the butcher stand. Hazel, a chief, was in the back, walking through the slabs of meat in the freezer, looking for the indicators that the frozen slabs would have a better taste compared to their counterpart. She chose the right one, and the burly butcher took it back to the front counter cut it up into slices. Once it was wrapped up in the butcher paper for her, she was ready to go home and start cooking. She continued to look around the aisles as she slowly pushed her cart. She was the second in line in the only check out that was open, but the line didn't move. The grocer, bagger, and the customer were frozen, glued to the television. She looked up and froze, her mouth hanging down. In front of her was the images of the police surrounding Canterlot High, Sunset's high school. She didn't say a word, but bolted out the door and to her car, abandoning her shopping cart inside. * * * Hazel parked her car at the first open spot by the police line she could, not caring that it was to be blocked off by the news vans and the crowds that were beginning to form. She pushed herself through the crowd and under the police tape. An officer raced over to stop over but stopped himself once he saw who she was. Hazel made a bee line to the mobile command post trailer, where she saw a grim faced Thunder looking at the security cameras of the school they managed to hack into. "Is she okay?!" Hazel asked as they shared a hug. "For now, she just needs to hide… They took over the school looking for her." Hazel's face went white. "I don't even think she is even being held hostage, I don't see her in the feeds," Thunder said as he sat down, looking at the live feed of the auditorium. He recognized Sunsets friends despite the grainy, outdated black and white cameras, but no Sunset anywhere near them. It looks like they are crowding around someone… Must be Sunset they are after, but why? Thunders phone went off and looked at the number, which was one that wasn't saved or one he recognized. "Hello?" "Dad!" the whisper cried out. "Sunset!" he hollered as he nearly fell off his chair. "Hang on, let me put you on speaker. Your mother is with me." "Mom!" sunset said as thunder placed the phone on speaker. "Sweetie, are you hurt?" Hazel asked. "No, but if we don't do anything soon, they will shoot someone." "I know sweetie, we will get you guys soon," Thunder said. "Dad, they have pressure bomb in the middle of the room. If you make a move, the guy will step off and trigger it. Thunders face went pale. It added to the already rough situation. "Dad, I won't let them shoot someone because of me." Hazel began to tear up, and thunders hands were beginning to shake. "Don't say that! We will come get you, you hear me? I'm going to get you," Hazel shouted. "I know. A guard is coming this way. I love you both," she said. "I love you, sweetie, stay strong," Hazel said. Sunset hung up after that and left Thunder to contemplate what can be one in the short amount of time that they were allotted. Federal agents were on their way, as well as the bomb squad, but they would not arrive before the deadline. Sunset sat there in the crowded bubble that her friends made, unsure of what to do next. The minutes turned into hours and each second was an eternity by itself. Even so, the eternity added up, and no attempt to rescue them was made. What did snap people back to reality was the chirping alarm that came from the leaders watch. "An hour had passed, oh well… Time to shoot someone"