//------------------------------// // Chapter 4 Three Leaf Clover // Story: Great To Visit, Even Better To Leave // by Bronycommander //------------------------------// Chapter 4 Three Leaf Clover The next few days were quiet. Silver Spoon helped Sofia around the house. Mason and Emma came regularly to visit. Silver Spoon was happy every time. Right now she was watching TV. LC kids club. She watched a cartoon about a talking cat and a dog that are always getting into crazy situations. She watched and laughed along with it. Sofia sat down next to her. When she was a kid, she was like the filly. Smiling warmly, she checked her e-mails on a laptop. SPAM but nothing else. She gasped as she read the Weazel News. "Again, Liberty City shakes with the sound of a large explosion. In response, our liberal Mayor, Julio Ochoa, has raised the terror threat level to Black 8. Residents of South Bohan would have been better off with a warning yesterday, Mr. Mayor. A Russian immigrant, Kenny Petrovic, owns the garage. Mr. Petrovic was unable to comment as we went to press. Why terrorists chose to target this business, we know not. But this does illustrate the point that no one is safe. The enemy can just as easily attack a privately-owned business as a national institution." "All Americans citizens and residents are terrorist’s targets and they will stop at nothing before our livelihoods, our freedoms and our very lives are stripped from us. Something like this only serves to remind us of how valuable the sacrifices being made by our sons and daughters in conflict zones around the world really are." “Mommy, what’s wrong?” Silver Spoon asked. Her eyes went wide as she saw the news. “Oh m…y At least no one got hurt.” “Yes. Damn terrorists. Their only goal is death and destruction. They spare no one. But the Tactical Response Unit of N.O.O.S.E. and the police are working hard to protect us. Carl will do anything to protect children like you from terrorists.” Silver opened her mouth to respond but was cut off by a strange sound. It sounded like a pager. “That’s my cellphone.” She answered the call. “Yes, boss?” “Sofia, one of our receptionists went sick and we need you as replacement. Can you come over?” Her boss asked. “Yes, but I am alone at home and my niece is visiting me.” “No problem! You can take her to work. Show her how bank business goes.” “Thanks, sir.” “No need to thank me, you’re one of my best employees. See you.” Her boss hung up. “Bad news. One of my colleagues went sick and I have to replace him.” Her child looked at her scared. “But I don’t want to be alone.” “My boss said that you can come with me. To ‘Show how bank business goes’ as he said.” Sofia explained. Silver smiled. “I like to help you wherever I can.” “Then, let’s go.” In Sofia’s red Merit, Radio Broker played Whitney - Wrap it up. While not showing it, Sofia was scared. She had read about shootouts in Hove Beach and Firefly Island, and two burned building in Broker. There were also two operations of N.O.O.S.E. that failed but Carl was unharmed in both operations. At the bank, her boss, an African-American with black hair and green eyes, greeted her. “Punctual as always. And you must be her niece.” Silver smiled. “That’s right. My name is Cindy.” That was the name of Sofia’s mother. “A nice name and costume. I am Carl Johnson the director of this bank.” He smiled and went inside. Silver Spoon took great pleasure in the bank business. Every customer smiled at her when she and Sofia asked how she could help. It was a normal day just like any other day until it was afternoon. Suddenly, as they did some paperwork, Silver Spoon and Sofia heard a terrifying scream from one of the customers. Looking slowly up, they became shocked and terrified as one of the woman’s worst fears became true. Four masked and heavily armed men stormed in. Two had Carbine Rifles, one a pistol and one a Pump-Shotgun. “None of you move. Get on the floor.” Everyone got on the floor. Sofia clenched Silver protectively as she trembled in fear. “None of yours is gonna get a medal for playing hero. All you gonna get is a bullet to the heart.” The robber with the pistol spoke up, rising is hands. “Don’t any of you worry about nothing. We’re here for the bank’s money. It’s going to a greater cause.” “Shut up and handle the safe.” The robber with the pistol and one with a Rifle aimed at Sofia while standing at the door leading of the safe. “Open the door.” The Rifleman had an East European accent. For a second, he seemed to have pity for her as he saw the scared child. “Open the door!” the other screamed. Then the East-European screamed at Mr. Johnson, “Open the damn door.” “Okay…okay… wait a minute. I got it.” He buzzed them through. They two robbers stormed in and the Carbine armed robber jumped on a table. “Get on the floor…now!” “But sir…” “You too.” “Okay, okay.” “M-mommy, I am s-scared.” Silver trembled, close to crying. “Shh, everything is gonna be ok. I am here for you.” Sofia stroked her mane to comfort and calm her down. She knew just like back in 2001, Carl would save her. The robber with the pistol walked with his partner out of the room. “Come on. The PE4 has been moulded and is set to explode in 60 seconds.” He looked on his watch. “Now listen people, we’re your friends. Me and my brother here we…” “Why’re you tellin’ them we’re brothers, you idiot? That’s going to make it hard for them to find us, isn’t it?” The Shotgunner scolded him. “I’m trying to be honest with these people. We’ve put them through a lot today.” “Screw those people, screw your cause. That junk’s over. Ireland’s not the only thing that’s green, dollars are too.” “Now you’ve said bloody Ireland, that’s gonna narrow the search ain’t it?” “Screw you, take the needle out your arm then tell me what to do.” “I’ll let you tell me what to do, when you stop shoving half of Bolivia up your nose every Saturday night!” Distracted by their arguing one of the custo,mers shot one of the robbers, who fell with a groan to the ground, bleeding from the chest. “We told you not to mess with us!” The costumer got perforated by bullets from the other robbers. “Damn, Michael! Saint damn Michael!” One of them yelled in anger, Silver Spoon started to cry. The vault exploded and the alarm sounded. “Damn! Get the money. Me and my brother will watch the kids.” The robbers switched their weapons for AK-47s. After the alarm sounded, the LCPD moved with everything in they got. Most of the Enforcers were in the garages for maintenance, so the officers of the Tactical Response Unit used Police Stockades, who were Prison transports but identical to the Enforcers. Aiden blocked the road as Carl arrived with his team. “Go! Go! Go! Go! Move in! Move in! Come on, let’s do this people.” He got in position at a Cruiser next to Aiden. “You’re trapped. Lay your weapons down and surrender.” An officer ordered with a megaphone. But the robbers had other plans. They would shoot their way through. The shootout began. Carl had an AK-47 as his Carbine Rifle jammed shortly before they were called. He disengaged from cover to fire at one of the robbers armed with an AK-47 but was hit in the chest by the Carbine armed robber. “Aaaarghghhh! God damn it, that hurt!” He fell to the ground, incapacitated. “Carl! Cover me!” “10-4!” Another officer confirmed as Aiden rushed to him and dragged him to safety behind a Cruiser. “You’re gonna be ok, you’re gonna be ok!” Aiden calmed him down before he was hit in the leg. The robber aimed at Carl. “No, please! I have a family!” He pleaded. The gunman aimed at him for what seemed like minutes, the NOOSE officer just closed his eyes, waiting for the shot that would end his life. It was an occupational hazard but he cared for his wife above all else, just wanting her to be safe. He hoped she would understand. Then the sound of running greeted his ears, Carl slowly opened his eyes. The robber left him, probably not worth losing time by killing him. If Carl had not body armor, he would be already dead. But he was only wounded. “Tell my wife I love her, okay?” Aiden was always an optimist regardless of the situation. The bank robbers fled into an alley. Cark and Aiden hoped that they would get caught. Later, the police freed the hostages and Carl and Aiden were loaded into an ambulance. Sofia comforted Silver Spoon as she was still shocked. Sofia couldn’t believe it. Many Police Cruisers were burning wracks now. Even her own car was destroyed. But that didn’t upset her as she was insured. She and her husband had all insured that they would have by standards in Germany. “Mrs. Wagner?” A police commissioner asked her “Yes?” “Your husband was brought into the Lancet Hospital Center. I can you bring there if you want.” He offered her. “Thank you.” On the way to the hospital, Weazel News reported about the robbery. “The daring heist took place at a Bank of Liberty branch in Downtown Algonquin earlier. One of the robbers was killed in the raid. He was identified as Michael Keane, a felon from Dukes. A bank customer, computer engineer Eugene Reaper attempted to stop the robbery and was murdered. Authorities are on the lookout for three suspects.” They got into his Cruiser. At the Hospital, a doctor informed them about Carl’s condition. “It seemed that the robbers only hurt them to make a quick escape as killing them had would take too long. We got many wounded but only few dead. He got shot into the chest but thanks to his Body Armor it wasn’t fatal. He will make it but he needs to stay in the hospital for a few days. I’ll lead you to his room.” “Thank you, Dr. Logan.” Dr. Logan was a former vet before he got this job and a good friend of Carl and Sofia. Carl was in a hospital bed, his chest bandaged, while Aiden had his leg bandaged. “Hey, Silver Spoon.” He smiled at her. “Daddy!” She hugged him but let go as he grunted in pain. “Sorry.” “None taken. I am just glad that you’re alright.” Mason and Emma joined them to see their father. They were also glad that he survived, being very relieved, they never could have taken it if he had died. At first, they were shocked to hear what had happened, worried for their new friend, everyone was very relieved that the robbery ended mildly with only a few killed and not a bloodbath. They stayed until they had to leave. Sofia’s Merit was replaced and an employee was so nice to park it outside the hospital, so they could drive home. After dinner, Silver went to bed while Sofia checked the news. Alderney was now accessible. There was an article about the Bank robbery. “A daring raid on a downtown branch of the Bank of Liberty has left one robber dead along with multiple police and civilian casualties. The suspect has been identified as Michael Keane, a convicted felon from Dukes. Four men wearing suits and balaclavas entered the branch and held the customers hostage while blowing the door to the vault with explosives. In the confusion, brave customer Eugene Reaper attempted to stop the robbery and was murdered in cold blood. Three robbers left the bank on foot and fought their way through police before escaping on the subway. Authorities are questioning all known associates of Mr. Keane in an attempt to discover the identities of his accomplices. The Bank of Liberty estimates that in excess of half a million dollars was stolen." “My god. But at least they spared us.” She spoke to herself before she went to bed.