The midday was minutes away as time marched on, the increasing heat marking its progression. The sun hit the land with its golden rays as it hung in the center of the sky, allowing the clearest view of the impending incident at Mar-Jam Academy for the spectators. In the hours since the attack was leaked to the public, it drew hundreds upon hundreds of eyes, kept at a reasonably safe distance of five feet by the police barricades. Among them were the morbidly curious onlookers, obnoxiously loud protesters bemoaning the failure of law enforcement and various media outlets, including the Daily Saturn.

  Delia and Monica stood at the edge of the barricades among their fellow reporters, pushing, shoving, and reaching over each other to get statements from the police officers as they assaulted them with questions.

  “We just want to know if the terrorists have made any demands yet?” Delia asked.

  The officer the women were talking to walked away from them, fanning them off.

  “How rude.” Monica puffed through her nose.

  “We’ll get our story yet.” Delia stomped her foot.

  “But how?”

  “He’ll show up soon. And when he does, I just know we’ll get our chance.”

  “You mean the hero?” Monica drew closer to Delia, whispering. “Do you think he’ll get past the terrorists’ security?”

  “Sister, I would put money on it.”

  ***

  The gangsters moved with ruthless efficiency across the college’s 5667 acres. Snipers covered the tops of buildings, and their ground forces guarded every point of entry, aiming their guns at the enemy outside their gates. An army of police and other law enforcement agents surrounded the perimeter of the college. The two factions were locked in a dead heat. Neither side could move without putting themselves in harm’s way. However, the time to move, the time to take a risk for victory, was fast approaching.

  Norio and his people were among the officers on the ground. He was given orders by his superiors to focus on crowd control as the higher authorities dealt with the terrorists. So he did to the best of his ability. Still, there was a certain street he made careful efforts to keep clear of traffic. It was a path that provided the quickest route to the college.

  Elena sprinted to Norio. “I finished my survey of the area, chief.”

  “And?”

  “The crooks have the place locked up tight. We’re not getting in there without a fight.”

  “I thought so.” Norio sighed. “Then there’s only one option left.”

  "Boss, I know they have hostages, but we can't let them leave the city with the princess," Elena said.

  "Don't worry we won’t. I have a different plan in mind," Norio said.

  Elena moved closer to Norio, whispering. "Don't tell me you're betting on that freak in the armor."

  "Unfortunately for you, Elena, I am. He's our best bet to resolve this with minimal casualties."

  Tommy ran up to Norio and Elena, short of breath.

  This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

  "Chief Fa, I called in our officers, and traffic is clear like you ordered. But they said they saw a Chrysler Thunderbolt speeding this way."

  "Good. Tommy, now I want you to find Francoise and tell her to get everyone on her side in position."

  Elena groaned. “Heaven help us.”

  ***

  The Chrysler Thunderbolt sped down the street toward the college with Karen in the driver’s seat. “To battle again.” As the car smashed through the security post, the gangsters unloaded a salvo at it. A hail of bullets rained upon Karen as she drove across the campus. She drove the car, speeding through the college, racing by the library with the hostages, getting more of the gangsters' attention, and intensifying their bombardment.

  The snipers on top of the library and adjacent buildings soon joined in on the battle, shooting lasers at Karen. She evaded their shots with skillful driving as she saw them in the rearview mirrors. However, each attack yielded a thunderous boom, aching her ears as they peppered the area. As they continued, she saw small flashes of a battlefield from long ago run across her eyes as her mind began playing cruel tricks on her.

  “Keep your head on your shoulders, Karter.” Karen panted. “You must tough it out a bit longer.”

  Mako joined the snipers close to the library and grabbed a laser gun from one of them. “Hand it over.” She quickly fired at Karen. As Karen prepared to evade the assault, the carnage filled her mind with a vivid image of the past. It was a killing field, a barren wasteland of smoke and fire littered with the bodies of dead soldiers. And as she returned to reality, the shot hit her, blasting her into a building.

  “And that, boys, is how you put the baby to bed.” Mako cleared a strand of her hair off her face.

  Karen bled from her head, and her body ached in pain as she sat in the driver's seat, barely conscious. But as she saw the gangsters approaching in the rearview mirror, she ducked under the dashboard. They hurriedly blasted the vehicle with bullets.

  "Come on, Karter, you can do this. If not for yourself, then for others. The hostages, your parents, your brother, your friends, and Daniel."

  The gangsters stopped firing at the car, and one hurried to check for a dead body. However, as he went to the door, Karen kicked it open, hitting him in the face. As his comrades prepared to retaliate, Karen incapacitated them with rubber bullets, as she fired her guns quicker than they could. And the criminals uttered high-pitched screams as they clutched their limbs and bodies from the assault.

  “Be thankful I didn’t use metal ammunition,” Karen shouted.

  More gangsters arrived on the scene and readied to fire at Karen. But she quickly drove the car out of the building, shooting at them to clear a path. The chase continued as she sped away.

  ***

  Daniel stood on top of a tall building watching the battle in the college.

  "This just better work."

  Daniel took a deep breath and summoned all his concentration. He activated his ghostly form, falling into the building where the hostages were. And quickly Daniel phased through the roof, landing in a supply closet.

  "Nice, I d—"

  As Daniel returned to normal form, he dropped to the floor, exhausted and barely able to move.

  "I practice again and again with this power, and it still feels like I ran fifty marathons."

  Some gangsters soon entered the room and hurried to Daniel in shock as they saw him lifeless on the floor.

  "I don't believe it. It's the knight, but is he dead?"

  "How about we make sure?"

  The gangsters drew their laser guns, readying to shoot Daniel. As they were about to fire, he jolted to life and knocked them away with a swipe of his arm. Daniel stood up, but he dropped to his knees, panting. And as another gangster came, he sprinted to sound the alarm with his walkie-talkie. However, with the shockwaves from one clap, Daniel knocked him into a wall, subduing him.

  One of the first gangsters, half-conscious, shot Daniel in the stomach as he fell to his knees again. Daniel squirmed on the floor in pain from the wound he sustained, but he forced himself to stand up, charging the gangster. As the gangster continued to shoot at him, Daniel dodged his blasts until he punched him in the face.

  The final gangster dived for his comrade's walkie-talkie on the floor. And as he grabbed it, he quickly activated the device.

  "Boss w—"

  Daniel hurried over to the gangster, and before he could shoot him with his gun Daniel kicked him in the teeth, unconscious. Still, the gunshot went off, hitting a wall instead.

  "Hello, what's the problem?" James asked over the walkie-talkie.

  Daniel quickly answered the device.

  "We found a pain in the neck janitor down here. And tried to bring him in with the rest of the hostages."

  "Tried? And why did I hear gunfire?"

  "H-he tried to be a hero, so we had to put him down.”

  "Very well then. Dispose of the body and get into position. We'll be leaving soon."

  "You got it, boss."

  Daniel hung up the walkie-talkie and let out a sigh of relief as he dropped to the floor.