[I’m Sorry, we have to cut this segment short. We are receiving very important news. Horror strikes in the heart of….]
The TV played in the background of the Bauman’s residence at the country side.

“Would you stop watching TV and help me with the dishes Charles?” yelled Jasmine. Charles Bauman got up with the help of his walking stick and walked slowly towards the kitchen.
“The news these days…” he spoke with a grumble, “glorifying every nonsense while the ones that are important, are being exempted.”
Jasmine seemed unbothered at the moment, she casually asked her husband, “What is it this time? Someone killed a dog?”
Charles replied, “I don’t know.. it seems someone shot somebody.” And as he was helping her, he mocked her. “I did not retire from the army to clean the dishes in this house. It’s your job, Jasmine..”
She was quick to reply, “In that case Mister, where do I apply for my retirement? I’m over sixty too and I need my pension.”
Charles was taken aback, “Well dear, you don’t look a day older than fifty four.” he could always make her smile.

Her ears somehow, paid attention to the TV.
[…it looks like the police have been informed and they are on their way, there are sirens buzzing around in front of the school as we speak. We see the Eden Falls County Hospital Ambulance being parked at the main gate…]
“Did he say Eden Falls?” Jasmine looked confused. “Go increase the volume Charles”.
[… our correspondents are literally ducking behind the News Van, as we continue to hear shots being fired in the Aim High International School, In the city of Eden Falls, this morning..]
“That’s the school Dan goes to..” Jasmine cried.

She started to panic, “Call Nicole and ask if Dan’s alright.. Call our daughter Charles, fast..”
“Nicole’s not picking up her phone. Probably, she’s going to the school..” he said.
Jasmine panicked, “Oh my god, please let him be alright.. Let our grandson be unharmed, lord. Charles, please tell me he’ll be alright..” she held his shirt and cried.
It had started to scare Charles too, at this point. But he calmed Jasmine and said, “let’s go to Eden Falls right away, our daughter needs us.”

At Eden Falls, The Mayor, Mary Jones receives a phone call in her car. “How did this happen? Are you sure? … and the kids? … Jesus Christ! In my office, now..!!” she hangs up the phone.
As she reaches her office, she walks at a brisk pace and the officers followed. “Keep Sarah out of this alright? No one tells a word to her until we know for sure, do you understand?” she ordered. “Yes ma’am.” they replied.

In her office, The Chief of Police, The Head of the City County Hospital were present among other people of her cabinet. “We will need three Ambulances. I want two at the front gate and one at the West gate. The police will make a perimeter and hold still. Do not move in until I say so! And I want the media out of the school premises, as far as the Main road, if you must. Alright, What do we know till now?” she asked, “Keep talking, let’s move..” she couldn’t wait any longer. “Where’s Sarah?” she asked. “We don’t know ma’am, nobody has seen her since morning.” said one of the officer. “It’s alright, let her sit this one out..” she replied.

The cars were waiting for them at the door of her office and as they came out, Sarah Briggs was already there with the coffee. “Hey Sarah, there’s something we have to take care of, go to my office and wait there, don’t pickup any calls other than me..” she said, everyone got into the car. Sarah smiled and started to walk into the building and she heard the cars stop. Mary ran towards Sarah and hugged her. “You knew?” she asked, very slowly. Sarah replied, “Yes ma’am, I’m your secretary..” Mary was very sorry for her. “Don’t worry Sarah, we will find her.. I promise.” she said whilst still hugging her. At that point, Sarah was overwhelmed with sadness and she broke down instantly.
“My Maggie, my poor baby.. She didn’t want to go to school today.. but I made her go anyway.” she continued to cry.
“No Sarah,” the Mayor looked her in the eye and said, “Don’t put this on you.. A lot of the kids’ lives are at stake and I need my secretary back. We’ll get Maggie out, don’t worry.” she promised.

“Can you do this?” Mary asked. “You can take the day off if you need.”
“No ma’am, I’m ready, let’s do this..” Sarah said as she wiped her tears.
“Alright, I want you in the Tech support van and never switch off the headsets.. Move..!”
Meanwhile, Dave Truman, a posh real estate agent and his wife, Lisa Truman scurried out of an important business deal after getting the news via an app alert. Dave’s hands trembled, he said “Lisa, call our friends at the FBI, I’ll try calling Brad again..”
Lisa and Dave had good relationships with the FBI, they had bought properties at great deals.
Lisa spoke on the phone, “Hello Mark, this is Lisa.. Yeah, the school shown on the news.. our son Brad goes there and he isn’t answering his phone. We are very worried.. it’s Brad Truman.. hold on just a second..” she turns to Dave and asks “What was he wearing today?” to which he replies that he isn’t sure but he put on his school’s basketball team pullovers.

She goes back on the phone and gives all the details and hangs up. “Oh god Dave.. What just happened?” Lisa hugged her husband. “Let’s not get ahead, come on, we’ll drive to the school..”

The Mayor, Mary Jones, signaled everyone to cut off the sirens and took tactical positions. This was Mary’s school. She had her education in this school, she became the student body president and she was the captain of the girl’s basketball team. She knew this place in and out. She was here around eight months back for the convocation. Everything flashed before her as she looked at the name on the building. “Aim High International”, it meant a lot to her.

“Madam Jones, this girl wants to speak with you..” one of the officers brought along a young girl. She signaled him to take the girl inside the car and wait. She made her orders clear to everybody. Ambulance on standby, no flashing guns, keep it concealed and do not move in. Observe and report. Then, she went inside her car to talk to the girl. Mary put her hand over the girl and asked for her name, “It’s Emma, ma’am, Emma White..” she was pretty shaken. “Alright Emma, what is it that you saw?” Mary asked.
“It is.. Cody! Cody Lance.. I saw him taking out a gun from his bag. I panicked and shouted in my class that he has a gun.. Everyone thought that it was another one of his pranks.. I ran out of the school and a few others followed me. The security guard heard us running out and everyone was screaming that ‘he has a gun..’ and..” she choked..

Mary wiped her tears and gave her a hug, she asked softly “And then What happened?”
“The security took his own gun and started to go inside and he was shot in the hallway.. Then many people started to panic and run helter-skelter.. He started shooting everyone in the hallway.. Only a few people made it out alive, many are still inside..”
“Oh my God, You were very brave Emma.. you saved all these people, now take a good rest. A doctor will give you a check up, alright?” She comforted her.
“I just want my friends to be ok..” she cried.
“We will make sure, dear.. don’t worry.” said Mary, as she signaled the medic to take a look at the girl.

Mary stepped out of the car and spoke to Sarah on the headset. “Do you see anything Sarah?”
“No ma’am, it seems like he fried the circuits in the control room, everything has been shot at. The tapes, computers, cameras..”
Mary put her fingers on her forehead, “Prepare the drone camera.. and wait for my signal..”
“Any movement? Anything..?” She asked the others..
“Negative” they all replied.

Just then, they hear gun shots..
“Shots fired., I repeat shots fired in the building.. requesting permission to move in..” the police chief spoke via the earpiece.
“Stand down officer, there are a lot of kids trapped in there.” Mary said.
To which he replied, “I’m sorry ma’am, but he’s just a kid and we can box him in from the west gate. Please let the police do their job..”
Mary said, “alright, are the drones ready?” she asked the tech support.
“Drone 1 is ready.” they replied.

“Team at the West gate, Move in behind the drone and keep talking to me. We need a distraction at the main gate, be ready..” she ordered.
“On three.. one, two, three.. move..!”
Two cops took out the megaphone and started talking, “Cody Lance, We know you are in there. Put down your weapon and walk out..”
Three cops at the west gate followed the drone silently. While the cops were still talking through the megaphone, they heard gunshots.

Mary was agitated, “Guys, What’s happening? Talk to me.. Tech support, What do you see..?”
“The drone has been gunned down and.. the mics of the three officers are down..” Sarah said from inside the van.
“Jesus Christ..!! What on earth is happening..”
The police chief apologized, “I’m sorry, ma’am!”
“Be sorry for your men, chief. It was My call..” she replied. There was some movement at the entrance. Tech support announced, “Main gate, be advised. Looks like the Principal”

The principal managed to limp out of the main entrance and right behind him was a woman. She tried to help the principal, Mary ordered the police to move in. “Get the principal and the lady to the medic..”
As the cops started to go inside, they heard gunshots and the woman collapsed. Mary sprinted towards the gate, “start firing at the hallway, cover the principal.” They got the principal to safety and the medics were trying hard to resuscitate the woman, Vivian Victor.

Mary stood beside the medic, “This is getting out of hands. Sarah, get me the Director of FBI online.” she said. Vivian was the math teacher at the school and her daughter, studied there too. She gestured to Mary, she held her hand, shivering and covered in blood. “My daughter, Sophie.. tell her I love her..” she whispered.
Mary replied, “Just hang on Vivian, you can tell her yourself..” But she felt the hands loosened her grip. She was gone.
“Nooo…” she yelled. As she looked at her hands covered in blood.

to be continued..