Page 59 of Talia

As the dialogue continued in that vein, with some of it simply devolving into rants, Doug’s voice finally came quietly over everyone’s comms.

“Sorry I’ve been keeping a low profile, but I’ve been working to secure three classrooms. Between exchanges of fire with our perp, I’ve managed to get everyone from this room and the two between me and the gym barricaded inside a huge equipment closet. I’m back in room 418 now, with eyes on the shooter, and I’ve let him know I’m here. I’ll keep him busy while you quietly evacuate the other rooms in this hallway through their back windows.”

Mason, always part of the conversation, called for a status report from the squads clearing the other parts of the building. “B, C, and D squads, report in.”

“Julient up. East wing clear.”

“Conide up. South wing will be empty in approx. two minutes.”

“McGee up. North wing clear.”

“Okay. Julient, your new assignment is to evac rooms 412 through 416 through their outer windows.”

Every squad member had the school layout on their phones and would locate the objectives Mason gave them.

Talia didn’t need that. In her head, she pictured the even numbered rooms between her location and Pixie’s class.

“McGee, take 413 through 417. Conide, as soon as the south wing is clear, you’ll take rooms 419 and 421. We have eyes on the shooter. If his position changes, evacuation ceases and your job becomes protecting any civilians who haven’t yet left the building.”

“Copy that, Chief,” the three squad leaders replied in tandem.

Now that things were in motion and it seemed like Pixie was in a safe place, Talia could fully tap into her brain once again. She took a few deep breaths, hoping the shooter would continue engaging with Spencer, negotiating. Or perhaps he’d fear a bullet from Doug if he moved from his position in the supply closet. Those two things might afford all persons enough time to get out of the building.

Spence, ever patient, called out to Bentensil again. “Come on, Peter,” Spencer appealed, using the man’s first name once more. “So far, you’ve only shot up a bunch of infrastructure, all of which can be easily repaired. I know you don’t want to hurt any kids. You’re a veteran. You spent a lot of years protecting innocent lives, and eventually got an honorable discharge. You did some good in the world, so why throw it all away, now? To do what? Go out in a so called blaze of glory? Is that what you want? I understand your frustration, but isn’t there a better way to solve things than by scaring a bunch of babies?”

“I… I’m sorry, but I tried following the rules and doing it the way people told me,” the man responded angrily, then spat. “It turned out the rules were shit. Nobody gives a fuck about me. Nobody. So I’m making a stand.”

Spencer turned to his mic and contacted the support staff in the command bus. “Have we found out about any family for this guy, yet?”

Opal’s voice came back. “No relatives,” she acknowledged regretfully. “Itwasjust him and his mother, but she died last year.”

“Shit,” Mike grunted. “He wasn’t kidding when he said nobody cares.”

They were interrupted by the man’s anguished voice again.

“At least if I’m killed here,” their shooter stated, loudly, “people will remember me.”

And what a legacy that would be.

Spencer, clearly leery of continuing down that track, tried a different approach. “Say, Peter. Did you go to this school when you were a kid?”

There was a moment of silence before… “Yeah. I did.”

“Nice place. I’ll bet you had some great teachers back then,” Spence attempted.

Mason, it seemed, was already into those records, which he now fed to his brother. “Ask him about Mrs. Achison,” Mase advised quietly. “Our man had all A’s that year.”

“Do you remember Mrs. Achison?” Spence called out.

“Yeah. Second grade,” Bentensil replied with hesitation. “She was…nice.”

Mason was still sending info into Spencer’s ear, and he used it to his advantage.

“I understand she’s still here, and getting ready to retire,” Spence stated. “I’m assuming you’d hate to see her get hurt, wouldn’t you?”

“I’d never…” It seemed the man choked up a bit before he coughed and regained his posturing. “Shut the fuck up and stop trying to confuse me. This isn’t about Mrs. Achison, or this school. This is about the assholes who screwed me over. Everybody I worked for at the town hall. Every government official I asked for help. This town is crap, and they all let me down.”

“Which is a damned shame, Peter. They should have rewarded you for your years of service. And speaking of service, what about the guys you served with, Peter? Your platoon? You still have some friends in the military?”

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