11:55 a.m.
Thick straps held the heavy material firm and tight across Anna's chest. She shrugged her shoulders to test the remaining movement just as the last strap across her right shoulder clenched down on her collarbone. The bulletproof vest looked just like the ones you'd see in a TV show, black panels with two wide straps on each side covering her ribs and one over each of her shoulders. By this point the building's hallways were dead, everyone had been corralled back into classrooms and lecture halls or to other buildings. One glance outside and Anna could see the flashing red and blue lights affixed to the tops of three sleek black Suburbans.
"Anna? You don't have to worry about anything; we'll make sure you're safe."
She looked up from her shaking hands and back to the kind, round face of Sargent Greg Parker. He took both of his gloved hands and held hers for a moment before releasing them as he turned back to his team.
"Eddie, what's the status of the students?" Parker asked.
"We've got texts coming in from the kids inside. Everyone's staying clam, but the subject is getting antsy. Boss, we need to get Anna in there," Ed responded quickly.
Subject? How could this be happening? How could Nathan really be the one in there?
"Are you sure you want to talk with him? We think this might help the situation. We've run out of options without pursuing a lethal solution. He's made it clear he won't talk with us." Parker put a hand on Anna's shoulder this time, bending down slightly to make her look him in the eyes.
"Yeah. Yes, I can do this." I have to do this, she thought.