Natural Science

Disclaimer: as per usual neither Mac nor Stella are mine, just the bad guy - though I wish it were the other way round.

Kinetics and Potential

A body remains at rest or in motion with constant velocity as long as there is no outside force compelling it to change that state.

"Freeze!"

The criminal continues running, eluding them again. With humans it is a bit more complicated.

Mac frowns; annoyed by the fact that said criminal has repeatedly been able to escape them. Flitting about like an electron. Only a probability of where he'll be next, basically unpredictable. And seemingly an expert in using a human shield, having whipped a child into his arms he has left them powerless. If not a kill shot they'll have to make sure he's at least unconscious. The chance that otherwise he'll shoot the child in revenge is too big.

Another frown moves Mac's forehead into a series of parallel lines at a conclusion he has drawn. He's sure that Stella has hit the man earlier. A conclusion based on his knowing that Stella is an excellent shooter, and the fraction of a change he had seen in the man's movement: he must be wearing a bulletproof vest.

For how long have they been following him now? Time is relative. Not long enough because they still haven't got him. Too long because they have been reduced in number. All the way to an empty warehouse with barely a hiding place - except behind a child, his thoughts add bitterly - now there's only Stella and he left. They stand on opposite sides, pressing their backs against cold metal walls, only fragments of boxes for cover. Mac is not sure if it's good that they have the guy cornered.

Animals don't like that, they tend to lash out. It wouldn't be the first animalistic behavior the man has shown. Mac calculates chances as the man is prancing about. How far can he get in a moment of not looking, behind the next piece of possible protection? He knows Stella does the same; ready to signal when he can move, waiting for his signal. Drawing attention.

Bodies propelled into motion, alternately. Steps forward slowed by friction and gravity. Trajectories of bullets project in Mac's mind. Basically the same kinetics. A shot rings out. Sound waves, shockwaves, traveling through all material. Tearing the floor from underneath Mac's feet as he sees Stella fall.

Increasing his potential energy, mass times gravity times height. Potential, that what can be. But isn't. He can't run over, he couldn't have run over. Bullets travel faster than sound; she had been hit before he heard the shot. The moment he had seen her hit it was too late. Nothing travels faster than light. Nothing.

Though Mac's hopes and fears seem to. His soul reaches out for her. Sure, Stella was wearing a vest too. But those vests don't really cover enough of one's body. And the bullet could have penetrated. High velocity, high kinetic energy, tearing through material. Mac feels like it has penetrated him. Accelerating his heartbeat, he's trembling under its force, but he can't move.

Body: Stella. Outside force: bullet. Far too simple.

He can't convert the potential energy into kinetic energy. No energy is ever lost. Please don't let her energy be lost. It is always converted into something else. Please don't let her be lost to me. He's suspended in midair, impotent. Can only watch as the man, now having to worry about only one line of fire, casually walks over to Stella. The boy on his arm involuntarily protecting him from Mac.

Mac thinks he has seen Stella move. But it could also be that she was moved by the man, now standing over her, pointing his gun at her head.

Mac's thoughts are at a tug-of-war. He knows who he has to choose. He knows who he wants to choose. He knows that either way he'll never be able to forgive himself.

Another shot tears through the air.

Thanks for reading. I hope it was worth the time, and will be worth to be continued? Please let me know what you think. All comments are appreciated, and all logged reviews replied to.