As the smoke cleared in the room SWAT entered, followed by Detective Dignan and his team. The detective looked around observing what he could with the smoke from the gas grenade still thick in the air. He could make out the layout of the room, which he immediately recognized from the blueprints he was given earlier. He saw bodies sprawled across the floor, he couldn't tell if they were still breathing or not, and then one body in the center with a pool of blood around the head. The sight of the classroom made him feel sick. He immediately bent down and checked for a pulse on the first few kids on the floor, there wasn't one…

"I need medic in here NOW!"

6 HOURSE EARLIER

The silver shell on the large gun buried just beneath the inside of the backpack paralyzed Leslie; she didn't know what to do.

"Maybe it's not real; you never know I don't think Hunter is the type of person to do that kind of thing." Even Leslie had trouble believing herself

"No way this kid would bring a fake gun like that to school and just happen to pull it out, and then second guess himself, it's gotta be real." Tom really wasn't very reassuring either and Leslie didn't know what to believe. Hunter was her friend, she wanted to believe the best in him; Tom on the other hand was one of the last people Leslie felt she could ever trust. She thought about it and realized even if it was fake, that had to be the worst joke in the world, and made anger swell in her gut.

"Ok well, we have to do something regardless of if it's real or not."

"You're friends with him you do it!"

"SHHHH!!" Leslie wanted to be a discreet as possible, the last thing she wanted to do was make a scene. And the fact that Tom started to get upset really didn't help matters much.

"Go talk to him, he will listen to you."

"I don't think he will, I mean we've talked a few times but we aren't friends by any means, maybe he would think you going up to him was a sign of respect and he'll forget the whole thing."

"No way, I'm not getting shot!"

"No one is gonna get shot, look if we go together you have to talk."

"What the heck do you want me to say to the kid?"

"Just reassure him that it isn't necessary to get violent."

"Ok, let's go"

Leslie followed Tom out from around the lab station and they walked slowly over to the desk where Hunter was standing. Everything seemed to go slow to Leslie, she looked at all the people working smiling or laughing and realized there was no way this could be real. It was obviously some misunderstanding and Hunter would find it quite comical.

"Hey! Hunter" They weren't off to a good start, Tom really didn't sound too respectful, but Leslie would let him handle this on his own, she was distracted by the group in the corner who had just broken their third test tube and Leslie thought since she was nearby she would help them clean it up. Since her back was to Hunter Leslie had no idea hat transpired in those few seconds, but before she knew it someone had fallen on top of her, forcing her cheek and wrists into the glass, cutting them instantly. From her forced position on the ground she could hear Marcy Lemits screaming her head off! Leslie made her way up from her face down position and propped herself up against a lab station. The warm red liquid was squirting from her palm and she could see little shards of glass inside the shallow wound. She immediately grabbed fro some paper towel and pushed it hard against her wrist. When she finally caught her breath and looked up, Hunter was in the corner with a gun pointed at the majority of the class.

"Dude what are you doing?!" Said Peter McMillan from behind Tom

"What the hell does it look like? You people think you own the whole school; that you can just walk over people like me whenever you want! I am so sick and tired of feeling little all the time, and just for once I want you to know what it feels like, everyone here deserves to die!" Hunter was screaming and crying at the same time, but between the sobs and shrieks Leslie knew he was serious. She finally felt ok to stand up. "Except you Leslie, I never wanted to hurt you, my god," Hunter looked at Leslie with compassion, he arms had blood dripping down them and her neck was soaked in blood from her cheek. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine Hunter, but what do you think you're doing?" Leslie felt tears well up in her eyes, but she knew she had to be strong not only for Hunter, but for the rest of the kids in the class.

"These people don't deserve life, the way they've treated me- us! How can you honestly sit here and defend them? I never meant for you to be here, so leave right now!" Leslie looked at the open doorway and she knew that Mrs. Zeller would be back any second; she had to think of a plan fast.

"I'm not going anywhere Hunter; I'm going to stay with you"

"No you can't be here for this; I can't do this with you here."

"Please! I'll go instead!" Marcy screamed as her face was soaked in tears

"No shut the fuck up! No one leaves, get up!" Hunter pointed the gun at Marcy and was yelling at her to get up from her spot on the floor "I said get up!" When she finally got up, she had a look of disgust on her face; the whole class was frightened so naturally no one had the courage to stick up for her. "Close the door and lock it!" Marcy did as she was instructed and then stood over by her boyfriend Peter, who provided her with little comfort.

The only escape from this nightmare was now gone and they were locked in here, with Hunter. Leslie knew it wouldn't be long until the police arrived because Mrs. Zeller would hear the commotion from inside the locked door and immediately go for help.

"Now, if some of you want to live don't try anything, because the first person that does is going to get everyone killed."

About 20 minutes went by and everyone was just standing there while Hunter pointed the gun at the crowd, until the faint sound of sirens went off in the distance.

"Who the fuck called the cops!?" All the students looked around at each other, immediately worried that Hunter was going to shoot them all. Hunter pointed the gun to the back of Peter's head, "I'll ask one more time, who called the fucking cops?"

"Hunter!" Leslie knew if she didn't interject someone would die, "No one called the cops, Mrs.Zeller was locked out remember? When she heard all the yelling she probably called them, look you knew they were going to show up sometime, its ok, no one in here is gonna try anything. You just need to calm down."

About an hour went by and after the first 30 minutes students began to sit down on the floor huddled in one big group with the few bravest (including Leslie) sitting on the outside and the rust crouched down behind them. Leslie knew not everyone could be as brave because some of them hadn't been through what she had been through. Fiona's drug and alcohol problems made her strong, and she had seen a lot, Leslie was so brave she seemed void of all emotion but inside, she was screaming. Leslie needed to devise a plan maybe she could create a diversion and sneak out thou-

Just as she was coming up with a master plan Hunters cell phone rang, Leslie could hear the buzzing of the other person but she could by no means make out any words.

"Hello?" Hunter sounded annoyed like he really wished the person hadn't contacted him. Leslie figured it was some communications department with the police, who was beginning to bargain for their lives, but it wasn't.

"Where are you?" "Can you get a clean shot?" 'Take it when you see it, alright? By- Wait!" "Watch my window and door if anyone tries to sneak out kill them."

Leslie was in disbelief, Hunter actually had accomplices, she knew that she needed to know more, so the only thing left to do was bait Hunter into spilling all his secrets.