Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or any of its characters. I only own the idea for the CCDD and nothing else.
Chapter 11
"Alright, you win."
As soon as Hercule spoke the words, the Commander used the built-in computer inside his helmet to activate a private line to his men. The Alpha-captain, his men and those imbeciles of the police were all occupied with the World Champion's surrender.
'No surprise that he would surrender,' the Commander thought to himself as he activated the connection. 'Every human has a price for surrendering. Alpha-captain found his already.'
"Omega squad, listen up." He started, knowing that his voice would not reach the outside world. "In a few minutes, the police will be coming to claim the motorcycles that you arrived in. Omega-6, you will stand ready by the vehicles and give four of them to the police. Hide the 5th one. The rest of you, ensure a position that will allow for submissive fire upon their escape. If all goes well we will be able to finish our business right here. Commander out."
The men and woman that had accompanied him here were actually a combination of the Sigma and Gamma squads, but it was CCDD tradition and regulation that any squad under the direct command of the Commander would be addressed as Omega-squad. It made it far easier to give orders to the group.
"What are you going to do now, Alpha-captain?" The Commander had quickly reactivated his voice module, allowing him to speak to the group in front of him again. The captain turned; sweat still clearly on his forehead. Without his mask, his emotions could be easily read. He was fearful, yet strangely excited about the current situation.
"Know this captain." The Commander spoke, his rifle still aimed at the man's head. "Upon taking seat on those motorcycles, you will be out into the open, where you are an easy target. You will move from one dangerous location to another. You are trapped! Surrender now and no injuries shall befall you or your men."
The Satan girl had a bewildered look on her face, clearly thinking that he had no place to make demands. After all, the captain had 3 hostages and there were about 70 guns pointing in his direction. But she was still naïve, still young. She didn't know there were many other weapons at work here, weapons that were invisible to the eye. She didn't know about the fear, the manipulation, the intimidation and preparations that were going on here. She was, after all, just a teenager.
She was just her own age, unlike someone else the Commander knew.
"Ha! Me, surrender?" the captain spoke up, speaking as if he had the advantage. "Never, Commander. Just like I said, I always have a plan ready. And it looks like I'll be able to continue my plan in a few minutes."
As the captain was speaking, or bluffing, the Commander had received confirmation from all his squad members.
'Good. Everyone is in position and the motorcycles will be delivered shortly. This will all be over soon.'
"Is that so captain? But let us see whether your plan will succeed or if I will be able to spoil it."
At that exact moment, 4 police officers came up behind the former Soldiers and their leader. They had 4 of the 5 motorcycles used by the CCDD to arrive with them.
"Perfect." The Alpha-captain said as he glimpsed at the vehicles. Then, still not taking his eyes of the Commander, he addressed the policemen.
"Hey cops! Open fire on the Commander, or I will open fire on your heroine!"
But the police didn't obey his command, apparently struggling whether or not to open fire. Even in the predicament he was in, the Commander's thought about the police were proven correct.
'Just as I had imagined. Spineless and undisciplined weaklings.'
But the same could not be said for the former Soldiers of the Alpha-squad. The two who weren't occupied with hostages raised their gun and aimed at the Commander.
'Very well then.' The Commander thought as he prepared for his countermeasure, all his muscles tensing up. 'I think a demonstration is in order.'
---
'What is that guy doing?' Videl thought to herself as she watched the Commander throw his rifle up, as if he was giving it to the sky. 'Throwing away his weapon when he's targeted! He'll get gunned down!'
-BANG!-
Before Videl could even shout at the Commander, someone next to her had shot. The sound, close enough to make her ears ring for a second, was like a signal to everyone around. The people who were watching, those outside the school and the students who had pressed themselves against the windows to watch, quickly dropped to the ground in fear, shouting as they went. But the policemen had all, as if following a lead, fired their gun as well, most of them not even taking proper aim. They were obviously afraid that the next shot would be for her head if they didn't.
But that was not what had captured Videl's attention. she wasn't thinking about how half the police station had just broken the law in hopes of protecting her from harm. All she could focus on the commander and the sudden, almost hypnotizing, series of movements he had started.
As soon as the first shot had sounded, he ran to his right, evading the first bullet. But the rain of bullets that followed didn't even faze him. He pushed off in mid-dash, resulting in a small half-summersault, landing on one hand. From there he rotated so his feet were facing in the direction he was going previously, and rolled on. During the roll, he pushed off with his feet and again changed his direction, making a cartwheel while facing the police and news reporters. The moment his head was but an inch from the ground, his arms had moved in a flash, pushing him of from the ground.
He had pushed off hard enough to get near one of the flag posts on the first floor. Hooking his knees behind it, he managed to spin half a circle around it before letting himself fly away. It was then that Videl realized what he was doing.
'NO WAY! He's flying right up to his rifle! Did he seriously plan everything to go like that?'
True enough, the Commander had flown up to his rifle in mid-air and had wasted no time in grabbing it. Spinning around, he raised it to his shoulder and opened a volley of return fire.
"SCATTER!" Videl heard Johnson yell the order before she was roughly pulled away, most likely by Johnson. Almost instantly, she saw the bullets from the Commander landing just behind the place where she had been standing previously.
They would have hit Johnson dead-on.
"Get on the bikes!"
---
'THAT MADMAN IS SHOOTING AT MY LITTLE GIRL!'
In a few seconds, Hercule had been both awed and infuriated.
'This guy is good!' Hercule thought as he watched, awed, at the movements of the helmet-wearing stranger. 'I've not seen anyone moving like that since I was invited to watch the Olympics for gymnastics. But even with moves like those, I can't forgive him!' a surge of anger, larger then any he ever felt, was raging through him. 'That bastard opened fire on my little girl! And of all the people, it was her freaking hostage taker that saved her?!'
"What are you cops waiting for?!" he bellowed, hoping they would act for once. "Stop them already!"
But the police did not answer as the Commander graciously landed on his feet, even from a height of 5 meters. They were all stunned from his short performance.
---
'Good. Their support is dealt with.' The Commander thought as he stood up again, preparing to take aim and re-open fire. 'So undisciplined, being stunned by some acrobatic acts.'
Looking around however, he noticed that his target was gone.
'What? Where are they?' Taking a quick look around, the Commander quickly got his answer. 'They're heading towards the bikes!'
True enough, in the last few seconds, the 4 motorcycles had been delivered and Alpha-captain and his men were going towards them rapidly, dragging their hostages with them.
'Not so fast!'
With that, the Commander started to dash after them, hoping to catch them before they could escape.
---
"OUT OF OUR WAY DAMNIT!"
Johnson was forcing his way through the crowd, his hand-gun not moving from Videl's temple, and shouted at the crowd to part.
'We only bought a few seconds with those cops shooting him,' he thought desperately, 'we have to get to those bikes before the commander closes in on us!'
Up ahead, the four bikes that the remaining CCDD members had arrived on were being delivered by four cops. Seeing the commotion, three of the cops immediately withdrew from the vehicles. The fourth one was still standing there, looking at Johnson and his men arrive.
Without even looking back, Johnson could feel the Commander getting closer with every second.
'We don't have any time to lose.'
"You kids listen up," Johnson yelled as he pushed a woman out of his path, "when we get on those bikes and we change directions, bend with the bike. If you don't, we crash and at the speed we're going that'll be lethal. So no heroics."
'Made it! Now we have to get the hell out of here.'
Taking a quick look over his shoulder, Johnson saw that the commander was about halfway through the crowd and moving fast. Turning back, he suddenly saw that one of the cops still hadn't moved. And he was blocking Johnson's motorcycle.
"Y-y-y-you have everything you demanded. Now, release the hostages." The young police officer said, shaking in his boots.
"Get the hell out of my way now." Johnson said. His voice as cold as could be.
'I don't have time to be gentle with a goddamn baby cop. The Commander'll be here in a few seconds.'
"Let the hostages go!" the police-officer repeated, his voice a bit stronger then before.
"I don't have time for negotiations kid." Johnson answered anger obvious in his voice.
In a flash, Johnson had removed his gun from Videl's temple and pointed it right between the eyes of the younger man.
Then he pulled the trigger.
BANG-
---
BANG-
'No. No, this isn't happening!' Videl thought. 'Half an hour ago, Johnson didn't want to make any injuries. Why is this suddenly happening?'
It was like everything was suddenly moving in slow motion. Videl could see the sudden fountain of red shooting out the back of the officer's head, bits and pieces of other matter riding with it. It stopped as sudden as it began. Then the worst of it all came.
Videl looked in horror as the young man's body was blown back by the force of the shot. His neck twisted to hide his face and his entire body followed the face. He didn't even land on the bike, but he was blown past it, almost as if he had been doing a high jump with athletics. The floor behind him colored red by his blood and black by the road.
But this man would never be get up and jump again.
"Get on the bike NOW!" Johnson yelled in her ear, apparently unfazed by the fact he had just killed someone.
He had taken a human life and didn't even blink about it.
Not being able to react properly anymore, Videl hardly noticed it when Johnson heaved her on the bike and started the engine.
'He didn't do anything at all. He was trying to do his job and this is what happened to him? Why did he die? Why did this asshole have to shoot a perfectly innocent and good young man?'
But Videl was suddenly roused from her thoughts by a single voice that was shouting. A cold, mechanical and emotionless voice that sounded as inhuman as the act she had just seen before her.
"ALL UNITS, OPEN FIRE!"
---
They had a 20 meters head start; obviously they had used the time he needed to land on the ground to gain a big advantage. But the Commander could not open fire on them; there were too many bystanders nearby.
Forcing his way through the crowd, the Commander tried to gain on them, but already they had reached the vehicles. A single police officer stood there, trying to hold them off.
18 meters left. There were 4 vehicles and 8 people, they would either have to abandon their hostages or ride with 2 a bike with unwilling people. Neither option was very positive for the enemy. And the Alpha-captain still hadn't removed the officer.
'Perhaps there is something that the police here can do. If he can hold them there long enough this will be dealt with.'
15 meters left. Apparently the Alpha-captain had decided that he did not have time to waste on removing the police officer, nor did he want to lose his great bargain chip. In a single smooth movement the gun that he had been holding on the girl's head was moved and aimed at the officer's head.
- BANG-
The Alpha-captain had shot the police officer in the head and now an already dead body was flying over the motorcycles. The commander didn't even slow his pace.
He had seen too many deaths already to be shocked by a single headshot.
12 meters left and the hostages were being mounted on the motorcycles. It would not be possible to gain on them before they left. A change of plans was in order.
Changing directions slightly, the Commander instead headed for a media-van that was stationed outside the school. Its size was twice as high as the average human, a large satellite-dish on its top to send images life to the studio. It would do well enough.
Behind him, he heard the trademark roar of the engine, the motorcycles were being activated. It was now or never. He quickly opened all frequencies to alert his men of his order, but he had no time to prevent the public from hearing his orders.
He yelled the order as he jumped for the top of the van.
"ALL UNITS, OPEN FIRE!"
---
She had barely heard the order when suddenly; all hell broke loose around her. Loud gunshots could be heard from every direction and nothing short of a rain of bullets came towards them.
"EVASIVE MANOUVERING!" Johnson managed to yell over all the noise as he began zigzagging the bike.
Videl did her best to move with the bike, hoping not to fall. In between the maneuvering, she caught a glimpse of the gunfire that was all coming from the nearby rooftops.
'Is this all planned by the Commander as well? Does that guy have no brains at all?! What if they hit me, or Sharpener or Erasa?'
She was beginning to dislike him more and more.
---
Hercule barely had time to register what happened. He had been forced to surrender to prevent his daughter from getting hurt, and then a minute later, there had been a multitude of gunshots, all aimed at someone who dodged them without any effort at all. By the time he had regained his bearings enough to move around, the kidnappers had already disappeared into the crowd, followed closely by the super-acrobat. The next he knew, the strange man wearing a helmet had jumped over him, landing on top of a news reporter's van. He had yelled something and suddenly there was so much going on, he didn't know how much time had passed.
The helmet-man kneeled down on one knee, gaining a traditional shooting pose often used by hunters, and started shooting. From almost every nearby rooftop, there was a sudden hail of bullets. Like everyone else, Hercule was quick to drop himself to the floor, but he never let his eyes off the bike that carried his daughter.
'Whoever is driving that thing is GOOD. This rain of bullets and nothing hits.' He thought, before realization hit him again. 'Wait a second; what am I congratulating him for? That 2nd rate excuse for a tough guy has my little girl!'
The bikes dashed rapidly, faster then Hercule had ever seen a motorcycle do, out of sight in the main street. Somewhere above him, he heard a mechanical voice speak again.
"Hold fire."
Almost as suddenly as hit had started, the bullet-storm had stopped. A large shadow passed in front of him and as Hercule looked up, he saw the helmet-wearing man jump from the van.
'That's the 2nd time he tried to hurt Videl!'
Not even really knowing what he was doing, Hercule stood up and stormed towards the man.
---
'This is starting to turn into a big annoyance.' The Commander thought as he watched the evasive maneuvering that Alpha-captain and his men made to prevent any of the bullets from hitting.
'If they move too far away, the bullets will not be able to reach them. We must take them down now.'
Shouldering his rifle, the Commander took more careful aim and re-opened fire, aiming at the tires of the first vehicle. If it hit, the vehicle would crash, due to the sudden explosion of the tire. The other three, riding behind it, would no doubt be taken down with it.
But the bullet missed. The evasive maneuvering the captain was doing along with the distance saw that he barely missed being grazed by it.
It was his last chance, but he missed. The targets could not be eliminated here. Feeling more anger then ever before, the Commander gave a reluctant order.
"Hold fire."
Instantly, the CCDD's rifles' ceased fire.
"Everyone, gather at my location. Omega-6, bring the remaining motorcycle to me."
Numerous calls of "sir!" were returned. He quickly jumped down from the van in preperation
In no more than a minute, the CCDD members would gather around him. 'I will see to this matter personally. He has made enough insults to the CCDD. He will pay for the disgrace he brought upon us.'
As he touched down on the floor, he was aware of someone suddenly running towards him. Turning around, he was grabbed by the collar of his long coat, by non other then the world champion of Martial Arts.
"Hey, you asshole." Hercule started, shouting in the Commander's face, "That's the second time you've opened fire on my daughter. What the hell are you playing at? You should prevent the hostages from being hurt instead of opening fire on them! Just what the Hell are you thinking endangering my daughter and those other kids like that?"
"Unhand me." the Commander simply stated.
"No, not until you give me some answers!" the champ demanded, still gripping on to the Commander's collar.
"Why the hell are you shooting at my daughter?! Why the hell are you shooting at terrorists that have hostages?!"
All around them, the CCDD members that were scattered across the rooftops, quickly came down to meet the Commander. They jumped from the top of the buildings, but long before they could hit the ground, they pressed a button on their backpacks. Small flames burst out of the backpacks, acting as jet-packs and slowing their descent. As soon as they touched the ground, they deactivated the device and walked towards the Commander.
"You seem to be making a thorough misunderstanding here." The Commander said to Hercule, grabbing his hand and removing it from his coat.
"We are not police officers," he continued, "nor are we here to uphold the law. We are here to fulfill our mission and that is to defeat those that had taken this school building hostage. I am in no way obliged to guarantee that all the hostages stay safe. That is the work of those whom call themselves policemen."
"WHAT!" Hercule bellowed, drawing back his fist. "As long as you'll defeat your opponent you don't care? Don't you have feelings at all?"
The Commander was quick to grab the champ's arm, preventing him from actually taking a swing.
"Feelings only get in the way when you have to make decisions." He stated, before turning around.
Behind him, Omega-6 had brought up the remaining motorcycle.
"You… do you have no morals at all? Anyone knows that you shouldn't hurt those that you don't have to!" the champ shouted.
"Omega-6, take this rifle, I will have no more need for it." The Commander said, ignoring the world champion as he gave the large gun to the soldier before turning around to face Hercule.
"Coming from you, I find it highly ironic. It is your job to hurt people in a tournament, but all of that is actually needless violence. And you claim that every person knows that you shouldn't hurt anyone if you don't have to? Perhaps that is an illusion that you live by, but people hurt each other all the time whether they have to or not. And let me remind you, 'Champion', that the police had already been active at this site for multiple hours without any progress made whatsoever. My team and I have only been here for thirty minutes, but already over 80 of the enemies have been terminated and 99 percent of the hostages have been freed. Now only 3 hostages and 5 enemies remain, as opposed to the 40 hostage takers and over 300 hostages from mere minutes ago."
Behind them, unknown to the World champion, every camera, microphone and all eyes were fell on them, interested in their sudden argument.
"So, that's it?" Hercule asked his voice suddenly shaking with anger, as the Commander climbed onto the motorcycle. "As long as you reach your desired result, you don't care how you get there? What kind of person are you!?"
The Commander took a second to activate the engine of the vehicle, before answering, without making eye contact with the so-called 'champ'.
"Omega squad, here are your orders for now. Omega 1 through 4 will enter the school building. Ensure the enemy's bodies are brought out. The traitors will be brought back to the CCDD before we hand them over to the police. Omega 5 and 6 will do crowd control, I don't want total chaos to erupt here. And the rest of you, guide the students out in an orderly manner. Do not give pursuit; I will handle this problem myself. They have toyed around long enough."
None of the CCDD-ers answered; instead they turned and broke into a run towards the school building.
"And as for you, 'champion'" the Commander spat, again emphasizing on the word 'champion', "I will answer your question before I go."
Hercules stayed silent, waiting for his reply.
"I am the kind of person, who defeats his enemies."
With that, the Commander let the motorcycle roar into action and shot away, chasing his enemies.
A/N: and yet another chapter finished. please tell me what you think of it in a review.
I would like to thank my Beta's Zephyr-Tai-Ji, Mirrors of Illusion and Illusion Sky for their help in reading ,correcting and editing this chapter.
