Uh, belated? *hides from thrown objects* I'm making up to you, dagoneit! Have a heart, will ya? But you've been in suspense long enough, right?
1612 hours, outside Mack's Emporium
"McHale." Skipper spoke to the little transceiver hooked to his shoulder, eyes on the building looming before him. Eyes had turned to him when he got out but he shot them a warning glare and they turned back to watching the building like hawks. The sound of the other car doors slamming shut indicated that the rest of his team were already ready. All they needed now was an order for him. "Give me an update."
"Nothing has changed, Skipper. Except," one of the squad leaders came jogging up to him, glancing back at the building once in a while.
"Sir," the officer spoke once the salutations were done, "they've shot a civilian at exactly 1600. There have been no other shots from then."
Barbie sighed through the receiver. "What he said."
Skipper frowned and looked back at Private, whose hands were turning white from gripping the sniper rifle in his hand too hard. His face was also looking a little pale, fear visible, but the boy quickly put on a blank look the second he spotted Skipper.
"What happened?" Skipper questioned the man before him.
"Civilian tried to dash for the front doors, but," the officer trailed off as he glanced to the bullet ridden glass doors, the faint outline of a body on the ground beyond them.
"Unfortunate." Skipper noted grimly before turning to Private. "You are, under no circumstances to go near that building. Nor are you to participate in this mission. Rico." The boy let out a little gasp as Rico tried to take the rifle from him.
"No, Rico. You can't. Let go. Skippah!" Rico grunted in reply and was about to go to drastic measures on the reluctant teenager when Skipper waved him off. The scarred man stood off the side and checked the military velcro and leather pouches of his belt.
Skipper turned back to Private, pointing at him. "You will not be a participant in this mission. Do you hear me, Private?"
The baby blue eyes widened in surprise. "But, Skippah-"
"Do you hear me, soldier?" The man repeated through gritted teeth, narrowing his eyes at the boy, who bowed his head and glared at the ground as his fingers fiddled with the strap of the rifle. "I know your best friend is in there, but you'll risk the operation if you act on your instincts, Private. And we can't take that chance."
"And you think that won't happen when Marlene's in the line of fire, sir?" Before Skipper could answer, the boy threw the weapon into the van, got in with it, and glared at the head of the seat before him.
"He's a teenager, Skipper. They act like that. Teenagers do that." The man murmured to himself before grabbing the bullhorn from Rico's outstretched hand and turning it on. He let the static catch the attention of the occupants in the store and of the surrounding area before speaking into it. "This is officer Skipper McGrath of the NYPD SWAT team. On the order of the New York Police Department, you are to release the hostages and come out with your hands up and your weapons down on the ground." He took his finger off the button and watched the doors for movement. "Hold fire." Skipper murmured to one of the squad leaders, who repeated his order to the other officers as a masked man, opened one of the doors but didn't step out.
A sense of disappointment and slightly of dread went through him when he realized that the man was shouting in a language he had yet to learn about. But he knew someone who was an expert in it.
"Kowalski?" Skipper turned to his second in command, who took a step forward. "If you will." Kowalski took the bullhorn from his commander and spoke through it, using the same language the man had used. After a while of watching, Skipper was handed back the device. "It went well, then?" He told the man without taking his eyes off the front doors, putting every bit of sarcasm into his voice.
Kowalski sighed and shook his head. "They refuse to surrender."
"They never do."
"Why even start with the 'surrender and no harm will come to you' speech then?
"Because it's for formalities. And I do not want a stack of papers on my table when this blows over." Skipper resisted the urge to roll his eyes and ran his free hand through his hair. "I need options."
"Are we still going through with the peaceful take over, Skipper?"
The captain slapped the back of his lieutenant's head without moving his eyes from the store.
"A simple no would have sufficed..." The man muttered under his breath while rubbing the sore spot before pulling out his worn but trustworthy clipboard. "We'll need a distraction before we can get in. Even so, only one of us can do that. I would recommend-"
"No." Skipper interrupted sharply. "He's sitting this one out."
"Rico is our distraction, sir. And I'll be on surveillance. McHale is minutes away from hacking into the security system."
"I can go in."
"No can do, Skipper. You are in charge of the operation and will be leading us. Not only that, but you're also a liability, Skipper. With Marlene's presence added in, there is no telling what you would do if the situation arises." Kowalski crossed his arms, tucking the clipboard along with. "Our best chance is him."
"Do I need to repeat myself, Kowalski?" Skipper's voice turned a tad bit dangerous, lowering it so that only the two of them could hear. "I am not letting Private inside of that building until those men have surrendered or dead. I would prefer the second option."
"Of course you would..."
"Do not use that tone with me, soldier."
"In case you have forgotten, Selena is also in there. So I would know how you feel with this-"
"She might as well be dead with what Kyle told us." He received a glare from the intellectual, who closed his eyes and let out a calming breath before speaking.
"Very well. All you have to do is get in when I say so. I'll check in with Barbie for the live surveillance footage before we proceed."
*I'm using mobile for this, so pardon me if I have committed mistakes. This is also not a one-shot but a short story.