Chapter 17 - No Escape
Leonard was starting to feel like he really accomplished something, as he rode the elevator up, he had actually done something right, and he was feeling good about himself, the first time in weeks. Also, he was getting away, he might sleep in his own bed tonight, he even smiled to himself, when he thought what a simple thing like sleeping in ones own bed could mean so much. He was trying to conserve power, in case he needed the power to aid his escape so he slowly walked across the lobby to leave the building. However, as soon as Leonard walked through the front doors, the darkness was taken away from him as the spot lights came on, it seemed like the whole US Army was in front of him. There was nothing he could do, he couldn't walk to their line, because unlike the police, they had heavier weapons and he couldn't do anything to hurt US soldiers just doing their job, Leonard's only hope was to run.
He quickly moved behind a concrete column used to support the overhang of the building, he had to think. He started to look both ways for an escape route and was about to go back into the building when he saw, through the window, the soldiers coming up the stairs, they had been obviously following him. Now that his going back was cut off, the only thing he could do was go forward, his mind immediately going over his new options.
-Tin Man-
Colonel Turner knew he had between 30 to 50 seconds before the bombs hit, he grabbed the microphone from the sergeant, "Hammer 1, this is Knight, code word is 'SACRIFICE', I repeat code word is 'SACRIFICE', Hammer 1 abort drop, acknowledge."
"Hammer 1 acknowledges 'SACRIFICE', aborting drop."
"Nothing like cutting it close." The Weapons Officer said to the pilot over the intercom, while he slew the targeting laser to the small park about 300 yards behind the buildings. It was their abort target and the ground was soft there, it would allow the bombs to bury themselves deep before they went off.
Turner radioed his Company commanders, "Take cover, strike abort. All units take cover, acknowledge." and was immediately pleased to get the acknowledgements as he saw his men take cover behind their vehicles. It was actually lucky Leonard did not see the men run behind their vehicles, he might have gotten up and ran, it would have been fatal, he was now planning on escaping through the small park behind the buildings.
It was only 20 seconds later when Turner, and his men then experienced something they had been warned to expect, the two 5000 pound bombs hitting the park, driving themselves over 100 feet into the ground then going off. The ground in the park jumped 6 feet into the air then settled back into the crater caused by the bombs, there was a loud boom and a tremor that felt like a small earthquake. Leonard was the only one that had not expected it and he turned his head quickly towards the sound, hitting the column he was behind and making the special makeshift dark visor, for the dazzlers, drop down, turning everything black for him.
-Tin Man-
Penny, Howard and Bernadette heard the boom and felt a little tremor at their location too, then the video monitors went black. Penny stared at the monitors, her breathing became heavy, her worst fears were now staring back at her, the explosion and Leonard's camera going black, she felt like she was dying too. She looked over at Howard and Bernadette, in shock, who didn't know what happened either so just gave her a shocked look in return. Their look was the straw that broke the camel's back, Penny lost it, she could only think of being near him, even if he was dead, and she was out the back door of the van, running to the buildings as fast as her runner's legs could carry her.
Penny was running like a scared animal, pure fear causing copious amount of adrenaline to be pumped into her system. Her mind was screaming to her, that this couldn't be happening, he had been safe, please he can't be dead. She didn't feel anything, her mind's only thought she had to get to Leonard, if she got to Leonard everything would be okay, and that thought alone kept her from falling to the ground and screaming in grief. Penny's sanity, at that moment, was being held together by a thread, she couldn't live without Leonard and she didn't want to, she was going to him, no matter where he was.
-Tin Man-
Colonel Turner's driver immediately, after the all clear, drove the command vehicle closer to the third building, Company B had circled, and this gave Turner a clear view of all that was happening. His A Company was busy cleaning up the hotel situation, under Major Houston, so Turner was now positioned in the middle of Company B and from this position, he was now able to observe the whole scene, so he watched as the thing moved. Now that the weapon was secure and the terrorists were being rounded up, the thing had become a higher priority and Turner knew if it kept going the way it was proceeding, it could possibly get away and he couldn't let that happen. Every unit had classified standing orders, since the thing first appeared a few weeks ago, they were suppose to try and catch it, if any of their Army units came upon it. However these orders also said Army units were not suppose to let it get away, his orders were clear, secure it the best way he could, use any means possible to not let it get away. Turner looked at his troops standing there watching it, he had a whole company of armed men, he was now going to have to use them. He quickly looked around for the company commander, "Major Barker, tell your men to ready their weapons and prepare to fire."
Barker looked at Turner in disbelief, but then saluted, "Yes sir." He then went to his officers and sergeants, to relay the orders, and they went to prepare the troops. It took only a few seconds for the HUMVEES with the huge 50 caliber anti-aircraft machine guns to lock and load and Barker quickly returned to Turner when they are ready. "Sir, guns are hot, awaiting your orders."
Turner looked at Barker, he really didn't want to do this, he was uncomfortable because he really didn't know if this thing was really an enemy, the way it had acted was more as a friend. It had saved them all, at least it looked that way, unless of course it had been there all along and it was used by the terrorists. There were too many unknowns and Turner had his orders, they would find their answers after they had the thing, "Major Barker, tell your men to stop that thing."
Barker nodded, "Yes Sir." and was gone again, to pass the orders to his officers and sergeants.
-Tin Man-
Howard and Bernadette looked at each other, Penny had moved so fast they hadn't had time to react. They both just came out of the van in time to get a glimpse of her as she ran away towards the buildings, but then she was gone. Looking at each other again, they both knew without talking what they needed to do, so they both went after her. None of them saw the monitors go from black to a picture again, when Leonard finally got his special visor back up so he could see and Howard forgot to look at his systems monitoring display, after the screens went black, to see Leonard was still operational.
-Tin Man-
After the explosion, Leonard got up and moved, he was now motivated even more to get out of there, so by leapfrogging between the support columns, he was getting close to the end of the building, when Turner's order was finally passed to his men. Leonard stopped when tracers of two 50 caliber machine guns, mounted on two Army HUMVEEs cut off its route and his escape. The machine gun fire was intense, and watching the tracers fly past sent a cold chill through Leonard, making his shiver. Then another thought came to his mind, Penny was seeing this too, she was with Howard and seeing everything he was seeing. He wished he could turn the camera off, but Howard didn't put a switch for that in the suit, so he quickly turned his helmet away from the tracers and tried to calm himself. He just needed to get calm and think, there had to be a way out of this.
-Tin Man-
Penny was over half way to the buildings when she hear the noise of the machine guns, it was another piece of information that tried to gain a spot in her already confused mind. It registered, but just barely, she was still being driven by her need to be with Leonard, it had taken her over completely. So the new noise only made her run harder, if that was possible, she just kept running to the light she could now see in the distance.
Howard and Bernadette tried hard to follow, they were both young people but not as toned and physically fit as the young waitress/actress. They ended up running then walking till they could run again, getting closer to the buildings, just like Penny was, but way behind her. They heard the machine gun fire after they were half way there, causing them to look at each other.
"That sounds like…" Bernadette looked at Howard, with questioning eyes.
"Machine guns." Howard finished her sentence.
"Why?" again she questioned.
"Maybe it is against the terrorists." Howard answered, but he couldn't help the feeling that they could also be firing at Leonard, if he was still alive.
Bernadette looked at him and was suddenly aware of his concern, which became her concern. They both then started to run again, this time harder, Howard hoping his heart arrhythmia didn't start acting up on him now.
-Tin Man-
Leonard had only a few seconds to think, when the third machine gun started to fire, at him. He was truly screwed and he knew it, his moments ago happiness now changed to dread as he surveyed the situation around him. The new HUMVEE mounted gun had started firing at the column the gunner saw he was behind, Leonard's game of escape had now turned into a game of survival.