Part 12 – First Job – Part 5

"He was part of our patrol division," Erhard said as he handed Naofumi a file, "Six filed complaints, internal affairs investigated twice, and nothing came of it."

"Then why did you say he 'was' a patrol officer," Naofumi asked as he flipped the page to show the image of a man about twenty years old wearing sneakers, jeans, and a hoodie with four gunshot wounds in his chest.

"There's your reason," Erhard said, "Stiff's name isn't important. He used to be a small-time dealer."

"Let me guess the murder weapon," Naofumi said, "Cop-issued 9 millimeter?"

"Tried to claim self-defense," Erhard said, "But no firearm, knife, or blunt weapon was recovered, no one heard him try to calm the suspect, and his body camera was turned off."

"Ticked all the boxes," Naofumi said.

"Went to trial, but he avoided prison by agreeing to resign," Erhard said.

"When was this," Naofumi asked.

"Six months ago," Erhard said.

"Then how'd he access information on his little crew," Fohl asked.

"Small ordinance passed by the commission a few years ago," Erhard said, "Police can retain their codes should an active investigation into one of their previous cases still be open."

"And since he's had six complaints filed against him…" Raphtalia said.

"And because of the town's recent trouble with our former SWAT team," Sadeena said.

"Internal affairs has yet to close any of the cases," Erhard said.

"Let me guess why he chose this bank," Naofumi said.

"Consulted on security last year," Erhard said.

"Before the skylight was installed," Atla said.

"He spent the night in there," Raphtalia said, "If he didn't know then, then he should now."

"That's the least of our problems now," Naofumi said, "He's an ex-cop who just got caught in the middle of robbing a bank."

"Daddy will never agree to a plane," Raphtalia said.

"And the head of the airport won't be willing to give them a plane without funds," Fohl said.

"Which means there're only two ways out of that bank," Naofumi said, "A paddy wagon, or a body bag."

Inside the bank…

People were still sitting around, Mr. White himself had gotten up, and walked into the main waiting area where Mr. Yellow was talking to the receptionist.

"I can make noodles," Mr. Yellow said, "A bottle of sauce is enough for me."

"And you treat yourself," the receptionist asked.

"Occasionally," Mr. Yellow said, "Sometimes I'll find some chicken in the freezer, and add that."

The two of them chuckled before Mr. White cleared his throat, and they turned to look at him, "Why don't you see what Mr. Green is doing," he asked, pointing to Mr. Yellow.

"Yes, boss," Mr. Yellow said as he stood up, and walked away.

He walked into the receptionist area where Mr. Green was sitting, "Jackass isn't he?"

"Yep," Mr. Yellow said, "We should get more out of this."

"We'll be lucky if we make it out alive," Mr. Green said, "I swear I've seen Mr. White before."

"He told you not to say anything," Mr. Yellow said as Mr. White pulled out his phone.

Everyone in the control room gathered around as Van Reichnott answered the phone, "Mr. White, good to hear from you," he said.

"I'm not hearing the chopper blades," Mr. White said.

"I know," Van Reichnott said, "We're expecting to hear from them any minute."

"I told you not to fuck with me," Mr. White said.

"I'm not messing with you, Mr. White," Van Reichnott said, "I swear I'll call you the second we hear anything."

"You have half an hour," Mr. White said, "Or the consequences will be dire," he then turned around, and fired his weapon.

Mr. Green slumped against the wall and fell sideways, dead.

"Good shit," Mr. Yellow said.

"The next one is in thirty minutes," Mr. White said as he hung up.

"Damn," Van Reichnott said as he put the phone down.

"We cleared yet," Fohl asked.

"We need to be sure it wasn't a bluff," one of the cops said, "He could have just fired his gun to prove a point."

"I don't think so," Atla said as she pointed to one of the monitors, "We've got a body."

Everyone walked over to the monitor where they saw the individual that Fohl handed the pizzas to lugging a body out of the front door.

"That enough for you," Naofumi asked.

Erhard exhaled strongly, "What do you need to go in," he asked.

Naofumi grabbed a nearby clipboard, and handed it to Erhard, "I need a written statement from you, saying that you signed over control to the Brigade," he said.

Erhard took the clipboard, pulled out his pen, and wrote down:

I, Erhard, Chief of Rock Valley Police at 7:38 A.M. do sign over control of the hostage situation to Captain Naofumi Iwatani of the HERO Brigade. Lethal force is authorized.

He signed his name at the bottom, and then handed it to Naofumi who signed his name below it, "If they don't surrender, kill them," he said, "But make sure you give them the chance to surrender."

"Of course, sir," Naofumi said as he turned to his team, "Grab our weapons, and get to the Grizzly," he turned to Erhard, "Chief, you have anyone that can wire explosives?"

"I thought you already made breaching charges," Erhard said.

"We can," Naofumi said, "It's not for breaching."

Twenty minutes later…

Mr. White and Mr. Blue were watching the window when the phone started ringing, "About time Mr. Van Reichnott," Mr. White said as he picked up the phone, "Do you have information on that helicopter."

"I do have information," Van Reichnott said as he armed the C4 he wired along the back of the bank, "I can tell you that your way out of the building should be arriving now…" with one squeeze of the detonator, the three one-ounce charges detonated at once which disguised Fohl blowing the skylight.

As soon as Mr. White dropped the phone to point his gun toward the back of the building, Naofumi drove the Grizzly up to the side of the bank with Sadeena and Raphtalia standing on the sides armed with the thermite lances.

As they pulled up, Sadeena began cutting the bars on the upper windows as Raphtalia cut the bars on the lower windows.

Naofumi and Atla jumped out right as Sadeena and Raphtalia pulled the bars aside, Naofumi and Atla placed their breaching charges against the glass, and the detonation blew the windows wide open.

Sadeena quickly pulled the pin on a flashbang, tossing it through the second-floor window, Raphtalia threw hers' through the first-floor window, and climbed in behind Naofumi, making sure to keep his shield between him, Raphtalia, and whoever was in front of them.

Mr. White turned tail to run up the stairs after grabbing one of the hostages, Mr. Blue turned toward Naofumi and Raphtalia with his MP5 and fired two shots which caused Raphtalia to duck behind Naofumi's shield.

The shots were absorbed by the shield, and Mr. Blue subsequently absorbed two .45 bullets from Naofumi's 1911, and four 10mm bullets from Raphtalia's MP5 which dropped him like a stone.

Sadeena and Atla climbed through the second floor as Fohl walked up to the first door he saw which lead to one of the offices, only to find it locked.

Luckily .458 is a heavy round, and the door simply swung open when he kicked it in, empty.

"X-ray down in main lobby," Naofumi said as he and Raphtalia were clearing the first floor where they found seven of the hostages, including the cop that Mr. Green took hostage.

"Shield-one reports seven hostages in office," Raphtalia said as she pressed two fingers to her throat mike.

"Shield-two, X-ray coming up the stairs," Sadeena said over the radio, "Cannot pursue."

"Roger," Fohl said as he ran down the hallway to aim his rifle down the stairs at Mr. Red, "DROP IT NOW!"

Mr. Red looked up to see him and raised the shotgun to fire, but Fohl fired first.

Luckily .458 has a lot of stopping power which dropped Mr. Red against the wall like a stone, but he still had his grip on the shotgun, so as he slid down, he raised the weapon to fire again, but before he could, Fohl kicked it out of his hand, "You fucking…" was all he managed to say before Fohl knocked him out cold.

"X-ray down, top of the stairs," Fohl said, "Need Medical."

"We have one x-ray holding hostage in count room, top of the stairs," Sadeena said, "Second floor."

"Got that," Raphtalia said, "On my way."

Raphtalia proceeded to the top of the stairs where she saw Sadeena standing on the opposite end of the door to the counting room where she could hear, "STAY BACK! I'LL KILL THEM," coming from the doorway.

Taking cover, she peered around the doorway to see Mr. White holding two hostages inside the room, "Sergeant Nelson," Raphtalia called through the door.

"STAY BACK," he yelled.

"Sergeant, let's talk," Raphtalia said as she tried to peer through the door, only for Mr. White to raise his Glock, and fire two rounds through the doorway.

"I said I'LL KILL THEM," he said.

"Not friendly is he," Raphtalia asked.

"Nope," Sadeena said.

Raphtalia peered around the corner again, and saw the hostage had her legs spread a little wide, she looked up at Sadeena, held up two fingers, then pointed downwards, she then held up one finger and pointed upwards.

Sadeena nodded before Raphtalia racked the charging handle on her MP5, and threw the bullet she ejected into the room behind Mr. White.

As he turned to see what that was, Sadeena swung around the door and hit Mr. White's leg which took it off below the knee, causing him to start to fall forward, his arm which was pointing toward the wall was out of the way of the hostage which meant Raphtalia didn't have any chance of cause him to shoot the other hostage when she unloaded one of her rounds into the side of his skull.

The lady he was holding hostage started screaming as he fell dead on top of her, Sadeena quickly rushed over and kicked the gun out of his hand as Raphtalia helped the woman that was screaming to her feet, "X-ray down count room," Sadeena said into her throat-mike.

"Roger that," Naofumi said, "Two x-rays still unaccounted for."

"Shield-actual, this is command," Van Reichnott said over the radio, "The executed hostage has just been confirmed as an x-ray."

"Roger," Naofumi said, "That means one x-ray unaccounted for."

"Shield-five reports," Atla said, "I have final x-ray holding one hostage in corner of second-floor safe-box room. I have no shot. I'm going to attempt negotiation."

"Proceed," Naofumi said, "Shield-two, get down to the second floor, and cover Shield-five."

"Roger," Fohl said.

"Command, come in," Atla said.

"Go for command," Van Reichnott said.

"You still have those files," Atla asked.

"Yes," Van Reichnott said.

"Profile on the youngest member, what's his name," Atla asked.

Van Reichnott searched the files until he came across the one of Mr. Yellow, "Got it, his name is Garry Chambers," he said.

"Roger," Atla said.

"Garry," Atla called into the room, "My name is Atla, can we talk?"

"Stay back," Mr. Yellow said.

"I'm not going to hurt you," Atla said as she held her hands out around the door, "See, I don't have my gun in my hands. I just want to talk."

"I want out of here," Mr. Yellow said.

"I know you do," Atla said as she came around the corner into the room to see Mr. Yellow holding the receptionist hostage.

"I just want to talk," Atla said, "We're talking now, that's something."

"Maybe," Mr. Yellow said.

"I notice the way you're holding her shoulder," Atla said, "You don't want to hurt her. Unlike your boss who had one of his hostages with his arm around her throat."

"Bastard has no morals," Mr. Yellow said, "I had to do this."

"Why," Atla asked.

"It's your mother isn't it," the receptionist asked.

"Quiet," Mr. Yellow said.

"Tell me about her," Atla said.

"Shut up," Mr. Yellow said, "I want out!"

"Shield-two in position," Fohl said as he balanced the gun against the side of the door, "No shot."

"Garry, to the cops out there are waiting," Atla said, "I can help you. Please, tell me about your mother."

"Mom's the only one holding down the house," Mr. Yellow said, "Now I'll never see her again. Not after this."

"Yes, you can," Atla said, "You're a Rock Valley boy, family's everything to you. Especially your mother."

"She is," Mr. Yellow said, "Dad doesn't help her. I'm the only one."

"Look, Garry," Atla said as she slowly approached Mr. Yellow, "I might not know the situation at home, but I do know one thing. Your mom wouldn't want to see her son in a casket," he then knelt in front of the receptionist, "But she doesn't have to if you show the cops not everyone on this crew was bad."

"We weren't all bad, Mr. Green was good too," Mr. Yellow said, "Now he's dead."

"You can do right by him," Atla said as she held out her hand, "Please Garry, help me help you."

"You can go home," the receptionist said as she turned around, "Trust them."

Mr. Yellow nodded as he slowly put the pistol down next to him, "Come on," Atla said as she pulled Garry to his feet, "Let's go."

"Shield-two to actual," Fohl said as he engaged the safety on his rifle, "Final x-ray has surrendered."

"Roger," Naofumi said, "All X-rays accounted for, and all hostages secure."

"Copy that," Van Reichnott said, "Will have medical at the scene at once."

"Roger," Naofumi said, "We'll start bringing them out," he then walked over to the cop Mr. Green took hostage, and helped him to his feet, "Come on, time to go home."

How's that…