Broken Shield

by Ryan Garner

  John and the few dozen other officers that had also gathered on scene followed in formation behind the Humvees in order to provide backup and to make any necessary arrests. Even though they all wore gasmasks the majority of the officers were still able to feel the burning sensation of the tear gas as the biting minute particles adhered to the moist skin on the backs of their necks, underarms, and legs; an unpleasant consequence of the afternoon sun.

  As time slowly ticked by and as the riot squads moved forwards foot by foot some of the crowd began to fall back not wanting to risk a full on confrontation with heavily armored officers. Still, there were quite a few that were reckless enough to attempt such a feat and they were left battered and bruised after attempting their attack on the front lines.

  From the radio headset that he had placed inside of his helmet John heard one of the officers who was currently inside of the mobile command center speak.

  “Officers behind the ADS Humvees, if it is safe, NGP Lieutenant Fearon’s orders are that you arrest the protestors that have made it past the Mobile Field Force units.”

  A few officers from the front lines had already immobilized several protestors, laying their arrestees out on the ground and handing them off to other officers before they advanced further, however there were still rioters that managed to either slip through the gaps in the front lines or go around them completely as the wall of officers moved past gaps in the buildings or side allies. When the protestors were given more space they immediately seized the opportunity to circumnavigate the police formation. The remaining squads attempted to arrest these invaders, but in the confusion they were not always successful.

  Suddenly, and out of the corner of his eye John observed movement and saw two masked Occupy Congress protestors sprint passed the Mobile Field Force units and ADS Humvee’s. Once free of obstruction they quickly fled down a side alley. Unsure if this was just a mere escape attempt or a planned maneuver to get behind the police ranks he immediately tapped Chris who was standing next to him on the shoulder and signaled for the young officer to follow him as back up.

  Depressing the talk button on his radio as he began his chase John spoke, “205David!…Wilmington, I’ve got two suspects that penetrated our lines and are running east down the alley away from the ADS units! Myself and 206David are in pursuit!”

  “200David, 205 and 206, proceed with extreme caution.” John heard Sergeant Gelman say as he and Chris continued their trek down the winding set of alleyways which took them farther and farther away from the main group of officers and the protest itself. As he gave chase John was sure to keep a lookout for any signs that this may be a trap.

  Running in full riot gear, carrying a wooden baton, wearing an armored helmet, and trying to suck air through the filters in a gasmask that was rapidly fogging up was not the easiest of tasks and John had almost immediately began to feel the effects of fatigue after only sprinting approximately forty yards; he assumed Chris was probably feeling the same way. Nevertheless, both officers managed to keep up with their suspects.

  The two fleeing individuals ran across a small side street and then back into another alleyway; one with which John was relatively familiar. As they entered the narrow path and closed in on the perpetrators John signaled to Chris for him to head down an adjoining alleyway, one that he knew would lead Chris back around and in front of the group. Chris immediately split away from John who continued to close in on the protestors.

  One of the suspects who was decidedly shorter than the other was falling further and further behind his “friend” and John knew that in just another few seconds the criminal would be within his grasp. Still panting for breath and trying to breathe through the gasmask, he maintained his pursuit. A few seconds later he reached out and finally managed to grasp the masked suspect by the arm. He was surprised to sense how completely startled the person was when he actually took hold of him.

  The protestor nearly jumped out of his skin as they hurriedly tried to pull away, but instead they only managed to stumble, causing John to collide with them in mid stride. The impact was strong enough that when they came crashing to the ground it knocked John’s wooden baton out of his hand and both individuals slid across the hard concrete for a few feet. John was surprised to hear a recognizably feminine yelp as his weight came crashing down upon the female suspect. Due to her small size, he had suspected that this person might be a female, but with her dress and mask he had not been sure until now.

  Shortly after the collision with the ground John quickly pulled himself to his knees and within moments was on top of the woman pinning her to the ground and placing his knee in her back so that she would not be able to escape again. While not intentionally trying to cause pain, he did hear the female whimper as he placed the weight of his body against hers.

  Trying his best to see through the condensation on his gasmask lens John grabbed the woman by the left arm, but then suddenly froze; a split second later he rapidly pushed back away from her and nearly fell backwards onto the ground. Had anyone been watching they would have thought John was in pain as his retreat had occurred so abruptly.

  Pulling at the strap on his helmet, John hastily removed it and allowed the heavy outerwear to fall to the ground. It created a hollow clunk and bounced slightly when it struck the hard concrete surface. He then tore the gasmask off his face very nearly breaking the securing straps when he did so. He tossed it to the side and gasped for a breath of fresh air. Then he sat back on his haunches still staring in dismay at his suspect who was gazing back at him with the same equally astonished look on her now exposed face.

  “No…” John said in a hushed and weak voice as he gulped air into his lungs and the nauseating feeling in his stomach grew. He gazed at the woman who was still lying motionless on the ground.

  “Karina?” He said with obvious shock still in his voice.

  Karina Cherry lay on her stomach staring back at John. Her face was nearly white as a sheet and a look of terror was in her eyes.

  “John…” she said her voice quaking.

  John’s mind felt as though it had quite literally ground to a complete halt and he had no idea what to do as he and Karina remained on the ground silently staring at each other. From his perspective there was no longer any sound, and his tunnel vision was so complete he could see nothing besides his best friend lying directly in front of him. Of course his training dictated that he do something…anything besides just sit there, but his mind had become a blank. Nevertheless, even in his stupor, John knew he only had seconds to make his decision before Chris came bounding around the corner.

  Forcing himself out of his own personal daze, John glanced back down the alley in the direction from where they had originally come. He motioned with his head to Karina in that direction.

  “Go…” he said in a hoarse voice. A look of bewilderment streaked across Karina’s face as she heard him speak these words. It was certainly not something she ever would have expected John to say. She was certain that after his momentary delay he would have been back on top of her resuming his sworn duties.

  “What?” she asked her voice still in a stunned whisper. John looked back over his other shoulder and in the direction that he knew Chris would soon be coming from.

  “Go damn it!” he said angrily. Karina hesitated for one more brief moment taking just long enough to look into John’s tortured eyes. She immediately felt her heart sink when she did this. She then scrambled to her feet and fled in the opposite direction leaving John still seated on the ground, a painful look etched across his face.

  CHAPTER 7

  Tallahassee Florida

  Governor’s Square Mall

  Even in hard times it was not unusual to find the brightly lit Florida mall relatively crowded and this warm Saturday afternoon was no different than any other day. Groups of people and individuals wandered about randomly from one store to another, while others just milled around at different location.

  The echo of children laughin
g could easily be heard above the sound of rushing water as they ran around the large, centrally located tile fountain. Wrought iron tables and chairs were set up near the water’s edge where people gathered and casually ate their lunch. A set of escalators carrying shoppers to and from the different levels of the mall were located on opposite sides of the fountain. Even with the busy nature of the establishment the entire scene was quite peaceful.

  Walking through it all was a young Middle Eastern woman who moved slowly down one of the mall's large open air foyers. As she walked deeper and deeper into the shopping mall the woman's eyes moved about faster and faster as she peered around at the different stores and through their glass displays. Had anyone actually noticed her presence they might have suspected that she seemed to be a bit nervous. Unfortunately, no one did. As she moved she was sure to keep her light blue windbreaker jacket pulled tightly around her body.

  Eventually, she reached the fountain at the center of the mall. Cautiously she walked past the small concrete pylons that surrounded it and over to the water's edge. She stood quietly for a moment, slowly turning her head to look at all of the different people that were around her; the children who were playing, the families that just so happened to be passing by, and the young couples that were seated across from the fountain who were happily eating their lunch. An odd yet peaceful look gradually made its way across the woman's face as she took it all in. Her attention then turned to the geysers and rippling water that were in front of her. When she stared down into the fountain she noticed the ornate blue and white tile work that had been put together to form this pool; she stood quietly gazing down into what was now her liquid abyss.

  …..

  Austin Texas

  Deep Eddy Park

  A warm breeze blew across the rippling pool of water as the sounds of splashing and laughter lingered in the air. Deep Eddy Park located on the shores of Town Lake inside the city limits of Austin Texas was a serene getaway from the stresses of everyday life. There was a large outdoor Olympic sized pool that was used for either swimming laps or just for general recreation. Several yards away from the pool was a children's playground with numerous pieces of play equipment scattered about the sandy lot.

  A short distance away from the play area was a wooded forest where several sets of walking trails had been cut into the tree line. Some of these paths led to different portions of Town Lake while others meandered through the woods and then back to the park itself. Further still from the play area was a small open field where people could throw a ball, play Frisbee, or simply just lie out and enjoy the sun. A few feet further on the path led to a small dock where paddle boats could be moored or the occasional fisherman would cast his line.

  On this warm Texas summer day dozens of people had gathered around the pool, but there were other smaller groups that still lingered in the surrounding areas. In the midst of this peaceful scene and along the concrete sidewalk area that surrounded the pool itself a male with an average build and a full beard walked shirtless along the poolside. A book bag was slung over his shoulder and he had not bothered to put on any shoes. Anyone that looked at him could have easily come to the conclusion that he was just a regular guy with a gym bag, or possibly a business man with a laptop who had come to the poolside to try and relax. But, this would have been a grave miscalculation.

  Walking over to some rubber slatted chaise lounges next to a large group of people the man casually sat down. He suspected that the party next to him was a family celebrating a birthday or some other “special” occasion. To him it did not really matter why this particular group of infidels was here so long as they remained grouped together. Moving the book bag to his lap he slowly unzipped it in order to check the contents. Several pounds of Semtex, the Russian equivalent to C4 along with four large Ziploc bags filled with nails and ball bearings made for a satisfying sight.

  He reached inside and slowly retrieved the wired detonator. He glanced back over at the group of people who were still milling around the nearby tables just a few feet away. He stood and slowly began to walk over to the small crowd.

  …..

  Spokane Washington

  The incessant beeping of electronic cash registers could be heard throughout the grocery store as numerous shoppers wandered about conducting their regular Saturday food shopping. The store itself was relatively busy with quite a few people milling about in each aisle and extended rows of customers waiting at each one of the checkout counters. In these lines several shoppers could be heard arguing with the cashiers about not receiving their coupon discounts, EBT credits, or food stamp allowance.

  In these tough financial times most people were attempting to save as much money as they could, in any way that they could, while by the same token businesses both small and large were also trying to make money in any way that they could. Often times this left the unfortunate store clerks trapped in the middle. This pressure coupled with more and more financial aid and welfare programs made navigating the sea of electronic paperwork and regulations to ensure that everyone received their “fair” discounted price was at times quite an undertaking.

  Strolling aimlessly through the store was a black male with a heavy beard. He had an unassuming build and along with his blue jeans he wore a light jacket. Given that there was a slight chill in the outside air it was not usual to see someone still wearing outer garments, so no one took note of his warm dress. He had a blank expression on his face, and appeared to be almost completely detached from reality. However, in this day and age seeing a drug addled man wandering about a store was not that unusual so most people paid him little attention.

  Slowly making his way around the store the man gazed at different items, but did not touch anything. Instead he kept his hands tucked tightly inside his jacket pockets. He eventually wandered up to the front of the store where he quietly stood about, every so often taking the time to look at one of the customers who walked by him.

  …..

  Lexington Kentucky

  The massive department store was bustling with activity on the beautiful Saturday afternoon as people rushed to and fro hurriedly picking up various items as they tried to locate the most recently discounted pieces of merchandise. The onslaught of eager consumers who had flooded the store early in the day had left the sales floor in a partial state of disarray as employees did their best to keep the business in at least somewhat of an orderly state.

  Children sprinted through the aisles doing their best to locate the different toy sections of the store as their frustrated parents chased after them. Several adolescents had gathered in the electronics section and were scouring through the latest music, video game, or movie releases that they had not yet downloaded onto their smartphones, laptops, or tablets. Elsewhere, numerous families congregated in the clothing department.

  Mixed in with the crowd was a middle aged man who wandered aimlessly through the crowd of fervent shoppers. Wearing loose fitting clothing he appeared at least on the surface as though he were any other ordinary customer. However, this was far from the truth. Feeling the suicide vest strapped to his body under his shirt, along with several pounds of explosives and glass marbles that would become shrapnel, the man searched the area for a location that would allow for the most carnage.

  Truth be told, the man hated even being in this capitalist affront to his beliefs. To him this place was nothing more than a gleaming example of American greed, gluttony, and exploitation of Zionist religions. He would be more than happy to silence it permanently. Carefully feeling for the wired detonator inside his pant's pocket the man found that he was almost excited to fulfill his “divine” Jihadist purpose. He slowly and deliberately moved through the store completely unnoticed by anyone until he at last came to a particularly busy discount section. A dozen or more people were milling about looking through various bins filled with different pieces of merchandise. This would be where the man would fulfill his destiny.

  ….

  Tallahassee Flori
da

  Governor’s Square Mall

  The nervousness that had been etched across the Middle Eastern woman's face was now completely gone, replaced instead by an oddly peaceful and serene look. She slowly raised her head as she brought her arms out, extending them away from her body and spoke in a quiet voice.

  “Praise be to Allah...” she said in her native Arabic tongue as she allowed her jacket to open exposing the suicide vest which was loaded with plastic explosives and tubes of steel ball bearings. For a very brief moment no one took note of her, that was until a young woman who was sitting at one of the tables across from the fountain saw the upcoming horror. She shrieked in fear just as the woman depressed the explosive's trigger which she held in her hand.

  …..

  Austin Texas

  Deep Eddy Park

  Given the crowded nature of the pool no one really noticed the man until he had pushed his way into the center of the group which at that point immediately garnered him several confused looks. Still no one took immediate action. The split second before depressing the detonator's trigger he shouted at the top of his lungs:

  “Allah-u-Akbar!!!”

  The innocent victims didn't even have time to scream as the explosion and its shrapnel tore through the small gathering that had been standing around him. The shockwave caused by the detonation blew some of the nearby water from the pool clear across to the other side while the metal nails and steel ball bearings caused a rain like effect as they struck the water's surface. Several people who had been standing in the general vicinity were thrown into the air with some landing on the hard concrete ground while others fell into the now crimson stained pool water. After the vicious carnage had been unleashed on the area a ghastly silence followed for a surprisingly long period of time until finally the sounds of screams and cries for help mixed with distant sirens began to fill the air.