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Another burst of gunfire sounded from the interior of the school, this time from the gym wing, which was situated well away from the school’s entrance.
“Chief,” she keyed her mic to contact Mason, all synapsis snapping. “Our shooter is in the gym wing on the east side of the school. There’s only one egress, one long hallway leading from there to the rest of the school. If we cut that off, we’re clear to remove everyone in the rest of the building.”
“Copy that, Spires,” Mason barked. “Squads A thru E, get your best snipers on the roof, and if they see our shooter so much as stick his nose out, they have permission to fire. Everyone else, A thru E, will be going in the front doors. Carini, take point and make assignments. Send in squads to block the west hallway, then evacuate all rooms on the east, north, and south sides. I repeat, send everyone out the windows in the rooms farthest from the gym wing, which is the western most position.
“F and G squads. Station yourselves outside those windows to escort everyone to safety with the help of the Skowhegan police.”
Apparently, Mason had interfaced with the chief to utilize the officers the man had.
Talia chewed her bottom lip, anxious to get moving. If the shooter stayed in the gym wing, they’d be able to clear three quarters of the school. Which was good. But Pixie? Her classroom was in the hallway leading to the gym, which was outside the parameters of the evacuation. She wanted to demand Mike assign her squad to that hallway, but managed to hold her tongue. For now. Because Mason was still giving orders.
“Squads H thru J, cover the three exterior emergency exits from the gym. Do not breach unless you get the word from me, but keep that shooter contained at all cost. Does everyone know what they’re doing?”
“Copy that,” each squad leader responded, and they all mobilized, heading to their assigned places, carefully and rapidly.
Things suddenly became more real as they headed in, and Mason pulled out his bullhorn. “Attention in the school. This is Downeast SWAT. We have the building surrounded. Lay down your weapon and come out with your hands up. I repeat, we have the building surrounded.”
Talia knew from her short experience with the team, that Mason’s hail would most likely not get a response. But it was necessary to establish contact with the shooter, letting him know he wasn’t going to run rampant without consequences. Mason waited for a quick thirty seconds and repeated his demands, but got nothing in response.
As five squads entered the shattered front doors of the school, Mason’s voice came over their shoulder-mics again. “We have an ID on the shooter. Peter Bentensil. Thirty-eight. Worked as the night janitor for the town hall, and was fired last week for rifling through desks. Ex-military. Served in Afghanistan. Firearms trained. We’re contacting his family and hacking into his social media to see what else we can find that might help us deescalate.”
Another round of gunfire erupted, still isolated to the gym wing, but that did nothing to calm Talia’s nerves. Her sister’s classroom was in that direction, and that’s where Talia’s mind was fixated.
“Cisco,” she hissed. “See if Mike will send us into the gym wing.”
Cisco grunted. “That’s where your sister is?” he asked.
She nodded, holding her breath. He didn’t have to acquiesce to her demand. She’d given Cisco command, and he could very well use that authority to keep her away from the heart of danger, but—
“Mike. Permission to head the squad cutting off the gym.” Cisco hadn’t hesitated.
Mike grunted. “Why are you acting as squad leader?” He snapped off the question while pointing in various directions, sending the other squads scurrying in opposite directions.
Talia didn’t want Cisco taking the heat. “My sister is down there,” she told him. “Room 418. She’s a teacher.”
“Shit, Talia. I can’t let you go—”
“Mike. Please. I’ve given Cisco control, and I’ll follow his orders. I promise.”
“No.” Mike speared her with a grave look. “You’ll followmyorders. My squad and yours will be going in. Together.” He nodded toward the doors to their right. “But if you so much as blink in the wrong direction, Spires, I’m sending you out.”
“Copy that,” she agreed, her heart beating out of her chest
She was going in, and that’s all that mattered.
CHAPTERNINETEEN
“Where’s Lumous?” Mike asked quietly as they traversed the empty corridor leading toward the occupied gym-wing. Talia kept her mouth shut since she’d put Cisco in charge.
“We haven’t been able to contact him,” Cisco replied with a grimace. “He was on scene before anybody else, and…we think he might have gone in.”
Cisco looked at Talia and she nodded, giving him the go-ahead to reveal everything.
“When he checked in earlier, saying he was the closest one on scene, Spires told him her sister was inside, mentioning her room number to him. We speculate he might have taken it upon himself to head there.”
Mike looked contemplative, then grunted. “That might mean the gunfire we’ve been hearing has all been exchanges between Lumous and Bentensil, since we haven’t seen any evidence he’s targeting individuals. It’s possible Doug is purposely drawing the perp’s attention away from innocents.”
Not sanctioned protocol, for sure, but Talia read between the lines. She knew Mike was not averse to how Doug was acting, and buoyed up by the idea they might not find any student or teacher victims from the newest, repeated gun reports that sporadically echoed down the affected hallway.
