Chapter 80: 5 Minutes to Boom

"We're going to die...we're going to die a horrible death! Mom and dad would cry at my funeral, Tom would take my room and Alice is going to take away every single of my collector card as her own"

"Kenny, shut up!" Rick hissed at him. 

The group of five had been caught around 5 minutes after they begun planning their grand rescue scheme. Now they're tied up together next to a bomb and staring straight at the nuzzles aiming at them. 

The teachers looked horrified at the prospect of seeing their students being held hostage along with them yet they couldn't say anything. Despite most of the seats being filled, they were dead silent. The air was tensed enought to put pressure on your chest, The usual smell of dust of an auditorium was replaced with sickening smell of copper, few bodies laid slumped on their seats and the people beside couldn't utter a complaint. 

Yet admist those teachers, Charles Dalton hasn't the slightest bit disturb of the situation. It was one of the many situation he foresaw in his head, and to his luck, the one who came were all part of Class S and Rick Carlton himself. 

It was one of this moment he was glad he was Class S homeroom teacher. 

Rick also finally met eyes with the person he kept searching through the crowd, there was silent exchanges and Charles dimly nodded. Rick took a deep breath and calmed his nerve. He just needed to lessen the number and put their attention to him, bullets won't kill him but it will to his friends so he needs to set their priorities toward him in the first few minutes. 

He looked again at his friends; Alvin who had control over electricity, Kenny who's practically made of rubber, Dean the computer whisperer, and Maya who could control plants. 

An idea then sprung in his head, one that will 100% take their attention and cause panic at the same time. 

There's risk in causing casulties but like Agent Hawk said, since we aren't wearing our bracelet, the terrorist doesn't realize we were espers so we should take advantange of it if we were ever caught. 

He closed his eyes and muster every last of his concentration to form a telephaty link with all the employee in thia school being stuck in the Main Hall. 

Everyone if you can hear me please remain calm. 

Despite saying that, he could tell the crowd's expression shifted. Though that indicated the link was working, he inwardly hoped the terrorist didn't notice the shift. 

Everything that's going to happen will be a plan for all of us to get out with our lives intact, I know trusting your lives to us children would be difficult but I only need to ask you to keep calm no matter what. 

He cut off the connection to spare the headache of the people's inner voice (or shouting in this case)

"You've got to be kidding me!" Someone bellowed. 

All the evil eyes in the room turned toward him, ready to shoot at the first threatening move they see. "What was that?" The nearest man to him growled. 

"No, I'm sorry it was nothing." He said in an almost squeking tone. They stared at him, unaware of the cold sweat trickling down the loud person's temple as they kept staring another second longer. They then before resuming whatever job they were assign. 

Rick let out a breath he wasn't aware he was holding. He switched his attention to the the tied up teacher around the bomb. Their face was pale and grave stricken, the only female teacher had red eyes and nose from crying while holding up her hiccups. 

Those three are the only ones he didn't tell and he felt bad but it's best that they don't know what they'll do next. 

He linked his thoughts to his friends and word oit his new plan, they had their misgiven, especially Dean who's the key start of the plan. 

No, nope, not happening, never. 

Do it or I'll use my ability to make you. 

Dean inwardly groan. He had always been a timid kid, to put him in front where he was likely to die was the last thing he had in mind. 

I've got your back Dean, trust me. 

Sadly he didn't want his trust, he wanted to eatch the next episode of Doctor Who that should be airing right about now. He was planning to deny once more but his friends then shot him expectant and pleading eyes. 

He hesitated but know that he hadn't got a choice. He made a large gulped and with his trembling legs, stood up and cried at the top of his lungs awhile running around the stage. 

He swore that day if he lived through this, he'd tell his kids how he once scream like a baby while being surrounded by mask-gun wielding-men looking at him like an idiot. 

To say the terrorist was surprised was an understatement, they kept looking at one another, gesturing that seemed to ask which of them would get tasked handling a screaming child. When two of them began to step foward, Dean slip and crash into the bomb, getting the others to hold their breath. 

There was a repeated omnoous beeping and then the time that should have showed around 40 minutes until the explosion suddenly became 5. 

Imagined the panic attack the terrorist had. 

Not to mention the three hostages being tied to it. 

They were so busy panicking, a minute then passed. 

The shouted out curses which alerted the terrorist theoughout the building, they came closer to the stage where the trap was laid. Kenny speed in streching his legs was enough to mind bogglle for anyone seeing it first hand. 

With as great swiftness as a snake. Kenny had latched on to every single terrorist's feet, immobilizing them or at least slowed them down. 

Alvin had already took off his shoes and let out an electric charge that made the closest victim to faint. "Shit, they were espers..." said one of the terrorist before he slumped down. The charge was big enough to even hit the teachers sitting in the front seats, since Rick said he'll manage the the one who got hit from friendly fire so Alvin didn't worry much, including Kenny who's no different with Luffy the Pirate. 

Three minutes...

Sadly, there were still at least half standing, burned and a little disoriented but still have enough strength to pull a trigger when needed. 

With less people and their attention was whole heartedly on them, Rick could have use this chance to use his many abilities on them, but he didn't have to. 

Charles Dalton had already got up and with swift, fierce, and precise movement, he knocked out the nearest man with a jab at his neck, then proceed to elbowed the head of the next man, and kneed the third man's gut. 

One minute...

When some turned to meet a third party, another man was down from a kick to the face. Charles notice a man was ready to shoot him when he pulled up on his arms and aim the rifle to his comrades, shooting on them, taking out almost the rest of them.  

50 seconds...

Once he was done he made a round house kick to his enemy and there was only four enemy left. Two on front and two on his back. He had already stole a gun from the pocket of one his assailant and start shooting to one of them while using the dead body of the terrorist as a shield to his back. 

30 seconds...

He didn't or bat an eyelash when the rest start shooting at him, his white lab coat was dyed red from blood splatter around him, the nostalgic smell of a mix of gun powder and blood honed his long lost instinct. 

He made two step to the right and shoot once more, he next aimed at his back and the next bullet hits. He turned to the last assailant but he had emptied his last bullet. 

25 seconds...

With quick reflexes, he duck and rolled from the outcoming bullets. He took a rifle from one of the body as he rolled and turnes to crouch and aimed. 

Sadly with lack of experience holding a rifle, the bullets couldn't come close to hitting but then the five bullets curved and change courses, hitting the terrorist's back then fell flat on the ground. 

15 seconds.

Once he was sure he wasn't getting up, he turned to Rick who had his hand out and gave a small smile of gratitude. Charles turned to his students who were gawking with eyes similar to saucer plates. Had he turned around he would see many of the employees having the same expression. 

Kenny was the first to break the awkward silent, "That...was...AWESOME, I knew you were my favorite teacher for a reason!" 

"Thank you for that Kenny" he turned to Rick, "can you connect your thoughts to the SWAT team and inform of the situation?"

"Already on it"

7 seconds...

"Good, May I want to use your ability and make sure those who could still move to be caged" Maya had glistening eyes from holding herself from crying as she watched the horror that took place before her eyes. Rick held her shoulder in reassurance and she took a deep breath before fishing out seeds that could make sturdy cage to held the terrorist in place. 

3 seconds...

 

"All right, now Dean...can you please stop the bomb before those three died from stress instead"

Dean was having guilty pleasure that one of his least favorite teacher, about to wet his pants. He compiled of course but not after he let the clock go on until it reached 1 second from exploding. 

Rick was glad everything went off without too much of a hitch. He would have been full of doubt if there hadn't been a reliable adult like Prof. Dalton, not to mention he couldn't surpress the awe struck feeling from watching his movement you would usually only see in movies. 

He then turned toward the East where the gym was, hoping the best for them. 

Claudia, Dale, please let things went off better from your end.