Fragile

Chapter 1 - Hostage

Universe 2C556.

April 25, 2042.

Atlanta, Georgia.

It is the middle of the day, sky clear of clouds, but streets full of police guarding a 'Bumbart Bank'. There are a few individuals that seem to be audibly identified as males inside, with some unique strange masks on their face and hostages at gunpoint. They have a bomb planted inside, with threat of detonation if their negotiations of escape are not met. Some police are eager to take action, some afraid.
"This is awful, why we even got jobs if serious shit like this happens and we just wait for Defy Force?" A policeman asks.

"I'd rather sit outside in the sun all day getting paid the same while we let someone else do our job for us, sounds like free vacation to me." A policewoman responds.

"You see me sitting back on a beach, sipping a margarita here? No way this just don't fly with me."

"Well I'm not here to listen to you bitchin' all day either. Defy might get paid twice as much as us, but they handle the freaks for us too. I don't see any problem here with that when we're still getting paid."

"Sounds like charity to me, but shit maybe I'm just hungry. Or maybe I'm just damn cookin' out here, I mean shit I ain't from around here you know, I didn't grow up here like you."

"Well, you know how it is, just don't freak out on us like everyone else. Keep your ground, stand and do what you have to do even when shits tough."

"Do we even got any idea how many hostages are in there?"

"No but, I assume at least a couple. If it was just one it'd be marked as a casualty."

"Oh so one person's life just ain't matter anymore, huh?"

"Seriously, get off my back man. Damn, maybe you really are going to freak out on us. Like I said, you know how it is."

"Calm down Karol I know, I'm not saying you're a shit person or something. Just fucked up people are more expendable these days. I didn't become a cop just to write tickets, I got this job to save lives."

"Well Dan, we can't all be heroes. None of us are special no matter who we see in the mirror, maybe all we're meant to do is write tickets. If it came to it, we would be expendable too, everyone is."

"Not fucking Defy Force, they ain't expendable. Best of the best."

"Defy Force US-6, do you copy?"

An elite team of Defy Force are approaching the Bumbart Bank in a craft similar to a Blackbird.

"Yeah we copy," Carter says. "Hey uh Boston, what are your thoughts on this?"

"I don't get paid to think." Boston responds.

"Well yeah otherwise I think you'd be broke."

"Ha wow, I'm writing you up for that one champ."

"Get your feelings hurt that bad? I knew you were a snitch. Seriously though, this is some low level shit for us."

"It's 'Bumbart Bank'." Boston says sarcastically. "Highest class as it gets. Easy job and easy money, all we have to do is call these freaks bluff and take them in."

"That's what I mean, it's basic, something about it just tickles me wrong."

"Look man, one two boom we're done, and bottoms up at Mosie's with a usual. Stop thinking too deep in it, we're just here to fill our pockets with easy dough. I mean why you think they only sent the two of us?"