Topic: In a Flash

Glowing Green

Date: 2013-07-06 16:32 EST
The suburb was always quick to boast how safe it really was. Low crime rate, Low un-employment, nearly no poverty. The worst the city cops have ever had to deal with was a group of unruly kids after graduation. The inner city schools, like the private academy Luke attended, were some of the best in the world, producing numerous collegiate sports players, Nobel prize winners, CEO's and other socio-economic elites.

It was like any normal day at the Academy of Excellence in the downtown district of the city. It was nearing the end of the school year, as such kids like Luke were cramming their lockers with books that they had taken home with them the night before. Luke was an above average student, not the top of his class, but did well in all classes.

"Hey Luke." A boy walked over to him "Coach said practice is cancelled tonight because of the Calc exam tomorrow, he wants to be sure his star players pass that test."

Luke chuckled a bit "That's awesome dude, hey want to come over after school and study then?" Plans were already forming in his head about how they would pass that test.

"Na, parents want me home right after school, you heard right?" The boy retorted as he looked around suspiciously "Some terrorist group got a hold of some nuclear device, the same ones that always seem to target the city"

Luke shook his head "Pffft dude, do you know how many times something like that has been claimed, almost as many times as people have said that the world is going to end on a particular day. It's all a hoax dude, end of the day today we will all go home safe and sound." Still shaking his head as he placed a hand on the kids shoulder. "Relax"

"Well still....Not gonna go against my old man's orders. Sorry Luke." He nodded his head just as the bell ring, school was starting and the halls went from the sparsity of a few groups to a flood of hundreds of kids, all hurrying to their classes, Luke melded into the mass flood of bodies, going to class.

Glowing Green

Date: 2013-07-06 16:46 EST
"Class is always boring," Luke told his friend as they sat outside during their late lunch hour around 1:30 in the afternoon "Mrs. Finckle always seems to knock half the class out with the lecture, and then the other part either must be becoming great doodling-artist or like the books they read, because no-one in their right mind can sit there and listen to her ramble on about the Civil war."

The small group around him burst into a bout of laughter and giggles. Lunch was always a time for Luke and his friends to unwind, specially since the class they had before that was Calc, one of the hardest classes in the school.

Around the fenced in area out front of the school was the tail end of the bustling downtown, just down the road skyscrapers reached high into the sky, literally kissing the clouds. These skyscrapers hosted many a Headquarters for some of the worlds more prominent businesses. Further down a few blocks was the cities beautiful center, where billboards played Adverts and music 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 364 days a year (Christmas they played a host of Holiday themed movie clips for the crowds that gather there)

But today the billboards were playing something different:

::BREAKING NEWS.:: would first roll across all of the screens at the same time in Large, Blocky, Red letters. Following that the statement read: ::AUTHORITIES FIND EVIDENCE OF HIGHER RISK OF ATTACK ON CITY TODAY, PRECAUTIONS BEING TAKEN, STAY TUNED FOR FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS.::

"What you make of the signs Luke" the boy who had mentioned the Terrorist earlier looked to his friend once again "I mean, if they found out that it could happen, even more likely now, don't you think we..."

"Enough dude, the authorities are just doing their job and making sure that everyone stays safe while they are out and about. Yeah they might have gotten a tip about it happening and they are seeing if the tip is something or reality or something someone is doing as a prank. Nine times out of ten it would most likely be some sort of prank by someone who thought it would be funny. Happens all the time."

The kid nodded lightly and looked back at the signs, the same message repeated again, which either meant nothing else was going to be said by the authorities or it was infact a hoax. Taking a deep breath he turned around and took a bite out of the roast beef sandwich that was sitting on his plate.

Luke looked around his table, everyone who was there had seemingly fallen silent, they too were worried about their safety. Luke wasn't naive or anything, but he considered himself someone with some sort of common sense, and his common sense was telling him that this was all just a hoax being played.

Glowing Green

Date: 2013-07-07 02:39 EST
— In the center of Downtown —

The crowds of grey and black professional suits bustled about like bees in the nest. Towards the center of the square a small fountain was the epicenter of all the action. People moving around it clockwise and counterclockwise wise as they perched against it on their phones, met people in similar professional wears and talked over business, or simply took time to breath and get out of the grind of everyday life.

This was the perfect setting for the circumstances at hand:

A man, clad in a black 3 piece suit walks up to the fountain. In his right hand an over sized silver suitcase, the kind many professionals who carried their computers or files with them at all times would carry. And like most going to get a coffee while on their lunch breaks, trustingly placed his briefcase down and moved off into the crowd. But unlike most he never returns, and in the sea of people the Suitcase is ignored.

The man instead merged into the crowd and moved off down one of the side streets. Stopping in the middle of the street, his face is calm, collected, and even grinning. He knows what is about to happen and he also knows that he probably won't be getting out of this one alive. He had made his peace and was ready to do what needed to be done.

Reaching into his left pants pocket he pulls out a single, military grade detonator. A moment passed as he took one more breath before pressing down on the button.....