We Watch the Age of Heroes Pass

Modern-day salvation isn't worth the ink that begs for it

The gunman had had the upper hand for four hours. Every now and then, the ground in front of the SWAT crawler jumped, sending everyone running for cover behind their cruisers. Captain Hollister decided it was time he took the upper hand.

He keyed the PA. "This is your last chance! If you don't come out, I'm coming in!"

A man crouching behind a cruiser screamed, "You can't do that!"

Hollister ignored the man. SWAT assumed command when they rolled up; they both knew that.

He keyed the PA. "Fine, asshole! Game's over!"

Behind the cruiser, the man's mouth dropped open at this egregious breach of protocol. Bystanders gaped.

Then calls came from across the street. "Don't let him call the shots; go git him!" Soon all the watchers were cheering as the SWAT team crawler began to move forward.

Tear gas began to spray from side-mounted cannisters as the armored vehicle inexorably drove straight through the front of the house.

Coughing and retching, a man appeared out of the smoke and the haze, holding a gun to his head. His eyes and nose were streaming. "I'll do it!"

The small turret on the crawler turned, pointing its blunt rifle nose at the man. Hollister demanded through the PA: "Mister, either you walk out now, you pull your trigger, or I'll pull mine! Decide!"

The man, who had held the entire neighborhood under a reign of terror for half a workday, realized his bluff was called, sagged, and dropped his pistol.

@-----@-----@

The next morning, the neighborhood woke up, safe again.

The next morning, the gunman woke up alive in the county jail.

The next morning, all officers on the scene woke up with their wives and husbands.

And the next morning, Captain Hollister was summarily fired for not following protocol.

NOTES: ▼

Word Count: 300
Submitted for "Daily Flash Fiction Challenge" 
Prompt: Use the phrase "This is your last chance"