To Catch a Politician: Confrontation

It's been three days since the search began. Despite several tips from the citizens Vanhoover Police have come up empty handed at every turn. That was, until today. Only a few minutes ago, a citizen called the emergency line to report a suspicious individual at the Northside Central Subway Station. They described the individual as "fidgety", and "alert" while wearing an outfit that covered their body, and parts of their face. It wasn't until a second call came in that the dispatchers were certain of the pony's identity. January 19th, 5:20 PM, Northside Central Subway Station, Vanhoover Police Corporal Franco Marcetti and his team exit the SWAT van at the ready. They've already let this suspect get away once. They wouldn't be letting it happen again. The police cruisers, vans, and trucks around them are blocking off traffic, and denying anyone from entering the station. Every so often an officer emerges from the station with a few civilians. It would seem they were trying to evacuate as many civilians as they could without being detected by the suspect. 'Good. At least we can still catch him by surprise.' As the team gears up, and conducts one last radio check Asuka fights a mental battle with herself. "I told you to tell them you weren't available, and you didn't listen to me. I told you to find a call to go on, and you didn't listen to me. Do you WANT to die?! It's always about 'helping others', and 'being selfless.' Do you ever take a moment to think about US?! Do you know the kinds of things I have to deal with to keep us from dying?! Only for you to throw all my hard work away!" For once Asuka was actually getting unnerved by the "part of herself." It began to list off the many different ways it believed she could be killed on this call, and none of them were pretty. Asuka snaps out of her trance when it's her turn to radio check. "White. All good here." Franco's voice then comes through her earpiece. "Alright. Gold stack up. We're moving in." Followed by "Entry team to T.O.C. We're entering the station." A second voice responds "Rodger that entry team. Keep us posted." After the radio chatter has finished the team makes their way into the subway station. Moving through the turnstiles the team finds themselves in a long hallway filled with shops (mainly restaurants.) What civilians are left on this floor of the station have hidden inside the shops to avoid getting caught if a fight broke out. The team moves through the hallway without checking the shops. Other officers have already done that before they arrived. The team makes their way to the stairs leading down to the platforms themselves to find that all current trains moving to, or through the station have been "delayed due to an obstruction." The suspect should be none the wiser. The team makes their way down the stairs onto the platforms below. Confused, and scared civilians reluctantly lie down as Corporal Marcetti quietly commands them to do so. Other members of the team quietly assure them that they'll be okay, and the bad guy will be caught. Once on the platform itself the team can see just how many civilians were still inside the station. Many hadn't seen the officers trying to pull them away to safety, and now they were making the SWAT team's job much harder. Those who noticed the SWAT team quickly either laid down with their hooves covering their heads, or attempted to leave the area before something bad happened. Those who fled were caught by officers who had moved into the station itself. With so many creatures inside the station it was tough for the team to find their suspect. It wasn't until Corporal Marcetti ordered everyone to get on the ground that things became much easier. In the back of the team Asuka gazes over the crowd of civilians who were unlucky enough to get caught in the middle of this all. Her heart begins to sink as she thinks of what might happen to them. Innocent creatures just trying to get to work, go home, meet with friends, or just explore who could end up seriously hurt because of one man. She couldn't let him get away with it again. This man needed to face justice. He needed to pay for the atrocities he funded, and organized. Thousands of lives lost because of his greed, and lust for power. Thousands of lives that would be avenged. The team sweeps from west to east on the lookout for the suspect. Frightened civilians murmur to each other as they try to figure out why a SWAT team is here. Every so often the team asks a civilian to remove a hood, or eye wear, but they've yet to find the suspect. Asuka begins to wonder if he was tipped off somehow, and ran before the team arrived. He could be halfway to Ponyville by now for all they know. A shout pulls her back into the moment. "I said pull your hood up!" Asuka peeks over the shoulder of Red two to see Corporal Marcetti standing over a hooded pony. The pony refuses to remove his hood, and for some odd reason he decides to look to his right. Corporal Marcetti decides he's asked, and told the stallion enough so he decides to make the stallion take his hood off. Corporal Marcetti grabs the stallion's hood and quickly pulls it off of his head. Before the corporal can get a good look at the stallion's face four shots right out to his right. "Officer down!" He hears Blue two shout before the team returns fire. He knows they shouldn't be firing their weapons in a room with so many civilians in it, but his team has little choice. Corporal Marcetti stands to return fire just in time to see two armed stallions drop to the ground. He turns back as the hooded stallion scrambles to his hooves, and jumps down onto the tracks below. Marcetti turns to his team. "Red two,Blue two! Get Blue one topside to the EMTs! Red one, White! You're with me!" Asuka hops down onto the tracks with Corporal Marcetti, and Red one as they take off after the suspect. Marcetti taps his earpiece to radio "T.O.C We have two suspects down, and one fleeing east through the subway tunnels! We are pursuing on hoof!" Using their flashlights the team is barely able to see the suspect running ahead of them. Corporal Marcetti and Red one shout for the suspect to stop running, but he refuses, and continues to run. The chase continues for a few minutes before the team is given the go ahead to use lethal force. Just as Corporal Marcetti, and Red one raise their rifles to fire the suspect turns to the right, and disappears down a hallway. Corporal Marcetti relays this to T.O.C "T.O.C Suspect has taken a right into a maintenance hallway!" There's a brief pause before the response. "Entry team, we're not seeing any maintenance tunnels anywhere close to your position. Be advised." The three round the corner and continue down the narrow passage until they emerge in a small, dimly lit concrete room. "You've got nowhere to run! Get down, and put your hooves up!" Corporal Marcetti trains his rifle on the stallion as he shouts. Asuka isn't sure why, but a feeling a dread washes over her while she stands behind the two officers. In one quick motion the suspect appears to flip a switch causing a concrete door behind him to open. He darts through the doorway as two shots miss their target. The officers rush forwards to catch him, but the door closes too quickly for them to get through. 'Tink' Corporal Marcetti's attention is drawn to the middle of the room. His eyes widen after he spots a round metal object lying on the floor. He screams as loud as he can before diving to the floor. "EXPLOSIVE! GET DOWN!" The other two heed the corporal's advice and dive to the floor. Asuka spots an object directly in front of her as she hits the floor. Out of instinct she quickly grabs the object, and tucks it underneath her chest. Cradling it like a foal. Realizing what the object might be Asuka quietly says her goodbyes to her friends and family before she feels a blunt, searing pain in her chest. She's able to let out a pained scream just before the world goes dark.