Practical Exam: MCS

57 aspiring paramedics had applied to the Advanced Care Paramedic program Asuka was in. By the end of the semester, there were 22. After yesterday's exam there were only 10, and that number was expected to drop again after today. That was because today's practical exam was one of the toughest mentally, and physically. The 10 candidates would be tested alongside members of the Vanhoover Police Academy to test how well they preformed during a mass casualty scenario. The grounds where the exams were being held were in the old industrial district. The EMS, Police, and Fire Departments had all pitched in to buy a plot of land containing two warehouses which were then renovated, and connected to be used for practice exercises. Today those warehouses had been re-arranged to simulate a mall. Each candidate was paired with a partner, and each pair had a role. Different pairs would be introduced to the testing grounds at different times from different places. Asuka had been paired with an inexperienced, young stallion who was incredibly book smart. She on the other hand had street smarts. She was experienced. She's been in situations similar to these before. Even though she won't be covered in body armor, or carrying a weapon today Asuka is confident she'll be able to do well during this exam. Asuka and her partner enter the building with their equipment, and a stretcher. They're responding to a call of an older mare having fallen, and are on their way to check her out. Asuka is impressed with just how accurate the scenery is. There are ponies walking around in every direction (she assumes they're actors), shops filled with merchandise, a large plaza with a fountain, and even a food court. The pair makes their way towards a flight of stairs where they carefully pull the stretcher up to the second floor. The pair then enters a nearby department store where they find a crowd of customers, and employees gathered around someone. "Excuse me! Make some room! Paramedic's here!" Asuka's shouts cause the crowd to part allowing the two to see their patient. The older mare they were here for was lying on the floor, barely able to lift her head. She begins with the standard questions as her partner helps load the old mare onto the stretcher. The crowd gives a few small claps as the two finish loading their patient onto the stretcher. Just before they stop Asuka's ears perk up. There's a scream from within the plaza. "OH MY GOD!" Followed by "BANG! BANGBANGBANGBANG!" and then, panic. Asuka picks up her radio, and radios in "Dispatch. This is Responder 11. We have shots fired inside Franklin Square Mall." The response is quick. "Copy that Responder 11. Police Units are in route." Asuka secures her radio back to her shirt before turning to what looked to be the store manager. The crowd had frozen in place. No one knew what to do. "Are there any other exits to the store besides the front?" The manager nods. "Y-yes. There's a-a back entrance. It leads t-to the maintenance t-tunnels." That's all she needed to know. Asuka turns to the crowd at large."Listen up! There's a back entrance that leads to the maintenance tunnels! Everyone needs to make their way there as orderly as you can! If you see anyone else in the store, tell them what I told you to do!" She then turns to her partner. "Take the patient, and go with the civvies. Get them out of here." Her partner was doing his best to hide how nervous he was. "What about you?" "I'm going to help other civvies get out of here." The mall had turned into complete chaos. Ponies were screaming, running, and hiding. The sound of gunshots echoed through the building, but Asuka couldn't tell where they were coming from. She exits the store, and begins to crawl along the wall to the next store. Crawling anywhere near the railings would be a death sentence since they were made of glass. She enters the second store, and rises to a crouch. It's a small video game store, and it appears the occupants are all huddled behind the counter. Before she approaches the occupants Asuka searches the store for another exit. Finding none she develops a plan. Asuka goes back over to the counter, and speaks to the frightened occupants. "Listen to me. I'm going to help you all get out of here, but I can only go with groups of three. There's an exit through the maintenance tunnels in the department store next door. I'll take three of you at a time until you're all through, got it?" Asuka spends what feels like hours crawling back and forth between the two stores as she leads the civilians to safety. All while the distant gunshots grow closer, and closer. Though she's able to get all the occupants of the video game story to safety there are still hundreds of other ponies to save. She's back to crawling along the wall. The next store over appeared to be an electronics store. She's thoroughly confused when a security officer exits the store, and goes straight to the railing to aim his service pistol down at the story below. "DROP THE WEAPON!" The officer screams. His words are answered with bullets. Asuka sees the officer crumple backwards as his service pistol clatters to the floor. She can see two bright blue splotches on the officer's uniform. He's in 'critical condition', and the shooter appears to be coming up the stairs to finish the job. Her experience kicks in, and she grabs the service pistol off of the floor. She checks the magazine, and finds it's fully loaded. Asuka then drags the officer into the electronics store, and places him behind a pillar out of sight. She then places herself up against the doorway, and peeks out. "DROP THE FUCKING WEAPON OR I'LL SHOOT!" Asuka screams at a stallion who had just rounded the top of the stairs. She has to duck back behind cover after a shot is fired in her direction. Four more shots are fired. Two shatter the window next to her, and spray glass shards all over the floor. Asuka waits for a pause in the firing before she peeks back out, and fires off two shots before she knows what she's shooting at. She pops back into cover after hearing a pained scream. Then it's quiet. Asuka slowly peaks back out to find the stallion curled up on the floor, clutching his stomach. She radios in. "Dispatch. This is Responder 11. Suspect is down."