Chapter 20: Five Hours Later
George W. Bush must be almost there.
Shujie looked out from under the bell of the stock exchange. Judging from the surrounding situation, he knew that this strongman who controlled the lifeblood of the rice country was about to arrive.
A red carpet has been laid in the middle of the hall. The red carpet was crowded with people on both sides, and it should be representatives of all classes and groups in New York. Behind the yellow cordon, the few reporters held up long and short cameras. Around the hall, there was a circle of black-clad SWAT officers standing next to the trading desks. They were all heavily armed, and the bulletproof vests all had the letters 'S-W-A-T' printed on them.
New York is efficient! Shujie sighed in his heart. In just a few hours, the traces of the killings on the stock exchange were cleaned up. A giant flag of the United States is erected on the wall behind the bell ringing platform, and a temporary rostrum has been erected directly below. On the rostrum, six chairs were lined up, and from left to right sat Dapeng, Ed, Chief Sergeant, Han Ming, and Shujie. The seat between the chief sergeant and Han Ming was empty, and in front of him was a paulownia podium, and a microphone was inserted into the podium. The nameplate in front of the microphone has two Mi characters written on both sides of the front: 'Leader'.
"Mr. President is always healthy! Captain of the Guard, please rest assured. The chief sheriff was talking on the phone: "Everyone in the venue has gone through security. Snipers from the SWAT team are also arranged on the surrounding commanding heights, and they are absolutely in control. β
Shujie listened to it in his ears and didn't say a word.
"Yes, yes, yes, it's no problem to re-check the security, and we fully cooperate. See you later. The chief sergeant ended the call, turned to the four and said, "The presidential guard will re-inspect the venue later, so you can cooperate." β
"How do you cooperate?" Han Ming asked.
"Stand up, put your hands up, and the Presidential Guard secret service will re-scan everyone from head to toe with a metal detector." The chief sergeant explained: "When the president comes, you will speak according to my arrangement." Don't applaud when the president speaks. There will be a leader in plainclothes in the first row, and he will drum you and you will stop when he stops. β
"Yes," replied the four of them. As soon as he finished speaking, the Presidential Guard arrived. There was an immediate silence on the trading floor. They started by pushing in a square machine, and reporters handed over their camera equipment and scanned them one by one, and Fox News was no exception. At the same time, a large number of special service groups in khaki uniforms were spread out. They were armed with meniscus-shaped metal detectors to check on all the people present, and not a single one was missed.
It took almost 40 minutes before the inspection came to an end. When the members of the special service team left the rostrum with expressionless faces, Shujie and the others were able to lower their hands and sit down again. At this moment, an officer in a white military uniform walked in from the gate and went straight to the rostrum, two rows of medals shining on his chest.
As soon as he saw this man, the chief sergeant immediately stood up with four more people. After exchanging military salutes, the chief police chief introduced the four heroes from China to the captain of the presidential guard one by one, and then said: "The conference is protected by our most elite SWAT team, and it is absolutely safe, please rest assured that the captain of the guard." β
After confirming the safety of the scene again, the captain of the guard pressed his hand to his ear and muttered something quietly. Within a few minutes, the hall suddenly became noisy, followed by applause. Shujie looked into the crowd and found a short-haired white man in a blue suit without much effort. Under his command, the applause gradually gained a rhythm, and then turned into a shout of "Hurray, hooray".
In the midst of this mountain and tsunami, George W. Bush appeared. He has a hooked nose, slightly curly hair, a blue suit, a red tie, and a shallow smile hanging from the corner of his mouth, which is almost exactly the same as in the propaganda posters that Shujie has seen. The only difference is that he always squints, as if he is constantly facing the harsh sun.
Suddenly, someone touched Shujie's arm. He turned his head and saw that it was Han Ming, with a reminder on his face. Shujie hurriedly stood up and applauded and cheered with everyone. On the red carpet in the center of the hall, George W. Bush, accompanied by three black-clad bodyguards, walked slowly toward the rostrum. He had a smile on his face, but his brow was furrowed. George W. Bush carried a suitcase in his left hand, while his right hand took turns waving to both sides.
Depend on! It's such a big battle to go on vacation. Although Shujie thought so in his heart, he dared to slack off in action. As soon as Bush Jr. arrived in front of him, he hurriedly grasped Bush Jr.'s right hand with both hands according to the chief sheriff's arrangement, and then bent down to greet him. In a trance, the portrait of Bush Sr. on Bush Jr.'s chest was particularly eye-catching.
After shaking hands with everyone on the rostrum, Bush Jr. stood behind the paulownia podium. He put the nuclear suitcase at his feet, then raised his hands to signal silence. At the same time, the short-haired man in the blue suit in the first row made the same gesture, and the cheers in the hall abruptly stopped.
George W. Bush looked left and right at the rostrum and motioned for them to sit down as well. Then, a Fox News close-up camera was pushed to the front of the podium, and the photographer gave a thumbs up to indicate that everything was ready. Bush Jr. touched the microphone, coughed lightly, and then began to address the whole country:
"Ladies and gentlemen, representatives of all walks of life in New York, citizens of the United States in front of the television, greetings!
"Today, the world has avoided a catastrophe; Today, New York is not giving in; Today, courage triumphs over terror. As long as I am still president, the United States will not accept any terrorist blackmail! β
The hall burst into thunderous applause.
Listening to Bush Jr.'s majestic comparison, Shujie sighed in his heart: Others say that Bush Jr. is a gentleman. But he's quite able to speak. But after thinking about it, he realized that nine times out of ten it was written with the help of the secretary. At this time, the short-haired man in the first row suddenly clenched his hands into fists in the air, and the applause immediately stopped again.
George W. Bush went on to say: "Yesterday, 13 gangsters hijacked our economic lifeblood in an unprecedented way. These terrorists thought they were about to succeed. However, four heroes from China, four ordinary people with bare hands, stepped forward to show the people what it means not to bow to terror, and to show the world the infinite power of the spiritual atomic bomb! β
Applause rang out again.
"These four heroes are warriors who should be remembered by the people. As soon as I return to W. Sannuton, I will present them with the National Medal of Honor, the highest honor that a country can bestow on a civilian combatant. They areβ" Bush Jr. picked up the manuscript from the podium and read: "Mr. Han Ming! β
Han Ming immediately got up and waved frequently to the people in the audience.
"Mr. Hu Shujie! Mr. Zhang Aide! Mr. Xu Dapeng! β
Hearing their names, the three of them also stood up one by one. Shujie had never experienced such a big scene, and the chief sergeant's previous explanation flew to the back of his head, with a bewildered look on his face.
"This seems to be a commendation meeting, but in fact it is also a mobilization meeting, and it is also an encouragement meeting." Bush Jr. then said loudly: "Four heroes, I hope that you will cherish your honor in the future, be modest and prudent, guard against arrogance and rashness, and always maintain the advanced basics."
George W. Bush is speaking passionately.
Bang! A bright light suddenly appeared in the left corner of the hall.
Bang! Bang! Two more gunshots. The three presidential bodyguards who were still squatting in front of the rostrum just now all fell to the ground. Subsequently, there was a burst of gunfire on the stock exchange.
What is this operation? Everything happened so suddenly, and Shujie's mind went blank.
"Hide!" Han Ming grabbed Shujie and rolled under the rostrum together. He then grabbed a chair and stood in front of them. The hall was in chaos. The crowd fell in amazement, and those who narrowly escaped the bullets were even more clinging to their heads. In the distance, the black-clad SWAT officers in charge of perimeter security were firing at the presidential guard. On both sides of the rostrum, four Chinese were in deep danger and had no way to escape.
On the rostrum, George W. Bush and the chief police officer were scuffling. You punch, I punch, Shujie can't see who has the upper hand at all. Suddenly, both of them fell to the ground, knocking down the paulownia podium and bringing down the nuclear suitcase next to them.
After a brief struggle, George W. Bush was crushed under the chief sheriff. He reached out and fumbled around, just within reach of the handle of the suitcase. George W. Bush wanted to pick up his suitcase and smash the sheriff. Perhaps the suitcase was too heavy, or perhaps the chief of police discovered Bush's attempt in time, and the chief of police let go of Bush's neck, snatched the suitcase from his hand, put it back on the ground, and then wrestled with Bush Jr.
Looking at this incredible fight, Shujie was stunned. Suddenly, Han Ming's voice sounded in his ears: "He wants Bush Jr.'s nuclear suitcase." It's over, it's over, it's really going to be a mess in the world. β
No wonder the chief sergeant didn't mention Tariq at all, no wonder he had no doubt about Han Ming's fooling. Shujie finally understood what was happening in front of him. He worked hard to study abroad, but he was inexplicably involved in a bloody coup. After learning the truth of the matter, his brain was back in action. Shujie soon realized that only if the coup d'Γ©tat of the chief police officer was successful, he could have a chance of survival.
Fortunately, the chief sheriff once again pressed his elbow against Bush's neck, pressed his right hand to the ground with his other hand, and shouted: "Hand over the password, and you will not die." β
Suddenly, the chief sheriff's body shook. He lay on his stomach on Bush Jr., his hands hanging to his sides, and a red blood mark slowly appeared on his vest.
After a brief respite, George W. Bush pushed the chief police officer away. He held a small pistol in his left hand and kept scolding: "Bastard! Traitor! Are you still trying to plot against me? Bush Jr. then pulled his nuclear suitcase back to him, leaned half on the podium, and looked up into the hall.
At this moment, the gunfire has begun to fall. Although there are still those who resist, there is not much left of the presidential guard. In the venue, the captain of the guard, full of medals, was nowhere to be found, and the short-haired man who commanded and applauded was shrunk on the ground and shivering.
Realizing that he had no way back, Bush Jr. turned his gaze back to the nuclear suitcase. He gasped for breath, took the suitcase into his arms and stroked it slowly, looking thoughtful. Looking at the growing despair in George W. Bush's eyes, Shujie knew that he was about to escape.
"Fuck Linny! It turned out that you were the one behind the trouble. Bush Jr. suddenly opened his mouth and scolded: "No wonder you keep persuading me to come here to present the award." Want a password? Even if I die, you won't be president. He rolled over and opened his suitcase, scolding more and more: "your M's constitution, Linny!" I can't live, and you'll have to die with me! β
What is he going to do? Shujie was taken aback, and everything in front of him refreshed his imagination again.
Immediately after opening, the nuclear suitcase transforms into a computer with a screen on top and a keyboard below. After George W. Bush crackled and entered a password, a map appeared on the screen, covered with red bright spots. He tapped his right hand on the top right corner of the map several times, and then began typing on the keyboard again, still saying the words: "... Die... Now..."
Does he want to..., Shujie's heart was cold, and he instantly thought of Han Ming's previous show off about the nuclear weapons of the United States: start a world war! Impossible, right? Beside Chuanjie, Han Ming had already climbed forward several steps, his eyes staring straight at the screen of the nuclear suitcase.
Syllable! Syllable! Several stray bullets swept over the rostrum, and Bush instinctively held his head to dodge. Before the gunfire stopped, Han Ming suddenly got up and pounced on Bush Jr. like a tiger, while shouting in Chinese: "This guy is crazy!" Stop him! β
Caught off guard, George W. Bush was thrown to the ground by Han Ming. Han Ming tried to hold Bush Jr.'s hand to prevent him from pulling out his gun, and kicked open the nuclear suitcase with his foot.
"This selfish old liar will go out of his way?" Shujie's brain didn't react for a moment.
"Come on!" Han Ming shouted in Chinese during the struggle: "This madman wants us to bury him!" β
Syllable! Another gunshot rang out. Han Ming stopped fighting, clutching his abdomen and falling to the left, his hand bright red. In front of him, Bush Jr. sat up, raised his small pistol and shouted hysterically: "Everyone has to die!" They all have to die! Hahaha! β
Looking at Han Ming in a pool of blood, Shu Ming was furious. He got up and threw himself at George W. Bush in desperation. George W. Bush also discovered Shujie. He turned his gun and aimed it at Shujie.
Seeing that Bush Jr. was about to pull the trigger, a black shadow suddenly flew from behind him and threw Bush Jr. to the ground. This black shadow is none other than Dapeng. Shujie didn't have time to brake, and he also pounced on Dapeng. The two of them pressed Bush Jr. to the ground like arhats.
At this time, Ed also came up. The three of them were just about to beat up the madman when the SWAT team arrived. They took over George W. Bush and handcuffed him. Now, the once powerful Bush Jr. has also stopped resisting and let the special police take him away, but he laughed wildly: "No one can escape." Hahaha! β
The battle in the hall is over, and a black-clad SWAT officer comes to the four and opens his mask, which is none other than Officer Tommy from before. Tommy leaned over to check Han Ming's injuries, then turned around and shouted, "Medical officer! Ambulance! After the call, he looked at the body of the chief sergeant again, and then patted the three people on the shoulders one by one, and thanked them: "I thank you on behalf of the people." β
Tommy didn't explain any more. He closed the nuclear suitcase, carried it in his hand, then took out his mobile phone, paced around the chief sergeant, and dialed the phone:
"Sailing to the sea... Forget about it.
"That's right! McCaw, it's me. Chief Sheriff, he sacrificed... Right. What, your superiors are going to talk to me directly! Well, no problem.
"Yes, I'm SWAT Captain Tommy. May I ask who you are..."Tommy suddenly straightened his body: "Report to the vice president, George W. Bush has been arrested, and the nuclear suitcase is in my hand, but the situation is unknown... The screen is locked..."Tommy said as he stepped off the podium, his voice getting quieter and quieter.
"Wake up! Wake up! β
On the rostrum, Shujie, who had survived the disaster, hugged Han Ming, and the hatred in his heart had long disappeared without a trace: "Teacher Han, hold on a little longer, the ambulance will arrive soon." On both sides, Ed and Roc were helping to press the wound and stop the bleeding.
Shujie looked up and glanced around. In the hall, the medical staff were busy, but there were injured everywhere, and God knows when it would be Han Ming's turn. Thinking of this, he reached out and patted Dapeng on the shoulder, begging, "Can you go find a doctor?" β
"No need..."Han Ming's lips turned white.
"Teacher Han, I really didn't expect it to be like this..."Shujie didn't know how to continue.
"I can't do it," Han Ming took a heavy breath, and then said, "Hurry up, you may still be able to live." β
What the? Shujie's eyes were puzzled.
"Just... Just now George W. Bush... On the screen press Green New York and W Shington. He seems to have pressed on a specific city... I didn't see it clearly. As Han Ming spoke, blood began to flow from the corners of his mouth.
"He launched?" Dapeng asked busily.
"I'm not sure, but... It looks like it's actually launched. Han Ming struggled to reply, "I'm sorry, three classmates. I didn't expect that eitherβuh! The sharp pain of a bullet piercing his body made him almost unconscious, but at the same time he was unusually awake: "You... You guys go! β
"Go, where are you going?" Shujie asked himself in shock. It usually takes 15 minutes to prepare for the launch of a nuclear weapon, and then the missile will have to fly for another 10 minutes to reach the target. Han Ming's previous show-off was still lingering in his ears. If the nuclear bomb is really coming, what's the use of fleeing?
"When I went back to the hotel, there was a helicopter on the roof that I had ordered, and it would take me ten minutes to get to the 'Linden' airport in New Jersey, and the ticket for the flight was in my wallet. If there is no no-fly over Manhattan, you should be able to get there quickly, and then head west on my private jet to see if you can get away with it. Maybe it's a return to the light, Han Ming's words are unusually smooth.
"That's... What about you, Mr. Han? Shujie's eyes were slightly red.
"As long as you are willing to call me a teacher, I will be content." Han Ming smiled miserably: "If you can return to China alive, please apologize to all the students of the New West on my behalf." I..."
"Teacher Han!" The three of them immediately wept silently. Dapeng wiped his tears and said, "We can't leave you here and wait for death. Let's go, let's go together! β
"I just don't want to die to fight that madman." Han Ming smiled bitterly and shook his head: "Now like this, take me...... None of us can leave. β
Hearing Han Ming's 'we', Dapeng burst into tears.
"Let's go, let's go." Han Ming urged: "If you don't leave, it's too late." β
"Good! Let's go. Shujie asked Han Ming, "Does Mr. Han have anything to say to bring back home?" β
"No, who took my phone yesterday? Please give it back to me, I'll inform the pilot Lao Nie first, and then call home. β
Shujie took out Han Ming's mobile phone from his trouser pocket, opened it for him, looked at it, and then put it in Han Ming's hand, and said, "Now there is a signal." The three of them slowly leaned Han Ming's head on the podium, took one last look at him, and then ran away.
Looking at the figures of the three of them in the distance, Han Ming's body shivered with cold. He first called the pilot Lao Nie and asked him to prepare for takeoff, and then dialed his family's phone:
"Wife, haven't you gotten up yet?
"Yes, it's me, I'm going to return home today. But I'm sorry, I probably won't be able to come back.
"Don't worry! Hold your horses! I'm still in the United States. Calling you, I just want to say I'm sorry to you, I can't talk to... Don't cry.
"You say I'm not unlucky, I spent a lot of money to rent a plane to show off in the United States, but in the end I can't go back. Perhaps, this is the so-called retribution. β