Paying off debts. (DM EVENT MARRLAN)

[Sophie]

Harbaville, Marrlan
Bellien 14th 12:30pm


Fred Chambers, a Marrlaner Shazzak, had spent the majority of his life in abject poverty. For years he had been bared the burden of crushing, inescapable debt. At the worst of it, he was over seven thousand dollars in debt. But no more. Today was the last day of final notices, of overdue bills, and of evictions. He carefully handled his briefcase as he walked into the Harbaville National Bank branch. He patiently waited in line, his eyes locked on the woman at the desk handling customer after customer. Until it was his turn. Without a word he slammed his briefcase on the counter. "How can I help you today sir?"

Fred's lips curled into a wry smile and he opened up his briefcase. "I'd like to pay off the rest of my debt."

The woman's eyes widened as she looked into the contents. "I guess congratulations are in order! What is your account number?"

In an almost giggle Fred began to speak. Before he could, however, the glass windows on the front of the bank shattered. Both on the left and right side of the bank. Two small black cylinders flew into the bank. Concussion grenades exploded. These extremely loud and blinding grenades stunned every single person in the bank. Less than a second after they exploded, two humans barged inside. They were covered head to toe in military gear, even including helmets. One had a "Becky" infantry rifle. The other with a Close Combat Weapon shotgun. The two immediately separated. The one with the shotgun walked up to the banks guard, who was still trying to recover his sight, and blasted him in the gut with a point-blank shotgun shell. "Everyone stay on the fucking ground!" One of them began barking orders. "If you so much as twitch in a way I don't like I will blow your fucking head off!"

Most of the customers were quick to obey and dropped to the ground. Some, either out of resistance or disorientation didn't respond and stayed up. Finally, one dared to reach into his coat for a gun. In short order, a .30-06 round entered his skull, splattering his brains on the wall. Screaming and panic followed. "Anyone else feeling like a fucking hero?! Get on the ground! Hands on your fucking heads!"

Fred was one of the first to hit the ground. He put his hands over his head and stayed down. Though he did dare to peak up at the assailants. They were covered head to toe, including their faces. They were clearly humans, but it was impossible to determine anything else about them. Though their bandolier of grenades did say something about them.

"What do you think I'm pretty?! Get your fucking head down." One of the assailants screamed, before slamming the but of their rifle into Fred's head. "You!" They screamed at the teller on the floor. "Get the fuck up! Now!" The teller meekly followed her orders. Tears streaked down her face as she looked up at the gunmen. Her heart was filled with adrenaline but her legs felt like they were filled with sand. "Where's your manager?!" They barked, but her ears were so filled with her rushing blood that she couldn't hear a thing. "Hey Bitch! I said where's your damn manager?!"

"Th... that's him!" She pointed anxiously down at the man on the floor just beside her. The gunman shoved her back down to the floor. Then they grabbed the identified managed and yanked him up. "You the manager? You the fucking manager boy?!"

"Y- yes." He answered with his bravest attempt of a voice. It was still incredibly shaken however. 

"You're opening the vault. Lets go. Now." They barked and yanked them along into the back rooms. Leaving the shotgun wielding bank robber alone in the main room. 

"Oooh, what's this?" The shotgunner cooed at the open briefcase, filled with over three thousand Marrlan dollars. They quickly closed it and took it in their hand.

"Please don't... that's everything I have." Fred begged from the floor. 

"I thought I told you to shut the fuck up!" They shouted before kicking him in the head.

Ten minutes later the manager came out from the back with a gun pointed at his back, and four duffle bags filled with cash in his arms. "Back on the floor." He followed this order quickly.

By this time, of course those on the street had heard the explosions and the gunshots, and a handful of armed citizens had gathered outside of the bank ready to take on whoever came out. Before they could see any action the window of the trade unionists building across the street flung open. And they all heard the distinctive "CA-CHUNK" of the Rolbeck Heavy Trench Machine Gun being primed. The streets were filled with sounds of rapid CRACKs. Half a dozen citizens had gathered to try and do what they believed was the right thing, and in less than a second half of them had crumpled to the ground, peppered with .30-06 rounds. The surviving three quickly turned around in a panic at the union building and began firing shots into the first floor. Not realizing that the machine gun was mounted on the second floor. Before they could correct their error, they fired entire clips into the first floor, and then were mowed down by the mounted gun.

Any other bystanders who were thinking of intervening had been properly warded off by the slaughter and began to run away. The two gunmen who had entered the bank began to come out as soon as the machine gun fire stopped. As they were exiting they pulled another grenade from their bandoliers and tossed them inside. However, these were frag grenades. As soon as they tossed them in, they sprinted across the street. Once they had crossed, the grenades exploded and the HTMG once again began firing. This time the gun was aimed at the bank itself, filling it with ricocheting bullets. Minute of firing the MG stopped to reload.

In the interceding period the police finally arrived. Unfortunately, being told it was a bank robbery, they took cover behind their car facing the bank leaving them fully exposed to the now reloaded machine gun. In less than four seconds all eight officers were shot dead, and their cars rendered inoperable. The robbers who had entered the bank had now reached their ally in their MG nest, and with the cops and intervening citizens dead, they took their gun and left. 

[Artsy Astra]

Following the extensive exchange of fire more Marshalls arrived on the scene. Their ranks were mostly filled with Local officers but State Marshalls soon rivaled them in number. They began scouring the location for the perpetrators. When the area was found to be clear emergency medical services began gathering the dead as Marshalls collected what evidence they could outside.

Marshall Detectives Dale Ginsly and George Seaworth stepped into the lobby as Marshalls continued their collection of evidence and medical assistance. The Detectives would begin to question anyone not too shaken up by the experience and attempt to piece the whole event together.

[Sophie]

The scene inside the bank was grim. Debris littered the shattered tile flooring. The potted plant had been shattered and spilled all over. Worst, of course, the bodies and the blood. Two dozen people had been cut down by the automatic gunfire. That was just inside the bank. Another whole set of people had been slaughtered outside. The bullets from the automatic weapon had ricocheted all around the indoors, and only by the grace of sheer luck had two people been able to survive. The bank's manager had taken cover under the only surviving desk, and Fred Chambers survived by having two other people collapse on top of him as they tried to flee.

Even a greenhorn detective would be able to pick out the shotgun shells on the floor, as well as the .30-06 casings. Though it might take a more experienced one to recognize the two distinctive sets of scorch marks burned into the ground. The windows outside were wholly destroyed, the walls were peppered with bullet holes, and the doors had been decimated into splinters.

[Artsy Astra]

The pair would slowly walk further into the bank before deciding to split up. Dale would approach Fred and get his attention, "Excuse me, mister." He'd tap his badge "I'm Detective Dale Ginsly. If you've got a moment, I have some questions. I understand if you need some more time to process... this but it'd help if we could speak now while it's still fresh in your head." An EMS worker would hand him a cup of hot chocolate and step away to assist another person giving him a shoulder squeeze to try and ease him partially. If he's responsive he would ask, "Can you describe the assailants? What did they look like? What were they using if you could tell?" George would make his way over to the manager and follow a similar procedure although abit more tender than Dale. "Excuse me, sir. Do you have a moment?" he would ask. "I won't bother you with questions just yet if you need some time. We can sit for a moment." He would plop down next to him and take any extra time the manager needed before following the same questionnaire if he agreed to speak.

[Sophie]

"It's so hard to remember anything," Fred spoke, his voice shaking worse than a leaf in a hurricane. "I remember trying to deposit some money, and then, a really loud explosion. After that my ears were ringing so loud I couldn't hear anything anymore. I... I turned around and I saw them. Two people were head to toe in gear. One of them walked right up to the guard and... and just murdered him. Then we all got on the ground. I only looked up once after that... when they took all my money. They were wearing all black. They had so much stuff on them and even a backpack. I think one of them had a rifle, but the one who stood over me definitely had a shotgun. They were the one who... who killed the guard. Before they left I heard a lot of gunshots. So many I couldn't count them, incredibly fast and back to back. But neither of the two in the bank were shooting. Once the gunshots stopped I heard the two guys run outside. I didn't dare get up because I was certain they'd kill me if I did, but everyone else started to get up. I remember the teller saying that everyone should head for the back exit, but there was another deafening explosion. I couldn't hear anything again after that, but I saw a lot. Everyone began to run, but one by one they all fell. Two of them collapsed on top of me. They were shooting into the bank with a machine gun. To make sure none of us survived. I don't think I would've survived if other people didn't foolishly get up and fall onto me."

The bank manager was much more eager to talk, though his voice still shook. Not in the same way that Fred's shook. It was almost put on. "I can see them plain as day. Busting in here after throwing in some kind of improvised explosive. It was two women. I could see their blonde hair sticking out of their skimasks, as well their chests were obvious to anyone with eyes. I'm pretty sure they were Shazzak, but I'm not sure. They had some crappy outdated gear. I think some Roskanan garbage or something. A rifle and a shotgun. They were very panicked and scared the entire time, very clearly amateurs. One of them forced me to open the vault so they could take all of our money, and then I hid under that desk there so I didn't see anymore."

[Artsy Astra]

George Would nod and ask the man for his name before finishing scrawling notes in his pad. Both detectives would thank the witnesses and give them cards with a mail and telegram address for the State Marshalls Detective Branch. George gave the manager a shoulder pat and said "Gratemi, brother.". "Whadda we got Dale?", his partner would sigh and then speak while gesturing for them to walk outside. "2 Assailants, possibly Shazzak broads, both blonde. Automatic fire outside of the bank, probably a machine gun. Same with you?" "Yea." Dale, a Shazzak himself, mumbled "Anoba Meretrix." under his breath. "Explosives use as well. Dunno what kinda fuckery it was, but it made a bright flash instead of painting the walls with mush and fire apparently. Think the tellers a Sodalis like us to."
As they stepped outside another detective approached them with a nod. "Dale, George." "Ethel." They said in greeting. The tall Rel woman looked and pointed behind her at a building across the street, "Opened window with spent .30-06 casings and abandoned belts on the second floor. Fellers who were hit in the street musta laid hell into the first floor cuz its peppered." "That lines up with one of the witnesses saying he heard some rapid fire from out here. Witness said they used explosives to, any word on the army engineers getting here to ID?" "I think someone sent word but we'll see in a few minutes." She'd turn again and shout, "Alma! Where'd you park?" A human woman would perk up and walk over as the detectives prepared their next move.

About 15 minutes later Army Engineers would arrive and begin working with the Marshalls Evidence Collection Unit (MECU) to figure out what explosives were used. The Partner pairs (Dale Ginsly and George Seaworth, Ethel Grendel and Alma Kershaw) would return to the precinct with news

Soon after State and Regional Marshalls were dispatched to search for the suspects. The descriptions fresh in their minds. The Head Marshall prepared for the oncoming media as the scene was finally poked and prodded at by the public again.