From the corner of her eye, Annette LaSalle
sees a man carrying a corrugated box, about the size of a typical liquor store
carton. He walks into the entrance
cubicle and stops.
He
must have no blood; he’s wearing an overcoat and it’s warm outside. Well,
nothing to worry about. If he’s carrying any weapons the sensors will detect
them. Then, she mentally contradicts
herself:
No, there’s something wrong about this.
Anyone entering Inside Story from the street moves
into a six-by-10-foot security vestibule known in security circles as a
“Mantrap.” The inner door has a
sophisticated electronic locking system.
The door is controlled by one of three security guards that occupy an
eight-by-14-foot cubicle directly opposite the vestibule.
The guards are secure behind reinforced
concrete with bulletproof glass across the top half of the enclosure. They wear 10-mm. semi-automatic pistols and
have riot shotguns secured in quick-release clips below their counter. That counter also contains controls for a variety
of sensors built into the security vestibule.
The sensors detect a wide range of hazardous chemicals and radioactive
materials. They also sense the presence
of hidden weapons. That the system
failed is obvious.
The security officers check their sensors
then unlock the inner door admitting the messenger to the reception area. Because the box won’t fit the pass-through
drawer, a guard opens the security room’s side door and steps partially out.
Suddenly the “messenger” throws the carton
at the guard and yanks a three-foot sword from under his long topcoat.
Holy
crap, This is like “Highlander” but that sure as hell
isn’t Adrian Paul, and this guy’s not immortal.
Caught off balance by the unusually heavy
box, filled with some 30 pounds of rocks, the guard strives to get control of
the falling carton. As the guard goes down, the “messenger” swings the sword
over his head to deliver a killing stroke.
Suddenly three shots erupt from the
switchboard booth’s pass-through window.
Two Browning Hi-Power 9-mm. rounds drive the bogus deliveryman back
about three feet, spoiling his attempt to behead the security guard. The third shot saves the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
the expense of a lengthy trial as it hits the swordsman between the eyes,
turning his brain to mush and blowing out the back of his head.
