by Ben Franklin Schumpeter VIII
James heard the gunshots. He and his colleagues were in the conference room enjoying coffee and cake at one of the monthly Afternoon Coffee Break Socials. It was the idea of the Director that this team would get together at least once a month to chat with colleagues who rarely saw each other. A good way to ease some of the frictions that came from not knowing how the other colleagues contributed to the project.
"Everyone quiet!" James said as loudly as he dared. Now everyone heard the gunshots. A voice squeaked, "My God! Is that gunshots? Someone is shooting out there. We have to save ourselves."
"Quickly turn off the lights and lock the door" James said to the person nearest to the door. "Someone call 911. Everyone against the wall and down on the ground," as he pointed to the wall adjacent to the door. James wanted everyone there just in case the gunman -- gunmen? for he did not know how many there were -- opened the door. The angle from the door to the wall would make it difficult for the gunman to get a good shot at anyone.
James listened and he heard more shots. He turned to Lillian his partner on this project and said, "The shooter out there is going to kill everybody. We have to stop him."