Entrusted with Command in a Crisis

The tent was open, so it couldn't completely block the pervasive smoke and dust. But at least it provided some shelter, allowing those inside to escape being directly engulfed by the smoke and dust.

The mayor's staff, however, were not so lucky. Some tried to escape, but couldn't; some wanted to run, but dared not; and some stood there foolishly, getting nothing in return.

Once the dust settled, almost everyone was crouching down with their heads in their hands. Those who could find cover hid under it; those who couldn't huddle together in groups.

Without exception, everyone was covered in dust. Coughing was incessant, but no one cried for help.

At this point, no one questioned Henry or the withdrawal order anymore. Even the dust-covered mayor of New York City came over to shake hands with Henry, who was standing there. "Well done, young man."

A disheveled Rudy Giuliani looked at the Police Station, who wasn't much better off. "George, I'm entrusting these officers and firefighters to you. Can you ensure their safety while carrying out the maximum rescue effort?"

"Mayor, I will do my best."

"Very good. I'll organize other units to assist in the rescue operation. Frontline command is now in your hands. Report any problems or needs to me as soon as possible. I will do my best to assist."

"Yes, Mayor."

This battlefield appointment, which seemed like a child's play, was approved. The mayor and his entourage, covered in dust, hurriedly left. Rudy Giuliani was certainly not fleeing the front lines, but he knew that today's events would bring him more trouble.

He'd leave the frontline command to the Police Station he appointed himself. At least based on his previous performance, George Stacy seemed trustworthy.

The mayor left, and the firefighters and police officers who remained were much quieter. They weren't as excited as they had been before the buildings collapsed, shouting that they would storm the World Trade Center Twin Towers to rescue people.

In fact, everyone is scared now. What would have happened to them if they hadn't evacuated first and were still inside? Just thinking about it makes my legs go weak. Don't assume that everyone is really brave enough to not be afraid of death.

But the fact that there were also citizens waiting for rescue inside gave them courage to look at the Police Station who had just been appointed as the frontline commander.

George Stacy felt the gazes of everyone and a sense of mission washed over him. He was about to speak... Hmm, what should he do next? Actually, his mind was a complete mess right now.

The main problem is that while one of the World Trade Center Twin Towers, the South Tower, has collapsed, the North Tower still stands. Unsure if the North Tower would suffer the same fate, George Stacy asked the person next to her, "Henry, do you think the North Tower will collapse too?"

"Both buildings have the same structure, and given the same situation, the outcome is unlikely to be different. Therefore, please do not attempt to enter the North Tower to rescue more lives; simply guide the people inside to evacuate as quickly as possible."

"Well, do you have any suggestions for the next steps?"

What If...? it were an ordinary person, George Stacy certainly wouldn't have asked that question. But Henry had just predicted the risk of the World Trade Center Twin Towers collapsing, and the conscientious Police Station felt it necessary to know if there were any further hidden dangers in order to make informed decisions.

Henry felt a little uncomfortable when he noticed everyone's gaze shift from George Stacy to him. But since this respectable elder who had taken good care of him had spoken, he couldn't very well not respond.

Henry said, "Since the North Tower is expected to collapse soon as well, the principle of the rescue operation remains to avoid going too deep. I suggest sending someone to notify the surrounding buildings, including..."

"The 7 World Trade Center, Deutsche Bank Building, Marriott Hotel, Verizon Building, U.S. Customs House, Hilton Hotel, New York Telephone Building, St. Nicholas Church, and other institutions and buildings must also follow the evacuation instructions."

"The rescue operation for the collapsed South Tower began from the south side, far from the North Tower, and proceeded layer by layer. This is because when the building collapsed, cement and stone blocks fell outwards."

"If the rescue operation gets too close to the North Tower, rescuers may not have enough time to avoid falling concrete and rocks and could be injured. Also, the smoke and dust from the building collapse may contain toxic substances such as asbestos, lead, and mercury."

"Therefore, everyone should wear respirators or medical masks as much as possible. If you don't have any, please at least cover your mouth and nose with a thick cloth What If...? you don't want to develop respiratory illnesses later."

"In this regard, George, you need to collect as much medical protective equipment as possible. Also, I just tried, and there's practically no cell phone signal. How many of you have radios?"

"It would be best if everyone operated in units of working radios. This would not only make management easier, but also make it easier to call people back to collect supplies or send them to you as quickly as possible."

Henry's question immediately sparked a flurry of responses from the crowd, making the whole scene as noisy and chaotic as a marketplace.

Whether it's the head of the Police Station or the head of the fire department, everyone is at their wits' end in this situation. It will take them a while to sort things out before the entire command can get back on track.

George Stacy was about to tell everyone to shut up so he could start taking notes and assigning tasks. However, the Kryptonian, unable to bear the noise any longer, shouted, "Quiet down, everyone!"

Although he didn't rely on superpowers or extraordinary lung capacity to rupture some people's eardrums, Henry's loud voice was still quite intimidating.

When the room fell silent, even the Kryptonian who hadn't inhaled but only spoken had to lean against a cloth in front of his face and take a couple of deep breaths of the filthy air. Then, pointing to the police officer beside him, he said:

"You must be Sergeant Lorenzo from the Seventh Precinct. Please take the four people with you and proceed to the Deutsche Bank Building to issue the evacuation order and assist them in their operation."

"Then, Sergeant Wilson, please take two people and expand the cordon to the intersection of Park Street and Church Street. Guide the survivors to exit only, and direct the volunteers to the assembly point."

Beginning with such imperative statements, Henry quickly identified everyone's units and, based on the premise of collective action within their units, assigned appropriate numbers of people to designated locations for search and rescue or evacuation assistance.

The allocation of all personnel also followed the principles he had previously stated, ensuring that each unit had a working radio for communication.

Moreover, Henry's speaking speed and clarity were in no way inferior to those rappers, and perhaps even surpassed them. After he thought he had assigned tasks to everyone, he asked, "Is there anyone who doesn't know what they're supposed to do?"

For some reason, George Stacy and the staff who had initially been with him, along with some of the high-ranking police officers who had already arrived, silently raised their hands.