Chapter 239: Witnessing a Plane Crash into the Towers Up Close

September 11, 2001.

At precisely 8:00 a.m., Martin woke up as usual, stretching languidly in his luxurious Manhattan apartment.

He turned to rouse the two still-sleeping women in his company.

"Time to wake up for breakfast," he called, pulling back the curtains to let the morning sunlight flood the room.

"I just want to sleep a little longer!" Scarlett Johansson groaned, burying her face into the pillow.

"Martin, stop it! I'm so tired," Anne Hathaway protested, wrapping herself tighter in the blanket.

"Breakfast first," Martin insisted. "After that, we can go shopping on Fifth Avenue."

"Shopping?!"

"Let's go!"

The mention of shopping worked like magic. Both women instantly sprang up, their excitement banishing any trace of sleepiness. Giggling, they threw off the blankets and scrambled to find their clothes scattered around the room, their earlier shyness now a thing of the past.

By 8:30, the three sat at the breakfast table, enjoying the meal Martin had personally prepared.

At 8:45, Scarlett raised a forkful of ham toward her lips but froze mid-motion. Her wide eyes locked onto the balcony as she screamed.

"A p-p-plane! Look!"

Anne, confused, rolled her eyes. "It's just a plane—what's the big deal?" She turned to look. "Oh my God! It's going to crash!"

The shrill sound of the plane's engines drowned out their voices as the aircraft sped directly toward the North Tower of the World Trade Center.

Boom!

A deafening explosion erupted, and the tower burst into flames.

Seconds later, another plane veered into view, slamming into the South Tower.

"My God, how could this happen?" Scarlett gasped, her fork forgotten on the table.

"This isn't an accident!" Anne exclaimed, trembling. "Two planes? This has to be a terrorist attack!"

The two women ran to the balcony, clinging to Martin on either side. He wrapped an arm around each of them, his calm demeanor a stark contrast to their panic.

From their vantage point, they could see the growing inferno engulfing the towers, thick black smoke billowing into the clear morning sky.

"It's terrifying," Scarlett whispered, tears streaming down her face.

"This can't be real," Anne sobbed, clutching at Martin's shirt for comfort.

Below them, Manhattan descended into chaos. Sirens wailed as emergency vehicles raced toward the site. On the streets, people screamed, ran, and some froze in shock. Others seized the opportunity to loot luxury stores along Fifth and Sixth Avenues, smashing windows and making off with stolen goods.

New Yorkers poured out of buildings, fleeing the city in droves, choking highways in their desperation to escape. Across the country, every news channel echoed the same words: "New York is under attack."

"Martin, should we leave too?" Anne asked, her voice trembling as she gazed at the crowded streets below.

"No," Martin replied firmly. "The streets are too dangerous right now. It's safer to stay put in the apartment."

He kissed each woman on the forehead. "Trust me. I'll keep you safe."

His confidence was infectious, and the women's fear began to subside. They clung to him, drawing strength from his calm presence as they watched the unthinkable unfold.

As the minutes ticked by, the infernos weakened the towers' steel structures. The intense heat softened the steel beams, compromising their structural integrity. Gradually, the upper floors of the towers began to collapse, triggering a catastrophic domino effect.

In stunned silence, Martin, Scarlett, and Anne watched as the mighty Twin Towers, once symbols of New York's grandeur, crumbled to the ground in a cloud of dust and debris.

Scarlett whispered, "My God, my God…"

Anne clutched her hands to her chest, tears streaming down her face. "How could this happen?"

Even Martin, who had witnessed countless extraordinary events, was moved. The sheer scale of the destruction humbled him, a stark reminder of humanity's capacity for both creation and devastation.

He glanced out at the skyline, now marred by the absence of the towers. His thoughts turned inward. Magic or not, even the extraordinary must tread carefully in a world where destruction can be wrought so easily.

By the following day, the entire world was fixated on the tragedy. Every news outlet echoed the harrowing story:

"September 11, 2001—New York has suffered a devastating terrorist attack. Two hijacked planes crashed into the Twin Towers, reducing them to rubble. Another plane struck the Pentagon in Washington, causing severe damage. Casualties and losses are still being assessed."

The attack shocked the world, prompting swift action from the U.S. government. Troops across the nation were placed on high alert, and the administration wasted no time identifying those responsible. Despite denials from the Taliban, Osama bin Laden and his al-Qaeda network were swiftly named as the perpetrators.

In the days that followed, the U.S. declared its intention to wage a "War on Terror," launching military operations in Afghanistan to dismantle terrorist networks. Congress passed the controversial Patriot Act, granting sweeping surveillance powers in the name of national security.

A new era had begun—an era shaped by fear, vigilance, and a relentless pursuit of justice.

[TL/N: That's it for today folks, want more chapters? support me on patreon and message me for more chapters.]