Chapter 24: The Mayor is Shot!

 Five minutes earlier

Every news station was broadcasting live from Sin City police department where Ray and the mayor had called for a press conference regarding the three bodies of unknown men that were discovered. Ray started the conference informing the city of the new findings and how they were dealing with it as a homicide.

"The residents of this great city have no need to be panick since we have all things under control. We have deployed police across every corner of the city to comb out the perpetrator of such a damning crime." Ray was saying during his address

Behind him were a few members of the security forces of the city with dignitaries of the city including the mayor who was seated drinking water from a water bottle. After about twenty minutes into the press conference, and after nearly all of the dignitaries it was time for the mayor to speak. He was welcomed by Ray to the stage where he took to the stage with a few documents in one hand and the water bottle in the other hand. He cleared his throat as he prepared to speak.

"Ladies and gentlemen,I'm deeply saddened by the breaking news that we all woke up to. There have been a lot of assumptions as to what happened to the three victims of the gruesome murder but I'd like to ask all of you to be patient with the investigations and I'm sure that within no time we will have all the answers that we are asking questions about. I personally guarantee all of you that I'll make sure that the ones who are responsible are brought to book. And it is such instances that we ask you as a citizen of this city to elect credible leaders like me who will make sure that if such things happen, we won't let the police force rest until they have brought these criminals to book. You need leaders who will defend the rights of all no matter who you are in the society. I've heard media outlets saying how this could have been a deal gone wrong between criminals, well I'm here to tell you that it doesn't matter whether they were drug dealers or traffickers. These were still someone's children, they were sons, fathers, husbands and all that. So no matter what they choose to do to get food on their tables, bloodshed is not the way of dealing with them." He said as he took a pause to let his supporters behind the cameramen finish their applause. Even in the recent polls the mayor was seen to have majority of the city on his side and none would be surprised if he retained his seat with a landslide as his main competitor only had less than five percent of support of the roughly two million registered voters. With Sin City being the capital of the state of Panem. He was just making sure that he beat his competitor in one of the biggest landslides in the history of the city. After his supporters had settled he went on with his speech,

"A vote for Gallows is a vote for change, a vote for me is a vote for a better future for your child, a vote for me..." He went on psyching up the crowd as they chanted his name after every statement. He paused to take a gulp of his water and that is when all hell broke loose. Things at that moment like in movies started going in slow motion. With the bottle still in his mouth and his hand round it,a gunshot was heard in the distance. There was about a tenth of a second when the crowd of supporters and news crews seemed confused before everything went south. The mayor's water bottle suddenly burst while he still held it splashing his face with the water. That was not all, there was blood splatter to his side spraying the podium and falling to the floor. It was then when everyone realized that the mayor was the target. Immediately his security detail jumped into action surrounding him as he screamed in pain and clasped his right hand with his left since he was bleeding profusely. As this happened, Ray with the other dignitaries were whisked away swiftly to safety. About four highly armed police officers surrounded the mayor, guns ready,trying to ascertain the exact origin of the gunshot. The supporters and camera crews scampered to safety nearly causing a stampede. The still screaming mayor was taken away into safety under the cover of his security detail who acted as human shields till he was safely inside the headquarters. They sat him down and wrapped a cloth around his right palm as the medics came to him from his private ambulance. Using a back entrance to the premises, the mayor was put into an ambulance and rushed to the nearest hospital and escorted by nearly seven other cars which were packed with a group of highly armed and well trained task force for additional security.

Back at the headquarters, the staff worked hurriedly to clean up the mess caused by the blood spill. Immediate Ray called for an emergency meeting in his office with all his top secure bosses who were with him during the press briefing.

"What the hell happened out there?"he asked all of them half shouting half asking 

"Ray, it seems like we have a person out to get the mayor"one of them said

"Yeah? What makes you think THAT!!!!!????" Ray who was now irate with anger asked

"According to this report that my team has just compiled immediately after the shooting, it says that there was only one bullet fired which went right through his water bottle and nearly took his whole arm clean off his body." Another member said

"And the bullet?" Ray asked

"What about it?" A member enquired

"Have they found it?" He asked

"Yes" the same member replied

"Good, now I want you to tell your men to take that bullet into the ballistics department. I want to know where it came from and I want us to get this bastard without wasting any single moment." Ray said as they left to begin their investigations.

*Present time*

When Jason and Athena received that call they immediately cleaned up and dressed up as Kayla went on to give them more instructions,

"Athena, Alpha wants you to check out the bank details that you were dealing with yesterday. And Jason, Alpha has asked you to meet him in his office, he says it's urgent. After they had both gotten dressed, they looked at each other and gave each other a thumbs up saying that they looked like they did not just have a quickie in the office. Jason led Athena out and he went to the elevator to head to Alpha's office. While inside the empty lift he pulled out his phone and called Tyler.

" I'm starting to think that you're missing me that's why you just can't help but call" Tyler said as he answered his phone

"As much as I want to have a laugh right now, I can't. Do you want to know why?" Jason asked

"Enlighten me"Tyler said

" Well,I don't know if you noticed that the mayor was almost assassinated a few minutes ago" Jason replied,"does that ring a bell!" He asked

"Ooh, about that. Yeah, I think I've heard of something like that"Tyler replied

"Last time I checked,I told you to send him a message. Not kill him!" Jason said as he started raising his voice

"Calm down Jason, you're lucky that I only got his hand. It could've been worse, like a headshot you know? Getting a good hit considering the distance I fire from, it's harder than it sounds" Tyler rebelled back

"Ok ok. I'm sorry about that, though next time try not almost killing someone unless we actually want them dead"Jason said after he had relaxed

"Well, at least now he can't put his hands on us. Just one" Tyler said amidst muffled laughter.

"That's just cold"Jason said as he tried not to laugh out loud

"So far that's the best trick shot that I've ever taken"Tyler added on

"You call that a trick shot?"Jason asked

"Uuuhm duh, what else can you call a shot through a water bottle as someone drinks it and through his hand? Trick shot" Tyler replied

"Call it whatever you want, but I'm impressed though. We'll talk later on our next move, I gatta go now" Jason said as he stepped out of the lift and walked towards Alpha's officer.