Boston Blood: The first Frank McKenzie Thriller by Luis Samways

other people’s toes.’
    ‘I hardly think it’s the time to worry about public relations chief’ Frank says scornfully.
    ‘Believe it or not laddie, it’s always the right time for public relations. You make one wrong decision and it impacts the investigation. Before you know it we have every Tom Dick and Harry poking their peckers into our business.’
    Frank was growing impatient and refrained from continuing his opinionated stance on the matter. He walks away from Shaw towards the TV to get a better view of what was happening.  Connor Chase was once again on the center of the screen. His scrawny body unnaturally engulfing the area, the result of which Frank knew was cheap quality cameras, it was more noticeable on the resolution that YouTube ran on. A little banner popped up on the TV:
    “ Connor Chase Speaks in 1 minute’s time”
    Frank thought how clever it was that Connor was biding time, letting news of his stream spread virally until the whole world was watching. Frank looked at the bottom viewer count insignia: 37,987,233 Viewers. Not quite the whole world but more than enough people to insight and spread a message, many more viewers than most videos that go live for the first time get. This man had a following, could it be a dangerous following?
    ‘Hello again, for the people who don’t know me, my name is Connor Chase. I am armed and so are my men. We have taken hostages and are situated at the M.I.T public relations building in downtown Boston. We have rigged the building with explosives that are both meant to keep people out and in. There is no escape for the hostages; we have men guarding every possible rout out of the building. All hostages are bound and gagged. We mean them no harm, unless our demands are not met. If our wishes are not complied with then we will kill each hostage live on this stream one by one. It is important that you take us seriously so now I am willing to show you how serious we are.’ Connor Says through the TV.
    The atmosphere in the incident room changes in a heat beat when a woman is shoved into the cameras view. She is pushed towards Connor Chase who catches her before she falls with a smile on his face. To Frank’s dismay the women being manhandled on the live stream is Tasha, Connors Boss. Connor looks back up at the camera while controlling Tasha’s movement by gripping her hair as she gages on the duct tape around her mouth while trying to catch a breath.
    ‘This woman’s name is Tasha Mitchel. She is my ex-boss. Not only that but she’s also working with the police to try and make my capture a reality. Thing is she never counted on the fact that my reach goes further then she and everyone thinks. I’m not here to divulge secretes; but she is. So I’m afraid……’
    At that moment Connor chase pulls a hand gun out of his jacket with his left hand, holding Tasha’s head still with his right hand. He Aim’s the gun squarely into her forehead, the shiny metal glistening off the light that’s cascading from the crude movie set style lights in the background. He pulls the trigger which is followed by the deathly sound of the bullet echoing off the walls, closely followed by screams. The gun was fired at point blank range and Tasha’s head had exploded at the receiving end of the gunshot, her head seemingly splitting into two while a huge vapour styled puff of blood hung in the air, long after her lifeless body had disappeared from the cameras view. Connor’s white jacket was now decorated with the last fractions of Tasha’s life. He looks up to the camera with a crooked smile.
    ‘She had to go.’ Connor says
    He puts the gun back into his classy white tux.
    ‘The 28amendment will amend all the wrongs of this anti privacy government we live under. If I do not hear from someone in the next hour then I shall shoot someone else. I am not saying I want the law passed in an hour. I just want a courtesy call to show me that you people are taking this seriously.