The Perfect Shot (Book 3) ✓

25 - Close

Hannah

I was doing my best to help Cleo and his team in this messed up situation. Now I know what the big case was, what he was working on every free second he could find...and I was really surprised that the news wasn't spread out throughout the city. My mind wasn't firing on all its power after the all-nighter I had with the girls, but this was math, I could do it in my sleep. So, after having as much information as I could, the numbers started pooling at the paper in front of me. I could feel the suspicion of my actions flowing around me, the insecurity of the idea that some equations could helped them find the sniper, but I believed in my numbers and I knew I was on the right track.

At the end of the third page, I was able to exclude one of the buildings. There was a pattern in this person's actions, and that one wasn't following them. I was left with two. Choosing between them was harder. Because each one of them followed partially the pattern, but not fully. It could be because there wasn't a place more suitable, or it could mean that there was even a deeper pattern that I hadn't found. I needed more information...

"Cleo, can you tell me something more about these two, or what you think is the difference between them?"

"There aren't a lot of differences, Goldie, the wind would come from the same direction, the distance is almost the same, the visibility is almost the same..."

"Which one would you choose if you were at their place?"

"I... I think the grey one, it looks just a little bit better on the group, easier to leave, because the small streets around it."

"And in the previous cases, the buildings that were chosen, would you have chosen them for yourself?" I had a theory, but I needed to make sure that my conclusion was right.

"Umm, no, I don't think so. They were all strange and not the best places. Like they were trying to pick the most ridiculous place to shoot from. Places where you can't guarantee your shots."

"I think I knew which is the building. It's the glass one."

"But this is a ridiculous choice! The glass it highly reflective, and even the slightest movement of a window there could give us a clue where he is."

"I think that's the reason behind it. I... I don't have the whole picture, but from what I've gathered... whoever is this sniper, he wants to show off. All the previous decisions he had made led to this conclusion. He's always choosing the most uncommon place to show he is that good. Doesn't need the clear view, the perfect wind, or the closer distance."

"Hmm, I guess it sounds about right. It's always like he's trying to show how good he is." It was nice to hear Cleo agreeing with my theory. I knew that it wasn't my field, I was good with numbers, but even I could see that this person's actions are provoked by a deeper reason, something that no one has yet been able to unravel.

"Okay, Cleo, you are going there with Ralph, Dax, and Ace. I'm staying here with Luke, who's still trying to talk with the kids inside... and we need Ollie in case of emergency."

"Sounds about right. Just..." he quickly looks in my direction, unsure...

"We'll keep her safe. Don't worry about her." With a quick not in Max's direction and even quicker kiss on my lips Cleo was running towards the building we choose, followed by two other persons in gear just like his...and a dog sprinting right next to them. "He'll be fine, don't worry." I didn't even know I was showing my emotions, but Max was quick to see them and try to soothe my nervousness. "C'mon. Let's go to Luke and see what he has for us."

It wasn't much. No one wanted to talk with the Police, no one wanted to say why they were doing this. They were just there. Keeping the people in the restaurant as hostages without any apparent reasons.

"We are at the 2 entrances." Out of nowhere, I heard Cleo's voice, and it took me a second to pinpoint where's the source. "We are going in." Just when he said that, all hell broke loose. I heard breaking of glass, then people were screaming, running, hiding wherever they could.

"Fuck! He shot! Damn it! Why now?!" Max was quick to try to get closer to the restaurant, Luke and Ollie right behind him, while I was left in their SWAT vehicle listening to the radio communications.

"I could see at least one injured. Headshot from what I can see. Anything from your end, team Alpha?" I think the voice I heard was Max's, and I guess team Alpha was Cleo's. I waited for their answers, but nothing came. Max once again asked his question, but there was nothing on the other side. "Fuck! Where the hell are they? We need to clear here quickly and go after them. I don't like it." The way Max was talking on the radio was making me even more nervous than I was. I look at the place he was hiding, and saw him moving quickly towards the restaurant. A few long minutes later all three of the SWAT guys I had eyes on were inside the restaurant and still no information on Cleo and the other men. It took a while, but Max finally exited with a young teenager cuffed in front of him. They were followed by Luke and Ollie which also had a teenager in their arms.

"The restaurant is clear..." Max was talking with a man in police uniform near me while putting the kid at the back of the cop's car. The other SWAT men followed the lead and once they explained something to the cops, they quickly turn in the direction of the glass building.

"Team Alpha, report!" Still silence on the other end. "Team Alpha, report!" The feeling of uneasiness was growing with each silent second and my mind was coming up with all kind of bad scenarios. I waited for more communication, more questions, just... more. But once I stopped seeing the Max's half of the team, the voices from the radio also stopped. Minutes passed, and I had no idea what was happening. I couldn't stop picturing Cleo lying on the ground with gun shots in him, blood pooling all around him.

"He's fine... he's fine... everyone is fine." The fact that I started to talk to myself didn't look good. I was waiting and waiting and nothing happened. Just when I was ready to jump out of the vehicle in search of the SWAT team, I saw the six men led by Ace coming towards me. At first glance, they looked fine, everyone was walking on their own, and I couldn't see any injuries. When they were closer to me to see the anger on their faces, I finally left my seat and went in Cleo's direction.

"Wa-what happened?"

"We almost had him."

"Wait, what? You saw him?"

"Yeah, we were so close, but he managed to elude us." I couldn't wait anymore, so I went to Cleo and hugged him with everything I had.

"I was worried about all of you. Especially when no one was answering Max." Deep breath left his chest, and I felt his lips on the top of my head.

"Shit. Sorry about that, Goldie. I think there was some kind of radio jamming device with him, so our radios didn't work. We didn't hear Max's questions, and probably we were running after the fucker when Max tried to talk with us..."

"But everyone is okay, right?" I could feel the adrenalin leaving my body, leaving me with shaking limps in Cleo's arms.

"We are fine. Goldie. I promise."

"Good."

"Good."  

***Looks like this unknown sniper was really close to be catched. Any ideas about his motives?