Having Time to Kill

She wasn’t sure what it was…

But she felt like anytime there was a politician giving a speech, everyone had thought of the possibility that someone might take the shot, make an attempt, do…something bad to them. Everyone thought of the possibility that there may be an assassination attempt, but the normal person would always come to same conclusion. “It would never happen here.”. It was an impossibility. No one ever expected a tragedy when they were there. There was of course people hired to make sure such things would never happen, and yet it was never known if they had actually been needed. That was part of the job, to take out threats before they were known.

Still, so many people believed that a tragedy would never happen, and yet…

And yet, she was here.

Nine was a few blocks away from the speech being given. The mayor of Chicago was announcing a new DA for the district. A district that Chimera was trying to set up in, one that had a prime location for their newest project. She knew Leon was interested in it specifically, something about perfect test subjects and something unique in a large population of the rats in the area, nothing noticeable on the physical level and barely on the genetic level, but something he needed. She didn’t know what that meant, what it could be so special about rats or why he needed the location, but she didn’t need to know. She just needed to do her job.

The job was simple. She was to take out the new DA. He was a man who had encounters with Chimera before and knew the signs to look for. It wouldn’t be impossible to set up under his watch, but it would be strained and if one thing went wrong they would have the dogs on them. The Boss, not Leon, but THE Boss with a capital B, wanted him taken out. He had been a thorn in their side for too long and was long overdue for something like this.

A speech like this was just good cover. It wasn’t related to a Chimera investigation, and while there certainly would be some talk and movement to see if it was, there would be a hundred other possibilities to use as cover to keep the organization safe. Plus, it offered up a potential alternative if she couldn’t get the shot off. The mayor, if shot while welcoming a new DA would make it all the harder for the new DA to get any traction at all.

The speech was given at a police station, one where the DA had previously worked. There wouldn’t be much in terms of a crowd, just some cops, a few family members, a few officials, and the press. The speech was going to be given in just a few minutes, but she had time. She didn’t want to wait on her perch either, lingering too long in a spot with a clear line of sight of her target was dangerous, needlessly so.

So, with a small breath, she stood from her spot and began to walk towards the tall building, with a window that had the perfect angle for her shot. Occasionally, as she walked, she casted a glance at her watch, counting the seconds she had. By the time she had reached the window she had exactly a minute before the speech began.

Before the tragedy would strike.

The Mayor of Chicago was announcing a new DA, and of course that meant there needed to be a speech. An idiotic political manuver that Romulus never agreed with. It was only asking for something to happen, especially in this day and age. Sure, there was a slim possibility that no one would try anything, that the speech and the announcement would go off without a hitch. Yes, there was the chance that everyone would think ‘well someone else is already going to take them out, so I don’t need to’ or ‘obviously everyone suspects something to happen so the situation would be too risky’. But, the fact of the matter was, someone was going to try something. Criminals were all the same, they saw a shiny new DA, one they couldn’t pay off and who had a long history of working for the legal system (starting out as a beat cop before making the transition to lawyer) and knew they had to try to take him out. If the mayor got in the way it was just an added bonus.

That was why a certain vigilante was acting as overwatch for the entire thing today. Sure, the police force had their own men on standby, patrolling the area and acting as recon in case anything happened but that wasn’t enough. It wasn’t that the ex-marine didn’t trust them to do their jobs and protect the civilians, to keep them somewhat orderly or at the very least safe if something did happen. It was more he didn’t trust them to be able to prevent an assassination, should it happen. Yes, both the mayor and the new DA were going to wear bulletproof vests under their fancy suits. Yes, they had been equipped with the latest in ‘protection technology’ (at least what the Chicago mayoral office could ‘legally’ afford). Would any of that matter to a professional? No. Not one bit. If Romulus could find out the patrol routes, level of security, what defense measures were in place, and the itinerary of the speech, so too could an assassin.

Which was why he showed up to the location early. Checked every corner of the police station, scouted the route the Mayor and the DA would take from their homes to their office, through the station and to the front where the podium was where they’d both be talking (yes, he even checked the podium, difficult as that had been). He was checking out the surrounding area when he spotted something strange. Something that didn’t quite fit with everything or rather everyone else. A lone female, walking away from the small ‘crowd’ of cops, politicians, and press. She was walking towards a tall building opposite the precinct and was checking her watch as she went. Sure, that wasn’t usually suspicious behavior. Perhaps she worked in the building and was late for work. But, she didn’t have the body language of someone who was late or annoyed with the happenings around her. She was too relaxed, and that was a building Romulus had yet to finish scoping out.

So, he did what any self respecting vigilante dubbed by the media as ‘the dark avenger’ would do. He followed her. Stealthily, and behind by a couple of paces. Keeping himself to the shadows and out of sight of both her and everyone else that was present to witness the speech. One of those rumored ‘stealth field generators’ or whatever his old military buddies were talking about the black ops groups receiving would be very helpful right about now. Et Bellator mused, thinking to himself as he climbed the stairs behind his target, just out of sight. Making sure he didn’t lose track of her but that she didn’t notice him. The unidentified woman ‘led’ him to an open room with a window overlooking the precinct. Specifically the location of the speech. A sniper rifle was set up already in position for the attack. Catching the door with his foot and a hand to minimize the noise, the soldier made his way into the room. “I assume you’ve got some sort of story about why you’re set up to kill someone down there?” He spoke out his voice modulator changing his normal tone. No need to rush into the attack. Keep her preoccupied, distracted, off her game and of course unable to take a shot. If she moved to shoot, however, a smoke pellet thrown and deployed in front of the scope should be enough to throw off the aim at least momentarily. To give him time to react.

Nine, above everything else, was a professional at her job. She didn’t have a talent for the job, her life was the job. She was the kind of professional that mixed both an incredible natural talent for the work and a long life dedication and practice in the field. Beyond that, she had the traits of her people, those bloodline benefits that put her just ahead of the normal person, all working towards making her a better fighter, a better killer.

With all of that said, she wasn’t boastful or overconfident in herself. Her experience had led her to the conclusion that she was not only not the best, but that there was some jobs that she couldn’t do. It was the simple truth of the matter. And she didn’t mind that. She didn’t need to be the best or have a perfect success rate, she just needed to be better than most others. More times than not, she had proved that to be true.

It was for that reason, when she had noticed that another person was trailing her that she didn’t confront them on it. She allowed them to all the way up to the building and to where her perch had been. She had steadily gotten into her position and was readying the shot, acting as if she had been doing nothing wrong at all, acting like this was to be expected or like she was just doing her job like any other person. The latter part of that had been true, actually. She was just doing her job, even if that job involved morally gray or straight up black deeds. But the way she carried herself, it didn’t seem like she was aware or cared about that.

When the voice addressed her, she didn’t flinch. She also didn’t move from her spot her take her eye away from the scope. From his position he wouldn’t be able to see the sights or where the gun was pointed. The general direction, yes, was aimed at the building where the new DA was being welcomed, but beyond that it was unknown. Instead, she slowly raised her hands and gave a paced heel turn so that she could rightly face the man. She didn’t look surprised as she stared at the man, her expression somewhere caught between a seriousness only found on soldiers and unimpressed.

When she spoke she carried herself with a strange sort of detachment, but with a sternness would could only relate to a military figure. “If you’ll let me, I have the proper documents in my side pouch.” She would turn herself slightly to show the pouch, “You can grab it if you prefer, though.” She offered. She’d wait, either for a sign that she could make a grab for it or for him to, but either way she wouldn’t make any sudden moves to escape or against him. When the paper was revealed it would be a contract of sorts. A brief glance over it, it would show to be hiring contract for a counter-sniper, a personally hired mercenary to help keep the scene safe. There were key notes on being discreet and out of the way, but it all seemed legit.

The truth was, however, it was a false. A forgery made for situations exactly like this. It was expertly crafted, even down to the false signature which was signed on by the mayor who was currently about to give a speech, a man who would be too distracted to answer any calls made his way. She gave the man a small nod after he got what he needed from it before speaking up again.

“I can certainly appreciate your suspicions and what you are trying to do, but for every moment you keep me from my job now is a moment you risk someone harming the new DA or the Mayor, or anyone else in that crowd to be honest.” Her voice was stern, though slightly growing more agitated, like anyone in this position would be. “So, if you would please let me get to it, I would like to make sure the area is clear before we find out if someone wants to turn this entire thing into a shitshow.” Her kept that military demeanor about her, not breaking that false character she had constructed for herself for one moment.

She would wait, though, wait for to see how he reacted. Despite how good the forgery and her act were, there was always a chance that it wouldn’t be enough or that a mistake could’ve been made. She had a few tricks up her sleeve as well, ready to spring in first signs of danger.