Why Not Murder

25. Executions

25. Executions

Next morning, Maya woke some time before Dog. She crept quietly out of the teepee. The watch dogs came up to her silently and rubbed themselves against her while she gave each an affectionate massage behind their ears. Then she made a small outdoor fire in the pit and brewed coffee. The watch dogs lay down near the fire. Angry Dog was still fast asleep inside the teepee. Maya had used her bag as a pillow and had brought it out with her from the teepee. She drank her coffee, watched the pre-sunrise colours on the underside of the clouds and looked through the papers that had been Warren's. It was warm for the season and she savoured the early dawn. Among the papers was a rental agreement for a place in Maple. Had Winnie known about this place, Maya wondered. Is this where Winnie picked Warren up the night he died?

Dog woke just as the sun peeped above the horizon and greeted Maya and the watch dogs. When he had settled down with his coffee, Maya explained about the missing hard copies of Safe & Secure's video records. She counted on Dog being able to make fresh hard copies from the video records currently on the company's computer system. She needed hard copies for Safe & Secure's employee to put in storage so they could be retrieved and used in the upcoming law suit. Maya was sure the hard copy of the original video record that she believed was in Winnie's possession would not be like the video record on the company's computer. That was why they were needed and hid by Winnie, so that there would be nothing contradicting the company video records. Dog was able to quickly hack into the Safe & Secure computer system and ascertain the format that the hard copies were in. He happened to have the standard type of USB the company used amongst his extensive stock of computer and electronic supplies. Next he determined the exact time frames for the hard copies. Then he copied the relevant video records and created hard copies for Maya.

"I'm still going to search for the original hard copies," Maya said, "Now I can be patient and wait for an appropriate time without the pressure of an impending court case. The security employee will have his mind at rest as well and so in any subsequent interviews by Hudson's lawyer, suspicions will not land on him." Dog was always happy to be of help to Maya. While they were eating breakfast they watched the news, both mainstream and alternative, and were shocked to find out what had caused the train delay the day before.

Mainstream gave a brief report of the incident and then showed video of the prime minister addressing the Canadian public, telling them that the matter was fully under control. Alternative news aired the following videos directly recorded on the internet by the perpetrators and which were viral almost instantly.

Four people, all nearly the same height, entirely clothed in black, heads and faces completely covered, wearing goggles, stood side by side, each in the same powerful stance holding rifles upright. They were standing beside a road with thick evergreen forest behind them. A thin layer of snow covered the tops of the branches and dusted the road. Then one of the people stepped forward and took hold of the camera turning it on the cameraperson and recorded a smaller person, clad in the same manner as the others. Then the camera was handed back to the cameraperson. A disguised voice said "Team A Mission Justice".

Their position was on a rise and the camera faced down the road. A long ways away three vehicles were recorded approaching, a black limo of the size that would seat four people in the back, two facing two, as well as an unmarked police car in front and another behind. The team stayed out of the vehicles' sight and then when the vehicles were near as possible, Team A stepped out onto the road and stopped the vehicles. They were hitherto unseen by the front police. Everyone was ordered to exit the cars. Team A was obviously very skillful in what they were doing and by their expedient coordinated action gave the impression this plan had been well rehearsed. The police and the limo passengers were disarmed, their weapons and cell phones bagged. Each was handcuffed, wrists and ankles. Ducktape was put over their mouths and eyes. The handcuffs on the wrists and ankles of the police were locked behind their backs together by a chain forcing their legs to bend at the knee and be folded back. They were left lying down in this painful position, each about ten feet from the other, along one side of the road.