Why Not Murder

34. Protest

34. Protest

Maya had a very good sleep at Sheila's bed & breakfast and went downstairs to the dining room for breakfast. There was one large, long table only. Service was buffet laid out on the side board. Sheila was seated at the table having her breakfast and there was one other person in the room who was serving himself when Maya entered. He introduced himself saying his name was Mitchell and Maya gave her name. He was quite talkative and full of questions. He was a freelance journalist, hoping for full-time employment at In-Depth News, a news source he admired more than any other. He'd had one interview with them so far and the hiring process was far from completion. In the past they had used his reports on a number of occasions, one being about the man who was killed by a bear the year before, another on identity theft, another on construction site bombings, to name his favourites. Currently he was reporting on the terrorism against XX Fuel and this was the work he was sure would land him full-time employment.

When he began to want answers to the questions he asked about Maya, she asked him, "Why do you want employment, don't you have greater professional freedom when freelance?"

Mitchell answered, "It's for money reasons. True, there is a freedom doing freelance unattainable while answering to a boss's expectations, but in return employment means a good regular income and benefits, plus I'm sure I will learn from the experience of others."

Sheila finished her meal and began to assemble trays for her boarders who preferred to eat in their rooms. She bid Maya and Mitchell good day and began to deliver the trays, her slippers flopping noisily on the stairs.

"I don't watch TV or the computer," Maya said, "The only news I hear is what the people I come into contact say. What's going on about this latest terrorist act against XX Fuel's new CEO?"

"Well, I have no trouble talking about what is already public," Mitchell said, "It's been linked to the prior terrorist attacks on XX Fuel executives. The terrorist group has not identified themselves but the police have stated in their press release that these are actions done by one group and they are near to discovering who they are. The police took hundreds of people into custody since the first terrorist attack and extensively questioned them all. They have narrowed their investigation down to one man, the ring-leader and mastermind of the plot, but they will not release names as yet."

"That's encouraging. The police are moving towards a solution of the crisis it seems," Maya said in contradiction to what she really thought.

"Definitely," Mitchell agreed, "A growing organization calling for the return of hanging is getting coverage in the news as well. They cover the entire social spectrum, rich and poor, all races and religions, united by their common goal. Government and the police are listening to them. 'The people want justice' is being inserted everywhere possible in all coverage on these events. Public opinion is of the overwhelming conviction that the man currently said to be the ring-leader must pay, and pay with his life. One life for the many so far that he has had killed is not even enough justice."

"What about innocent until proven guilty?" Maya asked.

"Justice moves faster than the criminal court system," Mitchell replied.

Maya met Spark at the marchers' rally point. She put on the Tshirt he gave her. He gave her a sign to carry when he saw that she hadn't brought one which said 'Animal Rights - Domesticated and Wild'. On one side of the slogan was a photo of a snarling coyote and on the other side a photo of a pug puppy. Spark's poster said 'No More Waste' on a black background. Almost all the marchers had signs. The Justice Will Come Tshirts were a small minority. Some of the protesters wore Halloween masks. Most of the signs were about a demand for jobs and higher wages.