The Mind Engine

Mischief at the Hyde

Chapter 5
Mystery at Hyde Park

"It doesn't matter really if he has a gun or not, we know that we are alone not going to catch him" James replied to Arthur. They were in the car, driving through the cold and damp streets of London in the evening. About 5 PM, Arthur arrived to pick up James. As James said, bring a gun and  a recorder. Arthur could understand why a gun, but why a recorder? Probably only James know. 
"What if he runs? What if all this is an elaborate trap to catch the 'genius' behind the conspiracy of mayor's dead announcement?" Arthur asked in a tone that was mixed with emotions of taunting and concern. It did not matter much to James. Alex was not here, one less man to worry about, that is all he cared about. Alex was on a date with Linda in some fancy restaurant. Meanwhile, James was trying to confront a kidnapper. It could not be more contrasting.....
"He will first talk to us. You have to make it seem as if you are the one behind the announcement fully yourself. Do not drag me in. Just tell him that I am a subordinate. If I speak, he will get a glimmer that I am not just a subordinate. These types of criminals challenge the detectives to not challenge their ego." James replied, looking straight. He was correct. It was a challenge, or maybe a trap?
"I understand. But I will shoot as soon as I find something dangerous enough to hurt you." Arthur was somewhat protective. He was not supposed to. He knew that James did things like fighting, shooting and running better than he could do. 
"Yeah, yeah old man." James replied in a straightforward tone. The silence that followed next was for the entire drive. They both left the car right in the parking lot. It was silent here. 
"It is not usually this quiet around this place. Something is wrong." Arthur commented. James noticed it too. An eerie quietness lurked in the place. 
"It is just 6 PM." James replied. He was confused about a thing. How would the person know when the target has arrived? Or is it just some clue in the garden?
Arthur's phone begins to ring. 
"Weird ringtone." James replied. Mix of gibberish noises. Yeah, it was weird to some extent.
"I did not ask for your opinion." Arthur picked the call. "Hello, Arthur here." 
"Hello Mr.Arthur. Scotland Yard has finally arrived." A creepy voice greeted Arthur. James looked at a camera nearby. They were being watched. 
"Who is the little rat with you, Mr.Arthur?" The man asked. James made a gesture that was not clearly understandable but Arthur knew what to do. 
"A subordinate. What do you want?" Arthur replied. His reply was so rude that it might have made the man on the other side a bit offended. 
"I am here. Inside the park. Find me if you can. Your. Time, uh wait. Begins, now!" The man screamed. The call cut. It was heard from inside the park. James' superhuman hearing picked up that. He heard the echo exactly 0.6 seconds later. He did fast math. 103 meters inside the park.....

"It came from 100 meters inside the park. Run now." James said. They both started sprinting. James went one side and Arthur went the other. The radius of the source was in 100 meters. James ran and ran, around the structures, but found nothing. 
"Mr.Arthur......" A scream, from the same man. It was 0.1 seconds when he heard the echo. 17 meters. He now knew where the sound came from. The man was right there. James hid behind a bush, watching the masked man near a chair. On it, were some papers. Arthur also found him out, but the problem is, that he came right in front of him. James was still hiding. 
"Oh, what a pleasure, Mr.Arthur. What a pleasure!" The man creepily laughed. Arthur stood right in front of him. 
"Who are you? Where is Mr.Forester?" Arthur was somewhat furious. James listened. 
"Why did you conclude that he was dead?" the man straightforwardly asked. His voice was obscure.
James suddenly realised something. The man in the video, the man on the call and the man here are three different people. The man in the video had a deep voice with a British accent. The man on the call had more of an American accent, but it was likely forced, but this man, he has a Russian accent, with little forcing towards the British accent. He was pretending to be British.
"I did not conclude it." Arthur responded. James distracted for a minute. Would he reveal the kidnapper about James?
No, likely not. It won't have a direct gain until Arthur is the kidnapper, and James knows he isn't.
"Then why did you say it!" The man shouted in anger. His voice was rageful. Arthur backed off a bit, as a reflex.
"Because, I was told to do so. Someone from my forensic team told me that the mayor was intoxicated with a drug they found on the floor of the house." Arthur lied. A fabricated lie. James created it. He already predicted what would happen. He did not come unprepared.
"Really? Didn't you ask them what drug that was? You just believed, Mr Arthur?" The man creepily said to Arthur. His tone was scary and taunting. Arthur would never endure such rudeness, given he is a police officer. Yet he did.
"They told me about a drug called Pottasium Cyanide." Arthur replied calmly. James knew that he would ask that, and James also knew what was the next statement.
"But guess what? The mayor isn't dead." The man replied. James sensed that the interval between each of his words was getting significantly longer. Asthma?
He won't be able to run for long. James could not clearly make out, but he did have a gun in his back pocket. If James could somehow seize that pistol, the case is closed.
But of course, James remembered, the real world isn't so ideal after all.

"Your subordinate doesn't know that I am aware of his presence and his foolish thought of stealing my gun" the man said, turning to James. James was frozen for a second, though his inner workings didn't change much. He was still calm. The man stared at the black haired, young, handsome man while James stared at a man who was wearing a black mask.
He took out his gun in an instant. James raised his hands up. He knew it was instinctively the most rational thing to do. Any movement would trigger a reaction that would end with either party shooting one another. That's the worst that could possibly happen.
"You caught me." James replied with a forced disappointed voice, though it looked massively fabricated.. Arthur made a disappointed look on his face. Yet he didn't know that it was all a part of the plan, and it was James turn to roll the dice.
"So intelligent after all." The man said in a linear voice. His asthma was becoming more clear the more he spoke. His taunting tone was ineffective towards James, his emotions remained straightforward whatsoever.
"So, tell me young boy. Who are you?" The man asked James, staring at him. James wanted to gesture to Arthur to tell him to hold his gun out, but he knew any activity would make the man suspicious. Arthur was anyways, reaching for the gun in his back pocket.
"My name is James Rodriguez. Assistant of Mr.Arthur." James replied. This reply might have been effective towards the man, as he was next turning attention to James' clothing.
"So, James. What do you think? Where would your proclaimed dead mayor be?" The man was laughing. "In the graveyard? Guess not!"
"Then where is he?" James asked.
"Well, I don't know where he is. But I sure know where you and your senior are going to be now." The man stopped laughing immediately. It was a little scary, but not for James.
"Where?" James asked. In my mind, he thought of possible answers....
Graveyard?
"A cemetery." The man said in a direct tone. He loaded his gun.
"Hey!" Arthur screamed. He was pointing the gun straight towards the upper half of that black masked man. He was still pointing the gun towards James. He dragged James by his overcoat, and took him in his arm, pointing the gun straight at his head.
"Drop the gun officer, else your subordinate's brain will drop out of his body." Said the man. James was not spooked, though it looked like Arthur was.
James concentrated at the man's breathing. Faster.....heavier.....Faster....heavier.
James whispered to him....
"Hey, you are breathing."
He still held James for a second more, until he went to his knees, breathing so heavily that his voice box shrieked.
"You....fucking....." His heavily breathing interrupted his words. James stared down at him. He bent down and snatched the gun from his hands.
"Pathetic little creature." James coldly told him.
"What did you do?" Arthur asked in slight panic.
"Asthma attack." James said. It had little chance to work, but it did.
"My.........my......my inh....inhaler....." The man was about to choke himself. He searched for his inhaler, only to realise, that James was holding it, right above his head. When he looked up, he saw James, with his inhaler and a gun, pointing straight towards him.
"It's over." James replied. Not a rude tone, but definitely not a tone that would make you feel happy, especially when you are trying to breathe.

"Let us begin with the easy questions." James continued.