THE VIGILANTE: THE SERIES[BOOK 2]

Ep.2 - The Hunt

Chaos echoed through the streets. Screams, sirens, even babies crying could be heard for blocks. Flashes from cameras and media journalists all piled behind police barricades, shouting for answers. Officers were marching around the massacre. Just when things were turning bad, we went even further down the rabbit hole. Now things are different. There was someone else out there, something else.

"Come on! Let's think, while it's fresh!" Mike and I were spiraling inside The Bunker. So many variables, so many alternatives, so many potentials. Who would kill the Queenpin?

"Okay umm...Russians?" I blurted out.

"No, you don't kill your supplier. Plus, they practically moved up state since we busted Maksim two months ago." Mike replied, pacing back and forth. I tried to think harder.

"Tri-Triad! Triad makes the most sense right! You want to take over the city, why not take out the biggest gun?" It made sense to me. They wanted Queenpin's inventory, and I heard the guy say it himself when we busted them at the warehouse. Mike stopped pacing to contemplate the possibility.

"No still, in broad daylight, with all of the witnesses, it's not their emo." We went back-and-forth over so many choices: Glasgow, the Jipsey's, 16 Cannons, a few street gangs maybe, I even threw my gym teacher in the mix.

"I mean what else could it be?" I said, frustrated. "Who else could it be?"

"We need to get down there." Mike said. I was shocked, Mike never liked to leave The Bunker. It only confirmed how serious this was.

"Wait whoa-whoa, cops are going to be all over the courthouse. How are you getting in?" I asked. He went over to his chest and pulled out a LCPD jacket and hat. He also reached in and grabbed his camera.

"Look, I'm going to get as many photos as I can. I need you to talk with Commissioner Ferrell, get as much intel as you can, he might be able to connect some dots we haven't considered."

"Okay." He grabbed my jacket.

"Jake, we have an active shooter in our city. Keep your eyes open." I could see the worry in his eyes, and feel the tension in his hand as he clasped my jacket. To be honest, I was just as terrified of the mystery as finding out more about it. We needed to know though. I suited up and we headed to the courthouse.

Cops blocked off the entire street, all the way down 17th. Yellow was wrapped all around the block. I could see Commissioner Ferrell from up above. He had one of those looks that let me know he was going to have a long night. I messaged him to meet me at the top of the court steps, behind the giant pillar. It was the closest I could get to the crime scene. The police and I were on good terms, but I was afraid they might blame me. I could hear his footsteps getting closer and closer. I turned on my voice modulator, and stepped out from behind the pillar.

"Well this is a mess." Commissioner Ferrell said. I could hear the exhaustion in his voice.

"Afraid it's going to get worse. What do you have?" I replied. He handed me a few pictures, then explained what happened.

"I had my guys do a sweep, ten block radius, they found nothing. It doesn't make sense, the shot went through the front windshield, through the security guard in the front seat, all the way through the back window. Security cameras showed no one of the street carrying any firearms, and no one else was in the car other than the Latina bastard and her guards."

I thoroughly looked through each photo. I came across a shot of the Queenpin, an up-close shot of her face and where her forehead used to be. My stomach started to rumble; the image was gore. I turned to the next picture to see where the bullet entered the truck, and the next at the back of the truck.