MONALISA (CHAPTER 7)
“One suspect within range sir! Male, slender, tall and chocolate, allegedly holding a hostage…he’s armed sir…Within range sir, give us a green light sir! Ready to take a shot sir! Over!” He then placed back the radio cell in its pouch, aimed at the building as he waited for a response supposedly from his boss. Just a call then I’d be down in a pool of blood. On the rear door, sleuths were making their way in and in a matter of no time they’d save every soul. They had overpowered us, I bet my other partners realized this too.
The sleuths definitely had us, particularly me who was visibly armed to the tooth, they had managed to get through the other two side doors and the rear one. They were first approaching, all muzzles aimed at my poor soul. I didn’t relent either, I was so ready to shoot Max, who at the moment was vehemently shaking, after all he was responsible for all the troubles that I got into that day. The police weren’t taking heed of my advice to back off even after threatening to shoot Max, and in such desperate moments desperate actions carry the day, within no minute Max was on the floor writhing in pain from the shot. What followed was two more shots in the air to drive my message home, luckily they slowly took a step backwards, lowered their weapons and were ready to talk. Seconds later, two of them, a lady and a gent walked forward cautiously. It was time to negotiate, I thought.
“Agent Monalisa Hughes from the FBI” she pulled off her face mask and showed her badge. Just like that I thought I was in some in some Indian movie with very weird twists, but no, I was no movie star, before me was Monalisa, the same lady I had seen and followed months ago from a bank in town. Was her presence a blessing in disguise? I thought for a moment. I knew that one day I’d meet her but not in such a scenario when both of us were in the line of duty. My life was like that of the maze, however how long I’d run to get out, I’d still find myself in the same place. Nonetheless, I wasn’t going to allow these stupid thoughts get over me, maybe I was hallucinating due to the effect of the coke I had sniffed earlier before the heist. Therefore, I aggressively pulled someone within my range and had the muzzle over her head.
“Just let her go and put down your weapon” she urged. “We are ready to negotiate, but if you pull trigger on her then be rest assured that my boys would rain your whole body with the bullets poking a thousand holes on it… You have a minute to either die a looser or walk out as a hero..” she continued with her theatrics that sounded like sermons too. There was no way out, she was right. I finally let go off my hostage, lowered my pistol and raised my hands above the head before being surrounded by the whole squad ready to take instructions from their boss. What followed was recovering of the hostages, in the process, my crime partners too made it out, mistaken to be part of the congregation.
“Take a shot detective!” an order came through the radio cell. I closed my eyes, made a short prayer then waited for the worst.
“Negative Sir!” she answered through the radio cell leaving everyone in an awe, then took a close look at me as if she remembered something. She took a long pause like someone who was lost in thoughts then had me handcuffed and shoved me to the awaiting car.
