Chapter 7 THE REPORTER

A tall man sat beside a long table, there was an array of books, and scattered papers resting on the table. The wall that was adjacent to him had several picture frames hitched to it; most of which included him, he had just gotten off a phone call. There were two chairs opposite the table he was sitting on, he had an evil grin on his face.

"I knew I could count on Ossan, he's quite dependable," he said to himself.

The door opened, and a young blonde woman stepped in. She was about 5'5 in height, she had puppy brown eyes, and her lips were brightly red making her appear sexy, she was dressed in a red jacket, and brown skirt. "Senator Klaus," she began.

"Rousey," the man shifted on his seat. "What can I do for you?"

"You have a visitor," she began.

"I am a senator and a presidential candidate," Klaus put on a devious smile. "Every Tom, Dick, and Harry want to visit me. Be specific."

"It's the reporter."

His gaze changed as he heard that, using a lighter tone. "Send him in."

"Yes sir," She said, and hurriedly left. The door was pushed open, and a young man steps in. He was roughly one hundred and seventy five centimeters tall, he was dressed in a black bikers jacket, he had brown wavy hair and a charming smile. He was a good-looking kid, there was a small bag draped across his left shoulder.

"Come on, Klaus." He began, opening his mouth and showing his perfect set of white teeth. "Your secretary has gotta stop calling me the reporter."

"Everyone thinks you are the personal reporter of the most likely to win presidential candidate," Klaus begins with a senile smile. "And I am the reason you smile anytime you check your bank account balance, don't see what could be better than that."

"Yeah yeah," he took a seat opposite the senator. "Just want to be called your personal assistant, I mean, I have got so many ideas for you. Besides, you send me on jobs like this cause we both know I am the only one you can trust with full certainty. Pretty sure no other person would give you the same utility."

"You've always been the chatty kind," Klaus grinned. "That explains why your parents sent you to boarding school," He put on a sterner expression. "You have what I need?"

"You know I do," he ends with a boyish smile as he drops a wad of pictures on the table. "All these are evidence that your presidential opponents are doing one or two things that the law deems illegal. As you can see, some of 'em do drugs, some cheat on their spouses, and my personal favorite, some of the other men fuck high school girls. Can't blame them, my generation has got the hottest pussies, it's so slick and tight with the products we got access to nowadays."

"This will prove very useful," Klaus had a satisfied smile on his face, he packed the set of pictures away from the table. "You always impress me, I am more than satisfied with your service."

"You always say that. I used to believe it but now, I don't think you mean it," he began pouting his lips.

"Andrew," Klaus laughed. "You know how much I appreciate you. Why would you say that?"

"You let me take pics of all your candidates except Jude. I mean, yeah sure, the man appears clean, he was won over five Nobel awards, and I heard he always topped his class from the moment he began schooling till the time he graduated."

"He's perfect, everyone sorta knows that."

"It's that perfection that bothers me," Andrew shot back. "He's not fucking Jesus Christ. It's people who seem so perfect on the outside that got the most shit hidden in their closet. Just let me on this man, I promise you, I am gonna get dirt on him. I am that confident."

"Andrew," Klaus sighs. "You are just 16, I feel bad enough sending you on all these missions but it's a necessity. For an empire to wax stronger, a strong leader is needed. I never had any interest in politics but I live under the system, and that system is unfair, it's a system that keeps the majority of the population in debt. Any system that can't ensure a greater percentage of the people be prosperous is wrong, that's why I am involved in politics, it's because I desire that my dream be fulfilled. I heard the manifesto of my other candidates, though they desire good things for this nation but they lack the iron-clad will to implement it, that's why I have to step in, I am the candidate with the strongest conviction. I have to bring this nation forward, and by the nation, I ain't referring to the financial value of our currency or the overall GNI, I mean the people itself."

"Come on," Andrew laughs. "I ain't the press or anything, you don't need to tell me what you intend to do. I am happy just serving you, I used to think politicians were dirty and stinking people until that day I saw you. You saw three men beating up an old woman in the alley, many people passed by, they could help but they did nothing. You weren't like that, you stepped down from your vehicle, and beat the shit out of the three men, then you stripped them of their money, added some from yours, and handed it to the woman. That day when I saw you, though I just entered high school, and didn't know much but there was something I was sure of, don't think I have ever been more sure of anything else, it's that I knew you were the person I would follow till I die. You understand that the only way to bring about change is by being firm, you know that can't be achieved by being a goody-two-shoes all the time."

"I am glad to know you regard me," Klaus blushed, he got down from the table and rested on a chair opposite the teen. He wore a grave expression. "Jude Hones is a very peculiar man, we both attended the same elementary school. His sister used to play football, I once remember a girl tackling his sister roughly during training, the tackle was so rough Angelina sprained her ankle, the girl had begun weeping but the other girl didn't seem to mind, even the gym teacher just told Angelina to suck it up and stand up."

"So his little sister was a cry baby, so what?"

"I am not finished. The next day, the girl who tackled his sister had died, there were acid burns around her body. According to the ballistics report, she was fooling around with some chemicals in the school laboratory, and had drunk a solution of highly corrosive salt which caused serious turmoil but while that was happening, equally dangerous acid had spilled on her body. She eventually died because she couldn't receive medical attention, her friends said they saw her go inside the Laboratory, and they claimed they never saw her come out, there was no report of anyone else entering the lab, and the evidence in the crime scene pointed to her being the only one there."

"That's a very terrible way to die," Andrew was smiling mischievously.

"The gym teacher too had his share of misfortune though it was nothing compared to what happened to the girl."

"I am guessing I have no choice but to ask what happened to the gym teacher."

"The gym teacher had his two legs broken but that wasn't what was peculiar about it. Jude was standing beside him, there was this evil look in his eyes, the gym leader was a man above thirty, his face was a mask of fear, everyone in the school saw it. Jude laughed hysterically at the coach, told him to suck it up but the teacher did nothing but cry. At that time, Jude was only nine years old, and the teacher was in his mid-thirties."

"So the teacher was a pussy, so what?"

"It's not just about the teacher," Klaus continued, he wore a cautious look. "It's about how something terrible happened to anyone who hurt or offended Angelina throughout my schooldays, it got to a point where we all thought she was cursed so we began avoiding her."

"The story seems one-sided," Andrew observed. "What about Jude? Didn't anyone offend him. From his accomplishments, he had to be a dork of some kind, and I haven't been to any school where dorks ain't the highlight of bullying."

"That's another bizarre thing," Klaus continued. "No one ever offended Jude, at least not publicly. Since he was very studious, he had no problem with the teachers but even amongst his peers, I don't know but everyone in the class including I just didn't want to relate with him, it was for reasons we couldn't fathom. We never felt the urge to tease or bully him, it's a mystery but I always knew that Jude was evil but evil that was so expertly hidden that in trying to find it, one would be consumed."

"So a nine-year-old gave his teacher nightmares, and still gives you PTSD till this day," Andrew got to his feet. "I am sure Jude was connected to the death of that girl, and the gym teacher, for him to be so scared, Jude had done something to him. I am going to find out what it is, the remaining candidates were just doing things cause it was what they found pleasure in. Jude is a psychopath who has perpetuated in crimes from childhood, he's an evil that must be brought to the light. If there's anything I know about serial killers, its that they never truly stop. Jude killed as a child, and I am pretty sure he's still doing it."

"Andrew, you are just 16 years old. This is your first year in high school, relax, get a girlfriend and focus on your schoolwork."

"Already got that covered," Andrew cheekily replied. "I have got six girlfriends from different schools, and I was able to convince each of them to be cool with it. I have gone through the scheme of work thrice now, pretty sure if I took an exam now, I'd pass so well I will set a record for that subject."

"How are you able to study with all you do?"

"Come on, Klaus," Andrew pulls off his charming irresistible smile. "I have got a photographic memory, really comes in handy when school is 80% memorizing."

"But Andrew, trust me, Jude is bad news. He's the only person that gives me the creeps, I have a trained group of men who are handling him professionally. Don't do anything disastrous, think about your parents."

"The same line you told me when I let you know that I wanted to join you," Andrew refused to be discouraged. "And see all we accomplished together. We were able to wipe out evil gangsters from five different cities in less than two months. It was because you took a wide swing and trusted me, that's why you could achieve that. You trusted me then, and I am asking you to trust me now."

"Andrew, I trust you. We both know that but my trust is nearly not as important as your life. It's because of youngsters like you that I have embarked on this mission, if you die, I'd never be able to forgive myself. I beg you not to interfere with this issue, it won't end well."

"Then prepare to be surprised," Andrew smiled and walked away, he stopped when he got to the door, turning back at Klaus, he continued. "Jude is going to be at the City's newest library today, he's gonna be giving a speech, and some shit like that. Guess who snagged his way to way to be a reporter at that event."

"No way, how did you?"

"There's so much you gain when people identity you as Senator Klaus' personal reporter."

Before Klaus could say anything, Andrew had already left the building.

Klaus could feel sweat dripping from his forehead, he was scared for the child. As fast as he could, he dialed his phone. "There's only one man that can help me with this," he mutters to himself. "If I can get Angelina, it would be no hassle to convince Jude not to hurt the kid and to simultaneously step down. Ossan has been chilling in the prison long enough, it's time he gets back in the field, he's the second person I trust.

*****************

Angelina was able to sit up but she knew she had not gotten her perfect handle on her motor skills, she would still have to be bedridden for a while.

Lewis had just woken up, he drooled while he slept but Angelina couldn't complain, he was the one who had saved her.

"The lottery numbers were a success, weren't they?"

"You talk like you didn't expect them to be."

"I did. I had to start a conversation, and I preferred that over saying 'so this is your first giving first aid to an injured lady'."

"Point taken," Lewis smiled, getting to his feet. He went to the motel phone and began dialing a number, it was picked up from the other end. "Hey, this is room number 5, I will be taking bacon and eggs for breakfast," looking over at Angelina. "Want anything?"

"I will have whatever you are having," She grimaced, she had begun moving her arm, it was quite painful but she was getting adjusted to it.

"Alright," Lewis says back into the phone. "Just make two portions of bacon and eggs," he cut the phone.

Turning to Angelina, he continued. "So before, because of the situation that we were in, I wasn't able to know anything about you or your occupation. I thought you were a fortuneteller but I don't think it's in their occupation to be running around with bullet wounds."

"You seem like a pretty smart guy," Angelina smugly replied. "What do you think I am?"

"If I have to guess, I will think you are some sort of international spy. You have the physique of one, and you easily blend in with your choice of dressing."

Angelina let out a mild chuckle. "So I am a spy, from which country?"

"I'd say Russia, I heard they have the sexiest spies."

"If you were betting on that, you'd lose the money."

"So you ain't a spy at all?"

"Not at all, I hate being directly under someone, I prefer to freelance."

"I have got it," Lewis snapped his fingers. "You are a private eye. Though, it's rare to see a female private eye. Usually, they are all men."

"Well, there is an exception to every rule."

"That's true," Lewis smiled, he sat down. "You wanna tell me what was going on last night, why you were after Rob?"

"It was just a case that I was handling. Turns out it was bait but I couldn't ignore it."

"Why?"

"Whosoever set it had been very meticulous about it. I didn't know who it was, since my life was on the line, I knew I had to at least get a little information on the person who wanted to kill me."

"And that was what led you to infiltrate Rob's hideout."

"Yep."

"Why do I have a feeling it didn't go so well?"

"On the contrary, I was able to pinpoint the name of the Mastermind of the operation, and what he wanted with me. I was also able to psychoanalyze the mastermind based on the approach he had taken to kidnap me, because of that, I can guess his next line of action."

"What would that be?"

"My partner, the boss of the gang is so powerful that he was able to lock my partner up in the state prison. Since it wasn't done through legal means, that action can be easily reversed. Right now, Michael is probably on the streets, looking for the person whom I have given those pictures to, he doesn't know he's being played."

"What pictures are you talking about?"

"Just a bit of dirt I have on the Mastermind that expertly created this circumstance."

"What makes you think I am not affiliated with the mastermind?" Lewis creepily smiled. "You are awfully trusting for someone whose life is in danger."

"I forgot to mention, I am not just a P.I, I am the best Private Eye in all the continents. I psychoanalyzed you from the time I saw you driving that taxi cab, though you drink, and gamble. You are the type who lives according to a strict moral code, you'd never bring yourself to harm anyone intentionally. Also, if you were an affiliate, you would have at least waited for me to say the exact location and name of the person who has got the incriminating pictures before you interrupted me."

"You are pretty good at this."

"Not just good, I am the best," Angelina smiled arrogantly. She sat up on the bed, she was proud of herself, she has regained her motor skills to a significant degree. "I have to go find Michael before he does anything stupid," she got to her feet.

"Relax!" Lewis smiled at her.

Just as he had spoken, there was a knock on the door. Angelina instinctively took a defensive stance, even Lewis who was beside her had a fearful look on his face.

After a second, Angelina relaxed and got back to her initial position.

"Don't be scared," she smiled at Lewis. "Whosoever is at the door is not someone that wants to kill us."

"How are you sure of that?"

"If the person was an amateur, he would have just started shooting once he knew of our room number. Logically, we'd be around the bed area so the logical thing to do would be to shoot the wall to the areas where the bed would most likely be."

"What about if it was a professional?"

"There are several windows opened around, a professional would have waited for a time we are engrossed in a conversation much like we were doing before. Then he would quickly target us from any of the open windows, and blow our brains to bits."

"You know a lot about assassins."

"I am a private investigator. Majority of my cases are related to a hitman or the other, besides, what I said is just common sense."

"Alright, I will go check who's at the door. Can you just calm down and let's talk about you wanting to dive into action again when you had just nearly gotten killed."

Angelina didn't reply. Lewis quickly answered the door, it was a hotel worker, she was holding a tray of food; that which they had asked for earlier on. He took the tray from her, he smiled at her and she left.

"Don't bother trying to get me not to go, I have an idea of what you can say to get me to stop. It won't work..."

Before Angelina could complete her sentence, Lewis had turned to her, and he was carrying the tray of food.

The scent of the food was simply marvelous. Angelina found her mouth-watering, and her stomach grumbling. She was really hungry. "... except if it's food."