Chapter 158 A case of the darkness.
BSTV was not to be outcompeted by live streamers, as an official news channel, the news drone was not shot down but it had to keep a significant distance away from the action.
The news anchor, a thirty year old female woman Chris Kennie who had been headhunted by Mr. Rodney was actively describing the scenes with vigor as the official star page of BSTV spread the information wide on the star network.
"Those of you who are just joining us, we are witnessing a standoff between suspect Ed Mara and officers of the RGB. Sources say that Ed Mara is the main suspect in the fire which was set intentionally on the corn field. The fire which has devastated many employees of the farming department and left at least ten injured is now being called, the tragedy before winter.
Mr. Ed Mara has refused to surrender despite being faced down by armed RGB officers who are working in conjunction with mecha warriors. It is very obvious that the shoot to kill drone is cocked and ready for action so there is no telling how this will end. Following the rules of the national media association if the scene does turn extremely violent we will be blocking the footage. I will be taking you back to the scene where our on the ground reporter is speaking to some of Ed Mara's neighbors."
The reporter on ground was a nineteen year old girl named Jelly. Jelly?was fearless despite not having any mental strength.?She never hesitated to engage in any activity or confront any situation as long as she could do her job as a reporter. Part of her confidence was because news reporters were protected by bodyguards assigned by the company and also because she wanted to prove to many other girls out there that had no mental strength that they could be something other than a courtesan or maid.
"Thank you Chris, I am standing on apartment block C, also known as?Cat paw building. Next to me are some of Ed Mara's neighbors that have a few things to say about him, like this gentleman over here, Mr. you said that you know Ed Mara personally."
"Oh yes," an elderly man appeared on the screen, "He is a reserved fellow that keeps to himself. But he is polite, every morning he greets me before going on his run. I can't believe what they are saying he did."
"Thank you so?much," reporter Jelly moved on to someone else, "Ma'am, do you live in the Cat paw building?"
"Yes," the woman nodded, "I work in the clothes manufacturing department with his fiancé, she is a very good woman.?I can't help but feel sorry for her, this is going to break her heart."
"Do you know Ed Mara?" Jelly asked her.
"Yes, a little bit, I heard him mentioning that they would be moving to a three bedroom apartment on the eightieth floor. You know the upper floors are more more expensive so I guessed that he was coming into some money. I was curious so I asked him and he said he had inherited some fortune from a dead relative."
Boom!! something made a loud sound up and Jelly's eyes moved to the balcony which she could hardly see.
In the apartment when the look on Ed Mara's face changed with the last warning and he started exhibiting signs of hostility, captain Zorl had fired his weapon instantly and Ian jumped on Ed immediately.?Cedric assisted and both of them brought Ed down to his knees, forcing him on his belly.
Captain Zorl put a white helmet on Ed Mara's head and he was handcuffed. He became as stiff as a corpse and he was handed off to a shoot to kill drone that sped away so quickly to deliver him to the cells in the RGB offices.
"Are we done here?" Esong asked captain Zorl.
He nodded, "Thank you for your help, while you are done our work is just beginning. We have to search his house, his terminals, phones and any other communication devices. We need to know if he has been in contact with anyone else. I hate to nag but we need security cameras on every building, the roads, the schools."
"We are working on it." Esong informed him.
"Work faster, in the last week we have arrested thirty six people for traffic violations alone. The absence of cameras makes it harder to enforce the laws when they claim not to have seen the traffic lights change. Winter is coming and we all know things will get crazier. We have drones monitoring in space but you and I both know that it won't be long before the citizens claim that being monitored by shoot to kill drones is making them uncomfortable."
No one could sleep easily knowing that an armed drone was close to their window. What if it malfunctioned and started firing?
"In two days we are expecting a delivery of?three thousand sixty cameras and sensors. This doesn't take away from the fact that you do not have enough manpower to monitor these cameras. " Since he wanted to remind Esong of his failures as a governor, Esong did not hold back on informing him about his short comings too. RGB affairs were captain Zorl's territory and he reported back to the RGB headquarters in the capital even though his salary was paid by the Blue star.
"I have been promised an addition of sixty officers that are arriving in three days." Captain Zorl replied.
With the exception of the officers left behind to search the house, they all walked downstairs, captain Zorl inclusive.
Jelly was quick on her feet and her microphone was shoved politely in captain Zorl's face, "Captain Zorl, what do you think caused Ed Mara to burn down the field?"
Captain Zorl's upper lip twitched and he frowned. After mecha warriors, he hated the media next. They were quick to criticize and slow to amend or retract false news.
"No comment, the case is under investigation."
"What do you have to say about the rumor that Ed Mara's is a case of the darkness?"
"No comment." Captain Zorl said again.
"Did Ed Mara set the field on fire for financial reward?" Jelly was persistent. "What about the involvement of the governor's dog in the investigation, to what extent did it lead you to the capture of the suspect Ed Mara?"
Captain Zorl pushed her aside gently, they entered the vehicles and set off for the RGB offices.
In the governor's castle, Scarlet turned her attention away from the screen, switched off the television and addressed the thirty six men and two women in front of her.
"Let's talk about fire and emergency response."
This content is taken from (f)reewe(b)novel.𝗰𝗼𝐦