Conundrum

Chapter 17

      That night the news stations exploded. It was nearly impossible to miss the strained excitement blaring through the speakers, instilling excitement in everyone that heard it. And naturally, as a person who was constantly surrounded by electronics, Shiro was informed of the news the second it began airing.

      The night had started like any other: scowling over a hundred different documents and a steaming cup of coffee with a little too much milk and sugar sitting next to his keyboard. Classic rock floated around his office as a soft background noise, mixing with the clicks of his keyboard and masking any noise from the busy city down below.

       He had just pressed send on a very passive-aggressive email to a board member when the station he was listening to cut the music. For a solid ten seconds, his office was silent. Shiro stared at the small speaker, both a little defeated and annoyed before the little thing crackled and an urgent voice filtered through.

"We apologize for the interruption of your programs, but I am sure you will all be relieved as we are to know that the Altea City Police Department has just rescued the boy--"

       With the grace of a drunk, Shiro stood from his seat, nearly faceplanting when his feet tangled in his desk chairs legs. The soft bang of his side connecting with his Blackwood desk and clatter of the rolling plastic mingled with the radio. His coffee cup dangerously teetered, nearly murdering his computer in a wash of spilled coffee. It was a good thing the brown liquid didn't spill: paying for the repairs would've been quite troublesome.

      The businessman rushed to the living-room like space just outside his door and fumbled with the remote to the enormous television mounted on the opposite wall. It took a few baited presses before a man and woman appeared on the screen, both, despite being in perfectly tailored suits, looking frazzled.

Shiro had caught the channel with the man in the middle of a sentence.

      "-- is in critical condition. The identity of the boy is still unknown, but we will give more updates as we gather more information." The man took a deep breath before he continued. "Not much else is known besides the fact that Sharpshooter was also spotted fleeing the scene."

      The two anchors switched off flawlessly, the woman continuing the report without so much as a stutter. "From what we've gathered, the vigilante was a key part in being able to save to boy tonight. He was spotted running from the scene by a few officers waiting outside the warehouse where the boy was found--"

      Shiro stopped listening and looked for his phone, patting nearly every pocket on his body before locating it. Despite knowing the news channel had a reputation of relatively accurate news, he couldn't help but doubt the information. Couldn't let the hope spark because it would only get snuffed out.

      He scrolled through his contacts before clicking on the profile. Shiro knew there was a slim chance she was working on this case and an even smaller chance that she would pick up, but he still had to try. The call was three rings in before she picked up.

Forgoing all niceties, she asked, "Situation?"

"You've seen the news right," he sighed. "I need to know if what they're saying is true."

"Shiro, I am surrounded by intel. Be specific."

"About the boy who was abducted by Pyro."

      Footsteps marked their way through his speaker and into his ear. Squeezing his eyes shut, he sighed again. "I know that you can't spill anything. But Romelle, I just need a yes or no."

      The businessman couldn't tell what she was doing; the footsteps had stopped. A sigh that matched his own came through, before the typing of keys. Victory.