Bang… it was a loud noise!
The four-star ranked NYPD First Assistant Commissioner slammed his hands on the table that had a holographic map on it. He yelled at the senior police officers under him, "Tell me, how long will it take to catch that bastard?"
This scene was unfolding in an NYPD mobile command vehicle. First Assistant Commissioner Wood had taken over Commissioner Bratton's responsibilities after his death. Mr. Wood would usually be happy about a promotion under normal circumstances, but everything was a mess at the moment.
The group of NYPD senior police officers were left speechless in front of the First Assistant Commissioner. The on-site search was in progress; inspection, evidence collection, interrogations, and the search were being carried out at an extraordinary speed. However, they were still some time away from making any arrests.
The problem was, the NYPD was lacking time.
The kidnapping of Leila Fox attracted nationwide attention; even the President had called about the situation, and journalists were frantically reporting updates. Countless people had their eyes on the NYPD's progress with rescuing hostages.
However, what did they get after working around the clock for two days?
The kidnappers killed and the hostages saved to make for a perfect ending? No… the Commissioner was dead!
What was originally a joyful victory scene took a 180-degree turn and became the biggest disgrace in the history of the NYPD. The murderer shot Commissioner Bratton dead as he cried for help before a hundred police officers. People from all over the world bore witness to this scene through social media platforms.
Public opinion erupted over the incident. The entire nation was calling for the arrest of the murderer to maintain public order and the dignity of the police, let alone the President.
Meanwhile, First Assistant Commissioner Wood felt like he was sitting on top of a volcano; it was as if he could be swallowed by the enraged public at any time. Although the case seemed ordinary, anyone with a discerning eye would know that something was off with the details of the case — especially from the way Commissioner Bratton was running for his life. There were many doubts over the case.
Nonetheless, the most important thing to do at the moment was to arrest the murderer. As long as the NYPD could arrest Victor Hugo, they would have half the burden taken off their shoulders. There was just one problem—that little brat was more aggressive than they could have imagined.
Two NYPD officers were shot dead at the hospital where the kidnapping happened. Soon after that, three other officers died at the Sacred Heart Church's building on Fifth Avenue, while two others were injured and one was left terrified.
In the face of such situations, Mr. Wood, who was forced to take over the case, felt like cursing. The New York Emergency Service Unit was always known for being aggressive, professional, and effective; since when did it become so weak? The team was getting massacred like chickens being butchered.
At this moment, police cars and ambulance vans were parked outside the Sacred Heart Church. There were over a hundred police officers and over two hundred journalists at the scene; it was utter chaos.
The clubhouse's gate that was smashed into by the armored vehicle was still a mess. Several bodies were being stuffed into body bags and carried out of the building.
Through the bullet-proof window of the mobile command vehicle, Assistant Commissioner Wood watched journalists rushing forward in excitement and trying to take pictures of the bodies. Multiple news anchors were croaking at the camera, exaggerating the severity of the incident.
Zhou Qingfeng was being branded as the most dangerous criminal of the 21st century! His aggressiveness was unmatched!
A Chinese boy killing white people; one could easily imagine the terrifying headlines about it that would appear on all mainstream media platforms. However, the police had their hands tied when it came to Zhou Qingfeng—everyone knew who did it, but no one could capture him.
Leila Fox did Zhou Qingfeng a huge favor with this. It was the right decision to escape in the helicopter, and it was the only right choice at the time.
If he escaped on land, the CCTVs all over Manhattan and even New York would be able to track Zhou Qingfeng's escape route. If Zhou Qingfeng escaped through the drainage system, based on how anxious Assistant Commissioner Wood was at the moment, he would definitely order the NYPD SWAT team to attack aggressively.
Since Zhou Qingfeng escaped through an aircraft, the police could do nothing. There were too many possible escape routes, and he could fly anywhere he wanted to; there was no regulation about it. On top of that, no one could see where the criminal escaped. The NYPD did not even know which direction they should head in.
Based on the speed of a helicopter, Zhou Qingfeng could escape to a few hundred kilometers away within two to three hours. If he had more time, he could even make it to Canada. How could the police catch him at such a speed?
Assistant Commissioner Wood forced himself to calm down. He still had hopes of catching the guy through technology such as satellites, radars, or communication systems. He had already issued a nationwide arrest warrant and offered a reward of five million dollars for clues. He wanted Zhou Qingfeng to find himself in an american version of the People's War.
However, this required time. They might hear something within the next second or never hear anything again. The clock moved toward 6 pm amidst the excruciating wait. They were approaching the end of the three days they were given—a disaster was about to befall them.
At about 5.30 pm, there was news that someone lodged a police report about locating the helicopter Zhou Qingfeng escaped in along with Leila Fox.
"Where is it? Where is it? Where is it?" Assistant Commissioner Wood asked excitedly. He was not worried about Zhou Qingfeng causing more trouble; he was only afraid that Zhou Qingfeng would continue going undetected. "Is that bastard still in the States?"
The officer who came to deliver the news nodded. "The suspect has not left the country, he is actually…"
It was great news that he had yet to leave the country; there would not be any need to get Foreign Affairs involved in this. Assistant Commissioner Wood asked again excitedly, "Is he within 500KM of us?"
The officer, who was cut short, nodded again. "Yes, the suspect isn't far away."
Assistant Commissioner Wood was extremely excited. "Hahaha, thank God! That helicopter must have encountered a problem; that bastard must have been forced to land it halfway. Is he in a city near us?"
The officer said with a forced smile, "Sir, truth be told, the suspect has not even left New York."
"What… he hasn't left New York?" the Assistant Commissioner's face froze from the smile. He yelled, "How could that bastard dare to not leave New York? Does he not know that the police are after him? Is something wrong with him? Where is he hiding? Queens? Did he escape back home again? That must be the case. Most criminals have a habit of wanting to return home after committing a crime."
The officer who came to deliver the news was cut short multiple times, though he had no choice but to speak with patience. "Sir, the suspect did not go to Queens. He's still in Manhattan."
"He's still in Manhattan?" Assistant Commissioner Wood was embarrassed to the core. It was as if he was being shamed by all criminals of the world. He yelled, "How could he still be in Manhattan? Does he think that the police are a bunch of idiots? He has not left Manhattan after so long?"
"Truth be told, the suspect's helicopter is under 5KM from us. It's near Columbia University. We think he's still in Manhattan," the officer said.
The Assistant Commissioner was extremely pissed. He yelled angrily, "Bastard, bastard, bastard! How could he remain this near to us? He's underestimating the abilities of the NYPD, he's laughing at our capabilities. I must catch him, I must make him regret this. No… I'll order for him to be shot on sight! This bastard must repent in hell."