8:30 AM, a back alley near the World Trade Center.
Mac snapped a couple photos of the body. The man had been shot at least ten times, maybe more, and his shirt was ripped open and the word "RAPIST" was knifed into his abdomen. Talk about overkill, literally. Stella dusted the scene, Don took prints off evidence, Aiden found the knife and bagged it. Mac was searching for the gun when he heard a noise, so he decided he would see what it was. Aiden resumed the photography of the body. Mac walked onto the sidewalk and saw a girl in her late teens on a motorcycle riding down the street. She had on a helmet, but had looked too small to be a guy. She also wore a leather jacket, an AC/DC concert T-shirt, jeans, and biker boots. She then stopped and started filming the Twin Towers with the video camera slung over her shoulder. There was also a purse and the bike, a Harley-Davidson, had a trunk behind the seat. Only in New York, thought Mac. Wondering if she saw anything, and what she was doing out of school and in this part of town at that, he walked over.
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Riley was getting a good view of the towers when a man got in her spot.
"I hate to be rude, but you're blocking my view," said Riley. "Please move."
He took something out of his jacket. It was a police badge.
"NYPD, Detective Mac Taylor," said the man.
"How do I know you're a real cop?" said Riley.
Mac took out his cuffs. Riley lowered her camera and laughed.
"What's funny?" said Mac.
"I thought only your wife was supposed to see those!" said Riley.
Mac realized the girl had seen his wedding band. The teen definitely didn't miss a beat.
"Good joke, but I need to ask some questions" said Mac. "For starters, you look like a minor to me, so why aren't you in school?"
"Burst pipe" said Riley. "Thought I'd use the time to film famous buildings and landmarks for the video yearbook, which is for the senior class."
"Sure the pipe wasn't a prank?" said Mac.
"If it was I had nada to do with it," said Riley. "I'm Riley Hoffman by the way."
"I listen to the radio station" said Mac. "As for why I'm here, a man was murdered. Shot and stabbed. Saw anything?"
"I didn't take this road to the Twin Towers, only back from them, so no," said Riley.
"Alright," said Mac. "Thanks for your time and be safe."
As if on queue, a black cat crossed the road.
"I don't believe in that hype," said Riley.
Mac nodded his head. He didn't believe in it either. He went back to the crime scene. As he did he saw Riley tilt her camera upwards to zoom in on the World Trade Center.
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8:45 AM, a small road near the World Trade Center.
Riley kept her angle steady. She saw a plane and zoomed in. Something felt off, though. She had had a bad feeling all morning, even though she was happy. The plane weaved in the sky. Riley laughed. The pilot is drunk, thought Riley. Suddenly it straightened out and flew downward. The plane was flying too low. It was going to crash.
It crashed a minute later – right into the North Tower, AKA Tower 1.
"What the hell was that?!" Riley yelled.
She ran over to the yellow tape, video camera in tow.
"Detective Taylor!" Riley yelled.
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BOOM!!
The noise shook the CTNS building. Rod sat up on the futon and looked outside, Blake's mouth open an O of horror.
"Sweet Jesus," said Rod. "It's worse than before."
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Mac watched as the body was hauled into the ME's van and driven away. He wondered if Riley was still on the other side of the alley. He walked back into the alley and heard a deafening roar, followed by the biggest boom he had ever heard. What he heard next was Riley shouting for him. He ran out from under the tape, followed by Stella, Don and Aiden.
"What was that?!" said Mac.
"The tower, Tower 1, oh my god!!" said Riley. "The plane, I don't know how it happened!!"
She started filming again. The tower had a huge hole in it and was on fire. The clouds of smoke billowing out were huge.
"Whoa," said Riley. "All those people in the plane died, didn't they?"
Mac got in front of the lens again. Riley moved her camera.
"What is it this time?" said Riley.
"Does that thing seat two?!" said Mac.
"Yeah, why?" said Riley.
"My wife works up there!" said Mac. "You need to take me down there!"
"Get in the back and keep your hands on the bars at all times," said Riley.
He got on and she hit the gas. He noticed that while Riley was watching the road, she had her video camera propped on her shoulder. He couldn't believe she was doing this. She must have had years of practice. Suddenly Riley hit the breaks and dismounted. By now people were running around in the street, pointing and taking pictures. Mac almost yelled at her, but then he saw the horrifying sight that Riley was now filming.
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9:00 AM, a few feet from the World Trade Center.
Riley heard a plane coming. Perhaps some help? She dismounted the bike and tipped up her camera for a better angle. She saw that the plane was just another passenger jet like the one she had caught on her camera earlier. It was headed for the South Tower, AKA Tower Two. She watched in horror as that one crashed too.
"Oh my god!" Riley shouted.
Both Riley and Mac looked on in horror.
TBC...
OK so I know the prologue was kinda filler but it was supposed to set the tone or I was overthinking the disaster film angle of the story. More reviews means more updates.
