The Suspect

I entered the small room. The small bulb flickered as I sat down with the murderer. This case was maybe the most confusing case of my 13-year career. I looked in the man's eyes. He didn't look anything like a murderer. But looks are always deceiving. I took out a small folder of files from my jacket. He looked at me with sad eyes. I started to read the files to him. 

"James Kilic, age 29, Male, College student for Gateway University?" 

"Yes." 

"Owner of a handgun?" 

"legally I do, yes." 

"On Friday the 13 of November did you or did you not murder twelve teenagers, five adults, 2 kids, and cripple 7 others?" 

"No sir." 

I took of my professional sunglasses and through them aside. I leaned into the table. 

"Is that what you're going to tell court?" I whispered in his ear. He stood up immediately. 

"I may have done thing wrong in life, but I have never taken a life!" 

I saw the angry in his face as he continued. "You have the wrong man sir! I promise you!" I sat back down in my chair. The suspect did the same. I continued to read the files. 

"You were in the school library at the time of the shooting, correct?" 

"Yes sir. But-" 

"You had a handgun in your backpack loaded with bullets, correct?" 

"Correct, But I-" 

"You are aware that when we got to the library you were the only one still alive and had your gun draw, yes?" I could start to tell I was agitating him now. All the evidence was there. It was just a matter of time before he cracked. 

"Yes, But only because-" 

"Let me ask you this. Why did you have a gun on campus in the first place? That could get you suspended- or worse. You were a top student in your class majoring in- Art. Certainly not lethal, yet still intriguing. Why is it that-" 

"Please sir, let me tell my side of the story." I relaxed, realizing I was leaning forwards again. 

"Yes, tell me more." I wasn't expecting anything well thought out, or realistic. Probably just a plea, I thought. I was wrong. Dead Wrong. 

"I went to school with the gun because- well, I don't know if you know this, but I'm a Russian spy." I laughed out loud, not bothering to keep anything in. 

"My real name is Alexander. I joined the spy ranks at 24 and was sent overseas to where I am now. I was trailing a woman named Lada Ivanov, a dangerous woman who was known for her well thought out plots. Putin personally assigned me to this mission because she grew up in my town. Anyway, I tracked her down the Gateway, and I enrolled as James Kilic. I slowly gathered information about her and what she was doing. Lada worked for a small drug cartel and was helping shipping millions of dollars' worth of Russian manufactured drug into the U.S., then shipping them off to Mexico where her gang HQ is. They then sell it off in the black market. She was the middleman. They have a base in Russia, which we are currently looking into, and I am positive she has one in the U.S. to. That certain day I had tracked her to the library. I was watching her from across the aisles. She disappeared from my sights for a minute, then I saw her with a group of students. I did not want to blow my cover, so instead of standing there I walked over and introduced myself. I soon as I said my name, I saw Lada's face go white. We all talked for a bit, until I went to the bathroom. Not really of course, Just to retrieve a handgun I had hidden the other day. Halfway back to the library, I heard gunshots. I cursed and took the handgun out of my backpack, sprinting to the library. She was spraying left and right. Blood was seeping into the carpets. I fired my first two shots, missing narrowly. She spotted me and started shooting. I ducked behind a bookshelf for cover. I couldn't even get a shot out; she was shooting everywhere. I discarded the screaming and got on my hands and knees to crawl to another row. Once I did that I stood up and fired my gun. Except Lada was long gone. I had accidentally shot a bystander. Her body hit the ground as you and your swat team entered the library. So yeah, that's basically it." He sat with a snug face as I processed the information. 

I was in shock. Our previous DNA test did show him 94% Russian, plus all the signs of lying weren't there. I knew he was telling the truth. But the fact that- It was crazy. 

"Why are you telling me this? Shouldn't a spy be secret? Isn't that a spy's whole Job?" 

"Well, yes, but I have a sneaking suspicion that it's not only Russian drugs being shipped to Mexico. Listen, right now, we're on the same side. I have a good idea where she might be right now. If we act fast, we can catch her. I nodded my head in understanding. 

"We need to move fast." In less than five minutes we had pulled up to a small building on the outskirts of town. 

"Well, let us move in. Here, take this, you've proven yourself." I tossed him a handgun. "A trained spy like you should know how to use it." 

We silently entered the building, I went left, he went right. I heard something fall from upstairs. I meet Alexander at the bottom of the staircase. We both silently nod, knowing what's in store next. I take the lead, slow going. My gun is pointed straight upstairs. When we get up there, there is a narrow hallway within open door at the end. I felt like I was in a horror movie. I entered the room. No one was there. In fact, the room was bare empty. I turned around to tell Alex to face down the barrel of his gun. I had no time to react. I was dead before I hit the ground. 

(thanks for reading)