10-04-2019, 11:13 AM
"The wound to La Contessa's... er... breast... did not pierce any vital organs; however, she did sustain hairline fractures in her left arm and shoulder from impact with the marble floor of the room." He swallowed before finishing. "During her struggle with the assassin."
As he turned to the last card, the scene played out in his head again. La Contessa stepping forward, the cart crashing into the support column, a flash brighter than any of the camera flashes, everyone turning.
Except him. The assassin. Everyone else heard what sounded like firecrackers going off, then he seemed to run at her in slow-motion. And the two Ultimados had come running to the scene because they'd heard the noise from a distance too far away to hear La Contessa's command. The thoughts coalesced as he read the last card.
"Lady Maria de San Finzione has been officially appointed Contessa-in-Reggenza until such time as Contessa Helena is able to resume her duties. She has been meeting with advisors in a secure location and is expected to call a cabinet meeting within the hour; which I must leave for soon, so I will take the first question."
He selected a reporter that he recognized. Ramirez already knew what the first question would be, whomever he'd picked. It was one of several on his growing mental list of "Questions La Contessa May One Day Force Me To Answer;" which he practiced responses to in a mirror or on occasion, compared notes with Capitan Ortega's own list.
"Generalissimo," the reporter spoke up. "You were standing right next to La Contessa during the attack. You had your weapon in your holster. Why did you not act?" Murmurs of agreement and "I was going to ask that" came from the throng assembled.
The word "act" caused the thought in Ramirez's mind to complete: Not act, RE-act. The assassin hadn't reacted to the noise because the man couldn't hear it! If the assassin had no sense of hearing, it would explain everything. He had something now, he just had to get through the next couple minutes. He got back to the question.
"The Bystander Effect is a known psychological phenomenon, as is the Mass Hysteria that causes it to sweep through a crowd. The training of La Squadra de Ultimados; which it was my proud honor to once lead and to now command, is the best mental and physical discipline that San Finzione's Armed Forces have to offer. However, any man who would stand before you and proclaim himself entirely immune to known psychological effects would be a liar or a fool. It can happen; it happened to me at the worst possible moment; and for my shame, I shall seek to atone by continuing to serve San Finzione and La Contessa until she deems otherwise. Next question. Yes, you."
The reporter he selected stepped up slowly. More details of the memory were coming in to Ramirez's brain. There'd been a shuffle to the man's step as he'd charged. The Assassin didn't SEEM to charge La Contessa in slow-motion because Ramirez could not stop what was unfolding in front of him, he WAS moving slower, and she was still so stunned that her power did not work that he was able to reach her and force her to the ground.
Ramirez thought "Difficulty moving the right side of his body... an injury, perhaps?" And he held the knife in his left hand. A deaf, left-handed assassin who chooses to work with a knife despite being handicapped? Interpol should not have too many of them on file.
"Generalissimo, do you think that Lady Maria will be able to fulfil the role of Contessa?"
The question shook him out of his train of thought. He replayed the question in his head to make sure he'd heard correctly. He fixed the reporter with a serious stare before answering.
As he turned to the last card, the scene played out in his head again. La Contessa stepping forward, the cart crashing into the support column, a flash brighter than any of the camera flashes, everyone turning.
Except him. The assassin. Everyone else heard what sounded like firecrackers going off, then he seemed to run at her in slow-motion. And the two Ultimados had come running to the scene because they'd heard the noise from a distance too far away to hear La Contessa's command. The thoughts coalesced as he read the last card.
"Lady Maria de San Finzione has been officially appointed Contessa-in-Reggenza until such time as Contessa Helena is able to resume her duties. She has been meeting with advisors in a secure location and is expected to call a cabinet meeting within the hour; which I must leave for soon, so I will take the first question."
He selected a reporter that he recognized. Ramirez already knew what the first question would be, whomever he'd picked. It was one of several on his growing mental list of "Questions La Contessa May One Day Force Me To Answer;" which he practiced responses to in a mirror or on occasion, compared notes with Capitan Ortega's own list.
"Generalissimo," the reporter spoke up. "You were standing right next to La Contessa during the attack. You had your weapon in your holster. Why did you not act?" Murmurs of agreement and "I was going to ask that" came from the throng assembled.
The word "act" caused the thought in Ramirez's mind to complete: Not act, RE-act. The assassin hadn't reacted to the noise because the man couldn't hear it! If the assassin had no sense of hearing, it would explain everything. He had something now, he just had to get through the next couple minutes. He got back to the question.
"The Bystander Effect is a known psychological phenomenon, as is the Mass Hysteria that causes it to sweep through a crowd. The training of La Squadra de Ultimados; which it was my proud honor to once lead and to now command, is the best mental and physical discipline that San Finzione's Armed Forces have to offer. However, any man who would stand before you and proclaim himself entirely immune to known psychological effects would be a liar or a fool. It can happen; it happened to me at the worst possible moment; and for my shame, I shall seek to atone by continuing to serve San Finzione and La Contessa until she deems otherwise. Next question. Yes, you."
The reporter he selected stepped up slowly. More details of the memory were coming in to Ramirez's brain. There'd been a shuffle to the man's step as he'd charged. The Assassin didn't SEEM to charge La Contessa in slow-motion because Ramirez could not stop what was unfolding in front of him, he WAS moving slower, and she was still so stunned that her power did not work that he was able to reach her and force her to the ground.
Ramirez thought "Difficulty moving the right side of his body... an injury, perhaps?" And he held the knife in his left hand. A deaf, left-handed assassin who chooses to work with a knife despite being handicapped? Interpol should not have too many of them on file.
"Generalissimo, do you think that Lady Maria will be able to fulfil the role of Contessa?"
The question shook him out of his train of thought. He replayed the question in his head to make sure he'd heard correctly. He fixed the reporter with a serious stare before answering.
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