Killing Play (Anti-Death) 2

 My friend Abigail asked me to put this up online before the inauguration. Part of a series in progress.

An investigator’s room.

A: That’s the question, you said it: who’s responsible?

B: There were two shots.

A: Two shots, who cares, it’s a gun and a trigger.

B: Two guns. The autopsy results say it can’t have been the same shooter.

A: Does that corroborate the footage?

B: The footage tells us nothing. You’ve seen it, heck half the country’s seen it.

A: Play it anyway.

C: [offstage] Just have to rig up the projector, one moment.

B: It’s inconclusive.

A: If there are two shots we’re fucked.

B: Shhh, it’s not over. It just means double the leg work.

A: Four times, eight times. And they have an alibi, you’re forgetting.

B: A shooter with an alibi, you’re kidding me.

A: Because they can say it wasn’t me who killed him. The other guy did.

C: [offstage] We’re on. [Pause. In different voice] Bang-bang!

B: You see? Literally nothing.

A: Were they simultaneous shots? Could they have planned it?

B: Are you suggesting conspiracy to kill? One bullet would have done it.

A: The fact that there were two bullets relieves them of guilt before the law.

B: Pedantic. Intent to kill is a crime in this country.

A: We’d have to establish connection between the two shots.

B: Ballistics report just in, commissioner’s fast-tracked it for obvious reasons. A bit sloppy.

A: Read it.

B: Bullet alpha entered body above left collarbone and exited at ribcage, shattered rib and punctured lung. Heart chambers destroyed, it says. Bullet beta clean through the skull at the right temple. Both shots to kill.

A: Figures.

B: Alpha was the result of a high angle shot, likely rooftop, sniper caliber weapon. No clear suspects yada yada. Beta low and from the side, likely modified hunting rifle. Lots of likely.

A: Nothing that helps us. Not the same hit teams. Unlikely.

B: No paid assassin would take this work.

A: You think?

B: This was the President-elect. Another world leader wants to order a hit?

A: Wasn’t he increasing security?

B: All it takes is one slip.

A: Two slips at the exact same time.

B: It was at a dramatic moment.

C: [offstage] So help me God. [In different voice] Bang-bang!

A: Extremely dramatic. I’m unconvinced.

B: Not a conspiracy?

A: At the exact same time, I mean I just can’t believe it.

B: You couldn’t write it better for screen.

A: The ratings are viral, you’ve seen them?

B: The public wants someone to blame.

A: The public wants a show. Now it’s over. In a few days things will quiet down.

B: But who’s responsible?

A: If they’re connected, it’s the connecting force that’s responsible. Whoever coordinated them.

B: And if they’re unconnected?

A: Act of God.

B: Could there be a third possibility. If like two highly motivated individuals both arrived at the same conclusion?

A: They talk to themselves about it, they get into their heads.

B: But they’re seeing the same content. It gets them prepared to take the shot.

A: A hunter is responsible for the kill. A wartime soldier — isn’t.

B: Not in the rules of war.

A: War presupposes a common enemy, united sides.

B: We’re not at war though.

A: Back up, what content are they seeing?

B: Dragon-slayers, time machine, you know.

A: Is this lone wolf mentality?

B: The shooters were acting alone, in the context.

A: You can’t have two lone wolves.

B: You can have two desperate souls.

A: Then who’s responsible? Surveillance report just in.

B: What’s it say.

A: Scanning it. It says no fewer than one hundred and thirty-two suspicious individuals were reported to local police on the day of the event, most if not all lost in the rapid crowd movement following the gunshots.

B: That’s a new one, rapid crowd movement.

A: Stampede, I think they mean.

B: I’d hate to be caught in that.

A: Feels like we’re already in it.

B: What’s that?

A: Waves of change, collective pushes. You know.

B: We’re investigating the death of a single man.

A: Report: two dead, one a young child, from rapid crowd movement. 

B: Who’s responsible?

A: I don’t know. Anyone who wasn’t careful.

B: Responsible for the death of the President.

A: President elect. Two shots. Two people wanted him dead.

B: Probably more, from that report you just read.

A: Probably more. 

B: It was surgical. I mean ballistics were unequivocal. Two shot to kill. They were ready.

A: Is this an uprising?

B: I don’t know.

A: Everything’s calm. There’s no revolution. It was just two shots.

B: Politics is a mess.

C: [offstage] Trump’s been shot! Oh my god.

A: Somehow not the mess I thought two shots would make.

B: Two means it’s not just crazy talk.

A: They seconded the assassination. Both of them.

B: I don’t think we can establish a case here. The appeals would go on forever. 

A: Shoddy details. Who killed him? Reconstructing would be pointless.

B: I thought it would be easier. Everyone was watching.

A: They knew exactly where he would be.

B: And how many people staring at that spot were wishing him dead?

A: More than a hundred and thirty two.

B: Likely.

A: We’ve got to make it seem like we’re trying though.

B: That would be due diligence.

C: [Offstage, in different voice] Bang-bang!

A: Two shots. Unbelievable.

B: Act of God.