The city buzzed with panic and speculation. Police drones hovered in the sky, and rumors swirled like the cold January wind.
On a rooftop overlooking Midtown, Bunnyman stood with Lady Tape beside him, both staring down at the chaos below.
"He didn't do this alone," Bunnyman said. "Someone powerful wanted the mayor taken. Someone who wants this city distracted."
Lady Tape crossed her arms. "You think Eagle was hired?"
"Most likely," Bunnyman replied. "This kind of stunt—it breaks the city's focus. Everyone's watching this. No one's watching what's really going on."
Lady Tape tilted her head. "Then who do you think is behind it?"
"I don't know," he said quietly. "But we have to find out."
Suddenly, every screen in the city flickered again. Live footage began streaming from an unknown source.
The mayor appeared, tied to a metal chair in a dimly lit room. His mouth was gagged, eyes wide with panic.
Then came a distorted voice.
"If you want your mayor back…" the voice said, slow and deliberate, "…then return what's mine."
The feed cut.
Static.
Silence.
Then—confusion. The people, the media, the police—no one knew what to make of it.
On the rooftop, Bunnyman stared at the screen.
"Return what's his?" he muttered. "What is he even asking for?"
Lady Tape's voice was calm, but sharp. "Maybe it's someone the mayor wronged. A rival. He could be demanding the city back."
"Could be," Bunnyman said. "But how do we even know what he's referring to?"
Lady Tape looked over at him. "Then we look. We dig. We go through every major incident in the last two or three years—see if anything connects."
Bunnyman exhaled. "That'll take too long."
"Then I'll handle it," Lady Tape said. "I'll go through everything—news archives, police records, everything I can find."
Bunnyman nodded. "And I'll handle things on the outside. Talk to people. Look for signs."
"Fine," she said, turning. "I'll keep you posted."
She vanished into the city.
Elsewhere, in a dark, isolated chamber, a mysterious figure sat calmly in a high-backed chair. The room was quiet, save for the faint humming of distant machinery.
Across from him, Eagle stood tall.
"You did well," the figure said. "The payment will be delivered soon."
Eagle shrugged. "This was nothing. If there's something bigger—I'm ready."
The figure leaned forward slightly.
"Then I've got something," he said. "Something just for you."