PR Stunt

"Please, drive faster."

Ash was restless, in his rush to find Skye, it felt like everything was moving in slow motion. Even the car he was in that was already past the speed limit still felt slow.

His palms were sweaty thinking about meeting Skye. He thought about what state she would be in and whether she despised him for not protecting her enough. He was paranoid.

"We're here." The driver said.

Ash dashed out of the car and ran into the station. "What lead do you have?" He asked as soon as he got in.

The officers were surrounding a big screen watching police cars outside a house.

"Someone leaked the information of us trailing Theo and having evidence against him so he tried running away. Initially, we had no idea where he could have gone into hiding and the search perimeter wasn't wide enough but we got a lead on his location.

Someone told us he was hiding out in one of his family's vacation homes three towns from here... We're just waiting to lure him out in case he wants to try anything else." An officer brought Ash up to speed.

"How about the footage, did you find anything on it? And Skye, do you know they're holding her?" Ash asked question after question frantically.

"As expected, the men who led the attack were thorough and discreet, although the footage was deleted, there wasn't much we could find from it after recovering them. However, the lead we got on Skye's whereabouts was from the same person who told us where Theo was hiding. 

Skye is being held in an abandoned warehouse in the next town. We don't know if they're expecting us or if the place is bomb trapped so we're being careful with approaching her for now... Theo, however, will be charged with the kidnapping of Skye and your attempted murder. We have the evidence needed."

"Who gave you all this information on where to find them?" Ash was puzzled.

A grim expression was on the man's face before he opened his mouth to say the name Ash hated. "Earl Lane."

"He did what?!"

Ash was confused, he knew Earl had something to do with their attack but his sudden behavior of giving his son away was devious.

Before the officer could reply, Dean came running in with a tablet in his hands. "Boss, something's wrong."

He played a live news feed on the tablet and the whole room went silent as they watched the feed. Earl was holding a press conference where he was begging on his knees.

"As a business owner and a citizen who is passionate about the laws that govern this country, I am very ashamed to be standing before you all today to beg for the sins my son has committed.

As we all know, the business tycoon Ash Water was recently attacked in the comfort of his home. The attack was orchestrated by none other than my son, Theo Lane.

I found out last night while overhearing a conversation he had. He spoke at great lengths about the crime which he had committed.

As a father, I felt like a failure. I couldn't fathom why the boy I raised to be a man of dignity, a worker of the law could do such a thing as an act of revenge. I also got to know that he was involved in a hit-and-run case a while back where he paid someone else to take the blame for him.

I was heartbroken to know that my flesh and blood were capable of such atrocities. I was torn between my duties to my son and my oath to the country and I admit to wanting to help him escape his punishment.

But I couldn't. I had to make sure my son paid for the crimes he committed no matter how much it would break my heart. If I'm not capable of guiding my son down the right path then maybe the police force is.

As we speak now, the police are after him and he'll soon be facing charges for his crime.

I will use this as a lesson to reflect on the ways I raised my child because no one else is to blame but me. I couldn't do what a father is supposed to do for his child

To those Theo's actions have harmed and to Ash Walter, I am deeply sorry. To the citizens of this country, please accept my apologies for failing you. I hope you will all give me a chance to atone for the sins of my son.

And to Theo, I hope you can self-reflect on your actions in the meantime. I'm sorry for failing you as a father, giving you away, and betraying you. Please, forgive this old man someday.

Thank you all."

The screen went dark as the live feed ended.

The whole room was stunned. Earl threw his son under the bus so he could escape punishment for his actions and the worst part was it worked.

The whole nation sympathized with Earl. They saw him as a father who tried his best to raise an upright son but got lost along the way. The fake tears Earl shed and his vulnerable appearance got them all brainwashed, they saw him as a man who was loyal to the law and the country he served.

"I can't believe what Earl is going through right now."

"Poor Earl, he's a good man."

"We support you, Earl."

Those were the comments circulating the internet after Earl's press conference. He gained supporters and had them all wrapped around his finger.

"This is absurd! That speech was clearly a PR stunt" Ash yelled. "How can he pay for his crimes if everyone thinks he's the hero in this story?" He was frustrated.

"I understand your frustration but right now, there's nothing we can do. We don't have any evidence against Earl and all our thoughts are just speculation so he can't be detained."

"We'll deal with him some other time. For now, let's focus on Skye."

Although he hated having Earl off the hook and roaming free, Skye was more important to him at that moment.