June 5, 1968

"The President would be in the pantry, as soon as you have a clear visual, take the shot" The huge man in suit whispered into the black mini headset attached to his ear.

"Copy that" The voice replied. The man visibly relaxed as he waited for the next series of events.

John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States, moved through the pantry with a million dollar smile stuck to his face. His bearing was both regal and composed, like a king in no rush to sample his food.

His hair was a shiny brown cut neatly in a simple but fashionable style and his suit was new and free of wrinkles, made of the highest quality.

He was approaching another crowd of dignitaries and important locals who had their hands outstretched waiting for a hand shake from him.

As he turned to his left to shake the hands of yet another important faceless man, a series of shots rang out. He felt a bullet tear through his right arm and another two through his back. He stumbled forward fighting the dizziness and darkness threatening to subdue him. "Protect the president!!!" He heard someone yell as he felt blood oozing from behind his right ear. He pressed his palm to his ear, trying to apply pressure to the wound before passing out.

...

12:33pm

Serena wrapped the 22 caliber Iver-Johnson Cadet Revolver in a rectangular suitcase. Her aim had been spot on, but her hands trembled. She, Serena Hadish had just killed the 35th President of the United States! The assassination was clean but she had to get out of the apartment before things got difficult.

"John! Lewet! " she called to her two partners, the both men had on a straight face. One was tall and black with a white suit on, while the other had on simple everyday suit with a journalist badge worn like a collar around his neck.

They were used to the job, so they didn't flinch when she took the shot." Call Louka, have her prepare our get away." John nodded in affirmation as he whispered into his receiver. Lewet a former Russian intelligence officer looked at her with curious eyes " You're becoming soft Maria". Lewet said noticing her trembling hands. He was always keen on sticking to the job, irrespective of the fact that he knew her name, he stuck to calling her alias.

Serena eyed him over, narrowing her eyes at him. She'd been taught never to show fear but lately she'd not been feeling like herself.

" We've got to leave" Serena said with urgency as she raced out of the hotel room with the two men at her heels. "The elevator!" John pointed, looking expectantly at the two of them. "A waste of time" Serena cautioned as she took the steps in twos, and threes, with her polka dot dress rising up to her thighs with each descent.

She wore it to keep up appearances and to blend in with the crowd, hours before the assassination. She looked fetching with her red hair held up with beautifully designed pins and loose curls highlighting her contrasting complexion.

In the heat of the moment, her hair had come undone with the pins all but missing.

As she came on to the stairway leading to the embassy ballroom, she saw the aristocratic looking woman she met earlier. She had a look of horror on her face, as she stared pointedly at the trio.

"Should we kill her?" Lewet asked in hushed tones. "No time for that" Serena responded hastily as she quickly disappeared down the winding stairs.

On reaching the ground floor, Serena raced through the reception dashing out of the door with her companions hot on her heels.

"Valet!" She yelled to the smartly dressed adolescent pulling her car into the driveway. She shoved him aside forgetting to tip him as she hurriedly drove away. They had a fall guy, but Serena still felt a little trepidation. Her nerves had been on edge all day. As she raced through the roads connecting to the highway, she slowed down on reaching the tunnel, driving slowly till she spotted Louka's nerdy appearance.

He was tan with wispy brown hair. He had on a pair of specs, with a polo and jean pants completing his looks.

"Louka!" Serena exclaimed with glee, grinding the car to a halt, she got out with John and Lewet alighting simultaneously.

Louka threw three different keys to the trio with a smile on his boyish face "John, Lewet, you both take the white Mercedes, I'll dispose of the Bentley. Serena, you take the bike. We'll see when we see. Here take this." Louka handed Serena a leather pant and jacket.

Serena pulled off her polka dot dress, before putting on the attire. She attached the helmet to her head before driving off with the two guys.

....

"Tonight on BBC, 35th President, John Fitzgerald Kennedy was assassinated during celebrations following his successful campaign in the Californian primary elections. After the shooting which happened today at 12:30pm, investigators were recorded as saying that the alleged assassinator 'Mr Sirhan Sirhan', a Palestinian immigrant, has been apprehended and would face the full might of the law.

CIA agent, Vincent Brooks was stated as saying that there was a total of 13 shots fired at the .."

Connor switched off the television, he had on a huge smile on his face. He reclined on the sofa humming a haunting tune. He sipped the whiskey from the glass he held, savoring its rich taste. "From corruption, profit is made." He thought as he picked up his burner phone to dail a number. Holding the receiver to his ear, the number rang a couple of times but no one picked.

"Guess I'll just call some other time" he muttered to himself as tucked the phone in his pocket before resting his head back on the sofa and closing his eyes.

The hairs at the back of his neck suddenly stood on end, he turned his neck nervously glancing through the room.

He had a feeling of being watched. Without wasting a second, Connor dived behind the sofa. A second later, a bullet wheezed through the air, piercing through the sofa at the position he was a second ago.

Connor cursed under his breadth, as he tried to make sense of his situation. He knew there was a sniper outside. From the location of the shooting, the snipper was probably located at the west side of the building.

Connor calmed himself as he tried to think of the best possible way out his predicament.

"A series of shots rang out, destroying the sofa till it looked like a torn rag. " Damn!". He covered his ears, as he waited for that millisecond when the shooter would pause to reload.

The apartment suddenly fell silent. Connor ran straight for the room, making a dive just as a bullet pierced through his right foot.

He limped to the bedside grabbing his gun from under the pillow. Grrr, Grrr, The apartment phone suddenly rang. Connor remained rooted to the spot, he knew that the moment he got out to answer he'd be dead.

The phone rang loudly , giving the already destroyed sitting room a sort of ominous chill.

Silence suddenly returned, the ringing sound had stopped. Connor crouched low on the ground and he crawled slowly out of his room pausing at the doorway.

He suddenly felt a vibration in his jean. He drew his phone out of his jean with care and picked the call.

"Connor!You have to get out of there! They've double crossed us. John and Lewet are dead. Whatever you do, don't trust Watson!" Serena's frantic voice yelled from the phone."Serena, where are you?" Connor asked calmly. He hadn't prepared for this outcome but they had a contingency for situations like this.

"I'm going off the grid C. If you make it put alive, meet me at the safehouse."

With that last statement, the call suddenly ended." Serena! Shit!." Connor suddenly heard the fire alarm go off.

He was on the fifth floor and pretty soon he was sure everyone would come rushing out of the building.

Connor knew this was a trap, his opponents wanted to do a clean sweep and though he felt cornered,he reluctantly praised them in his mind.

The plan was pretty good but had some flaws. He knew they'll be coming up soon. He crouched near the entrance of the doorway of the bedroom.

Targeting the sitting room lights, he shot at it till all the lights were out and the room was thrown into darkness. He switched off the bedroom lights leaving the kitchen as the only source of light in the whole apartment.

Gripping his shot gun tightly, he sat down on the floor with legs across each other and waited till he heard the familiar boom boom sound of military boots. "Let the show begin." Connor said with a wide smile as his eyes narrowed into slits.