CHAPTER FIVE
There was so much power in what the Bomber did. He felt as if he was unleashing the forces of nature, in retribution, to correct the balance of an unfair world.
The Bomber knew he was skilled, beyond the average. He knew his topic thoroughly. He knew his materials.
He knew the risk.
As he drove, he smiled, glancing down at his phone’s small screen, and watching the video that played there. The last blast had been perfect. It had been a classic, textbook detonation. He knew because he'd stayed close enough to hear it and to see the plume of smoke, black and deadly, billowing from the destroyed cabin. He’d waited until he saw the police approach before hiding in the woods, but the camera had been in place, faithfully recording every moment until it got destroyed by the blast.
He’d known the police would arrive after he’d leaked the IP address in response to their emails, pretending to make a mistake, rather than sending from the dark web.
They’d taken longer than he expected to locate the cabin, but it had been worth the wait. Yes, it had been risky hiding in the trees, but the risk had been worth the joy of seeing a perfectly executed project come to fruition.
Immaculate planning, and a result that was everything it needed to be.
"Plan, prepare, execute," he murmured to himself. That was what he was living by.
In the cold days he'd spent in the past, with only his books and learning for company, his mind had turned inward. He'd been obsessed by the idea of revenge.
That had become his mantra.
"And I did it," he muttered. "I'm doing it, and I will complete it. Every step of the way."
He let out a gleeful laugh. He'd succeeded so far, beyond his wildest dreams.
"You're living the life you wanted to. Living your best life, achieving your goals," he told himself, glancing in the mirror, noticing a glimpse of his face, a face he had been told was handsome, if a little cold.
He'd succeeded. And the footage was here to prove it.
He glanced down at the screen, watching it again, rejoicing in the moment where the colors turned from brown and green, to white hot and then, a fade to black.
The camera had transmitted perfectly. He had already forecasted the right time of day and night when the video would capture the most action. The perfect picture.
He glanced down at the screen, at the video, again.
He knew he could not be caught. He was too careful, too skilled. Additionally, he’d taken too many steps to ensure his success. And now, he was going to relive this again and again.
Noticing that he had veered a few inches out of his lane, the Bomber hurriedly corrected himself. He did not want to draw attention to himself in any way. Even on these quiet, country, back roads that he knew well, his driving must be cautious and controlled. He should give police no reason to stop him.
He dusted his hands, then set them back on the wheel, being careful that in his elation he did not start to speed. He knew he needed to be invisible, apart from when he was not.
If only there was someone with whom he could share his pride and his achievements. But there was not, not yet. For now, until his project was complete, it was his own secret, to be told to nobody. Once it was all done, he would break the news to the person who needed to know.
If it was ever completed. He was liking it so much that he didn’t want to stop.
This had not been an impulsive decision, to embark on this journey. This adventure.
He had worked on it for a long time, meticulously and carefully, researching the topic and gathering the right materials, calculating what would work and what would not work. He had been thorough.
Finally, he had made his selection. And then he had worked and worked on it, until it was time.
The world would see that justice had been served. It had not been served in the courtroom; it would be served by him, the ultimate judge and jury.
He had not rushed into this but had taken his time, studying and learning, knowing what he needed to do, exactly how he needed to do it. It had been a complex job because the research had to be done. The preparation undertaken. Materials had to be obtained, and he had done that carefully, taking time, so as not to cause any suspicion.
Locations had to be scouted out. Again, with care, because he wanted to stay a few steps ahead of the police. He doubted they would catch up, but it was unwise to be too confident. That would lead to disaster.
But he'd been worried at first. He was not normally familiar with being scared, but he'd felt fear before his first project. Was this really going to work? He'd been so nervous.