The DSS Senior Agent in Charge Mark James knew that leaving the security of the building was a risk, if the bomber was within sight he may have other devices in place, and was waiting for them to move. Like all protection agents, he knew that you reduce the risk to a minimum, but you can never fully eliminate it. He would normally return fire and evacuate the principal, but presently he could not execute. For now the building would shield them from any other devices, and it was less likely bombs were within the heliport building. The remaining four man team had surrounded Uncotto and his aides, and secured the building. All the employees were locking the exits and doors, while the members of the public were put into a waiting room and told to stay down.
Albert was getting irritated by this delay, he checked the perimeter still no sign of NYPD or any other agency, or though there was some activity up river. He fired into the area that he presumed the DSS would use to secure the building.
James would normally have been comfortable with the level of protection the block building offered, until Alfred’s first round arrived.
This target was perfect for this type of ammunition. Alfred was firing the Raufoss, a ten centimetre long projectile, a bullet within a bullet. It was designed for penetrating armoured targets, the copper jacket stripping on impact, the high explosive igniting and the tungsten carbide penetrator round ripping through the front of the bullet and into the target. The hole it made would drag the high explosive and zirconium powder into the target and ignite, the explosion ripping apart most materials. This weapon could take out people through walls, helicopters and lightly armoured vehicles.
The bullet reached the outer wall before the sound wave, penetrating and exploding just by the inner wall. Plaster fragments showered down on the people inside, the blast from the projectile shattered the vending machine it had hit as it arrived. Streams of carbonated drinks were flowing down the back, shorting out the machine and starting a small electrical fire, a nearby member of staff quickly brought under control. The second shot missed the machine, entering the building at chest height and slamming into an unfortunate businessman. He was annoyed at having his flight delayed, and had not heeded the advice of the DSS agents. The momentum of the bullet, travelling at over eight hundred feet per second, took him off his feet and slammed him against the wall a few feet away. As his body slumped down the wall, a large red stain remained; his chest now a bloody mass of bone, sinew and flesh, open to the elements. The zirconium powder still burned in the wound and where it entered the building. The remaining occupants of the building began screaming at the shock of the destruction.
Alfred knew he was taking a calculated risk, his muzzle flash from two shots would give him away, but he also knew failure would get him killed. He had to ensure that the president died, and now it would look like a determined terrorist attack, rather than an accident as he had originally planned.
James decided to get aboard the helicopter and away, the likelihood of a bomber getting onto the helipad was much lower than the public access car park. With his comms out he knew that leaving the area was best, they were too exposed and vulnerable. But now this building was just as deadly. While his team informed the other people in the building of what to do, James had exited from the other double side doors, using the shape of the building to shield his position. It was risky, but they had no choice. The fire fighting hose was to his right; a small snow plough still on the ground just up from it. He ducked down, flat to the floor the snowplough shape may deflect a bullet, but there was no guarantee with the type of ammunition being used against them. His heart pounded as he wedged the fire hose into the mounting bracket of the snowplough, ensuring it was firmly held. With the pressure it should buck up like a young stallion and wedge itself harder into position.
Alfred saw the team moving, he steadied his aim, preparing for his shot. He knew that following the explosions Uncotto would sit in the middle of the group, with an agent either side. Alfred’s plan was to fire at the DSS agent sitting beside Uncotto, hitting him in the neck or head, the bullet would reach the helicopter in just over one second after leaving the rifle on Governors Island. Upon hitting the DSS agent it would release the tungsten carbide section, travelling out of his head and into Uncotto, taking the explosive mix with it. The bullet would then explode either just inside Uncotto or right next to him, inflicting serious damage. Alfred would then fire a second round into the helicopters fuel tank above the cabin, even with the self-sealing, the RDX explosive and zirconium powder burn would ignite the aviation fuel, destroying it just to make sure. He could then arrange that an extremist group had evidence planted that implicated them and The Consortium would have their man in place.
The NYPD Aviation Unit was the oldest in the world, established in 1928. They had received a call from near the heliport of an attack and explosions. A threat to a diplomat and his detail. They scrambled from Floyd Bennett Field fifteen kilometres southeast, taking a NYPD sniper with them. This was unusual but with an extremely high threat they felt it prudent.
James turned on the fire hose. The spray coming out in a wide fan across the heliport, going fifteen feet up and right out past the waiting helicopter obscuring any view from downriver, the cold water would fool a heat sensitive camera, hiding their bodies behind its white curtain.
Using the spray for cover, Uncotto moved to the helicopter, two agents flanking him, they reached it and strapped in, weapons still drawn. The second team escorted the assistants on board and the pilot was instructed to lift off and away from the heliport rapidly.
Alfred could not see anything through his scope, the spray from the fire hose destroyed any clear line of sight he had, he had to hit the helicopter, but it was difficult to judge with the spray interfering with his view. He could not just fire wildly, even though he had been careless so far, he had to guarantee killing his target.
Uncotto did not realise what was happening, the DSS agents moving swiftly unclipped his seatbelt, and pushed him down to the ground as the first bullet came through the composite body of the aircraft. It passed out the other side of and exploded in a lamppost, snapping it in half. The DSS agents returned fire in the direction of the shot, showering the area with bullets.
At max speed the NYPD Agusta Koala A119 was on station in four minutes, the pilot used the heat camera to scan the area but as Alfred had planned the emissions from the vent made his body invisible to the sensors. They had switched to night vision and began a sweep of the shore opposite the heliport, when the first shot lit up the vents near the island.
Alfred felt a searing pain in his leg. He had just fired his first shot at the helicopter a kilometre away, the muzzle flash lighting up the top of the structure. He was about to fire the second shot into where he thought the fuel tank was, when he was hit. He rolled over as the only place he could be shot from was above, and then he saw them.
The NYPD sniper on board targeted the assassin and shot him in the leg from over five hundred metres away, as the helicopter swung round and approached the island. There would be no warning for this man, NYPD would deal with any threat with necessary force, and any assassin knew the risks he was taking coming to New York.