Raymond's clothes as. He sat with his back against the cell wall his hands resting Loosely in his lap his fingers tingled from the tight cuffs they had only just removed the skin around his wrists raw the dull pulse of pain throbbed in his ribs his body body stiff from the beating every inhale sent a sharp sting through his side and he knew at least one of the strikes had bruised something deep he rolled his shoulders and let his head tilt Back Against The Wall staring up at the ceiling the fluorescent lights hummed softly a sound that blended with the occasional murmur of voices beyond the bars the station wasn't loud but it wasn't quiet either officers moved in and out of the main room some laughing at private jokes others speaking in low professional tones the normaly of it all made. Raymond's stomach twist to them this was nothing just another night another arrest another black man in a Cell. He exhaled slowly shaking his head his whole body achd but the worst of it wasn't physical it was the anger creeping into his chest the frustration sitting heavy in his gut this wasn't how it was supposed to go he knew getting stopped was a possibility hell that was the whole point but the way it escalated so fast the way they went straight to violence left his hands curling into fists they were waiting for it. He muttered under his breath his voice horar they didn't need a reason his fingers flexed trying to shake the stiffness he needed to calm down he needed to focus he knew better than to let his emotions take over especially now one of.
The officers walked past the holding cell barely glancing at him before dropping a file onto the desk at the front. Raymond leaned forward resting his elbows on his knees how long you planning on keeping me in here. He asked his voice even but firm the officer barely acknowledged him flipping through the paperwork until we process everything. Raymond huffed out a laugh shaking his head process what you didn't find anything on me I didn't break any laws you just needed an excuse the officer finally looked up his expression unreadable you can talk all you want doesn't change the fact that you're sitting in that cell. Raymond clenched his jaw inhaling slowly through his nose I want my phone call you'll get it when the officer smirked faintly whenever we get to it.
Raymond leaned back pressing his lips together he knew the game they wanted him frustrated wanted him to lash out so they could add more charges extend the ho keep him locked up just long enough for things to quiet down but that wasn't going to happen. Lisa had the footage the thought settled in his chest steadying him he had done his part the rest was in motion now. Lisa sat at her desk her fingers hovering over the keyboard her pulse hammering in her ears the room was dim the only light coming from the glow of her laptop screen the video was playing she had seen a lot in her years as a journalist protests turned violent leaked body cam footage grainy cell phone videos of Injustice unfolding in real time but this was different this was clear this was undeniable. She leaned forward her hands gripping the edges of her desk as she watched the officers surround. Raymond their postures tense before the first push the snear the shoves the way they circled him then the first baton strike she flinched when it hit her fingers tightening even though she had known what happened watching it unfold in crisp highquality footage made it feel heavier more real.
Raymond hadn't provoked them he hadn't fought back they had gone after him because they could. Lisa's stomach turned when the final strike sent him to the pavement the moment the weight of both officers pressed down on him the moment he stopped struggling knowing there was no point she felt something burn in her chest anger frustration disbelief that this kept happening over and over again her phone sat next to her but she couldn't bring herself to reach for it not yet she pressed play again forcing herself to watch it from the beginning she needed to be sure the footage wasn't shaky the sound was crisp the words the officers used the things. They said it was all there no ambiguity No Gray areas. Lisa swallowed hard exhaling through her nose she reached for her phone dialing a number with steady hands it rang once twice then a voice picked up this better be important her editor said his voice groggy with sleep. Lisa didn't hesitate I have something something big a pause then his voice sharpened how big.
She glanced back at the screen at the Frozen image of. Raymond on the ground his face turned toward the camera blood on his cheek big enough to set the city on fire raymon sat in the holding cell his head tilted back against the cold concrete wall his body aching from the beating the bruises were setting in now a deep throbbing ache in his ribs and arms that made even breathing a chore he had tried to adjust his position on the hard bench but there was no Comfort here the fluorescent lights above buzzed faintly casting a sterile glow over the room officers walked past the bars without looking at him their conversations low and filled with laughter as if he wasn't even there the waight was deliberate he knew it they were making him sit making him stew in it letting the weight of what they had done settle in his bones they wanted him frustrated they wanted him angry but he wasn't going to give them the satisfaction the only thing keeping him steady was the knowledge that. Lisa had the footage the whole thing. He exhaled sharply rubbing his wrists where the Cuffs had been too tight he had been in worse situations before he had survived worse but this this wasn't just about him this was bigger and outside the city was about to find out just how big. Lisa sat in her car her laptop balanced on the center console the video queued up on the screen the unedited foot AG played from the moment.
Raymond entered the neighborhood the entire interaction with the officers captured in Crystal Clarity the taunts the shoves the first baton strike there was no room for misinterpretation she had called her editor given him the rundown but she knew this needed to move fast the longer they waited the easier it would be for the police to control the narrative she didn't hesitate she hit upload within minutes it was out she pushed open the door stepping into the cool night air her phone buzzed almost instantly her editor reporters she hadn't spoken to in months Community activists already demanding statements she ignored the calls the footage would speak for itself and it did across the city phones vibrated notifications lit up screens and people paused in their tracks as the video began spreading like wildfire social media exploded loed with outrage the footage reposted across every platform dissected frame by frame the hashtag Justice for. Raymond started trending within the hour in. Raymond's neighborhood the reaction was immediate inside the corner store a small crowd had gathered the video playing on a customer's phone heads clustered around the screen the shop owner. Mr Daniels shook his head his jaw tight as he watched. Raymond take the first hit that man served this country.
He muttered and look at how they treat him a younger man beside him maybe in his early 20s scoffed man this is what happens when you go looking for trouble he should have never been over there an older woman standing behind them crossed her arms he wasn't looking for trouble he was trying to prove a point and what did it prove the younger man shot back that they're going to do what they always do that they can beat us down lock us up and nothing changes it proves. Mr Daniels said his voice low and firm that now the whole damn world can see it elsewhere outside a local Diner two men leaned against the wall one scrolling through his phone while the other paced they didn't even hesitate the first man said shaking his head they were waiting for an excuse the second man exhaled rubbing a hand down his face yeah and now we got to figure out what we're going to do about it this is bigger than just one arrest the first man muttered this is about all of us the church doors down the street had been left open the video playing on a projector inside a group of community members sat in silence watching. Raymond's last words before the first baton came down. Reverend Harris a man in his 60s with graying hair and sharp eyes turn to the crowd we cannot let this be just another story. He said his voice steady we cannot let this be forgotten some nodded others murmured their agreement outside a mother sat in her parked car her hands gripping the steering wheel as the video looped on her phone screen her teenage son sat beside her watching in silence this is why I tell you to be careful.