The banshee scream had cost Mack more than one relationship, that and the odd hours he kept, but that melodramatic off-key sound mixed with nails on a chalkboard, did its job and woke him.

He grabbed it off the nightstand and deftly swiped the screen to accept the anticipated call. The auto record kicked in to capture both sides of the conversation even while he dashed off the details of the assignment. The call over, the gravel-laden voice bade him “good luck” and hung up.

Everything had been cleaned, organised and laid out on the table. With nothing left to chance, he gave all the equipment a final review. Of significant importance were the remote trigger devices, and each were tested again before methodically packed into the foam cushioned case. That extra protection would cradle them for the rough journey to the target’s location.

Three hours later, he arrived. Nothing had changed since he his last visit; nevertheless he took his time to surveil the area and ensure it was clear of people. The barriers that had been arranged to prevent the public from unexpectedly walking into this section were still in place as were the signs that directed them to another path.

  He took out the scope. A slight breeze drifted in from the west but it hardly stirred the area and would not impact the shot he had to take.  The sun had yet to snake its way above the horizon though dawn was fast approaching.

He carefully set up the tripod and made sure all the legs were firmly positioned then connected the barrel and body together. The solid click confirmed they locked into place. He attached it to the tripod and ensured it was perfectly balanced and aligned to the targets point of entry.

The low-light and distance made the shot a challenge. To compensate, he attached a specialised piece of kit, designed to ensure the firing action would be exact. The shot had to be perfect and the laser trigger was the best option for this job.

There was complete trust in the equipment, he knew it well from previous assignments, yet did a final check of everything to ensure there were no loose connections.  As a failsafe, he tethered the unit into his phone. If all else failed, he could manually trigger the shot or change the rate of fire if the need arose.

Satisfied that everything was as it should be, he removed the lens cap and switched on the laser trigger.  The moment was upon him and this time nothing would get between him and his target.

Behind him, the first rays of light flowed over the horizon and stretched like long fingers across the land. They warmed his back and bathed the land with a rich golden colour. His breath stilled, Mack focused down the scope and waited.

Tentative movement, a flash of colour. The Malachite Kingfisher emerged, flexed its wings and broke the laser’s beam. The rapid fire triggered and the camera captured the first moments of flight.