Michael subtly slipped his hands into his pockets, his fingers skillfully navigating to his virtual inventory. Amid the bustling crowd, he maintained aposed exterior while internally scrambling for a solution to escape the looming threat. His mind needed to operate at its optimal capacity, especially now.


    Hidden from prying eyes, Michael retrieved a neuroenhancer pill—a small, potent capsule designed to heighten cognitive functions dramatically. He palmed the pill discreetly, swallowing it without attracting any attention. Almost instantly, he sensed a surge of rity and heightened awareness as the drug coursed through his system, electrifying his synapses and sharpening his senses.


    The world around him seemed to slow, details bing crisper as if he was seeing everything through a high-definition lens. With his brain now supercharged, Michael began to analyze his surroundings with exceptional precision.


    First, he determined the location of the sniper through the avable information for him, the reflection of the light on the scope indicated a specific angle rtive to his position. Michael quickly calcted the angle of incidence, corrting it with the position of the sun to estimate the sniper''s location.


    He reasoned that the light reflection was most likely caused by a direct line of sight with the sun''s current azimuth.


    Using his enhanced cognitive abilities, Michael approximated the height of the building and the specific window from which the reflection emanated. Knowing the typical floor-to-ceiling height inmercial buildings, he calcted the sniper''s position to be approximately 20 stories up.


    His estimations suggested the sniper was positioned on the southwestern face of the building, which aligned with the trajectory needed for the angle of the reflection he observed.


    To further confirm his hypothesis, Michael utilized his knowledge of trigonometric parax. He measured the apparent shift in the position of the scope reflection as he subtly moved sideways, ensuring his movement was minimal to avoid detection. This shift allowed him to triangte the exact window among the ss facade of the skyscraper.


    Equipped with this precise location, Michael now needed to act on this information. Does he have to run? No, because the sniper could simply follow him through his scope and pull the trigger. How about acting like nothing is happening? Well, the sniper has a clear line of sight of him. Enter the vehicle?


    He would get shot before he could enter the vehicle. Michael''s only viable option was to calcte the exact moment and trajectory of a potential bullet, nning his movement to evade it just in time.


    Assuming the sniper would be using a high-powered rifle, typically found in long-range engagements, Michael estimated the rifle''s likely characteristics. Given the distance and the need for precision, he hypothesized a .308 Winchester caliber, amon choice among professional snipers. This rifle has an average muzzle velocity of about 800 meters per second.


    Factoring in the building''s approximate 300-meter distance from his location, Michael calcted the bullet''s travel time. At 800 meters per second, it would take approximately 0.375 seconds for a bullet to reach where he stood. This brief window was his critical timeframe for action.


    Next, Michael considered the bullet''s trajectory, influenced by gravity and potentially by wind. He quickly assessed the environment: a light breeze from the east at about 5 km/h, not enough to significantly alter a high-velocity bullet''s path, but enough to require consideration.


    He calcted the bullet''s drop due to gravity, which at 300 meters would be around 30 centimeters, a crucial factor in his evasion n.


    Now, knowing the sniper''s exact floor and the rifle''s characteristics, he estimated the angle of shot based on the sniper''s elevation rtive to his own position. This angle was critical to predicting the bullet''s path.


    By understanding this path, Michael could n a minimal yet effective sidestep, moving out of the trajectory at the exact moment the sniper would likely pull the trigger, based on human reaction times and his observed movements.


    Michael prepared himself mentally, timing his watch to the second, ready to make his calcted move. Now, it''s a waiting game, when will the sniper take his shot?


    "Sir? Aren''t you going inside?" Juliet asked concernedly. She must have noticed the tense expression on Michael''s face, which he masked quickly with a nod.


    "Yes, I''m heading in now," Michael responded quietly, stepping towards the vehicle calmly. He opened the door and slid inside, positioning himself in a way that allowed him to see the building where the sniper was located.


    As he settled, the world seemed to hold its breath. The bustling noise of the event faded into the background, reced by the pounding of his own heartbeat in his ears. Michael''s enhanced senses were on high alert, every muscle tensed in anticipation. He waited for the faint noise that would signal the sniper''s action—the soft report of the rifle.


    Then, in a moment that stretched like an eternity, he heard it. The distant muffled sound of the gunshot rolled over the open space between the skyscraper and the vehicle. Time dted, and Michael''s training took over. He threw himself sideways in the seat, an evasive maneuver calcted to change his position just enough to avoid the bullet''s deadly path.


    The window beside him shattered as the bullet pierced through, the sound explosively loud in the confined space of the vehicle. ss sprayed like icy rain, but Michael was already moving, his body contorting unnaturally to dodge the lethal projectile. Despite his calctions, the bullet grazed his shoulder, a line of fire burning across his skin.


    Pain red, sharp, and bright, but Michael''s focus remained unbroken. He touched his shoulder, his fingersing away with blood, confirming the graze. His breathing was heavy, adrenaline coursing through his veins, but he was alive—his calctions had saved him, if only just.


    Gritting his teeth, Michael peered through the broken window, scanning the building. The sniper would be recalibrating after the missed shot, which gave him a few crucial seconds.


    "Drive, now!" Michael barked to the driver, his voice a harsh whisper. The driver, already alerted by the security protocols, didn''t hesitate. The vehicle lurched forward, tires screeching against the pavement as they made a rapid escape from the line of sight of the sniper''s nest.


    Meanwhile, outside the Penins, the guests ran amok when they heard the gunshot, panic instantly spreading through the crowd. Screams filled the air as people scrambled in different directions, trying to find cover or an exit.


    "Sir, are you okay?!" Juliet eximed.


    "I''m fine, just get me out of here as far as you can."@@novelbin@@