Angie and Michael were tourists from Iowa. Every year they went on a vacation along with their son, Brett. They liked going to larger cities as an escape from the rural trappings of their Iowa plains county. Last year they had gone to Chicago. The year before that they made a trip to Boston. This year they settled on New York. They had been in the city for a week, seeing the sights, going to places like Times Square, they had even gotten tickets to a Broadway show, though Brett stayed in the hotel for that one. They were leaving tomorrow, but decided to see the Statue of Liberty today, because no trip to the city was complete without seeing such an icon as the Statue of Liberty. 

Angie, Michael, Brett, and several other innocents were currently being dangled from the top of the Statue of Liberty's crown. Their hands were bound. All they could do was dangle precariously over the ground and scream. And cry. The Countess hovered above the torch in the Statue's hand, tossing another innocent downward. The citizen screamed until the transparent rope caught him and snagged him backwards, dangling him from the rim of the torch. 

"The more you struggle, the more likely it is that your tether will break. If you struggle, you're going to die." The Countess spoke, her voice amplified so the other dangling innocents over on the crown could hear her. "Or rather, you're going to die sooner if you struggle. The reason I left your mouths uncovered is so that those of you here with your families can say your goodbyes. And people say I'm heartless."

The Countess descended from the torch, landing safely on the ground below. She looked out into the bay, spotting a ferry carrying another round of tourists towards Liberty Island. Behind it was a faster boat containing members of the Coast Guard, who were honestly slow to react. They should have been here by now. The Countess lifted her arm to her mouth and spoke discreetly into it. "Let's make it fun." 

Behind her, an explosion sounded. The piers on the island crackled and broke, falling burnt into the bay below. The loud sound of the explosion caused the dangling innocents to scream, and some to resume their futile struggles. The explosion could be seen from shore, and was only causing more panic. People were now seeing the outlines of the dangling people. The scene was quickly getting chaotic. 

It didn't take much longer for the island to have patrol boats circling and a spotlight on The Countess. Overhead, a news chopper was hovering. "Right on cue." 

"News-feeds are cutting into television and radio broadcasts, Countess," Nicky reported through the communicator device in The Countess' arm. 

"Citizens," The Countess began speaking, her voice again amplified, "Behind me and above me, I have dangled every tourist that was climbing to the top of this national monument. They wanted a spectacular view, and I have given it to them. I didn't do a headcount, but my best estimate is that there are fifty people perched precariously over the pavement. They will not survive the descent. I am not holding them ransom. And they are not the only ones who will die today."

The Countess stuck her hand upwards and lifted herself up to the top of the Statue's head. 

"Should anyone try to be heroic, and that goes for those idiots calling themselves heroes, I will detonate this entire island and the citizens here will have a much slower death. I am not joking." 

The Countess approached a group of three dangling from the same crown point and grabbed the older man by the hair. "Tell the people your name."

"M...Michael." he weakly spat out. 

"Is this your family, Michael? Good thing your son here has his mother's looks. Tell me, Michael, what would you prefer, watching your wife and son die right in front of your eyes, or having your wife and son watch you die in front of their eyes?" 

"Please...please don't..." was all Michael could speak through his tears.

"Oh, but Michael, I have to. I'm making a statement. Think of it this way. You and your family and all these other people will go down in history. You'll get your name on a memorial plaque and your faces will be on television remembrance ceremonies while some bad emotional music plays. The President might even give you all a moment of silence. Now tell your family you love them. Come on now, millions are watching."

"I...I...I lo-"

Michael was cut off by a scream as before he could finish speaking, Angie and Brett, his wife and son, were cut loose and sent falling towards the ground.

"I say again. These people will die. And they will not be the only ones. This is your first lesson." 

The Countess returned to the head of the statue, smiling at the screams of the falling mother and son.