Fully suited in bomb disposal gear, Jack felt like he was back in Virginia Beach, training under Clay to dismantle hazardous explosives. But back then, mistakes were opportunities to learn; here, failure meant certain death.
Even the best bomb suits couldn't shield against the power of 4 pounds of C4. At most, they might leave a body intact enough for burial.
The sound of hurried footsteps echoed again, this time from upstairs. Jubal arrived, carrying a signal jammer the size of a mini desktop computer. He placed it near Alice's feet.
"This is the newest model we could find in the building. Once activated, it can jam all radio signals within a mile (just under 2 kilometers). Hannah and the field agents are still searching for the suspects."
Kneeling by Alice, Jubal gently patted her shoulder. "We'll save you, I promise. But we need your help. Anything you can remember about the man who grabbed you—every detail matters."
Alice nodded, tears welling up in her eyes again. She tried her best to recall. "In the SUV, he tied my hands behind my back tightly. He was strong, and when he put the bomb collar on my neck, he was rough."
"Wait a second." Aubrey, crouching opposite her, picked up on something. "You mean he held your hands the whole time while installing the bomb? No handcuffs or restraints?"
Alice blinked, realization dawning. "Yes… That means there was a second person helping him."
Jack quickly dialed Hannah. "Hey, Hannah. Bad news—you're looking for two needles in a haystack. There are at least two suspects, and I'm guessing they're the same two who fled the warehouse last night."
He continued, "To monitor the Federal Building effectively, one suspect would need to be stationed to the south in Federal Plaza. That's where I'm facing now. I suggest splitting up. Start with the building to the north; you've got ten minutes."
"We've already found the SUV in the north building's underground parking lot," Hannah replied, her voice steady and professional. "Alice's ID badge was inside. The parking attendant confirms no one has exited. I suspect the suspects are upstairs, observing the Federal Building from a window."
Hannah's efficiency reassured Jack. But before ending the call, she added in a quick whisper, "You okay over there, Jack?"
"Of course. We're prepped and ready," Jack replied, glancing at Clay, who was carefully placing silicone sheets around Alice's neck. If this doesn't work, Jack thought, then fate must really have it in for us. The team's just getting started, and I can't believe we'd lose everyone before we even finish furnishing the new office.
Meanwhile, Jubal finished coordinating with the operations center upstairs. Although he kept the line open, he was already standing. "Okay, the analysts have identified several potential suspects watching from windows across the street. Alice, think hard—is there anything you might've overlooked that could help us pinpoint which one?"
Alice's face tensed with frustration. "I've told you everything I know. If you can't find them, you'll still defuse the bomb, right?" She clutched Aubrey's hands so tightly that her nails dug into his skin.
Aubrey, however, didn't flinch. His calm demeanor remained intact. "Hey, hey, look at me, Alice. Do I look nervous?"
Alice shook her head fervently.
"Exactly. That's because I trust Jack and the others out there. Even though I'm new to the New York office, the stories about this place are legendary—even in Quantico. And didn't Jack just invite you to join the legends? You're going to be one of them."
Alice's tears stopped momentarily, and she nodded vigorously. She even released one hand to wipe her face, though the gesture only smeared her ruined makeup further.
Concerned, Aubrey noticed her swollen wrist. "What happened to your hand?"
"It's probably from when he grabbed me. He was rough…" Alice's eyes lit up as another detail came back to her. "He was wearing a big ring on his right hand—a really large one!"
"Good work, Alice!" Jubal grabbed his phone and shouted instructions upstairs. "Focus on the suspects! Look for someone with a large ring on their right hand. Yes, the second-floor window on the right? Confirmed. Arrest him!"
Jubal left two earpieces with Jack and Aubrey before rushing to the elevator. "Keep in touch. We'll handle this."
Jack and Aubrey donned the earpieces, listening to updates from the field as they assisted Clay in preparing for the delicate operation. However, the arrest didn't go as planned. The agents apprehended a Latino male suspect, but he bit into a poison capsule before they could secure him, killing himself instantly.
Despite the setback, they found no detonator on his person—only a disposable phone with one number saved. Analysts traced the number with lightning speed. Just as Jack had predicted, the signal was coming from Federal Plaza across the street. Hannah, carrying the suspect's phone, was already sprinting there.
The plaza was small, with a few benches, tables, and greenery. Positioned directly across from the Federal Building's south entrance, it was the perfect vantage point.
"Should we activate the signal jammer?" Aubrey asked, following Jack's gaze toward the plaza.
"Not yet. Hannah needs to call that number to confirm the suspect first. We only have one shot at this." Jack removed his bomb suit, moving with determination.
Everyone immediately realized what he intended. Aubrey exchanged a nervous glance with Alice, who was too stunned to protest. Clay, however, stopped working on the collar to grab the jammer and move to a pillar for cover.
"Fifty yards," Clay said, peering out the glass window toward the plaza. "You sure about this?"
"If I cross the street, it's only thirty yards," Jack replied, chambering a round in his SIG Sauer P320-XTen. Confidence laced his voice.
"Which one do you think it is?" Clay squinted at the scattered people in the plaza.
"The woman with black curly hair, sitting alone with her back to us," Jack said. "She keeps fiddling with a makeup mirror. I think she's using it to spy on the building."
"Hannah, I see you," Jack said into his earpiece. "Dial the number now."
Hannah, rounding a patch of greenery, immediately spotted the woman Jack described. "It's ringing!" she reported.
As the phone buzzed, the woman frantically rummaged through her bag. She retrieved a phone and was about to answer when—
"FBI! Don't move!" Hannah shouted, drawing her weapon.
Startled, the woman stood abruptly.
At that moment, the Federal Building's glass doors swung open. Jack burst out, sprinting across the street with blinding speed.
"Don't move!" Hannah yelled again, tossing her phone aside and aiming her gun. Jack came to an abrupt, almost impossible stop behind the woman. Together, they flanked her from both sides, keeping clear of each other's lines of fire.
"FBI! Everyone get down!" Jack roared.
The woman turned to look at Jack, then back at Hannah. Her face twisted in defiance. One hand darted toward her chest.
A shrill electronic whine filled the air as Clay activated the jammer.
Bang!
Bang!
Two shots rang out. Amid the screams of bystanders, the woman's head exploded like a watermelon, her body convulsing as it hit the ground.
(End of Chapter)
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