The usually quiet Federal Plaza was now a cacophony of chaos. Mere seconds after the gunshots, the wail of sirens erupted from every direction. Unmarked police cars with hidden lights flashing zoomed into the plaza, quickly sealing off all nearby roads. A blue-and-white NYPD F-150 pickup roared into the scene, towing a round bomb containment unit.
Danny Reagan stepped out of the truck, immediately noticing the grim faces of Jack and Hannah. "What happened? Did a suspect get away?" he asked, puzzled.
Jack held up the detonator, a small device resembling a car key fob. "This thing only has one button—for detonation. No disarm button."
Danny clenched his jaw, his expression darkening as he absorbed the implications.
The Federal Plaza's proximity to NYPD headquarters meant reinforcements poured in quickly. Police cars, fire trucks, and ambulances converged on the area, turning it into a fortress. Jack motioned for Hannah to remain outside while he rushed back into the Federal Building.
Inside, Clay had already disabled the signal jammer. Alice sat in a chair, holding her phone to her ear.
"Hi, sweetie… I just wanted to hear your voice. No, everything's fine, really. Just keep watching TV, okay? Mommy just wanted to tell you… I love you more than anything in the world. Okay, bye-bye."
She hung up and took a deep breath, attempting a smile as she looked at Aubrey. "I didn't even cry this much when my ex-husband left me," she joked weakly, wiping her tear-streaked face.
Aubrey, his eyes misting, tightened his grip on her hands. "This is tough, but everyone here is giving it their all. Trust us—you'll be okay."
Jack, ever the mood killer, clapped Aubrey on the shoulder. "Leave this to us. Go outside and figure out how you're going to ask the prettiest girl in the ops center out for dinner tonight."
"I—I wasn't—" Aubrey stammered, scratching his head in uncharacteristic awkwardness. The smooth-talking agent who once boasted about dating models now seemed utterly lost.
"Out," Jack ordered, pointing to the door. Then, he turned to Alice and, with exaggerated politeness, extended his arm. "May I escort you to the window, madam?"
Alice managed a nervous laugh, understanding the real intent behind his act. "I'd rather go to the plaza. It's more open, and I don't want anyone else in the building getting hurt."
"Smart choice," Jack admitted. "But we don't have that kind of time."
Jack carefully guided her to a spot near the floor-to-ceiling windows, pulling over a chair for her to sit. His demeanor shifted, becoming serious.
"You've got 30 seconds to decide," he began. "We've got NYPD and our own SWAT bomb experts outside who might have a better plan. But the timer says we've got 12 minutes left. My suggestion is to let Clay and me finish what we started. It's your call."
"There's nothing to think about," Alice replied without hesitation. "Go ahead. And… about your earlier offer—I think it's time I made some changes in my life. If I survive this, I'm in."
Jack quickly donned his bomb suit, smirking as he said, "That's a lethal amount of trust you're placing in us. Offer's still on the table, and I'll add a secret: our team doesn't ban office romances."
"That's just because of you and Hannah, isn't it?" Clay quipped as he helped Jack suit up.
Jack grimaced. This team's going to be a handful. As a precaution, he secured Alice's hands behind her back with zip ties. She complied without complaint, trusting his judgment.
Dana Morge entered the lobby, her heels clicking loudly, followed by a group of operations center analysts and technicians. At the rear, Jubal escorted Vargas, now shackled in handcuffs and leg irons.
Dana's voice was icy as she addressed the drug lord. "You like holding others hostage, thinking you can stay in control no matter what? Let's see how wrong you are."
She waved for Jubal to shackle Vargas to a railing near Alice. Jack winced. That's one hell of a move. Clearly, Dana hadn't stopped negotiating upstairs but had reached her breaking point.
"You can't do this! You have no right!" Vargas shrieked, his pudgy frame trembling as he struggled.
"Does anyone here look like they care?" Dana shot back, her eyes flashing with resolve. "If anything happens to them, I swear I'll spend every waking moment hunting down every last one of your associates. I'll destroy your Durango Cartel, your family, and your children."
With that, she nodded at Alice and left with the others, leaving the lobby eerily quiet. Vargas slumped against the railing, glaring at Jack and Clay as they worked.
Before he could say anything, Jack murmured without looking up, "If I were you, I'd shut up and start praying we succeed."
Vargas opened his mouth but thought better of it, collapsing onto the floor in defeat.
As the minutes ticked by, the Federal Building was completely evacuated. From a safe distance, onlookers watched through the building's dark glass façade, holding their breath.
Stella, Clay's newlywed wife, looked ready to faint. Hannah held her upright, whispering reassurances.
"Five minutes left," Jubal muttered, glancing at his phone.
"They'll make it," Dana replied, though the tightness in her voice betrayed her own doubts.
Inside, Clay finished securing the wire bridges with modeling clay. "All set. It's up to you now."
Jack removed his gloves, rubbed his frostbitten hands together, and grabbed his lock-picking tools. "You should get out of here."
"You sure?" Clay asked, leaving a pair of bolt cutters at Jack's feet.
"Go!" Jack snapped.
Clay exited quickly, signaling the bomb squad. Two experts in full gear moved the containment unit closer, opening the lid.
Alice trembled uncontrollably, letting out a soft whimper as Jack worked. The tension peaked when she heard a faint click behind her neck. The collar loosened, and she almost collapsed.
"Don't move!" Jack barked, steadying her. "It's not over. When I say 'run,' you run. Got it?"
Alice nodded, too frightened to speak.
Jack slowly lifted the collar over her head, careful not to disturb the wires. Once free, he cut her restraints and barked, "Run, Alice! Get to the plaza!"
With a sob, Alice bolted, knocking over her chair. The noise startled both her and Vargas, who flinched violently.
Outside, Alice stumbled into Aubrey's arms. He shielded her as they moved to the safety zone, drawing relieved cheers from the crowd.
All eyes turned to Jack as he emerged, holding the bomb. The plaza fell silent, save for the faint squelch of his sweat-soaked shoes. Clay waited by the containment unit, his voice calm but tense. "Two minutes left."
Jack placed the bomb into the unit. The lid slammed shut with a loud clang, and the experts locked it in place. They grabbed Jack and Clay, hauling them toward safety.
Slumped near the barricade, Jack gasped for air as he removed his helmet. "We forget something?"
Clay frowned, then followed Jack's horrified gaze. Vargas was still chained to the railing, just meters from the bomb.
The drug lord screamed and thrashed, but his voice was muffled by the glass walls and doors. No one noticed him.
"Boom!"
(End of Chapter)
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