The "fast draw," a hallmark of American gunfighting techniques, was popularized by Bob Munden, one of the greatest quick-draw experts in the world. Munden, born in the 1940s, could draw and fire his revolver in just 0.21 seconds.
Jack had only recently begun training in this skill. While not quite as fast as Munden, he could consistently perform a draw and fire shot in under 0.3 seconds. His inspiration came from a previous incident where John, the veteran agent, had been ambushed and injured.
Typically, quick-draw shooting, especially at waist level, is notoriously inaccurate and focused purely on speed. Some extreme methods even involve drawing and firing while the gun remains holstered, though this often results in a ruined leather holster.
Although Jack rarely used revolvers due to their mechanical disadvantages, he found American "gun-fu" fascinating. With his system-assisted accuracy, he could replicate these cinematic techniques and maintain pinpoint precision.
His rambling earlier was merely a ploy to distract Maldonado. The hostage situation had given law enforcement every legal reason to shoot him on the spot. However, Maldonado's constant movement made it difficult for both Samuels and Clay to take a clean shot.
Even though they had positioned themselves to avoid crossing each other's firing lines, there was still a risk of the bullet passing through Maldonado and hitting the elderly abbess he held hostage. Despite her status as a victim in this moment, she was far from innocent in the grand scheme of things.
When Jack fired, the speed of his draw and shot was so fast that no one immediately registered what had happened. Time seemed to freeze for a moment. It wasn't until the abbess screamed and Maldonado's lifeless body collapsed, dragging her to the floor, that everyone realized he had been shot.
Jack stepped forward, gently pulling the trembling, terrified abbess from Maldonado's corpse. As she was led away, still in shock, JJ handcuffed her for safety. Meanwhile, female officers who had been called in earlier moved in to secure the other nuns.
The task force discovered over 100 kilograms of pure fentanyl inside the warehouse, along with large amounts of cocaine and other drug additives. The operation was a massive success.
Marshal Samuels, visibly ecstatic, shook hands with everyone on the fugitive task force, practically begging them to call on the U.S. Marshals for future cases.
Later that evening, Jack drove Jane Banner to JFK Airport. She was reluctant to leave, so Jack had to appease her with several promises, including a future visit to Austin when he could take some time off.
Summer flew by, and as the temperatures in New York began to drop, a respiratory virus swept across the nation. Jack initially feared it might be a repeat of the devastating pandemic from his previous life. However, it turned out to be nothing more than a seasonal strain of type B influenza.
Still, the flu wreaked havoc on the American population. Hospital systems were overwhelmed as patients filled emergency rooms with severe complications such as pneumonia and myocarditis. The sudden onset of cooler weather only worsened the situation.
Fortunately, as a federal employee, Jack had access to robust healthcare benefits. FBI agents, along with other government workers, were entitled to at least two weekly nasal swab tests.
These tests became a hot commodity because testing positive for the flu granted employees three days of paid leave. Jack, however, wasn't thrilled about the ordeal. Despite his enhanced physical resilience, which made him practically immune to the flu, he still had to endure the invasive nasal swabs.
Annoyed by this inconvenience, Jack developed a petty grudge. He began keeping a close eye on his colleagues, healing anyone who sneezed with a discreet touch and a quick application of healing magic. If he couldn't get a flu-induced vacation, neither could anyone else.
The team was also riding high on the success of their last mission. The task force had received a significant funding boost and individual bonuses. Though they were still a long way from acquiring a dedicated Gulfstream aircraft, they were making progress.
As Dana Mosier, their boss, put it, "You've got enough for three wheels on a Gulfstream. Keep it up!"
Cases involving drug cartels and high-profile fugitives were hard to come by and fraught with danger. DEA insider Greg Galeson wasn't entirely wrong when he warned about the risks of targeting cartel leaders. Nevertheless, this particular case had been swept under the rug by the DEA, eager to avoid embarrassment over the infiltration of their ranks.
With the flu epidemic spreading and crime rates unusually low, the task force found themselves in a rare lull. They tackled a few routine fugitive warrants, but the work was so straightforward that it barely qualified as a challenge.
Just as they were discussing taking on a high-ranking fugitive from the national most-wanted list, Jubal received a call from the FBI headquarters in New York.
When he returned from his meeting at the federal building, Jubal gathered the team in the conference room and pulled up a new case file on the screen.
"Congratulations, everyone. As we speak, a Gulfstream is refueling at JFK Airport for us."
"Wait... A temporary Gulfstream?" Aubrey asked, his eyes lighting up. Like Jack, Aubrey had been fantasizing about a dedicated task force jet as their ultimate goal. His recent promotion to senior agent meant he was eager for the next big opportunity.
Jubal gave him a sarcastic smile. "What do you think?"
Alice pointed to the screen, noting the case details. "Forrest City, Arkansas? We're really making a name for ourselves, huh?" she remarked. "No wonder they're giving us a plane for this one."
"It's a priority case," Jubal explained. "Last night, the entire local district attorney's office was wiped out."
Everyone was stunned. "The entire DA's office? What kind of case is this?"
"Forrest City is small," Jubal clarified. "The DA's office only had four people—three of whom were assistant prosecutors. All three assistants were killed."
As he spoke, blurry crime scene photos appeared on the screen.
"For them, this is a major criminal case. The sheriff's office called the FBI field office in Little Rock for assistance, but they're shorthanded. So, they reached out to Isobel."
"Isobel found you next?" Jack nodded knowingly. This type of case typically wouldn't fall under their purview, but with things relatively quiet, it made sense to help out. Plus, Isobel Castille, who had taken over Jubal's old role at the FBI's Operations Center, was part of their extended network.
"Exactly," Jubal confirmed. "Now pack your gear. We're flying to Arkansas."
(End of Chapter)
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