"Am I the one delivering the ransom?" Jack glanced around at the others, his mind racing through the typical ransom scenarios from TV shows and Hollywood blockbusters—hiring a homeless man to swap the money bag, sleight-of-hand tricks to escape through congested traffic, or even bringing a hostage and shooting them during the chaos.
But no matter what schemes came to mind, it was now clear that the kidnappers were after money. That made things much simpler. This group of white supremacists had kidnapped mostly white children, which suggested that the kids were not the targets of their "big operation."
This meant that until they secured the funds for their terrorist activities, the children's safety was likely assured.
"I'll go with you." Hannah, of course, wasn't about to let Jack go alone. While the kidnappers had demanded an FBI agent, there was no way the team would foolishly send him unaccompanied. A SWAT team would certainly be nearby, just out of sight.
"Okay, be careful." Dana Moret agreed. This mission was inherently dangerous, requiring someone with enough combat experience and adaptability. Jack was the obvious choice.
"Based on current traffic conditions, it'll take at least 25 minutes to reach the drop-off location. Jack, you need to leave immediately," Danny said, checking his watch. It was just past 6:05 PM, prime time for heavy traffic.
LaCroix snorted. "That was deliberate. They're counting on us being pressed for time by demanding an FBI agent and knowing we wouldn't have much time to prepare."
"But we don't have a choice," Dana said, turning to Commissioner Frank Reagan. "I need you to mobilize all nearby officers to secure the area. Keep them far from the drop-off point, but also clear a fast route so our agents and the SWAT team can respond in time."
Frank didn't respond verbally. He simply pulled out his phone and began making calls to organize his officers.
Meanwhile, Ron Drexler, the governor's office representative, seemed to feel a bit useless. Aside from arranging the ransom funds—which could very well end up financing a terrorist attack—he hadn't contributed much. Feeling awkward, he volunteered, "I can request an additional helicopter from the state police to assist with the operation. I know your teams and the NYPD's helicopters have been busy with the search."
Dana nodded but added a caution. "That's fine, but coordinate with our air support team. Police helicopters are very visible and could alert the kidnappers if they fly too low."
"I'll make sure it's handled properly." Ron clenched his fist in determination and left the operations center in a hurry.
As Jack and Hannah prepared to leave, a voice stopped them. "Wait, Jack can't go."
Jubal, who had been quietly discussing something with two analysts, suddenly stood up. Under everyone's surprised gaze, he walked to the large screen at the front of the room.
A satellite image appeared on the screen. Pointing to a large, sprawling structure, Jubal spoke rapidly. "We've identified a subordinate of Tyger Kane whose family went bankrupt. They used to own an amusement park in Westchester County.
Though the park has been abandoned for over a year, it hasn't been demolished. It's in a remote location, far from populated areas, with enough space to hide a school bus and 26 children. Look at its location—it's only ten miles from where the school bus was hijacked."
The group turned their attention to the satellite image. Dana frowned. "Do we have any other evidence suggesting Tyger Kane might be hiding the children there? When was this satellite image taken? I don't see any vehicles or signs of activity. Right now, our priority is preparing to deliver the ransom. That's our best chance to find the children. Plus, time is tight. Splitting our forces…"
"Three hours ago," Jubal interrupted, his tone confident. "Do you remember Owen Jamerson's hand signals?"
He held up a piece of paper with the letters "P" and "T" written on it. "The amusement park is called 'Play Town.' PT is its abbreviation. I'd bet Owen's parents took him there before."
No one had expected Jubal to uncover the kidnappers' likely hideout at this critical moment. However, the clock was ticking, and the team now faced a difficult choice: focus on the ransom drop-off to see what tricks the kidnappers might pull, or gamble on a raid on Play Town, hoping the children were being held there.
Resources were limited. The FBI-SWAT team could only deploy a few dozen agents, which meant they had to choose one target. The amusement park was large, and sending too few agents would be risky. But if the raid came up empty, and the children were actually at the ransom drop-off, the consequences would be disastrous.
Dana clenched her jaw, her cheeks tightening as she made a firm decision.
"Jack and Hannah, gear up. You'll lead the raid on Play Town. You'll have the entire SWAT team with you. Jubal, you'll handle the ransom drop-off and stall for as much time as possible. I also need ESU support from the NYPD."
"No problem. We have plenty of officers available. I'll also send a few units to assist with securing the perimeter around the amusement park, working with the county police," Frank Reagan replied, his tone authoritative. He then turned to his son, Danny.
"You'll go to the ransom drop-off. Coordinate the ESU team's actions there."
"I'll deliver the ransom," LaCroix offered, stepping forward. "The operations center can't spare Jubal right now." He bumped fists with Jubal and said in a low voice, "Nice work, partner."
Jack couldn't help but feel a surge of pride as he watched this rare display of camaraderie. This wasn't something you'd usually see in a procedural drama, and he knew he'd played a big part in making it happen.
Time was running out, and the dual operations began simultaneously. LaCroix and Danny headed to the ransom drop-off point. If the kidnappers and the children weren't there, their job was to stall for time, as it would take Jack's team at least 40 minutes to reach the abandoned amusement park.
Jack's gear stood out even among the SWAT team. He was armed with a 10.4-inch short-barreled HK416 fitted with every tactical attachment imaginable, and his Fast helmet was equipped with a GPNVG-18 quad-tube night vision device—a piece of equipment as expensive as a Dodge Hellcat.
This gear had been a farewell gift when he left Virginia Beach. Of course, even Jason, his former sergeant, couldn't casually hand out such specialized equipment. Not only was it prohibitively expensive, but it was also tightly regulated. The fact that Jack had received it hinted at the strong relationship between the FBI and the Navy SEALs. If the SEALs ever needed intelligence officers for domestic or South American missions, Jack would undoubtedly be their first choice.
By now, the sun had fully set. Twelve Suburban SUVs moved silently under the cover of night, splitting into three directions as they approached the amusement park. Drones had already been deployed, confirming that there were no outdoor sentries.
It seemed that Tyger Kane's group hadn't recruited many members with military experience. Givens, who had been killed earlier, was likely one of their few capable fighters. That was good news.
As the vehicles moved closer to the target, the night's tension thickened. Both teams knew they had only one chance to get it right.
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American TV Writer (Chapter 1402)
I Am Hades, The Supreme GOD of the Underworld! (Chapter 570)
Reborn as Humanity's Emperor Across the Multiverse (Chapter 660)
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