After a thorough search and interrogation of the four surviving accomplices of Tyger Kane, it was confirmed that no suspects had escaped. Jack walked out of the building, his face dark and grim, pushing one of the cuffed extremists ahead of him. His expression only softened slightly when he saw Hannah cradling a young girl in her arms.
Outside, the scene was lit up brightly. The local county police had restored power to the amusement park. Fortunately, the park had only been abandoned for a short time, and much of the electrical equipment still worked. Someone—likely a tech-savvy officer—had even powered up the Ferris wheel and carousel, their bright, colorful lights shining cheerfully.
Accompanied by the soothing melody of The Blue Danube, the carousel spun slowly. The children, who had moments ago been shaken and frightened, now gazed at the lights and movement, some of them transfixed.
"Next time you send me on a rescue mission like this, remind me to bring lollipops, not just guns," Jack muttered as he shoved the captured extremist toward a waiting officer.
The area was now crowded with emergency vehicles—ambulances, fire trucks, and a mix of NYPD and county patrol cars. Their flashing lights mixed with the glowing amusement park, creating a strangely surreal yet fitting backdrop to the scene.
"Luckily, the kids are unharmed. These bastards didn't even bother to prepare water for them. They locked them in a dodgeball court like animals," Hannah said as she handed the girl in her arms to a paramedic and walked over to Jack.
"At least it's over now. Hopefully, these kids won't be afraid to ride a school bus again." She stretched, her tone lighter now, but when she turned, she noticed Jack's expression was still heavy.
"Tyger Kane's last words, his wife Emma Kane, and the other missing accomplice—none of it sits well with me," Jack said, his tone grim.
Hannah playfully bumped his shoulder, trying to lighten the mood. "There will always be more bad guys out there. At least tonight, we can get some rest. By the way, I heard you fired your gun tonight?"
Seeing the curious sparkle in her eyes, Jack felt a flicker of warmth. Just as he was about to put his arm around her and respond with some cheesy banter, a police officer and a paramedic rushed over, cutting between them.
"Agent, we have a problem. One child is still missing—Owen Jamerson," the officer said urgently.
"What? What do you mean one child is missing? Damn it—I can't believe I forgot to count heads," Hannah said, her earlier relief vanishing as though doused by a bucket of ice water.
The paramedic quickly elaborated, "I just spoke with one of the children. She said that a woman named Emma and another man took Owen away about an hour ago."
"What's going on?" Dana Moret and LaCroix had just arrived, their faces glowing with satisfaction. But the moment they heard about the missing child, their smiles disappeared instantly.
"Jack, are we thinking the same thing?" LaCroix asked, his expression serious as he turned to Jack.
"Most likely." Jack turned to Hannah. "Hannah, you have Owen Jamerson's family address in your notes, right?"
Hannah blinked, shaken out of her daze by Jack's question. She nodded quickly and pulled out her notebook. "Yes, I wrote it down earlier."
"Let's go pay them a visit," Jack said, already heading toward one of the Suburbans.
Thirty minutes later, Jack pulled the Suburban to a stop in front of an unassuming two-story house. For a family worth millions, the Jamersons appeared surprisingly low-key.
The well-manicured lawn and the understated elegance of the English-style interior visible through the windows were the only signs of their wealth, differentiating them from an average middle-class household.
Hannah wasted no time and knocked on the door. Jack and LaCroix quickly joined her, standing behind her as backup.
A middle-aged white man in his forties answered the door. He didn't seem surprised to see three FBI agents standing at his doorstep.
Behind him, a similarly aged woman peeked nervously out from the living room, her tension evident in her eyes.
"We've rescued 25 out of the 26 kidnapped children. Owen Jamerson wasn't among them," Hannah said sharply, her tone accusatory. She didn't bother with pleasantries or titles, staring directly at the man.
Owen's father nodded calmly, his lack of panic practically confirming their suspicions.
"Owen's already home, isn't he?" Jack asked, though he already knew the answer. His tone, however, betrayed his irritation rather than relief.
"Yes, he's safe and sound," the father replied, with a faint hint of pride in his voice. He turned and motioned toward the living room. A small boy timidly stepped out, clutching his mother's waist for comfort.
"If there's nothing else—" the man started, moving to close the door, but Jack held it open with his hand.
"Owen is such a brave and clever child. He had the guts to use sign language under the noses of kidnappers to send us critical information. I thought he must've inherited that courage from his wealthy father, but now I see it must've come entirely from his mother. If anything, you're the one dragging him down," Jack said coldly.
Owen's father froze, his face shifting between embarrassment and anger as he realized Jack was indirectly insulting him. Gritting his teeth, he stepped outside, pulling the door partially shut behind him.
"Look, I don't know how the kidnappers figured out we had money, but they contacted me through my brother. I didn't break any laws. I did what I had to do. Any parent would've done the same in my position."
"No. You should've contacted us," Hannah shot back angrily. "There were 25 other children in danger, too. You could've helped us save them sooner."
LaCroix, uninterested in arguing moral high ground, cut straight to the point. "How much did you pay them?"
"A million dollars. We were terrified. I made the choice I thought was best for my son. And if I had to do it all over again, I'd do the same."
The three FBI agents exchanged glances. Without another word, they turned and walked back to their car.
"No matter what, I'm glad your son is safe. One of our agents will be here tomorrow morning to take your statement. Please cooperate fully," Jack said over his shoulder, his tone flat.
As he climbed into the Suburban, Jack's mood remained heavy. He had thought the ordeal was over, but it was clear this was only the beginning. Tyger Kane's wife, Emma Kane, had escaped with the ransom money.
If she decided to disappear and live quietly with the money, it wouldn't be their concern. But if she intended to carry out their group's terrorist plans, as Tyger Kane's dying words had hinted, the consequences could be disastrous.
"This isn't over," Jack muttered. "I've got a bad feeling. A grieving widow with a million dollars? The kind of havoc she could unleash is unimaginable."
LaCroix sighed, pulling out his vibrating phone. "Hey, sweetheart, what's going on?"
The small face of a mixed-race girl appeared on the screen, about ten years old.
"Daddy, Daddy, can you hear me?" The girl's voice trembled as the phone camera wobbled. Behind her, faint sounds of screaming and crying could be heard.
LaCroix's heart sank. "I hear you, Tali. What's going on?"
"I don't know. I'm at the shelter where we volunteer. Suddenly, people showed up and started raiding the place—"
"Raiding? Who are they?" LaCroix stopped in his tracks. Jack and Hannah froze as well, instinctively turning their eyes to his phone.
"I don't know. Hey! Give me my phone back!" Tali's voice suddenly shrieked. The screen jostled before a man's face appeared, wearing a uniform with a badge displaying the letters ICE—Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
"Tali! Tali!" LaCroix called out urgently, but the man, his expression indifferent, glanced at the phone and promptly ended the call.
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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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