The good news was that the Beretta BU9 Nano Jack had given Irene wasn't in her bag, so the situation probably wasn't the worst yet.
Frank gently pushed open Irene's office door and walked in. No one was inside. The phone on the desk lay aside, still connected to his cell phone.
Jack watched Frank, his expression grave, as he hung up the phone and whispered, "She must have noticed something was wrong and taken off her shoes to hide."
Frank didn't respond, only a slight nod. The two left the office, treading lightly as they continued their search down the hallway toward the inner office area.
Turning another corner, Jack suddenly reached out and tapped Frank on the shoulder, pointing to his ear to indicate he should listen carefully. Then, from a distance, the sound of an office door pinging open and shut came, followed by a greasy, sickening sound that echoed through the hallway.
"Erin, Erin, my beauty, you can't escape me. Don't worry, Madam Prosecutor, we have all night to kill.
I've been thinking about you since I was in jail. Where were you? Come out, honey, I'll find you wherever you are. Are you in this room?
Oh, what a shame! What about this room? Oh, what a shame! Do you like playing hide-and-seek with me so much? Where are you hiding?"
Jack couldn't stand it any longer. He wanted to just turn around the hallway and shoot the disgusting thing.
But he didn't seem to be the protagonist today. Didn't he see the man's father, with a furious face, holding a small pistol, carefully inching towards the corner of the hallway?
Thinking of Frank's previous intention to refuse the full-time guard's presence, Jack decided to play a supporting role today. If he wasn't worried that the Chief had retained his marksmanship from his days as a detective after so many years in high office, he would have simply stood back and watched the show.
The disgusting noise in the hallway continued. Jack could clearly see Frank's hands, gripping the revolver steady and unwavering, but veins bulged on the backs of his hands, evidently filled with rage.
"Do you know how I've been spending these days in jail? God, every day I think back to that courtroom scene.
My dear, those words you said were so hurtful, but it doesn't matter. Just thinking about the way you said them makes me aroused.
Oh, and those long, beautiful legs of yours, elegantly crossed under the table, your toes sometimes playfully curled up. Oh, they're so alluring."
Jack peeked around the corner of the hallway. Dick Reed, dressed in a janitor's uniform, stood with his back to him and Frank, slowly opening doors and checking the offices on either side.
He held only a knife in his hand, looking fearless and spouting trash. Seeing this, Jack felt more reassured, certain that he would be safe from further trouble.
Another office door opened. Jack didn't know what he saw, but the smile on Dick Reed's face suddenly froze.
Frank, at the same moment, stepped out, gun pointed. "Stand there! You disgusting bug!"
But before he could fire, before he could even finish his words, two gunshots rang out, interspersed with a scream. Dick Reed, standing in the doorway, instantly suffered two bloody wounds in his abdomen and chest. He took two steps back and collapsed in the hallway.
"Baby! It's me!" Frank rushed forward and kicked the knife away from Dick Reed's hand. Irene, hiding in the office, heard her father's voice and ran out, Beretta BU9 Nano in hand.
Seeing her father, the eldest daughter of the Reagan family, her nervousness, fear, and anxiety, suddenly burst out, and she burst into tears.
"Honey, are you okay?" Frank nervously hugged his daughter, cupping her cheek with one hand and wiping her tears.
Irene nodded frantically, her sobs escaping breath. It was as if she'd been transported back to her childhood, the little girl weeping in her father's arms after being wronged.
Jack sheathed his pistol and walked over to Dick Reed, who lay sputtering blood on the ground. He sighed softly.
It wasn't that he meant to ruin this tender moment of father-daughter affection; it was simply that Irene's marksmanship was a bit too accurate. She'd hit him once in the lower abdomen and once in the stomach, both in the torso. But the 9mm Parabellum rounds were only so effective. If an ambulance had been called in time, she might have been saved.
"Do you need me to call 911?" Jack wasn't asking Dick Reed.
"Leave it to me," Frank said, taking the Beretta BU9 Nano from his daughter. A stern glint flashed in his eyes. "In your next life, remember to stay away from Reagans."
"Bang!" New York Police Commissioner Frank Reagan personally shot and killed the assailant who had attempted to attack his daughter. This explosive news made headlines the next day.
The mayor was grinning from ear to ear at the press conference, though he was obviously delighted by something else. The FBI and DOI (New York City Department of Investigation) had just announced a joint investigation into the biggest obstacle to his reelection: the embezzlement of city funds by a councilwoman with a substantial campaign fund.
Jack had seen this on the TV news while he was already in New Jersey.
Hannah's case was progressing slowly, and he had come to visit the sweet girl. He planned to stay for a few days, cook a couple of delicious meals to soothe her anxiety, and then head to Virginia Beach.
Of course, he'd also take a look around the task force to see if there was a particularly handsome FBI special counsel named Neil who liked to wear those quirky floppy hats. He wouldn't tell anyone about this.
(Note 1: Neil Caffrey, from the American TV series "White Collar," also known as "Catch Me If You Can").
One should always have a sense of danger. Be wary of those scumbag men who are highly attractive to women and are also very philandering. Make sure your woman stays away from them.
The reason for Jack's trip to Virginia Beach was because he had just received good news from Jason Hayes of SEAL Team B: Bravo 6, Clay Spencer, was planning a career change.
Clay's girlfriend, Stella, was pregnant, prompting him to consider temporarily leaving Team B. While Jason felt a little regretful, as he had always wanted to groom him as his successor, he was also pleased with his decision.
After all, this was the US, and logging was a big deal. Although Clay's original intention was to temporarily resign to Green Team, the equivalent of a reserve unit, Jason Hayes, after
Careful consideration, decided to call Jack. While Jason and his fellow Team B teammates offered their sincere congratulations on Clay's departure, requesting a transfer to a secondary unit wouldn't look good on a military resume.
While Jason, as the Chief Master Sergeant, could make the final decision on certain matters, and transferring Clay back to Team B was a simple matter, adding such a record to his record wasn't a good idea.
At least in the future, when Jason can no longer do the job, it is hard to say how many more twists and turns there will be when he wants Clay to take over.
Of course, he can't help Clay decide such an important life event. Jason has been in the military all his life and doesn't know much about the FBI. He just happened to have promised Jack to help keep an eye on it, and by the way, he can also provide Clay with an additional option. After all, Jack is his wife's savior, and in the eyes of the SEALs, this guy can fight and kill and has a bit of a lucky cat attribute. He is one of their own who can be trusted.
Therefore, the final success of this matter still depends on Jack's level of promises, so he decided to go there in person to show his sincerity. Even if he fails in the end, he will just treat it as visiting a friend.