As everyone knows, China is the only one of the so-called Four Great Civilizations to survive to this day. While Egypt, considered the oldest civilization, boasts only the massive pyramids, its bloodline, language, and written language have all been lost to history.
Even the question of whether the ancient Egyptians had a yellowish or pale complexion remains unresolved. Modern Egyptians living in these lands are considered the result of thousands of years of intermarriage, known as the Mediterranean type of the Caucasoid race.
Although Sarah Elmasri's father was an Egyptian merchant, his demeanor and appearance more closely resembled French, and he was likely in his late sixties.
Sarah's mother looked much younger, perhaps in her early forties at most. Mother and daughter bore a striking resemblance, their beautiful features and elegant demeanor shaped by a pampered childhood.
"I'm sorry, I'm having a hard time controlling my emotions. My only thought right now is my hope for my daughter's safe return."
Despite his words, Sarah's father managed to contain his emotions and patiently listened to Jack and Beckett's introductions.
"This is Agent Tawalla from the FBI. Because it involves kidnapping, this case is now under the FBI's jurisdiction, which is why you're here. Of course, the NYPD will continue to do everything they can to assist the FBI in locating your daughter."
Beckett introduced Jack, who stood beside him. Cassel, acting like a lackey, could only hustle and pull up a chair behind them.
"She just turned 20, still a child. Why would someone think of kidnapping her?" Sarah's mother began, her voice breaking into tears.
"That's why we want to understand, and that's why we've brought you here," Beckett said, opening a folder and retrieving two photos.
The top one was a grainy screenshot from an earlier surveillance video. It showed Sarah, taking advantage of a parking gap, opening the car door and attempting to escape, only to be pulled back. It revealed the face of a man behind her.
The driver hadn't captured the image at all due to the angle, and Alice and the IT nerd had painstakingly restored the image to a point where they could barely make out the features, but that was all.
"Based on our current investigation, there are at least two people responsible for the kidnapping: the driver and this man. Does he look familiar in this photo?"
Unsurprisingly, the parents denied the kidnapping, but Jack and Beckett weren't too disappointed. While gathering leads was crucial, the first step in a case like this was to eliminate the parents as suspects.
So, the two of them had a clear division of labor: one questioning the suspects, the other observing their expressions. The man peeking behind them could be ignored for now.
"Whatever ransom they ask, I'll give it, no matter the cost," Sarah's father whispered to his wife.
"But what if they don't ask for a ransom? Your style of doing things has earned you countless enemies." Sarah's mother seemed already dissatisfied.
Sarah's father was stunned for a moment, as if he was comforting his wife or trying to convince himself, "But that was in Egypt, not here. This is the United States, so it must be for money! In this country, kidnappings are always for money!"
It makes sense. Beckett looked at Jack and did not give any response. Instead, he continued to take out the second photo, "And this man, Hasim Farouk, do you know him?"
"Of course, I contacted him after I received your call, hoping he could provide some help, but..."
Sarah's father was startled by Cassel who popped his head out from between the two people opposite, "Wait, you mean you know him?"
"Of course, Sarah didn't want to bring a bodyguard, so I hired Hasim to protect her privately. Where is he? I can't contact him."
Seeing him frown and ask, Beckett hesitated and told the truth, "He died because of protecting Sarah."
"Oh my God! Will Sarah..." Sarah's mother covered her face and tears burst out. She was naturally not sad about the death of bodyguard Hasim, but worried about her daughter's safety.
"So you hired Hashem to secretly protect Sarah because she's faced some real threat?" Beckett continued.
"No." Sarah's father's eyes shifted, as if a thought had occurred to him. "But in my current position..."
He paused, trying to suppress his agitated emotions. "I once pleaded with Sarah to be more cautious, but she said, 'Dad, you're worrying too much.' I
sent her to America a long time ago, so she's just as naive and gullible as most Americans.
Of course, there's no point in discussing this now. I'm willing to give everything. She's my only child. Please, bring her back safely."
Seeing the three men leave the meeting room after their conversation, Jubal hurried over.
"We've set up 24-hour surveillance on their phones and emails, and agents will be accompanying them home later," he said. "What do you think of the couple's mood?"
"Terrified, heartbroken, and filled with despair," Jack recounted his observations.
"That sounds like a good thing," Jubal breathed a sigh of relief, and Jack and Beckett nodded in agreement.
"What do you mean?" Cassel looked puzzled.
"Compared to anger or vigilance, this is a relatively good emotion, because what we need more right now is their cooperation," Jack explained to the great writer.
"This will first eliminate the couple as suspects. This shouldn't be some clichéd plot or Hollywood melodrama. Mr. Elmasri may have been a bit insincere, but the information he provided was very clear."
"You mean, extortion is a strong possibility?" Cassel immediately understood what he meant.
"So far, that's the case," Jack shrugged. "Their expressed willingness to cooperate is crucial, both in terms of the accuracy of the information they provide and the ultimate outcome of the case."
Seeing Beckett's strange expression, Cassel felt like he had found a comrade. "So you also think this is about money?"
"Elmasri is indeed a well-known wealthy man in Egypt and a major media figure in the United States, with a net worth of over $1 billion.
I'm just curious: what kind of person would specifically hire a special forces member to be their daughter's caretaker?" Beckett's expression was quite indescribable.
"People like me," Cassel said as if it was a matter of course, looking at Jubal, "If you were also such a wealthy man, you would probably think the same way, right?"
"Of course, I would directly hire an entire special forces team to drive out every bad boy who has bad intentions towards my baby." Jubal agreed with a smile.
"I can't even tell whether you are joking or not." Jack was speechless.
Cassel continued to insist on his own opinion. "In any case, regarding Elmasri's enemies in Egypt, I strongly suggest that we dig deeper."
Jack nodded in agreement. "Of course, let the FBI handle this. The NYPD will continue to investigate Sarah's whereabouts today, at least to find out why she appeared in Lower Manhattan."
(End of the chapter)