"Make way! Make way!"
John, in uniform, carrying handcuffs, batons and
other miscellaneous items, ran with the sound of bells ringing. A man in his early 40s, a rookie police officer and several LAPD patrolmen ran with the momentum of a large army, scaring the passengers in the airport into dodging. "Watch out! Make way!" On the other side, two NCIS agents, a man and a woman, also ran towards the gate with several men in suits.
The two groups almost collided with each other, but they didn't even bother to say hello and rushed straight to the passenger gate that had just been closed.
"Is this Hanalei Airlines Flight 792?" Although John was old, he was more agile than most young people and was the first to rush to the staff at the gate.
"Yes." The staff member did not look very surprised.
John was gasping for breath, but thankfully his rookie assistant caught up in time. "Make sure all passengers remain on board!"
"But they've already disembarked. Is this related to the deceased passenger?" the officer turned and pressed the combination lock on the door.
"Yes, that's right. The body must be isolated immediately and no one is allowed to come into contact with it."
John had barely finished speaking when two NCIS agents stepped forward and introduced themselves at breakneck speed. "NICS, Agent Kensi Bly and LAPD Liaison Detective Maddy Dix, who are you?"
The female agent had a nice figure, a simple ponytail, and her features weren't particularly delicate. Her first impression was cheerful and sunny, with a somewhat goofy air. Her eyes were particularly striking: a rare heterochromia: the right eye black, the left light brown.
Her partner, the LAPD Liaison Maddy Dix, was equally impressive, with fluffy blond curls, a baby face, and a matching beard. It's hard not to recall a golden retriever with a lovable, smiling face.
"Oh, John Nolan, this is my partner, Selena Juarez. We've been ordered to assist."
This time, John's mind raced faster than his mouth, and he immediately realized what was happening. He turned to the officer and asked, "You mean the passengers just got off the plane, right? That means they should still be in baggage claim?"
The officer was slightly stunned, then nodded automatically. "Uh, I guess so."
"Okay, Officer Nolan, you go to baggage claim and block off the passengers there. We'll go to the plane and check for the body."
Kensi Bly rushed into the passenger hallway with her partner without a word.
"Everyone follow me." John waved his hand, and the LAPD officers who had arrived began to run again.
"Garold Broadman, 49 years old, about 180cm tall, brown hair, brown eyes. His photo has been sent out. He may be in disguise. He has at least one suitcase, maybe two, and a backpack. Sound the alarm the moment you spot him. Got it?"
John instructed two officers to guard the main gate, while he led the others to check passengers' boarding passes one by one. If they found anyone from Flight 792, they would ask them to step aside.
Soon two NCIS agents rushed over again. As soon as Kensi Bly saw John, she asked hurriedly, "Have you found Broadman?"
John shook his head a little confusedly, "There are 230 passengers in total, most of them are here, and no suspicious targets were found."
"Damn it! He actually ran away!"
-
Late at night, a small jet business jet landed safely at Los Angeles International Airport. The five passengers who got off the plane were traveling light, and each of them had only a carry-on backpack.
"Although you've managed to pique my interest in your novel, please don't tell me about the plane crash next time on the plane. I was worried the whole time you'd get kicked out of the sky by the pilot."
Karen, now back on home turf, was visibly in a much better mood, even joking with Jack.
"What do you mean?" Cheng Hao patted Danny on the shoulder. "I know you've been looking forward to returning to the mainland."
Danny looked a little worried. "To be honest, I am, but not under these circumstances."
"No need to be pessimistic," Hannah said confidently. "Hawaii belongs to you, and Los Angeles is ours. Let's find a place to rest first, and I'll take you to headquarters tomorrow morning."
At this moment, a low engine roar sounded, and two large, massive, all-black pickup trucks drove directly onto the tarmac to the astonished gazes of the crowd.
"Hey, Jack, Rossi said you're busy saving the world again and might need a good, durable car, so I drove your old friend over to say hello."
Braxton jumped out and patted the sturdy, bulletproof body. The once hard lines on his face had softened considerably, now that he was a father.
"Is this... my old car?" Jack stared at the brand-new "Mammoth" in amazement, speechless. The license plate was exactly the same as the one that had been riddled with bullets.
"It's a little surprise," John said, hopping down from the second Mammoth in the back. "The Wolfe brothers customized all the parts, and it took nearly two years for them to arrive.
Officer Rick Hunter rented a workshop at the same tuning shop that had originally modified your Firebird, and everyone, including Tim, worked together, spending nearly a month putting everything together."
He reached into the cab, flicking a switch and flashing his police lights. "We also installed hidden lights. Now, the car officially belongs to the FBI's Los Angeles office."
Jack was so touched he didn't know what to say. "You guys really..."
"Your house has been cleaned, including the guest rooms. Welcome back, guys." John extended his arms and gave Jack a big hug.
Braxton hugged Jack back, whispering, "Rosie told us to keep the kids indoors as much as possible. Hotchner's wife and son have moved into the farm. Is the situation serious this time?"
"Smallpox virus. Prolonged face-to-face contact and direct contact with body fluids are essential for infection. Just be careful," Jack replied in a similarly low voice.
"Okay, I'll take the old Hunter family to the farm as well. Be careful," Braxton said, understanding.
John and Braxton drove off in the Mammoth. Jack waved goodbye to the two old friends and turned to gesture to the stunned group.
"I forgot to mention that Los Angeles is actually my territory." Jack smiled at the two NCIS agents. He hadn't intended to show off in such a matter, and he hadn't expected his old friends to give him such a big surprise.
(End of this chapter)