Abbott looked at his tablet and didn’t see anything that would cause further investigation. He radioed, “Nothing on that one.” Jill scoped around the room for another computer. As Trace made his way to the table, Jill casually made her way towards a drink. Her attention was taken to a room off the side as the South American man came strolling out making his way to the card table.
Trace sat down in front of Seventy-Five thousand dollars worth of chips. The dealer with a strong southern accent said, “Texas Hold’em Ladies and Gents, no limit.” In their ears, Abbott responds, “We need to find something in the next two hours, the money machine is switching over or off and then closing out. Nothing else will come out of that room after that.
The pile in front of Trace didn’t vary much over the next hour or so. On the other side a sharp looking lady was intent on building a stack. The man on her left was the South American, on her right was the Asian host, and the other next to Trace looked like a professional gambler. The Middle Eastern man two seats away from Trace looked off in a distant trance most of the time. That could be who they were after. Jill had already gotten pictures of everyone to Abbott. The South American was having a good time and the drinks were flowing on that side. Trace thought that could be the diversion.
Jill glanced around and saw that the door was cracked open to the back bedroom. She strategically placed herself for a quick recon mission. She knew Trace could handle himself in a game of cards. She had been privy to back room games at the FBI and waited for the right moment.
Trace looked at his hole cards. Looked around the table and caught the lady in a tell. She was going to try to bluff. He needed to hold the attention of the room so Jill could go unnoticed. The Middle Eastern man was looking at his watch a little more than usual. Was this the Doctor!
The voice in his ear interrupted. “Hey guys, there is a transaction on the money man’s computer that doesn’t jell with the game. It’s Three and a half million. We’ve got a track on it but it terminates in 30 minutes” Abbott relayed.
Trace glared at the South American man and said bluntly, “you talk big for a man with no game.” Jill knew the drill and reached into her hair and pull out a device the size of a bobbie pin. The man responded, “Game is in the eye of the beholder and I ain’t beholding to no one.” He reached into his jacket like a perp reaching for a gun. He pulled a blunt cigar and brought it up to his nose for a long smell. “I haven’t had a victory cigar in a while, but I feel one coming on.” Trace decided to turn up the heat. He had amassed about a hundred twenty thousand. He threw in ten thousand pre flop.
All the eyes began to focus on the table. Jill slid closer to the bedroom where they thought another computer lay. The lady threw in her chips and said “call.” The South American bellowed “that’s no game” and tossed in chips toward Trace. Flop Read: Three of hearts, Ace of hearts, and King of Spades. Trace reached for his chips. Clicking the chips between his fingers he never looked up. Reread his hole cards. He was giving everyone a time to get set. He abruptly pushed in chips, “ten more.” The lady looks at Trace, squints and says “raise twenty.” The tension was rising, perfect for Trace and Jill. The South American reached for his drink and dipped his cigar. Twirling it in his mouth, he slowly said “twenty more.”
Trace was looking at a forty thousand call. He started counting out chips. The large man Jill was talking to stepped closer to the table. Trace pushes in the call. The lady said “out, you boys are taking it personal.” The turn card was a Five of Hearts, possible flush. Trace reaches for chips then calmly says “Check.” The man says “no check, fifty more. Trace was down to his last chips. Calling would put him in a jam. Trace carefully counts out his chips and slowly says “Call.”
Jill slipped into the room and sees a leather cased laptop, not the South Americans. She slides over to it and props it up to reveal its contents. “Yes,” Jill whispers. She places the toothpick size device down on the computer and hears Abbott respond. We’ve got something. The river card comes down, a King of diamonds. Four kings for the South American. Trace fingers his cards with a desperate feel. Had he give Jill enough time? He didn’t care about the money. He knew the FBI was good for it.
What’cha got left gringo, said the South American? Trace clicked his chips, “bout ten.” The South American holds kings. He’s got trace on Aces. The lady had tilted her cards an Ace, ten, so the South American could see as she mucked her card. Trace had seen the slight of hand.
The South American said “Let’s see your balls dude. Seventy-five.” Every eye was on Trace. Trace looks over to the Latin money man and says, “Got me covered?” The Asian glanced and nodded for the Latin to proceed. The money man clicked a key waited a second and nodded in the affirmative. Seventy five thousand dollars in chips were placed in front of Trace.
He pushed the chips to the middle. “Balls in.” The crowd inched closer. The body guard whispered to the Asian girls. “Must be three, four hundred thousand in there.” A hand squeezes Trace’s shoulder. He knew that they were good. Trace smiled as he heard in his ear, “Time to bail! Let’s get out of there. I don’t know if any of those machines have tracking devices”
The South American grinned; “Got it.” He threw in his chips and flipped up his Kings and said, “Four big boys”, and began to reach for the pile. “Good hand, just not good enough,” was heard by everyone.
Trace slowly turns over the Two of Hearts and then with a pause at the top he turns over the Four of Hearts; small straight flush. A slight gasp from the crowd and the best thing was the Middle Eastern man was paying attention to the game and not the back room. Trace looks at the South American who was visibly pissed. Trace grins out of the corner of his mouth. He stands up and nods to the Latin and proclaims, “put it on my card for another night.” He was hoping the bug would continue to be active on the money trail. He then slides the remaining chips to the dealer, nods and says “night ladies, night gentlemen. “
Jill takes his hand gently and casually leaves the room with Trace in tow. Abbott responds, “Cars downstairs, meet you there. Don’t know how much time is left on the blocks I put on everything, but let’s move it.” Jill and Trace exit the elevator, quietly moved towards the service doors. Abbott opened the door and followed as they passed. Quickly through the kitchen and out the back employee exit and calmly slid into the black SUV and hurried away. Now to see if they did any real good.
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Chapter 17 Time to Fly
Jill, Abbott, and Trace had done some good FBI work and had been a little lucky also. Trace was feeling confident that they were on the right track. Abbott flashes the data up on the screen at the FBI conference room. “This is what I think is going on. Here, this swatch on these emails gives me a delivery. Also the information we found on the laptop says we need to act quickly.” Trace and Jill focus on the email up on the screen.
Your appointment has been set for Tuesday at 1:00. The Doctor will be available before the appointment for any consultation that you may require. Remember the waiting room will be crowded, so listen for your name to be called. Use your patient ID for quick access.
Abbott speaks up, “It looks like the bomb is about to be moved. What do you think ‘listen for your name to be called’ is all about? A call from God or a call from this doctor guy?” Trace recognized the wording as an electronic signal for the bomb to go off. Jill responds, “Either a cell call for detonation or a call to execute the plan is what I’m thinking.” Trace nods, “it’s noon now, on a Tuesday, is it today?”
Abbott jumps up and hits the table as his phone starts to shake. The screen starts to flash back and forth and ALERT pops up. Abbott blurts out, “Time to move guys, that’s the alarm node I put on the computer at the warehouse It goes off when the helos go hot.
Jill speed dials her phone. “Task Force, It’s a go. Take choppers 1 and 2. I’ve got the warehouse. Go, Go, Go.” Trace grabs the computer tablet and ties back his holster. He softly says, “
It’s time to visit the doctor. I’ve got number two Abbott. See you in the air”
Jill’s task force of three black SUV’s head down the highway towards the warehouse. On the radio she barks, “Gear up ladies and gentlemen, we are going green as soon as we hit the frontage road. Follow the plan until we locate the computer that’s in contact with the bomb.”
The helicopters roared into the air carrying Trace and Abbott. The pilots begin flipping a myriad of switches and begin communication. Over the radio they here Abbotts voice. “I see helo’s up and running. Rader says they have already left the building heading North at Ten degrees.”
Trace speaks into the intercom. “Let’s see if ours are as good as theirs.” Trace thinks, maybe ol’ Cal has these juiced up. The copters swing out to the North and up the coast. Radio provides some details between the pilots and radar. Abbott asks Trace. “Where do you think this is taking us? Trace replies, “I think the target is somewhere in the D.C. area. The waiting room in the email could be an airport and Dulles or Regan would be a good target. Also, the access ID must be clearance to a target site.
“We are almost in range for visual” the pilot of Number 1 calls out. “We have radar contact.” The chase was about 100 miles from Washington. The pilot screams “What the...”Trace interrupts “what happened?” The pilot replies “Lost those sons of bitches on radar. Where did they go?” “Stealth” replied Trace. “They have stealth capability. Follow the last vector path you had and we will split up and try to track them into D.C.” Abbott responds “copy that, I’ve got the West corridor, you go East. I’ll let Dulles know what’s in the air around them.”
The helos veer off at top speed and head screaming into the Washington area. Trace studies the glowing radar to find the path, full knowing that destruction was imminent. Abbott radios in. “I’m going over Richmond. I think I’ve got a track on one of them.” “Got it,” Trace replied. Trace wasn’t having any luck closing in on his target. He could see a mushroom cloud happening again if he and Abbott were unsuccessful. The pilot banks and takes a quick turn out around the ocean. “Nothing here, sir” was his comments to Trace. “Copy that,” Trace replied.
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Chapter 18 Guns a Blazing
Jill’s task force team crashed into the front gate and continued at high speed toward the warehouse. Three SUVs’ converged on the entrance and began to exit when gunfire erupted. Ten agents were sent scurrying for cover as automatic machine gun fire railed from over head. Four armed guards were keeping everyone down. As one bullet after another whizzed past Jill, one agent fell. The third SUVs’ crew had made it to a storage container and open fire on the rooftop gunners. Two fell, two more to go and not knowing what or who was inside.
Jill’s team worked closer to the building and had leverage to enter, one gunman left. Team three finished off the two remaining armed guards and things fell quiet. Jill led her team through the entrance doors. He signaled for two agents to the right side and three to the left where the computer bank was and she would breach the middle and draw any fire. They needed to get control of the computer banks if they were in contact with anyone else.
A small truck speedily left through the back entrance. Jill screams “Beta Team. Follow that truck, capture dead or alive anything in it.” Beta Team sped off down the road after the truck. Jill’s team reached the computer banks and all was quiet with no one around. The techs had probable fled in that vehicle Beta Team was chasing. Jill checks her tablet and sees a program running from the computers.
Abbott had made it all the way to Dulles and was approaching a landing area when he spotted his target. His helo made its way to a hanger that was off the edge of the runways. How did it manage to get here without Dulles knowing? They circled just a moment while gearing up their weapons ready for a firefight. As they began to touch down they were right. A machine gun came blazing out from the helicopter. Abbott and two agents bailed out. The pilot asked for instructions to blow away the chopper. Abbott responds. “Negative, don’t know if bomb is on board.” The pilot pulls up and returns to the air. Abbott and his team take cover close to the warehouse. Two great shots by his team put the machine guns down. After a time of quiet they move towards the copter. Seeing no further resistance Abbott reaches for the door handle. Opening slowly with weapons poised they see emptiness, just lights and dials flashing. No bomb.
Jill comes over the radio and asks, “What’s going on with a timing device on the bomb. I’ve got a computer program that saying there’s twenty-five minutes to zero.” Jill responds “these casebombs were not wired for time when we first knew of them, may be they are now. Get Trace on, he” Trace interrupts; “I’m here”, he had been listening following all the action. “The two bombs we’ve seen were not time activated, just remotely detonated we think, but anything could have been added. There maybe an altitude or even motion detonation added. We need that case no matter.” “Where now Abbott?” asks Trace. “I don’t know” was his reply, “I don’t see any thing that could transport anybody around here.” One of Abbott’s agents radios “the buildings all clear, no one or any vehicles. It did look like a truck or something big was in there. Also there are bags all along one side. “Trace jumps in “Bags? What kind, duffels, trash bags?” The agent responds. “No. travel bags, luggage. Quite a bit.”
Trace screams at the headset for Abbott. “Where are you at?” He replies “walking the tarmac off runway 14B. Any ideas?” Trace chops out. “Looking for a baggage handler truck of some sort. That luggage in the warehouse was a cover for the bomb; they must be loading it on an airplane“
“Jill, you there?” screams Trace. “Copy that” replies Jill. Trace instructs Jill “What’s fixing to go up in the air that would be the best target. What’s the biggest plane around? “Give me a minute” Jill responds. “Ain’t got a damn minute.” Trace blurts. “Jill, what do you see?” Not much traffic and no loose baggage truck.
The pilot of Trace’s chopper get’s clearance for a pass over at Regan .Trace has the satellite screen running on Dulles “I’m scanning the runway, Abbott. What’s that on the runway? Wait!” Trace says. There’s a baggage transport on runway 8A ok the south side. See it Abbott?” He speaks up and confirms. “Got it, we’re almost there.” Jill breaks in, “Four hundred and thirty two passengers on flight 1124, runway 2C at Reagan and three hundred forty-six on flight 2943, runway 8B at Dulles.
Abbott jumps in his returning helo, “I’ve got runway 8.” Abbott head towards a possible interception with a case bomb that could potentially wipe out the entire airport.
*******
Chapter 19 Choose a Plane
Trace eyes down a large jumbo jet. Do we stop these things or what Jill?” I’m stopping the one on 2C, radio the tower” Trace instructs the chopper pilot and points toward the large plane making the turn. Get down there, he screams and shaking his finger.
Jill radios in “8B’s airborne I’m talking with the tower to connect me with the pilot and see if we can’t get it on the ground.
Abbott breaks in “We’re here at the baggage truck. Well check it out.”Jill abruptly chimes in “Guys, we’ve got a VIP plane that takes off on 9. Anyway that’s our target?” Trace asks, “Who’s on it.” Jill replies “I don’t know, having to get through a block on the passenger list.” Trace snaps back. “Get through NOW.”
Abbott responds, “There’s a ticket for flight 224 amongst all this baggage, where’s 224 at Jill?” Jill yells “that’s our VIP. That’s our VIP plane!” Trace barks “Is it still on the ground?” Abbott speaks over the sound of the roaring helicopter, “I see it, and I’m on my way. “
Trace responds with a point to his pilot to fly towards the large Jumbo Jet. Trace starts to wonder, maybe a bomb on both or more.
Abbott’s helo comes slamming down close to the jets front side. He commands to the tower.”Get me the pilot of that VIP plane on the radio. This is Agent Preston Abbott, FBI. I need to speak with flight
224 immediately!”
The tower comes back on and replies, “Connecting now, sir.” The pilot of 224 responds to Abbott. “Agent Abbott, this is Captain Donald” Abbott quickly interrupts “I need you to open the cargo bay, possible bomb on board.” “Copy that. Do we evacuate here and now? “Abbott responds, “Don’t know yet, let my team get a look.
The cargo lower bay of the Cessna Citation Blue Streak opens slowly, the side door of the jet opens at the same time. The agents on Abbott’s team pull out bags and head towards the hull of the aircraft. The agent carefully peers into the cargo hold while a man hollers out the side door. “I’m Tom Jordan, Chief of Staff to Senator Becker, where do we go; I’ve got three senators on board.”
Trace and his pilot look for a place to touch down on runway 2C at Reagan. He has the picture from the satellite looking right at the VIP plane of Senators.
Abbott speaks calmly into the radio, “Hear that Trace?” Trace replies “Yeah, we’re looking for a place where we can get them to. Tell the aide to send the senators out to your helo and get them up. The staff and crew need to run NORTH NOW!”
Abbott screams to the senator’s aide what the plan is when one of the FBI agents backs out of the cargo hold and spins around. He screams,” Found something!” The senators and aides jump off the plane and hit the tarmac running.
Abbott grabs the senators and points at his helicopter and pushes them towards it. The agent looks at Abbott and says, “It’s here, I see a case.” Abbott grabs the agent’s arm and pushes him towards the senators and screams. “GO, GO, GO!”
Trace’s helicopter comes down to the left of the jumbo that had returned and landed at Regan. “Jill? What about the Jumbo here at Reagan?” Jill responds “don’t have the manifest yet. Don’t know if it’s a target or not” Trace barks back “I’m going to ground and evacuate it now. Let me know anything you can!” “Got it” said Jill. “Ten minutes!!” she screams.