by Camden Mays
“This is Jacobs, the suspect has a room key and is heading to the elevators.” After the suspect entered the elevator, Hannah jumped up.
“I’m checking with the front desk.”
“Copy that.”
As Hannah was gathering information from the front desk clerk, the undercover agent number five entered the hotel and calmly sat next to Cameron. “Waltuch said to get your ass back over to the Luxe,” he whispered.
Cameron just nodded ‘no.’
“Your funeral.”
Number five spoke into his coms, “Affirmative, message relayed. Negative, not complying.”
After a few minutes, Hannah walked back and sat down with number five and Cameron.
“Sounds like your needed back at the Luxe,” she said referring to the barrage of insults that Waltuch was spewing over the coms.
The defiant Cameron said, “I’m good here.”
Number five chuckled. Hannah shook her head in disbelief.
“Let me guess, room 867,” Cameron said.
‘The text message,” Hannah agreed. Then she held up her hand, listening through her coms.
“He’s on his way down.”
“We’ve got him from here,” number five said.
“This is Jacobs, Cameron and I will check out the room, it was under a different registration and prepaid by another party. I’m sending the names over in text.”
They headed to the elevator.
“Hold tight Jacobs,” she heard through the coms as they stopped at the elevator doors. “Let the boys run back the video feed. Make sure no else is in the room.”
Then the door opened, and the suspect exited with the black roller. Hannah and Cameron needed to do something instead of just standing there.
“After you,” Cameron said casually, holding back the sliding doors.
They entered the elevator and headed to the eighth floor.
“Just tell him you lost coms in the elevator,” Cameron said.
“Jacobs do you copy, stand down!” Waltuch screamed.
She grabbed Cameron’s arm. “Cole, let’s wait.”
“How long?”
“This is Jacobs how much longer for clearance?”
The elevator doors opened up to the eighth floor.
“Give us two more minutes.”
Hannah held up two fingers to Cameron. The two stood near the elevator area on the eighth floor waiting in awkward silence.
“Do you like to dance?” Cameron asked just as a businessman entered the hallway from a few doors down and came to the elevator.
“What?”
“Do you like to dance?” Cameron repeated slowly.
The businessman glanced at the two of them from the corner of his eye forgetting to push the button. Cameron reached over and pushed the down button for him.
“Yeah, I guess. Do you?”
“Uh, hell no! But I’ve got this thing I’ve got to go to, and I thought…” the elevator finally opened and the businessman distracted Cameron with a devilish grin as he entered with the doors closing behind him.
“…Well, I thought, I sure would like for you to come with me.”
Hannah looked surprised and started to speak, but instead held her hand up listening over the coms.
“OK, we’re clear.”
They drew their weapons as Hannah used the key she had gotten from the front desk and opened the door to room 867. Cameron cleared the bathroom and joined Hannah in the guest room. She handed him a set of latex gloves.
Three large identical suitcases were lined against the curtains of the glass wall. A fourth suitcase was positioned on the opposite side of the bed. Hannah took a few photos with her phone and sent them to the Agent in Charge.
Cameron lifted the suitcase that was separate from the others onto the bed and carefully examined it before slowly opening it. He pulled out bags stuffed with rags and tee shirts. He then went through the liners.
“Nothing.”
“OK, let’s check out this one on the end here,” Hannah said pointing to one of three lined up against the curtains. Cameron again scrutinized the outside before opening. As he opened the top of the suitcase, he saw the C02 Canister.
“We need to get Albright over here,” he said, removing bags of rags and clothing cushioning the canister inside the case.
“This is Jacobs, we have a potential device here. Request Agent Jason Albright to examine.”
“Copy. Albright’s on his way. I’ve got Division piped in on our coms, give us your assessment.”
“Sending pictures now.”
Cameron gave the run down.
“Aluminum canister, looks over two feet tall and maybe seven to eight inches in diameter. Has a sixty-psi pressure gauge and valve and some sort of electronic gadget like a pager on the valve, I’m guessing the trigger.”
Hannah relayed the information in her coms.
“Looks like the bottom was recently soldered.”
Cameron then carefully moved and opened the other two cases. “Same story here.”
“This is Jacobs; we now have three devices.”
“Copy.”
“What’s the play, here? Are we evacuating, bomb squad coming in?”
Jacobs motioned to her earpiece.
“It’s chaos.”
Albright knocked at the door, Hannah brought him in, and he joined Cameron to examine the devices.
“Can you disarm it?” Cameron asked.
“I need some time,” he said removing a handheld cell phone jamming device to prevent remote detonation.
“We don’t need a telemarketer dialing the wrong number. The coms should be fine on a different frequency.”
“Now you tell us,” Cameron deadpanned.
“What the hell is going on over there anyway?” Cameron said pointing toward the Luxe.
“There’s concern that if we evacuate and snag the first suspect, it could trigger other attacks.”
“What?”
“They have the HMRU team and CIRG standing by in the basement,” Albright offered.
Hannah continued, “the AG is arguing that we would only have a circumstantial case against the other three suspects. He’s wanting us to explore ways to capture the suspects while in the act of retrieving the devices.”
“Are you kidding me? There’s no time for that.”
“You’re right about that. The next suspect just pulled into the parking garage,” Hannah said holding in her earpiece.
“How much longer, Jason?”
“I need more time.”
“We need a few minutes, sir,” she said over the coms.
“Quick, put everything back,” Hannah said. “He’s at the front desk getting the key.”
“You gotta be kidding me!” Cameron protested. They swiftly moved everything back in place and straightened out the bed and moved to the hall. Hannah banged on the door of the room across that had a ‘do not disturb’ sign inserted in the key slot.
“We don’t have time,” Cameron said watching for the elevator down the hall.
“I’m busy!” shouted the voice inside the room.
“FBI, open the door, now!” Hannah shouted as she banged again, holding her badge to the peephole.
A middle-aged man in his boxers and sleeveless tee shirt opened the door. “What’s this all about…”
Hannah pushed him into the room, and the others cleared the hall just as the elevator doors opened. Motioning for the man to be quiet. “Sit over there and don’t move.” Seeing his intruders with guns in their hands he complied.
The three stood quietly just inside the room, Hannah peered through the spyglass and saw suspect number two enter 867 across the hall.
“Copy that,” she said quietly in her coms. “We’re taking the suspect down, alive, when he exits. Alive, Cole.”
“Me, what about him?” Cameron asked offended that she had singled him out.
“Hey, what’s going on out there?” the hotel guest asked.
&nbs
p; “Shut up!” all three quietly shouted back.
“What about the others?” Cameron asked.
“They’re getting apprehended as soon as this guy goes down.”
“About time.”
“Let’s get in position in the hall.”
“If he’s looking through the door, he could spot us.”
“You’re right.”
“I think we rush out when he opens the door. He’ll have one hand on the suitcase and the other on the doorknob. Got to make sure he is halfway out so he can’t close the door.”
“I’ll go to the left, Jason you take the right, and Cole you stay in front at this door,” Hannah said.
They heard the hefty hotel door lock turn and Hannah watched the suspect look both ways down the hall and then pull the suitcase forward letting the door ride behind it. Before the door had fully closed, they burst out from across the hall shocking the suspect.
“FBI freeze!”
The suspect gathered what had just happened and then reached inside his coat. Cameron dove across the hall with a full body tackle sending him and the suspect flying back into the room. Hannah and Albright joined the fray and subdued him.
Cameron sat on his knees, holding his left shoulder that was throbbing from the body tackle as two other FBI agents joined them in the room.
Hannah shot up and began scolding him.
“Are you crazy! I could have shot you.”
Cameron grunted as he stood.
“You said ‘alive,’ right?”
She started to continue and instead responded to the call coming over her coms.
“That’s affirmative; we have the suspect in custody.”
“So, how about that dance?”
Hannah couldn’t help but smile and then suddenly held her earpiece again. She grabbed her phone and scrolled through the photos she just received.
“Copy.”
“The guys in the security room have been digging through the hotel videos for the last two days. This is our guy,” she said showing a picture of Hasim in cap and sunglasses.
Agents from the FBI Hazmat Team and Critical Incident Response Group entered the room and took over the disarming of the devices for Albright. The three moved toward the hall to give the response team room to work.
“Shit! I think I saw him this morning. I was distracted and almost walked in front of a service van. He was driving it.”
Hannah relayed the information over the coms, then she and Albright listened for a long while.
Cameron hated not being in on it.
“What’s going on?”
Hannah and Albright looked at each with dread in their eyes.
“We’ve got to go!”
“What?” Cameron asked as he followed Hannah and Albright down the hall.
“They have a video of Hasim on the guest computer in the business center. The cyber team uncovered his tracks.” The elevator opened.
“Cole, he accessed your daughter’s schedule.”
“What the...how did he…” Cameron couldn’t finish.
“Her next event is a lunch meeting with a study group at Covel Commons. We have teams headed over now.”
“We’ve got to go now!” he shouted.
“I know. I know. We’ll get to Jessica. She’s going to be OK.”
Cameron knew that was a promise Hannah should not make with so many things out of her control.
“What the hell am I doing over here on the wrong side of this fucking town. That’s an hour drive this time of day.”
His sense of helplessness was overwhelming. His eyes darted back and forth as his mind raced to find solutions.
An agent in a dark suit was waiting in the lobby to guide them.
“We have a helicopter inbound for the heliport near Staples Center. We’re better off on foot right now. And here is a set of coms for you.”
The group ran toward the Staples Center and could see the inbound helicopter sitting down.
“Let’s go!” Cameron yelled to everyone racing to catch up to him.
Finally, onboard and gasping for air, the group ascended over the towering buildings and headed west. Cameron scrolled through his phone, searching the campus map. “Where are we sitting down?” he spoke through the aviation headset.
“UCLA Medical Center is closest helipad for us, sir.”
“That’s not going to work. That’s too far away. This thing will be over by the time we get there.” Cameron brought the phone to the co-pilot.
“Can you put it down on the field at Drake stadium here or the intramural field?” Cameron asked pointing to the spots.
“If there isn’t much activity, maybe. Show the captain; it’s his call.”
The captain called out the exchange of flight controls, “You have the controls.”
“I have the controls,” the co-pilot replied.
The captain looked at the spot. Cameron recognized his hesitation.
“The resources are on the other side of town. This will go badly, please, it’s my daughter.”
“We’ll clear it out and sit her down, sir.”
“Thank you,” Cameron said with a pat on the shoulder and tears in his eyes.
He sat back down and strapped himself back in and redialed Jessica’s number. Straight to voicemail. He shot her another text. No reply.
“I can’t reach her.”
“I think Division is jamming the cell towers to avoid remote detonation.”
“How’d we get the helicopter?”
“Waltuch says your welcome!”
CHAPTER 22
Los Angeles, CA – UCLA Campus
Hasim pulled the service van into the loading dock area of the Covel Commons shortly before noon. He placed the twenty-pound C02 cannister on a dolly but still needed to assemble the electronic trigger. He allowed for plenty of time. His uncle had equipped this device with a timer in addition to the pager.
He planned to set the timer for 12:45 and place the device at the air intakes in the maintenance area of the basement of the commons. He wore a maintenance uniform and matching cap but in his backpack was his light jacket and his blue LA cap if needed.
A supervisor at the loading dock saw him and did a double take as Hasim rolled the dolly with the small canister into the dock area.
“I thought they used hundred-pound tanks for the dining hall?”
“They ordered a backup tank,” Hasim replied and continued moving.
Instead of the dining hall, Hasim made his way to the basement and searched the schematics on his phone to guide him to the right spot. He entered the door just as a couple of workers were leaving for their lunch break.
His uncle was right; a uniform made hiding in plain sight easy. He was a wanted man. His picture was plastered all over the news, but no one saw his face, just his uniform.
He found one of the primary air ducts that directed airflow to the dining hall and swiftly assembled the trigger device onto the gauge. He set the timer for 12:45.
✽✽✽
Los Angeles, CA – UCLA Campus – Covel Commons
Jessica Cameron pulled her long straight blond hair back over her shoulders as she lifted her laptop out of her bag and took a seat. Sitting around the table were three other classmates in her study group.
“Where is everyone?” one of the students asked. Jessica looked around.
“I know Jen is coming, I saw her down the hall,” she said.
“You got big plans for spring break?” asked Chase, with his flirtatious grin.
“Not really, just going back to my Dad’s in DC to see old friends,” she said smiling enjoying the attention of the young charmer.
Chase chewed on a straw in the corner of his mouth.
“Maybe I can come with you, and we can get better acquainted.”
Oh boy. Here comes the full court press, she thought.
“I don’t think my Dad would like that too much.”
“Ahh, come on. Do you always do what your dad wan
ts? What is he like an old-fashioned codger or something?”
‘Thwup-thwup-thwup-thwup’ was the increasingly loud sound that interrupted the two. The thumping of a helicopter rattled the windows as it circled the Commons before descending. Everyone rose to watch it over the rooftops of the adjacent building. Jessica stood to peer out the window. The five-foot ten-inch tall coed raised herself up on her toes to see over others that were watching the scene.
“Or something,” she mumbled.
“Uhh?”
“Wow. Did you see that?” Jen said pulling everyone back to their table.
“Looks like it went over by Drake Stadium. Should we go check it out?”
“I don’t know, what the heck is going on?”
“I don’t know. Maybe one of our star athletes sprained an ankle or something,” Jen joked.
“Hey Jess, can I borrow your phone?”
“Why?”
“Mine’s not working for some reason.”
Jessica handed her phone over to Jen. She gave it a try.
“Nope. Yours isn’t working either.”
Jessica felt uneasy. The helicopter and now cell phones not working.
“Chase, is your phone working?”
“Why? You want to upload some wicked and naughty photos for me to remember you by over the break. I prefer video over still shots.”
“Ugh! Stop being an asshole and just check your phone!”
“Whoa, you look so hot when your tense.”
“Eww! Check your phone you-disgusting-perve!” She spaced out the last three words for emphasis and shot him the Cameron look.
Chase saw a side of Jessica he had never seen before, causing him to be both aroused and terrified at the same time.
“Uh…it’s not working,” the confused student said.
✽✽✽
Hannah Jacobs and the other agent with them took the loading dock area, while Cameron and Albright raced to the front entrance.
Outside the Commons, several campus police officers were just starting to tape the area off to prevent additional foot traffic. Cameron and Albright converged with two FBI agents and other campus police near the entrance.
“We’ve got a visual on the van,” they heard Hannah say over the coms.
“Damn it!”
“Did you evacuate the building?” Cameron asked the campus police at the steps.
