28.
“We didn’t know how many hostiles were aboard,” Davis tries as his opening defense.
I exhale audibly in a gesture of acknowledgement and frustration intended to spare him from a lecture in protocol application.
“How did you get that intel so fast?” Davis asks.
“We are monitoring the local emergency frequency. Wasn’t too difficult to connect the dots, especially when the first responders reported that the scene looked like a para-military hit,” I say finishing with an “initial report is that it is a jacked rig with hot plates. What is your transport status, how many and what did you find in the van?”
Davis responds with a condensed report: “Two perps and a laptop, we are five from HQ.”
“Put them on ice, separated, and coordinate with TOM directly about transfer protocols for the laptops files. We are tracking Saunders.” I say.
“Roger. Good to have you back on board.”
I sign off with forced informality.
Drysdale updates his position at the Emergency Entrance. The hospital security team calls to alert us to the most recent video surveillance activity showing an unidentified male nurse escorting a patient in a wheel-chair. The video shows them getting into a contractor ambulance and leaving the premises just four minutes prior. They have no official records of any patient transfers including Saunders.
“I’ll be there in five,” I tell Drysdale.
The Emergency Entrance is at the rear of the building. I am there in three minutes and Drysdale hops in. I have initiated a local search for aerial recon on ambulance movement around the hospital in the last ten minutes. On the cell I call hospital security and provide as much information as necessary for them to add 24/7 security for Cap and the the civilian. They comply seemingly interested in their active duty role in all the drama. Drysdale pulls up the local GPS grid and we quickly determine the main arteries most likely taken by the ambulance, assuming they are planning a long-distance move. They could also have a local site, there is no way to tell at this point.
I consider the options: We can stay in the hunt and hope to get aerial assistance, head back to the safe house and initiate interrogation or split up and do both. Saunders is still the key so I decide to push the pace and press. I hit the gas, trying to assume the mind-set of a rogue kidnapping wheel-man in a stolen ambulance. He would play it safe, not wanting to attract police attention, and get out of sight asap. They may have even dumped the ambulance and switched vehicles by now. They had a five to ten minute head-start so it could either of those. I also consider if the two are related. Does the ambulance have intel on the van grab? My suspicion is that they are part of the same operation. If that is the case we are in a hostage stand-off, we have two of theirs and they one of ours.
Ours however is a Queen, and theirs probably a pair of pawns.
A voice breaks the radio silence alerting us that a contractor ambulance has been sighted heading west on Route 23, almost to the County Line.
“Roger that Traffic Control, please keep us updated of changes in their position, we are closing.”
Drysdale updates the GPS coordinates, says we are five minutes away from them, and…
“Quick, take a right here.”
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