Flashpoint Braddock's Daughter

Getting Back Into Action (Part 3)

I couldn't help but wonder who the man talking to dad was. "Sam let's get Danny Butler out here," Ed said. I couldn't help but notice the aggravation in his voice. I didn't blame him, but I just think that they should keep cool heads going into an operation like this. "This is Danny" 

"You can uncuff him, Sam. Hey Danny, thanks for doing the right thing today son. My teams gonna need you." 

"Guys, I got some kind of war room. There are maps, I got points of interest. A Jewish community center, Chinese market, Immigration center."

"Multi-cultural gatherings boss," Wordie added, then Spike continued. "Targets there were planning on hitting today."

"Well, they still may be. We got 3 subjects unaccounted for. Danny, you come with me. Spike see what else you can find. " Ed said. I looked at Danny and took out my headphone. "Dean, what if we go out there. Help them out however we can."

"We can't it's still a crime scene."

"Well yeah, but I have already been through my training. I can be out there and you can stay in the truck."

"Fine. But if we get in trouble it's your fault." He joked and we both walked out to his car. He got in the driver's seat and I got in the passenger seat, and he took us to the team. Once we got on the scene, I handed him his headset and I put mine back in. I heard Danny start to talk again. "He's not here."

"Who?" Ed asked."Trent. His brother." Dad answered. That name sounded familiar to me. But I wasn't sure yet. "What about these guys? Is anyone here missing?" Ed asked. I walked over to Dad and Ed. Neither one said anything to me, but dad looked at me for a second and must have decided to wait to say something. "Victor.. and Jeff Watson. He's Victor's right hand. "

"You think they're together?" Dad asked."They were the last time I saw them."

"Okay good. Get these guys on the bus. Wordie what about the uniforms on the perimeter? They get anything?" I stopped listening because mom and dad both walked over to me. Dad was the first one to talk, "What are you doing out here?"

"I've been through the training. Dr. Toth said I was cleared to come out when I felt I had the need."

"Why do you feel the need to be out here today?" Mom asked, "I thought you wanted to stay away from all this."

"No, I wanted to stay away from the reminders at home. But that Trent kid sounds familiar. He used to go to school with me. He had a pretty rough childhood, and one day they left. If he is involved with any of this he may listen to me."

"Copy that Lauren, we will use you once we find him." I forgot I had in my headset so the whole team could hear our conversation. Ed was still working with Wordie, but I heard him tell Winnie to look for vehicle registration for Victor Aklen, Jeff Watson, and Trent Butler. He told her to put out APB'S.

"I think I found what we are looking for. We got nitro blissorin, Sulfuric acid, sodium tricl-orate, ammonia..." he kept listing off all the ingredients for a bomb. "With the chemicals down here they could have built the mother of all bombs. Instead, they built a bunch of smaller ones. Portable, easy to hide."

"But capable of causing damage?"

"A hell of a lot of damage. The good news is I got plans for 10 bombs so I can find out how they work."

"Bad news?"

"Three of them are missing." I decided to chime in now, "And we have three people missing."

"Winnie we got three subjects carrying explosives. Contact all divisions, threat level is red." Greg said and walked over to the team. "Good to see you out here Lauren. Is Dean out here too?"

"Yeah, but he is staying in the truck." 

"Good."

"I'm uploading a list of possible targets." Spike continued. "Winnie we need uniforms, checkpoints, and scanners at all locations," Ed said. "That's a lot of ground to cover."

"You'll be fine Winnie. Just reach out to our friends in Peal and Derm and just get those photos out." 

"Copy boss."

"Spike, what do you got?"

"These bombs are not meant to take out buildings. They are meant to take out people. It's loaded with nails."

"Okay, what's the radius?"

"You don't wanna be within 100 feet when it blows."

"Trigger?"

"Timers. They are hooked up to special frequency clocks. TAI."

"They're all gonna blow up at the same time," I said. "The problem is we don't know what time. And worse, they've all got impact-sensitive override."

"So if someone drops one it blows.." I added. "Exactly," Spike confirmed. "But that doesn't add up. Not when they can walk up, park a bomb right underneath a government building, and walk away. I don't like the targets. Civilians shrapnel?"

"Maybe it's sending a message and causing carnage. The new face of terror. " Greg looked around then walked over to Danny. "Hey. You're worried about your brother." Danny nodded, "Yeah." Then Greg spoke again, "I'm gonna be straight. I don't get you yet. But at 12:45 today you made the call and you did the right thing."

"I didn't know..."

"You ready to take a ride with us? You ready to talk?" Danny nodded and took him to the trucks. The team all pilled in and I climbed into the passenger side of dad's truck. Then all of the trucks drove off in a line.

"We got a long list of targets Danny. We need to know more about Victor's plan today." Greg was in the back with Danny since he couldn't drive. "I was going to be a lookout. He didn't tell me the plan or the targets."

"Your part of this group?" Dad asked looking back."No. I mean, I was. But... there was this talk before today. I used to think that... We used to live up north in the city. Nice house. My dad bought it from his dad when he retired. My dad lost his job. Got let go because all of the sudden there is a bunch of people who would work for a lot less."

"Immigrants Danny."

"He was depressed. He starts drinking. He made sure that we know who's to blame. There is no money for Christmas, food... Then one day Trent and I come home and we find him... He took the easy way out.." I looked at dad and he looked at me for a second, then he looked back at the road. "We're on our own.."

"Your mom?" I asked looking at him through the mirror. "She died when Trent was born.." I looked back forward at the road. I knew things were about to get interesting.