Chapter 15: Caged Beast

bennybelljr (32)in #fbi • 6 years ago

Everyone’s live headsets were blaring with Bernie’s tirade. He was screaming that they were going to be sorry about rescuing the girls and that so would the assholes at M-Mtek and TechCall Services. Bernie phone went dead. He had stopped communicating with the hostage team.

Captain Jim walked with Sam as they approached Agent Dean face-to-face. Sam ripped him one with, “What the fuck, Dean. Anyone could tell the guy’s on edge. I thought you experts knew what you were doing.”

The captain couldn’t help nodding his head in agreement with Sam, and interjected, “Best we can hope is that he’ll se it as a positive thing, being gals and all. Less hassle. Easier for him to manage the remaining hostages.”

Agent Dean told Sam, “Look, I’m limited in what I can tell you. The call was made by guys over my head - by folks above the command center. Basically they decided to use some of the contract rigger’s equipment and manpower in combination with our hostage rescue team to remove the skylight over the ladies room. They hoisted the girls out of there then escorted them to a fire ladder down to the ground. They’re safe and sound with their relatives and friends, now.”

“They were willing to take the chance for three lives, What can I say. I supported the move,” Agent Dean confessed.

“Well, Dean, here’s what I think. Bernie has something up his sleeve that he’s going to surprise us all with it real soon. I’m guessing the next time he’s willing to talk to us he’ll tell us all about it,” Sam told him with a raised sense of urgency in his voice. “And after this, how the hell am I supposed to help you, anymore?”

Agent Ramos, shaking his head in agreement, said to Sam, “And, how about this little ditty. M-Mtek thinks Bernie has hacked into to the entire corporate communications networks. It looks like he has exclusive control over them. We’re thinking of using that probability in our next attempt to get him back talking to us. What do you think? We want you to intercede on this one. It’ll be better if an M-Mtek friend having some familiarity with the operations talks to him, don’t you think?”

“You’re slicker than shit, Ramos. My wife is right. I should have left this place at the last down-size opportunity. I’d be out eating seafood with her about now,” Sam told Dean while still in his face. He added, “You going to bring Mimi into this along the way? It might help.”

Agent Ramos replied, “Or it might not. Maybe we can have you bring her in on it if you hit a tough spot. Or do it if Soloff specifically asks for her. Ok?”

Sam backed away from Dean’s face and relaxed his body to answer, “Yeah, that sounds good. But on this condition. I want another pair of socks that aren’t red and warmer than these. I only have loafers and my feet are getting cold with these summer-wear red socks. Tell one of your runners I want a good pair of heavy crew socks. There’s a variety store at the corner next to the gas station that’ll have a rack of socks. You won’t need that decision made by ‘someone over your head,’ will you?”

“Hey, Sam, be nice. You’re talking to a federal agent. I can have your taxes audited,” Dean warned Sam. “Look, we’re going to try contacting him, again, with the sound system through the roof. Captain, take this beggar over to where the ladies are and get him some fresh coffee while I get the go ahead how to talk to Soloff.

Captain Jim called for a pot of fresh coffee as he led Sam over to the area where Peg and Mimi were standing with a female agent. Mimi looked at them both and said, “So, are you going to try and tame the beast in there? It’s not going to be easy, you know. I could tell you stories. Bernie doesn’t like to be double-crossed. It goes way back to his time in Iraq. Way too much FUBAR.”

Sam knew exactly what she was talking about. In Nam there was too much FUBAR. It was a challenge to not let it get to you, to not to turn into one of the beasts.

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