American Shutdown - Chapter 9: Crazy Guy

bennybelljr (32)in #hostage • 6 years ago (edited)

Understanding the protocol of a command center, Sam made sure he asked Captain Jim if he could grab a corner seat to call his wife. The captain said go to it. Sam pulled out his virgin TracFone and found that Peg had set it up with a few of his most frequently called numbers. He speed-dialed Peg’s number and it flipped over to voice mail. He backed-up his VM with a text message, “I’m @ command center trying 2 help-call ASAP luv ya.”

"Sam, they’re saying on the confidential channel that whomever is in there is one crazy dude,” the Captain relayed to Sam. “We’re awaiting the go ahead about using you on the negotiating team. They’re talking it over with the state and federal boys. It’ll probably be with the F.B.I.’s area hostage negotiating unit. Ever have any dealings with the feds, before?”

“Nope. That’s a good thing, isn’t it?” Sam answered.

As Sam was speaking, his phone sounded a generic ring tone. It was Peg calling back. “Hey, Peg. Are you Ok?” he quickly asked.

Peg answered, “Oh, I got kicked out of my car. They came around and checked all the cars in the lot and saw me on the phone so made me get out and show ID. A couple of them had their hands on their side arms. I told them I was talking to my best friend while waiting for you to come back from where ever you were. I also told them you worked at M-Mtek.”

“Right know I’m across the street in the transit shelter in front of the gas station having a cup of coffee. I figured you’d call sooner or later. So, you’re in the command center? Hearing anything about whether it’s Bernie in there or not?” Peg asked.

“They aren’t sure who it is but they’re hearing whoever is in there is acting crazy. I told them we think it’s Bernie. They’re making me wait while they check to see if I can help with the negotiating team if it is him,” Sam informed her.

Peg added, “Mimi is real sure it’s him. Her sister-in-law is bringing her over here to the gas station to be closer if they do find out it’s Bernie for sure.”

“Well, OK, Peg. You know they were supposed shut down all the communications networks by 3 PM. Bernie knows them inside out so he might have control of them by now and how they will be used during a negotiation deal. And, that third floor conference room is in the interior of the building with no windows. They were using it to interview all of us they chose to come back to work after the shutdown. Might get real close in there even if there’s only a few hostages. Look, I’ll see you.” Sam ended with, “Good luck with Mimi, hon. Love ya. And let’s try to text from now on, Ok?”

Ok,” Peg said. “I got to go in the station for more coffee. Luv ya. And mind your p’s and q’s with that bunch you’re dealing with. Make sure you tell me if it’s Bernie in there.”

While on his call to Peg, Sam had put his feet upon a nearby chair flashing his red socks for the entire crew to see. He saw Captain Jim coming toward him with a grin on his face. He stopped at his desk and admonished Sam, “Hey, didn’t your mom tell you not to put your feet up on other people’s furniture? Especially if you’re wearing red socks?”

Jim went on to explain, “Well, the fearless leaders in this gig have decided to make you a part of the negotiating team. Aside from the fact that the guy in there seems to be only good at screaming muffled profanities from the conference room, they’ve done a count of who’s out in the parking lot. They’ve interviewed most of them, too. There’s no sign of a Bernie Soloff among them and no one can remember him being around after the cafeteria meeting, either. There’s a bunch of other folks that are missing, too. The bosses say a guy from corporate in Seattle is not around. Ishaan Gilbert and TechCall contract workers, Chang and Mikal. Maybe more. They’re still checking the lists.”

“Yep, would you believe I’ve met Ishaan, Mikal and Chang as part of getting shit-canned,” Sam told Jim. “So, when do we start? I want to tell Peg. Are you going to want to bring Mimi into this?” Sam asked.

“Hold up on all that,” Jim warned. They want to get you up to speed on what they expect from you as part of the team. They’ve brought in another trailer in a separate spot out back of the plant away from the press and onlookers from which to control the negotiations. The feds will be running that show. Let’s go back there and see what’s up. You have all the phone numbers for your wife and Bernie, right?”

Nodding head yes, Sam added, “Not sure what Bernie would have in there. M-Mtek turned off all the communications networks including the company phones. He might have a personal cell phone. I never called him on his phone, so I don’t know - nor would I have the number. We all used the company phones. It was a perk.”

“Come on, let’s get going over there,” Jim said. “Maybe they’ll figure out a way to Skype with him.”

As they left the command center trailer and started walking to the rear of the plant, Sam was thinking that if anyone could figure out a way to Skype with the negotiating team, Bernie could. He knew the plant communications networks inside-out.

As they walked past the charred, shattered hulk of Bernie’s BMW, Sam commented to Captain Mahoney that Bernie loved his Beamer.

Jim mentioned to Sam that they had figured he used the car bomb as a diversion along with the percussion bomb so he could set up shop in the third floor conference room.

While walking to the negotiating trailer in the back parking lot Sam was thinking that whoever had staged the hostage event must have thought about it for a while before doing it.

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