Part One —
New York City Police Commissioner Frank Reagan mindlessly straightened his bowtie as he focused on the television screen in the family den of his Brooklyn home. The live broadcast airing on the local network ABC7NY featured the celebration of New Year's Eve already in full progress at Times Square, though over four hours remained before the huge crystal ball would make its annual 141-foot drop from the roof of One Times Square, and the new year would officially begin.
City officials expected record crowds this year, and because of that, and the recent Paris and San Bernardino terrorist attacks, Frank's police department had beefed up security for the event to an unprecedented six thousand officers policing the area, as well as extremely rigid security screening. Snipers had secured their positions on rooftops along with the department's top emergency services teams earlier in the day, while officers heavily armed with tactical rifles held their assigned positions on nearly every corner within several blocks of Times Square.
As the local news team interviewed a few party revelers, the whup whup whup of department helicopters patrolling from the sky above could be heard. Frank knew the helicopters would be patrolling not only Times Square throughout the night, but The World Trade Center and the Statue of Liberty as well.
He had worried that the extra security would create unease and tension with the thousands of partygoers, and let out of a sigh of relief when several interviewed stated they felt safe with the tightened security, rather than threatened by it.
"We flew in from MIdland this morning to have fun and ring in the new year New York City style, and that's what we plan to do. We have no fear of any attack on the city — ISIS or otherwise. We trust the mayor when he says this is the safest place in the world to be right now," a young man with a thick Texas drawl being interviewed firmly stated.
Frank pursed his lips; he had cringed earlier in the day when Mayor Rosseni publicly made that statement during a news conference earlier in the day. He prayed it would prove to be true as the network now replayed the mayor's bold proclamation.
Relax and party knowing New York is the safest city in the world, just as my beautiful wife Sybil and I plan to do with a number of our friends before I join you all to ceremoniously hit the button to start the drop of the ball one minute before midnight.
Frank had made a similar, but much more conservative statement during that same news conference, assuring the public that no threats had been made on the city, but nonetheless, his department had planned for the worse while expecting the best. He had not publically announced that he and his lovely wife Nicole would be partying along with Mayor and Mrs. Rosseni, though rumors quickly spread that they would be. It was no secret that while the commissioner and the mayor enjoyed a friendly working relationship, their wives had for years been — and were still — best friends.
Noticing the time exhibited in the lower right corner of the screen, Frank grabbed the remote from the coffee table, clicked the off button, then tossed the remote back on the table. After retrieving his overcoat from the hall closet, he slipped it on as he approached the bottom of the stairs.
"Nicole! Pop! Hurry up you two, or we're going to be late!"
"Keep your shirt on, Francis! I'm coming. What's your rush, anyway? I thought you didn't even want to attend this shindig," Henry replied as his made his way down the stairs.
"I don't. If I had my choice, I'd spend the evening cuddling in front of the fireplace with Nicole and a good bottle of scotch. But I made my promise to Nicole — and the mayor — that we would all attend. It doesn't make a good impression to show up late at the boss's party. Come here, your tie's crooked."
"I hate these monkey suits." Henry frowned as he stood at attention as his son retied his bowtie. "I could never tie these things properly. Your mother always did it for me, and then Mary. Now it seems to be your job."
"Oh, stop complaining. I don't like them any better than you. But you look quite handsome, and I hear widow Ellison will be in attendance this evening."
Henry raised his eyebrows at the news. "Is that right?"
"That's what I heard."
"Hmm...She is one fine looking woman, isn't she?"
"That she is."
I look handsome, do I?" Henry tugged at his jacket as he spoke.
"Yes, you do, Pop."
Frank's amused smile quickly faded as his cell phone vibrated in his pocket. He reached for it with an uncomfortable sense of foreboding. Once again his lips pursed as he stared at the caller ID on the screen. He inhaled a deep breath before accepting the call.
"I hope you're calling only to wish me a happy new year, Garrett." He glanced up the stairs for any sign of Nicole as he waited for his Chief of Staff's reply.
As he listened to Garrett on the other end, he turned his back away from the stairs, and his dad.
"Okay. I'm on my way," he said once Garrett had given him the information he'd hoped not to hear. "I need you to send a second detail for Nicole." And then, "Yes, Garrett, I'm well aware that the department is shorthanded at the moment, thanks to the overload in Times Square, and the Mayor's Mansion. But I'm sure as hell not sending my wife out on New Year's Eve without security. Find someone available, and get them here ASAP." Then, "No, don't call the mayor, I'll call him myself on the way."
Frank's mouth twitched uncontrollably as he contemplated how — and what — he would tell Nicole.
"Problem, son?"
He turned to face his dad as he returned his phone to his pocket. "Yeah, afraid so. I've got to go back to the office for a while."
"That serious, Francis?"
"You know we take all threats on the city seriously. Especially tonight. I need you to be Nicole's escort to the mayor's party. Can you do that, Pop?"
"Of course, I can. She's not going to be happy, though."
"Who's not going to be happy?"
Both men turned toward the stairs in time to see Nicole making her way down.
"Is there a problem?" she asked. "I don't like the look on either of your faces. What's going on?"
The sight of his wife dressed in a tight fitting, strapless, silver sequined ball gown took Frank's breath away.
"Whew-whew!" Henry whistled.
"I second that," Frank said, a huge smile on his face. "You look absolutely beautiful, Nicole."
"Thank you both," she said as she reached the last step. "Now, tell me, what's going on?"
Frank cleared his throat. "A little something has come up. I need to go back to the office for a while. Pop has offered to be your escort for the evening, at least until I can get there. Right, Pop?" He turned from Nicole to Henry, in need of his help with the situation.
"That's right. And let me just say what an honor it will be to have such a lovely woman at my side."
"Wait! Hold on. A little something has come up that's sending you back to the office on New Year's Eve, when we're expected at a party at the Mayor's Mansion? I'm not buying that for a minute, Frank Reagan. A little something like what? A bomb threat at Time's Square?"
When Frank offered no answer, only a heavy frown, Nicole panicked.
"Oh my God! That's it, isn't it! Someone is planning to blow up Times Square at midnight!"
"I didn't say that, Nicole."
"You didn't have to. The look on your face says I'm right. Oh my God, Frank. Nicky and her friends are spending New Year's Eve in Times Square. They're probably already there!"
"I'm well aware of that."
"What are you going to do? Are you going to notify her? Erin?"
"I'm hoping that won't be necessary."
"My God, Frank! We're talking about Nicky, your granddaughter. How can you not let her know she's in danger?"
"I know she's my granddaughter. I also know I can't do anything to alarm her or her friends. And I don't know for a fact at this moment that they are in any danger. I need to get to the office, find out exactly what is going on, and take care of it, so that my granddaughter and everyone else are safe."
"Frank…"
"I've got to go. You and Pop go to the party. Make some excuse for me, and try not to let on that something is wrong. Have a good time. If all goes well, and I have no reason to believe it won't at this moment, I should join you in plenty of time to see the ball drop. It's probably nothing more than a hoax, like the recent city-wide school hoax, but we have to take it seriously."
"Francis is right, Nicole."
"I'll go, but there is no way I will have a good time, no offense to you, Henry."
"None taken. Francis, go do what you have to do, and good luck, son."
"Frank, I'm scared," Nicole said, her voice starting to tremble. "For you and Nicky and her friends, and the city…"
"I will be in my office, safe. No reason to worry about me."
"Promise me that is where you will stay. Promise me, Frank." Nicole held her hand to her face, fighting back tears.
"I promise. Now I have to go. Garrett is sending a detail for you both. It should be here any minute. I'm sorry. You know if I could I would be with you, at the party."
"I know."
Frank kissed Nicole before leaving. "I love you."
"I love you, too," she replied.
"Keep the wolves away from her, Pop. She'll be the most beautiful woman there, I have no doubt."
"I'll do my best, Francis."
"Keep your phones handy. Both of you. I'll check in with you when I can."
With that, Frank headed out the front door and to the SUV parked in front of his home.
"Mrs. Reagan and your dad not quite ready?" asked one of two detail members as he held the door open for Frank.
"They won't be going with us. Change of plans," Frank replied as he climbed in the backseat and buckled his seatbelt. "Get me to the office. ASAP."
"Lights on, sir?" the driver asked.
"Lights on," Frank replied as he settled back in the seat.
"You mean we're not going to party at Gracie Mansion? I wore this tux for nothing?" asked the detail member in the front passenger's seat.
"Don't take it off just yet. I'm remaining optimistic that we will still make it there in time to celebrate. My wife looks quite beautiful this evening. I'd like to spend the evening with her, and not a bunch of old men at the office."
"I hear you, sir. She always does. Look beautiful, that is."
"That she does," Frank replied as he pulled his phone from his pocket and made his call to the mayor.
A/N — I borrowed words for Frank and Mayor Rosseni's news conference from actual New Year's Eve quotes of different New York City officials, and gathered facts of security from different news reports.