1PP - 2:15pm - The commissioners office
"Sir," Baker announced, knocking before entering the commissioners office, "We have a situation at Reverend Potters Church."
Feank raised his eyebrows, "A protest?" He asked tiredly. He had enough of Reverend Potters words and actions this week alone to last an entire lifetime, he didn't want to play another game of politics today.
"Not exactly, sir." Baker confessed.
"Well spit it out." Frank grumbled.
"It seems that there was a call about a gunman in the church and police responded, they were met with force when they tried to enter, according to reports a few managed to slip through and a call for back up was sent in a few minutes later." Baker passed Frank the transcript of the 911 call, "Sir apparently you're wanted to negotiate a hostage situation. So far, six officers have been unaccounted for, Parks, Giambi, Scott, Daley, Renzuilli, and Jamie, Sir."
"And we have to assume that they are being held in the church? A hostage situation in a sanctuary?" Garret asked incredously, already seeing the political nightmare in the wake of this, "Frank, you can't force your way into the church, it's political suicide."
"Baker, get my car please." Frank requested, ignoring Garrett and making his way to the elevator.
"Commisioner!" Garrett called, racing after him, "That church has done a lot of good, a church isn't something you can just raid with guns! You're going to have to negotiate with Potter if you want those officers and your son back."
"Garrett, you do not mention anything about officer Reagan, are we clear? We have six unknown officers trapped in that building, this is not a hostage situation with the commissioners son." Frank snapped at his advisor as they climbed into the elevator.
"Sir, you should know that Reverend Potters Church has already been making threats, they are well aware of whose son they have." Baker broke into their bickering, shifting around when her phone beeped.
"The NYPD does not negotiate, even if they have the Commisioner as their hostage, are we on the same page?" He drilled.
Baker glanced down at her office phone, and let out a small gasp, she wordlessly passed her cell phone over to Frank.
Frank shifted through the two photos, back and forth and back again. His stomach twisted in anticipation and fatherly fear, Garrett was right for once the NYPD could not go in guns blazing.
Garrett leaned over Frank's shoulder for a look at the pictures, "That's not..." He gave Frank's shoulder a reassuring squeeze, "We will get them out alive." He promised.
Frank nodded wordlessly, staring at the picture of the seven other officers looking black and blue and wondering why, with a pit in his stomach, why Jamie wasn't among them. His fingers involuntarily slid over to the second picture, it was of Jamie handcuffed to the wall closely resembling Christ, his bloody head drooping limply over his chest. His chest tightened, you didn't crucify your victims unless they were meant to be sacrificed.
"Garrett call for Danny." He managed to get out.
garrett nodded wordlessly, pulling Bakers phone from his hands and clicking it off then proceeding to call Dannys precinct. After a few words, Frank determined that Danny was already on scene, and for lack of better word choice, he was in the middle of making quite the scene.
REVEREND POTTERS CHURCH - 3:30pm
Frank and his detail hurriedly pushed through the sea of blue to the front lines which had been set up on the other side of the street with plenty of spectators watching, including several news crews. Frank's temper flared at the sight of reverend potter talking animatedly with Channel 5, reporting 'racial injustice' and 'police brutality.' When in fact the church was the one holding officers hostage. With the commotion of the commissioners arrival, reverend potter turned to meet Frank's glare with an almost impercievable grin, he made his way towards him with the news crews trailing mere feet behind.
Reverend potter neared and stuck out his hand, though Frank noted it was in the position to kiss not to shake, so he rudely ignored the outstretched hand. He would shake whatever hand he needed to once he had his officers and his son back.
"Your church has eight of my officers and I want them back now." Frank demanded harshly, ignoring any political edicut Garrett had ever mentioned to him.
Reverend Potter put his hands up in a placating gesture, "I'm just here to act as a negotiator for the black community and make sure this incident is resolved peacefully and without force."
"There's already been force!" Frank hissed at the slender man, "You will return my officers now!"
"Officers?" The reverend asked, feigning surprise, "What ever do you mean?"
Frank's eyes blazed, "Your church people are holding either of my officers hostage and you will return them now or the NYPD will see fit to take the church by force."
"Well that's very Catholic of you, Francis. Your people have been seizing churches since the dawn of religion." The reverend teased, "But we don't have any officers in our church, unless that is you have proof?"
frank seethed, "Baker!" He barked, summoning her and showing the reverend the photo of the seven officers but making sure not to flash Potter or the press a photo of Jamie. "I count only 7 officers, you demanded 8."
"There are eight officers in there, and you will deliver them all back to me unharmed."
"What makes you so sure there are eight?" Potter asked trying to make Frank admit that he was here for his own son as well.
frank pressed his lips together in frustration, "Return my officers by five o'clock today or there will be consequences." He threatened.
Frank felt himself get angrier and angrier until Garrett tapped his shoulder, "You may want to see this." He suggested, dragging Frank through the crowd towards his other son who was geared up and ready to go.
danny was currently holding out a phone, looking pissed and reaming the hostage negotiator a new one, very, very loudly with several officers out of the twelfth who appeared ready to rip off some heads.
"The pictures have been leaked." Garrett explained, "Go talk to them." He prodded Frank.
frank glanced from Danny to Garrett and back to Danny, "Find the leak." He ordered and strode towards his hotheaded son.
"Commisioner!" Danny called looking relieved when he spotted him, "We're gonna need a new negotiator."
"Detective, a word?" Frank asked with a displeased expression on his face as he led his oldest away from the crowd and cameras.
"Dad, Jamie is in there." Danny said seriously, showing Frank the leaked picture, "He's hurt pretty bad."
"I know, I've seen the pictures already." Frank lamented, "We need to get your brother back, Potter is denying that they even have more that seven officers hostage."
"How could he deny it? There's evidence!" Danny all but yelled waving his cell phone around.
"The press can't know that Jamie is in there, I couldn't show Potter the eighth officer because the press would have a field day and I can't have potter knowing he's my son."
"He probably already knows dad, I mean forgodssake he has him strung up like..." Danny couldn't bear to say it, he knew what it signified, being on the cross. He had seen plenty of victims hung up like that, he had seen plenty of them die like that too.
"I know." Frank whispered, "I need you and Baez to focus on your brother and I'll focus on the other officers."
"You don't care how I do it?" Danny asked carefully.
"Don't kill anyone." Frank warned, "besides maybe Potter." He finished with a smile. What Frank didn't know was that a camera had been on him and his son the entire conversation and that was about to cost someone.
Before danny could answer a gun shot rang out, without thinking Danny tackled his father to the ground, father and son didn't even make it to their feet before the fight broke out. Blue rushed towards the fallen officer while the other half went to collide with the muscle standing outside potters church.
It was total chaos. Fights broke out in both sides, no one was sure who had fired the gun but both sides attacked anyways. Frank saw Garrett out of the corner of his eye race towards him and Danny with baker at his side.
"It's for you." Garrett said, handing bakers phone to Frank for the second time that day.
Frank gingerly took the phone and placed it on speaker, his heart froze.
"Dad?" A voice called weakly.
Franks mouth opened but he couldn't force any words out.
"Dad!?" The little voice called again, more panicked. There was a faint scuffle in the background, "Hey! Let 'em go!" Jamie's voice escalated.
"Jamie!" Frank said finding his voice, "Don't worry your brother is coming."
"Don't! Don't shoot him." Jamie's panicked breaths could be heard over the phone, "Stop! Please!" He was begging now. Frank's heart damn near stopped when he heard the gun shot and an anguished cry from Jamie.
"Tell 'em" A deep voice ordered over the phone, "Or do I have to shoot another one?"
A shaky voice got back on the phone, "Tell the fight outside to stop and start listening to Potter." Jamie ordered his father, still taking in short gulps of air.
"No, No! Stay with me, come on!" A strangled sob could be heard over the phone, it was silent for a while, only the sound of Jamie breathing was audible.
"Tell 'em." The voice threatened again, the sound of a bullet being clicked into a chamber and a surprised gasp from Jamie told Frank his son was in a lot of pain.
"You shoot anyone and there will be hell to pay." Frank warned.
"Parks is dead." Jamie mumbled into the phone, "Danny?"
Danny perked up at the sound of his name, "I'm here kid." He answered.
"Shania DeQuan."
Jamie barely finished before another gunshot rang out and the phone clicked off.
Frank let out a breath, "Garrett, Baker, find Shania. Danny, you and Baez get Jamie and grab the 54th and what's left of the 12th to assist you."
Garrett and Baker cleared out quickly but Danny lingered behind, "Dad?" He asked looking tired and worried.
And that was all Danny had to say, "I know." Frank replied wrapping his arms around his oldest, "Go get your brother back, I have to go strangle Potter."
Danny nodded and raced away to find Baez.
