Notes: OK, not really sure where I'm going with this yet, but we'll see :)
03. The Job
The following day dawned bright and clear, the temperature rising as soon as the sun appeared over the horizon, promising another day of intense heat. Hospitals were overrun with cases of illness brought on by the unusual weather, and the other emergency services were stretched to breaking point with the number of accidents higher than normal. It was the perfect situation for Larnia's group to pull off their plan. Once the Anson building opened, Larnia entered the foyer and arranged an 'appointment' with Mr Swan, the head of the Collections and Debits department. By the time she was taken up to his office, She had already located the control room for the security systems and had planted a small jamming device under the chair she had been sat in, effectively rendering the building defenceless. The jammer would transmit a signal as soon as she activated it, allowing anyone who knew where the control room was to be able to access the building's full security system without the need for security codes. Timing was everything though; if the device was activated too soon, any secondary security systems installed might detect the disconnection of the main system and put the building on lock-down. Keeping an eye on the time, Larnia went through the motions of applying for a job in the company's technical department. Mr Swan appeared to be very impressed both with her resume and the short skirt she was wearing. She managed to keep her expression neutral as she observed Mr Swan 'checking her credentials', his attention diverted by her low cut blouse. It was one of the reasons Larnia had opted to do the initial insertion; she knew how to manipulate men like Mr Swan. The fact that she was also a technical wizard made her the perfect person to clear the way for the rest of the team."I think we may have a position to offer you Ms. Shea," Mr Swan told her, getting to his feet and extending his hand.
"Thank you," Larnia replied, shaking his hand and smiling sweetly. As they made their way back down to the lobby, Larnia spotted the black Mercedes parked outside and activated the jammer. The rest of the team had their timing perfect and, as she came level with the door for the technical control room, four men in black ski masks entered the building.
"Oh my god," Larnia cried in a terrified whisper, clinging to Swan's arm in apparent fear. She made only the briefest of eye contact with Corin, the leader of the masked men, before she was herded into the back room with the rest of the hostages. From the corner of her eye she saw Corin enter the control room and knew he would have the security systems shut down in a matter of seconds, if he followed the instructions she'd given him. Leaving the rest of the heist to her partners, Larnia slipped into character as a terrified hostage, satisfied that the job should go quickly and without incident.
##
The call came in just as Hondo's team were finishing their morning firing practice. At first it seemed their assistance might not be required, but it soon became evident that the situation was much more severe than first anticipated. An additional security system had been installed in the Anson building so that, if the main system was compromised, it silently signalled for assistance to the nearest police division. When two officers were wounded as they tried to approach the building, the local units knew they were in need of some additional help, and called for SWAT involvement.
"Well, boys and girl, we have another incident," Hondo told them, snapping his cell phone shut. He led the way to the black Tahoe the team used, getting in the passenger side and oddly pleased when Street took his usual place behind the wheel. As they pulled out of the parking lot, the team began asking questions.
"What we got Hondo?" Street wanted to know.
"We have ourselves both a 425 and a 413."
"Suspicious circumstances and person with gun?"
"That's right," the team leader confirmed. "Silent alarm was triggered at the Anson building about an hour ago. Was originally classified as a 425, suspicious circumstances."
"So what changed?" Sanchez wondered out loud.
"Two patrolmen approached the building and were both shot."
"Dead?" Boxer asked, his voice quiet.
"No, both officers received gun shot wounds to both legs and arms. The wounds were very carefully placed to incapacitate but not kill." The tone of his voice told the rest of the team that this small fact worried Hondo more than the actual situation did.
"Those are precision shots..." Street put in, catching Hondo's eye for a brief moment.
"Yeah..."
"So, we're dealing with pro's then?"
"That's what it looks like," the older man confirmed. "So be careful when we get there. We know they have hostages, but as yet they've made no demands."
"None?" Deke asked, surprised.
"No, and that's not good either. They obviously know we're on to them, but they're not trying to bargain or make demands."
"Why choose that building? It's not a bank or large department store..." Sanchez tried to figure out that part of the puzzle. She gripped the slender handle beside her head as Street swung the vehicle round a sharp corner, throwing them sideways.
"Wait a minute!" Street exclaimed, slamming his hand against the steering wheel. "The Anson building is home to Anson-Dante Technologies!"
"So?" chorused the rest of the team.
"A-D Tech make the computer systems for most of the major banks, as well as security systems for some of the largest corporations in the world. They're not after money!"
"They're after something that will give them the power to break any bank, or infiltrate any company in the world. If they manage to get the codes out of that building, they'd be virtually unstoppable, and untraceable," Deke confirmed, swearing under his breath.
"We better make damn sure they don't get out of that building with their bounty then," Hondo told them, knowing they all knew what could happen if they failed...
##
"What the hell went wrong?" Corin hissed in Larnia's ear, pressing his pistol to her temple. He'd dragged her out of the back room, away from the hostages, as soon as Matt had taken care of the two policemen. "This was supposed to go down with no-one the wiser. The police were not supposed to be involved!"
"Corin, I don't know what happened. They must have installed an additional fail safe programme since we got the specs for the security system!" Pushing the gun away from her, she looked at Corin with an expression of thinly veiled disgust. In a lightning quick movement, she had her hand around his throat, pressing strong fingers against pressure points in his neck that would kill him if she kept up the pressure. "Don't ever point a gun at me again!" she whispered, waiting until he grunted his affirmation before she released her deadly hold.
"What the hell do we do now?"
"We go to the back up plan. The police are not going to try anything while you have hostages, especially if you're using one of them as a human shield. So you grab me, threaten to kill me if they try anything. Use that situation to get everyone out to the car."
"And you think they're gonna let us go?"
"You didn't kill those stupid cops. That'll count in your favour. Just try not to kill anyone and you should be able to get out of this alive," she shrugged, knowing she was more useful to her partner alive than she was dead.
"Don't think I won't kill you myself if this goes to hell," Corin threatened.
"Don't be stupid, Corin. You know as well as I do that you can't crack those codes without me. Now put me back with the rest of the hostages and wait for the hostage negotiator."
"Sure." Pushing her ahead of him, Corin took her back to the room where they were keeping the hostages. He noted with admiration that she played the role of helpless hostage to perfection. "Do as you're told and no-one will get hurt!" he snarled at them, his weapon held prominently for them all to see. He knew that the rest of his team had little chance of escape. That fact didn't really bother him; the rest of the people here were expendable. As long as he escaped, he could meet up with Larnia later and decrypt the codes they had stolen. The sewer access in the small yard behind the building would allow him to leave without any problems, and if the police believed Larnia was an innocent bystander, she'd be out of custody within a few hours
##
Screeching to a halt a few hundred yards from the Anson building, Hondo and his team were ready to go. They headed to the SWAT truck, nodding their greeting to Lieutenant Velasquez as they all finished getting their gear on.
"So, what's the situation?" Hondo asked his friend.
"They're definitely pro's. Every attempt to approach the building has result in non-fatal gun shot wounds."
"Do we have authorisation to go in?"
"Not at present. We're to secure the perimeter and ensure they have no exit, other than out the front."
"Roger that," Hondo said, his voice calm.
"I see you're still one short..."
"Well, you know how it is..." Winking at his friend, Hondo turned back to his team. "You heard the man. Secure the area and make sure all possible escape routes are covered." They paused as one of the gunmen came towards the front door of the Anson building, looking out through one of the many broken windows.
"Let us leave and no-one gets hurt!" Corin shouted to the SWAT officers outside. The team looked at each other briefly, determined to take down these people before they started getting desperate. "We can end this peacefully, with no fatalities. Just let us go. Otherwise, you'll be explaining to this lady's family why you couldn't save her..." he finished, grabbing a woman from one of this partners.
"Oh shit! What the hell have you gotten yourself into this time, Larnia?" muttered Street, looking at the terrified woman that the gunman was holding.
"What?!?" As one the team turned to look at Jim, their expressions a mixture of disbelief and amazement.
"You know her?" Hondo asked, his voice dangerously quiet.
"Yeah, I know her," Street confirmed, sighing. "She's my wife..."
Hmm, that's a cliff hanger isn't it? If you want me to keep going, please review :)