Restoration

Chapter 27

Nolan points at a woman fleeing into the street. "Harper! She's about to run into the side of the shop."

The aproned escapee bangs on the shop window as Nyla hard-brakes to a stop. "Please, you've got to help."

Nolan springs out of the car. "We'll help you. Tell me what's going on."

"I'm not sure. I deliver breakfasts and lunches to the offices around here. I was taking breakfast burritos to the people at the Veritas, and I saw what was happening through the glass in the door. There are men with guns in there. They have everyone down on the floor except one guy at a computer. And he's bleeding. I was going to call 911 when I saw you coming."

Harper thumbs the switch on her radio to report.

"What's your name?" John asks.

"Mercedes Moreno."

"Mercedes, we're going to get help in here, a lot of help," John assures her, "but right now, I need you to describe exactly what you saw in there. How many men with guns?"

"Six, I think. They were all wearing shirts with flags on them, with stars in a circle."

Nolan and Harper lock glances, and Nyla nods. "The Freedom Brigade."

"The man you said is bleeding, is it a lot or a little?" John queries. "Is he slumped over his computer?"

Mercedes closes her eyes to visualize the scene. "A little, I think, but I couldn't see much. And his face was bruised like someone hit him, but he was sitting up. I think they were making him type."

"What kind of guns?" Nyla asks.

"Big ones!" Mercedes shakes her head. "I don't know what they're called. I hate guns! My cousin was killed in a mass shooting in Florida. They looked like the ones they showed on the news, with those big round things."

"High capacity magazines," Nyla realizes. "I'll fill Grey in."

Mercedes swipes at her eyes. "I wish I could remember more."

"You'd did great," Nolan assures her. "Most witnesses can't remember half that much."

"SWAT is 10 minutes out," Nyla announces.

Nolan blows out a breath. "Great."

"D.H.S. is coming with Grey."

"Wonderful," Nolan mutters under his breath.


Grace whistles for attention. "We're on alert, people. The L.A.P.D. is facing a hostage situation, and there may be more. So far, we have no severe traumas incoming, but that situation could change at any moment. Try to get to as many patients as possible right now and be prepared for triage."

Grace has been here before when heavy fog on the freeway caused multiple pileups, or a crazy gunman invaded a wedding, but it feels different with John out there. He's determined to serve, to put himself out there for others, and she loves him for that. But her stomach still twists at the idea that the next time he's in her emergency room, it won't be for a laceration she can readily stitch up or bruises she can ice. Her best defense against worrying about John is to stay busy herself, and if things get critical today, she'll be more than busy, she'll be deluged. She only hopes that John won't be part of the incoming tide.


Grey springs from his shop as soon as he arrives on the scene, focusing his attention on Harper. "Sitrep."

"Nolan and I observed the situation, undetected. Six gunmen are armed with AR-15s and carrying additional high capacity magazines. Twelve hostages on the floor appear unharmed. An additional hostage is at a desk being forced to use a computer. He's injured, extent unknown."

"Windows?" Grey inquires.

"None in the immediate area where the hostages are being held, sir," Nolan replies, "but there are some in a connecting room. No clear shots at the hostage-takers, but there could be entry through the windows from the roof. The glass doesn't appear to be reinforced."

Grey nods. "Good observation, Nolan. That could be helpful. Anything else?"

"It appeared to me that the ventilation system was upgraded. A person, a smaller person, might find a way in through the ductwork, and I spotted a vent into the area where the hostages are being held."

"I'll communicate that to SWAT," Grey responds.

"Sir," Nyla interjects. "I'm smaller than most officers on the force, and I have the highest rating as a marksman. I could go in through that vent."

"Slow down, Harper," Grey advises. "We have to put a plan together, which hopefully will include the city transmitting drawings for the building and coordinating with D.H.S. SWAT will do their reconnaissance, and we'll see where we go from there."

Harper's fingernails dig into her palms. "Yes, sir."


John hears the groan of an engine as a black S.U.V. joins the L.A.P.D. vehicles. Before he sees her, he knows it's Jessica. "Looks like you haven't changed your habit of stumbling on precarious situations, John."

"It is the job, Jess," Nolan points out. "But I'm surprised you haven't decided to ride a desk. In as much of a hurry as you were for — you know — I'd think you'd already be in a situation where you'd want to stay out of the line of fire."

"Let's just say things haven't worked out the way I planned, John. So, do you have any of those insights gained from your contracting experience to share about getting to those hostages?"

"I've already communicated those to Grey. You should be consulting with him instead of a rookie who just stumbles into precarious situations."

Jessica winces. "Fine, Officer Nolan. Just watch your ass."

"I assure you, Agent Russo, I'm trying my best to do just that."


"We should be doing something!" Nolan complains to Harper, as they wait for instructions."

"I get it, Boot. But if we just go charging in there, we get hostages killed and probably ourselves too," Harper counsels. "Grey should have things laid out any minute. Yeah, he's getting on the radio."

"I want the L.A.P.D. marked units on the perimeter as back up and to intercept any fleeing suspects," Grey instructs. "SWAT is going to lead the primary assault. Agent Russo of D.H.S. will be infiltrating through the ventilation system."

Harper strides quickly to the Sergeant's command post. "Sir, I volunteered for infiltration duty."

"This is not the time for discussions, Detective Harper," Grey rebukes, picking up his radio again. "Everyone take their positions. I'll give the go signal."

Harper chases after Russo as she approaches the building and grabs Jessica's arm. "Hey! I have years of crawling through drug tunnels. I know how to get in there and get the job done."

"What's your hip measurement?" Jessica demands.

"What? Thirty-six."

"Mine's 34," Jessica informs her. "And I'd judge I'm about 4 inches shorter than you are. We looked at the plans. The ventilation ducts are narrow as hell, and I'm the smallest one here. I'll have the most room to maneuver, and you have a kid, don't you?" Harper nods. "I don't. I won't have thoughts of anyone else to distract me. We're out of time," Jessica insists and runs toward the building.

Harper takes her place behind the shop's steering wheel. "Your old pal there, has a death wish. Has she always been like that?"

John's mouth tightens to a hard line. "You ought to know about death wishes, Harper, if anyone would, but no, she hasn't. She had all kinds of plans for the future. Something happened with her, something bad."

Harper's eyes sweep the target building. "Whatever it was, I hope it doesn't make her careless. She could blow the whole operation."

"She'll be all right," John asserts. "If there's anything Jess is good at, maybe too good, it's taking out the bad guys."

Harper points through the windshield. "SWAT is moving in. It shouldn't be long now. Keep your eyes open."

John glues his eyes to the team, closing in on the building. "I'd need a piledriver to close them."