Chapter Five
Oscar Goldman stood outside the Aqueduct, datacom in hand, coordinating the masses of G-men arriving to swarm the area. Jaime's husband longed to rush inside the darkened structure and begin personally searching for his wife. What good was keeping up the ruse, if Jaime was in there, hurt – or dying? Hansen said he hadn't seen Jaime or Steve; had they been grabbed (or worse), the second they walked in the door? Oscar knew, logically, that no one else had the knowledge and authority to enable them to perform his duties, which meant he could help Jaime the most by staying right where he was. Even so, it was with great reluctance and a heavy ache in his heart that Oscar forced himself to stand his ground and do his job.
An unexpected voice behind him nearly made him draw his weapon. "Excuse me, Sir – I think I can help you."
Oscar turned toward the man who had just run up to him, out of breath. He was wearing a blue jacket with WDCAemblazoned across the back and again in smaller letters across the front pocket. "I'm Andrew Glazier," he explained, "the General Manager here."
Oscar shook the man's extended hand. "Oscar Goldman, U.S. Government. I was told all personnel...were gone."
"I was on vacation, and I got a phone call telling me what happened, although I'm not sure I understand -"
"Join the rest of us," Oscar sighed. "Andrew, besides the main entrance and the ones on each side, are there any other ways in and out of the structure?"
"Well, there's the maintenance area – it starts on the other side of the dam and runs all the way underneath, but you can't get in there right now, not with the power off."
Oscar immediately switched on the datacom. "Unit Six, I need the power back on. Do it now!" He turned to his new helper. "Show me." As Andrew pointed out the way, Oscar called to his assistant. "Russ, this way – we're going in!"
The passageway was clean, well-lit and very long. As they ran down the hall, quickly searching each room, Oscar's heart told him they were getting closer to Jaime. "This elevator leads up into the far end of the main structure," Andrew told them. "It's temperamental, but I can usually reason with it."
Oscar closed his eyes for a split-second as a totally unfamiliar feeling washed over him: raw terror. As quickly as it came, it was gone, but it left him certain of the one thing that mattered. "Jaime's in there..." he said evenly, trying to keep a grip on his emotions.
"I'll check the stairwell," Russ called out, already on his way through the door and up the stairs.
"Andrew, let's get these doors open," Oscar said to the young man who was already attempting to do exactly that.
"Huh – that's strange," Andrew told him. "No one uses this thing but me. The car should be up on the main floor, but...it's here." He pressed the buttons insistently, but nothing happened. The doors remained firmly closed. "It shouldn't be here," he thought aloud, multiplying Oscar's tension at least tenfold. He didn't feel any better when his young helper broke open a glass cabinet on the wall and pulled out a fire ax.
"Be careful; there are people in there!" Oscar cautioned.
"Oh God, no!" Andrew groaned, freezing in mid-swing. "Sir, this car just took a ten-story dive. If thereare people in there, you'll need an ambulance...and the coroner."
Oscar didn't have time to absorb this crushing news before Russ, sounding especially strident and harried, called urgently over the datacom. "Shots fired...multiple victims...all available units to the southwest corridor, by the elevator. We've got agents down!"
"Russ, are you hit?" Oscar called back, while Andrew began using the ax blade like a pry bar.
"I'm ok. Just a flesh wound -"
"Are Jaime and Steve up there?"
"Sorry, Oscar – no sign of 'em. But I've got the shooter." Russ knew the identity of the gunman could wait; Oscar had enough to deal with. "Ambulances are on the way, and so is Rudy with the medivac."
"Great – thanks, Russ. I'll be down here for now," Oscar concluded. "Keep me posted." He ran a hand through his hair and took several deep breaths which failed to calm him. "How's that door coming?" he asked Andrew.
"We're almost in."
Oscar tried to brace himself for what he might see. Were his wife and his best friend still alive? Yes, it was possible they were somewhere above ground and safe, but he just knew they were in that broken car – his heart could feel it. Minutes later, Oscar felt as though that same heart had been shattered into a million tiny fragments when the elevator doors finally came apart and he got his first look inside.
- - - - - -