Chapter 7

Outside what was left of the building, Jack Hudson was the first to arrive, with Sue Thomas and Lucy Dotson in tow. Seeing the devastation in the stark light of the rescue and fire vehicles, they were all struggling to control their scattered emotions.

Ushering the women toward the Incident Command Center van set up by DCPD, his eyes scanned the crowd that had gathered, praying Myles and Hannah had somehow made it out. Maybe they just weren't able to contact anyone, Jack hoped as he searched. However, his heart sunk when he didn't see their faces in the throng that had formed.

They hadn't made it out, Jack groaned inwardly, showing his badge to get them admitted past the police barricade. Yet, he reminded himself with a determined set of his jaw.

Just before he stepped through the van door into the ICC, Jack couldn't stop his eyes from drifting to the damaged building. Please God, not again, he prayed, thinking briefly of the friends he'd lost that fateful September day.

"Diana?" Jack blinked, his eyes adjusting to the different light inside the Command Center.

"I didn't know you were working the bomber case," Sue mentioned, recalling the DCPD detective that had introduced them to Troy.

"I'm not." Lt. Diana Grove turned with a grim smile for her old friends. "I was on my way home when I heard the call come in on the scanner and came to see what I could do to help. What are you doing here?"

"I've got two inside," Jack stated bleakly, casting a sorrowful glance over the bustling activity inside the van. "What can you tell us?"

"Not much, and nothing good unfortunately," Diana frowned, before calling another man over. "Who's inside?" she asked as they waited for the other man.

"Myles, and a new agent, Hannah Starr," Jack responded, moving out of the way of some people trying to enter. "We've been doing surveillance on the nightclub for the last couple of weeks," he explained, his hand instinctively going to Sue's back as he spoke.

"You don't know if they made it out, do you?" Lucy asked quickly, her words almost running over each other in her haste.

Jack put his hand comfortingly on the tall black woman's shoulder. Even after the way Myles treated her when they were dating, she still cares, he thought compassionately.

"Officer Donovan has a list of everyone that's already been taken to the hospital or released from the scene," Diana told them, stopping a slightly overweight deputy as he passed. "But I haven't seen Myles, and no one has said anything about any agents," she apologized, looking at the deputy inquiringly, who shook his head scanning his clipboard.

"Well, I think I'd still like to check anyway…just in case," Lucy offered with a shrug.

"Good idea," Jack agreed, seeing the other woman's anxiety and hoping this little bit of activity would keep her busy while he found out more information.

"Donovan, Ms. Dotson would like to check your list for some friends that were in the building," Diana explained, receiving a curt nod from the man before he guided Lucy to the adjacent set of tables.

"So, what is the status of the rescue attempt?" Jack asked, watching his co-worker go before turning back to the blonde detective.

"On hold."

"Hold?" Sue repeated as she signed the word, looking at Jack in confusion.

Jack felt his stomach twist into knots as he nodded confirmation to the tall blonde beside him before turning his attention back to Diana. This can't be good news, he thought, placing his hand on Sue's back, needing her close as he waited for the detective to explain.

"I know," Diana continued, putting her hand up as if to hold off any arguing from the dark-haired agent. "We want to get in there as soon as possible, but right now we have a bigger concern."

"Bigger concern?" Jack asked, his patience wearing very thin.

"What could be a bigger concern than search and rescue?" Sue questioned, her head snapping back and forth, as she tried to read their lips to find out what was going on.

"Another bomb," Diana stated forebodingly. "One of the patrons that made it out said there was a second bomb, and until we can confirm whether that is true or not, we can't send a search and rescue team in," she continued as her friends stared at her in shock.

"But Myles and Hannah…" Sue whispered to Jack.

"Will just have to wait until we know what we are up against," a woman's voice interrupted them from behind Jack.

"Kels, this is Special Agent Jack Hudson and Sue Thomas with the F.B.I," Diana introduced the woman, who was dressed all in black SWAT garb. "Jack, Sue, this is Kelsey Malone with the bomb squad. We've got two agents inside," she explained as the woman pushed passed. Turning around, Kelsey watched with a raised eyebrow as Jack signed the introductions.

"Sorry, I forgot," Diana apologized, realizing she'd made the introductions when Sue's view was obstructed by the other woman. "Sue's deaf," she turned to the other woman and explained.

"I sort of gathered that," Kelsey quipped, looking at the blonde woman with puzzlement. "I don't know what all that other stuff was, but I did recognize my name," she admitted, awkwardly finger spelling K-E-L-S-E-Y.

"You sign?" Sue questioned looking someone excited.

"No, my friends and I learned the alphabet in school…so we could 'talk' to each other in class," Kelsey shrugged reluctantly, looking at Jack. "Tell her, I guess some of it stuck with me."

"You can tell me yourself," Sue spoke up as the other woman's eyes snapped back to her. "I read lips," she explained, elbowing Jack slightly as he smirked.

"Sorry," Kelsey blushed. "I don't know what to do," she looked at Sue expectantly.

"Just talk normal," Sue told her with a reassuring smile.

"And look at her," Diana offered. "She'll do the rest."

"So, now that we have that taken care of," Jack interjected, leaning in over Sue's shoulder, his hand on her back affectionately. "How long before we can send rescue teams in?" he asked the new addition.

"Well, right now, I'm waiting for the last of my team to get here. He's stuck on the Beltway behind an accident," Kelsey sighed, adjusting her demolition belt. "It will be at least another ten or fifteen minutes…"

"But they might not have another ten or fifteen minutes," Jack bellowed angrily, drawing the attention of those inside the vehicle as well as just outside.

"Jack," Sue whispered, laying a hand on his arm trying to calm him down.

"We don't know what kind of injuries the people inside might have, including Myles and Hannah," Jack continued, his voice only slightly quieter, knowing the more he yelled, the harder it would be for Sue to keep up. "Then you tell me another bomb might be inside, but we're just going to wait?"

"Listen, I know you are worried about your friends, but I'm not going in there a man down," Kelsey barked defensively. "So unless you've got someone with bomb squad experience in your pocket, we wait for my man," she retorted, standing toe to toe to the dark-haired agent.

"Well, I'm not in his pocket, but I've got the experience," a distinctive Australian voice stated from the doorway.

"Who are you?" Kelsey snapped suspiciously as Sue followed everyone's eyes as they turned to find Bobby and Tara Manning standing just inside the door.

"Special Agent Bobby Manning," Jack announced with a smile. "Formerly of SWAT's bomb disposal team," he added smugly.

"Don't worry," Diana added briefly. "I'll vouch for his credentials," she assured the woman.

"Okay, then pretty boy," Kelsey agreed reluctantly. "I guess you're with me. Let's get you suited up," she stated, making her way to the door.

"No worries," Bobby clapped his hands together with almost boyish glee. Ducking his head to kiss his wife, he told her, "Be right back."

"You better," Tara whispered, before moving to stand next to Sue.

"Be careful, Crash," Jack warned, his hand on his best friend's arm stopping him briefly as they stepped out the door.

"Aren't I always, Sparky?" Bobby grinned, and with a wink, he followed the woman who was already barking off orders to the tall Aussie.

"Only thing you've really got to worry about in there," Kelsey cautioned as they moved away.

"What's that, shelia?" Bobby questioned as she threw him a spare disposal suit.

"If you ever see me running…make sure you keep up," she advised seriously, before calling to the rest of her team to get ready.

"I'll keep that in mind, shelia," Bobby groaned quietly, his eyes meeting Jack's across the parking lot.

The dark-haired agent wasn't sure if they'd ever be able to make it up to Bobby for the sacrifice he was making going in there with that woman. But I'm sure glad he is, he thought. Just don't let anything else happen before he gets them out? he prayed silently.