VII

8:30am. Tuesday, September 11, 2001

Jo and her partner of five years, Nathan Zidek, had just finished breakfast in their precinct and were headed out for another morning on patrol. They would rotate driving throughout the day, as they always did, Nathan being behind the wheel at the start of this day.

It had the look of being a spectacular late Summer day in New York City.

"I tell ya, Zid", Jo said as she buckled in the passenger side, "can we bottle this day, and open it as a present for Christmas? Can't get a better looking day."

"I hear ya Jo P", her partner nodded. "Beats the shitty weather we'll probably get for Christmas anyway." That accurate forecast made Jo chuckle.

At Warner Company Headquarters, fifteen blocks from the World Trade Center, CEO David Warner was having an informal breakfast with his Chief Operating Officer, Mark Spanning, and his Chief Financial Officer, Stephanie Meecham, in his top-floor Office. It was a working breakfast, as they would discuss the continuing attempt to acquire Trans-Pacific Shipping, which would give the Warner Company it's own fleet of ocean-going vessels in the Pacific, where their business was booming. It would give them a leg up on their competitors.

"I'll be calling Blair and Steve around 10am", David informed the other two. "They and their staff had dinner last night with the CFO of TPS, and things are starting to fall into place."

Stephanie Meecham smiled at her boss. "Blair seems to be doing a great job out there. She doesn't want the easy road, does she?"

David chuckled. "Even if she wanted it, I wouldn't let her have it", he interjected. "She been determined to do all the 'dirty work' as she moves up."

"As it should be", Mark Spanning added. "She's probably still a decade away, David, but I've been impressed with her from day one. She'll be decorating this office in about ten years."

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves, Mark", David said with a laugh. "In ten years, I'm going to seriously start to be old." They all laughed at that remark.

8:45 am

Nathan had the squad car carrying he and Jo heading northeast on Park Avenue, just passing East 73rd Street, when the call that would change the lives of everyone in New York and the entire world occurred.

"Attention all units, 10-85 in progress at the World Trade Center. Unknown aircraft just impacted the North Tower. All available units head immediately to the vicinity of the WTC."

Jo looked in disbelief at her partner. "What the fuck, Zid? What kind of idiot would fly a plane into any building on a day like this?"

Nathan was just initiating his siren and lights when Jo spoke, first doing a u-turn on Park Avenue to head south toward the far end of Manhattan. "I dunno, girlfriend", he said, feeling a ball of ice in his stomach, "but my guts tellin' me it wasn't an accident."

After he made the turn, both of them saw the billowing smoke some three-and-a-half miles away.

"Holy God", Jo said, almost in a whisper.

"You said it Jo P", Nathan said, just as softly.

_

At Warner headquarters, David and his breakfast guests were just finishing their meal, when the CEO's phone announced an incoming call. It was was from Corporate Security, a few floors below where he was.

"This is Warner", David said calmly. He usually heard from Security a few times a week, so the fact it was from them raised no immediate alarm in his mind.

"Sir, this is Rick Wilmore." David noted the urgency in his voice.

"Rick", he said, suddenly much more on alert, "is something going on? You sound like hell."

"Sir, all the TV and radio stations are reporting that a plane hit the North Tower of the World Trade Center about four minutes ago. We don't know what the hell is going on, but with your permission, until we do know something, I'd like to evacuate all non-essential personnel."

"Shit", David said, in very uncharacteristic language for him. "Do it, Rick. I'll get on the PA and advise everyone but the top officers to evacuate."

Stephanie and Mark had turned white as sheets when David spoke. He hung up the phone and turned to his chiefs. "A plane as crashed into the WTC. Security is evacuating the building, but I want you guys, and only the most senior people in here to remain."

Mark and Stephanie looked at each other. "On it", Stephanie responded, and the two senior officers left to organize.

David's first thought was, "I'm glad Blair's on the west coast", but his second thought turned his heart to ice. "But Jo's gonna be down there. Dear God."

The drive for Jo and Nathan was going quicker than normal, as almost everyone by now, hearing the news on their car radios, had pulled over to gawk at the expanding gray and black smoke rising above the tallest buildings in North America. Their radio was non-stop pandemonium.

"Attention all available units heading to the WTC. Staging area is being set up for the NYPD operations at the Battery Park Ball Fields, 205 Warren Street. All units head to Battery Park Ball Fields."

Jo steeled herself for what was awaiting them, for now just as confused as anyone else in the United States at the moment.

Jo and Nathan arrived at the staging point at the Battery Park baseball fields about 8:50am. It was still being organized, but they recognized the Manhattan South Borough Commander, who was also an Assistant Chief, had set up his field headquarters. The two officers moved to the location, and one of the Commander's assistance met them.

She didn't think about the fact that she left her cell phone in her car.

Jo spoke for both of them. "Officer Joanna Polniaczek and Officer Nathan Zidek, Precinct 20 Manhattan North. Where do you need us, sir?"

The assistant commander got right to the point. "Right now, I need officers down near the Towers. We need to help clear the North Tower, and to help civilians move away from the area, so the FDNY and EMT's can reach the site quickly."

"Has an order been given to evacuate the towers, sir?"

The Assistant Chef nodded his head. "The North Tower, yes. People in the South Tower are being told to hold in place, but you can guess that not many wanting to wait around for anything else to happen."

I wouldn't either, Jo thought grimly to herself.

"Set your radios to the Guard Channel. We're using that to try and keep everyone on the same page. It'll get crazy, but it's the best we can do right now. There's more Captains and other leadership down there, they'll give you more instructions on arrival."

"We're on it, sir", Nathan repeated, and the two of them got back in their car for the quick trip near the Towers.