Jack drove to the address provided by Jubal and spotted the stolen gray Ford Fusion parked in front of a villa.
He put on a bulletproof vest, grabbed his HK417, and cautiously approached the car. After inspecting its interior and trunk, he confirmed it was unlocked but completely empty.
The villa was too large for Jack to storm in alone, so he stayed put behind his Hellcat, waiting for backup while reviewing new data from the operations center. Using facial recognition, the suspect's identity had been identified.
Mike Helton, 46, resident of Queens, no prior criminal record, served in the military for seven years, now working as a plumber. His phone was currently switched off.
Additional information was still being verified, as only two hours had passed since the incident. Jack had a gut feeling this case wouldn't drag on for long but would definitely not be straightforward.
Soon, three unmarked Suburbans arrived. Hannah and a 12-person FBI SWAT team, all in bulletproof vests, stepped out.
"What's the situation?" Hannah asked, checking the Noveske N4 rifle Jack handed her.
"I checked the car. It's clean—nothing inside. The villa's door is ajar, and it's been quiet the whole time," Jack replied. He then grabbed two flashbangs from the trunk, feeling an ominous tension in the air and wanting to be prepared.
"Jubal contacted the owner. The villa is currently unoccupied; the family is abroad on vacation, and all the staff are on leave."
After her update, both Hannah and Jack donned their tactical earpieces and followed the SWAT team into the villa.
Although it was only two stories high, the villa spanned a considerable area with about 30 to 40 rooms. With four agents securing the front and back of the property, the remaining 10 took nearly 20 minutes to search the entire place.
"Clear!"
"Second floor, clear!"
The villa screamed wealth—seven or eight bathrooms, and even a private theater that could seat as many as eight people.
Hearing the all-clear reports, Hannah stood by a second-floor window overlooking the backyard, frowning. "There aren't any bus stops nearby. Could this just be a location he used to switch vehicles?"
"Maybe he knew in advance the place was empty and used it as a temporary safe house. He probably didn't expect us to be on his tail so quickly and left in a hurry," Jack speculated.
"Let's seal the place off. Jubal can decide whether to send in the CSI team or use our own forensics unit."
CSI, though part of the NYPD, was much better staffed and equipped than the FBI's crime lab in New York. After all, no TV shows were made about FBI forensics labs.
"Alright, everyone, gather in the first-floor lobby," Hannah announced through the comms channel.
"Copy. First-floor lobby," responded the SWAT team leader.
As Jack and Hannah were descending to the first floor and about to step outside, a mocking, slightly deranged voice blared through the villa's PA system.
"Hello, FBI! It's such a pleasure to see you here. Your swift response far exceeded my expectations!"
Jack instinctively moved sideways, pulling Hannah behind a load-bearing pillar for cover. The SWAT agents quickly followed suit, finding cover as the voice continued.
"No, no, don't be afraid. I'm not here to ambush you. I just wanted to say thank you. Thank you for proving a point—that fairness is only for the rich.
"When a billionaire's daughter gets kidnapped, the police take only two hours and ten minutes to find her. But when a poor man's daughter goes missing, you don't even bother to care—not even enough to return a call!"
The voice grew increasingly agitated, almost breaking, as it yelled, "So I had no choice but to do this! Kidnapping a rich family's child is the only way to make you pay attention.
"Now, let's make a simple deal. Find my daughter, and this rich girl lives. Otherwise, she dies!"
After the message ended, the villa fell silent.
Jack's mind raced. The carjacking victim earlier had mentioned the suspect muttering about having no choice and doing everything for his daughter. Now, it all made sense.
"Hannah, we need K9 units here. Also, we must confirm Mike Helton's daughter's situation as soon as possible," Jack suggested while Hannah relayed the request to the operations center.
"But according to records, Mike Helton doesn't have a daughter," Jubal's voice came through, puzzled.
"Check NYPD's missing persons reports. He claimed he contacted the police. For now, get those K9 units here. He's using the villa's internal PA system, so he's likely in a hidden room. Also, contact the homeowner and get more details," Jack added.
"Understood. I'll have a helicopter there in 10 minutes."
The K9 team arrived even faster—just 8 minutes later, an NYPD helicopter landed on the villa's front lawn. Though not under NYPD jurisdiction, not all county police had K9 units, so the NYPD provided support through FBI coordination.
The German Shepherds, reliable as ever, sniffed the Ford thoroughly before leading the team into the villa. In a first-floor hallway, one of them began barking furiously at a bookshelf.
Jack patted the dog's head in encouragement and examined the shelf. It wasn't a complicated mechanism—just a plain hidden door that opened manually.
Two SWAT agents covered Jack as he pulled the hidden door open, revealing a steel door behind it. A SWAT officer wielding a battering ram took a few swings, but it barely left a mark.
"This thing's solid steel," Jack said, recognizing it as a private safe room—likely built by the villa's wealthy owner for emergencies or as a secure vault.
Then, the deranged voice returned through the speakers. "No, no, no! Don't waste your energy. You could spend a month, and you'd still never break through this door. But let me warn you, if you keep trying, I'll kill the girl.
"Come here, Chloe. Say hello to the nice FBI agents so they know you're here. Quickly now."
Amidst the man's coaxing, a trembling voice, tinged with tears, came through. "I-I'm Chloe. I'm okay... just scared."
Jack sighed inwardly. Could any of his cases ever go smoothly? What kind of twisted plot was this?
After Chloe spoke, Helton's voice returned. "As I said, find my daughter, and I promise not to harm Chloe. But you only have 2 hours and 10 minutes. If you could find Chloe that fast, you have no excuse not to find my daughter."
"Damn it! Now it's our fault?" Hannah kicked the bookshelf in frustration before storming out of the study.
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Fairy Tail: Igneel's Eldest Son (Chapter 256)
I Am Thalos, Odin's Older Brother (Chapter 336)
Reborn in America's Anti-Terror Unit (Chapter 542)
Solomon in Marvel (Chapter 924)
Becoming the Wealthiest Tycoon on the Planet (Chapter 1284)
Surgical Fruit in the American Comics Universe (Chapter 1289)
American Detective: From TV Rookie to Seasoned Cop (Chapter 1316)
American TV Writer (Chapter 1402)
I Am Hades, The Supreme GOD of the Underworld! (Chapter 570)
Reborn as Humanity's Emperor Across the Multiverse (Chapter 660)
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