4-1-1: Where Are Our Children (A Serial Novel) Episode 1 of 9

by Gary Sapp

going on out here, it won’t be a panoramic enough view to give away our movements. Even if he has an escape route mapped out of this theatre of operations, pardon the pun, we will be able to pinch him and finally take him down.”

  The Deputy Director nodded, pleased. “Excellent work, all of you.”

  Angel felt a tingling in her neck, as if she’d been stuck by a bee signifying her defeat. She faced Ryan down. “So what is your plan?”

  “Bob Tate is speaking by phone right now with Stanton. He is acting as if he were leading the ‘dummy’ negotiations as that little shit inside that building wanted.” Ryan spoke to the group. “In the meantime we’re going to allow those inside that building a little downtime. Let Stanton bask in the glory of letting him believe he is in control here. Let’s let him take a little breath while we let him gain a false sense of security. More importantly, we’ll wait on darkness to fall over the city.” He then, with a purpose, found Angel’s eyes and took two steps towards her. “And then we’re going to gas everyone inside, have Commander Kendall’s people storm the building and take back what is ours.”

  Angel cursed. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

  Ryan countered. “It’s the only way to be sure.”

  Angel’s big brown eyes pleaded with the group of five who had gathered on this chilly, smoky afternoon with her on Peachtree Street. “Does anyone else think this is a bad idea?”

  When no one spoke up initially Angel snorted and kicked at a rock with her boot. Romeo Kendall searched the sky for guidance, found what he was looking for and spoke up. “The agents on the roof are scheduled to blow a hole in the theatre wall and pump sleeping gas to incapacitate the terrorist.” He looked at her with his one good eye, but spoke loud enough for it to be intended for the group. “The gas is an odorless, invisible proxy we modeled after an ingredient we lifted off the Russians a few years ago.” He squeezed Angel’s shoulders with some affection. “It’s a good plan, Angel. And it gets better.” He released her and turned back to his superior, Deputy Director Rice and the others. “We are coordinating our efforts with a specialized force that have entered the sewers and narrow underground shafts and are setting up listening devices.” It was time for Romeo to check his watch…or better yet a stopwatch. “In about an hour we’ll have those systems online. We will be able to hear and any and all conversations that are going on in there. More importantly, we will also have the ability to ascertain a better estimate to our enemy’s exact numbers, the condition of the friendlies, and exactly where in the hell everyone inside is located.”

  Sheridan said, “There will most certainly be civilian casualties, Doctor. We’ve taken every necessary step to keep those numbers at a minimum.”

  “I know that you believe that you have, Agent Sheridan.” Angel said. This is a damned foolish thing that you all are doing here, a damned foolish thing. She tried another angle. “And what if they spoil your perfect little scenario and throw off your timing by not waiting through your downtime. What if Stanton loses his patients and starts killing people before dark.”

  “He won’t.” Justin Ryan said with an absolute certainty. “He could have killed every poor bastard in there and been on his way hours ago, before anyone arrived to stop him. The man wants something. I know this. So do you. Another few hours is not going to make one helluva difference to him.”

  Angel let out a curt, maddening laugh. “This is insane.”

  “It is,” Sheridan agreed and looked at Agent Blue, who looked as if she wanted to say something. “But it looks as if it is our best shot, if you have something constructive to add, Tabitha?”

  “Respectfully, I do, sir.” Agent Blue shifted in her stance. “We all believe my partner, Special Agent Christopher Prince, is amongst those being held inside. I believe that I’ve worked with the man long enough to know that he would be asking some of same questions that Doctor Hicks-Dupree is asking if he were out here with us. Are these risks we are all taking worth the price those inside may be asked to pay?”

  Just as Angel breathed a sigh of relief for someone bringing sanity to the conversation she heard Justin Ryan answer for Sheridan. “They are, Agent Blue. Yet, the doctor’s point is a good one. What if Stanton enacts some type of offensive before sunset? That’s why we can’t afford to waste any more time. Ray, I need to finalize a couple more details with Commander Kendall—“

  “One last point,” Angel waited for either Raymond Rice or Nicholas Sheridan to give her the slightest hint that she would be allowed to go on. The Deputy Director ran his fingers through his hair then glanced out of the corner of his eye, one last point, Doctor, it seemed to say.

  “I want each of you to think about the political ramifications of what you are proposing.”

  “I’ll take that one, Doctor.” The Deputy Director said. “The world and more importantly to me, the citizens of this city are watching every step of this process. As a governmental agency, we must strike at a subsidiary of Pandora with as much vehemence as we would if A House in Chains or the revival of The Black Panther Party, Branch Dravidians, or any other extremist militant group would.”

  “And by definition, these people holding those captives inside are our people.” Agent Blue said with an air of venom that gave Angel another chill. “I’ve heard through the grapevine, that Stanton recruited women as pawns to help take this building. Many of these women went through the FBI Training Program with me. They are traitors to their country and to us as an agency. Ultimately, it should be up to people like us to decide their fate.”

  “I understand that, Agent Blue. But what if the Black community,” She corrected herself when Romeo flashed her one evil eye. “What if People of Color views the FBI’s actions the opposite way of what your true intentions are?”

  Sheridan cocked a bushy brow, appearing more fascinated with her question than annoyed with it. “How do you mean?”

  “What if they view this as a hyper active action that disregards the lives of their citizens?” It was her turn to give Romeo a devilish look. “It is a group that looks out at the world and sees it undervaluing the lives of People of Color already. What if you all are all wrong, what if all of this planning is truly a grave mistake in judgment of our parts?”

  Sheridan blew out a breath he’d been holding. “Then, we will have to live with it.”

  Justin Ryan nodded at Sheridan, then face downed his old friend Raymond Rice. “Ray?” He got The Deputy Director’s attention. “I’ll fall on the sword if this one blows up in our faces. All I need for you to do is sign off on granting Commander Kendall’s men the right to use any necessary force he deems necessary. The public will learn only what we choose to disclose to them. The public thinks they understand that types of terminology like provocation, escalation, and prevention, terms that we work under everyday of our lives.” He turned his full gaze on Angel. “They don’t know a damned thing. That’s why I am here young lady. I’m going to give them a quick lesson in how to deal with extremism.”

  Angel ignored Ryan and turned her attention and focus on The Director of The FBI instead. “Christopher Prince is inside that theatre. I can feel it. He’s more than just your federal agent. He’s my friend. I don’t want him to die.”

  Rice said, “He is all of that, Doctor. Special Agent Prince has served this agency with honor and distinction on more than one occasion. And though I don’t know him personally, I hear from people like Sheridan and Blue here, that he is an even better man, which is obviously just as important. Still…he understands what he signed up for...”

  Sheridan allowed the silence to have its moment as a smoke filled wind shifted yet again. Will this drought ever end plaguing Atlanta ever end? “Time is not our ally, sir. If you ae going to give Mr. Ryan and Commander Kendall their authorizations then the time is now.”

  Angel’s head went on a swivel, intently watching all of those involved as a collective and eventually as individuals.

  And then she only found eyes for the One.


  The Deputy Director of The FBI opened his mouth…and closed it again.

  Sheridan said, “Sir?”

  Justin Ryan said, “Ray?”

  Raymond Rice looked as if all of his remaining years he had left on this planet had been sucked up into a vacuum and dumped into the look he had on this face when he finally to spoke aloud for all the others…and Angel specifically to hear.”

  “Do it,” He said.

  Chris

  They came for the hostages under the cover of darkness.

  Special Agent Christopher Prince heard the FBI blow open holes in the ceiling twenty feet behind him. He felt the theatre tremble as another hole opened up in the distance to his far right. And finally, with a spectacular eruption of both light and sound within 20 feet of his line of sight, he received his final signal that the cavalry was seconds away from arrival.

  One way or the other, the third day of The Siege of the Fox Theatre would be its last.

  We are on a stage here, thought Chris. Shall we dance, ladies?

  Chris struck one of the women guards with a lethal chop at the nape of her neck when she was distracted by all of the commotion. Chris had never struck a woman before in his life, even while performing his duty, and for an odd instance in time the woman’s collapse shook him. Even though that his very life may depended on