by Elle E Kay
"Aw come on. I'm due to get out of here. A hand, please."
"Fine."
"The security dude said there was a bomb threat called in at the plant. When he saw this, he thought maybe something happened to the agent assigned to investigate."
"I didn't hear about a threat."
"Me neither. Maybe they contacted local."
"Yeah. Maybe, but you'd think we would've been kept in the loop. I'll check this out. A sigh escaped when he opened the credentials."
"Something wrong, Brady?"
"I locked up a federal agent."
"No way. The chick on the credentials?" A huge smile spread across John's face.
"Don't call an FBI agent a chick. What's the matter with you?"
A booming voice interrupted. "Conference room. Now."
They shuffled into the room. Brady spoke. "What's up, Fitz?"
"Bomb threat at the power plant. We're going to recall troopers from patrol and call in as many people as we can."
Brady exchanged looks with John Kearney as they listened to the briefing. According to Fitz this bomb threat happened an hour and twenty minutes earlier. Shortly before he'd brought in Agent Gillespie. As soon as Fitz finished speaking, Brady stood. It was time to get her released.
"Where are you going?" Trooper Kearney asked.
"To eat crow and beg forgiveness."
The other trooper chuckled.
Brady approached the holding cell cautiously. "Agent Gillespie. Please accept my sincere apologies."
"It's Special Agent. So, you've verified my identity. I'm sure you could've accomplished that in the field."
"I thought I should bring you in considering the vehicle owner's claims."
"I'm glad you take the word of an elderly woman with dementia over the word of her lucid daughter."
"You didn't appear so lucid at the time. And it's not my fault you lost your credentials in the desert."
"No. It's not." She put her hands on her hips. "Wait. Backup. How do you know I lost my credentials?"
"An employee from the plant brought them in about the same time I was bringing you in."
"Did you call it in?"
"I take it you didn't report them missing?"
"No. I should have, but I thought I'd misplaced them in the house. I didn't realize I'd actually lost them. Did you call it in or not?"
"No. I recognized your scowling face when Trooper Kearney handed me the credentials. After the briefing, I came back here to apologize."
"Am I free to go?"
"Yes, of course." He ran his fingers through his hair. "I should call it in, you know."
"Yes. You should." She poked him in the chest with her index finger. "You should've cleared this up in the field too, so how about we call it even and you leave well enough alone."
"I'm okay with that." He handed her back her credentials.
"How can I get my mother's car back?"
"I didn't have it towed yet, but we do need to verify you have permission to drive her car."
She rolled her eyes. "Are you serious with this? I'm here to put her in a home. She can't remember who I am more than half of the time."
"I'm just doing my job, but obviously you are who you said you are, so I don't doubt you about the car. I'll get your mother's car towed back to her house. Sorry about the mix-up."
"You are a serious threat to my sanity."
He chuckled.
"What's so funny?"
"My first impression might've been that you'd already lost your sanity."
"Nice." She grinned.
"Hey, can I ask you something?"
"Sure, but I may not give you an answer."
"How did your credentials end up by the power plant?"
"I train my dog on some of the remote trails near there. It's only a few miles from Mom's house. I must've lost them when Lindy and I were playing."
"Lab?"
"German Shepherd."
"I'm surprised you didn't mention yours when you saw Blitz."
"I was rather preoccupied with being detained."
"I thought FBI only used so-called gentle dogs like Labrador retrievers." He walked slightly in front of her, so she could follow.
"Lindy was brought to us from another agency. Her extraordinary talent suits our needs well."
"So, you weren't here to investigate the bomb threat at the power plant? I didn't think it was possible for the FBI to be on scene so fast."
"There was a bomb threat?"
"Sure was."
"How long ago?"
He glanced down at his watch. "If the security guard's statement is accurate, about an hour and a half. Shortly before I brought you in."
"I need to call in. My purse is still at the nursing home. My boss has been trying to reach me."
"How do you know that?"
"There was a bomb threat in my hometown, at the largest nuclear facility in the country, while I'm in town. There is no doubt in my mind he's been trying to reach me."
"You can use the telephone in the conference room. Follow me."
Chapter 2
"How do you know about the bomb threat if you didn't get my voicemails?" SSA Harrison Reed asked in his usual gruff manner.
"From a state police trooper." Justine finger combed her hair. "It's a long story. What do you need from me?"
"I need you to get back to that nursing home and get your work cell."
A sigh escaped. "Okay. After that?"
"Jackson and Bruce are on their way out there. They'll catch up with you when they land. In the meantime, secure the scene and report back to me within the hour. This needs to be wrapped up by the close of business."
She dropped her head. Clearly her boss didn't understand distances in this part of Arizona, but she wasn't about to argue with him. She'd find a way to get it done by recruiting local help, starting with Trooper Brady Hall. She'd give him something better to do than detaining innocent people.
She hung-up and dialed her mother's house. She spoke with the home-care nurse, Rita, to let her know she probably wouldn't be back until late. She stuck her head out of the conference room door.
"Hey."
Brady walked toward her.
She stepped out of the room. "May I have my weapons back now?"
"Oh. Sorry. I'll get them."
"I guess you had time to log them in?"
"I'd get my badge taken if I hadn't."
"Fair enough. Would you hurry? My boss is fuming."
"Does he know about me bringing you in?" Brady visibly cringed as he said the words.
"Not yet."
"What's his problem, I thought you were supposed to be on vacation?"
"I am, but I'm always on-call. He expects me to answer at all times."
"Must be a pain."
"At times. Yes, it is." She took out her ponytail holder and ran her fingers through her tangled strands. "I'm going to need a lift."
"Sure. I'll get you a ride."
"No. I'm going to need assistance. Take me to see Sergeant Sean Fitzpatrick?"
"You want to see my boss?"
Justine nodded.
"Okay. Follow me."
She followed him a few short steps to an open office door. Brady blocked the doorway. "Sergeant Fitzpatrick. I have Special Agent Gillespie to see you."
"It's about time. Send her in." He stepped out of the way and whispered as he walked past her. "Good luck."
"I was expecting you more than an hour ago." He barked.
"I'm sorry for the hold up," she looked pointedly at Trooper Hall. "I'm here now."
Once the door shut, Sergeant Fitzpatrick sat back down. "Let's get down to business. Have a seat." He indicated the only empty chair in the office.
"I don't have time to sit. I need a few things from you." She matched his direct manner and asked for what she needed including a car to go to the nursing home, backup at the power plant, and Trooper Hall's services.
"Fine. Whatever you need."
&n
bsp; "We'll get a perimeter set up and go from there."
"Fine. Get going then."
Justine left his office shaking her head. This day kept getting better and better. It was time to pick up Lindy and get to work.
"Let's go." She spoke the words as she walked past Trooper Hall.
"I need to check with Fitz."
"I took care of it. You're with me." He handed her back her weapons one at a time.
"First order of business is to send someone else to the nursing home to get my bag."
"Fitz agreed to that?"
"He agreed to help with whatever the FBI Bomb Squad needs."
"And you're with the FBI Bomb Squad?"
"You betcha."
"I arrested a super special agent."
"A what?"
"Private joke."
"We need to get moving. There's no time for bad jokes."
"My bad. Come on." He signaled for Blitz to come and they moved silently to the parking lot.
"Sorry buddy, but we got a ride-along." He opened the back door and the shepherd jumped in.
∞∞∞
Lindy jumped out of the car, excited to be getting to work. Justine made her way inside the original perimeter the local and state authorities had set around the plant. The Maricopa county sheriff stood by a large saguaro cactus with a group of other officials. He was wringing his hands like the world was coming to an end. Justine couldn't blame him. If the bomb threat was real and couldn't be diffused or contained, then for the residents of Wintersburg, Tonopah, and the surrounding areas, that might be a reality. Special Agent Marc Jackson stood behind her, his canine, Bruce, at his heel
She met with the security officer who received the threatening phone call. His supervisor stood over his shoulder, a silent presence. Whether he was there to calm or threaten his employee, Justine couldn't say. His behavior seemed off, but then again, some people weren't good around others. She'd always thought she fit in that category.
"What time, precisely did the call come in?" She'd read the file on the way, but asked the question to see if there were inconsistencies in the man's statement.
"11:33 ma'am.
"Precisely?
The man nodded.
Did you recognize the voice on the telephone?" Special Agent Jackson interjected.
"No."
Justine hurried to where the sheriff and his cohorts were standing, motioning for Brady to join them as she did. Jackson followed closely on her heels. Brady lifted the rope to join them on the inside, but she shook her head. "You will do us far more good out there coordinating the efforts to secure a new perimeter. Besides, if a bomb is found, we're going to need you out there."
She looked from the sheriff to Brady. "We're going in. While we execute our plan, we need you to move the perimeter out another five miles. While most bomb threats are hoaxes, we can't take any chances, especially considering the target is a nuclear facility. If we find something, we'll have you set off the emergency sirens before we send in the wheelbarrow."
"A wheelbarrow?"
"It's what they call the robots. I'm going to ask you to take this threat seriously. We should have more information for you shortly." Justine once again made eye contact with Brady and the sheriff before turning back to Jackson. By silent agreement, they walked toward the complex.
∞∞∞
As they approached the door of the first building, Marc spoke. "If we get out of here alive, drinks are on me."
"You know I don't drink."
"Yes, I know. Coffee and pie?"
"We'll see. Let's get out alive first." She followed the dogs in. It had been a couple of hours since she'd last reported to SSA Reed. She wanted answers quickly, so she could pass them along. The country would be on edge if this was real. Terrorism was the first thought that came to mind. She hoped it was a hoax.
The dogs walked out ahead of them, clearing rooms one by one. They quickly cleared the first building and moved on to the second. In the second building, it didn't take Lindy and Bruce long to sniff out explosives. They were materials that belonged on-site and were not intended for harm.
Moving along, the dogs began a search of the expansive outdoor area concentrating on the area between the cooling towers. Lindy hit on something suspicious. She laid down near a lunch box. Justine recalled Lindy. Marc put his hand on her shoulder and they stared at it for a moment. So innocent looking. Someone's lunch, set aside until break-time.
Justine let Marc take her hand as they made their way back beyond the inner perimeter to the FBI box truck Marc had picked up at the Phoenix field office. Once inside they suited up and brought out their portable x-ray machine.
It wasn't unusual to find bombs. They'd diffused over fifty of them together, but a bomb at a nuclear power plant. This was new. It could be a disaster of epic proportions. It wasn't like setting it off in the middle of a major metropolis, but it would render this area uninhabitable.
Justine picked up the her cell. Her first call was to SSA Reed. He'd be briefing the Director of the FBI, who would in-turn brief the Acting Secretary of Homeland Security and she would brief the President. Justine's next call was to Trooper Brady Hall. She should probably be calling Sergeant Sean Fitzpatrick, but had a feeling Trooper Hall was up to the challenge. Besides she wouldn't mind hearing his deep voice one more time. There was a chance she wouldn't be going home, but she forced the thought from her mind and sent up a prayer.
∞∞∞
Brady answered his cell. "Trooper Brady Hall."
"We need to evacuate the area. We found the device. I think we'll be able to diffuse it with our wheelbarrow, but you should evacuate everyone in case we run into a problem."
"That kind of problem would blow you and your partner to smithereens, wouldn't it?"
"Most likely."
"How about we avoid that scenario?"
"That's the plan. Look, we don't want widespread panic, but you're going to need to sound the alarms."
"Fitz isn't going to like it."
"I'm sure he's not, but it's better than seeing a nuclear plant go kaboom near towns full of civilians."
"It sure is." He rubbed his temples to alleviate the pain beginning to throb there. "I'll get it done. Stay safe."
"God willing."
He thought it odd that she would say those words, but it somehow seemed fitting coming from her. The day replayed itself in his head as he made his phone calls. Moments later the sirens were going. He knew from previous testing they could be heard more than fifteen miles in every direction. There would be widespread panic unless people thought it was a drill. The radio and television announcements informing residents that "this is not a drill" would kill any chance of misunderstanding. A few minutes passed as he stared toward the inner perimeter where he knew Justine Gillespie and her bomb squad friend had gone with the dogs.
Justine Gillespie was a study in contradictions. Cool under pressure, but crazy disorganized at the same time. There was something about the disheveled dark-haired beauty he found captivating.
He hadn't considered dating a career woman. He'd always thought it would be nice to marry one of the quiet girls he'd met at church. The ones who wanted to homeschool children and take care of the house. There weren't many one income families around anymore, but he thought when he found an exceptional woman, they would make it work. Unfortunately, the women he'd found so far, weren't even close to fitting the bill, so he remained alone. Maybe what he thought he wanted wasn't what he wanted at all. He forced thoughts of the FBI agent from his mind and started making telephone calls, starting with Sergeant Fitzpatrick.
∞∞∞
The heat inside the ninety pound protective suit was stifling. Every time she put it on, Justine questioned her career choice. She sent up a silent prayer as she and Marc slowly and cautiously approached the device to x-ray it.
The tension was palpable. She was afraid to breathe. When they finished x-raying the device they moved back beyond the inner perimete
r again and she finally took the time to breathe normally.
They took out the wheelbarrow, known affectionately to them as Stan the robot man. Marc controlled the robot remotely as Stan disarmed the bomb and sprayed it with acid to render it powerless.
A rush of emotions followed the deactivation of the device. Marc threw his arms around her and for a brief moment, she allowed the contact and then she remembered and pushed him away.
"What's wrong, doll?"
"Nothing. I don't think we should be so close is all."
"Oh, come on. You're not still mad, are you?"
"I wasn't mad. I simply ended a relationship that had no hope for a future."
"Because I didn't want to get married? Seriously, what kind of wife would an agent make?"
"And what kind of husband would an agent make? We both know what we want and it isn't each other."
He sighed. "There's always going to be one person you can't walk away from even when you know you should. You're that person for me."
She shook her head and kissed him on the cheek. "In that case, I'll do the walking away. We have reports to submit."
"What about the coffee and pie?"
"Rain-check?"
"You're not getting out of it that easily."
"Fine, but we're going to have to invite the guys from the DPS to join us. I need someone to take me home."
"I can take you home."
"I'm not sure I want you to know where my mother lives."
"You're funny."
"Let's invite them anyway. It'll be fun." She'd prefer to avoid being alone with Marc, but didn't want to hurt him. "I'll call Brady and ask him to let the others know."
"Brady? Not Trooper Hall?"
"If you knew the morning we'd shared, it wouldn't surprise you. I'll fill you in over dessert, but you're going to spring for real food too."
"You're on."
Justine picked up the telephone and dialed Brady.
∞∞∞
After one ring, Brady picked up. "Trooper Brady Hall."
"Stan the robot disarmed it. Call off the alarms."
"Praise the Lord. Glad you're safe."
The words caught Justine off-guard. She'd expected him to be happy that she and Jackson were still alive and the bomb was diffused, but she hadn't expected him to say those words. Praise the Lord. Simple words, but packed with power. Had he meant them? Was he praising God or were they nothing more than empty words to him? She wanted to know the answers, but didn't plan to ask him the questions.