“You must be the new guy.” He had a low southern voice. Each word came out very precisely.
“That is me. I hope you received the email.” Jackson felt the butterflies churn up deep inside his stomach. He had spoofed SITA’s Director of Security’s email and sent a message to the security guards that a new officer would be assigned due to the extra attention that the Jackson Stewart escape was getting.
“Got it earlier.” He looked towards his computer. “I hope Joe didn’t give you any problems at the main door.”
“No. He already knew about it too. You guys are good.”
“We try. We have a lot to guard in here. I understand you’re going to be stationed on the other side.” Jackson nodded. He had stated in the email to make sure he was placed outside of human resources. He knew he would have to work quickly. Once Williams found out about the other guard being tied up, he was in trouble. “Mr. Mascelli just said in the email to have you stand a post tonight and then tomorrow he’ll set you up with a weapon and everything.” Williams tapped his gun with his hand. Jackson followed him as they walked across the tiled floors to another hallway. He had never been past the safe area so he wasn’t familiar with this part of the building. He took in everything and memorized it in his mind. They finally stopped outside a large wooden door with an HR sign on it. Jackson smiled. “Okay, so hang out here and make sure nobody comes or goes. There’s no one in the building except us three.” He handed Jackson a walkie-talkie. “You need anything call me or Joe. I’m G-1 and he’s G-2 and now you’re G-3. I’ll call you when it’s lunch.” He looked all around. “I’m sorry I’m not showing you more, but Mr. Mascelli told me to just walk you over here and let you be. He had very strict orders.”
“That’s what he told me too. He said we’ll figure everything out tomorrow and I’m only here temporarily, so I shouldn’t be in your hair too long.”
“Don’t mind the help around here. Nothing ever happens here. Just stay awake and don’t wander around. I’ll check in with you in a little while. I feel bad to just leave you here.”
“No worries. I need to get used to standing a post again.” Jackson stomped his feet up and down.”
“We’ll get you a desk and computer eventually like me and Joe. I’ve got to get back. Mr. Mascelli doesn’t like anyone away from the safe for more than a minute at a time. I usually just eat at my desk.”
“Thanks Mr. Williams.”
“Call me Sam except on the radio make sure you say G-1.”
Jackson nodded and watched him walk away and disappear around the corner. A minute later, Jackson opened the locked door leading to Human Resources and logged into the main computer.
Chapter 49
As soon as he sat down, he felt the tensions overcome his head like a wave. Everything became blurry and made him feel sick to his stomach. He took a few deep breaths and then began typing as quickly as he could. He was able to access the direct records of past and current employees much more efficiently than he could from the motel laptop. There were thousands of records. It took him about thirty minutes, but he was able to find Braymond Reynolds and a home address. It was for a Braymond Reynold’s Sr. He guessed it was his father’s place since he had already been held captive at Braymond’s house. He found a pen and paper and quickly wrote it down. He knew time was running out. He stood up too quickly and felt the wave of lightheadedness hit him again. He slowly walked towards the door and stepped into the hallway. His legs buckled underneath him when he saw Williams leaning against the wall where he was supposed to be standing.
“What are you doing in there? How did you get in there? It was locked?” Jackson could see the anger in his eyes. He had to think quickly or he was in trouble. He straightened himself out and forced his aching body to stand up straight.
“Sorry…I thought I heard something going on in there.” Jackson pointed at the closed door behind him.
“Why didn’t you call me on the radio?”
Jackson took another deep breath and tried to speak, but nothing came out.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. I was just a little nervous going in there. Wasn’t sure what I would find.”
“How did you get in there? We didn’t give you a set of keys yet.” Jackson watched Williams try and turn the locked doorknob.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t want to wait if there was someone in there, so I just used a credit card.” Jackson tapped his back pocket.
“We’re going to need to file a report. Let’s go take a look.” Jackson carefully followed Williams as they entered the same room he had just left. It was a large room with twenty or so cubicles and two offices with closed doors. Jackson eyed the computer in the first cubicle that Williams walked right by. “What did you hear?”
“It sounded like someone was rifling through drawers or something.” Jackson knew he had to leave. He had what he needed.
“Did you check the offices?”
Jackson shook his head. “No, I just listened at the doors and didn’t hear anything.” Jackson watched as Williams opened both doors and then came back out.
“I don’t know what you heard, but you need to stay out of the offices and stay where Mr. Mascelli told you to stay. I’m getting ready to take lunch so I’m going to call Joe to cover for me and keep an eye on you.” Jackson watched as he began calling to G-2 on his walkie, but there was no response. “This doesn’t make sense. He always answers.” Jackson saw the worried response growing on his face. “I need to go down there. You stay here and don’t leave until I get back.” Jackson nodded and waited till Williams was out of sight and then began running the opposite direction. He had to get out of the building. He knew there had to be another way out. No matter the security level, fire codes would ensure there was another exit. He kept turning corners and running by more offices. He found another staircase and began descending when he heard Williams calling him on the radio. He didn’t answer. A minute later, a loud piercing alarm began sounding all around him. Time was up. He reached the far end of the building and was about to break a window when he heard footsteps. Someone was close by. He turned down his radio and ducked down behind a desk just as Joe, the front security walked by wearing his dark-blue sweatshirt and a frown on his face. He had his gun out. Jackson turned the volume all the way down on his radio. He waited till Joe was gone and began out in the hallway again looking for a door. He thought he could hear sirens in the distant, but it was hard to tell with the alarm sounding so loudly. He slowly took off in the opposite direction of Joe knowing one mistake, and he would be shot. Williams was probably on the other side of the building aiming for him as well. He turned up the volume slightly hoping he would hear something, but all he could hear was the alarm ringing and the distinct sound of police sirens that he knew were now close enough to make his escape almost impossible. He imagined there would be dogs released, and his chances of escape would be nil. He ran towards the front of the building and somehow managed to find the main entrance. It was empty. He arrived at the desk just as two officers arrived at the front door. He opened the door for them, and they looked him up and down and then asked him for a description. He described a man wearing a dark-blue sweatshirt and pants. The officers immediately blew by him with their guns drawn. Jackson continued outside waving in more officers through the front door. He quickly made his way to the parking lot and started up the white Ford and waited till two more police cars pulled into the front of the parking lot and slowly made his way out the side entrance avoiding the cameras. He finally took another deep breath and rolled down the window and vomited several times. It was too close. His body was starting to surrender to the amount of stress he was placing on it. He had to end this soon. He stopped in a vacant lot a few miles away and unfolded Braymond’s address.
Dever awoke to the sound of his iPhone ringing. It was the Agent Mitchell. He informed him that something had happened at SITA, and all signs were pointing that it was Stewart. Dever slammed the phone down on th
e bed and quickly got dressed. A minute later, he woke up a sleepy-eyed Timmons and soon thereafter they were driving towards SITA headquarters. Dever was too mad to speak, so they rode in silence. Timmons got the hint and kept his heavy eyes on the road. They rolled into the parking lot full of flashing blue lights and Dever quickly strode through the front door of SITA. He immediately encountered a police officer, and a much-frazzled looking half-dressed security officer who the police officer pointed him to. Dever sat down opposite the man.
“So tell me exactly what happened?”
The officer leaned forward from the side of the desk. His dark pupils were dancing all around. “I was seated here watching the door when suddenly I got jumped.”
“What do you mean jumped? Didn’t you see him enter the building?”
He shook his head. “No, he must have come in another entrance.”
“And how would he do that without a key? What aren’t you telling me here?” A minute later, another man dressed in a security uniform approached the desk along with a short heavy-set man who resembled Steven Seagall stopped in front of them.
The heavy-set man stuck out his arm. “I’m Dan Mascelli head of security. We met a few days ago. Been seeing you a lot on TV.”
Dever shook his hand firmly. “Been busy.”
“This is Officer Williams.” He pointed towards the man standing next to him. He had a friendly face with a slightly receding hairline. “He was the one who placed Stewart down the hall. Says he received an email from me telling him I had authorized another guard and it had explicit orders.”
Dever closed his eyes for a second. “Did you send an email Mr. Mascelli?”
“No I did not. Somehow I was hacked. I have my network security guy on the way in now. He should be able to clear this up. It wasn’t from me.”
Dever nodded and looked back to the first security guard who was standing up again. “Any idea how he could have gotten in here? And could he still be here?”
“First of all, we got him on camera leaving out the main entrance you just came in. Walked right past the police.” Dever shook his head. He looked at the security desk. “As far as getting in here, he would need an access code which I am trying to run down now. Once Steve gets here we should be able to get more information. He’s the network security guy.”
Dever looked at his watch. Any idea what he was after?”
Mascelli looked at Williams. “Caught him coming out of human resources right Williams?”
“Yes sir, but he had nothing on him as far as I could tell.”
“Did you search him?” Dever asked.
Williams shook his head. “No, he said he was just following up on a suspicious sound.”
“And you believed him?”
“No, that’s why I went in there and took a look around. Everything seemed normal and then I found Jones tied up here at the desk without his uniform and I knew something was up. I untied Jones and we went back to where he was supposed to be and he was gone. Then we called the police and Mr. Mascelli.” Mascelli nodded.
“Can you take me to the human resources room?”
“Sure…follow me. You guys stay here and when Steve gets here send him our way.” The two officers nodded. Dever followed Mascelli up the stairs. They stopped near the safe area that Dever immediately recognized from the video. “I want to show you the footage first so you can confirm it’s your guy. Dever watched as he logged into a computer and a minute later, there was Stewart in a security guard uniform walking into the same area they were in now. He watched as he approached Williams and they shook hands. He made it look so easy. “You’re guy is good. He fooled Williams and he’s been in this business for almost twenty years. The email is what did the trick though. Is Stewart a computer whiz?”
“That’s what we believe.” Dever followed him down a long hall and around a corner to the door with Human Resources on it. They both walked in and Dever looked around expecting to see file cabinets, but instead he just saw cubicles and computers. “Where are all the records kept?”
“On the computers in here, they are the only ones that can access them.” They both looked to the door when it opened and in walked a guy in his late twenties dressed in athletic wear. He had short curly brown hair reminding Dever of a teddy bear.
“Hey Steve, this is Warden Dever. We need to find out what happened in here on the computers and also how this guy was able to access our computers, entrances and send an email using my address.” Dever saw Mascelli frown. Steve walked over to the nearest computer and quickly logged in. He began quickly typing on the keyboard. Dever watched intently.
“Okay. I got something. He accessed the door using Marla’s access code.”
“Marla…how would he get that?”
“I don’t know. It looks like it was just random and then he logged in here using Steven’s username and password.”
“Can you tell what he was checking?” Dever asked trying to look over his shoulder.
“Give me a second. I’m checking on your email Mr. Mascelli.” He tapped a few more keys. “I can’t tell how your email was used. It just shows an email sent by you earlier. I’ll have to look into that some more. I’m going to freeze all the email accounts for now…if that’s okay?”
“Yes. Please do. We can’t have fake emails going out.”
“Okay, I’ve just pulled up the log on the HR server and he accessed a Braymond Reynold’s file. He used to work here around five years ago.”
Dever felt his stomach lurch. “You said five years ago?”
“Yep. He was part of our money resource team. He helped in getting the money resources to where it needed to go.” He looked at Mascelli. “That’s all he looked at. It looks like he scanned his file, but the only thing he pulled up was his home address.”
“Can you give that to me?” Steve looked at Mascelli again who nodded and then he wrote it down on a small sheet of paper and handed it to Dever. Dever thanked him and ran out the door. He nodded at Mitchell who was entering the building as they were leaving. A minute later, he was seated next to Timmons who was typing in the address on their GPS.
Chapter 50
Jackson headed in the direction of the address. He was familiar with the area, so he knew what roads to take. He was happy when he spotted a twenty-four hour McDonald’s. He pulled through the drive though and enjoyed a large burger and fries. He instantly felt much better with something in his stomach. He was almost there. He knew he was close to rescuing his wife and daughter and live happily ever-after. He just had to hang in for a little longer. He took a long look at Stephanie’s picture before he started the Ford up. He was only about five minutes away. He could feel their presence as he drove down the secluded small dark tree-lined road that held many average-sized colonial homes. He checked the numbers again and made sure he had the correct address and then pulled the car alongside the dark road in front of one of the houses and nudged it between two other cars. Just as he was about to get out, he saw a dark Crown Vic cruise past him and pull in the driveway of Reynold’s home. He watched in amazement as Warden Dever bounded from the car along with the same man he had seen at the restaurant a few nights ago. They both had their weapons out, and he watched as Dever went towards the front and the other man to the rear of the house. He so wanted to run over there and rescue his family but all he could do was sit frozen several hundred yards away and wait on his destiny. He watched as Dever knocked on the door. A minute later, the other man came around the front. They both stood in front of the door talking and pointing. Finally, Dever pointed at the other man, and he kicked the front door open. Jackson watched them both disappear into the house; the front door left wide open. A minute later, a police car showed up and pulled up alongside the Crown Vic. Two uniforms disappeared inside the house through the same door Dever had. Jackson lowered himself some more in the car leaving only the top of his head peering out over the dashboard and waited. He wasn’t sure what to expect, but he immediately knew there was no
one at the home when Dever came out with a look of disappointment on his face and the other man following behind him trying to keep up. Another police car pulled into the driveway. Dever ignored them and stepped back into the Crown Vic. A minute later, they backed out of the driveway and sped past his White Ford without even a glance. Jackson stayed in place for a half-hour or so waiting for the officers to leave, but it didn’t seem like anything was happening they were just remaining in place. He finally edged the car out and slowly pulled out onto the road and headed back towards the motel. He parked the White Ford in the usual spot and slowly walked towards the small office. He was happy to see Ben still behind the desk. He handed him the keys and thanked him and headed for his room. He couldn’t believe it was 3:00 AM. He knew he needed to come up with a new plan, but first he needed to get some rest. He woke up several hours later to the usual soft knocks on his door. He slowly walked to the door and smiled seeing Jessie standing outside with two large cups of Starbucks coffee. He let her in.
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