“Wait!” Special Agent Henderson shouted to the man.
The conductor, who still stood by the entrance door with his feet barely inside the train, turned his head. Both agents lifted their badges. The railroad engineer edged his head out of the window, and Special Agent Sanchez ran towards the conductor.
“Whatever you do, do not open the doors at the next stop until we have our suspect or tell you the individual isn’t on board,” Special Agent Sanchez commanded.
The conductor nodded his head as he pressed one of the buttons near him to close and lock all doors. Sanchez turned to his partner. “Keep some distance behind me, you’ll be my extra eye.”
The conductor watched the three proceed down the first cart. Then he pressed an intercom button and made an announcement to all passengers.
“Excuse me, may we have your attention. Please remain calm at all times. Police are here to do an inspection. There is no emergency. We may pass your stop, but you will receive a transfer to your intended destination. Sorry for the inconvenience. This is a necessary inspection. Again, please stay in your seats.”
Special Agent Sanchez held up his badge. “Police. Stay calm.”
Passengers started to talk amongst themselves. Some glanced around from their seats out of curiosity. The train wobbled a little. Anna found herself tipping slightly, and quickly held onto the headrest on a chair. Special Agent Sanchez received a text message and looked at his phone. He stopped walking for a second.
“Mid-Town North Precinct sent me a picture of Philip Cole, take a good look at his face,” he said to Anna. She looked at Philip’s face from a driver’s license photo.
Special Agent Henderson came near. “Why did you stop?”
“We are in luck. Take a look,” Sanchez said as he passed the phone to his partner.
Special Agent Henderson studied the picture long enough for it to become cemented inside his mind. “Okay, very helpful,” he said.
The agents started moving forward again and soon entered the second train car. Special Agent Sanchez raised his badge once more. “Police, don’t be alarmed.”
Philip had gone inside one of the train cars of the Dover train line and moved back further. He was fretful and turned around repeatedly. Several of the passengers who were already seated became curious over Philip’s demeanor. Then several more people came in from both directions. They were closing in on him. Philip found a seat behind three people standing in front of him, waiting for him to move aside. He wormed his way around them and sat down. The train was not all that crowded. Philip glanced around from his seat. Neither the FBI nor Benjamin were in sight. He looked through the medium-sized dim window, but could not spot the police from a distance. Philip then leaned his head back against the chair and caught his breath for a few seconds. “This is the Dover train making local stops. We will be closing the doors for several minutes. It is a fairly short delay. Again, this is the Dover train line making all stops. Sorry for the inconvenience.”
Once Philip had heard the conductor’s announcement on the intercom, he frantically got up from his chair to exit the train, but the train doors had already been locked. Philip glanced around the compartment and quickly returned to his seat, his eyes fixed on the back of the seat in front of him.
CHAPTER 29-UNSETTLING
The three reached the eighth car with no luck of Philip in sight.
“Police, stay in your seats,” Special Agent Sanchez said to the passengers. Henderson, a little further behind, lifted his badge when he got in there moments later.
Anna’s phone rang, and she quickly answered it. “Hello?” she said nervously.
“Your sister is still alive and with me.”
“Who...”
“Meet me at 186 12th Avenue in Secaucus, New Jersey.”
“Are you still in Manhattan?”
“You have forty-five minutes.”
“Who are you?” Anna asked.
“The warehouse is located a few yards from the water tower,” Monica remarked.
The phone went dead, and Anna felt her heart drop.
“Agent Sanchez, Agent Sanchez!” Her voice broke as she forced the words out of her throat.
“Yes,” Sanchez answered while continuing to inspect each passenger.
“Gloria isn’t on this train,” Anna said.
“Say that again?”
“Philip did not kidnap Gloria, and she isn’t here. Gloria will probably be held in a warehouse at 186 12th Avenue in Secaucus, New Jersey. I don’t know if she is already there. Some woman who just called wants to see me alone there in forty-five minutes.”
He took out his phone. “This is FBI Special Agent Michael Sanchez. A woman was taken hostage... yes... and the suspect wants to speak with her sister, alone... We need as much help as we can get... Send me a car to Secaucus Train Station right now... thanks.” He hung up, stopped for a moment, and looked at a passenger sitting near where he stood.
The stranger noticed and looked up. “Did I do something wrong?”
Special Agent Sanchez realized it wasn’t Philip, “No. Just trying to find someone. I apologize.”
They continued to move forward. A few minutes later, they reached the ninth cart. Sanchez saw a passenger turn his head back several times. After their eyes met, the man quickly turned his head forward and did not look back again. Special Agent Sanchez became curious and slowly took out his gun from the side holster attached to his belt. A passenger saw the gun and gasped loudly. Hearing this, Philip quickly got up from his chair, then grabbed a passenger and put a knife to the person’s throat. More people gasped and looked on in horror. Sanchez held up his gun and pointed steadily at Philip.
“If you don’t want this person to die, don’t walk another step. I swear!” Philip said.
“Put the knife down,” Special Agent Sanchez ordered.
Anna, who stood behind the agent, was a nervous wreck and hyperventilating every second.
“You found me! That does not mean you will take me in so easily,” Philip said.
“If you try to hurt this person, I will shoot,” Special Agent Sanchez declared.
Almost all passengers in the car were horrified and remained silent.
“I’m not going to jail!” Phillip said as he clenched the passenger closer to him, then brought the knife closer to her skin.” The woman remained silent, yet was having trouble breathing. Special Agent Sanchez noticed.
“Put the knife down. I will not ask again,” he said while keeping his voice steady. His partner came in there and quickly took out his gun, which he held steady. He did not say a word. Both agents watched Philip become more agitated now that two guns were pointed at him. In a quick second, Philip pushed the stranger toward the FBI agents, not leaving them much room to run after him. Special Agent Sanchez started pursuing him, while Special Agent Henderson stood behind and checked the passenger on the floor. Anna was about to move, but he called out for her to stay with him.
Philip continued to run into the next car. Several passengers looked back, and one of them stuck his feet out on purpose so that Philip fell down. He then quickly got back up and continued to run. The fall had brought Special Agent Sanchez closer as the chase continued to the tenth and the eleventh car. Within a few minutes, they were both in the last car. Philip looked back several times, then reached the bathroom, which he opened and locked behind him.
Special Agent Sanchez stood back and kicked the door repeatedly. Mr. Henderson and Anna soon came in there as well. “Move back!” Henderson said as he saw his partner trying to open the door. His partner stood back, and Henderson positioned himself in front of the bathroom door, stepped back a little, pointed his gun to the door lock, pulled the trigger, and shot once. As Special Agent Sanchez opened the door, they found Philip sitting by the sink. A small amount of blood was traveling from his wrist to his pants to the floor, in increasingly heavy drops. Philip held a knife in his other hand.
“You’re not taking me in. I’m innocent un
til proven guilty,” Philip said.
Special Agent Sanchez read him his Miranda Rights, then tried to grab him.
“Get off of me! I’m innocent. I’m innocent I tell you, innocent! You will never believe me,” Philip said as his voice began to weaken.
“I am more certain we have our guy,” Special Agent Sanchez said to Special Agent Henderson.
Sanchez quickly went inside his pocket to fetch a pair of gloves, which he put on. He bent down and took the knife from Philip, who tried to swing it with force, but his weakened body wouldn’t let him. Special Agent Henderson took out his handkerchief and pressed it against Philip’s wrist. Philip resisted by pushing the FBI agent away from him, but Henderson held him up against the wall near the stool. Once the bleeding had slowed, Sanchez took the scarf from Philip’s neck and put it on his bloody wrist as an extra layer of protection. Special Agent Henderson searched Philip’s pockets. Passengers kept turning their heads, and some even stood up from their own chairs to stare. Anna came closer.
“Stand back, Anna,” Special Agent Henderson said when he saw her feet, and she did just that.
Philip then looked at her. “Your precious sister is going to die after she is through with her,” Philip said.
“Who? Who is she?” Anna asked in anger.
Philip didn’t bother replying.
“Officers, we have to go now!” Anna said to the FBI agents.
“I’m going to find a conductor and tell him to stop at Secaucus,” Special Agent Henderson said.
“You do that,” Sanchez said as he put handcuffs on Philip. “Tell me the kidnapper’s full name.”
Philip did not say a word.
“She helped you with the murders and your big hacking scheme, didn’t she?”
“Let’s say she was in need of my help,” Philip responded.
“I guess I will have to find out the details later,” Special Agent Sanchez said as he went through Philip’s pockets.
“That is, if there is a later,” Philip responded with a smirk on his face.
Special Agent Sanchez took out crumbled receipts from food stores and a ticket machine. The FBI agent then went inside another pocket and took out Philip’s wallet. He took a moment to view Philip’s New Jersey driver’s license. His partner came back a few minutes later.
“I called the police nearby to pick us up at Secaucus,” Sanchez said. He looked at Philip. “Welcome to jail life.”
“The next stop is Secaucus. There will be a delay on this train. Please sit tight,” one of the conductors said on the intercom. A conductor came to them moments later. “Is there anything I can do?”
“We are going to need everyone in here to move to another car,” Special Agent Henderson requested.
“Understood,” the conductor replied.
Special Agent Sanchez then got up from the floor and spoke to the conductor as well. “After your very last stop, the train cannot return to New York. It has to stay there until everything is taken care of by police,” he informed the conductor. He then turned to Mr. Henderson. “I need you to escort Philip to the Mid-Town North Precinct.” Special Agent Henderson nodded.
CHAPTER 30—UNFOLD
They reached the warehouse. Several different types of vehicles swarmed the premises. A hostage negotiating team was on one end, a SWAT team on the other. Eight patrol cars were positioned in the middle of the warehouse outside the entrance, a canine unit positioned next to them. A captain, two sergeants, emergency services, and specialized services were arriving quickly one by one.
An officer parked the police vehicle a few distances away. Special Agent Sanchez turned to Anna. “You need to wear a wire before you go inside. I need to put it on you right now.”
Anna nodded. “The trunk is now open,” Officer Patterson said. Special Agent Sanchez got out of the car and went to the trunk, where he took out a silver briefcase while Officer Patterson got out of the driver’s seat and went to help him take out the wires.
“Please lift up your blouse a bit,” Officer Patterson said. Anna did so, and Special Agent Sanchez put the device near her heart, whereas Officer Patterson started taping it to her body until it was secured. He then checked his device to see if it was working properly. As they came closer, the Special Agent and the other officer took out their weapons and walked between the vehicles and police officers. Special Agent Sanchez went to the captain and sergeants, and they shook hands. “The suspect wants to speak with this woman, who is wired and ready to go.” The captain and sergeants nodded and gave them room to proceed.
“Remember: keep your hands slightly away from your clothes, so the device is not visible in any way. We will be walking up very soon, but if you’re in danger, say the word ‘help’. Any questions?” Special Agent Sanchez asked.
Anna shook her head nervously. Once at the back entrance door, the two cops stood on both sides with their guns in hand. Special Agent Sanchez turned the knob.
“Unlocked,” Officer Patterson said.
“Open slightly and then tell me what you see inside,” Sanchez said to the officer, who looked inside for a quick second and then closed the door slightly.
“A stairwell leads upstairs, and there’s another door for the second floor,” the officer said.
Special Agent Sanchez signaled with his hands for everyone to come closer. “You will now enter into the warehouse. Call out to the kidnapper. Let her know you’re here and then walk up the stairs. We will give her a few seconds to become suspicious. Once you’re on the second floor, we will enter behind,” he instructed.
“Here goes,” the very nervous Anna said. She then opened the door and yelled as she stood in front of the staircase. “Hey!”
Monica quickly came towards the staircase.
“Looking for me?” Anna said.
Monica kept quiet as Anna walked up the stairs slowly. She looked behind Anna, but saw no one behind her.
“You have to understand we are not alone. Outside it is swarming with police,” Anna said. “They were looking for you before you even called me to come here.”
“I’m sure you know what is at stake if there’s a police officer in their car listening to our conversation,” Monica said.
“No, I don’t have a single wire on me,” Anna shouted back.
“Then why are you shouting?”
“Because I want every single word to be heard so that there will be no miscommunications,” Anna replied.
Monica kept quiet for a few seconds. “Take off your coat.”
“Why?”
“Just take it off!”
Anna did as she was instructed.
“Leave your coat and your sweater behind. I want to make sure you don’t have any weapons of any kind either,” Monica said.
“You are a genius,” Anna replied.
“Watch your tone. You’re not the one holding Gloria hostage.”
Anna reached the second floor, and Monica stood back with her pistol in her hand, directing Anna where to move. Anna looked around for her sister, and saw her sitting with her hands tied with a rope, her cane and purse placed on a desk.
“Gloria,” Anna said.
“Don’t talk, just move near her. There will be no hugs, no happy reunions,” Monica said.
Special Agent Sanchez heard no noise from inside, and nodded to the officer. He raised his index finger as he heard Anna listening to Monica’s instructions. He then nodded to Officer Patterson, slowly opened the door, and made his way inside the warehouse. The other officer followed along. They entered through the side door and walked up the steps. The sound of the door being opened was loud enough for Gloria to hear.
“You wanted me here. Take me instead. You can now let her go,” Anna said with simmering anger as she moved near Gloria.
“I have what I wanted,” Monica said.
“What do you mean? What was the harassment about then? Why did you steal my identity?”
“Getting to you was the only way to get Gloria here,” Monica
replied.
“She manipulated you, Anna,” Gloria said.
Anna thought for a second. “Yes, it has now become clear. You first lured me online. Then, through me, you lured my sister to you?”
“I lured you online, all right, and that was when the fun began. Given that I’ve been a professional hacker for over ten years, going into hiding while using cash will not help you when you’re dealing with me,” Monica responded. “After several transactions you did, Anna, you made it possible for me to predict your next move.”
“And you manipulated me by frequently dangling a collection of keys near me so I could bring past memories into light inside my mind? I don’t understand why,” Gloria said.
“My ex-husband, Philip, manipulated you with those keys. I should thank him when I have a chance,” Monica replied.
“Through me, you lured my sister to you? You manipulated me with a bogus shopping discount by email, and then hacked into my account.” Anna thought for a moment, but was distracted by the pistol in Monica’s hand, pointed at her. “You knew Gloria would help me, that is why you kidnapped her instead of me. It wasn’t to hold her at ransom!”
“Close. I had to take certain risks to get what I wanted. I had a feeling she was going to try to help you in any way she could, making herself noticeable somehow. I did not know Superwoman over here was going to help you right away! She did a pretty good job with her magical powers.”
“It’s called facing fear head on, Monica. It’s called persistence and using every ability you have and focusing...”
“Can you stop blabbering. You get more irritating by the hour,” Monica said to Gloria. She turned to Anna. “Anna, you are an easy target for someone like me. You fly everywhere, and have to use your credit cards excessively. I could easily find you, but I couldn’t find Gloria’s personal information that quickly. It would have taken me a little more time. She does not shop online or use any credit or debit cards – only cash. So the obvious thing to do was to use you to get to her. Besides, even if I could have found Gloria, I still would have used this method, for I find much joy seeing you spin around, finding your tails, so to speak,” Monica added with a slight smile.
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