Operation Hell Gate - Marc Cerasini [42]
"Please, you have to let me in," he said.
The accent sounded American to Caitlin. He didn't sound like he was from New York.
"I need to see the Lynch brothers. It's a matter of life and death."
* * *
3:14:49 A.M. EDT
CTU Headquarters, Los Angeles
Ryan Chappelle found Tony Almeida downloading Wen Chou Lee's financial records from the Taiwan Bank and Trust Company database.
"Want to engage in a little field work?" asked Chappelle. "With supervision, of course."
Tony nodded eagerly. "You bet."
"Send this data off to Jamey's workstation where she can evaluate it. Then I want you to reconnoiter the Green Dragon Computers store in Little Tokyo. I've got a report which indicates there's a small electronics repair facility inside that store. Zoning and salary records indicate three shifts a day, which means that facility is up and running twenty-four/seven."
"How aggressive do you want me to be?"
Chappelle contemplated the question. "Don't run in with guns drawn, but get results. We know it was this facility that retrofitted the memory stick, so at least one person inside that firm knows about the device and how it was meant to be used. Find out what you can in a hurry. I don't want you to have to make a second trip."
"Should I talk to Blackburn, the team?"
Chappelle winced. "Definitely not. I'm keeping the Special Assault Team out of this, especially after that mess at LAX. You'll have a partner, but not someone from Tactical, or Division..."
Tony's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Who exactly are you referring to?"
"Captain Jessica Schneider. She's the one who dug up the information on Green Dragon. She wants to go into the field to further investigate but she needs backup. That's you."
"No way," said Tony. "I'm not taking orders from a novice."
"I already told her she's going. And that she's in charge," Chappelle replied.
"She's active military. What about posse comitatus?"
"She's temporarily attached to CTU, which means Captain Schneider has an executive mandate to deal with domestic terrorists that overrules posse comitatus."
Tony frowned. "But she has absolutely no field experience."
"Captain Schneider found the link to Green Dragon everyone else missed. For that she's earned the right to follow up the investigation to the end. As far as field experience goes, everyone has to start somewhere. You had no field experience a year ago."
"It's political, isn't it, Ryan?"
Ryan Chappelle nodded. "Yes, Tony. It is."
"Get someone else, then. Special Agent Martinez, or that new guy, Curtis what's his name."
Ryan shook his head. "Believe it or not, Captain Schneider requested your presence, and you're going, Tony."
* * *
3:17:00 A.M. EDT
The Last Celt
"There's no one here. We're closed."
Caitlin was firm, but the blond American refused to go away. He seemed to search for another way in, then he spoke again. "I need to see Shamus or Griffin. It's urgent."
The man sounded sincere. "Who are you, then? The police?" Caitlin asked. "If you're a cop then show me yer badge."
The man shook his head. "I'm just a business associate. Listen, Shamus and Griffin are in danger. The people around them may be in danger, too."
Caitlin thought of Liam and the case he carried.
"At least give me some information," the man pleaded.
Caitlin took a deep breath. She unlocked the bolt but left the chain in place as she cracked the heavy oak door. "You say you know Shamus?" she asked, nervously peeking through.
Jack nodded. "Yes. I've got to speak to him. I'm trying to keep him alive. His brother, too."
Caitlin gasped when a voice spoke behind her. "He's a damned liar, Cait."
She turned to find Shamus standing there, shirtless. He was flushed, angry. A gun with an absurdly long barrel was clutched in his right hand.
Through the partly opened door, Jack saw Shamus, too. He lunged, butting his shoulder against the thick wood between them. With the noise of splintering wood the bolt tore free. The door slammed against Caitlin, sending the young woman flying backward. She struck