Operation Hell Gate - Marc Cerasini [45]
Satisfied he had done all he could do, Jack went downstairs, to find Caitlin waiting for him by the locked front door.
* * *
4:33:46 A.M. EDT
Green Dragon Computers, Los Angeles
"There seems to be a whole lot of activity on that loading dock, considering it's one o'clock in the morning."
They sat at a red light on East Third Street, Tony behind the wheel. At his side, Jessica Schneider slipped her mini-binoculars into a pocket. Out of uniform, she opted for tight black denims and stacked boots, lightweight summer blouse under a short leather jacket to hide her sidearm. Tony thought she looked fit.
And she probably skis Vail and rides thorough-breds, too, Tony mused. The benefits of growing up the privileged daughter of a Texas congressman. A lot different pastimes than life for a Latino kid on the south side of Chicago, playing pick-up hoops on broken concrete and hustling your way into Cubs games.
"I'm going to open your window a bit," Tony said, hitting the switch. Tinted, bulletproof glass descended a few inches, then stopped. Fresh night air filled the compartment — surprisingly cool for Los Angeles. A freak rainstorm had washed the late-night streets. Now the night was luminous with reflected light.
Tony twisted a knob on the dashboard, unspooled a long, thin, flexible wire. He passed it to Jessica.
"Use this."
There was an array of miniature lenses on the tip, and a mount that fit into a hook on the ceiling above the open window. Jessica slipped the tiny video camera into place. From his controls on the steering column, Tony popped the glove compartment and activated the video screen hidden inside.
"Camera's on. I'll roll by slowly. Watch the screen, not them. Let the camera be your eyes. Use the center control to zoom in or out. The onboard computer will record the images and send them back to CTU for further analysis."
The stoplight went from red to green. There was no one behind him, so Tony edged forward. Ahead, the reptilian neon glow of the Green Dragon Computers sign, a serpentine Chinese dragon forming the letters, was mirrored on the wet pavement.
The concrete block building that housed Green Dragon was located southeast of the Civic Center, in the heart of the redeveloped ethnic neighborhood called Little Tokyo. A maze of malls, restaurants, bookstores, and specialty and import shops, the area was the focal point of Japanese-American activity in LA.
According to their intelligence, the space now occupied by Green Dragon was formerly a Japanese supermarket, which explained the cavernous loading dock. Right now, the steel doors had been rolled up, the bright fluorescent lights filling the street.
Captain Schneider stared at the screen in front of her. "I've got a good picture. I'm zooming in."
The tires hissed on the pavement. Tony kept his face pointed straight ahead. "What do you see?" he whispered.
Jessica Schneider crouched low in the seat, straw-colored hair around her face, booted foot resting on the dash. Her pose was casual, almost sleepy, but her eyes focused intently on the screen as her fingers manipulated the controls.
"There are four men, one supervising. He's armed. An AK-47 is slung over his shoulder. A Dodge cargo truck — unmarked — is parked in the dock, the driver inside. The men are packing something up in a wooden crate, right there on the loading ramp. Can't tell what it is. I'll have to zoom in closer."
The SUV was almost past the open bay when Jessica Schneider spoke again. "It's a Long Tooth missile launcher. They're preparing it for shipment."
The building now behind them, the video screen went blank. Tony hung a left on Omar Street, pulled up to the curb. "I've got to call this in," he said, reaching for the radio. "We need backup to take this place down, seize that truck."
"No time to wait!" Jessica Schneider insisted. Before Tony could stop her, she was out