There was a joke from Jack's previous life on the internet: the last thing a person should do before dying is to wipe their hard drive and browser bookmarks clean.
Peloni's office computer was already full of "interesting" content, but his phone had even more scandalous material. Jubal thought it might be necessary to involve the FBI's division on child exploitation, as some of the media featured individuals who appeared underage.
However, none of that was the priority now. Around midday, the fugitive task force's mobile command unit parked in front of Ray Higgins' house in Wooster.
Hannah busily worked on Peloni's phone, finally letting out a relieved sigh. "Alice cracked the Trojan. Gabriel's been smart, staying on the move around Newark's outskirts and using free Wi-Fi from parks and cafes."
"So the best way to catch him without involving local police is to lure him out, right?" Jubal mused.
The FBI was reluctant to involve the local force due to fear of another blunder. Newark's police officers weren't exactly known for their competence. Two nights ago, several officers fired over twenty rounds without giving a warning, yet Gabriel had escaped unscathed.
"I've never lied to Gabriel before. This feels terrible," said Ray Higgins, looking troubled as he sat on the living room sofa.
Jack smiled reassuringly. "You're not lying; you're just aware of the plan. I'm the professional liar here." He turned to Aubrey, seated at the computer. "Ready?"
"Ready, Mr. Best-Selling Author," Aubrey said, cracking his knuckles.
Jack began dictating an email. "I spoke with Gabriel on the phone this morning. It didn't go well. He's no longer the boy I knew—he's lost control. Things will only get worse from here. I can't help wondering how he'll react if he ever learns what I've done to him."
After finishing, Jack turned to Aubrey, who stopped typing. "Is that good enough?"
"Not quite," Jack replied. "Add this in the quoted email thread:
'Mr. Higgins, thank you for agreeing not to testify at Gabriel Clark's hearing. The committee understands that merely sending a letter of support rather than appearing in person suggests that even you, as his mentor, do not fully support his account of the narcotics raid.'"
Aubrey compiled the forged email, complete with past correspondence, and turned the screen toward Higgins. "Does this look okay?"
"Whatever. If I didn't know it was fake, even I wouldn't spot any issues," Higgins sighed, sinking back into the sofa.
Aubrey hit send. "Let's hope the fish bites."
"All we have to do now is wait for the call," Jack said, setting the phone on the table. He glanced at Higgins and asked, "By the way, where's your kitchen? Maybe I can cook something to lift your spirits."
"I'd appreciate that." Higgins pointed in the direction of the kitchen.
An hour later, several steaming dishes were laid on the table: meatball soup, tofu with salted egg yolk mimicking crab roe, a chilled okra salad, seafood stir-fry, spicy scrambled eggs with chili peppers, and chicken with mushrooms. Jack even served leftover pancakes from the morning as the main staple.
The hearty meal, made with local ingredients and supplies from the task force's fridge, seemed to improve Higgins' mood. Still, he occasionally cast anxious glances at the phone on the table.
Suddenly, the phone rang. Everyone's eyes snapped to it. Hannah, stationed at the computer, quickly put on her headset to monitor the call.
As Higgins reached for the phone, Jack raised a hand, signaling him to wait. After a few seconds, Jack answered, "Hello?"
"It's Gabriel Clark. Put Ray on the phone. I'm not talking to any of you FBI guys," came Gabriel's voice on the other end.
"Okay, hold on."
Jack handed the phone to Higgins and nodded for him to proceed. Higgins spoke urgently, "Gabriel, it's me. Are you okay?"
"No, I'm not," Gabriel replied wearily. "This whole thing has drained me. I'm tired of it. I've been thinking about what you said earlier—about going too far. I've decided to surrender.
But tell those FBI guys that I'll only surrender to you. And I'll choose the location. Take Route 40 east. I'll contact you again with further instructions."
"He's hooked," Hannah confirmed after removing her headset. "After seeing that email, he set up a trap of his own."
Clay couldn't help grinning. He was on the verge of being sent back to New York to babysit his kid, but now he might get to stay.
"He's using everything he learned at the police academy," Jack noted. "By keeping the meeting place a secret, he's preventing us from deploying reinforcements in advance."
Jack turned to Jubal. "We'll need Newark's office to provide a decoy for Higgins. No one here matches his build."
"I can't agree to that," Higgins interjected firmly. "I need to be there in person. I've been a cop—I know how chaotic things will get on-site. Gabriel is like a son to me. I can't bear the thought of…"
His voice faltered, tears welling up in his eyes. Seeing the old man so emotional, Jack hesitated to argue further. While Jack had no intention of killing Gabriel, his priority was to protect his team. Everything else came second.
"Okay, but I'm driving your car. And you'll follow my instructions."
"I'll have Newark's office assign a helicopter to follow you," Jubal added, deferring operational control to Jack.
Jack took the car keys from Higgins and turned to Clay. "Is everything ready?"
"Of course. I've got a Benelli M4 shotgun with 12-gauge Super Sock beanbag rounds. I tested a few shots—it's effective within ten meters," Clay replied, brandishing the weapon.
Higgins, watching from the side as JJ helped him into a bulletproof vest, seemed slightly reassured. However, he remained unaware of Hannah's preparations inside the command vehicle, where she inspected her G28E rifle.
Beanbag rounds had become a popular non-lethal option in recent years. The Super Sock variety replaced the traditional lead shot with a nylon bag filled with rubber balls. Upon impact, the bag flattened to spread the force, causing intense pain but reducing the risk of lethal injury—particularly when hitting the torso.
However, the rounds had significant drawbacks, including limited range. Beyond 20 meters, they lost effectiveness due to air resistance.
Higgins should have been more concerned about the potential for chaos. Jack wasn't just a skilled cook—he had mastered "American iaido," a quick-draw gunfighting technique.
If Gabriel showed up wearing body armor, the beanbag rounds would be useless. In that scenario, Jack's 10mm Auto rounds would swiftly decide the outcome—either by piercing the vest and leaving a gaping hole in Gabriel's chest or by shattering his skull. Hannah, stationed at a distance, wouldn't hesitate to provide lethal support if necessary.
(End of Chapter)
[Get +20 Extra Chapters On — P@tr3on "Mutter"]
[Every 50 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter Drop]
[Thanks for Reading!]