Unexpected 4: Digital Purge

Chapter 8: Stay put

The room stood quiet as a silence drowned each corner of the room. Many were still locked up on the message. So many digits, so many letters. Thoughts going around each officers' head like boomerangs, never reaching their destination!

Evan Whitlock broke the silence, looking around at the SWAT Officers and then at the men in the front, "Question," he paused to straighten up in the chair, "what exactly is the FBI doing to locate the officer? We've been here for a couple of days and we have just being told of this now."

Now that was a surprise. Hondo and his squad frowned as they were surprised Whitlock and Hicks hadn't been working on the case. I mean, why else have them locked up here if it isn't to provide information? In any case, they could've stacked them up in some random safe house and called it done. Something didn't add up, but neither Hicks nor 20 squad could figure it out.

"We received intel from a CI working undercover for the DEA. Has been part of the moving crew for a cartel in South LA, near Santa Clarita." Frank began as he touched one of the screens showing a map of the southern part of the state. "Those punks made a deal with some activists to establish a center for command. One provided chemists and brains, the other weapons and protection. Win-win for them."

They continue explaining that the area was grounds for many undocumented and homeless crowds. The map showed the location was surrounded by an abandoned mini mall, a language center, and a closed down department store.

"That's it! Jessica may be hiding in that part of town. Maybe they had brought her near that area but was able to escape and is laying low around there!" said Chris excited about actually getting somewhere, "I remember when we did that op down in Mexico, she used to be the calm one, always knowing where to go and what to do. We got through there alive because of her." she finished with a melancholic tone, as she reminisced.

"Alright, I'll get my guys going." Alex said, gesturing to his three officers. They immediately took off, leaving screens and folders behind. "Meanwhile, you stay put. I give you my word, as soon as we get something, you'll be the first to know. And, hey!" he called, everyone turned to look at him, "We will do everything we can to bring her back. Alive."

The rest of the officers nodded, as they had high hopes. Surely the FBI could break this case and bring back their former captain! Two Marshall officers quickly checked in on them, and closed the doors. Both doors were heavily guarded as the two Marshall stayed put. Street noticed that all windows were heavily tinted, which made the room eerily dark, especially in plain afternoon in California. 

Thirty five minutes later, four patrol cars, Black Betty and a caravan of FBI and other agencies sped down the main road heading towards Santa Clarita. Everyone was aware that it was among the toughest and most dangerous parts of town, so they knew they had to be extra careful. It was predominantly Mexican immigrants, with some Salvadoreans, Colombians and Guatemalans. They arrived at the mini mall, closed off the perimeter and invaded the place. They raided the stores, the lot, everything! Nothing. No sign of life!

One of the neighbors, lady that lived across the intersection, said they have only noticed some odd deliveries to the house just behind the big abandoned store building. Rocker and his team checked city records and found that the property has been unoccupied for nearly two decades. They checked surveillance cameras and traffic cams and found a pattern. For the past five months there have been a high number of deliveries to that address between midnight and 3 am. They tracked down the phone numbers and emails provided, but accounts were paid with gift cards and provisional credit cards.

"Nothing. You got anything, Rocker?" Stevens asked frustratingly placing the tablet on the middle counter. Both teams had been working exhaustively in SWAT Mobile Center since the failed op, and stress was beginning to mount. Heavily.