Shadows of Mr Black

Scene 11

**Scene 11: The Deeper Threat**

*FBI Headquarters – Washington D.C.*

The room is tense, filled with the low hum of conversations and the clacking of keyboards as agents work frantically to track down leads. Daniel Briggs is at his workstation, his eyes scanning through a stream of data and maps on multiple screens. His brow is furrowed in concentration, trying to piece together Mr. Black’s endgame.

**Daniel Briggs**: (muttering to himself) "This can’t just be about the theatrics. No one goes to this length for mere games… there has to be something more."

Daniel pauses, thinking deeply. He rubs his temples, as if trying to get into Mr. Black’s mind. Then, an idea strikes him.

**Daniel Briggs**: (speaking louder) "If I were Mr. Black, what would I want? Panic, fear… he thrives on that. But what’s the endgame? What’s the point of it all?"

He stands abruptly, drawing the attention of his colleague, Agent Peter Marks, who is busy analyzing satellite images.

**Daniel Briggs**: "Peter, Mr. Black’s actions have caused chaos everywhere, but it’s not random. Every move he’s made has been calculated to spread fear and panic, to make us hate him, but more importantly, to make us feel powerless. So, if I were him, I wouldn’t just go for theatrics or another flashy explosion."

**Peter Marks**: (intrigued) "What are you getting at?"

**Daniel Briggs**: "I’d go for a place that matters—a place that would make people feel helpless watching, a place with sentimental value, rich history, and a complicated terrain that makes any rescue operation near impossible."

**Peter Marks**: (turning back to his screen) "A place like that… Let me cross-reference key historical sites with difficult terrain and high visitor traffic."

Peter’s fingers fly across the keyboard as he pulls up data on potential targets. The room around them is buzzing, but Daniel is laser-focused on Peter’s screen, his heart pounding with urgency.

**Peter Marks**: (after a few moments) "I’ve narrowed it down to five locations that fit that description."

The screen shows a list:

1. **The Acropolis, Athens, Greece** – A symbol of ancient civilization, perched on a rocky hill, with narrow, winding paths leading to the top.
2. **The Alhambra, Granada, Spain** – A historic palace and fortress complex, surrounded by thick walls and situated on a steep hill.
3. **The Grand Palace, Bangkok, Thailand** – A sprawling, sacred site, surrounded by the bustling city, with limited access points.
4. **Machu Picchu, Peru** – The iconic Incan citadel set high in the Andes, with treacherous trails and remote access.
5. **Mont Saint-Michel, France** – A medieval abbey on a rocky tidal island, accessible only during low tide.

**Daniel Briggs**: (urgently) "It’s not which one, Peter… It’s all of them. Mr. Black isn’t just targeting one place—he’s targeting multiple sites simultaneously. We need to act fast."

**Peter Marks**: (wide-eyed) "All five? That’s insane. We’ll need massive coordination across multiple countries, and the terrain at some of these places will make it a nightmare to get rescue teams in."

**Daniel Briggs**: "Which is exactly why he chose them. The chaos would be global, the panic widespread, and the rescues—if we even have time—near impossible. Get this to Mercer and Sarah, now. We’re running out of time."

*FBI Command Center – New York City*

Sarah Coleman is still overseeing the operations at St. Patrick’s Cathedral when her phone buzzes. She glances at it, seeing an urgent message from Daniel. Her face tightens as she reads the text, her mind racing.

**Sarah Coleman**: (to Mercer, who is next to her) "Mercer, we’ve got a new development from Briggs. He’s identified five potential targets—places of historical significance with complex terrains that would make any rescue mission a logistical nightmare."

**Mercer**: (grimly) "Jesus… he’s really going for it this time. We’re not just looking at a local threat; this is global. We need to alert the international teams immediately."

**Sarah Coleman**: "Already on it." (she quickly dials) "Agent Briggs, do you have confirmation on these targets?"

*FBI Headquarters – Washington D.C.*

**Daniel Briggs**: (on the phone, while looking at the map) "No confirmation yet, but these locations fit his pattern. He’s playing a high-stakes game, and he’s counting on us being too slow to respond. We can’t afford to be wrong on this. I’d estimate we have less than an hour to coordinate with international teams and get boots on the ground."

**Mercer**: (overhearing) "Then we need to move fast. Contact NATO, Interpol, and every relevant embassy. They need to start evacuations immediately and get their bomb squads ready."

*FBI Command Center – New York City*

**Sarah Coleman**: (nodding) "We’ll handle the U.S. side. I’ll get in touch with the State Department to coordinate with the embassies."

As Sarah and Mercer spring into action, directing the team and making calls, the tension in the room escalates. Time is slipping through their fingers, and they know that one mistake could lead to a catastrophic loss of life.

*Global Coordination Room – NATO Headquarters, Brussels*

The scene shifts to NATO’s headquarters, where generals and diplomats are urgently discussing the incoming threat. The screen in the center of the room displays a map with the five target locations highlighted.

**NATO General**: "We’re deploying rapid response teams to each location, but some of these sites are in remote areas. It’s going to be tight, but we’ll do what we can."

*FBI Headquarters – Washington D.C.*

Back at FBI Headquarters, Daniel stares at the map, feeling the weight of the situation. He knows they’re up against the clock, and the margin for error is razor-thin.

**Daniel Briggs**: (to himself) "Come on, come on… Think like him. Where else could he be hiding something?"

Just as Daniel starts reviewing the data again, another alert pops up on his screen—a live feed from Machu Picchu. His eyes widen as he sees a figure in the distance, standing on the edge of the ancient site, dressed in black.

**Daniel Briggs**: (yelling) "Mercer, Sarah! I think we’ve got him… Machu Picchu. He’s there!"