An Emblematic Woman ● S. Reid | ✓

40- Chum

Reid

"So, now that the streets are cleared, what do you think he'll next step will be?" Kennedy asked me.

"He'll most likely resort to a national monument or target a high political figure," I replied.

"And we're just supposed to stay inside until he does?" she asked. I could tell she was getting angry. I put my hand over hers.

"It'll be okay," I assured her.

"Hey guys, you need to check this out," we crowded around the computer as Garcia tuned back into the video chat. "I broke down the drone pilot's call with a wave modulator and I unscrambled his voice,"

"America needs to be reminded what it's like to be terrorized. To be afraid to step outside," that time, his voice sounded much more human.

"Our mystery voice belongs to a Harold Redmond, an ex-Vanrex employee. He was fired three years ago for stealing company hardware. Vanrex had his voice print on file after Redmond made numerous harassing phone calls," she explained.

"Did Vanrex ever press charges?" Kennedy asked.

"No, they were worried that the company secrets would get out during a trial," she replied.

"Yeah, well, no wonder they didn't mention Redmond to us. A cancer like that could kill a billion-dollar contract," Morgan said.

"But, lucky for us, Redmond continued his thieving ways and was arrested by Miami PD two years ago for several burglaries. He served 18 months, then was paroled a few weeks ago," she said.

"Alright, where do we find this prick?" Rossi asked.

Russo

Morgan busted down Redmond's door, and he, Kate and I followed him into the little bungalow. We checked each room, then let out a round of 'clear's. Redmond wasn't here.

"Well, this isn't good," I said.

"He has to be operating from a remote location then," Kate said.

"I'll call Garcia, see if she can run background on Redmond's family, friends, anybody who might know where he is," Morgan said as he took out his phone.

"Did you find Redmond?" she asked as an answer.

"No, he's keeping low profile. Does Redmond have any family?" Morgan asked.

"No, he's an only child, parents were killed in a car accident six years ago," she replied.

"How about any properties he may own?" I asked.

"None from what I have here, just his house," she replied, I did however find something interesting,"

"What was it?" Kate asked.

"Well, I ran his financials. I found four wire transfers, totaling $500,000, deposited to an offshore account," she said.

"Who sent him the money?" I asked.

"I traced it back to a textile company here in town. The CIA thinks it's a front for the SRS," she replied.

"The what?" Kate asked.

"The SRS is an international terrorist group made of the best former Soviet Union intelligence agents," I explained.

"Redmond told us he's on a rampage for revenge and ideological reasons, but this half-a-million bucks makes me think that's just to throw us off," Morgan said.

"Maybe this is really about money then," Kate said.

"Alright, so if these SRS guys are paying Redmond to terrorize the island, the question is: why? I mean, it makes no sense, right? I mean, if they wanted to hit us bad, they'd have far more impact on a high profile city," Harret said.