The NSA and DHS offices in New York were just a few blocks from Federal Plaza. Jubal contacted Dana Moritz at the NSA, while Jack called Hotchner at the DHS.
Jack detailed the incidents involving the pufferfish toxin and the collar bomb at the Federal Building, presenting his suspicions from the perspective of someone directly involved.
An hour later, Dana Moritz and Rossi reported back. The NSA had confirmed Jack's suspicions. They had traced $3 million in suspicious transactions.
The funds had been withdrawn from a cryptocurrency exchange, split into countless small transfers under $100 each, and funneled into several suspicious accounts. The NSA believed these accounts were linked to "Dark Jihad."
"So, 'Dark Jihad' has money now," Jack said grimly. "Enough to cover the 'aftercare' costs for more than a dozen suicide bombers. And this might just be the first payment—the rest could still be sitting in cryptocurrency wallets."
Jack was incredulous. The only reason the funds had slipped past the NSA's scrutiny was because taxes had been paid on the transactions. "What's next? Are the people monitoring this from the IRS?"
Moritz confirmed another troubling detail. **"The attacker Emily shot isn't in any criminal database. We don't even know if he was a citizen or an undocumented immigrant. That matches 'Dark Jihad's' usual methods.
"They're skilled at recruiting online and targeting young people from moderate religious families, brainwashing them into becoming suicide bombers."**
Jack had seen this before—"Schrödinger's moderates," as he called them. Until someone detonated their vest, you could never tell if they were extremists or not.
Rossi, however, raised a new concern. "My CIA contacts told me that some groups in Bolivia are lobbying to extradite Anthony Vargas back home. If true, this contradicts our theory. Why use terrorism to demand his release? It would only ensure the extradition is denied outright."
"Would the DOJ even consider such a deal?" Jack asked, catching Rossi's implication. "Or is the CIA pulling strings?"
Rossi's voice carried a note of dry irony. "Yes, apparently some in the CIA are in favor. Word is, Bolivia may offer terms too tempting to refuse."
Given Rossi's connections, his intel was likely accurate. Jack hesitated, then proposed an alternate theory. "Could the Durango cartel be experiencing internal strife? Someone might want to eliminate Vargas entirely by sabotaging his extradition prospects."
It wasn't unheard of. Jack recalled historical parallels, like political factions orchestrating complex schemes under the guise of aiding a leader, only to eliminate them instead.
"It's possible," Rossi conceded. **"But it seems overly convoluted. I'll reach out to my CIA contacts to dig deeper.
"However, the main obstacle to extradition isn't within the U.S.; it's Bolivia itself. The current interim government is staunchly opposed."**
Jack could only shake his head at the chaos, a tragic hallmark of many small Latin American nations. Bolivia's abundant natural resources could have made it prosperous, but its economy relied on coca cultivation amid a backdrop of political instability fueled by external interference.
After the call, Jack contacted Hotchner and Joyner at DHS to update them. The matter of Vargas's extradition could wait. For now, confirming links between the Durango cartel and "Dark Jihad" would suffice.
With NSA's strong surveillance capabilities, they could quickly identify key players behind the operation. Perhaps by the next day, the FBI and NYPD would hold another joint press conference—not just as a ruse, but to announce the truth.
DHS had already dispatched crisis response teams to the eight shooting locations to sweep for explosives and conduct ongoing surveillance.
"We're leaving DHS now," Hotchner informed Jack. "They're coordinating with the NYPD to establish multiple emergency command centers. We're fully prepared and ready to catch them."
"Multiple centers?" Jack asked, puzzled.
"Yes. It's one of the lessons learned after 9/11. That day, they saw firsthand what happens when all the eggs are in one basket."
Hotchner was referring to the collapse of the Twin Towers, which wiped out the primary emergency command center. The deaths of key leadership figures, including the FDNY Commissioner, left the city's response paralyzed for hours.
"Alright, get back to HQ as soon as possible. Once we're past tonight, it'll be our turn to strike."
Jack hung up, then checked in with Emily, Hannah, and JJ. Feeling a small measure of relief, he reflected that the endgame was now in sight. If NSA worked quickly, they would soon uncover the mastermind's identity.
It was 9 PM. The team had roughly 15 hours before the terrorists were likely to strike. Based on the previous pattern, the attacks would occur around noon, the busiest time in New York's streets. A midday bombing would maximize casualties and chaos.
Yet Jack couldn't shake his unease. The alliance between the Durango cartel and "Dark Jihad" made sense on paper, but their ultimate goals seemed muddled.
"Dark Jihad's" motives were straightforward—perpetrating a high-profile attack and issuing a declaration of terror. But what did the Durango cartel gain?
Rossi's earlier remarks echoed in Jack's mind. If the cartel wanted to rescue Vargas, doing nothing or pressuring Bolivia's interim government to approve extradition would be far more effective.
Teaming up with terrorists for an attack on U.S. soil, however, was pure folly. If Vargas were implicated, the U.S. could ensure he never left prison—or even stage an "accident."
If an internal power struggle was at play, it would make more sense for rival factions to wait until Vargas was extradited to Bolivia to eliminate him. Assassination or bombing him locally would be simpler and far less risky than defying the U.S.
Lost in thought, Jack mechanically cleaned his Noveske N4 rifle. Suddenly, a deafening explosion shook the building.
The shockwave set off car alarms on the streets below, creating a cacophony of blaring sirens.
"Explosion! Where is it?"
"What's going on?"
The operations center erupted in chaos as agents rushed to the windows. Two blocks east of Federal Plaza, a massive fire lit up the night sky. Thick black smoke spiraled upward, illuminated by the flames.
(End of Chapter)
[Get +20 Extra Chapters On — P@tr3on "Mutter"]
[Every 50 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter Drop]
[Thanks for Reading!]