The helicopter crash was a fortunate development for the fugitive task force. Although more than four hours had passed since the escape, without access to a vehicle, Maldonado and Simic could only have made it to one of a few nearby towns on foot. This significantly narrowed the search area.
Soon, the K9 units discovered two distinct sets of footprints in a nearby muddy patch. After watching the officers begin tracking the prints, Jack returned to the crash site, deep in thought as he stared at the still-smoking wreckage.
"The state police confirmed that the helicopter didn't have a black box. Its identification numbers were removed, and the onboard navigation system was damaged," Galeson, the DEA agent, reported as he approached Jack.
Jack signaled to a nearby state trooper and gave instructions. "Have your people get that navigation system to the command center at the prison as quickly as possible. Our team might be able to recover the data, which could help us determine their original destination and cut off their escape route."
As Jack spoke, a communication van resembling the task force's mobile base pulled up on a dirt road nearby. A tall antenna extended from the roof, and Jack's phone immediately began vibrating incessantly with incoming messages.
The first updates came from Aubrey and JJ, who had gone to investigate Charlie Simic's house. They reported that Simic's wife had been found dead in their bedroom. There were no signs of forced entry, and initial estimates placed the time of death early that morning. It seemed likely that Simic had murdered his wife before leaving for work and subsequently aided Maldonado's escape.
Even more puzzling was the financial discovery: Simic's personal and joint bank accounts contained over $20,000 in total savings, yet he hadn't withdrawn a single cent. This baffled Aubrey—why would Simic leave so much money untouched if he was preparing to flee? What kind of reward had Maldonado promised him?
The next set of messages came from Hannah and Clay, who had been dispatched to the church in Turberville to speak with Father Ashton. Instead, they found the priest dead. His time of death was also estimated to be early that morning. This raised a critical question: who had impersonated the priest at the prison during Maldonado's sacrament ceremony, and how had they passed through security without detection?
With these troubling developments weighing on his mind, Jack got back in the car with Galeson and headed for the prison. The ride was silent, neither man in the mood for conversation.
Upon arriving at the command center, Jack went straight to the surveillance room. Jubal and the prison warden were inside, repeatedly reviewing a specific piece of footage.
"It's clear that the imposter killed the real Father Ashton and stole his credentials," Jubal said, his expression grim as he glanced at the warden.
"But... but he still would have had to go through security," the warden stammered, clearly shaken. Jack's lips twitched in irritation. Isn't that what we should be asking you?
Jack approached the monitor and pulled up the photos of the real Father Ashton, sent earlier by Hannah and Clay. Comparing them with the surveillance footage, he noted a resemblance between the real and fake priests. Both were white men in their fifties with neatly combed, graying hair and full beards. However, the imposter appeared slightly younger and had subtle Latin features.
"Could Simic have let him in?" Jack asked, turning to the warden.
She shook her head uncertainly, her expression hardening with frustration. "I don't know. I need to have a serious conversation with the guards on duty."
"Has anyone come forward with information yet?" Jack pressed.
The warden shook her head again. "We're still missing one guard, Miller Rontree. He hasn't reported in, and I've sent state police to his house."
"I'll handle questioning the other guards myself," Jubal said, standing up. "You don't mind, do you?"
The warden sighed and waved him off. "Go ahead. I thought I was managing this prison well... I guess not."
It was evident that she was already contemplating her resignation.
Jack accompanied Jubal out of the surveillance room before heading to the task force's command vehicle. The damaged navigation system had already been delivered, and Alice was hard at work trying to recover the data. She estimated it would take no more than half an hour.
Jack instructed her to notify him immediately once she made progress, then sought out the U.S. Marshals team. Constantly chasing fugitives was inefficient—he needed a new strategy.
"You want to dismantle the Zapotec cartel's local drug network? Isn't that DEA's job?" Samuel, the senior marshal, asked, puzzled. He wasn't opposed to stepping on the DEA's toes but wanted a clear rationale.
Jack unfolded a large map of North America and circled Monterrey, a major city in northeastern Mexico. "This is the Zapotec cartel's base. They use legally imported chemicals from a certain major country to produce high-purity fentanyl."
He drew a line from Monterrey toward the U.S. border. "They smuggle the product through underground tunnels, transporting it into Texas, where it's processed into semi-finished bricks. From there, it's sent to coastal cities like Houston and New Orleans."
Jack traced several arrows along the Gulf Coast and up the eastern seaboard, stopping at New York City. He then marked other cities along the route, including Philadelphia, Atlantic City, Newark, and Boston.
"These bricks are offloaded at various points, transferred onto trucks, and delivered to secure processing locations. There, they're broken down and mixed with other drugs like cocaine. The final product is distributed to local gangs for street-level sales."
Samuel listened attentively and began to piece together Jack's plan. "You think Maldonado might use this network in reverse to escape to Mexico?"
Jack smiled. "Exactly. Their helicopter crash has complicated things. The longer they stay on their planned route, the greater the risk. They'll likely seek refuge within their own supply chain."
He circled the crash site on the map. "The helicopter went down east of the prison. We'll cover the New York area. You and your team can focus on Philadelphia."
Samuel nodded, understanding the strategy. "Got it. Let's see if we can flush them out."
(End of Chapter)
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