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Detective Greer studies the kid in front of him. The kid doesn´t look like a terrorist, but what does a terrorist look like?
‘Bomb squad said it was a very powerful IED, made out of stuff that was just laying around. Where does a guy learn to build something like that, I wonder?’
There is a knock on the door and he walks out of the interrogation room. Turner is waiting for him.
‘Your ex just called.’
‘Figured. I've been sending her calls to voice mail for the last six hours.’
‘Yeah, well, spoiler alert, she is pissed.’
He scoffs, ‘so what else is new?’
‘She wanted to know if you're taking the girls to the Christmas parade tomorrow.’
‘Depends on this guy, and if he ever decides to open his mouth.’
‘Oh, I had Lorenzo run him through the system. Here's everything we got so far on "boy band gone bad. He's former U.S. Army, joined in 2009. Honorable discharge in 2012.’
He hands his colleague the dossier.
‘The Oklahoma City bomber had one of those honorable discharges, too. According to this, he was an EOD specialist.’
‘Well, now we know where he learned to make IEDs. If you can disarm a bomb, you can definitely make one.’
‘Yeah. Kid's got a pile of brains, too. Dropped out of MIT right before joining up, been working a think tank since he shipped home.’
‘Think tanks, huh? What's he do there?’
‘He's making more than us, probably. Uh, currently employed by the Phoenix Foundation. Before that he was at some place called DXS. Shut down last year, not sure why.’
‘Did you pull his phone records? Calls and texts to his roommate, a few friends and this Phoenix Foundation. Look, I didn't find any red flags.’
‘You didn't, huh? How many 20-somethings you know don't use their phone for days at a time? Look at these gaps. No calls, no texts, no data usage. Nothing. He's got no credit card or bank activity during those periods, either. It's like he just falls off the face of the Earth for days at a time. Then he shows back up and buildings start exploding.’
* * *
The moment the FBI introduces themselves, Greer knows something’s up. These guys, his gut tells him they are not who they say they are. Law enforcement, maybe… intelligence… more probably.
He will need to get this kid talking and fast. He re-enters the interrogation room.
‘I’m not who you think I am.’
He studies the kid again, he realizes the kid isn´t lying.
‘If you’re innocent, tell us who you are.’
‘Not an arms dealer. Not a terrorist.’
‘I guess we can tack on Making False Statements and Obstruction of Justice to the charges.’
‘What you are mister Macgyver, is a jigsaw puzzle.’
When the kid looks confused, he explains, ‘the picture on the box looks good, but lift the lid and all you’ll find inside are a bunch of broken pieces.’
The kids looks hurt, this is clearly a point he needs to press, ‘your mom died when you were five. Dad left when you were ten.’
The kid clearly pushes away his feelings, he can see it. This is not a civilian.
‘Lots of people lose their parents.’
‘But they don´t all burn their high school football stadium.’
‘That was an accident.’
Again, a sensitive spot.
‘Or a clue… to who you would ultimately become.’
He scoffs, keeping the kid’s attention, ‘in my experience, highly intelligent children with abandonment issues, a history of arson and an abnormal obsession with explosives don't usually wind up doctors and lawyers.’
And there is the hurt again.
* * *
The door bangs open.
‘This interview's over. I'd like a word alone with my client.’
‘You can't just barge in here.’
‘Roger Preston, attorney at law. I'm surprised you don't recognize me from my client's Christmas party you so rudely interrupted.’
‘Your client is being held on suspicion of domestic terrorism.’
‘That doesn't abrogate his Sixth Amendment right to counsel as affirmed by Hamdi v. Rumsfeld. Look it up. So are we gonna continue to violate said rights, or can I have that word alone I requested? Did I say "please"? Please?’
‘Fine. But I'd advise your client to cooperate with us.’
‘Thank you, Detective. I'll take it from here.’
* * *
Once the lawyer closes the door of the interrogation room, he thinks. His gut is once again telling him something is amiss. What bothers him the most about this lawyer? The callouses on his hand, he is a shooter. Shit, they didn´t send someone over to kill the kid, did they?
He barges into the interrogation room. The scene in front of him isn´t what he expected. The two are relaxed, they clearly know each other. There is no weapon in sight and they are sitting over a tablet.
‘I asked for a private talk.’
‘Cut the crap, you’re no lawyer.’
‘Excuse me?’
‘Don´t let me arrest you for impersonating an attorney at law. You are no lawyer, just like the kid isn´t a terrorist. Who are you guys?’
‘I work at a think tank.’ Mac says with the most innocent face.
‘I sell bathroom tile.’ the other man smirks.
‘Look guys, I want to help you, but that is not what you do for a living. You, you were this kid’s overwatch in the sandbox. Yes, I recognized you . You two served together and still work together.’
‘What gave me away.’
‘The callouses on your hand. You handle guns on a regular basis.’
The man laughs, nodding.
‘And you mister Macgyver, you are good. I have to admit, but you are not a murderer, I can tell. I can also tell you don´t work for a think tank. You work for the government just like me. You both do. But we will still need to prove you didn´t do it, so what do you say about working together? We know you were there, but if you didn´t kill George Ramsay, who did?’
‘When I was going through the warehouse, I found nail polish remover, cold medicine and sodium hydroxide.’
‘Base chemicals for meth.’
‘Why don´t you check with the DEA?’
Jack shows the tablet that is still connected with the Phoenix War Room, ‘what did you find out, Riley?’
‘A recent run of DEA busts left a manufacturing hole that the La Ola Cartel stepped in to fill. I dug into the warehouse and hit a nest of shell companies, which led me to the warehouse owner H. Ruiz.’
‘Can you run H. Ruiz in the DEA database?’
Typing can be heard in the background and now Greer is certain they are intelligence. Who else can access the DEA database so quickly?
‘Hector Ruiz, a lieutenant in La Ola, and owner of the warehouse in question.’
‘OK, I’m going to stop you guys here. Who is Riley?’
‘She is our analyst.’
‘Get her over here, so we can find out what really happened.’
* * *
All of a sudden silenced gunshots can be heard.
‘Cover, cover, cover!’
‘Friend of yours?’
That’s probably Ruiz, he's here to kill me.’
‘Where's your weapon?’ Jack calls out to Greer.
‘It's locked in my desk.’
Jack looks at Turner.
‘Mine, too.’
‘We got about 20 seconds before our friend figures that out.’
Jack returns fire, but he only has his handgun, no back-up and no extra bullets with him, he didn´t expect to be under siege in a local police office.
‘But we still have bullets.’ Mac calls out.
‘What good are bullets with no gun?’
‘You wanted to know who I am. Let me show you. Actually, I'm gonna need everything that you guys have.’
Greer takes the key of the handcuffs and takes them off Mac.
‘Thank you.’
‘Okay, what exactly are you gonna do?’
‘Save our lives... I hope.’
‘Hand over your suspect! And you can both go home tonight. It's a win-win for everyone. Everyone except the blonde guy.’ Ruiz calls out.
‘Mac, you need to do something, I am running out of bullets.
‘Working on it.’ He finishes what he is doing and while he dives for cover, he throws the dart he made. It explodes and Ruiz is stunned enough to stop shooting, but takes off.
‘What the hell was that?’
‘An exploding dart.’ Mac grunts, ‘made with gunpowder and a blasting cap taken from a bullet and a ballpoint pen.’
Mac?’
‘I’m fine, get Ruiz’
Jack looks because Mac sounds off and to his shock he sees the red stain on Mac’s shoulder. Blood is seeping in Mac´s blue shirt.
‘Take care of him!’ Jack calls out to Greer and tales off after Ruiz. Greer pushes down on the wound while Turner goes to get a first aid kit. Several gunshots can be heard and then for a moment there is silence, just before all hell breaks loose and officers start to shout at presumably Jack.
‘Calm down, I’m one of the good guys!’
Turner puts a pressure bandage around Mac’s shoulder while Greer goes to clean up things.
‘Stand down men, he is one of us. Get a bus in here and secure the scene.’
Jack makes his way back to Mac.
‘How you doing, kid?’
‘I’ll live.’
‘Good to hear.’
‘I guess you have a license for that gun?’
‘I certainly do.’
Greer nods pensively, ‘and what was it again you do exactly? You sell bathroom tile?’
Jack nods, ‘yep, call me if you want a good deal.’
‘I certainly will.’
Paramedics are lead into the room , quickly taking stock of the situation and the fact that Mac is conscious and talking, they decide to clear the scene as soon as possible, taking Mac with them. Jack follows the gurney.
‘Hey wait, where are you going?’
‘I’m going where the kid goes.’
‘But we need you to…’
‘A woman named Mathilda Webber will contact you and clear everything out.’
Greer nods, ‘OK, go with the kid…’
‘Jack, you can call me Jack.’
‘Take care of him, Jack.’
‘I will.’