Need You Now

59

A larms sounded throughout the prison unit. Door after door slammed in the hallway as the unit went into the hospital equivalent of lockdown.

Andie Henning raced down the hall from Room 826.

Andie’s plan had started with Patrick’s father. “Call Patrick,” he’d told her, knowing the end was near, “and let him know that there’s something I need to tell him, man to man.” With his approval, Andie had taken it a step further, the key to her plan being that she would call Patrick on his BlackBerry-a phone compromised with spyware. It was a virtual lock that the eavesdropper would hear the news and take the necessary steps to stop Patrick’s father from making a deathbed confession to his son about Operation BAQ. The FBI’s plan had been hatched on the quick, but Andie’s instructions to the Department of Corrections had been specific. Watch for red flags: a new corrections officer, a new nurse, a new doctor, a new janitor-anyone trying to enter the unit who had never entered before.Someone had obviously screwed up.

Idiots!

It was like riot control in the hallway, a team of corrections officers rushing to Room 834 in response to the gunshots.

“He could have hostages!” Andie shouted, but she was too late.

The first officer smashed through the door, weapon drawn. Shots erupted. The lead officer went down and fell into the room, his feet motionless in the open doorway. Three other corrections officers crouched into positions of cover, their backs flat against the walls in the hallway.

“Officer down!” Andie shouted as she came up behind them, the alarm continuing to sound as she positioned herself near the intercom in the hallway.