They Disappeared

61

Purgatory Point, the Bronx, New York City

Jeff held his breath and waited.

Long after the vehicles had left, he remained fused to the wall, cursing himself for not knowing how many vehicles there were, or the makes, or the destination.

Where did they take Sarah and Cole? Their manifesto vowed imminent pain and suffering-but where, what are they planning to do? Oh, Jesus!

The questions tormented him as the building fell silent.

Was it safe to move now?

He swallowed, uncertain exactly how much time had passed, but he couldn’t wait any longer. He needed to investigate for anything to lead him to his family. Jeff stood and hurried quietly along the wall until he came to its end and peered around it to the vast factory floor divided by decayed half walls, heaps of rotting lumber, wiring, piping and drums of trash.

It appeared deserted.

He made his way to a corner with two mattresses, chains, junk-food wrappers and a toilet.

This must be where they held them.

Battling his anger, he turned.

In the distance he saw the remains of offices, tables, workbenches, and headed toward them. The area had been cleared, little left but trash. He sifted through it until his cell phone’s red light started blinking with a text from Cordelli.

Safe to call you now?

Yes.

Jeff’s phone rang.

“What’s the situation in there?” Cordelli asked.

“They’re gone. They’ve taken Sarah and Cole!”

“We’re out here with ESU. Come out to the large open door to the west with your hands up palms out so they can clear the building and we can pursue them.”

Jeff trotted to the door and raised his hands as instructed.

Within minutes heavily armed ESU members wrapped in body armor swept into the building and scoured it. Cordelli and Brewer arrived after them, wearing Kevlar vests, weapons drawn. They took Jeff aside.

“Are you hurt?” Cordelli asked.

“No. What did you get from their demands on the call?”

“The task force is processing it with national security,” Cordelli said.

More investigators arrived from the NYPD, FBI, Homeland and other agencies. As they began processing the scene, radios crackled and the air thudded with an approaching helicopter. Brewer was sober-faced and anxious.

“How many people were there?” he asked Jeff.

“Maybe two dozen.”

“And they had vehicles?”

“Yes.”

“How many were there? What were the makes, colors? Did you get plates?”

“No, I got nothing. I only heard them rolling out.”

“You really didn’t see much.”

“No.”

“How did you get here?” Brewer asked.

“Luck.” Jeff found an empty take-out cup and held it up. “See, it was a V, not an L. It led me to the restaurant and I followed a guy here.”

“If you’d worked with us we could’ve set up on this place,” Brewer said.

“None of that matters now!” Jeff said. “They’ve got my wife and son. You heard their message. They want a lot of people to suffer. We have to find them before it’s too late!”