Chapter 13
The Pact "The Beginning"
The team, the best Quantico had produced in twenty years, were heading back in for debriefing. All of the agents were feeling really good. They had just completed a tough case; that of bringing down one of the biggest drug cartels in the country. Out of nowhere, a call came in for Jude "Jay" Barrows.
"Guys, keep it down. I’m getting a call"
"Damn, we just got off the case. How quick is that?" John teased.
"Shut up, you know I always call in tell Renee when I’m coming back for some loving," Barrows said smiling, as he always did when he thought of his beautiful wife.
Everyone laughed and settled down; thinking about their own families and how great it would be to see them after the four months of no contact.
"Hey, who is this?" Barrows asked sounding pissed off.
Everyone got really tense, waiting for the conversation to continue. Listening but not listening.
"Look, who do you think you are? If you hurt one hair on her head, I’ll kill you. What do you want? Please, don’t hang up…"
"Man what is it?"
"Someone from the Carrillo Family has taken Renee hostage. If I don’t give up Pedro Carrillo in 24 hours they say she will be very cold."
The Call
Present Day…
The call was made. I need help, these are the only people I will trust. "The Pact" had to be invoked. He picked up the private cell phone, always charged connected to each person who has one, with a beeper which went off on their own personal phones. Simultaneously in different parts of the country 3 men, a woman, and John McBain were connected.
"I need you here now, you all know my location."
"John, need anything special," Jude Barrows, the demolitions expert, asked.
"Yeah, something, quiet and potent, we have to be very cool about this," John said.
"We’re on our way, John. Just get us everything we need and we’ll meet at the place."
"Guys, hurry, I’m running out of time."
Years ago….
We didn’t know then how good we really were until we had to go in and retrieve Renee Barrows and return her safely to her husband. We worked hard, and used the skills we were trained to use. We kept the whole operation on the down low so no one in the agency ever found out about it. Yet, it strengthened the bond each of us had. That night as we planned, we made a pact that if any member of our family or a loved one was in danger and we felt "The Pact" should be invoked we would. No questions; drop everything and be there to help our fellow brother or sister.
Present Day…
So John traveled to the safe house with the information he needed to deal with this present and clear danger to the woman he knew he would go through hell and back for. Now more so than ever since she was carrying his child. He knew he was running out of time if he wanted to save them both. Although he wanted the case solved, he knew nothing would matter in his life if he lost either Evangeline or his child.
"The Arrival"
They arrived one by one, and entered the place all in a somber mood. First Jay Barrows, demolition man extraordinaire. He could put them together and take them apart with out missing a beat. Then Buzz Connors, the best communications man in the business. He could put a bug up your nose and you wouldn’t know it until you heard yourself snoring on tape in court. Next, Salina Sanchez, one of the most agents Quantico ever produced. She could take any of them out, with out missing a beat and she was beautiful and lethal. She was tops in the field of covert operations and one of the best undercover agents around. Finally, Cal Thomas the best security investigator ever known. What he could to do a computer system was nothing to sneeze at either.
"Johnny Mac we’re here," Barrows said.
"Guys, I can’t thank you right now. We got no time. Here is the situation," he said before he ran down all the particulars.
"Okay," Sanchez said, "How you want us to proceed?" Sanchez sat in the easy chair awaiting John’s response, she still liked sitting during briefings more than standing, even after her long drive.
"The only thing I care about right now is pulling her out. I want to do it while her husband Gannon is still out of town. He left yesterday for Port Charles. According to my sources, he will be back tomorrow," John said.
"So we’re looking at less than six hours to pull this off and build a cover for her removal," Sanchez interjected.
"I don’t give a damn about the cover, my priority is to get her out and get her medical treatment ASAP," John said.
"Yeah, we get that," Thomas responded, "just thought you wanted to keep her part on the down low."
"I do, but what I’m getting from this whole mess is that Sonia Toledo is the culprit. According to what I’ve been able to gather, she is the one who has access to Evangeline. She’s the only one who seems to have something to gain at this point by putting her out of commission."
"Where is this Toledo person?" Connors asked.
"Within the time frame we have she is due for a meeting on the docks in about four hours." John said.
Barrows moved and sat down at the table, and said, "So we got to plan to keep her out of the way, while we get Evangeline out and safe."
"Yeah, this is the perfect time. I don’t think it gets any better than this," John spoke somberly.
"So let’s get our plan."
For the next couple of hours, each did what they do best: formulated and developed the plan to extricate Evangeline Williamson from RJ Gannon’s fortress. They did this in true Quantico style. Working side by side; each developed their role. In the end, the plan was perfect, because it was going to save the lives of two innocent people.
Everything has a time…
