+18 eps. 17-21 - After a hard case that takes the team to DC in order to catch a blackhat and prevent a bombing, all hell breaks loose on their return to Boston , when the ghost of the Libra killer comes back to torture Brock seven years after the m...
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Gillian wasn't sure what she expected from their going to DC, but she was taken aback when Cassidy told the team and the kids to take two SUVs and follow his car, while Brock, Russell and her went with him.
Cassidy's merry mood had vanished, and he sounded serious as a heart attack as he started his car and drove out of the Reagan airport. "We're gonna have the whole Bureau scrutinizing our every move for the next forty-eight hours, guys, so we better hold the reins and don't let any loose end," he said. "I'll keep the brass up and make sure CT and CC don't come in the way." He saw Gillian's questioning frown in his rearview and explained, "Counter Terrorism and Cyber Crime. Both divisions are arguing this is their case and Violent Crimes has nothing to do working on it."
She nodded, looking away with a grimace. Politics. She was almost missing all that bullshit.
Cassidy went on. "We're using Gillian's team for the arrests in the DC area. Cooper will handle her realm. Coleman, you're going to Norfolk this afternoon, in charge of all the procedures south of here. Brockner, your job is keeping the vultures away from Gillian while she's in DC. I don't want them lurking around until we get this weirdo. Feel free to send them to hell, sanction them, punch them, I don't care. Just make sure nobody messes up with our work."
It was a fifteen-minute drive from the Regan airport to the FBI Headquarters on Pennsylvania Avenue. Just enough for Gillian to swallow about a thousand questions about Cassidy's orders and feel the stress building up to a very awkward degree. And to make things worse, Russell wouldn't be around to tip her off about anything she might need to know or beware of. At least Brock would be there. Not like she expected him to be an open book, but nobody would dare to mess with her with his scowl around.
When they arrived to the Edgar Hoover Building, Cassidy authorized Brock to take Andrea home, compelling him to join them back as soon as possible. They left their luggage in the SUVs and followed the Section Chief in. Cassidy's status smoothed any bureaucracy to provide Connor a provisory badge, that would allow him to move around without being kicked out of the building or arrested at every turn.
Cassidy led them to his office on the sixth floor, where his assistant waited for them. A meeting room was ready for them next door, and Jo took them there.
"Okay, guys, set up shop. I'm gonna check Cyber's techs are ready to get started," said Cassidy from the door. "Ask Jo if you need anything. I'll be right back."
He was hardly out the door when the team was already getting ready to work. Tanya and Connor sat at the furthest end of the table with their computers and focused on them, ignoring the buzz around.
Gillian turned to Russell. "What the hell, Russ?" she said. "What's going on here?"
"Cassidy wants to keep his word and the team together," he replied. "Not out of the kindness of his heart, but because you guys promise to become the gem of Violent Crimes very soon. Other Divisions want a piece of the gem, CT and Cyber among them. And nobody is glad to have a bunch rookies from some godforsaken field office come boss three Divisions around to handle such an important case."
She rolled her eyes, snorting under her breath.
Russell shrugged and pressed her shoulder. "Let's do this. We can worry about politics later."
Fred came back with stacks, markers and a coffee machine. Jo followed with a tray full of mugs and a couple of plates with an amount of cookies and sweet bites that earned her Kurt's eternal love.
Ron pinned a map on the board, glanced at the lists Hank and Aldana sorted out and all that Kurt was printing, then turned to Jo. "Where can we get more boards?"
"How many do you need?"
"Three."
"I'll get them," the assistant replied, and left.
When Cassidy came back, hardly ten minutes later, he found two boards covered with pictures of people, documents and a map detailing every address receiving a shipment from the Ghost's purchases. Nobody even glanced at him.
Kurt pointed at the many teenagers among the pictures. "Most of them are underage. Didn't have time to check them all, but at least half of them are wannabe hackers from the Ghost's fandom."
"He's got a fan base?" asked Ron, not willing to buy it.
"Told you he's a deep-web celeb."
"And what do they get from helping him?" asked Fred.
"Their idol's gratitude. That's more than enough for them."
"None of them even considered to refuse?" asked Hank. "I mean, the one receiving the potassium chlorate didn't wonder what their idol want it for?"
"Maybe they did, but they wouldn't refuse," replied Kurt.
"If the thrill of helping their idol is not enough, there's always the threat of his retribution," said Gillian.
"The boss is right."
"What kind of bomb is he trying to put up, Bellison?" asked Cassidy.
"Small, the kind you can carry in a backpack. But he's bought enough to assemble about twenty of them."
"Then why couldn't it be a big one?" argued Cassidy.
"Because of all the electronics he bought. He can only use them as remote detonators. If he planned to assemble a single bomb, he wouldn't need so many of them."
"One big bomb can be hard to transport, and it's easier to detect," added Aldana. "Many people carrying small bombs can get farther."
"But this guy's a loner," said Russell.
"But he's no fool," Gillian replied. "If he's using his little soldiers to get the materials, he can very well have them carry his bombs around."
"He can have them pick up the bombs with a location to leave them," said Fred. "The front desk of a corporation, under the seats of a train station, a park bench, a bus."
"And none of them would even ask," added Kurt. "They'd be glad to do it only to please him."
"He can hit multiple targets at the same time," agreed Ron. "He won't bring down a building, but he can hurt and kill a lot of people."
"And we still don't know where he is," said Aldana.
"Jesus!" growled Cassidy.
Tanya waved at him to get his attention. By her side, Connor still typed.
"We're ready when you are, sir," she said.
"Alright, techs and Gillian with me. And son, of course. Coleman, you guys stay here and line out how we're gonna move tomorrow. I need the complete plan by noon."
