Chapter 512
Luke’s house.
Without a case, Luke got up later than usual.
After getting up, he brewed a cup of coffee and carried it to the courtyard, bathing in the warm sunshine.
Nothing happened last night, there was no action outside, but his heart was always a little unsettled, not rested, and even in the morning he was a little uninspired.
There was a breakfast store near the community that had particularly good fried pancakes, Luke was going to eat two pancakes and drink a bowl of tofu brain in a while, it wouldn’t be appropriate to come back over here for breakfast after moving to a new home.
“Buzz ……”
Suddenly, there was a cacophony of sound in the sky, immediately after that, Luke felt a strong wind coming, he looked up and saw that it was a helicopter slowly descending from the air and parked on the highway in front of his family’s yard.
The surrounding neighbors were also startled by the noise of the helicopter, and one by one they came out from their homes to see what was going on.
A helicopter suddenly landing in the neighborhood was also a rare thing for them.
At the same time, they were also very curious in their hearts as to what this helicopter was here for.
Under the attention of the crowd, the door of the helicopter opened.
A man wearing a uniform printed with the FBI jumped down from the aircraft and ran to the courtyard of Luke’s house, “Counselor Li, I’m FBI Counter Terrorism Senior Agent Armand Haynes.”
Luke smiled and greeted, “Man, you’re just in time, I just brewed a pot of coffee, would you like a cup?”
Armand Haynes blurted out, “Sir, I do need a cup of coffee, but it’s a time emergency and the helicopter is waiting for us.”
Luke couldn’t figure out the purpose of their visit, “What do you want with me?”
“We’ve just received word that there has been a terrorist attack at Sturgeon Community College, and about thirty students and faculty have been killed.”
Luke frowned slightly, “It was the community college where Yordan Reddy worked, was he also a target of the attack?”
Armand Haynes shook his head, “The deceased cannot be identified at this time.”
Luke drained his cup of coffee in one gulp, “Previously, the LAPD was involved in the investigation of the terrorist attack, and had been covertly protecting Yordan Reddy, and there was a corresponding setup at Steven’s Community College.
Didn’t the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security arrange a relevant setup?”
Armand Haynes said, “We know that Yordan Reddy had a grudge against Tapani Reagan, the terrorist sub who made the bomb attack, but Tapani Reagan is dead.
It stands to reason that there is no need for the remaining terror points to retaliate against Yordan Reddy.”
Armand Haynes continued, “According to the clues we know, this attack is different from the previous bombing attack, this time the Dread Fraction used a biochemical weapon attack.
And biochemical weapons are suitable for use in closed, densely populated environments, and the community college where Yordan Reddy is located is a very suitable location for the attack.
Therefore, the reason why the Dread Branch attacked Sturgeon Community College should not be because of Yordan Reddy.”
Luke said, “I can understand these words of yours, but it doesn’t mean that other people can understand it, and in other people’s opinion for whatever reason, the Dread Score did attack the community college where Yordan Reddy was.”
Armand Haynes sighed, “Deputy Superintendent Lynn Bulova is waiting for you to join her at Sturgeon Community College to view the scene of the terrorist attack, so why don’t we talk about what we have to say on the helicopter.”
“The LAPD just announced yesterday that they would no longer be involved in the investigation of the terrorist attack, on what grounds and in what capacity am I going to view the scene of the terrorist attack now?”
Armand Haynes said, “You’re a criminal investigative consultant for the FBI.”
“You’re right, but that doesn’t mean I have to accept the transfer of Deputy Director Lynn Blois, I have the right to refuse.” It wasn’t that Luke didn’t want to assist in solving the case of the terrorist attack, it was just that there had to be a clear statement before he could get involved.
It wasn’t true that Luke was a criminal investigative consultant for the FBI, but technically, he was a criminal investigative consultant for the FBI’s New York office, and furthermore, this criminal investigative consultant was not paid, only casework grants and incentives.
He borrowed this identity and the FBI Los Angeles office to cooperate with each other, mutual benefit is no problem, but it does not mean that he will unilaterally and unconditionally give support.
This was not in line with his style of doing business.
Armand Haynes said, “Deputy Supervisor Lynn Blois said that she will give you a satisfactory answer after the meeting, she originally wanted to come in person but time did not allow it, if she did not go to the scene, the people from the Department of Homeland Security would have gotten the jump on you.”
Luke glanced at Armand Haynes and told him that he couldn’t make the call, and that he would have to talk to Lynn Bulova in person if he wanted to finalize the terms of the partnership.
He glanced at his watch, “Give me five minutes.”
Luke returned home, changed his clothes, and boarded the helicopter under the shocked, envious, and uncomprehending gazes of many neighbors.
The airplane took off into the air and flew directly to Steven Community College.
At this time, the entire Stevin Community College was under martial law.
A cordon was drawn around the perimeter, and patrolmen helped keep the peace.
It didn’t matter if it was Homeland Security or the FBI, they couldn’t match the LAPD in terms of manpower.
The officers who saw Luke’s surroundings greeted him uncharacteristically, which was Luke’s inherent advantage.
The reporters outside the cordon also snapped at him for a while.
Soon, Luke met FBI Deputy Director Lynn Blois.
Lynn Blois opened the door and said, “Counselor Lee, this terrorist attack case is trickier than imagined, the danger level of the Fear Fraction has risen, I need your assistance to capture the Fear Fraction as soon as possible.”
“Deputy Supervisor Blois, I’m just a criminal investigation consultant of the FBI New York office, I can help you as much as I can, but it would be a bit unorthodox to officially participate in the investigation of the terrorist attack case in this capacity, don’t you think so?”
“You’re right, that’s something I’ve considered, so I’m going to join Anthony in recommending you as a criminal investigative consultant for the FBI’s Los Angeles office.”
Luke shook his head, “Don’t you forget, I’m a LAPD, and that status is good enough for L.A. I don’t think an additional status as a criminal investigative consultant is going to help me?”
Lynn Blois explained, “First of all, the jurisdiction of the FBI’s Los Angeles office radiates throughout the western United States.
Secondly, this time it’s a solidly paid consultant, which, by the standards, should be comparable to an assistant supervisor’s salary.
Counselor Lee, this is a long-term meal ticket, you can receive a double salary in the future, even I’m a little envious.”
Luke didn’t immediately agree and asked instead, “Are there any requirements for this consultant’s job?”
“It doesn’t require you to clock in every day, but it does require you to provide some forensic advice when it comes to some tricky cases, and it won’t be too different from your current relationship with the FBI, it’s just a closer connection.”
Luke thought about it for a moment, he was unpaid at the FBI’s New York office, and calling himself a consultant was still a bit of a sham.
If the FBI Los Angeles office really gave him a real salary, then his status as a counselor would be real, and it would be like having another iron rice bowl.
His salary in the Los Angeles Police Department will have tens of thousands of dollars, if you add the FBI assistant director’s salary, then look around the world is also a proper high salary.
As for the success of her proposal, it still seemed relatively high to Luke, the joint recommendation of the two deputy heads of the actual departments still carried a lot of weight.
“OK, I accept your offer.”
“Welcome to the FBI Los Angeles office, you’re truly one of our own now.”
Luke snickered, “Will I get my own office?”
Lynn Blois spread her hands, “That’s something you’ll have to talk to the supervisor about personally, I think the odds are that you will.”
“Is the supervisor nice to work with?”
Lynn Blois smiled in a you-know-what kind of way, “OK, let’s talk about the case!”
Luke asked, “What’s the situation at the scene?”
Lynn Blois shook her head, “I’m not sure, because it’s a biochemical attack, and until the CDC confirms the danger level, there’s no access to the scene for now.”
Lynn Blois continued, “We received a call from Steven’s Community College claiming that a classroom was filled with red smoke, and the school immediately called the police when some students were curious and looked in through the door’s window and realized that all of them were falling over and showing varying degrees of symptoms of poisoning.
Because the doors and windows were not completely sealed, also drifted out some red smoke, so they did not dare to get too close.
As for the specifics of the terrorist attack site, we can only wait until the CDC confirms that it’s safe for us to go in and check it out.”
Luke pondered, “Any idea what changed the terrorists’ attack?”
Lynn Blois replied, “Initially, it is likely to be related to the death of Tapani Reagan, a veteran who has been to the battlefield, he is fully capable of making IEDs, but now he is dead.
Moreover, his death likely led to the anger of his accomplices before they resorted to a more extreme form of attack.”
In the middle of the conversation, a white woman in a white chemical-proof suit approached, looking to be in her mid-forties, but with white hair faintly visible on the top of her head.
The reporters outside the cordon stirred again and snapped ‘clicks’, ‘clicks’ and ‘clicks’ at her.
Lynn Blois introduced, “This is the head of the CDC, Penny Schmidt.
This is Luke Lee, FBI Criminal Investigation Counselor.”
Lynn Blois squared her shoulders and said, “Professor Schmidt, what’s going on in there?”
“If you’re curious, you can go in and see for yourselves.”
“Is there any danger now?”
“No. That biochemical virus can only cause human infection within a specific environment, and the red mist has dissipated and can no longer cause harm to the human body.”
Luke confirmed, “Are you sure?”
Penny Schmidt’s tone was certain, “Of course, I can go with you, I am also interested in this disease-causing virus.”
“What virus?”
“The Yagora virus, once infected with this virus, it will trigger the Yagora disease.
It is a very rare and terminal disease, as far as I know, there are less than ten cases in the entire United States, and there is currently no effective medication to treat it.”
Luke followed up, “Does this disease kill so quickly?”
“No. Generally speaking, the condition of people suffering from this disease will gradually worsen, with symptoms of breathing difficulties, bruising and reddening of the skin, and once the condition worsens, it will lead to death by asphyxiation of the whole body by stiffness, and they can usually only live for 2 to 4 years.
However, this virus used by Fear Point is improved and mutated, enhancing the infectiousness of the virus and the speed of the onset of the disease, so that the human body can not withstand this rapid change, the immune system can not make effective counterattacks, in a very short period of time to cause disease and death, the whole process is shortened to 2 to 4 minutes, the manufacture of this biochemical weapon is definitely an expert.”
Seeing is believing.
Luke and Lynn Blois still decided to enter the scene to check it out on the ground.
Considering the safety, Luke still decided to wear a chemical suit and gas mask.
Penny Schmidt, as an expert of the CDC, her words had some credibility, and the virus at the scene was most likely no longer contagious, but the life was one’s own, not the expert’s.
Soon, Luke came to the classroom that suffered a terrorist attack fully equipped, there were a total of more than thirty victims in the classroom, lying on the ground, each person was foaming at the mouth, face stiff, bruises, reddened skin, and died in a miserable state.
Looking at the young faces of different skin colors, even if Luke was used to seeing corpses a little heart.
In the aisle of the classroom, Luke saw the body of Yordan Reddy.
The adulterer who had slept with his friend’s wife hadn’t gotten away with it after all.
Luke’s eyes fell on the leather case by Yordan Reddy’s feet, which was made of a special material, and upon closer inspection, there was a square hole in the top of the case.
Penny Schmidt said, “We have just detected it, this suitcase is likely to be the biochemical weapon of the terrorist attack, the suitcase is filled with special containers, once the mechanism is triggered, the containers will be opened, the virus spreads rapidly under the effect of the pressure difference between the inside and the outside, and the classroom people, once they inhale the virus, they will be slow to act, their bodies will be stiff, and they won’t have a chance to even escape. ”
Hearing Penny Schmidt’s description, Luke was a little worried, his biggest reliance was the bulletproof card, but could that thing protect against the biochemical virus?
He had no idea in his heart, “Since it’s a virus, is there a vaccine to prevent it?”
Penny Schmidt shook her head, “Although the Yagola virus is powerful, it is weakly spread in normal environments, and there is almost no possibility of widespread infection, so there is no relevant vaccine developed, and if a relevant vaccine were to be developed, it would take at least 3 to 5 months according to the normal pathway.”
Luke asked rhetorically, “From what you’re saying, there are special pathways.”
“Human is a very peculiar animal, some people are born immune to a certain virus, as long as we find the immune body, we can create a vaccine for the Yagora virus through his blood.”
Lynn Blois asked, “What is the probability of an immune body appearing?”
“One in a thousand.”
Lynn Blois frowned, if she really had to wait until so many people died to find a solution, she should be removed from her position, “I think it’s more reliable to catch these bastards first.”
Just then, a clamor came from outside, attracting the attention of Luke and the others.