"I told you, asking him wouldn't hurt." Jack chuckled, offering an egg sandwich as a reward.
"So, there's a good chance Tracy is still alive?" JJ poured coffee into a cup on the tray.
"We'll find out soon enough."
Jack glanced at the ti; it was already 7:40. The kidnappers had said they'd call at 8:00.
The three left the kitchen. Rossi was instructing Evan Davenport, "Rember, keep your voice steady and calm. Agree to all their demands."
Evan Davenport nodded repeatedly, ignoring the cup JJ placed in front of him.
Ti ticked by in the agonizing wait of Davenport and his daughter. As the minute hand passed midnight, their anxiety intensified.
"Ti's up, and he still hasn't arrived," Evan looked blankly at Rossi, a hint of despair in his eyes.
"Relax. They're doing it on purpose. They want you to be uneasy, to increase their psychological leverage."
Rossi's calm tone greatly reassured the father.
A few more minutes passed, then a rapid electronic tone rang — the phone was ringing.
"Rember, ntally repeat all the important information he gives you, make sure you understand it, and make him talk as much as possible, talk about Tracy. The more information, the better for us."
With that, Rossi pressed the call button.
"This is Evan Davenport."
A strange voice, clearly altered by a voice changer, ca from the other end. "Hello, Mr. Davenport."
"Are you the one who kidnapped my daughter Tracy?" Evan tried to keep his voice from trembling on the phone.
"Yes, your daughter is in my hands." The kidnapper admitted it bluntly.
"Can I ask sothing?"
"You're not allowed to ask anything." As Evan was interrupted, the kidnapper on the other end made a strange request.
"I don't want to talk to you, I want to talk to Cheryl."
*Click*. Rossi pressed the button, and a red light illuminated.
"What does he want?" Rossi looked at Jack and JJ beside her.
"Ensure we have the upper hand?" Jack's voice held uncertainty. He genuinely lacked experience; despite three months of intensive training at the FBI academy, he dared not make any hasty conclusions about this unprecedented situation.
Rossi nodded. "We can't let her answer."
"Why not? I want to help. I'm willing to talk to him," Cheryl said, sowhat confused.
JJ offered a different opinion. "I think we can let her try. What we need now is information. The more information the other side reveals, the greater our advantage."
The kidnapper's urging voice ca from the phone.
"No rush," Rossi said, looking at JJ. "JJ, you do it."
Everyone understood. JJ quickly walked between Rossi and Evan's seats, bent down, and whispered, "Ready?"
Rossi pressed the button again.
"This is Cheryl."
Silence.
JJ thought the other party hadn't heard her clearly, so she repeated, "Hello, this is Cheryl."
Finally, a helpless sigh ca from the other end of the phone. "Tracy is right next to . I know her voice, and I know her sister's. Get out of the way. I want Cheryl on the phone. You have one minute."
"If you don't hear Cheryl's voice by then, I'll hang up, and you can forget about hearing anything about Tracy again."
The button was pressed again, and Rossi abruptly stood up, decisively gesturing for Cheryl to co forward.
"Quick, please sit here." He made way for her and then gestured for JJ to sit next to Cheryl, helping her get ready.
JJ instructed rapidly, "This man is arrogant. Let him know you have the upper hand. Go along with what he wants to say, ntion your sister as much as possible, and don't stray from the topic."
"Agree with everything he says, tell him you understand what he ans, use an emphasizing tone to resonate with him, soothe his emotions, and make him realize that hurting Tracy is an extre act, completely unnecessary."
[A/n: Is this how it is done or shown in the movies or series?]
JJ instructed Cheryl rapidly, while the kidnapper's countdown continued on the phone, making everyone uneasy.
"You need to subtly imply in your words that releasing your sister will show you're a kind and reasonable person with a conscience. Speak calmly and with gratitude."
"Don't panic. If you don't know how to answer, I'll guide you."
The FBI Academy curriculum includes extensive psychological warfare practice, covering interrogation, inducent, negotiation, and more. While JJ was instructing Cheryl, Jack listened attentively.
Clearly, JJ, who frequently dealt with the dia and local police departnts, was an expert in negotiation.
Perhaps because they were both won, Cheryl let out a long breath and quickly cald down with JJ's support.
"I'm Cheryl."
"Hello, Cheryl. How have you been lately?"
Jack frowned slightly. Although the voice had been altered with a voice changer, the tone was noticeably greasy.
It felt like a cold, slippery snake was crawling all over him, both terrifying and disgusting.
Cheryl tensed up again, looking helplessly at JJ.
"Relax." JJ mouthed the words without making a sound, but squeezed her hand encouragingly.
Cheryl mustered her courage and replied, "I'd feel better if I knew Tracy was safe."
"I know you two are connected, Cheryl. You care about each other. I'm very understanding, very understanding. I understand you, Cheryl. I know you want to be reunited with your sister."
Jack's brow furrowed more and more as he watched Reid add a series of questions next to the voice recognition-generated dialogue.
Familiar with the Davenport family? Like playing a ga? Sympathy? Why was he using a sympathetic tone? These were also questions in Jack's mind. Psychological profiling isn't about rigidly applying experience. Every psychopath's psychology is subtly different, and this kidnapper felt completely different from the kidnappers in the serial kidnapping cases he had seen.
The call continued. After asking Cheryl a few questions about her hobbies, the other party, at the girl's tearful pleas, finally allowed the two sisters a brief conversation.
Tracy's voice on the other end of the phone was sowhat intermittent, as if she was in a state of confusion.
Prompted by JJ, Cheryl asked a crucial question, "Where are you? What did you see?"
"I... I saw the moon," the voice replied, interrupting the sisters' conversation.
"Prepare one million. It's what I deserve. I'll call back in 15 minutes with specific instructions."
The call ended after these conditions were stated.
"Was the call traced?" Rossi asked Reid, who was at his computer.
Reid shook his head. "The other party used a disposable phone. Triangulation pinpointed two base stations, but the area is too large — it's a densely populated area of New York — basically useless as a reference."
User Comments
0 comments from readers