"Watch out for anyone leaving this building, including guys in prison guard uniforms." Jack specifically reminded Hannah before leaving.
As an agent in the local FBI office, Hannah was responsible for all BAU operations in Los Angeles, so she and JJ had been interacting quite frequently in the last two cases.
Although the two girls were tight-lipped, Jack had noticed so clues; they seed to have reached so kind of deal, or rather, an understanding.
He hadn't found out the specifics, but it seed he didn't have to worry about trouble at ho for the ti being. JJ and Hannah had basically divided up his free ti, keeping a close watch on him.
Fortunately, Jack wasn't a big fan of going out, and he knew that next ti he planned a road trip, he'd definitely need to bring soone else in the passenger seat.
In this operation, Hannah took on so of the LAPD's command duties.
Rossi's comnt was true; Hannah's current position in the Los Angeles office is indeed that of a "rising star." Her two fellow agents are even dutifully assisting her, a trainee agent.
Jack, of course, knows Hannah has the ability, but when did the world truly only value ability? The Anderson family's plan for her is to beco the head of the Los Angeles office, so naturally, they need to pave the way in advance.
In contrast, Jack's BAU team has very little room for promotion. Without a transfer, the team mbers can at most rise to Supervisory Special Agent, a rank higher than Senior Special Agent.
Not everyone can be on equal footing with Hotchner, the Special Agent-in-Charge.
However, the FBI has an internal staff ranking system, distinct from job titles, similar to military ranks, divided into 19 levels, the highest being D4 and the lowest A1.
This is directly correlated with the agents' service ti and contributions to the FBI, so it's quite possible that in the future, Jack's staff rank will be significantly higher than Hannah's, but their job titles will be the opposite.
With everything prepared, Jack followed the SWAT team mbers to the rooftop via ropes.
The last ti he used his climbing skills was… well, it was after the system update, when he went to Joshua Park's "Hidden Valley" to test the skill system. He vaguely rembered experiencing a significant "threeso" that night while camping in the Gobi Desert.
Pulling his wandering thoughts back, Jack easily reached the top floor, his speed no slower than the SWAT mbers who practiced regularly.
"Team A calling, we've reached the roof."
"Roger, Team A."
Although Jessica Cortez in the command vehicle could see the live feed through their chest caras, Hondo still gave a standard report over the radio.
After he finished calling, Luca, who had gone up to the roof with him, had already used a chainsaw to cut down the iron fence covering the ventilation duct opening.
"One at a ti, the duct can't bear too much weight," Luca said, then was the first to crawl into the duct.
Jack was assigned to the second-to-last position. He was there to fight, not as a VIP escort, so he couldn't be in the middle of the group.
He'd never actually worked with the SWAT team in combat, so he wasn't assigned the tasks of clearing the way or covering the rear. The second-to-last position was clearly the most suitable. Jack didn't care. He was there to rescue people, not to go on a rampage.
They landed in a dirty, ssy room, piled with broken tables and chairs, barely qualifying as a storage room, but without even a door.
Hondo and Luca stood guard at the door. After a while, the vice-captain Deacon, responsible for covering the rear, jumped down and placed his hand on Jack's shoulder, patting him lightly twice.
"Go!"
Hondo and Luca, carrying HK416s with 10-inch barrels, advanced in alternating cover, with several n following silently behind them, their movents fluid and seamless.
Rounding a corner, a commotion could be clearly heard coming from the corridor ahead; it seed a group of prisoners were fighting, the shouts and the resounding thuds of fists and bodies filling the air.
Hondo quickly peeked out and made a few tactical hand signals to those behind him. Jack didn't understand at all, only seeing everyone instinctively sling their rifles to their sides and draw their batons.
"???"
Was this going to be hand-to-hand combat? He hadn't used a baton since leaving the LAPD, and clearly, the SEALs wouldn't provide one.
"You can stay here," Deacon muttered, suppressing a laugh.
Damn, Jack slung his HK417 over his tactical backpack, assud a fighting stance, and thought, "Who do you think you are? I can beat them up even without weapons."
"Go!"
Hondo commanded, leading the charge around the corner. A dozen or so prisoners were cramd into the narrow passage, locked in a fierce brawl, each punch landing with brutal force.
The six SWAT team mbers, like tigers among wolves, wielded their batons, beating them from head to toe, taking them all down in less than three minutes. The passage echoed with cries of agony.
"Behave yourselves" Jack said, his fists barely used. He followed behind, binding the prisoners' hands and feet with plastic straps, then gagging them to prevent further shouting.
"Keep going. The connection between A and B is just ahead."
The twelve bound and gagged prisoners were left behind.
The so-called connection was actually one of the two stairwells leading from the third to the fourth floor, dividing A and B into a T-shape with the long horizontal line at the top.
The passage to C was closer to B, which was why Hondo planned to clear A first.
Unlike ordinary residential buildings, the prison stairwells were designed to accommodate prisoners, with wide passageways that could comfortably accommodate four or five people walking side-by-side.
The reason the prisoners were able to block the stairs leading to the third floor was because soone had organized them, throwing a large pile of clothing and pouring a large amount of cooking oil onto the locked iron gate.
A prison guard, stripped down to his underwear and bound hand and foot, sat awkwardly in the middle of the passageway. Seven or eight black prisoners stood before him, laughing and swearing, insulting his family.
One of them, seemingly the leader, held a lighter and squatted in front of the guard, flicking it repeatedly in mockery.
"Silencers!" With Hondo's command, everyone took out silencers and attached them to their guns.
"Mr. Tali, you're a good man. Considering you've always treated us well, I've decided to give you a chance. If you satisfy and my brothers, I might consider replacing you in this position."
The lead prisoner chuckled, stood up, handed a lighter to his henchman, and then pulled down his pants.
[A/n: Freaking Cliff hanger.]
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