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Roth followed suit. Laura Lee removed her sweater and then quickly balled it up, so the blood was inside the clean portions. She set it onto the seat and wiped blood from her abdomen before she pulled the black shirt on. “Okay,” she said. When Mike turned back, she handed the balled-up shirt to him. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome,” he said. Then he shifted to drive and pulled from the lot.
Laura Lee knew that the science building had four entrances and exits. There was no way their five teammates could have secured the building and started to search it, as well. She also wasn’t sure if Jin Ma would have been able to make it from the gym to the shooting position in the science building in the time he’d been out of Michael’s sight. And even on a Saturday, the science building was busy with classes. Their suspect, if it wasn’t Jin Ma, would either blend in with the students in the building or he was already long gone.
“Razor, status report,” Shepherd’s voice came over comms.
“There’s no way for us to control the flow of people from this building with our numbers. We’ve fanned out to walk the building looking for our suspect or anyone acting suspicious. Bubbles doesn’t think he could have made it here in the time in between when he no longer had eyes on him until the shot was taken. Taco swept the roof where we believe the shots came from. Besides a scuff near where the shooter most likely stood, nothing. Not even shell casings. He was probably using a spent shell catcher. Which means he was a pro.”
“If that’s the case, he’s long gone. Reallocate all resources to our suspect’s residence. If he’s there, extract him and wait for instructions. Additional law enforcement is en route to the scene. FBI is taking the lead, but there will be multiple agencies involved. As soon as they’re present, I want you to pull back.”
“Pull back?” Razor questioned.
“Affirmative,” Shepherd said.
“If Whiting’s AIC wasn’t currently bleeding out in the chopper, I’d be in his face questioning who else knew his team was moving in to take custody of our suspects,” Garcia said.
“Someone didn’t want them to talk,” Wilson chimed in. “This is bigger than them.”
“Affirmative,” Shepherd agreed. “The dots are connecting, hearing the conversation that took place in that office. Lah-lee, Whiting has approved your creds. We’ll push a copy out to your phone. Act as such. Razor, notify me when you arrive at the suspect’s residence. I want to listen in on the raid.”
Laura Lee saw Mike’s eyes flash to the rearview mirror. His gaze concentrated on her for a moment before shifting back to the road. “You up for that, Laura?”
“Sure, she is,” Roth answered for her. “She’s received training.”
“Minimal. The question is, do you guys think I’m ready for it?”
“I’m pushing through schematics of the house to your phones,” Caleb Smith’s voice came through comms. “Just a reminder, he and four other students here on Chinese student visas rent the house, but we can’t know how many actually live there or are currently inside. Make sure anyone going in is wearing a vest.”
Laura Lee was relieved. That ruled her out. Her vest was in a bag at the hotel. They parked across the street from the ranch home a few blocks from campus that their suspect rented, waiting for the others to arrive. All the curtains on the front of the house were drawn. The garage door was closed, and one car, a silver sedan, was parked on the far-right side of the driveway.
Several of the vehicles the Shepherd Security Team were using were in the rear parking lot of the Criminal Justice Building that was still cordoned off by police tape, including the one she’d driven there. She wondered if the five men who’d been searching the science building would take the time to return to get their vehicles. If so, they could be in for a lengthy wait. While they waited, the men pulled their bullet-proof vests back on and then they reviewed the diagrams of the house.
“Arriving on scene,” Garcia’s voice broadcast as a black Suburban pulled up behind the vehicle the three of them were in. “Lah-lee, you’re on overwatch from your current location. Taco, BT, and Moe will go in through the back. Are you in position, Taco?” They’d dropped the three men off on the street behind the target house when they’d driven into the area.
“Roger, in position against the building. All curtains back here are closed.”
“Bubbles will cover the garage at the southwest corner of the building. Going in through the front with me is Crash and Powder. We do a textbook takedown. Everyone inside is a suspect. Secure them all.”
Mike handed Laura Lee the key fob. “Climb over the seat and sit in the driver’s seat after we’re out.”
“I just notified Big Bear we’re ready. I’ll give the go order when we’re in position.”
Laura Lee watched both men silently exit the car. She climbed up and over the seat and deposited herself on the driver’s side, taking the time to move the seat into position in case she had to shift to drive. She saw Garcia and Michael cross the street. All four men took up their designated positions.
Garcia stood to the left of the front door, his back against the brick. He knocked on the door with his left hand. His right gripped his Glock 22 .40 caliber pistol. Sebastian was crouched down on the right side, his M11 SIG Sauer P-228 pistol aimed up at what would be chest level of any adult opening the door. Mike had his back pressed to the brick on the right side, his Glock 19 held at the ready.
The front door cracked open. Sebastian rushed forward. “Federal agents!”
“Go, go, go,” Garcia barked, overlapping Sebastian’s words.
“Let me see your hands,” Sebastian yelled, chasing the man as he retreated back into the house.
Garcia followed him in, immediately followed by Mike. Through her comms, Laura Lee heard shouting, voices overlapping each other of her teammates as well as the men within, who yelled out in Chinese. Her eyes swept the house from side to side. The garage door remained closed, Michael at the corner of it, ready.
“Where is Ma?” Garcia demanded. “Jin Ma.”
Laura Lee heard more shouting in Chinese.