Cut and Run 4 - Divide and Conquer by Abigail Madeleine u Roux Urban Page B
Authors: Abigail Madeleine u Roux Urban
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angry that such a threat was made.” The camera
zoomed in on two men—the motorcycle rider and the parkour runner—
as they exited the aquarium, looking distinctly displeased. The runner
started to shrug into his jacket he‟d shed earlier, but the rider stopped
him long enough to reach out and fix a twisted strap on his shoulder
holster.
The video quick-changed to the camera and reporter converging
on that man who‟d run onto the scene: he wore a brown leather jacket,
Converse sneakers, and a deep frown on his heart-shaped face, along
with more than a five o‟clock shadow.
“Excuse me, sir! WBAL 11 TV. Did you run here, sir? How far
did you come?”
The man looked like he was going to move to avoid the camera,
putting his shoulder toward it and giving the lens a wary look. Then he
looked to his companion, whose dark hair was still mussed from the
motorcycle helmet he‟d discarded. They shared a shrug.
“Can you tell us what agency you work for and why you‟re
here?” the reporter persisted from off-screen, the microphone shoved
toward him.
The runner sighed heavily and met the reporter‟s eyes. He was
still out of breath when he spoke. “I‟m a special agent with the Federal
Bureau of Investigation. My partner and I heard the call over the radio
and came to help.” His words had finality to them, as if that was all he
was going to say. He started to turn away.
“Is this threat linked to the others? What does Baltimore law
enforcement intend to do about these continuing threats?” the reporter
asked hurriedly.
Divide & Conquer | 41
The man stopped at the last question, his head down, and the
camera was briefly filled with his broad shoulders squaring and the face
of his partner, who was looking at the reporter over one shoulder with
narrowed eyes.
Then the agent turned and looked the reporter up and down before
turning his eyes directly into the camera. “Baltimore law enforcement
is going to kick this threat in the ass,” he answered heatedly, his oddly
colored eyes flashing angrily. He pointed one long finger at the camera,
as if speaking directly to the bombers who had set Baltimore on its ear.
“We‟re coming for you.”
A nearby parent cheered, and several other parents, aquarium
staff, and officers broke into spontaneous applause as the man‟s
partner, who was failing to conceal a smile, steered him away with a
hand on one shoulder.
Video cut to the Baltimore police chief. “Of course we‟ll consider
this threat as seriously—if not more so—than any others,” he said
firmly. “Baltimore‟s children are our greatest treasure, and we‟ll be
working closely with the FBI to find the perpetrator of this heinous
hoax.”
“„HEINOUS hoax‟? Who talks like that?” Special Agent Scott Alston
complained.
“Always attempt to avoid alliteration,” Ty said with a straight
face. Alston barked a laugh.
“You shut up,” McCoy snapped as he pointed a finger at Ty.
The entire department was gathered in one of the auditorium-like
lecture halls on the main floor of the field office late Saturday morning.
People had still been filtering in as McCoy watched the tape of the
news story from that morning again. He pulled at his hair as Ty
appeared on camera, and Ty sank lower into his chair, hiding his face
behind his hand and trying to make himself smaller. He knew he was in
deep shit this time. But he would say it again if presented with the
opportunity.
42 | Madeleine Urban & Abigail Roux
“And you, Garrett! You were right there! You should have known
better than to let Grady talk to a reporter!” McCoy added from where
he stood on the small stage, clearly working up an angry head of steam.
Ty heard Zane draw in a breath, but nothing else. He turned his
chin to see Zane sitting still, staring at McCoy, his lips pressed flat. Ty
knew that meant his partner really wanted to say something but was
stopping himself. Ty would have liked to
zoomed in on two men—the motorcycle rider and the parkour runner—
as they exited the aquarium, looking distinctly displeased. The runner
started to shrug into his jacket he‟d shed earlier, but the rider stopped
him long enough to reach out and fix a twisted strap on his shoulder
holster.
The video quick-changed to the camera and reporter converging
on that man who‟d run onto the scene: he wore a brown leather jacket,
Converse sneakers, and a deep frown on his heart-shaped face, along
with more than a five o‟clock shadow.
“Excuse me, sir! WBAL 11 TV. Did you run here, sir? How far
did you come?”
The man looked like he was going to move to avoid the camera,
putting his shoulder toward it and giving the lens a wary look. Then he
looked to his companion, whose dark hair was still mussed from the
motorcycle helmet he‟d discarded. They shared a shrug.
“Can you tell us what agency you work for and why you‟re
here?” the reporter persisted from off-screen, the microphone shoved
toward him.
The runner sighed heavily and met the reporter‟s eyes. He was
still out of breath when he spoke. “I‟m a special agent with the Federal
Bureau of Investigation. My partner and I heard the call over the radio
and came to help.” His words had finality to them, as if that was all he
was going to say. He started to turn away.
“Is this threat linked to the others? What does Baltimore law
enforcement intend to do about these continuing threats?” the reporter
asked hurriedly.
Divide & Conquer | 41
The man stopped at the last question, his head down, and the
camera was briefly filled with his broad shoulders squaring and the face
of his partner, who was looking at the reporter over one shoulder with
narrowed eyes.
Then the agent turned and looked the reporter up and down before
turning his eyes directly into the camera. “Baltimore law enforcement
is going to kick this threat in the ass,” he answered heatedly, his oddly
colored eyes flashing angrily. He pointed one long finger at the camera,
as if speaking directly to the bombers who had set Baltimore on its ear.
“We‟re coming for you.”
A nearby parent cheered, and several other parents, aquarium
staff, and officers broke into spontaneous applause as the man‟s
partner, who was failing to conceal a smile, steered him away with a
hand on one shoulder.
Video cut to the Baltimore police chief. “Of course we‟ll consider
this threat as seriously—if not more so—than any others,” he said
firmly. “Baltimore‟s children are our greatest treasure, and we‟ll be
working closely with the FBI to find the perpetrator of this heinous
hoax.”
“„HEINOUS hoax‟? Who talks like that?” Special Agent Scott Alston
complained.
“Always attempt to avoid alliteration,” Ty said with a straight
face. Alston barked a laugh.
“You shut up,” McCoy snapped as he pointed a finger at Ty.
The entire department was gathered in one of the auditorium-like
lecture halls on the main floor of the field office late Saturday morning.
People had still been filtering in as McCoy watched the tape of the
news story from that morning again. He pulled at his hair as Ty
appeared on camera, and Ty sank lower into his chair, hiding his face
behind his hand and trying to make himself smaller. He knew he was in
deep shit this time. But he would say it again if presented with the
opportunity.
42 | Madeleine Urban & Abigail Roux
“And you, Garrett! You were right there! You should have known
better than to let Grady talk to a reporter!” McCoy added from where
he stood on the small stage, clearly working up an angry head of steam.
Ty heard Zane draw in a breath, but nothing else. He turned his
chin to see Zane sitting still, staring at McCoy, his lips pressed flat. Ty
knew that meant his partner really wanted to say something but was
stopping himself. Ty would have liked to
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