Unexpected 10: Lightning & Rush

Chapter 32: Not expected

Disclaimer: Strong content and language. Reader discretion is advised!

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The clock hit midnight. Right after they finished getting ready in the hotel rooms and ate their complimentary sandwich, on the go, Hicks called to say the operation was at a halt, awaiting for the NYC detectives for the green light. Hondo, Tan, Deacon, Luca, Thomas and Stevenson were instructed to gather in the conference room, awaiting instructions. Between yawns, uneasy pacing, light stretching and loads of coffee, the officers tried to keep awake. After four hours, they were all restless!

"I really hate this waiting game!" Hondo complained, quietly.

Deacon nodded. Tan added "Worst of all is losing our cellphones. I didn't have a chance to call Bonnie. I mean - at least I gave her a heads up an with an audio text but -I wanted to call!" He complained.

"Me neither. I just texted." Hondo agreed.

Luca and Stevenson nodded quietly, while Deacon continued to stare at the floor. Truth is he'd been pretty quiet since this afternoon. He wasn't even able to down the entire sandwich offered by the hotel. He sat by the window, staring down and fidgeting with his fingers.

"Hey Dea!" Hondo called approaching him.

Deacon raised his glare at Hondo, who stood leaning against the wall, hands on his pockets. He was given a black t-shirt and black jeans, which he sported with his work boots. Deacon was offered the same shirt but blue denims.

"What's up with you? Been pretty quiet."

Deacon took a deep breath. "I can't help but to think about the footage and my boy in it."

Previously....

"So, guys! I made some calls and it seems the four main suspects have been going on and about LA for quite some time. NYC has them arriving last Tuesday, and they have been pretty active. Check this!" Tan said, coming in with tablet in hand.

He clicked on his screen and three images popped up in the main screen in Eagle room at HQ, where Luca and Deacon met with him to discuss their findings. Deacon had urged the guys to work through surveillance for any piece of information they could gather while Hondo was out. They had been going through logs and information records provided by the lieutenant in charge of the operation, without much luck.

The three images showed the four suspects in three different locations.

"Wait!" Luca snapped, pointing at one of the pictures. "I know this place. I ran up to these guys. I remember."

"You did?" Tan asked frowning.

"Yeah. I was going to have lunch there on Saturday and accidentally hit their car door with mine coming off my truck. No wonder why they were kinda jumpy. They must've seen my badge." Luca signaled to his waist.

"Did you see anything weird?" Tan asked

"Did you see them with a woman or a kid?" Deacon asked

"Um..." Luca said, stopping to think. "No. I didn't." he frowned trying to remember. "Now that I think about it, maybe it was a blessing Dana didn't show up after all."

"Dana? The lady from the hospital?" Deacon asked surprised.

"Yeah." he answered nodding slowly

"You two going out?" Tan asked curiously, stopping what he was doing to stare at him.

"We're talking, but... she's still coping with her father passing away after the quake." Luca lamented

While they continued their chit chat, Deacon stared at the second picture, in which the men were seen in a parking lot of a mega store. The camera angle showed them from afar, mounting something in the back, while two of them stared at three figures in the distance. He kept trying to decipher the three shadows because they were oddly familiar.