Chapter 16 A Special Messenger
Chief Javier hurried forward and indeed found a body lying there.
He had been informed that a handgun and then a sniper rifle had fallen in the same area earlier, and before they could make sense of it, now a person had been dropped.
A foreboding feeling crept up in Javier, fearing the hijackers had started killing hostages.
The crowd behind buzzed, followed by the incessant clicking of cameras as journalists began taking photos.
The incident had escalated, marking Los Angeles's largest hostage situation to date. The mayor had personally called, and even the governor showed concern, with countless viewers glued to their TV screens. Javier had no choice but to turn a blind eye to the media, as long as they didn't cross the line.
Officers with riot shields dragged the body back. Javier breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing the body armored in a bulletproof vest, indicating it wasn't a civilian, hopefully not a hostage.
But then he noticed the white writing on the dead man's back. Although smudged from being dragged, the message was still legible—Steve Owen, LAPD, followed by a series of numbers that looked like a communication frequency, though the last two digits were blurred.
Steve Owen? The day's caller, a detective under George, had just solved a bank robbery case, earning George a substantial bonus.
Realizing the connection, Javier swiftly ordered, "Get George here, and bring me a walkie-talkie."
With the major crimes unit on-site, George was quickly brought to Javier, who inquired, "George, is this Steve Owen?"
After a close examination of the distorted face, George assured, "No, it's not Steve."
Convinced, Javier dismissed George and, taking a walkie-talkie from an assistant, dialed the frequency and broadcasted, "Is anyone there? This is Javier. Can anyone hear me? Please respond."
36th Floor
Owen and McClane, standing by the window watching the flashing police lights below, waited for a response on the walkie-talkie.
As they waited in vain, it was the sniper's walkie-talkie that crackled to life. "Yak, once the police make a move, you're free to engage. Prioritize the commanding officers and SWAT."
Exchanging glances, they listened as the voice continued, "Yak, acknowledge if received. Yak?"
Unsure whether to respond, they heard the tone change, "Is it you? Those two rats always scurrying around, I knew it had to be you."
McClane and Owen couldn't help but laugh, no longer conflicted about how to respond. McClane boldly replied, mocking their adversary and taunting about the demise of "Yak," unknowingly hitting a nerve by mentioning the sniper's brother.
Without realizing the gravity of his words, McClane reveled in provocation, not his style to hold back. He even boasted about calling the police to the scene, but was met with an unexpectedly calm response from Hans.
After a brief silence, Hans concluded, "Enjoy your holiday, 'Miraculous Duo.' I hope I never catch you."
The walkie-talkie went silent, leaving McClane puzzled by the hijackers' indifference to the police's arrival.
Owen grew frustrated, not over Hans's reaction but because his message sent via the body had yet to elicit a response.
"What do we do next?" Owen asked.
"I don't know. We'll have to play it by ear," McClane replied.
On the ground, Javier's assistant approached with a phone, having established contact with the hijackers—or rather, the hijackers had contacted them.
Javier took the phone, steadying his voice, "This is Javier from the West Hollywood Police Station. I'm warning you, you're surrounded. Surrender and release the hostages immediately."
Laughing, the hijacker on the line taunted, promising a "gift" for Javier to "appreciate the situation" before abruptly hanging up.
As a spotlight illuminated the building, a window shattered, and a figure was pushed out, falling to the ground below amidst chaos and flashing cameras.
The assistant checked and returned with a grave look, informing Javier that the victim was Aokimura Seiichi, CEO of Magel Corporation, thrown from the building by the hijackers.