Chapter 7: Call for Help

Seeing McClane's battered phone, Owen shrugged helplessly, "Well, I don't have one either. My phone is in the car."

Owen recounted his escape experience, and McClane listened with shining eyes.

"Buddy, you're really lucky. Compared to you, my escape was downright boring. Your experience could easily be turned into a Hollywood movie," McClane said, with a hint of envy in his tone. It was unclear what was going on in his mind.

"But we can use this to call for help," Owen pointed to the smoke alarm above and then gestured to the fire alarm switch on the wall. He had planned to do this before things went awry, and it seemed like McClane had done something similar in the movies.

However, McClane, the one who should be on board with this plan, unexpectedly opposed, "No, we can't use the fire alarm; that would expose us."

What? Owen was instantly confused. What was happening? Did I remember it wrong, or is this guy messing with the script? This idea was originally his.

Owen looked at McClane in astonishment, who continued, "I know where there's a phone. We can make a call."

Owen gave McClane a puzzled look, conveying a mix of concern and doubt. All the phones were said to be dead. McClane quickly caught on and added, "I meant a satellite phone."

"A satellite phone? Where?" Owen asked.

"On the 40th floor."

"How do you know that?"

"I told you my wife is an executive here. She has a suite on the 40th floor with a satellite phone."

The plot suddenly deviated from the movie, leaving Owen frowning. Reality and the movie seemed to have some differences. Owen reminded himself that he might have gotten too excited, thinking his time-traveling self finally had an edge. However, it seemed the advantage wasn't foolproof and should be taken with caution.

"Come on, buddy, give me a hand. Let's hide these bodies."

McClane patted Owen's shoulder, signaling him to help. Together, they dragged the body of the hijacker named Max into the shadows. McClane then began stripping the two bodies of their bulletproof vests and equipment.

"Do you mind dead people wearing these?" McClane tossed one of the stripped bulletproof vests to Owen, who caught it. Owen was wearing a lightweight Kevlar vest, a standard issue for American police officers, soft and wearable under clothing.

The one McClane handed him, however, seemed better. It had Kevlar lining and ceramic plates on the outside, likely military-grade. It might be slightly heavier but offered better protection without sacrificing much flexibility.

Owen was accustomed to wearing bulletproof vests; some officers even wore two. There were legends in the police force about an officer who survived because he wore two vests during an operation. Owen, however, decided to switch to the hijacker's vest. Not only was it of higher quality, but it was also combined with a tactical vest, making it easier to carry ammunition.

After the exchange, Owen stuffed his discarded shirt and vest into a drawer. He understood the importance of concealing his identity. If exposed as a police officer, the hijackers might exploit it to their advantage. Better to be cautious.

McClane had retrieved the submachine guns and was reloading. Each held an H&K MP5, a classic submachine gun ideal for close-quarters combat. It shared compatibility with Glock handguns, both using 9mm ammunition.

"This feels much better now," McClane said, having upgraded from a small handgun to a combination of long and short weapons with bulletproof vests. He suddenly felt a sense of overnight wealth.

Both were ready to move, but unfortunately, one of the walkie-talkies was damaged, leaving only one functional, hanging from McClane's shoulder.

"We need to leave quickly," McClane said.

As for what to do next, Owen had no clear ideas. McClane, being a higher-ranked police officer and seemingly the protagonist of the movie, took the lead. Owen decided to follow his lead, playing it by ear.

McClane contemplated for a moment and made a decision. He intended to go to the 40th floor to get the satellite phone and then call for help.

Following behind McClane, Owen moved cautiously through the building. The atmosphere was eerily silent. The carpeted areas were easier to navigate, but the sound of footsteps on marble was unavoidably loud.

The two proceeded with extreme caution. Occasionally, information from the walkie-talkie indicated that the search was nearly complete. The hijackers were closing in on them, likely searching for stragglers like them. The two eliminated hijackers must have been responsible for searching their floor.

The duo became even more vigilant, stopping at any sound and waiting until they confirmed it was safe before proceeding. Owen took advantage of these moments to run through the movies again in his mind. However, McClane had steered the situation off course. There was no mention of going to the 40th floor in the movie.

This was a stark reminder that intelligence was crucial. Many times, they could anticipate the hijackers' movements through the walkie-talkie, avoiding confrontations and choosing alternate routes.

Finally, good news came through the walkie-talkie—the search was mostly over. The hijackers had returned to the hostage hall. However, this also meant they would soon discover the absence of two of their accomplices. Time was running out.