Chapter 25: Vault Rescue
Across from the building, Jack Bauer, dressed in black combat gear, stood on a floor of a high-rise with a grappling gun in hand.
"The target area is clear," Bob's voice came through the earpiece.
"Tony, turn off the spotlight in five seconds."
"Understood."
Five, four, three, two, one.
Jack counted down in his mind. As soon as he finished, the spotlights that illuminated the building from all angles suddenly went out, plunging the Zhongchen Building into darkness.
At the moment the lights went out, a rope was fired from the darkness on the west side, its hook piercing through the glass curtain wall and securing firmly to the ground.
The next second, a figure slid down the rope, crashing through the glass and entering the building. Upon landing, the figure quickly manipulated something, and the rope was retracted with a faint whirring of a motor.
Outside, just as people began to discuss the event, the surrounding lights came back on, all within less than ten seconds, making it seem like a normal power switch.
This brief episode was quickly forgotten by the onlookers, except for the gaping hole left in the glass curtain wall, as if nothing had happened.
"Target has safely entered," Tony, in charge of temporary command below, reported after receiving the sniper team's report, clenching his fist in excitement.
Inside the building, Jack Bauer knelt on one knee in the shadows. After listening for a while to ensure safety, he drew his silenced pistol and headed towards the 46th floor.
...
On the 18th floor, west side, near the vault.
Owen and McClane arrived just in time to hear Hans boasting to Holly about his perfect plan, detailing how he chose the target, formulated the plan, recruited personnel, and prepared for various scenarios.
Having robbed the vault, Hans was already wealthy, but he also sought validation from a high-ranking executive of a billion-dollar company, which would satisfy his ego. Hans felt as if he was basking in the warmth of spring.
McClane, upon seeing Holly, became emotional. Although Owen managed to hold him back, his movement caught the attention of Hans, who was facing them.
Realizing things had turned for the worse, Owen charged out first, his bullet flying between Hans and Holly to separate them.
Holly retreated wisely, while Hans's attempts to grab her were thwarted by Owen. McClane rushed to his wife, tackling her to safety before dragging her to a secure location.
Hans, an experienced terrorist, reacted swiftly. As soon as Owen fired, he dove behind a table for cover and made his way into the vault. The robbers inside, awakened by the gunfire, returned fire, sending bullets flying everywhere.
"Don't shoot, stop shooting, you'll set off the bombs!"
The young man with glasses, now without them in the chaos, scrambled on the floor, shouting loudly to halt the gunfire. The bombs were placed on a table directly in front of the vault door; any stray bullet could send the entire vault skyward.
Owen, however, had no such concerns. Firing from outside, with the bomb behind him, he was safe unless the robbers inside were willing to risk mutual destruction.
The gunfire inside ceased at the young man's command but resumed shortly after, albeit more cautiously, targeting Owen's position.
Owen single-handedly pinned down the robbers inside the vault, taking cover by the vault's massive door and firing occasional shots to prevent their escape.
Eliminating the robbers was unrealistic; Owen's primary goal was a rescue. With at least six robbers inside, their continuous gunfire made it impossible for him to retaliate, only occasionally firing warning shots to keep them at bay.
Hearing gunfire nearby, McClane, having secured Holly, came to support Owen. However, he too faced overwhelming odds and was quickly suppressed.
Spotting the vault door, McClane got an idea. Strapping his gun to his back, he began pushing the massive door closed.
The door slowly moved under his effort, and the robbers inside, realizing his intention, panicked and tried to escape, only to be pushed back by Owen's gunfire.
With a clang, the door closed, and the combination lock turned, silencing the gunfire from inside.
The vault door, previously compromised by a drill and hacked password lock, was now merely secured by a basic mechanical lock, which McClane had just engaged.
"Let's go!"
Owen signaled for them to leave. The vault's location was unique, with only one entrance. If other robbers caught them here, they would be as doomed as those locked inside.
McClane led Holly, with Owen covering their retreat. Passing a table, Owen spotted several grenades, rows of bombs, and two bags of money.
Owen pocketed the grenades and, in a moment of impulse, stuffed a bomb into one of the money bags, covering it with cash before turning to leave.
"Jack, we've rescued Holly and locked Hans and some robbers in the vault. It might not hold them for long, though. What's our next move?" Owen asked through the walkie-talkie, out of breath from running.
Jack Bauer, observing the hostage situation from a concealed spot on the 46th floor, was surprised that they managed the rescue without police backup, even trapping the ringleader in the vault. "Where are you now?"
"Still on the 18th floor."
"Head to the 46th floor. Use the west service elevator. We've got snipers set up there. Wait... someone's heading down. Don't use the elevator, take the stairs."
"Understood."
Owen, protecting Holly, headed for the staircase, aware that the departing robbers were likely sent by Hans to open the vault door. Their communication devices made it impossible to keep the robbers at bay for long.
The vault door could only delay the robbers temporarily; it was designed to be opened from the outside with a simple turn. They needed to move quickly.
As Owen and the others dashed through the staircase, Jack Bauer decided to initiate the rescue operation immediately due to the change in circumstances. With Holly rescued unexpectedly and Hans having taken some robbers with him, leaving fewer than ten to guard the hostages, the timing was too good to pass up.