"These people were either divorced or separated, all single, and for various reasons currently unemployed. Even if they went missing, no one would notice. They're practically perfect sacrifices."
Jack quickly skimmed through the profiles and couldn't help but click his tongue in surprise. So even lying flat came with risks.
"You're saying there's something wrong with the drug trial?" Hanna looked at the group.
Kono shook her head. With her petite frame standing in front of Hanna, the two of them could've walked straight onto the set of Beauty and the Beast without any makeup.
"That pharmaceutical company most likely isn't involved. The entire trial was carried out with proper legal documentation."
"The problem lies with Ken Tanner. He's the only one who had full access to the information on these people," Cheng Ho said, looking at Jack. "You reminded me to check his financials, and I found a whole bunch of problems.
A few months ago, the guy was on the verge of bankruptcy. His mortgage and car loans were all overdue, and his credit cards were maxed out. But then last month, a transfer of five hundred thousand dollars saved his life."
"Where did the money come from?" Callen narrowed his eyes.
"That was the most time-consuming part. I pulled a few strings to speed things up. The transfer originated from a company called 'CF&Q.'"
Cheng Ho connected his phone to the computer and pulled up several bank statements.
"That's one of Comescu's companies," Callen instantly recognized the name.
"Uh, I thought NCIS already took down all of his family's businesses?" Danny looked at the two NCIS agents in confusion.
"All of their illegal businesses," Callen corrected.
"OK, well, whatever the case, things are starting to come together," Jack said, having basically pieced the whole thing together in his mind. It wasn't that complicated—they had just been lacking the right information.
"Comescu obtained the smallpox virus from the vaccine research lab in Montgomery. To verify the virus's effectiveness, he bribed Ken Tanner and selected four innocent individuals from his trial subject list who wouldn't draw attention due to their low-profile backgrounds. They became his lab rats.
Palmer's escape was probably a fluke. As a retired veteran, he had an extraordinary will to survive—an unexpected variable.
Once Comescu realized Palmer's escape might blow the lid off the entire operation, he started covering his tracks. First, he eliminated Ken Tanner and staged it as a suicide to buy time. The next step is…"
Jack didn't finish his sentence, but everyone clearly understood what he meant.
"We need to find their lab ASAP. Those other three test subjects might still be alive, but they'll be silenced soon," Callen said, pointing at the photos of the three individuals on the screen.
The odds weren't looking great, Jack thought silently.
There was still no specific treatment for the smallpox virus. Immunity could only be acquired through vaccination. The fact that Palmer managed to escape the lab and make it home to seek help was likely thanks not only to his strong will to survive but also to the fact that he had been vaccinated during his time in the military.
But the other three had never served in the military and had never been vaccinated. In theory, they wouldn't last as long as Palmer did.
Still, no matter what, they had to locate Comescu's virus lab as soon as possible. There was still a chance, and who knew how many other victims there might be.
"I'll notify HPD and mobilize all available personnel to try and track Comescu's movements or identify suspicious locations," Danny said, reaching for his phone—only for Jack to stop him.
"I don't think that'll be necessary," Jack said, swiping rapidly on the screen. "Don't you guys think it's weird that Comescu paid Ken Tanner half a million dollars? He only spent six thousand total on those vials of virus."
He stopped on one of the bank statements and double-tapped to zoom in. "After receiving the money, Ken Tanner used about half to pay off his bank debts. But the other half? He spent it on…"
"Hospital beds and vital sign monitors?" Everyone exclaimed at once.
"Not just that," Jack said, tapping on the largest transaction on the list. "A negative pressure air filtration system—combined cost and installation fees: $140,000. We've seen something like this not long ago."
Danny suddenly understood. "The isolation ward at Hawaii Medical Center!"
"Exactly. Ken Tanner was way more involved than we thought. He even helped set up the lab."
Jack Googled the supplier of the equipment and quickly got the delivery and installation address over the phone. He looked a little puzzled as he turned to the locals.
"Is there a place called Sand Island near Oahu? They said the equipment was delivered to a warehouse there."
"Of course," Kono said, a mocking smile tugging at her lips. "You know what Sand Island used to be called?"
"What?" Hanna asked, clearly intrigued.
"Quarantine Island," Cheng Ho answered.
"Sounds like a fitting place for something infectious," Danny said, already heading for the door. "Hope we're not too late for the party."
But just as he moved, Jack called out, "Hold up. You guys seriously planning to go up against a bunch of bio-weapon traffickers like this?"
He patted his waist, where he had nothing more than a pitiful little sidearm.
—
A black Suburban, a silver Camaro, and a red Chevy Malibu sped along the coastal highway.
Cheng Ho was behind the wheel of the Suburban, with Jack riding shotgun and checking his gear—police-grade bulletproof vest, ceramic plate inserts, a comm device, and an AR-15 rifle.
So this is what a governor-appointed special task force gets? Jack had just checked out the "Five-O" armory and found only one sniper rifle—a beat-up old Remington 700P that was clearly secondhand.
"So… do you guys usually drive your own cars during missions?" Jack asked cautiously. The red Malibu leading the way seemed to be Kono's personal vehicle.
"We get some subsidies. After all, we've only been around for less than two years. The state does allocate special funding, but it's nothing compared to the FBI's deep pockets," Cheng Ho replied, not catching Jack's real concern.
"Uh, I mean… what if the car gets wrecked during a mission?" Jack asked again, testing the waters.
"Then we take it to HPD's vehicle repair unit. They're pretty good." Cheng Ho still didn't get why he was asking.
Jack twitched at the corner of his mouth. "I meant… what if it's totaled?"
Cheng Ho paused, as if he'd never considered that possibility. "So, uh, are FBI missions usually that dangerous?"
______
(≧◡≦) ♡ Support me and read 20 chapters ahead – patreon.com/Mutter
Every 100 Power Stones = 1 extra chapter on Saturday.
Every 5 reviews = 1 extra chapter on Saturday.