Chapter 749: Jack’s Doubts and the Unexpected Explosion (Patreon)

The NSA and DHS offices in New York were just a few blocks away from Federal Plaza. Jubal contacted Dana Moritz at the NSA, while Jack called Hotchner at DHS.

Jack detailed the pufferfish toxin case and the recent collar bomb incident, raising his suspicions from the perspective of someone directly involved.

An hour later, Dana Moritz and Rossi reported back. The NSA had verified Jack’s theory. They had traced a $3 million transfer that had been split into countless sub-$100 transactions through a cryptocurrency exchange, eventually landing in several suspicious accounts. The NSA had reason to believe these accounts were connected to “Dark Jihad.”

“So, ‘Dark Jihad’ has funding now—a sum large enough to handle the affairs of over a dozen suicide bombers. And this might just be the initial payment, with the rest still sitting in cryptocurrency wallets,” Jack muttered, frustrated.

It turned out the NSA had overlooked the money because the transactions had been subjected to capital gains tax. “What kind of clowns are running this operation? Did they all come from the IRS?” Jack grumbled inwardly.

Dana Moritz confirmed Jack’s suspicion over the phone. “The suspect Emily killed isn’t in any known criminal database. We don’t even know if he was a citizen or an illegal immigrant. That’s consistent with ‘Dark Jihad’s’ typical methods.

They excel at recruiting online and grooming young members from local moderate religious families, turning them into suicide attackers.”

Jack sighed. He was used to the ambiguity surrounding such cases—until the moment someone pulled the trigger or detonated a bomb, it was impossible to distinguish extremists from moderates.

Rossi, however, raised another concern. “My friends at the CIA told me that factions in Bolivia are lobbying the federal government to extradite Anthony Vargas. If that’s true, it conflicts with your theory.

Why would they stage terror attacks to demand his release? That would only make extradition impossible.”

“Wait—does the DOJ actually support extraditing Vargas? No, this has to be CIA meddling,” Jack said, baffled. Then he remembered that such underhanded tactics weren’t uncommon for the CIA, especially since it was the FBI headquarters that had nearly been bombed.

Rossi’s tone turned sarcastic. “Yes, some in the CIA are in favor. Apparently, Bolivia might offer terms that are ‘hard to refuse.’”

Given Rossi’s reliable network, the information carried weight. Jack floated another possibility. “Could there be internal conflict within the Durango cartel? Someone might want Vargas out of the way entirely, ensuring extradition is off the table.”

Rossi was taken aback by Jack’s suggestion. “It’s possible. But wouldn’t that be overly complicated? I’ll dig deeper with my CIA contacts.

That said, the main opposition to extradition isn’t domestic. It’s coming from Bolivia’s presidential faction. Their government is in turmoil, with a temporary administration in charge.”

“Typical mess,” Jack muttered. It was another sad reality for many Latin American countries. Bolivia, despite its abundant natural resources, was economically dependent on coca cultivation, a key ingredient for cocaine.

The nation’s political chaos, rife with factionalism, was often rooted in external interference.

After hanging up, Jack called Hotchner and Joyner, who were still at DHS, to share the latest intel.

For now, the question of extradition could be set aside. Confirming the Durango cartel’s connection to “Dark Jihad” was enough to proceed. The NSA’s extensive monitoring of domestic terror groups would likely yield actionable leads soon.

“By this time tomorrow, we might be able to hold another press conference with the NYPD,” Jack thought.

DHS had already deployed crisis response teams to investigate the eight attack sites, with plans for ongoing surveillance.

“Okay,” Hotchner’s voice came through. “Joyner and I are wrapping up at DHS. They’re coordinating with the NYPD to establish multiple emergency command centers. We’re fully prepared. We’ll get them.”

Jack caught the ding of an elevator in the background. “Multiple command centers?” he asked, puzzled.

“Yes,” Hotchner replied. “It’s a lesson learned from 9/11. Back then, when the Twin Towers collapsed, the main emergency command center was destroyed. It wiped out the entire rescue command structure, leaving the response in chaos.”

“Got it. Head back to HQ soon. I’ll check in with the others. If we make it through the night, it’ll be our turn to make a move.”

Jack ended the call and checked in with Emily, Hannah, and JJ. With the mastermind identified, it was only a matter of time before they caught the perpetrators.

Now it was up to the NSA to quickly uncover the operational leaders’ identities so they could be apprehended. It was 9 p.m., which meant the team theoretically had 15 hours until the next likely attack—around noon, when New York streets would be at their busiest.

Despite the progress, Jack couldn’t shake an uneasy feeling. The partnership between the Durango cartel and “Dark Jihad” made sense, but the cartel’s motives remained unclear.

“Dark Jihad” seeking a global stage for their terror wasn’t surprising. But the Durango cartel’s involvement in such a scheme was baffling.

Rossi’s earlier observation lingered in Jack’s mind. If the cartel’s goal was to free Vargas, they would have had better chances through quiet negotiations or pressuring Bolivia’s government. Partnering with a terror group and launching attacks on U.S. soil would only ensure Vargas remained in maximum-security detention—or worse.

And if there were internal power struggles within the cartel, wouldn’t it be simpler to assassinate Vargas after his extradition? Why risk antagonizing the U.S. and spending millions in the process?

As Jack pondered these questions, a sudden explosion shattered the quiet. The blast was so powerful that car alarms outside the Federal Building blared in unison.

“Where was that?”

“What’s going on?”

The operations center erupted into chaos as everyone rushed to the windows. Looking out, they saw flames rising just two blocks east of the Federal Building. Black smoke billowed into the sky, illuminated by the fire’s glow.