Police in America

Two prisoners dragged away the warden's lifeless body as Gunnar Cade stood in front of the camera with a murderous expression. He picked up a piece of cardboard from the ground and displayed three words on the back for the surveillance cameras: "Or More Deaths!"

"This guy is definitely up to something," said Emily, who had been silent until now, unable to hold back her thoughts after witnessing the scene.

"A breakout?" JJ voiced what everyone was thinking.

The demands from the other two prison gangs were relatively reasonable, but the intentions behind the "Spicy Eagle" were more ambiguous, though their sinister plot was easy to guess. The specifics, however, remained unknown.

Jack wasn't concerned about that, unless these guys had the means to dig a tunnel out. Otherwise, there was no way they could escape this heavily fortified prison. His primary focus remained on the purpose of his visit.

"There's no reception room or anything similar on the fourth floor, except for the activity room in C Block where some clergy members are being held."

He fixed his gaze on the contractor, Aeshi Jones, and asked coldly, "Think carefully. If you were the warden, and my two colleagues wanted to meet with a death row inmate, where would you arrange for them to meet?"

Aeshi Jones, clearly a shrewd businessman, might not have heard of the BAU, but by now, it was obvious to him that these FBI agents were not ordinary. His eyes darted around quickly, and after a moment of hesitation, he finally spoke.

"There's another area, D Block, usually deserted, primarily housing central ventilation and other functional facilities. There are a few isolated rooms there. If I were the warden, I would arrange the meeting there."

Jack had a feeling that this guy wasn't being completely honest and might be hiding something. Just as he was about to press further, the sound of helicopter engines outside the command vehicle caught his attention.

Everyone stepped outside just in time to see Rossi disembarking from a police Bell helicopter, head down.

"What's the situation inside? Any news on Hotchner and Reid?" Rossi asked, his tense expression easing slightly when he saw his three team members, especially the fully armed Jack.

"Not yet, but they might be trapped deeper inside," Jack explained the situation.

"So, is that good news?" Rossi asked, still unsure.

"Yes, it's good news. At least they haven't been taken hostage by those ruthless 'Spicy Eagle' members."

Given Reid's delicate appearance, if he fell into the hands of those desperate inmates... well, his fate would be grim.

Rossi glanced at the SWAT team members from the LAPD standing behind Jack and signaled Jack to step aside with him. In a low voice, he asked, "Are you sure just one SWAT team is enough? I can request a team from the FBI SWAT or even HRT."

The FBI's Hostage Rescue Team (HRT), a part of the FBI's Critical Incident Response Group (CIRG), is the most elite counter-terrorism unit within the FBI. It's also the only tactical counter-terrorism unit in the country that operates 24/7, earning the reputation of being the "most powerful law enforcement force on earth."

"Uh, that probably won't be necessary. Another team, B Squad, is already on its way. Right now, time is of the essence. Once we clear the prison, Hotchner and Reid will be safe."

Jack felt that Rossi's concern was clouding his judgment. Although the prison's armory had been taken over, the number of weapons distributed to the inmates was limited. Moreover, prison armaments were generally geared toward riot control, with some exaggerated full-body armor that, at best, was stab-resistant and useless against bullets.

Jack would rather work with Hondo's team, with whom he was familiar, than coordinate with an FBI SWAT team he didn't know. At least when he visited them before, they had done some CQB (Close Quarters Battle) training together.

Trusting Jack's judgment in combat, Rossi dropped the matter and instead approached the on-site commander, Jessica Cortez, to request a private communication channel.

Since cell phone signals in the prison were likely jammed, it wasn't unreasonable for the FBI to ask for a secure communication channel for their own use.

"The fourth floor has only two normal entrances, both accessible via the stairwells from the third floor. But now, those entrances are completely blocked."

Hondo gathered five SWAT members, including Jack, into a circle and began planning their operation using a tactical tablet.

Unlike the usual brainstorming sessions with the BAU team, where ideas are freely exchanged, everyone here listened quietly. Only after Hondo finished laying out the plan would anyone ask questions or offer suggestions.

The discipline of the tactical team was evident.

"There's a fire escape on the north side, near A Block, with an emergency exit that leads directly outside."

"The plan is simple. We'll head to the roof, enter through the ventilation ducts into the corridor between A and B Blocks, and cut off communication between the two. We'll leave three men to hold the position."

"The rest of us will clear A Block, open the emergency exit to allow the LAPD officers to secure the area, then continue clearing B Block. We'll deal with Gunnar Cade and his 'Spicy Eagle' gang last."

Hondo's strategy was clear: tackle the easier targets first. The other two gangs were likely just taking advantage of the situation, with no real premeditation, hence their relatively straightforward demands.

Since A and B Blocks occupied most of the floor, once they were cleared, any schemes Gunnar Cade had in C Block would be much easier to deal with.

The entire prison was laid out like a T-shape. Once the two arms of the T were cleared, the remaining C and D Blocks would be a breeze.

"Any comments?"

"None, just didn't expect I'd ever be breaking into a prison," joked Street, the youngest member of the team, who shared Jack's baby-faced appearance.

Next to him was Chris, the only female in the team, who was about the same age as Street. She was petite but had an impressive figure.

Aside from them, the other four members, including Hondo, were either close to or over 40 years old.

Tan, the Asian team member, didn't look that old, but Jack knew he was at least 37 or 38.

The deputy team leader, Deacon, was older than Hondo and had enough qualifications to lead another SWAT team. However, due to his attachment to this squad, he chose to stay as Hondo's second-in-command.

Lastly, there was Luca, the oldest member. He and Hondo shared a deep bond, having been best partners before Hondo became the team leader.

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