Chapter 46 Chapter Forty-Six

"We have yet another blackmail letter." A stern-looking Andy Jason looks out from Rhyme's flat-panel monitor as they hold a video conference call.Andy's blond hair is stretched out from too much spray.Or maybe she stayed up all night at the office and didn't take a shower in the morning. "Another blackmail letter?" Rhyme looked at Ron Sellitto, Cooper, and Sachs. They were sitting in various places in the laboratory with different postures, but they all froze in place. The big Sellitto dropped the half-eaten muffin he'd taken from the tray Tom had brought in. "I was attacked once, and he is going to attack us again?"

"I guess he's upset that we ignored him," Jason said dryly. "What does he want?" Sachs asked, and Rhyme said at the same time, "I want the blackmail letter delivered here. As soon as possible." Jason answered Rhyme first. "I gave it to Detective McDaniel. It's on its way to you." "When is the deadline?" "Six pm." "Nowadays?" "yes." "Jesus," Sellitto murmured, "two hours." "What about the blackmail?" Sachs asked again. "He wants us to stop DC transmission to the rest of the North American grid for an hour, starting at six. If we don't meet his demands, he will kill more people."

Rhyme asked, "What does that mean?" "Our power grid is the Northeast Power Grid, and the Algonquin Power Company is the largest electricity producer in the grid. If a certain power company in another grid needs power supply, we will sell it to them. If the other party is at 500 For many miles, we use direct current instead of alternating current. That’s more economical. Usually it goes to small utilities in rural areas.” "Do you understand what this blackmail is about?" Sellitto asked. "I don't know why he asked for that. It doesn't make any sense to me. Perhaps, his point is to reduce the risk of cancer for people living near transmission lines. But I'm guessing that the number of people living in areas covered by direct current transmission lines all over North America Less than a thousand people."

"Gaut doesn't necessarily act rationally," Rhyme said. "correct." "Can you do it? Satisfy his request?" "No, we can't. Impossible. Like blacking out the New York City grid before, only worse this time. Cutting off service to several small towns across the country. And direct damage to military bases and research facilities Feed. Homeland Security says shutting down DC transmission lines poses national security risk. DoD agrees." Rhyme added: "When you think about it, you're going to lose millions of dollars." Jason paused for a moment. "Yes, that's right. We'd be in breach of hundreds of contracts. It would be a national disaster. But, anyway, it's moot arguing whether to grant his demands. In the time he's given us There's just no way to do it. I can't turn off a seven hundred thousand volt wall switch at will."

"Okay," Rhyme said, "how did you get the blackmail letter?" "Gault handed over the ransom note to one of my employees." Rhyme and Sachs glanced at each other. Jason went on to explain that Gott had abducted Security Supervisor Bernard Wall when he was returning from lunch. "Is Wall with you?" Sachs asked. "Just a minute," Jason said, "he's being questioned by the FBI... let me go and see." Sellitto said softly, "Those bastards don't even bother to tell us they're talking to him? Have to get it from Andy Jason?"

Moments later, the strong-shouldered Bernard Wall appeared on the screen and sat down next to Andy Jason.His round black brow gleamed with luster. "Hello," Sachs said. Wall nodded. "How are you?" "It's all right, Detective." However, Rhyme could see that he was not all right?His eyes are empty, his eyes avoiding the camera. "Tell us what happened." "I was coming back from lunch. Gott approached me with a gun and hijacked me into an alley. He then stuffed the ransom note into my pocket and said to give it to Ms. Jason immediately. .Then he disappeared.”

"that's it?" Wall hesitated a little: "Almost. Yes, female police officer." "Did he say anything that would lead us to follow the lead to find his hideout or his next target?" "No. He's basically blah blah blah blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Rhyme was a bit curious. "Mr. Wall? Did you see that pistol? Or was Gott bluffing?" Wall hesitated again.Then the security supervisor said, "I spotted a Gen. .45, M1911 pistol, an old military model." "Did he catch you? We can collect some microtrace evidence from your farm clothes."

"No. He just held his pistol against me." "Where did this happen?" "In a small alley next to BR's auto repair shop. I don't remember it very well, officer. I was terrified." Sachs asked, "That's it? He didn't ask you anything about the police investigation?" "No, lady officer, he didn't ask. I think all he cares about is getting the blackmail letter to Ms. Jason immediately. He can't think of another way except to intercept an employee." Rhyme had no questions for him.He looked to Sellitto and saw him shaking his head.

They thank Wall, who then walks away from the camera.Jason looked up, nodded at someone who walked through the door, and then returned to the camera to start the video conference. "Gary Noble and I are going to meet with the mayor. Then I'm going to have a press conference. I'm going to personally intercede with Gott. Do you think that will work?" No, Rhyme didn't think that would work.But he said, "Do your best—even if it just buys us a little time." After they hung up, Sellitto asked, "What is Wall hiding from us?" "He was terrified, Gott intimidated him. He probably leaked something. I'm not terribly worried, he wasn't part of the inner circle that knew the case. But whatever he leaked, frankly, We can't worry about that right now."

The doorbell just rang.It was Tucker McDaniel and his young men. Rhyme was surprised.The FBI agent knew there was a press conference coming, and he was here instead of taking the opportunity to get on the podium.He conceded to DHS so he could deliver the evidence to Lyme himself. The lead agent's bow tie is slightly raised again. McDaniel asked Pulaski after a brief introduction to Gaut and his criminal motives: "You found no mention of 'For Justice' or Raman in his apartment? Terrorist sleeper cell Woolen cloth?" "No, nothing." McDaniel looked disappointed, but he still said: "However, this does not contradict the Symbiosis Project."

"What's that?" Rhyme asked. "Traditional terrorist operations with a leader and a common goal. They may not even like each other, but they ultimately want to achieve the same goal. One major aspect is that professional terrorist sleeper teams will align themselves with the main 'negative Players' are completely cut off. All communications—" "Like in the clouds?" Rhyme asked, the agent's index finger hanging down slightly now. "Exactly. They have to minimize any contact. There are two very different agendas. Terrorists want to wreak havoc on American society, while Gott wants revenge." McDaniel pointed to the profile on the whiteboard. The report nodded. "Parker Kincaid said Gaut did not use personal pronouns—he did not want to give away any clues that he was conspiring with others." "Eco-terrorist, political terrorist, or religious terrorist?" "All three are possible." It's hard to imagine Al Qaeda or the Taliban allying with an emotionally unstable corporate employee bent on revenge simply because his company gave him cancer.But when it comes to eco-terrorist groups, it makes a little more sense.They need someone to help them get into the power system.However, Rhyme felt that the claim would be more credible if there was some physical evidence to support the hypothesis. McDaniel also said he received word from subordinates who went to request a search warrant that the technical communications team had been granted access to Gaut's email and social networking accounts.Gott sent e-mails and commented on several websites about his cancer's connection to high-voltage cables.However, in the hundreds of pages that Gott wrote down, there was no clue about where Gott was hiding or his plan for the attack. Rhyme grew impatient with speculation. "Tuck, I want to see that blackmail letter." "Okay." The agent in charge gestured to the young subordinate. Please, there should be lots of traces on the ransom note.Some clues that might help. Sixty seconds later, they looked at the second ransom letter together: Cooper began analyzing the ransom note.Ten minutes later, he said, "Nothing new, Lincoln. Same paper, same fountain pen. Can't trace the source. As far as microtrace evidence, it's more pointing to aviation fuel. That's about it." "Damn it." It's like opening a beautifully wrapped gift box on Christmas morning, only to find it's empty. Rhyme noticed Pulaski in the corner of the room, his blond hair sticking up, stretching forward as he whispered into his phone.The call seemed to be about a personal matter, which Rhyme knew had nothing to do with Gott's case.He has been calling the hospital to inquire about the condition of the man he hit.Maybe he got the names of the man's relatives and was expressing his condolences. "Pulaski, did you hear our discussion?" Rhyme called sternly. Pulaski hung up the phone immediately. "Of course I did, I—" "Because I really need your participation." "Lincoln, I will." "Okay. Call the FAA and TSA and tell them we got another ransom note and found more aviation fuel on the second ransom note. They should increase security at all airports. Also a call to the Department of Defense. This could be an attack on a military airfield, especially if Tucker's terrorist connection is correct. Can you do it? Talk to the Pentagon? Make them deeply aware of the danger How big is it?" "Well, I'll do it." Rhyme turned to the evidence form and sighed.The symbiotic terrorist sleeper team is like a communication hidden in the depths of the cloud, an elusive suspect who holds weapons that cannot be seen by the eyes. And another thing, trying to trap a watchmaker in Mexico City?Apart from a mysterious circuit board, a booklet, and two meaningless numbers, there are no other clues. 570 and 379... It reminded him of other numbers.The numbers displayed on the clock beside him, the clock ticking, the next deadline getting closer and closer. second ransom letter — to Algonquin Power Company Security Supervisor Bernard Wall ——Attacked by Gott - No physical contact; no micro-reports - No clues to Gort's hideout or location of the next attack - Paper and ink related to paper and ink found in Gott's apartment — Trace amounts of alternative aviation fuels also found on paper — Attacking a military base? profile ——The perpetrator was identified as Raymond Gott, 40 years old, single, living at 227 Suffolk Street, Manhattan — Terrorist contact?Relationship to Justice For (Unknown)?Terrorist group?Was someone named Raman involved?Encrypted messages mentioning funding distributions, personnel transfers, and some "big event" -- Algonquin Power's security breach in Philadelphia may have been linked to the case - "Letters" system discovery: code words alluding to weapons, "paper and supplies" (guns, explosives?) - Perpetrators included both men and women ——The details of Gao Te’s participation in the crime are unknown —Cancer patient; found a lot of vinblastine and prednisone, a little etoposide.leukemia —Gault is equipped with a military 1911 .45 Colt pistol