Chapter 569 Failed Negotiation
The thump of the helicopter propeller sounded again, and Jubal led a few homeboys and appeared on the lawn outside the villa carrying a lot of boxes.
"You were kicked out of the combat center again?" Jack teased, helped him take a heavy suitcase, and walked into the villa together.
"That's right. When our respected commander walked out of the office, she rushed me here immediately and she took over the command herself."
Jubal looked at him with a wry smile, and then at Hannah who looked depressed, wondering what was going on between the two of them.
"I'm fine, I'm just angry with that psychopath. He obviously doesn't have a daughter. What's wrong?" Before Hannah could finish her words, she noticed that Jubal's expression was a little embarrassed.
"The NYPD just sent news that three weeks ago, Mike Helton did try to report the crime, saying that his sixteen-year-old daughter Stephanie left home at seven o'clock in the evening and never came back."
"What do you mean by trying to report a crime?" Hannah blinked blankly, indicating that she didn't understand.
"As I said before, in Mike Helton's record, he is alone, his parents are dead, and he has never been married. The police officer on duty also inquired about what he said about Stephanie. Rice's parentage proves that he is not the girl's father.
Stephanie Rice was born in New Jersey. Her parents also died. She has no registered address and is not in school. "
"Then?" Hannah narrowed her eyes, waiting for his next words.
"When I found out Mike Helton's identity, I notified the NYPD and sent two police officers to his residence. Two neighbors told them that Helton had indeed been living with a girl for half a year."
The expression on Jubal's face grew increasingly bitter.
"So just because the system records cannot prove the relationship between the two, the police officer on duty did not accept the case?" Hannah was very angry. She was also a grassroots police officer and knew very well what kind of ethics some grassroots police officers usually have. , this situation is not difficult to speculate.
At this time, the technicians brought by Jubal were already busy. Jack felt that now was not the time to dwell on this issue. He reached out and put his hand on Hannah's shoulder. Just as he was about to change the subject, Jubal's cell phone suddenly rang.
"OK, I'll turn on the speakerphone, wait a minute." Jubal picked up the phone, just responded, then turned his head to the two of them, and then quickly walked out of the villa.
The three of them came to the back of the villa to take care of the exquisite garden. It was much quieter here, and there was no need to worry that their conversation might be heard by people in the secret room. Jubal turned on the phone hands-free and placed it between the three of them. Dana Moage's voice came out.
"It doesn't matter if Stephanie Rice is Mike Helton's daughter, or maybe he's really a psychopath, we have no choice now but to be prepared.
Hannah, you go to Helton's place in Queens, use the helicopter to avoid the traffic, we have to find Stephanie Rice, wherever she is.
Jubal, you are responsible for controlling the progress at the scene. We need a negotiator to try to buy time, and Jack, as our criminal psychology consultant, help him stabilize Helton's emotions and do everything you can to prevent the other party from harming Grams. Roy.
In addition, the command center is trying to contact the owner of the house to ask for information about the safe house, but the other party's family is in Europe and it will take some time.
Once the situation of the safe house is confirmed, we need to formulate a storm plan. At that time, Jack and the SWAT team will confirm the feasibility. Do you understand? "
"Understood." The three of them said in unison, accepting the order.
When Jack watched the helicopter take off again with Hannah, the technicians brought by Jubal also completed the preparations, "We have cracked the security program, and now we have control. We can see the situation inside the safe house and Talk to the other party directly.”
An Asian man wearing glasses, thin hair, and a plaid shirt typed a few times on the keyboard, then changed the orientation of the laptop on the table and displayed it in front of Jubal and Jack.
The screen shows a well-decorated rectangular basement with a refrigerator, a sofa, a TV, and even carpets. There is a computer desk at one end of the room with a row of four connected monitors and a microphone. The screen shows the villa. Surveillance footage of surrounding areas and halls.
The kidnapped girl Chloe had her hands tied, and she was sitting nervously on the sofa near the door. There was also a middle-aged white man, Mike Helton, who was holding a pistol in his hand, like an ant on a hot pot. Wandering around anxiously there.
"Great, so now he can still see what's going on outside and hear what's going on outside through the surveillance cameras around him, but you can cut that off at any time, right?" Jubal asked.
"Yes, I can switch to manual mode at any time." The male technician with glasses nodded.
"OK, first cut off his ears and eyes, and make our place the only channel through which he can communicate." Jubal ordered.
The technician nodded to express his understanding and turned back to the laptop to operate it. When he turned it back again, everyone could clearly see that the surveillance screen in the safe house had gone dark.
"Use this microphone to talk to him. The operation is the same as a walkie-talkie. Press to talk and then release." The technician handed over a portable microphone.
Soon, Helton in the safe house noticed something strange. He quickly walked to the computer desk and took a look. He pressed the keyboard a few times and found no response, so he gave up. He didn't seem to be surprised by this.
"You did it, right? Is it some kind of hacking method? Then, what are you going to do, dig a hole and blow up the entire wall? Don't waste your efforts, as long as you dare to act rashly, you will be responsible for all the consequences!"
Jubal glanced at Jack, who waved his hand to indicate that he would communicate with the other party. According to Dana Moger's order, he had another task. Negotiation work was not suitable for substitutions in the middle. The process of communicating with the other party was also The process of building trust between both parties.
The latter nodded slightly and pressed the call button on the microphone, "Mr. Helton, I am FBI agent Jubal Valentine. I am solely responsible for communicating with you. We will make every effort to help you find your daughter." .
But Mike, trust is mutual. As a father, I understand your behavior. You tried to get help at the NYPD but found nothing. This is true and cannot be denied, but that was before. Now it is the FBI who is facing you. , I hope you can understand the difference between the two. "
As soon as Jubal finished speaking, Helton, who was still pacing back and forth in the safe house, stopped, leaned against the wall, spread his hands and said,
"Okay, different FBI, let's talk, what do you want to know?"
"At this moment, we have sent dozens of agents to search for Stephanie, but we need your help. Please provide us with as much information as possible. The more detailed the better."
Jack gave Jubal a thumbs up, indicating a job well done. The other party's willingness to communicate is the first step to building trust. The 2-hour time limit is too tight. You must first establish initial trust, and then find ways to buy more time. .
Sure enough, Helton in the safe house lowered his head and thought for a moment, then began to stutter his memories, "As far as I know, uh, Stephanie left home at seven o'clock three weeks ago. She said she was going to the store, and then she left. Never came home again.
These days I have been trying to find her because no one believes me."
Seeing that he was getting more and more excited as he spoke and couldn't help waving the hand holding the gun, Jubal quickly interrupted him and calmed the other party's emotions, "Okay Mike, the past is in the past. Now the FBI has officially taken over the case, so the situation is not the same." Same.
Our philosophy is that once we start, we won't stop no matter what the problem is until the case is over, so why not open the door and let Chloe go? His father, like you, desperately wants his daughter back home, and Chloe has nothing to do with you. "
Jack opened his mouth, but it was too late to stop him. The trick of empathy needs to be done step by step, instead of opening the door first, then opening a window if the door doesn't work.
First put forward a condition that the other party cannot agree to, and then lower the request and allow the other party to give some time. This method may be feasible in normal times, but it is not suitable for the current situation.
Sure enough, Helton's emotions became excited again, "No, I can't do it. Once I do this, you will not look for Stephanie again. You will say that I am crazy. She ran away from home on her own."
Jubal said quickly, "No, no, no, I promise you, we will definitely find Stephanie, but the problem now is that your kidnapping is consuming our FBI's resources. All the agents who were originally here can invest to find her"
However, before he could say anything else, he was interrupted by a loud shout, "Shut up. Your eloquence may be good, Valentine, but there is no need to say any more. You still have 1 hour and 35 minutes to find my daughter. If you find Kill Chloe before I can.
I have no choice, got it? I know very well that in your eyes I am an unreasonable lunatic, so put away your hypocrisy and go find my daughter! "