The FBI's response was incredibly swift. Within 24 hours, they had organized a task force ready to head to the Wind River Reservation. They had no choice but to act quickly, given the rumors that angry locals were already mobilizing to storm the drilling site and destroy everything in sight.
Considering the local police force only consisted of seven officers, plus one inexperienced rookie agent who was virtually useless, it was clear they wouldn't be able to prevent the situation from spiraling out of control.
The thought of the expensive shale oil extraction equipment at the drilling camp made the board members of the Texas-registered oil company feel like they were bleeding internally, pushing them to exert immense pressure on the FBI.
However, something unexpected happened. Less than 24 hours after the incident, while the bodies were still being unearthed and the task force had yet to board their plane, the rookie agent suddenly reported that the case had been solved.
A local hunter had stumbled upon a partially decomposed body in the mountains, which was later identified as the only missing security guard from the drilling site. The rookie agent had found substantial evidence on his phone, linking him to the murdered Native American girls. It was confirmed that the perpetrator behind the brutal crimes against the local women was indeed the bored, idle security guards who had been stationed at the site during the winter.
The massacre at the camp was also linked to this missing security guard, whose mental state had clearly deteriorated. After slaughtering his colleagues and setting fire to the security dormitory, he fled alone into the mountains, only to freeze to death near Gannett Peak.
This outstanding female agent, with the assistance of the tribal police, had successfully calmed the angry locals. The drilling site was now temporarily sealed off, and the situation was under control.
Of course, the story wouldn't end so quickly. However, the focus had successfully shifted from the decimation of the security team to the murders of Native American women. Both the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and the FBI were eager to close the case swiftly and quell the ongoing media storm.
Now that the case had been rapidly resolved, with no defendants needing to stand trial, everyone was pleased. Whether the victims' families would later sue the oil company in court was no concern of the federal government.
It was foreseeable that, although Jane would have to remain in this frozen world for a while longer, her promotion, as Jack had previously mentioned, was practically guaranteed. She might not only shed the "rookie" label but also move up a rank. Who knows, the next time Jack sees her, he might have to address her as Senior Special Agent.
For now, though, all the commotion had nothing to do with Jack. Just after admiring the beautiful scenery of Gannett Peak, he received a call from Hodge.
Without having time to say goodbye to everyone, after making a few quick calls, Jack boarded a flight to Annapolis, the capital of Maryland.
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Hodge hadn't disclosed the specifics of the case over the phone, which gave Jack a sinking feeling in his gut.
Sure enough, when he saw that JJ, who had come to pick him up at the airport, wasn't showing any joy at their reunion but rather maintained a serious expression, Jack's heart skipped a beat—this was definitely something big.
"What happened?" JJ was a woman who had survived being stranded on an island and facing terrorists without flinching, so this was a rare sight.
"I'll explain in the car. The situation is highly confidential right now." JJ glanced around before answering Jack's question.
As soon as they got into the car, JJ handed him a small yellow pill bottle and a bottle of mineral water.
"Take two of these."
Jack tensed up and quickly asked, "What is this?"
"Ciprofloxacin. They say they're not sure if it will help, but it's better than nothing."
Now Jack understood the source of JJ's anxiety.
"Bioterrorist attack?"
It's the invisible enemies that are the most terrifying.
"The CDC suspects anthrax, but the details are still unclear. We just arrived and are gathering information."
"Okay, so where are we heading now?" Jack promptly swallowed the pills, feeling more at ease. As long as it wasn't an instant-kill gas, he was confident he could protect those around him.
JJ pulled up the GPS on her phone. "Here, the Department of Homeland Security has set up a temporary command center."
Noticing her unease, Jack didn't start the car right away. Instead, he took her hand in his and held it tightly.
"Relax, I'm here."
JJ's tension was understandable. After 9/11, the U.S. had experienced the anthrax letter attacks, where someone mailed letters containing anthrax spores to several news media offices and some senators. The attacks resulted in 22 infections and 5 deaths, causing widespread panic across the country. In a nation where sending bills through the mail was a tradition, everyone feared they might be the next target.
Anthrax is a bacterium, officially known as Bacillus anthracis, derived from the Greek word "anthrakos," meaning coal, named after the black scabs it causes on the skin.
There are references to it in the Book of Exodus, such as the plague of livestock and the plague of boils—likely descriptions of anthrax.
This suggests it is a very old disease. However, the bacterium itself isn't particularly dangerous because it has limited transmission routes.
Bacillus anthracis can infect through contact with mucous membranes or broken skin, or through inhalation, but in most cases, the airborne bacteria are not present in sufficient quantities to cause illness.
Therefore, under natural conditions, this bacterium poses little threat to humans because it typically doesn't infect people. And if it does, the infected person usually dies quickly, making widespread transmission unlikely.
However, the bacterium has a terrifying trait—it can transform. In its vegetative state, it's more fragile than most bacteria, but when it becomes a spore...
Anthrax spores can survive in boiling water for at least forty minutes. It takes more than four hours of intense ultraviolet light or over 100 hours of direct sunlight exposure to kill them.
As for ordinary hospital disinfectants, they are far less effective than boiling water. Completely eradicating the spores requires several days.
High lethality and tenacious survival abilities naturally make this bacterium a prime candidate for a biological weapon. Unfortunately, humanity has always excelled at self-destruction.
Jack soon met up with the rest of the BAU team. This was also his first time seeing so many people dressed in suits, military uniforms, and lab coats gathered in one place, filling the large hall to capacity.
Then he spotted a familiar face—Dr. Morgan from the CDC, someone he had known since his early days as a patrol officer.
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