The bookstore had become a contamination zone for anthrax spores, making evidence collection impossible. After confirming the severe contamination inside, Jack and Emily had no choice but to return to the command center.
Dr. Kimura brought more bad news: the death toll had risen to 21, with only four survivors remaining, all of whom were young and healthy, aged between 18 and 25.
Garcia had been investigating the bookstore owner's social connections, but nothing substantial had been discovered so far. The people identified were either ordinary individuals or liberal arts students without the capability to produce such pathogens.
Garcia continued to dig deeper, hoping to uncover some hidden clues.
The problem was that time was running out for the FBI, or rather the BAU team. The director had received an ultimatum from the blonde-haired president.
If there were no results by tonight, the latest by tomorrow morning, after the president had finished enjoying his beloved burger and cola, he would hold a press conference to inform the public about the attack.
The panic that would ensue was predictable.
Jack didn't know how to evaluate this president, but as a former businessman, it was clear that this blonde knew how to attract attention to himself.
According to the list provided by General Whitworth, JJ gathered all the heads of the laboratories at Fort Detrick. The already bustling hall became even more crowded, packed to the brim.
This was the BAU team's last resort: presenting their profile findings to these people in the hopes of gaining some leads.
Everyone in the hall paused their work. Non-essential personnel temporarily left to create as much space as possible. The bigwigs, including General Whitworth, stood in small groups, eager to hear what these BAU psychological experts had to say.
The team members stood in a line in front of the bigwigs, each taking turns to present their recently concluded profile results.
Hodgner was the first to speak. "Given that neither of the two attack locations has obvious symbolic significance, we tend to believe that the current attacks are personal in nature."
"Understanding the potential significance of these locations will help us identify the perpetrator."
"The strong personal factors evident in the attacks suggest that this is the work of a domestic terrorist."
"Like the anthrax attacks in 2001, we believe the suspect is an expert in the relevant field or a staff member working in a laboratory under the Department of Defense."
"That's why we've gathered you all here—because we believe you may know him, or he might even be one of you."
"These domestic terrorists are typically short-sighted, paranoid extremists who believe their work is of utmost importance."
"He has likely been publicly warning that this country would face a terrorist attack, and he may have shown signs of paranoia or excessive fantasizing."
At this point, a well-dressed middle-aged man with perfectly styled hair and gold-rimmed glasses standing beside General Whitworth interrupted.
"Excuse my interruption, but this description is too vague."
General Whitworth chimed in, "Indeed. As far as I know, most of my researchers are paranoid, not to mention that a rich imagination is a basic trait for scientific research."
The general's remark was met with low chuckles, and it seemed that the group believed the BAU psychologists were overhyped by certain rumors.
Hodgner remained calm, his tone steady. "Sorry, General, we're not finished yet."
"He may have been working overtime for the past few weeks to prepare for the attack."
"We believe he has already injected himself with a sufficient dose of the anthrax vaccine and, after waiting for it to take effect, has been preparing for this attack for one to two years."
"This individual likely has a private workspace where he secretly completes his work. He also has access to large, expensive industrial equipment."
"He may have publicly published papers on the threat of anthrax attacks but failed to garner enough attention, which infuriated him."
"His career may have suffered setbacks as a result—perhaps he was reassigned, demoted, or even fired, which could have been the catalyst that pushed him to go all out to prove his point."
"His personal life might also be in turmoil, possibly going through a divorce or separation, which could drive him to desperation and make him take this extreme action."
As the description became more detailed, Jack noticed that some people's expressions in the room started to change.
It seemed promising. Jack exchanged a glance with Rossi, sensing that they might finally get a break.
Hodgner then moved on to his final summary. "This person is extremely familiar with the details of the 2001 anthrax attacks. His previous clearance would have given him access to all the details of that case."
"Please share this information with your colleagues. Thank you."
Just as the crowd was about to disperse, the bespectacled middle-aged man, now with a serious expression, approached Hodgner and Rossi.
"I think there's something you should see."
—
In the meeting room, JJ opened a newly declassified video on the computer and projected it onto the screen.
The middle-aged man provided an introduction. "This is from a secret hearing held in January 2012 by the National Defense Security Subcommittee."
Standing nearby, General Whitworth added, "This is Dr. Lawrence Nichols, who used to work in a secret laboratory at Fort Detrick. He left shortly after this hearing."
"He didn't leave voluntarily—he was fired," the middle-aged man corrected bluntly, earning a glare from the general. After that, he signaled JJ to start playing the video.
The screen showed a gaunt, wrinkled old man with messy, graying blond hair.
He was visibly agitated, speaking passionately into the camera.
"As I said, only five people died in that attack ten years ago. We were incredibly lucky. Even luckier, the perpetrator used ordinary envelopes instead of a sprayer!"
"This country's enemies are fully capable of wiping out an entire city in one go, and unfortunately, we're still woefully unprepared for that."
At this point, the hearing's chairperson interrupted him, "No, Doctor, quite the opposite. We've made significant preparations since 2001."
"Have we? Every household needs enough gas masks. Every person needs enough antibiotics to last two months. Every major city's hospitals need to be equipped with biosecurity purification facilities."
"So, how much do you think we should budget for that?" the chairperson asked.
"Anything less than $50 billion would be a grave oversight." In the video, Dr. Lawrence Nichols pulled out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his forehead caused by his agitation.
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