Agent Lars: "So, did you receive any ransom calls?"

Jimmy: "No, if it weren't for the fact that we found it odd Julia didn't say anything and just didn't show up for work, went to check her house, it might have taken a long time before we realized she's missing."

Agent Lars nodded, a kidnapping case doesn't always involve early contact; perhaps they're waiting for other conditions to be met before reaching out. "Did her family get contacted?"

Jimmy was startled, indeed he forgot about it, having been focused on her being kidnapped. "Not yet, I'll contact them now."

Jimmy took out his phone, left the command center, and returned to his office. He had the emergency contact details in the staff files; as the team leader, he indeed had access to this information.

However, it was still disappointing; Julia's family hadn't received any calls from her, nor did anyone else. Now, Jimmy saying Julia is missing just made her family extremely anxious, rushing over to the office.

Jimmy didn't stop them; maybe when they come, there'll be new discoveries. Kidnapping isn't always about money; it might be an act of revenge. In any case, Julia's family needs to know about these things.

Soon, another piece of news arrived: Kelly is also missing, not having returned home last night. However, her family thought she just stayed over at a friend's place; spending a night out is not uncommon, so they never thought she was missing.

The command center also tried locating Kelly's phone, but it was turned off, so based on historical data from cell towers, they managed to roughly trace her to a vicinity around the bar, which was different from Julia's phone location.

This really was troublesome now; both families were gathered at the FBI's side. Jimmy arranged for them to wait in the meeting room; the command center was no place for unrelated personnel.

Reports from those who went to the bar suggested that it would officially open around dusk; it wasn't open now. They managed to get the phone number from the bar's records, eventually reaching the bar manager, who would come to open in advance after lunch. The agents had no choice but to wait.

Mark had also returned smoothly, Julia's apartment door had been sealed. Being one of their own, they handled things reliably; since she hadn't disappeared from home, there wasn't much to check there. They verified Julia's gun number and sealed it up to take it back to the office, preventing any accidents occurring in the room, which would be even more troublesome later.

The kidnapping case was taken over by Agent Lars. What Ruiz said to her privately was unknown, but she indeed did not require Jimmy to be withdrawn from the investigation, merely arranged for her own team to investigate the bar. Her team was very familiar with kidnapping cases and understood the importance of on-site investigation. Now it was just waiting for news.

At noon, everyone stayed in the command center as they got takeout delivered, just getting by with a meal. Finally, in the afternoon, news came through: the bartender at the bar provided some information. Yesterday, Julia and Kelly indeed drank at the bar with a man. From the surveillance at the bar entrance and verification with the bartender, they obtained video screenshots of the man. Though not very clear, at least his appearance could be barely identified.

Videos of Julia and Kelly entering the bar were found, but the man wasn't with them; he entered the bar much earlier. It's likely that they only met in the bar, but the bartender didn't memorize everything, after all, before the incident they were just regular customers. The reason the bartender later remembered was because Julia and Kelly happened to be attractive, leaving somewhat an impression.

Julia and Kelly left the bar together, splitting at the entrance; Kelly left on foot with the man, Julia left alone. After that, there was no more surveillance.

Agents had already started investigating other stores or residential buildings around the bar to see if there were any surveillance cameras available; this was the most troublesome and time-consuming part.

Technicians immediately began enhancing and identifying the video screenshot of the man, quickly confirming his identity.

"Michael G. Williams, a New Yorker, resides in Brooklyn, four-time convict, including two thefts, one aggravated assault, and resisting arrest. No employment record, no family."

Jimmy looked at the photo and data displayed on the screen; from the ID photo, it was apparent he was a handsome man, but his mugshot had a shaved head; however, this was already a few years back. In the surveillance, he appeared with short hair.

The screen also displayed address information, but the address wasn't in Williamsburg; it was in Sheephead Bay, central-southern Brooklyn, quite a distance off. Why would he travel so far to a bar here?

Jimmy looked at the screen and said, "I'll personally go and find him to confirm."

Ruiz: "Wait, Lars, have your team go with him."

Jimmy looked at Ruiz: "There's no need, I'm just going to ask, one person is enough."

Ruiz shook his head: "You're all going, this is a direct order."

Jimmy nodded and left the command center with Lars.

Lars asked, "How suspicious do you think he is?"

Jimmy: "I don't know, but I think we might gain something, at least the situation with Kelly is definitely related to him. Now it's just a matter of checking if he's at home, if he hasn't gone missing. If he hasn't gone missing but Kelly isn't with him, then it's basically certain he's connected to the people who kidnapped them."

Arriving at the parking lot, Jimmy started the car, and immediately turned on the hidden police lights and sirens, hitting the road. Agent Lars followed with another person in the car behind him; seeing him like this, Lars had to activate her lights and sirens and follow through, otherwise she'd be blocked by other traffic.

Arriving at Sheephead Bay, comparing the map and house numbers, Jimmy found Michael's apartment. Most places in Sheephead Bay are row houses, surprisingly, Michael lived in such a place, which doesn't seem fitting for a habitual offender, especially considering his two imprisonments for theft.

Standing at the door, Jimmy looked around, pulled out his Glock, and climbed the steps. Lars stood beside him, also just outside the door range, "FBI, Michael, open up!"

Jimmy knocked on the door and shouted; he had seen a man inside, and when he knocked and shouted, the man stood up in surprise, then slowly moved towards the back of the house.

The front window of the house was covered with curtains, and there was no peephole on the door.

Feigning to lean his ear against the door, Jimmy said, "There's movement inside. You check the back."

Lars waved to the person she brought, and that agent holstered the gun and ran around the side.

Jimmy continued shouting, keeping his eyes on the person inside the house. Due to the need for stealthy movement, his speed was slow and cautious.

Noticing the agent in position at the back door, Jimmy knocked harder this time, "Michael, I know you're inside. We need to talk. We're the FBI, you have no escape."

"FBI, don't move." The sound of "bang bang" gunshots rang out; the backdoor agent's shout was audible from the front door, but clearly Michael didn't stop, shooting directly at the agent towards the backdoor.

Upon hearing the gunshots, Jimmy didn't wait, kicked a hole in the door, reached inside to unlock it, rushed in, fired two shots at the corner Michael was hiding, deliberately not aiming at him, needing him alive. "Michael, drop the gun, freeze!"

Cornered from both sides, Michael finally gave up; he hid behind the wall and shouted: "Don't shoot, I surrender."

Soon a handgun was tossed out, and Michael raised his hands slowly, standing up. Agent Lars stepped out from behind Jimmy, went up, and cuffed him.

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