Chapter 1012: Finding a Different Way

When Jack returned to the NICS-OSP operations center, Danny and his team had already obtained information about the person who bought the smallpox virus from Jarod Broadman.

"Dr. Rachel Horton, an epidemiologist at the Malibu Cancer Research Center, is still collecting information, but this name is not on any 'list', including your FBI's."

The "list" Karen mentioned mainly refers to the "Terrorist Watch List", because the number of people is as high as millions, and a screening database (TSDB) has been specially established for this purpose. The FBI is mainly responsible for maintaining this list.

"The FBI Los Angeles office will send someone to take Broadman away later to ensure that he receives the proper trial. I hope you can understand and cooperate with this."

After hearing Jack's slightly official words, Karen and Hannah smiled at each other, and the latter was even more blunt, "Can you ensure that he gets a shot?"

"It shouldn't be a big problem. Using a Class A selective agent to commit murder is consistent with the crime of using biological weapons to attack American citizens. The death penalty is certain."

Jack also smiled in response. The reason why he was in a hurry to let the FBI take Broadman away after the interrogation was that he didn't want him to stay in the hands of the military and cause any trouble.

The selective agents he mentioned here refer to all microorganisms and toxins that can be used for biological weapons.

Broadman was once a highly respected epidemiologist in Pittsburgh. He was disgraced for falsifying experimental data a few years ago and was soon forced to get out of the academic world.

Divorced and bankrupt, he has been living in seclusion in Hawaii for the past few years until he was found by Dracula Comescu and began to experiment and improve the smallpox viruses that were accidentally discovered.

Although he did not make much progress in just a few weeks because the time was too short, from the current situation, this epidemiologist still has some real stuff.

At least he really extended the incubation period of the virus, which is actually quite scary in terms of transmission.

Although the possibility is not great, in order to prevent this guy from being favored by some people in the military and then sent to Fort Detrick for some terrible research, Jack can't wait to control Broadman in the hands of the FBI.

Obviously Karen and Hannah thought the same thing as him, so they acted very cooperatively.

"OK, it is now basically confirmed that the smallpox virus was handed over to Dr. Rachel Horton, but we know almost nothing about her except that she works at the Malibu Cancer Research Center.

The intelligence collection work on her has just begun. We need to find out as soon as possible the purpose of this doctor obtaining these deadly viruses. Is it for money like Broadman, or is it intended to spread them?"

Karen said to Jack meaningfully, "So we need your judgment, Jack, to do your kind of uh. profile on her?"

Jack accepted the task very straightforwardly, "No problem, the FBI will conduct her investigation simultaneously, including the operations center of the New York office will also provide support. Once I get enough information, I will immediately make a psychological profile report."

He paused here, thinking of the funny scene he saw in the morning, "Do you think it is possible to start from the vaccine aspect?"

"What do you mean?" Danny and Cheng Hao, who were eating chicken rolls on the side, also became interested when they heard it.

Jack thought and organized his words, "Well, what I mean is that those who want to get the virus, or have already got the virus, must be well aware of its dangers.

So is it possible for them to take some precautions for themselves in advance? For example, like us, get vaccinated against smallpox."

Cheng Hao wondered, "But except for the military and specific medical institutions, ordinary people cannot get access to smallpox vaccines. After all, the smallpox virus has been extinct for half a century."

"Yes, so if as an ordinary person, the only way to get this vaccine is..."

Karen's eyes lit up, and she and Danny said in unison, "Steal."

"From military bases or state-level health departments." Jack completed their words for them.

——

Compared to investigating the unknown Dr. Rachel Horton, it is much faster to screen suspicious theft cases from the LAPD database.

This is also thanks to the furry-looking funny man Maddy Deeks, who has not officially joined NCIS, so Karen used the title of LAPD liaison officer when introducing him before.

With his experience as a detective, he quickly locked onto a burglary case that occurred two weeks ago in Torrance. The suspect was named Gabriel Martial, who stole some medicines from a local state health institution.

Because the suspect was not caught red-handed, but only confirmed from surveillance, and because it involved pills, the LAPD theft department transferred the case to the drug enforcement department.

Perhaps because the case value was too small, it was not taken seriously, and the file is currently under a pile of pending cases of an unknown LAPD detective.

NCIS technical support staff confirmed two boxes of smallpox vaccine in the list provided by the stolen health institution, and immediately retrieved the criminal record of Gabriel Martial.

Then they unexpectedly discovered that this guy had been in contact with a militia organization that believed in extremist ideas.

"'ELE', the full name of 'Strong Law Enforcement Force', is responsible for protecting the border and preventing illegal immigrants from entering the US border. They once drove off-road vehicles to shoot at unarmed civilians on the border.

I thought we had completely destroyed this militia two years ago?" Hannah gave everyone a brief introduction with a puzzled expression.

"Obviously you didn't kill all of them." Danny flipped through the information in his hand, "In this case, at least the logic makes sense. The best way to prevent illegal immigrants from entering the United States is to kill them all."

"At least it can force the top leaders to block the border for a long time. There is nothing more suitable than a new century's 'Black Death'." Grandma Heidi appeared in the conference room at some point.

She nodded to everyone, "Go ahead, guys, stop these bastards."

--

Torrance is a satellite town in the Greater Los Angeles area, located less than 30 kilometers south of Los Angeles. The beach with the same name is also quite famous. It is an emerging city with mixed industry and residential and part tourism.

Gabriel Martial and his four accomplices were hiding in a motorhome near Torrance Beach. It was already afternoon when everyone arrived there, and the beach was still crowded with tourists.

"There are three in the car and two sitting outside. So should we follow the standard procedure or make a quick decision?" Karen, who was sitting in the passenger seat, put down the binoculars in his hand and looked at the others.