Release

San Diego Regional FBI Office - San Diego, California

Jake loved a clean To-Do list, so she worked fast to get the ball rolling on Wallace Hughes's request. 

The first part was easy. Establishing a prisoner record with the California Federal Prisons was as easy as calling a Unit Director in Lompoc, California. All he needed were the demographic details of the created person, suggested crime, and a release date.  

The second part was a little trickier, and it would be considered to be unnecessary frosting on the cake, but Jake liked Wally and knew that the international units of The Agapov Organization were cautious. It was better to play it safe, even if it meant releasing a scumbag early from his sentence.

The phone call to the director of The United States Penitentiary in Lompoc, California, went like this.

Jaqueline Trinity, FBI San Diego: "Chuck, how are you and the kids doing?"

Chuck USP Lompoc: Jake? Holy Moly, Batman, where have you been?

Like in any business, connections are important. Jake's FBI softball team, "The San Diego No Warrants," kicked the snot out of USP Lompoc's team, "The Lompoc Club Feds," in the semi-finals last year, 17-10, and it looked like a rematch might be in the works for this year.

Jake said, "Chuck, you are not going to believe this, so I hope you are sitting down." "I need a favor." 

Chuck laughed and said, "Jake, it's been a busy year for me in the favor department, and I'm afraid I may have to enter AA at the end of the year.

Those cases of Lite Beer are stacking up in my garage." "What do you need?" "Access to an inmate for an investigation?" "A list of visitors to a specific inmate?"

Jake stopped him, "I need a five-case favor.

Do you have any charming individuals who would be a good candidate for an early release or at least a sentence reduction?" "Someone who would take the deal in trade for swearing that our established prisoner was friends or cell mates in your hotel?"

Chuck's eyebrows shot up at this request. "First, you need a guy with a non-violent crime who is 3 to 4 years close to the release date.  

The guy would have to be a model prisoner, maybe with a family outside, and it would help if, while in prison, he found solace in the good book. "

Here's the hard part. "He needs to be trusted."

"I'll have to run profiles on the inmates. "This won't be an easy putt?"  

Jake laughed, saying, "The paperwork will come from the Justice Department, " I warned them. Oh, and we need this pretty darn quick." Chuck started to laugh, "I haven't heard anyone say darn in many years," 

"Speaking of the Justice Department, their team this year stinks, and we play them twice!" 

"The "Not So Blind" isn't what it used to be. They have problems in the infield, and their hitting sucks since Travis got the gig in D.C." 

Jake paused just a bit because that asshole Travis got a job she applied for. She wondered if his batting average "tipped the scales" in his favor. He had a knack for hitting the opposite field.

"So Jake, I have to issue a verdict here." "Releasing people is not easy and a request for doing it with the afterburners on will make it harder." I hope I can find the right person. Give me two days, and I'll send you a list of potential candidates." "I'll need to see all the demographic details about who we will be backing up, the crime, etc. I can put in place backdated to whenever." 

"This sounds big?" 

Jake said, "I'm not sure how big this is, but I want to sleep each night knowing I did everything to keep this guy alive."

"Okay, here comes my verdict." "This is a HUGE favor." "10 cases delivered to my house; they don't have to be cold."

"Deal, and thank you, Chuck."

Jake called downstairs to the armory and asked for "a standard Glock semi to be issued, and please scratch off the serial number." 

Jasper Sen laughed and asked, "For Real?" 

Jake said, "Yes, for real." 

"Will do." As he hung up, Jasper started laughing as he thought to himself, "Do you want fries with that?"

Somewhere On The New England Coast

Allston and Eve did everything to slow the weekend down. Walking the shore with Tango was happiness for all of them and they received the best kind of weather New England has from time to time. Sitting on the wall, being silly, and tossing sloppy tennis balls was pure heaven.

The workers in that Donut Chain were shocked when Allston came in on Saturday morning and ordered his regular. "Where have you been, Allston?" "You know me and business trips." As usual, they gave Tango a handful of donut holes that did nothing for his midsection.

Allston told Eve, "Eve, what are you feeding this pooch? He's becoming a waddler."

"He likes coming to the shop, and he likes croissant ends." "It's hard to say no."

"So, how are you holding up?"

"I miss you. I understand it's work, and you can't talk about it, but I worry about all the unknowns, like where you are."

"Well, I will tell you I'm in California."

"Oh great, one more thing to worry about. Do you see Natalie?"

"I'm not close to L.A. I promise and swear to you if I ever see her, I will let you know."  "Honey, we were never an item, and I set her straight." "We are all good about that."

He held Eve close, and then Eve said, "Thomas, I have a special breakfast in mind for you." "Is it what we had last night?"  "Yes, I need more of that!"

"Let me tell you that I miss this; I miss us and our silliness." "It's hard, but it will end, I promise."

"Are you being careful?"

"Yes"

After that, Sunday arrived too soon.

A late afternoon flight from Boston Logan Airport to San Diego had Troy Manolo back in Tijuana to train the 6 co-workers on the art of no stress cool on the phone.

Fairfax, Virginia - The Sean Hospital System

Just after midnight, the workers in Sean Medical Systems United's three hospitals started reporting computing issues. The screens kept freezing, and despite the old CONTROL-ALT-DELETE standby, the computers would not boot up.

The local IT department panicked because it could not address the issue. Every department was affected, and the workers could only cook breakfast and wash dishes without the computer.

Every department was on the network for various control issues (MRI machines and other X-ray equipment). Thank God the robotic surgery department was not in mid-procedure when things crashed. The billing department was frozen, and the hospital could not verify the patients' insurance carriers. A day's worth of blood specimens could not be scanned due to barcoding and the computer-aided assay machines.

TEXT ALLSTON: It was a nice weekend Evie. I love you

TEXT EVE: I love you too, please be careful.

This mess needed to be fixed fast because the blockage affected patient care at every level.

The Agapov group sent an Email to the Sean Systems director with their Crypto demands, which totaled ten million dollars.

Sean Systems called a Security specialist who specialized in this common attack. 

Everyone knew the hospitals or their insurance companies would have to pay. It was the only way to resume normal operations as soon as possible.

The three hospitals started transferring patients to other hospitals.