Returning her focus to the map of Chicago still up on Liam’s screen, she began studying it more closely. Using her index finger to follow the highway in question, she drew an invisible line to various exits near the area included in the traffic alert.
“What are you looking for?” Rocky followed the path she was taking with her finger.
“The businesses around these exits. I thought maybe…” Her voice trailed as she concentrated on what she was doing. “What about a train?”
“A what?” Cade came closer to where everyone was gathered.
“Here.” Raegan pointed to a spot on the screen showing the city’s railway system. “The CTA Red line tunnels beneath the Expressway here, at the interchange between Twenty-Eighth and Thirtieth.”
Following her line of thinking, Liam nodded as he scooted himself closer to the edge of the cushion. “I think I see where you’re going with this. You detonate a bomb in this tunnel here”—he pointed to a spot on the map—“it would cause enough damage that half the damn city would be affected.”
“At least.” Cade nodded in agreement.
“Over three-hundred thousand people take the Expressway on a daily basis,” Raegan shared. “You take into account the construction Liam was talking about here”—she pointed to a location near the train tunnel—“and we could be looking at a pretty significant number of casualties.”
“Add to that, the people in the tunnel on the train…” Rocky trailed as he followed her way of thinking.
“There are forty to eighty people per car, depending on the time of day,” Liam spouted off an additional, relevant statistic.
But as Raegan studied the screen even further, Rocky noticed her confidence in her own theory was beginning to wane.
“It’s still not enough.” She stood straight and looked away from the computer.
Cade looked at her as if he thought she’d lost her mind. “Effectively halting traffic from both a major highway and train route isn’t enough?”
“Not for Samer.” She said the words as if they were fact. “A plan like that would screw a huge part of the city, sure. But he enjoys the kill. He’d want maximum damage with maximum casualties.” When she looked to Liam’s computer again, her entire body grew stiff with what appeared to be a profound realization.
“What?” Rocky had to know. “What is it?”
Her face paled as she turned to him and asked, “What’s bigger than a bunch of cars or a train?”
The horrifying understanding struck him all at once. “The airport.”
Several low curses filled the air around them before Jagger jumped back in with, “Now, we’re talkin’. Someone wants to make a statement…a real statement…you find a way to bring down more than just a part of one city.”
“Jesus, you’re right.” Cade nodded. “O’Hare gets shut down, that won’t be a simple detour while a chunk of highway gets rebuilt. That will affect people, as well as multi-million-dollar companies, from all over the world.”
“Not to mention those who would die in the explosion.” Raegan’s voice sounded almost wooden when she spoke again. “Families. Children. So many innocent lives.”
Brody dropped his crossed arms and rested his hands on his hips. “I agree. I think O’Hare is our best bet. Only problem is, that airport spans nearly twelve square miles. Even with everycop and federal agent in the city helping out, there’s no way we’ll be able to cover that kind of distance in time to locate the bomb.”
“Not unless we just happen to stumble upon it.” Cade nodded.
Liam shot to his feet and headed for the front door. “We can’t cover that much space, but I know someone who can.”
Rocky frowned. “Where are you going?”
“The office.”
“Now?”Several asked the man simultaneously.
“Don’t worry. I’ll be back in a flash.”
He was gone before anyone could try to stop him.
They were all still staring at the closed door seconds later when Jagger broke the confused silence with, “I don’t care what y’all say, that guy’s gotta be a little off-kilter.”
Despite the situation, Rocky felt his mouth curve upward in a grin. “Maybe, but his off-kilter ass has saved yours a time or two.”