The Deadliest Cast Member - Disneyland Interactive Thriller Series - EPISODE FOUR (Jack Duncan) (SEASON ONE) (7 page)

Team Six leader walked up to Jack, “Sir if this doesn’t open the door, nothing will. The only problem is this explosion will damage the entire basement, and it’ll make a sound that will be heard throughout the Park.”

“Ok, I’ve got that covered, just get it ready to blow on my command.”

“Yes, sir.”

A transmission came through Jack’s earpiece; it was the lead CM in charge of the Fantasmic show. “Mr. Duncan, I have the pyrotechnics ready to begin on your command.”

“Ok, I need the spotlight poles up for the finale, we are going to run that sequence to make it look like we are testing the end of the show. I need the water screens up as well.”

“Yes, sir. I’m waiting for your orders.”

Jack walked towards Kendall again and studied the solid metal door, running his hand across the circle under the Disney “D”.

“Ok, sir, it’s ready.” Max said.
 

“Ok, everyone out of here, I need some of the team to stay on the Island, a few at the entrance under Pirates, the Mansion, and the water pipe. If this works, we could have hostiles scrambling out of the other entrances, and we need to attack from all angles.” Jack looked at Kendall, “I need you to get the CIA team and everyone else we have ready to roll.”

Everyone moved on Jack’s orders as they cleared the underground tunnel. Max held the detonator in his hand as they moved to higher ground by Lafitte’s Tavern on the Island.
 

Jack looked out at New Orleans Square and saw people leisurely strolling throughout the Land. He couldn’t help thinking about what this area would look like in a matter of seconds if Nikolai’s bomb went off—not just the destruction of the manmade beauty around him, but the human carnage that would ensue from a blast of this magnitude. SEALs are trained to control their breathing. Three-seconds in, hold for three, release, hold for three again, and then repeat. This always calmed Jack’s nerves before firing a weapon, or before jumping out of a helicopter. Jack went through this routine subconsciously as he waited for the perfect moment to make the call. He glanced down at his custom-made iOS wrist device to check on Andy and Grace. He looked over at Kendall, who didn’t look confident. Even so, Kendall’s dedication to Jack was eternal, and he would stand by his friend no matter what, even if he didn’t agree with the decision.

A transmission came through Jack’s earpiece, “Sir, all teams are in place at all locations, we are a go, I repeat, we are a go.”

“Standby for my command and be ready when you feel the blast.” Jack ordered.
 

Jack put his hand on Max’s shoulder and nodded. No words were necessary because Max knew this meant to wait for Jack’s call.
 

“Start the finale,” Jack ordered through his earpiece to the Fantasmic lead.
 

Within seconds, the water screens blasted upwards, the immense light poles emerged from their underground storage areas, and the fireworks started. Guests in New Orleans Square stopped in their tracks confused since most had already been informed that the show was canceled.
 

Jack waited for the perfect time, looked directly at Max, and said, “DO IT.”

Max detonated the charge, and a ground shaking blast followed with a large flash of light emerging from the hole. Everything blended perfectly with Fantasmic’s pyrotechnic explosions.

CMs in the area looked at each other bewildered. They’d seen several tests before, but there was nothing in the show that could cause the earth to shake.
 

Smoke billowed out from the concrete hole in the basement at the front of the Island. Everyone strapped on their masks, got their weapons ready, and headed down the hatch with night vision goggles. Their lights focused on the door, praying that this desperate plan had succeeded.
 

Jack was the first one to approach and his heart dropped when he saw the door.

It was untouched—not even a dent.

He slammed his fists against the door and yelled at the top of his lungs. Team Six was behind Jack, and they all knew that the charge should have decimated the door. Hot flashes of rage ripped through Jack’s body.
 

Why would my dad do this? Hide these doors from me, and then make them impossible to breach? Why didn’t he tell me about this?

With each move, Jack was further away from saving his kids, guests, and the Disneyland Resort.
 

“Jack, I have Melissa White waiting for you she says it’s urgent,” Luke said.

“Melissa?” Jack said, in a low, defeated voice.
 

“Jack, is Bill Gaur with you?” Melissa asked in a soothing tone.
 

“Not right now, why?”

“I would keep an eye on him, I’ve been digging through his employment history and it seems that there’s bad blood between him and your dad.”

“How bad?”

“Well, in the 80s, Gaur was in line to become the next president of Disneyland, but it seems like your dad put a stop to that. After this happened, Gaur threatened your dad at a party while he was drunk, and since then he was never able to advance in the company.”

“Yeah, but that doesn’t make him a terrorist.”

“But it gets worse, I tracked recent money transactions between him and a few individuals on our watch list in Russia. I can’t tie him to Nikolai, but it’s suspicious based on everything that’s happened today.”

“He must be the one who leaked the information to Nikolai on how to penetrate The System. Gaur has full operational knowledge and access to the Park.”

“Exactly. I’m still looking into this, but I wanted to call you to let you know so you can keep an eye on him. How’s the hunt for the bomb going?”

“Not good.”

“Ok Jack, well, if there is anything you need, give me a call.”

“Thank you Melissa, I appreciate it.”

“Jack,” Kendall rushed towards him, “the CIA unit just apprehended someone. They have Reuab questioning him now.”

“Reuab is here?”

“Yes.”

“Ok that’s good news—he’s the CIA’s best interrogator, he’ll get something out of him for sure.”

A blocked call flashed on Jack’s iPhone screen.

“Mr. Duncan, please hold for the President of the United States.”

Jack’s eyes shifted towards Kendall as he spoke, “Mr. President.”

“Jack, every available special ops team in the area is outside the Park right now, and ready to advance. al-Haddad must be captured at all costs.”

“Yes, Mr. President, that’s why I’m trying to penetrate this tunnel, to disarm the bomb and stop Khalid.”

“But Jack, that’s not the order, the order is to find al-Haddad and take him out. He is the number two al-Qaeda operative in the world, and he is your number one priority. His presence has drastically altered this situation.”

“Sir, what about the bomb?”

“Jack, like I said, al-Haddad is our number one target.”

Jack’s heart sunk as he realized the President and his advisors had already decided the fate of everyone at the Resort. Disarming the bomb had taken second seat to eliminating al-Haddad.

“We have reason to believe that al-Haddad could possess some form of a nuclear weapon, Jack. If he’s not apprehended, it could mean the death of millions of people.”

The 50,000 people, including his kids, were a small price to pay if al-Haddad could be prevented from detonating a nuclear device in Los Angeles.
 

“Mr. President,” Jack argued, “I have the best operatives in the world here, we can still disarm this bomb AND stop Khalid. Please give me the opportunity to do this.”

“Jack,” The President paused trying to find a way to reassure Jack, “I know your kids are on the property, and I can’t tell you how hard of a decision this was for me to make, but you have to trust me. Based on the available intelligence, this is my only option. Under no circumstances can a nuclear device be detonated on our soil.”

Jack clenched his mouth and looked at Kendall as he responded to the President, “Yes, sir, I understand.”

“Thank you Jack.”

President Hayes disconnected the line as Jack kept his somber eyes on Kendall.
 

“He wants us to go after Khalid and forget about the bomb, right?” Kendall asked.
 

Jack lowered his head in defeat and looked towards the ground. Kendall put his arm on his shoulder. “I’m sorry Jack, I don’t know what to say. But this is what we signed up for, you know that.”

Jack’s jaw locked, and he looked Kendall in the eyes, “We are NOT on active duty Kendall, we are private citizens.”

“Jack, whoa, wait a minute, I know that, but you can’t disobey direct orders from the President of the United States?”

“I’m not saying I’m going to do that.”

“Then what?”

“The less you know the better Kendall, just trust me. I need to get to this meeting with Nikolai, and I need you to watch Gaur, he may be our mole.”

“Gaur?”

“Yes. Keep an eye on him, don’t let him out of your sight. Order all teams to make Khalid their number one priority.”

“Ok,” Kendall stopped and grabbed Jack’s arm, “let’s get the kids out of here, I’ll figure out a way to make it happen.”

“We can’t, Nikolai is monitoring them. If we try to move them he could detonate the bomb.”

“Maybe that’s a chance we need to take.”

Jack paused to think. Kendall had a point.
 

“What do you have in mind?”

“I don’t now, let me think and figure it out. Do I have your permission to act if I have a good enough plan?”

Jack glanced down at the live feed of Andy and Grace on his wrist device as emotions swept over him and his chest heaved up and down. He looked back up at Kendall.

“Do it.”

August 11, 2010

Dream Suite

Disneyland Park

Jack walked towards the Dream Suite to regroup before his meeting with Nikolai. His phone flashed. It was Reuab.

“Jack,” Reuab said in a low ragged voice, “I put this guy through a lot and got him to talk.”

“What did he say?”

“He’s saying someone named Ruddy is involved, that Nikolai is in the tunnels, but he has no clue of how to get in. I think he’s telling the truth—or at least what he thinks is the truth.”

Jack felt like his head was going to explode, “I’ll get back to you.”

He dialed Ruddy.
 

No answer.
 

“Luke, I need you to find Ruddy now, notify all teams to apprehend and bring him to me immediately.”

“Yes, sir.”

“I KNEW IT WAS HIM,” Jack yelled out of control as he approached the Dream Suite stairs. A few guests stopped with startled looks on their faces.
 

“You knew it was who?” Gaur said as he stood at the base of the Dream Suite stairs.
 

Jack looked up, shocked to see Gaur standing in front of him. “Nothing, don’t worry about it. Have you figured anything out yet?”

“No, but I saw that big explosion on the Island and I’m guessing it didn’t work.”

Jack glared at him, frustrated as he marched up the Dream Suite stairs.
 

Gaur followed. “Maybe it’s better to meet with Nikolai instead of trying to barrel through those doors. We have access to the greatest people who’ve ever worked at Disney, and no one has been able to figure out the clues.”

Jack stopped as he walked up the stairs, turned to Gaur, and put his finger in his face. “I don’t need this kind of advice from you. If you have answers for me regarding the clues, then talk, otherwise, keep your mouth shut.”

Gaur backpedaled and flinched at Jack’s intimidating advance.

“Why did you stick up for Ruddy earlier?”

“I don’t think he’s involved in any way, Jack. I’ve known him for a long time.”

“I need you to find him, now. Make the call.”

August 11, 2010

Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop

Disneyland Park

Jack walked into Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop and glanced down at the three dead terrorists he’d shot earlier. The lights flickered. An image appeared in the room, forming a horizontal mid-air display. Nikolai’s image appeared on the screen.