September 26, 2008
by Steve Hammons

It's almost as if we are watching a TV drama. But somehow the script seems familiar.

FADE IN: Our camera eye sees nearly two dozen people in a conference room. They appear serious and somewhat anxious.

The room is quiet. They seem to be waiting for something.

Many in the room are U.S. senators and members of Congress. Others are average American citizens.

Eight of the people are wearing FBI ID badges. Some of the FBI people have headphones on, monitoring sophisticated phone-tracing equipment sitting on a table.

The phone rings.

An FBI agent in charge says, "OK, senator, answer it."

Other FBI agents start the tracing gear.

CLOSE-UP SHOT: The senator carefully picks up the phone.

Others in the room, and the viewing audience, can hear the conversation through the FBI's equipment.

"Yes?"

VOICEOVER: A man's voice can be heard, low and menacing.

"Do you have the money?"

The lead FBI agent nods to the senator, as if they have planned his response.

"We are having trouble putting that much money together," the senator says. He is stalling for time.

"Listen carefully, senator. We are holding something we think you want. If you want it back safe and sound, deliver the $700 billion today, or the economy's dead. Understand?"

The senator pauses. Beads of sweat appear on the senatorīs brow and upper lip.

"But if you kill the economy, you'll be in big trouble, and you'll get caught, sooner or later."

The voice on the other end laughs a confident laugh.

"Senator, you'll never catch us. We won't spend a day in jail. We have connections in high places."

"Okay, okay," the senator says. "We'll try to get the money together, but you have to give us more time."

The FBI supervisor signals the senator to keep the conversation going. The call is being successfully traced.

"You have five days," the voice says. "If we donīt have the $700 billion by then, we'll let you know where to find the economy's body."

The senator gulps.

"Please, please, don't harm the economy. We will do what you say. Just return it to us healthy and safe."

The voice grows even more threatening.

"You know what you need to do, senator. When I call you again, I expect the money to be ready for transfer to us. Understand?"

The FBI boss gives the senator a thumbs-up. The call has been traced.

"We will do as you say," the senator tells the caller.

The line clicks on the other end.

The senator puts down the phone.

FBI agents are looking at the electronic equipment and calculating the location of the caller. Those in the room wait in anticipation.

The agent monitoring the tracing gear seems stunned. He's not sure what to say.

"Sir," he says to the senior agent, "I have a fix on the caller's location."

"Well?"

The agent whispers the lead agent's ear.

"Okay, let's go!" the lead agent says to the other FBI people. "Tell the SWAT rescue team to meet us there."

They quickly put on their navy blue FBI raid jackets and sprint out the door, leaving the senators, members of Congress and average Americans sitting there.

As they look around at each other, one of the American citizens speaks up.

"Well, who are the blackmailers holding our financial system hostage and threatening to kill it?"

CUT TO COMMERICAL BREAK:

"Tonight's special movie of the week, 'Inside Job,' is brought to you by Acme Financial Investments Group. When you give your money to us, we treat it as if it were our own."

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Steve Hammons [send him email] has worked as a journalist, editor, counselor, juvenile probation peace officer, public safety urgent-response specialist, teacher, instructor and US Government researcher. He graduated from Ohio University with studies in communications/journalism, health education/psychology and pre-law. Hammons's two novels, Mission into Light and Light's Hand, tell the story of a US joint-service military and intelligence research team investigating emerging special topics.  Visit his blog at http://jointreconstudygroup.blogspot.com/

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