Chapter 7: Down Memory Lane

Hannah: I don’t know anyone by that name. But I can tell you about Eduardo Sanchez. He is an arms dealer & drug kingpin.

Jack: We know that already, but why would he kidnap Danny?

Hannah: It’s a long story. I have something that Eduardo Sanchez wants back. He is desperate to find me.

Jack: What does Eduardo Sanchez want from you?

Hannah: I have evidence that will put Eduardo Sanchez behind bars for the rest of his life. It is in a safe place. No one can find it but me.

Jack: What evidence? Please tell us. This is bigger than just you and Danny. Millions of people are in jeopardy if you don’t tell us the truth.

Hannah: I was 18 years old and just named supermodel of the year on Sports Illustrated cover. I had a glamorous lifestyle, everything I could want. Amber, my cousin was poor and lived in Portugal. She came to the states to live with my family. Amber always had a love-hate relationship with me. She wanted my life, the luxury of money I had because of my modeling career. She asked me to do her a favor; she wanted two weeks to pretend to be me. To have people fawning over her, and men looking at her like she was a goddess. I had been working as a model since I was 16 years old. I was tired of the photo shoots and everyone wanting my attention all the time. I wanted a break from the fish bowl life that I lived. I wanted some privacy and a chance to be myself without the makeup and baggage.

Jack: What happened?

Hannah: Amber begged me to let her go on a few of my modeling contracts. Just to have a little fun she said. She wanted to know what it felt like to be a glamour girl. She kept bugging me, so I finally gave in to her. I gave her my credentials and called my photographer to tell him about the exchange. I was just helping out my cousin. Didn’t think it would blow up in my face and haunt me several weeks later. Amber, went on the photo shoot in Manila, met Eduardo Sanchez there but did not tell me about him.

Flashback-“Amber, I have to get back to work”.  She says “No way.  I like this life. I’m not going to give it up.  And since I know you don’t want to be a model anymore why don’t we switch identities for good”.  “Amber, are you crazy? We can’t just switch lives. I’m not kidding. I want you to meet me tomorrow and give me back my things”.

Sue: Wait, I’m confused. Are you Hannah or Linda? What about Danny, where does he fit in the picture?

Hannah: My real name is Linda. But I changed it after that fateful night. If you let me continue my story you will find out why. Now where was I? Oh right. I wanted Amber to meet me but she didn’t show up.  Amber called me and told me to stay away from her or she would tell the cops that someone is trying to stalk her pretending to be “Linda Cortez”.

Hannah: After I saw the wedding announcement 6 months later in the newspaper. Eduardo Sanchez and Amber Deliza are married. I was sick to my stomach. How could Amber do this to me and not tell me? Later, she called and said she wanted to make up for lost time.

“Hi Linda, how’s it going? Life is so great for me and I owe it all to you. I haven’t told you the best part yet. I’m pregnant. I told her that is great news. But why didn’t you tell me first? Why did you let me find out about it through the newspaper?” She said “Sorry, I didn’t invite you to the wedding. I couldn’t because then Eduardo Sanchez will know that I’m not you”. “What are you talking about? Of course, you are not me”.  Amber replies “Yeah, but Eduardo Sanchez thinks he is married to Linda Cortez the supermodel”. I told her; “I want you to give me back my life. It’s time for you to stop playing games.  This charade has gone on long enough”.  Amber says “Hell no. Eduardo Sanchez loves me and I’m not giving my life up. I’m not as stupid as you think I am, dear cousin”.

Hannah: I told myself I wasn’t going to listen to any more of her lies. Until that night she called, it was one week before I helped her and Alex escape from the jaws of death.

Jack and Sue not sure what to say at this point just told Hannah to continue with her story.

“Hi Linda, it’s me. Please don’t hang up. I have something important to tell you. I need your help. Alex and I are in trouble. “What now? What have you done? What else do you want from me, Amber? You already stole my life and ruined my reputation”.

Amber: I saw Eduardo Sanchez do some very bad things. I think he is a bad influence on Alex. I know Alex is still a little baby but Eduardo Sanchez is his father. I don’t want Alex to be raised in this environment with guns and everything. Eduardo Sanchez will teach Alex how to shoot a gun before he can drive to school by himself.

“You’ve got my attention. What did you see Eduardo Sanchez do”?  Amber told me, “I overheard him talking about the murder of Senator Harry Mitchell. And then I followed him to the warehouse where he watched his men kill the Senator and dump his body.  I have it all on surveillance tape. I figure I could use it for evidence and get a divorce from him”.  “Are you serious? Amber, you had better go to the cops”.  Amber replies “No, I can’t. Eduardo Sanchez has people in his pockets. The cops aren’t going to do anything to him. That’s why I had to talk to you. I know you can help me get away from my husband. Please help me”.  “I will think of something and call you back, Amber. Don’t do anything until you hear from me again”.

Jack: So how did you get Amber and Alex out of the house?

Hannah: I was just getting to that part. I called a friend of mine, his name is Daniel Hampton. He was a veteran of the W.W.II and had a couple of friends who helped me to get Amber and her son out of the U.S. and far away from Sanchez. That was the plan anyway. We left the house at 3am. This is what happened.

Flashback- Amber: We can't leave, Linda. He will find us and kill us both.

Hannah: We are leaving tonight; pack up your things, not too much, just enough to get away. We put Alex in the car seat and drove off to meet Daniel at the rendezvous point. When we get there, Amber panics, she tells me to take Alex who is 9 months old at the time and disappear. As long as Alex is safe, she doesn’t care what happens to her.

Amber: Get out of the car. I will stay here. Please keep Alex safe and never let him grow up to be like his father, that’s all I ask of you now. And take this bag, it has all the evidence and money you need to disappear and never come back. Please do this for me and my little boy.  

Hannah: I pick up Alex out of the car seat and ran into the bushes with Daniel Hampton. Sanchez’s men are still searching the woods for us. Do you see them, which way should we go?  Then, I remember hearing a sudden explosion. The car burst into flames and black smoke is all around us.  I know in my heart that Amber is dead. She killed herself to save her son and me. Alex is crying for his mommy. But there’s nothing I can do except run and keep him safe. Daniel Hampton arranges for me and Alex to get to London. We live there for a few years until Sanchez hired goons catch up with us. Before they can get to me, Daniel sends me to another safe place to live. I found out later through a friend of Daniel that Sanchez men killed him execution style when he did not reveal my location.

Jack: We are sorry for your loss. But we need your cooperation now. Danny is really Alex, the son of Eduardo Sanchez? And you are really Linda Cortez, former supermodel now living as Hannah and Danny Hampton?

Hannah: Yes, to all of the above. I used to be Linda Cortez. Alex is Eduardo Sanchez’s son if only by birth. When Amber died, Linda and Alex died that night as well. I am Hannah Hampton. That’s who I always wanted to be. Danny is my son in everyway possible except I did not give birth to him. Amber is his mother. But I also have been his mother since the night we fled and I am the only parent he has ever known. Daniel Hampton was a great man, and I miss him dearly. He was like a grandfather to me.

Jack: You mentioned something about a tape that had evidence against Sanchez?

Hannah: Yes, Amber’s last wishes were to keep the tape safe and only to share it if it was absolutely necessary to our survival.

Jack: We need to see the tape so we can arrest Eduardo Sanchez if what Amber saw was the real thing.

Hannah: Like I said, the tape and money is in a very safe place.

Jack: You don’t want to give it up, even if it means that Danny is in danger right now?

Hannah: It’s not that simple. How do I know I can trust you?

Jack: Tell us where the tape is, we can give you a whole new life, a new identity, a fresh start for you and Danny. Believe me, you can trust me.

Sue: Please listen to Jack. He is an honorable man. He only wants to help you and Danny.

Bobby: Jack, we look everywhere. Whoever took the kid is long gone. How are you doing with the little lady?

Jack: You can see for yourself when you get up here, Crash, suite 1036. Now you were about to tell me where I can find the tape.

Bobby, the rest of the team, and Patrick go to the room and introduce themselves to Hannah Hampton. After Jack fills everyone in on what he and Sue just learned. Patrick takes over the interrogation.

Patrick O’Reilly: So I hear you have evidence that can nail Eduardo Sanchez to the wall. Why don’t you give us the tape and we will put him behind bars where he belongs.

Hannah: Why should I believe you?

Patrick O’Reilly: Because this is not just about you and your son anymore. You have to think about the bigger picture, millions of lives are at stake. Maybe you should think about that for a change. You are wasting my time. Give me what I need to bury them.

Hannah: I told the other agents, that I don’t know anyone by the name Balitran. And I don’t like you. You can’t treat me this way. I want to talk to Agent Hudson.

Patrick O’Reilly: Fine. But you better not play games with me. I don’t like it and I there will be hell to pay if you are. Believe me.

Patrick talking to Jack:  She said she only wants to talk to you. Whatever you said seems to have worked. Now, go charm her some more and get what we need. I want that tape and whatever else she got on Sanchez and Balitran.

Jack: No problem. I told Tara to look into the murder of Senator Harry Mitchell. There might be a connection there.

Patrick O’Reilly: Good. We need to make more progress. I’ve got to update the President again. I want to be able to tell him good news for a change.

Jack: Right. Hannah, are you ready to hand over the tape?

Hannah: I would except it’s not here. And I need you to promise me that you will make sure Danny is safe. No harm better come to him or else the deal is off.

Jack: I promise to do my best. As soon as we get the tape and know where to look for Danny we will get him out safely. You have my word.

Hannah: Okay, The evidence you need is in a Zurich safe deposit box. But there’s a catch.

Jack: There’s always a catch. What is it this time?

Hannah: I have to go to Zurich to get the tape. It requires a special activation code, more precisely a retina scan.

Jack: Hannah says the tape we need is in a Zurich bank and she is the only one who can get it for us. Alright then. Wes, Bobby, and I will escort Hannah to the bank. The rest of you find out all you can about Senator Harry Mitchell and Danny. Hopefully it will lead to Sanchez and Balitran. Then we can take them both down.

At the Zurich Bank 

Jack is wearing a gray suit with a blue shirt and gray tie. Wes and Bobby are on the lookout for anyone suspicious. Jack talking to Hannah: We go in and you get the tape and we get out. Is that clear? I don’t want any trouble. Jack and Hannah follow the bank clerk back to the vault area. She scans her retina and enters the vault with Jack behind her. Wes and Bobby are waiting outside. They head back to the hotel.

Jack: Open the safe deposit box.

Hannah: Here it is. The tape: Eduardo Sanchez’s Dirty Secret and 50 million dollars in cold hard cash.

Jack: Good job. I’ll take the tape and money bags. Thank you. Now let’s get out of here. This is easy as pie.

Penthouse Suite 1036- Jack: We got the tape. Tara, put the movie in and let’s see what else there is to know about Eduardo Sanchez.

Tara: Movie is showing. Please be seated. Sorry there is no popcorn.

After the tape is shown, the team plans the next phase.

 

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