The negotiation specialist at the bank's entrance, still wearing a bullet-proof vest, was tirelessly trying to converse with the robbers inside. Ruiz approached the ESU team, inquired about the situation, then borrowed the structural blueprints to look them over. Jimmy also leaned in; the FBI Academy had taught them about such blueprints, which they only needed to recognize exits, doors, stairs, elevators, and the locations of safety escape devices, without delving into much detail.

This bank occupied about half the space on the ground floor of an apartment building, just a small branch. The building's first floor had been reinforced, and a storage vault and a small safe were added at the back. The storage vault was relatively larger, mainly containing safety deposit boxes for external clients, where they could store important items.

The lobby and office area sectioned off in front didn't resemble the expansive, cavernous halls you see in movies; the space here was relatively limited.

Jimmy couldn't quite understand why such a small bank had a storage vault. Generally, items that needed to be deposited in a bank are very important, so why not go to the headquarters or set up safety deposit boxes in a larger bank? Was this small bank really safe?

Currently, he couldn't tell whether the two robbers were still in the safe or the storage vault. Many people rob banks for the valuable items in their storage vaults. Some have a specific safety deposit box they want to open, while others plan to clean out all the items in various boxes, including jewels, gold bars, and other valuables. Banks' safety deposit boxes also store important documents like bonds, stock certificates, property files, contracts, and more.

Jimmy didn't share his speculations with Ruiz. As a seasoned detective, Ruiz must have seen plenty of cases and had his own thoughts, especially since Jimmy noticed Ruiz's fingers lingering on the storage vault's location on the blueprints.

Ruiz returned the blueprints to the ESU and took Jimmy back to the FBI's position.

Ruiz, "Jimmy, NYPD is in charge of the scene now. Let's just wait here."

Jimmy, "OK, by the way, has the OPR finished investigating me?"

Ruiz, "Haven't heard anything. Hughes didn't mention it when I called him just now. He only agreed to let you come along."

Jimmy, "So does this count as starting my shift or overtime?"

Ruiz gave Jimmy a look, "Let's continue your vacation after this is over, don't be in a hurry. I'll apply for your overtime."

Jimmy shrugged. He wasn't really concerned about the overtime pay; it's just that this was his first bank robbery case. Watching the NYPD handle the scene was even less exciting than a movie. Movies had various shots intercut, including footage of the robbers, while they were just standing outside.

However, there was no immediate worry about the robbers getting away. The bank branch had undergone floor reinforcement during construction, and the sewers had been fortified. Unlike in the movies, where robbers escape through a manhole, that was not even worth considering here.

After a tedious half-hour wait, Jimmy glanced around. Not far away was a shop displaying a few fishing rods, likely a fishing gear store. He thought about it, told Ruiz, and walked straight over. It was indeed a fishing gear store, and instead of rods, Jimmy bought two folding fishing chairs.

When Ruiz saw the chairs Jimmy brought back, his expression seemed a bit off. Jimmy handed one to him, and they sat down behind the human wall to rest. It would have been nice to have grabbed two cups of coffee on the way; sitting and drinking coffee while waiting for the ESU to prepare for the assault on the bank. Now, going to get coffee would seem a bit too much.

As Ruiz and Jimmy sat waiting, there was sudden movement from the NYPD side. They quickly got up and moved in to see what was happening. The negotiation specialist had retreated and was now communicating with the ESU. There was also an NYPD officer in the ESU team listening in, holding a cell phone, likely coordinating with superiors.

Minutes later, the ESU teams were getting ready to move. The previously set-aside bulletproof shields were now picked up, and the other team members were also queuing up in groups. Suddenly, everyone heard a muffled explosion sound. They turned towards the bank; nothing was visible from the front entrance, but that sound was suspicious. It wasn't like gunfire or a car tire bursting, and either way, it wasn't good.

The two ESU squads didn't wait any longer and started moving toward the bank entrance under the protection of their shields. The door, which had been barricaded by the robbers, was breached with a couple of hits from a battering ram. Then the front line shield-bearers advanced, with armed team members following behind.

Jimmy and the others outside could not see what was happening within the ESU's ranks, but surprisingly, there was no gunfire.

A few minutes after the ESU squad entered, NYPD officers suddenly ran towards the entrance, apparently notified of something. Unfortunately, since Ruiz and the others didn't bring radios, they could only follow the crowd into the bank.

With the police moving in, the hostages in the lobby had their restraints removed. They were bound with wide plastic ties, which are hard to break free from, but easy to cut with something sharp.

NYPD officers comforted the hostages while others moved through the office area to the back. Jimmy and the others also went in, and to their astonishment, they found the reinforced steel bars at the sewer access cut and blasted open. The robbers had entered through this breach into the maintenance tunnel network below and escaped.

The four robbers, split into two teams, had taken the bank manager inside; after blindfolding and binding him, they left him outside the storage vault. They violently broke into the vault, installed explosives, and probably took advantage of the negotiator's retreat to sneak in, meet the unseen pair, detonate the charges, and then escape.

NYPD started to mobilize forces and notify city management for pipeline information, while FBI personnel from the Queens office also joined in mobilizing the manpower.

Jimmy looked at the underground network. Perhaps his ability, Heart Eye, was limited when observing below ground; he could see far less distance in these tunnels compared to regular buildings. After assessing the tunnel directions, he headed out the door and started pursuing on foot along the presumed pipe path.

Since there was no way to know which direction the robbers went, Jimmy could only pick a direction, run a stretch to see if there was any sign, and if not, head back and try the other way.

This wasn't the time to explain to Ruiz. Besides Jimmy, no one else could see the conditions of the tunnel network. It was time to take action first and hope for some luck.

As a transmigrator, Jimmy was notoriously unlucky. With a 50% chance, he chased over a hundred meters to no avail. It seemed he had chosen the wrong direction, so without delay, he turned and ran the other way.

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