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Join Wondery Plus in the Wondry app or on Apple Podcasts. It's the late afternoon of August 21, 1992, at FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Larry Potts is in his office rifling through printouts on his desk.

Potts is the Bureau's assistant director in charge of criminal investigations, and he's

trying to get his head around an ongoing emergency brewing in the mountains of northern

Idaho.

Only a few hours ago, a group of U.S. Marshals were running a surveillance mission on the

property of fugitive Randy Weaver.

But as the marshals headed back to their base camp, they came face-to-face with Weaver,

his son Samuel, and a family friend, Kevin Harris. A firefight ensued, leaving one

marshal dead, and at least one member of the Weaver clan was hit too. But it hasn't been

confirmed who it was or whether they're still alive.

Weaver wasn't even on Potts radar until this morning, and he's struggling to put the pieces

together. But it's been decided that the Bureau's hostage rescue team would deploy immediately.

This is an elite group with special training and some of the best snipers and law enforcement.

But before the team heads to Idaho, Potts wants to discuss the mission with a hostage rescue team leader.

So when Richard Rogers, head of HRT, arrives at the office, Potts brings him right in.

Rogers, great. I know you've been briefed on the situation in Idaho. Take a seat.

What's your read on it? Well, frankly, sir, this might be the most dangerous situation the HRT's

every face. We've got an ex-military suspect with special forces training and an axe to grind with the

...