the process. After saving Dick Thornberg and Christopher von Laden (the museum's curator), McClane rescues Lucy. McClane takes a stroll on Hollywood Boulevard when the chief notifies him of two murders at a diner not far from the former's location. McClane (disguised as a criminal) neutralizes Sergio, the perpetrator of the murders, and takes the latter's membership card, gaining access to the club where Sergio's crew is having a meeting. Quickly dispatching Sergio's men, McClane learns that the stolen artwork is hidden in a Chinese movie theater, and makes his way there. Saving the hostages, McClane dwells into the subways to retrieve the missing artwork. He overhears a conversation between von Lanen (who is secretly in league with Piet) and Jack Frontier, a former U.S. Army soldier and CIA operative turned actor turned criminal for hire. von Laden expresses his concerns about the plan, but Frontier pushes it off and orders him to go into hiding. Retrieving fragments of the artwork, McClane manages to find a distraught von Laden, telling him that Frontier wants the curator dead. The two escape into the city's aqueduct, where Lucy meets up with them and takes von Laden into custody. McClane returns to the LAPD headquarters, where Piet's men have taken over the entire compound. McClane rescues Thornburg, who happens to try to get an exclusive interview with von Laden. Thornburg informs McClane there are two booby trapped bombs planted in the main entrance doors, and should anyone from the outside attempts a rescue, the headquarters will explode. McClane finds Lucy and an injured von Laden, where the latter tells McClane that Piet and Frontier has plans for him and all of Los Angeles. McClane recruits inmates Herbert Dowd and Nitric to hack into the police's communications system and disarm the explosives at the main entrance. Once the explosives are disarmed, Nitric betrays McClane and escapes. McClane, while in the hot pursuit for Nitric, obtains a suitcase that contains evidence of the art robbery. He confronts Piet, who is holding Captain Al Powell, von Laden, and Thornburg hostage. Lucy appears to aid her father, but is taken hostage by Piet's newest henchman Nitric. Piet kills von Laden, and makes his getaway with Frontier and Nitric in the helicopter. McClane and the LAPD track the helicopter down to a movie studio in Hollywood. After providing cover for the SWAT team using a sniper, he regroups