Interesting...
The "48 hour rule" is a good idea.
However, what would be the function of a something labeled "nerve gas" that didn't actually contain nerve gas? Bluff? Who's doing the bluffing? Who's the intended "bluffee?"
If it was really nerve gas in something as small as a briefcase, how big a hurry would you have to be in to leave something that critical behind?
On a similar note, live hostages have been found and rescued. How big a hurry do you have to be in to leave hostages behind, alive?
It's possible we accomplished more of a surprise than we thought.