to add to your characters' mind set... a couple of acronyms

OODA Loop.... observe, orient, decide, act... originally credited to fighter pilots is used to immediately evaluate a threat situation

PACE...Special Forces derived acronym for Primary, Alternative, Contingency, and Emergency... redundancy levels built into an operational plan

never been to NYC, but a small 125cc or so dirt bike, with street tires would be my choice

a 1/10 oz gold coin makes a good bribe in most 3 world nations