Chapter 30
Office of Strategic Initiatives
Washington D.C.
June
Wednesday morning, Devlin Hegarty sat in John Harford’s office, discussing the latest turn of events and the final plans for the Saturday events in San Antonio and Kansas City.
“Who could have envisioned that Homeland Security would lose their secretary so quickly? General Austin was one of the staunchest opponents of Domestic Tranquility, or so my inside sources tell me. We’re well-rid of the bastard,” Harford said.
Hegarty wondered silently whether Harford had other teams working on such events, or if it was truly a coincidence and Al Qaida was behind the attack.
“One more thing, Devlin. It’s come to my attention that Senator McKenzie of Kansas will be at the Marriott on Saturday morning, giving an address to the city managers who are holding a convention. That’s actually a stroke of luck.”
“Do you want the explosion timed to her address?” Hegarty asked.
“Absolutely not. That’s what I’m saying. She’ll speak at 11:00 AM, giving the keynote. I want the explosion no earlier than 2:00 PM. She sits on Culpepper’s intelligence committee and I think she can be swayed in favor of Domestic Tranquility. A close brush with death will help convince her. I need her vote.”
“They reconvene at 1:30 after lunch, so 2:00 PM it will be,” Hegarty replied. “The Overland Park mall will be hit earlier in the morning, followed by the Marriott. San Antonio will take place about 4:00 PM. Texas is in the same time zone, so about two hours after the Marriott explosion. Saturday will be a busy day for Fox News and CNN, not to mention emergency services.”
“Yes, well, if this doesn’t wake up America, I don’t know what will. Are you sure the San Antonio SI security team is prepared to intervene successfully?”
“Absolutely. The team leader of the SI defense squad is ready. I’ve worked with him before. Sean Kilpatrick. A good man. His great-grandfather trained my father in Belfast in the old days.”
Harford gave a quick chuckle. “No matter the cause, there always seems to be work for enterprising young men, eh? How are things in Ireland these days?”
“Too peaceful,” Hegarty replied.
“Well, we can thank our lucky stars for Al Qaida then, right? Catholic or Protestant, Muslim or Christian. Some religious group always wants to kill another religious group. It’s a good thing we have all these men of faith, or there might not be any wars to prosecute.”
Hegarty nodded assent. “And some financial wolf is always ready to help them through the process with no religious compunctions.”
“I’m sure you’ve noticed that your Swiss account has increased substantially. Be certain you share some of those proceeds with your key players. I don’t want any disgruntled employees complaining and drawing attention because they weren’t paid.”
“Not to worry. Everyone is taken care of. Everyone who will live to spend it, that is,” Hegarty replied.
Chapter 31
Marriott Hotel
Kansas City, Missouri
June
Senator Rachel McKenzie, Republican, Kansas, finished her address to the International City amp; County Manager’s Association gathered at the Marriott Hotel in Kansas City about ten minutes to noon. 377 municipal administrators had gathered for the annual conference and were just breaking for lunch prior to the welcoming speech by the mayor of Kansas City, scheduled for 1:30 PM.
At her invitation, Rachel’s mother had attended her speech. She met Rachel in the foyer as they made their way toward the front entrance, but were stopped by several police officers who asked her to wait just a moment.
“What’s the problem, Officer?” Rachel asked.
“Ma’am, there’s no danger at the moment, but there has been a shooting at the mall in Overland Park. Quite a large shooting, with multiple injuries. Your staff director, Mr. Halversen, asked us to assure your safe arrival at the airport, so we’ve arranged for alternate transportation with a police escort.”
Rachel and her mother took seats in the foyer for a moment while they waited. “Do you want to come back to Virginia with me, Mom? Just while they sort this out?”
“No, of course not, dear. I can take a taxi home. Don’t worry about me.”
“No way, Mom. Ted will see that you get home safely.” Ted Halversen was director of Senator McKenzie’s Kansas City office. “Are you sure you wouldn’t rather that I stay for a few days?”
“Rachel, as terrible as these events are becoming, we need to carry on with our lives. You have work to do, I have a Sunday school lesson to teach tomorrow, and I refuse to let these people disrupt my life or make me live in fear.”
Rachel smiled momentarily as her mom bristled at the intrusion into her life. The police officer stepped in to the seating area and said, “It will be just a few minutes, Senator. They’re bringing up an unmarked van to transport you. Why don’t you step into the lounge while you wait? The news is broadcasting the shooting on TV and you can watch what’s happening.”
Indeed, Fox News had a live feed from an overhead helicopter, and the parking lot near the main entrance to the mall was crowded with police vehicles, including the SWAT van. Heavily armed officers were located at every position outside the mall entrance, and some were already on the roof of the building. As Rachel watched, she thought about how many times she had entered through that same revolving door into the Overland Park Mall, how often her mother had used the entrance, and she wondered whether any of their friends were there this morning.
Sheppard Smith, a Fox News commentator, was voicing over the camera shot from the helicopter, conversing in a split-screen shot with Megyn Kelly, who was on the scene having quickly departed another assignment she was covering across the Missouri River.
“It’s our understanding, Megyn, that an alert security officer assigned to the mall, but unarmed, notified police of the first shooting before he himself was shot and presumably killed. His body is just inside the doorway and emergency rescue has been unable to reach him to ascertain his condition. At least two of the perpetrators have also been shot, along with a wounded police officer who has been taken to the hospital. We don’t know yet how many people inside the mall, if any, have also been shot, but we have to assume that injuries have taken place. This is not the usual shooting we’ve come to expect, or to learn about after the fact, with one or two shooters killing silently and then disappearing. It’s also the first attack we’ve been able to see live, where police were on the scene before the shooters departed. By first reports, there are at least four, perhaps five armed men who entered the mall and began shooting at random, starting with the security guard.”
Megyn adjusted her microphone and turned to look at the camera. “Shep, police officials on the ground have just informed me that contact with retail shop personnel inside the mall, who have taken shelter in the back of their stores, has alerted them to the fact that at least two men are barricaded inside the front entrance. They have numerous customers seated around the large flower planter you can see through the door. They’re using them as a shield against a police assault. This is a very dangerous situation and far from over. Hold on, Shep, the police spokesman is making a further comment…”
The live shot of the parking lot continued while Shep contributed a voiceover, reiterating all that had been learned about the opening events in the shooting. Shortly, Megyn returned.
“Shep, the police spokeswoman just informed us that four alleged terrorists have already made their departure, and the police, assisted by the Kansas Highway Patrol, are involved in a high-speed chase heading west
