Fazil hurled the remote control at the wall and screamed out a slew of curses.
“I will show you, Mr. President,” Fazil said aloud, pointing at an image of Michaels replaying on the screen. “I will crush your spirit and make your world as unsafe as it’s ever been. And I won’t stop until you realize the error of your ways and either acquiesce to Islam or absorb a bullet in your brain.”
Omar Totah, one of Al Hasib’s top lieutenants, rushed into Fazil’s room along with several others.
“Did you see it?” Totah asked.
Fazil nodded.
“What are we going to do about this?”
Fazil seethed, his face quivering as he considered what he would say next. “We’re going to make him wish he’d never made that promise. We’re going to bomb that phony American president into oblivion with a barrage of cruise missiles. He will never know what hit him.”
“And how are we going to do this?”
Fazil grinned. “It’s time we talked and I fill you in on our next big mission, one that will require all our resources.”
“How are you going to purchase the kind of firepower necessary to make a dent in America’s interior?”
Fazil held up his index finger on one hand while he started to type in a combination of letters and numbers on the device in the center of the table. Seconds later, a screen descended from the ceiling and the image appeared of a man sitting in a room surrounded by computers.
“Meet Daaneesh, our new cyber expert,” Fazil said.
“How can we trust him?” Totah asked.
Fazil typed in a series of numbers on the device again, and the screen split with Daaneesh on one side and a spreadsheet on the other.
“Let me direct your attention to the right hand side where you will see our new financials.”
A collective gasp went up around the table.
“Does that say what I think it says?” another lieutenant asked.
Fazil nodded. “This was all thanks to Daaneesh’s hack into the Bank of London last week.”
“How come we never heard about this hack? That should have made the news. Are you sure this isn’t some trick?” Totah asked.
“I called to confirm with our bank, and it’s verified. And you never heard of the hack because the Bank of London wouldn’t want word of their weak cyber security to get out. It would devastate their business.”
Fazil stood up and began to pace around the room, his fingers steepled and pressed against his lips as if he were pensively considering his next words.
“In light of this, I believe it’s safe to assume that Daaneesh’s loyalties aren’t to be questioned,” Fazil said as he continued pacing. “Now, without this new influx of resources, we wouldn’t have even been able to contact The Missile Man. But this kind of money makes us a serious threat to contend with.”
“And you’ve already spoken with The Missile Man?” Totah asked.
A slight smile spread across Fazil’s face. “He’s readying our order as we speak. And after we have our hands on these missiles in less than three weeks, we’re going to pay our little friend President Michaels a visit—and show him that we will not be intimidated by his bluster. And this time, we won’t fail. We’re going to make sure he never forgets the name Al Hasib.”
CHAPTER 6
Washington, D.C.
THE PUBLIC PARKING GARAGE off 22nd and K Street wasn’t Harry Bozeman’s first selection for a meeting location, but it met all his pre-requisites. Single access point? Check. Lower than average clearance? Check. Electronic interference? Check. Security camera gaps? Check.
Despite Bozeman’s association with the president, Bozeman still feared an FBI tail. If anyone suspected he was colluding with the leader of the free world and things went sideways, it could be problematic. The third floor of the parking deck helped Bozeman control the environment and ensure that no one could monitor his activities without him noticing.
His phone buzzed with a text message asking if the site was clean. He affirmed that it was, and five minutes later, the headlights of a black Yukon carrying his appointment flashed across the windshield.
The tinted window rolled down, and Katarina Petrov appeared from the shadows.
“Get in,” she said.
Bozeman scanned the parking lot once more before he joined Petrov in her car.
“How are things on Pennsylvania Avenue?” she asked while looking down at her gloved hands clasped tightly in her lap.
Bozeman studied her for a moment. “Nervous, but stable.”
She turned and looked at him. “The only acceptable answer is under control. Do I make myself clear?”
“It’s not that simple.”
Petrov removed her gloves, revealing scarred knuckles. She rubbed her hands together for a moment before speaking. “We cannot afford to have any hiccups as it pertains to the Presidency of the United States. It is vital that Michaels remains in his position. He’s become a vital asset for us, and one we can ill-afford to lose.”
“I’m doing my best to make sure he maintains a favorable rating in the eyes of the American people and gets re-elected next term.”
“He must be sitting in that Oval Office two years from now when we finally begin to unleash the vision we realized years ago. Without him, The Chamber will suffer a severe setback—and so will you.”
Bozeman set his jaw. “I will not let you down, but I don’t appreciate your threats. I’m as invested in this as you are.”
She laughed mockingly and then shook her head. “You have no idea how much I’ve sacrificed to reach this point. And I’ll be damned if I’m going to let an ineffectual agent destroy what’s been built already, much less halt the incredible future of The Chamber.”
Bozeman didn’t flinch. “I’ll handle it. But don’t you forget that I know everything. I don’t respond well to
