“Certainly not the reported names of the ones who ended up dead. But that’s not why we’re here now, is it?”
“Forgive my indulgence, Katarina, but you must understand that I have both a high level of respect for Brady Hawk and a powerful disdain for him. If it weren’t for Hawk’s meddling in my affairs, I’m sure the mission of Al Hasib would be far more advanced.”
“In that case, let’s talk about how I can help you move your cause forward now that Hawk has more or less been eliminated from the picture.”
“And how do you think you can help us do that?”
“The one thing almost as old as my parlor tricks: money.”
“So this is about money then?”
Petrov tapped the ashes off her cigarette. “You require funds to operate, do you not?”
Fazil nodded. “Of course. Who doesn’t? But you want us to strike the pipelines?”
“That’s the plan.”
“The same pipelines that provide us with our current level of funding. That would be—how do they say it in America?—cutting off the nose to spite the face. I’m not sure that’s something we can afford.”
“Those pipelines provide you with a small trickle of income,” Petrov said. “I think you’d prefer something more substantial, something that would amount to a gushing river of cash.”
“I’m listening.”
“If you stick with me, I think we can have a fruitful partnership, enabling you to advance the noble mission of Al Hasib.”
Fazil eyed her cautiously. “And Al Hasib’s mission is likely in direct conflict with yours.”
“Not necessarily,” she said, sucking in another long drag before blowing smoke upward out of the corner of her mouth. “From what I can tell, you and I are both visionaries, people who want to shake up the status quo. We’re tired of the world being run by a small, elite group of people who have little regard for those who aren’t like themselves.” She paused. “Does any of this ring true with you?”
He nodded. “Go on.”
“Even your own people betray you and your cause—and that includes those running the pipelines in Kuwait City. Those people need to understand they can’t run over you or me or anyone else, just like the Americans need to be taught the same message. Liberty and justice for all? In their dreams. It’s all about wealth and prosperity for U.S. citizens and no one else. And if you help me, we can end two suffocating regimes making it difficult for our own dreams to be realized at once.”
Fazil exhaled and locked eyes with Petrov. “I hope you’re not lying to me, because I don’t appreciate it when people try to woo me with their persuasive tongues.”
“I would never lie to such an honorable man as yourself, Karif,” she said.
“Very well then.”
“So, we have a deal?”
Petrov smiled and nodded. “I’ll forward you all the schematics of the compound and pipeline I want you to attack. It shouldn’t be too difficult for you given your history.”
* * *
NEITHER PETROV NOR FAZIL noticed the man reading a newspaper two tables away. He never stopped watching Petrov, who never made eye contact with him. He was invisible, just the way he liked it. It was beneficial to his climb up the bureau’s ladder. Getting made by a pair of well-known terrorists was no way to advance one’s career, much less survive.
He waited until the duo vacated their table before asking for his check. Once he paid his bill, he promptly returned to his hotel room, where he uploaded several pictures he casually snapped with his phone and sent them to his director. Within an hour, the FBI was liaising with the Pentagon regarding the formation of a new threat.
Commander Frank Stone received the message and took his new assignment seriously. He knew all about Karif Fazil and Katarina Petrov and despised both of them. Stone wished he’d been the one present for their meeting, relishing the opportunity to take them out in one fell swoop.
“Sir,” one of Stone’s aides began, “how do you think we should proceed with this, given the fact we aren’t authorized to take any action on foreign soil until this whole issue with President Michaels gets settled?”
“Are you sure we can’t find an angle that shows this is a direct threat to us here in America?”
“Not unless you want to go to prison,” the aide answered. “I already broached the subject with the DOJ with a hypothetical situation. They said no dice.”
“Very well then. I know someone who might be able to help us.”
“Who’s that?”
“It’s an old friend,” Stone said. “And I’m sure he’ll know a way we can handle it.”
CHAPTER 7
Washington, D.C.
HAWK LOOKED OUT HIS WINDOW and watched the U.S. coastline come into view. Despite all of America’s foibles, Hawk couldn’t think of a better place in the world to live. The land of opportunity still thrived with people imagining a better life, even if it was little more than a pipedream. There was something about citizens having collective hope that gave a country energy. And in his world travels, Hawk hadn’t felt anything close to what he experienced in the U.S.
“Beautiful view, isn’t it?” Alex asked, snapping Hawk out of his trance.
“Yeah, the shoreline is always a sight to behold from the air.”
“Are you okay?” she asked as she slipped into the seat adjacent Hawk.
“Yeah, I guess so. I’m a little disappointed Petrov duped us like she did and I’m responsible for killing innocent people, but other than that—”
“That wasn’t your fault, Hawk. We did everything by the book. There’s no way we could’ve known.”
“But we should have. We’re better than that. There were some clues something just wasn’t right—and we glossed right over them. I glossed right over them. I wanted to take Petrov out so bad that I let it cloud my judgment.”
“We’re not perfect. We make mistakes.”
“Mistakes are not using a big enough caliber bullet for the job, not killing innocent people.”
Alex put her hand on Hawk’s knee and
