“You can’t let that happen,” Ray said. “Meet the new boss, same as the old one. The political parties are one and the same in my book.”
“Would you help me smoke out Al Hasib and take them down if I placed a tracking device in the weapons shipment?”
“I guess so. Not sure how we’d have the firepower to do that.”
“I have some friends who can help. But I just need to know you’re on board with this plan. I can’t do this alone.”
“Okay,” Ray said. “I’ll help. However, you have to answer one question for me. How do you think this is going to help you?”
“If I capture Fazil without the help of U.S. military forces, I’ll return to the U.S. a hero. Michaels won’t be able to touch me then.”
“But Michaels still gets another four years. Doesn’t seem like you’ve thought this through.”
“There’s another way to deal with Michaels. My goal is two-fold and begins and ends with him not getting what he wants.”
“You’re ambitious—I’ll give you that.”
“Just be ready. Now, I need to use your computer to send my people a message.”
Hawk logged on and wrote a message to Alex, leaving it in the draft folder of their joint account. He informed her that he’d discovered the real intent behind the weapon exchange and his new plan. He also encouraged her to watch over satellite in case something went wrong, giving her the coordinates and time for the rendezvous. He finished by explaining that he was going dark and he’d reconnect after everything went down.
When he finished, Hawk announced he was going back to his apartment for the night and would see Ray at the compound in the morning.
“We’ve got a long day ahead of us tomorrow,” Hawk said. “Get some good sleep.”
“I was trying until someone stormed into my apartment in the middle of the night,” Ray said.
Hawk patted Ray on the shoulder. “I was wrong to think ill of you. You’re a good friend.”
“I won’t be so kind if you make me miss out on sleep again.”
Hawk smiled and said goodnight. As he exited Ray’s place, he had a sense of hope for the first time in months. He was going to take down two enemies almost at once.
* * *
RAY WAITED TEN MINUTES after Hawk left to be sure that his friend wasn’t lurking outside. If he heard any of the conversation that was about to happen, Ray knew he’d likely be killed.
He dialed Ackerman’s number.
“Couldn’t this have waited until the morning, Ray?” Ackerman said with a growl when he answered.
“Your friend, Mr. Pearl, just stopped by to see me.”
“He still has no clue, does he?”
“Nope. And he took the bait. He broke in and read the file you left on your desk about tomorrow’s operation.”
“And?” Ackerman asked.
“And he wants to plant a tracking device on the weapons shipment. He wants to be a hero and thinks that will be a way for him to march back to Washington and get his life back.”
“Just play it cool with him. I don’t want him getting suspicious, even for a minute. The more control he thinks he’s in, the better. This whole operation began because Michaels wanted those weapons in the hands of Al Hasib. The more terror in the region, the better. But he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to set up Hawk either. It’s petty but I understand given the past history between them. Michaels can eliminate a foe and get a boost in ratings at the same time for capturing a traitor abroad. And then he’ll swoop in and snag Karif Fazil just a few days before the election to seal the deal.”
“We know where Fazil is hiding out?”
“From what I understand, we’ve been watching his location for months. All Michaels has to do is say the word.”
“Just be forewarned that Hawk is a force to be reckoned with when he wants to be. And if he wants to turn this thing on its head, he just might pull it off.”
“You’re the one who will need to heed your own warning. You keep him under control. After all, you’re the one who’s going to deliver him personally to Michaels.”
“Lucky me.”
“Lucky you, indeed,” Ackerman said. “I’m going to give you the rest of the money I’d promised Hawk—excuse me, Mr. Pearl—for completing the exchange.”
“Can’t complain about that.”
CHAPTER 18
Brighton, England
ALEX WOKE UP EARLY to make sure she was the first one in the Brighton library when it opened. She tried to act calm when the woman jangling a large set of keys sauntered toward the door and unlocked it. But Alex couldn’t help herself, nearly bowling over the woman to get to the bank of computers.
Alex settled into a seat and banged out her login credentials to gain access. Moments later, she read Hawk’s note. With each sentence, her despair increased. She felt sorry for him at first, a noble man who’d been betrayed by one of his friends. Hawk’s confidence—the kind of chutzpah that believed he could capture Karif Fazil—never ceased to amaze her. But from what she knew based on what Hawk understood, Alex realized he was walking right into a trap.
That sonofabitch Michaels is killing two birds with one stone.
Alex threw her head back and exhaled. With a deep breath, she tried to think of a way that would help her get a message to Hawk. He had no cell phone and, even if he did have one, he likely wouldn’t have any cell coverage. She invited a moment of levity to the situation and considered hiring a skywriter to deliver a message in the most non-discreet sort of ways.
He’d get a kick out of that.
But the reality was Alex had no way of alerting Hawk to the fact that he was driving straight into a trap. In Hawk’s moment of weakness, he acted
