Alex and Hawk nodded.
“Meet me on The Marlin in an hour down at the harbor,” Abid said. “We’ll leave promptly then.”
Hawk nodded. “We will be there.”
CHAPTER 24
New York City
KARIF FAZIL CLASPED HIS HANDS behind his back as he climbed the steps leading to the makeshift stage his men cobbled together earlier that morning. The abandoned warehouse Fazil purchased under a shell corporation he’d set up several years ago was on the edge of Manhattan. Its location provided the ideal hub from which to launch the most deadly attack on American soil in the country’s history. And Fazil could hardly wait to get started.
Perched on Fazil’s shoulder, Jafar squawked to break the silence. Muted chuckles spread among the 300 men standing on the ground. With identical white dress shirts and dark suits, trimmed with dark ties and fedoras, the men all sported Guy Fawkes masks and held black suitcases.
“I want to begin by letting you know what an honor it is to know that there are this many men living in this godforsaken country who believe this much in our jihad,” Fazil said. “Your sacrifice is not viewed lightly, for none of us know what will become in the days ahead. But this exercise is vital for us to carry out this attack and for it to be successful.
“As we have fought hard against the infidels and their blatant disregard for our faith, the number of fedayeens who have served admirably for Al Hasib has been too many. If we’re going to fight the Americans and emerge victorious, we need all of our best men working together. That’s not to diminish the sacrifices already made by our martyrs, but it’s important we make every effort to stay alive. Our numbers are small, and every loss hurts more than it does our enemies. We must change that through remaining one step ahead of them and showing them that our resolve is steadfast and our faith in Allah—and one another—will not be shaken.”
The men broke out into a chant of “Al Hasib, Al Hasib,” their words echoing off the walls. Fazil raised his hands to quell the shouts.
“For our plan to work, each one of you must stick to your route along the streets of New York,” Fazil said as he continued. “You cannot deviate in any way or else you could jeopardize the success of the entire mission. You might think you’re insignificant because there are so many men here, but you were invited to participate because we think you believe deeply in the vision of Al Hasib. Failure is not an option—and I promise you we will experience the glory of victory if you follow the simple instructions provided to each of you in your briefcase.
“In the morning, we will hold a trial run, and everyone must participate. However, leave your attire and briefcases at home. We must not tip our hand. The Americans are anticipating some sort of attack, and we cannot give them any reason to suspect one is going to happen so soon. The element of surprise is on our side at the moment, and they will not have any idea how we were able to pull this off in the aftermath. However, we know the arrogance of the Americans is what will ultimately cost them. They’ve never seen the likes of what we will deliver on their doorstep later this week.”
Another round of “Al Hasib, Al Hasib” chants broke out before Fazil lifted his right hand, gesturing for the men to be quiet.
“Let’s give the city of New York a Veteran’s Day parade they’ll never forget.”
The chanting resumed without any objection from Fazil. He smiled as he looked out across the sea of masks. Jafar squawked again, rustling his feathers and bouncing lightly on Fazil’s shoulders
“Don’t you worry,” Fazil said, rubbing Jafar’s head. “You’ll get to see it all.”
CHAPTER 25
Kumzar, Oman
HAWK CRAMMED HIS GEAR into his pack and secured it as he prepared to leave for the docks. The hotel where he and Alex were staying qualified as modest accommodations, especially for a supposed honeymoon trip. But the location of the Shati Albahr Inn made up for anything it lacked in amenities. Despite the setting, Hawk didn’t want to spend another night there.
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Alex asked.
“Do we have a choice at this point?” Hawk replied.
“It’s just that this Abid guy admitted he was an opportunist. We know that’s not his real name. His accent is so faked.”
“Can’t fault a man for trying to make some fast cash.”
“I’m just hoping we’re the highest bidder.”
Hawk pulled her close and kissed her on top of her head.
“That it?” she said, pushing him away playfully. “A peck on the head.”
“I’ll be back later,” he said with a wink. “Maybe we can discuss advancing our relationship.”
“A kiss on the lips is first base,” she said. “You’re still in the on deck circle with that.”
Hawk threw his pack down and grabbed her, swooping her to the side and leaning over for a long kiss.
“Is that more to your liking?” he asked as he raised her up.
She smiled and brushed her hair out of her face. “Not a bad start. Now just make sure you get home in one piece.”
“You’ll be in my ear the whole time,” he said.
She forced a smile. “Until you go underwater for the most dangerous part of your assignment.”
“Just get packed up so we can get out of here as soon as I’m back. And this time, we’re going to fly out of here—I’ve already made arrangements with a local pilot.”
“You didn’t want to hold my hair back again while I puked over the side of a boat, did you?”
Hawk shook his head. “It’s not your best look.”
She smiled. “You sure you don’t want me to go with you?”
Hawk shook his head emphatically. “Absolutely not. Too much could go
