Hawk turned and ran back down the hill.
It wasn’t Allah, old man. It was Alex.
Hawk didn’t stop running until he reached the airfield. He ran up to the sole hangar and saw a man rubbing his hands with a greasy rag.
“Are you Mr. Hawk?” the man asked.
Hawk nodded.
“Good,” the man said. “We’ve been expecting you.”
“We?” Hawk asked.
Alex emerged from a door behind the man and greeted Hawk with a big grin.
“I thought you were dead,” he said. “When I saw that big explosion while still out at sea, I figured they’d caught you for sure. But . . .”
“But then you found out someone pulled the fire alarm first?”
“That’s when I knew it was you,” Hawk said. “Those thugs would’ve just let everyone else die as well. Only you would’ve been so thoughtful before blowing up the place.”
She laughed. “A woman’s gotta do what a woman’s gotta do. I knew you were in trouble and Al Hasib’s men were on to us. Had to leave no doubt that I was dead. I faked my own death and slipped down here wearing a burqa. Spying as a woman in Muslim countries has its advantages.”
“And how’d you make a bomb like that on the fly?”
“Gas stove, toaster fire—it wasn’t rocket science. You need to tell me what happened to you. I was listening in up until the point that two men boarded The Marlin before tossing your earpiece overboard.”
“I’ll fill you in on our way,” Hawk said. “Now, let’s get out of here. We’ve neutralized the threat, and I’m ready to get home for some much-needed time off.”
Alex dug into her backpack and pulled out a phone. “Do you want me to do the honors or are you saving that for yourself?”
“What are you talking about?”
“We need to tell Blunt it’s over.”
Hawk shook his head. “Let’s just wait and tell him later. I’m exhausted right now, and the last thing I want to do is explain to him all the loose ends we’ve left here.”
“I think we’ve left everything nice and tidy,” she said.
“Aside from that big hole in the Shati Albahr Inn.”
“We’re both intact, and nobody knows it was us.”
“Nor will they,” Hawk said as he tossed their backpacks to the pilot so he could weigh them.
“Let’s hope it stays that way.”
Hawk turned to the pilot. “Are we good on weight?”
The pilot flashed a thumbs-up sign and motioned for them to get in the plane.
Hawk held the seat back for Alex before climbing in after her.
“Cozy,” she said.
“And no place to stick your head out in case you get sick,” Hawk said. “Are you sure you can handle this better?”
“Without a doubt.”
CHAPTER 27
Washington, D.C.
BLUNT WIPED THE SLEEP out of his eyes as he awoke to the television still on in the living room. After falling asleep in the recliner, he never woke in the middle of the night to get in his bed. And neither did the FBI agent tasked with watching him. Blunt admired the man’s dedication yet seized the moment and took full advantage of his slumber. The agent clutched the remote even as he slept but left his phone lying on the end table. With the other agent already in bed, Blunt snatched the cell that had taunted Blunt before he fell asleep.
The floor creaked as Blunt eased down the hallway toward the bathroom. The guard stirred for a few seconds but remained asleep. Turning the water on, Blunt sat on the toilet and called Hawk on his burner cell.
“I don’t have long to talk,” Blunt said as Hawk answered the phone.
“Where are you?” Hawk asked. “It sounds like you’re on the river.”
“It’s a long story, but the short version is that I’m in FBI custody. How are things going with you?”
“Great,” Hawk said. “Alex and I just completed the mission. We rendered the weapons system inoperable but had to leave it there due to unforeseen circumstances. I’ll send you the coordinates for it later so you can send someone else to collect it. We’re in Muscat now, but we’re going to get some rest and relaxation somewhere in the Caribbean—at least that’s the plan.”
“You might want to put a hold on those plans. We’ve got bigger problems now.”
“Bigger problems than Al Hasib wreaking havoc in the Strait of Hormuz?”
“Karif Fazil is here in the U.S., and he’s plotting something in New York in the coming days.”
“Wait. Back up. How did Fazil even get in the country?”
“I can’t explain everything right now. But you two better get back here ASAP. Whatever Fazil is up to, I can promise you it won’t be good. He’s failed a couple of times before but only because of you.”
Hawk sighed. “It’s never easy, is it?”
Heavy footsteps storming down the hall startled Blunt. “Look, I gotta go, but I’ll track you down once you get back.”
Blunt flushed the toilet as the agent pounded on the door.
“I’ll be out in just a minute,” Blunt said.
“Where’s my phone?” the agent roared.
Blunt deleted the number he’d just called and feigned ignorance.
“How should I know?” Blunt said, slipping it into his pocket. “You guys wouldn’t let me call my own mother if she was on her deathbed.”
The agent stomped back down the hall, and Blunt exhaled. He had to figure out a way to get the Firestorm team involved in stopping Fazil—and fast.
* * *
HAWK RELAYED THE conversation with Blunt to Alex as they waited for their plane to arrive at the gate at the Muscat International Airport.
“You need to put an end to this,” Alex said. “Karif Fazil and his Al Hasib thugs are going to continue inflicting their terror on us if you don’t do something to stop it.”
Hawk forced a smile. “We need to put an end to this. Remember, we’re a team. We do things together. Just because I’m the one on the forefront doing things doesn’t mean I’m working solo here.”
“You’re right,” Alex said. “I’m just frustrated—and I need
