“When I put a couple bullets in your chest, it won’t matter because it’s not going to detonate here.”
Fazil cocked his head to one side. “I wouldn’t be so sure of that. Let me ask you a question. Have you ever heard of a dead man’s switch?”
“You want me to believe that you have one attached to that bomb?”
Fazil shrugged. “I’m not trying to get you to believe anything. I know the truth, and it’s up to you whether or not you believe it, much like all the ridiculous things you Americans believe. But the point is, I do have one, and this bomb will go off if you shoot me.”
Fazil held up a small cylindrical device, his thumb pressed firmly on top of it.
“Now, this detonator operates off a cell signal, and I’ve already activated it,” Fazil continued. “All I have to do is let go and this bomb will explode, exposing everyone in about a mile radius or so to a deadly radiation. Many thousands of people will die. And if you shoot me, I’ll be among them. But you’ll be executing yourself along with all the innocent Americans in this area. Let me go and maybe you’ll figure out a way to defuse it. However, that will be the least of your worries.”
Fazil raised his other hand in the air and signaled by twirling his index finger around several times. He set down his briefcase on the ground and stepped to the side. Seconds later, a legion of Fazil clones started dropping their briefcases on top of his.
Hawk watched in horror as the men filed by and disappeared down the steps into the 28 th Street station.
As the scene unfolded in front of him, Hawk mulled over his options. Fazil may have been bluffing, but Hawk wasn’t interested in the possibility of being wrong. Too much was at stake.
“What’s going on down there?” Alex asked. “The FBI is ready to send in a dozen agents.”
Hawk put his finger to his ear. “Tell them to back off. Fazil has a dead man’s switch, and if he goes down the steps into the subway, we don’t need him mobbed by any FBI personnel or else it’s going to be sure death for everyone in the vicinity.”
Hawk glanced over his shoulder at the parade as it rolled listlessly by. Veterans perched on floats waved to the crowd, all blissfully unaware of the impending danger unfolding just a few meters away.
When the last man dropped his briefcase on the pile, it had grown to about waist high and sprawled across the corner.
Fazil nodded at Hawk. “You’ve chosen wisely, Mr. Hawk. I commend you for your optimism, but I can assure you that you won’t have time to escape. And follow me into the subway and I won’t hesitate to release the bomb.”
Fazil produced a gas mask from his pocket. “You don’t have one of these on you, do you?”
Hawk watched helplessly as Fazil whispered something to Jafar. The bird took flight and soared above the street. Fazil waved at his bird before turning his attention back to Hawk.
“Good luck,” Fazil called before he turned and vanished into the darkness.
Hawk didn’t waste any time before springing into action.
“Where are those agents?” Hawk said. “I need them now.”
“What do you need them to do?” Alex asked.
“I need them to help me find Fazil’s suitcase and disarm the nuke before he detonates it.”
“We don’t have that kind of time,” she said. “I heard what he said. Once he gets a safe enough distance away, he’s going to come out of the subway and release the switch.”
“Well, find me some time.”
“I’m not a miracle worker, you know.”
“How far do you think he’ll have to go to be safe?”
“Everyone here at the bureau office thinks he’d head south and would likely get off at Washington Square. It’d be easy for him to disappear.”
“Well, I’m counting on you to think of something.”
Hawk motioned for the other agents to come over toward him and sort through the suitcases.
“Colton said the bomb weighed about fifty pounds, so it shouldn’t take us more than a second or two to determine the weight,” Hawk explained. “Let’s toss them over to the side and form a discarded pile. If you happen to find the right one, let me know immediately.”
Hawk and a half dozen agents sifted through the cases one by one. He had checked about twenty before he glanced at his watch.
“Alex, I had an idea,” he said. “Why don’t you hack the cell towers? Shut them down briefly. That could interrupt the signal.”
“That’ll take too long,” she said. “Besides, I thought of something better—and more efficient.”
“What’s that?”
“I’m going to strand him in the subway.”
“Are you sure which train he’s on? He had a gas mask. It could all be part of another one of his bait-and-switch moves.”
“It won’t matter,” she said. “I’m going to shut it all down.”
“You’re going to do this?” Hawk said as he picked up more suitcases, shaking them to determine the weight. “Why don’t you have New York Metro shut their trains down for you?”
“Not enough time—and too much bureaucratic red tape. It’s easier to do it this way and ask for forgiveness later.”
“I doubt you’ll have to ask for forgiveness if this works.”
“It better work,” she said. “You promised you were coming back.”
“Yes, I did,” Hawk said.
One of the agents yelped. “I found it.”
Hawk rushed over to the man and took the suitcase from him. In a few seconds, Hawk managed to jimmy open the lock and stare at the elaborate design. “You’ve gotta be kidding me.”
“What is it?” Alex asked.
“Give Colton your earpiece. I need him to tell me how to diffuse this thing.”
“Okay, but work fast,” Alex said.
“Have you got the trains stopped yet?”
“Not yet—still working on it.”
Hawk stared at the intersecting wires and the flashing lights staring back at him.
“How far before his train reaches Washington Square?” he asked.
“One minute
