“What’s that?”
“Find out who this guy is. Find out what his real motive is. Maybe he’s an operative working for James Peterson. Maybe he’s a family member with an axe to grind or some member of the press looking for a big exclusive.”
“At this point, you can’t worry about his motivation. You just need to do the right thing.”
Young nodded and sighed. “But just in case—”
“Okay, I’ll see what I can find out, but I want to go on the record as saying that I don’t like this idea.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll protect you from any blowback.”
Hawk pulled his putter out of his bag. “The fact that you’re even making that statement concerns me the most.”
“It probably won’t matter—it’s just a backup plan.”
“Let’s hope you’re right.”
CHAPTER 11
Zagros Mountains, Iraq
KARIF FAZIL SIFTED THROUGH a stack of documents on his desk, looking for one in particular. After several minutes of searching, the title of the report caught his eye. He stopped and snatched the page out of the pile, reading every word intently. Fazil smiled as he picked up his phone and dialed Brady Hawk’s number.
“Are you ready for further instructions?” Fazil said after Hawk answered.
“I’m not going to kill him for you. Let’s just be clear about that up front.”
“And I have already assured you that I will not ask you to do that.”
“Is your word really that trustworthy?”
Fazil laughed softly. “Your two friends are still alive, are they not?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t seen or heard from them in a while.”
“Just a moment.”
Fazil typed a few things into his phone and pushed send.
“Check your phone,” he said. “If you click on the link I sent you, you’ll be able to see them and speak with them.”
A few seconds later, Fazil watched a monitor showing his two prisoners. They waved at the camera capturing their every move and tried to speak.
“They can hear you, but you cannot hear them,” Fazil said. “But I can assure you that they are eager to speak with you.”
“I bet they are.”
“So, does that satisfy your proof of life question?” Fazil asked.
“It’ll do.”
“In that case, we need to get down to business. You have much to do in the next couple days leading up to the assassination attempt on Noah Young’s life.”
“Getting close enough to the man currently serving as President of the U.S. won’t be easy, if that’s what you’re thinking.”
“You must not get ahead of yourself,” Fazil said. “Take a deep breath, relax, and listen. I have all the plans taken care of, and your role is a simple but vital one. I need you to help one of my men gain access to Andrews Air Force Base without raising any suspicion.”
The sound of Hawk chuckling came in clearly. “That’s your big plan? What is your man going to do when he gets there? Getting arrested is imminent.”
“My men will never be taken alive. I would think you would know that by now.”
“Perhaps you’re forgetting that we took one of your men recently while foiling another plan of yours in Colombia,” Hawk said. “He’s very much alive and eager to talk. From what I’ve heard, he’ll do anything to get out of solitary confinement.”
Fazil stroked his beard and pondered if he should reveal the truth about the prisoner. He decided against it and continued his banter with Hawk.
“Despite my best efforts, I cannot control everyone. If someone wants to leave Al Hasib for another group of jihadists, I will not try to stop them. There are also others who simply want to betray you. While I would have no mercy on such a man if he were to return, I understand that such men exist in the ranks of every military power on earth.”
“You’d be hard pressed to find men who would betray their own country here,” Hawk said.
“Is that a fact?” Fazil asked.
“Absolutely. The only thing more absurd than thinking there are a plethora of men—let alone a single man—who are just eager to betray their nation is the fact that you think I can help your man get close enough to the president.”
Fazil hammered away on his cell’s keyboard. “Check your phone for the picture I just sent you.”
A few seconds later, Fazil heard an audible gasp come from the receiver.
“How did you—”
“That’s not important,” Fazil said. “My point is that you’re wrong on both accounts. There are people eager to betray their own country, living in your midst and perhaps serving at the pleasure of the president himself. And you are far more than capable of getting close to the president, as evidenced by the photograph.”
“Even if you are right, how is this going to help you assassinate President Young?”
“I can assure you that it will be spectacular. Television crews will be filming the president’s flight to his final campaign rally in Texas when his plane will disintegrate right before everyone’s eyes.”
“You sick bastard,” Hawk said. “You want your own 9-1-1 moment.”
“And I’m going to have it with your help, that is if you want your two friends here to live.”
“You can’t possibly think you’re going to get away with this, much less that I’ll go along with you.”
Fazil chuckled. “You have no choice now. Besides, Mr. Hawk, you have so much to learn about me and Al Hasib. No one ever embarks on a mission with the belief that they will return. Instead, they go with the hope of entering eternity as a martyred hero.”
“I don’t care what you believe,” Hawk said. “What I’m saying is that you’ll likely never even get an opportunity to take a shot. The President of the United States is one of the most heavily guarded men on the planet. Your presumption about an operation like this is astounding.”
“That is why I have you on my side now, Mr. Hawk,” Fazil said. “You’re going to make sure that my man not only gains access to the grounds but also
