“Well, maybe he’s not planning on going anywhere,” Alex said. “I just dug up some records where he paid to have a state-of-the-art security system installed.”
“Why else would he do that unless he wanted to hunker down there?” Black asked. “It’s not like he’s personal friends with the president’s family or anything and has anything to worry about.”
“If he’s staying put, I’m inclined to believe he’s not concerned about any attack being made on Washington,” Hawk said.
“Obsidian wouldn’t leave Washington out of their plans,” Blunt said as he stopped near the doorway. “That’d be foolish.”
“How so?” Black asked.
“The idea of attacking only where A Hand Up has offices makes sense, but if they want to strike back hard at the U.S., they need to make a statement. And the biggest statement of all is going to be made right here.”
“I think hitting New York and Chicago and L.A. would get people’s attention,” Hawk said.
“Perhaps, but the White House is the crown jewel,” Blunt said. “It’s the only city that not even the terrorists on 9/11 could successfully hit.”
“They got the Pentagon,” Alex said.
Blunt cocked his head to one side. “That’s Arlington. It might as well be another planet compared to Washington. Just think how much more devastating 9/11 would’ve been had the terrorists managed to hit the White House.”
“So, let’s say they are trying to hit Washington,” Alex said. “Who’s going to be the one delivering that bomb?”
“Samuels,” Hawk said.
“Not if he’s holed up in his apartment for the next few days,” Blunt said.
“Unless . . .” Black said, raising his index finger.
“Unless what?” Alex said.
“Unless he’s already planted the bomb,” Black said. “He’ll have an alibi with that fancy security system of his and can set off the explosives from the comfort of his couch. Not a shabby plan at all.”
Blunt sighed and shook his head. “And I just can’t help but think he was feeding the first lady exactly what she wanted to hear regarding where the attacks were going to be. If he’s smart, he didn’t trust her—or Alex as the first lady—and wanted to give her something to satisfy her inquiries.”
“Are you playing a hunch here?” Hawk asked.
“Does a one-legged duck swim in a circle?” Blunt fired back. “That’s what I do. I hunch, and then you guys gather the intel and analyze it.”
“You want us to break into Samuels’s apartment, don’t you?” Alex asked.
“It’s like we’ve been working together so long that you can read my mind,” Blunt said. “There’s got to be something that punk has squirreled away somewhere in a desk or on a laptop. And I want it found so we can put a stop to this.”
“And what about Randy Wood?” Alex asked.
“I’ll deal with him,” Blunt said with a snarl. “Now, you guys get going.”
* * *
BLACK HAD ALREADY AGREED to grab a bite to eat with the rest of the team when his phone buzzed. He glanced at the name on his screen and announced that he’d catch up with everyone later at the restaurant. Once he found a quiet room, he shut the door behind him and answered the call.
“Took you long enough,” Black said. “I thought you were beginning to lose your magic touch.”
“I don’t know who you’re tangled up with this time, but these people are good,” the man on the other end of the line said. “I’ve only read about this type of encryption capability before but had never experienced it first hand—until now.”
“Did you crack it?”
“Sort of. I think one of the messages was actually sent in a code that would require a cipher of some sorts. But I’m not sure. I managed to extract what was sent in the raw data format, but I have no idea if it’s something that’s useable to you.”
“Send it to me,” Black said. “I’ll forward it to our resident guru. Between the two of you, we just might be able to figure out what those communiqués said.”
“All I ask is that you keep my name out of it,” the man said. “You know I don’t want to invite any more trouble. Lord knows it doesn’t need any help finding me.”
“You have my word,” Black said. “I’ll be discreet.”
Black hung up and hustled downstairs to catch up with the rest of the gang. He knew that if Alex found out whom he was working with, she might just sucker punch him in the gut. Black decided that if necessary, he’d take one for the team. Finding out what was on Fortner’s phone was vital if they were going to catch him and finally start to unravel the shroud covering the faces of Obsidian’s masterminds.
CHAPTER 20
HAWK STUDIED THE SCREEN on his laptop before directing his gaze toward the fifth-story floor of Shane Samuels’s apartment. The tracker Alex had planted on Samuels was likely still lodged inside the pants leg cuff, either lying on the bedroom floor or in a laundry hamper in his closet. But Samuels hadn’t gone anywhere. Based on Hawk’s visual observations, Samuels was still walking around his condo.
“Think this plan will work?” Alex asked from the driver’s seat.
“There’s only one way to find out,” Hawk said.
He activated his coms to test them. A high-pitched screeching noise made both Hawk and Alex writhe in pain for a moment.
“Geez, Hawk, you sure know how to make an entrance even on the coms,” Black said. “I think you just blew out my eardrums.”
“That’s what I was going for,” Hawk said. “I guess I’d consider this a success.”
“Real funny,” Black said.
“Are you in position?” Hawk asked, refocusing on the mission.
“Dressed and ready to go. The hottest fireman in Washington, D.C.”
Alex chuckled. “Second hottest fireman.”
“Do you always have to stick up for Hawk?” Black asked. “I mean, can’t you let him fight his own battles every once in a
