“Maybe he’s trying to shore up relations so after the election that doesn’t come as such a shock,” Geller said.
“And maybe my Aunt Gladys will sprout wings and fly off her rocker so she doesn’t have to use her walker to get around any more. I love how you see the best in people, Geller. But that isn’t the case here. Peterson is doing some dangerous things right now, and if we don’t expose him, our country could elect an even bigger traitor than Conrad Michaels.”
“That’s a bold statement.”
“And a true one. You have to trust me on this one, Geller. I might be a politician now, but you know I’ve never lied to you. And I’m not lying about this.”
Geller was silent for a moment. “I believe you. Just tell me what you want me to do.”
“I want you to set up a hidden camera in the room where Peterson is going to be meeting with a Russian ambassador.”
“That’s it?”
“Just make sure you don’t get caught entering the building or on any of their security cameras. It’s going to be a big deal.”
“I can handle that,” Geller said. “Just text me the address. My phone is as secure as it can be.”
“Thanks,” Young said. “I’ll get right on it. Time is of the essence.”
Young hung up and leaned back in his chair. He stared at the oak tree outside his window as a faint smile crept across his face.
CHAPTER 9
Iraq, undisclosed location
HAWK WAITED UNTIL THE DRONE vanished on the horizon before making his way closer to Fazil’s compound. There was something about a solo op that he found both terrifying and exhilarating. Without any backup, Hawk had to rely on his wits and training to navigate deep into hostile enemy territory. Alex could only do so much flying a drone from several thousand miles away. If he got caught, Hawk would either be condemned to captivity or possibly death. The margin for error had been reduced to zero. He had no friends in this part of the world controlled by Al Hasib, at least none he knew of. He had no favors to call in. He didn’t even have official permission from his own country to be in Iraq, though Pentagon brass would treat him like a hero if he succeeded.
But the if was big, hanging in the balance. The odds of success were weighted in Al Hasib’s favor.
Hawk slunk behind a rock and pulled out his binoculars to survey the area.
“The drone should be out of ear shot now,” Alex said over the coms.
“Uh, huh,” Hawk said. “The only thing I hear now are some trucks way off in the distance and a snake slithering at my six.”
“Those things move quick from what I hear. You might want to keep going.”
Hawk spun around on his heel and stomped on the snake’s head. He ground it into the sand until the snake crunched beneath the weight of his boot.
“Problem solved,” Hawk announced before returning his focus to the supposed location in the mountains.
“Did you really have to do that?” Alex asked.
“Yes. Yes, I did. You can’t exactly med-evac me out of here if I were to get bitten by one of these creatures,” Hawk said. “I’m doing what I need to do to survive.”
“It was kind of a joke.”
“Sorry, but I’m not in the mood right now. I’m now about two hundred meters from the opening of the hideout.”
“And you can confirm that this is an Al Hasib location?”
“Sure as I’m sitting here,” Hawk said. “They disguised the entrance very well and are using natural features from the mountain to shield the door from view. There’s even a portion of the mountain that’s carved out, big enough for them to store several large tactical vehicles in as well as a few transport trucks.”
“You see anything else? Any people?” Alex asked.
“Not yet, but—wait a minute. The door is opening, and someone is walking out onto the patio area.”
“Recognize him?.”
“Sonofabitch. It’s Fazil.”
“You’ve gotta be kidding me.”
“I already told you I wasn’t in a joking mood.”
“Do you have a shot?”
Through his binoculars, Hawk studied Fazil. With his bird Jafar perched on his shoulder, the Al Hasib leader strode forward. He held his head high as he surveyed the desert area sprawled out in front of him. Apparently satisfied with the environment, he looked at Jafar and nodded. Jafar flapped his wings and squawked before taking flight and soaring away from the opening. Jafar climbed higher and higher, circling the area for a couple minutes.
Hawk froze, taking the whole scene in. His gaze bounced between Fazil and Jafar in an effort to determine just how long the interaction would last. On the third trip around the area, something spooked Jafar. Instead of continuing his circuitous route, he broke it off and flew straight back to Fazil. Looking furtively at the landscape for a few seconds, Fazil raced back inside with Jafar nestled on his shoulder.
“What happened to the drone?” Hawk asked.
“She’s still in a holding pattern several miles away,” Alex answered. “Why?”
“Because Fazil’s little pet bird looked like it was dive bombing him for a second, and then Fazil peered out in the direction I last saw the drone before darting back inside. It was strange, to say the least.”
“I don’t think anything is ever normal with that man.”
“That’s a fact, but I think the bird must’ve seen something.”
“You think there’s someone else out there with you?”
Hawk examined his surroundings once more through his binoculars. “If there is, I’m not seeing any signs of anyone.”
Alex didn’t respond. Hawk heard clicking sounds over his com, likely from Alex typing furiously on her keyboard.
“What is it?” Hawk asked.
“I’m seeing some heat signatures on the back side of the mountain,” she said. “It’s kind of weird, but it looks like there’s an overhang about twenty feet off the ground.”
“So you think there’s another entrance?”
“It would appear so,” she said. “But don’t just go running in there. I need to analyze some more data here from this satellite image.”
“Roger that.” Hawk slipped his binoculars into his pack and stayed low as he crept across the desert floor.
“Hawk? Hawk? What are you doing now? You know I can see you, right?”
Hawk smiled and kept moving.
“Would you answer me?”
“Gotta keep a low profile now,” he whispered. “If you can see me, you know I’m getting closer to the hideout.”
“I’m not done studying these images, Hawk. This isn’t funny.”
“You were the one cracking jokes earlier today, not me. I’m serious as a heart attack.”
“And so am I when I tell you that it’s not a wise decision to go charging into the compound.”
Hawk stopped behind a rock and eased into a prone position. “What choice do we have at this point? We know Karif Fazil is here. You could just obliterate the place. But I have to get the information. We need to know what he’s going to do with that weapon. If he places it in the Strait of Hormuz, all hell is going to break loose, and we’ll be on the precipice of another conflict in the Middle East.”
“I get it, but I’m also concerned there are other ways to get this information.”
“Such as . . . ?”
“I think it’d be easy to hack into the security mainframe and listen in on their meetings,” she said.
“There’s one problem with that,” Hawk said. “I’m here and you’re not. And believe me when I say this, but I’d love to have you here to do that. Unfortunately, that’s not an option right now, and I need you to guide me to wherever you’re seeing these heat signatures.”
“Okay, fine. But it’s only one heat signature—at least one human heat signature. There’s a smaller one, too.”
“Probably Fazil and his little pet.”
“That’d be my guess, too, but I can’t verify that.”
“If he stays where he is, I’ll be able confirm it’s Fazil in less than five minutes.”
“Roger that.”
Hawk resumed his trek around the mountain, cutting through a narrow pass in the wall likely caused by erosion. Alex guided him through the area, assuring him that there weren’t any guards in his path. After a few minutes, Hawk eased into position and pulled out his binoculars again to inspect the heat signatures Alex had identified.
“Are you still seeing those heat sigs?” Hawk asked.
“They’re showing up on my screen. Why? Are you not seeing anyone?”
“Just give me a second.”
Hawk studied the area, swinging from left to right. On his first pass, he didn’t see anyone on the clever balcony tucked beneath a cavern and hidden from view. Hawk took a moment to marvel at the engineering feat required to create such a hidden feature that gave Fazil and his men access to the outdoors without being caught by any prying satellite cameras.
“Hawk, I’m seeing two new heat sigs near your position. Do you copy?”
“Loud and clear.”
“You’re not thinking about going in there right now, are you?”
“Alex, I’m not going to get many more chances like this, if at all. I’ve got to seize this one.”
“That’s not a good idea. We have no idea what’s inside. I suggest you wait it out and see if you can capture one of the guards and get the information from him. That’s what this mission was all about, not settling some score with Fazil.”
“Sometimes you’ve gotta buck conventional wisdom and take the bull by the horns.”
“Sometimes wisdom is living to fight another day.”
“Wish me luck.”
“Hawk!” Alex said.
He turned the volume on his com down low and snuck closer.
The balcony area was about three feet off the ground, a concrete slab poured over the jagged cave floor. The sky was still visible, albeit a shaded view by the cavernous overhang. But the edges remained rather dark, perfect for lying in wait.
Hawk waited until one of the guards had wandered aimlessly near the edge before springing into action. The man poked his head over the railing for a cursory look only to have someone reach up and jerk him over it. Hawk yanked the man onto the rocks below, bashing his head against a jagged feature. He didn’t have a chance to scream before he was knocked out and likely dead.
Hawk eased eye level with the balcony floor and waited for the other guard to notice his friend was missing. Fazil wasn’t paying any attention, instead engrossed on a phone call. Pacing around the balcony, Fazil waived his arms around as he spoke. While Hawk wasn’t quite close enough to decipher the topic of conversation, he could tell from Fazil’s body language that the Al Hasib leader wasn’t pleased.
A moment later, the other guard noticed he was patrolling the area alone. As the dumbfounded expression swept across his face, he called out for his friend by name. As each second dripped past, the guard furrowed his brow. He raced to the edge and scanned the surrounding area.
Hawk watched intently as Fazil remained talking on the phone, his back turned as the entire situation unfolded. His relaxed nature led Hawk to believe that Fazil felt secure in his hideout, even after something spooked Jafar.
When the second guard neared the edge, his eyes widened as they met Hawk’s.
Using both hands, Hawk grabbed the man by his shirt and pulled down hard. The guard toppled over the railing and let out a faint yelp before crashing to the ground with more velocity than the first guard.
Hawk checked both their pulses before setting his sights on the real prize. In a smooth motion, Hawk placed both his hands on the rail and pulled himself up, throwing his legs over onto the balcony and landing softly. Weapon drawn, Hawk eased up behind Fazil before inserting the gun barrel into the back of Fazil’s head.
“Not another move or another sound,” Hawk said.
“Brady Hawk,” Fazil announced. “I should have known you would come racing into danger yet again. So, it wasn’t enough that you escaped with your life the last time you came hunting for my underwater weapons system.”
“It’s not exactly yours.”
“Police of the world, are we? Sounds just like your arrogant government. Sadly, your jurisdiction means nothing here, even if your country did help the Iraqis get rid of a tyrant.”
“I don’t have time for your lectures,” Hawk said.
Fazil eased his hand into his pocket.
“I said not another move,” Hawk said.
“Or what? You’ll shoot me and not get the information you came here for? If you wanted me dead, you would’ve never introduced yourself, at least not so personally as you have here.”
“I’m not here to make small talk. I’m here to find out where you’ve placed that mine weapon.”
“You are relentless, I’ll give you that. A hopeless romantic, I would surmise. You and little Alex holding hands and believing that you’ve made the world a safer place.”
“I’m only going to give you one more chance,” Hawk said. “Where is the weapon?”
Fazil raised his hands in surrender and turned around cautiously before coming face to face with Hawk.
“You mean this weapon?” Fazil said before tapping his watch. An electric charge bolted from his timepiece.
Hawk convulsed violently as he crumpled to the ground, where he twitched and turned for nearly half a minute.
Fazil wore a big grin as he loomed over Hawk and watched him until he finally stopped.
“Looks like it’s time for you to answer some questions for me,” Fazil said before whistling for a pair of guards inside to give him a hand.
Hawk wanted to say something. He wanted to fight back. But he could scarcely move, much less put up enough of a fight to stand a chance. The last thing he saw before he blacked out was Fazil’s fist.
CHAPTER 10
Washington, D.C.
BLUNT CHECKED HIS WATCH and prepared for the peep show that would mark the downfall of James Peterson’s bid to become the president. In less than five minutes, Peterson would stride into a room with a Russian ambassador, discuss things no candidate should be discussing with him, and torpedo an election bid. If Blunt liked popcorn, he would’ve popped a big bowl’s worth and sat back to watch the entertaining end. But he preferred scotch and fixed himself a glass in preparation of the event.
Pacing around the room, Blunt considered calling Alex to find out about Hawk’s operation behind enemy lines. But Blunt didn’t want to miss a second of the conversation.
Two minutes.
He took a long pull on his glass and settled into his chair behind his desk to watch. While he was staring at the screen, his door burst open and a half dozen FBI agents raced into the room.
“What’s the meaning of this?” Blunt demanded as he stood.
A final agent entered the room and stared at Blunt. “Sorry about the intrusion, Senator, but I’m Special Agent Renfroe. and you’re under arrest for breaking the National Security Act.”
“What the hell are you talking about? I’m a patriot.”
“You’re a patriot who’s under arrest, sir,” Renfroe said coolly. “We can do this the easy way or the hard way. I’d rather not walk you out of this building in handcuffs, but it’s up to you.”
“You’re making a big mistake,” Blunt said with a growl. “Let me get my cane.”
Blunt eased into his old man act and shuffled across the room. He picked up his cane and shook it at Renfroe.
“You’re making a mistake, Agent Renfroe,” Blunt said. “How can I even get arrested for this? The National Security Act forbids government agencies from spying on American citizens. You’re probably unaware that I don’t work for the government any more.”
“So, you’re not denying that you were spying on someone?” Renfroe asked.
“I want to speak to my lawyer,” Blunt said as he hobbled toward the door.
“Oh, you’ll get
to speak to your lawyer,” Renfroe said. “You’re not going to be mistreated in any way.”
“This is wrong, so wrong,” Blunt grumbled.
Blunt followed Renfroe and his team onto an elevator and descended to the bottom floor. The spectacle of a well-known former senator escorted by federal agents drew long glances, some of which were accompanied by gaping mouths. A few other people pulled out their cell phones and captured video of the event. A somber Blunt kept his head down and trudged along toward a waiting vehicle.
“This is going to be the end of your career, Renfroe.”
Renfroe used the mirror on the passenger side visor to make eye contact with Blunt, who was wedged between a pair of agents.
“Comfy back there, Senator?” Renfroe asked.
Blunt sneered and turned to look out the window. As the SUV was pulling away, Blunt saw several people running up alongside the vehicle as they held out their phones to continue documenting the moment.
“You should’ve just perp walked me right through the front door,” Blunt said. “It wouldn’t have been any less of a circus than the one you just created. I hope you’re enjoying this final ride as an FBI agent. Some powerful people are going to be pissed that you’re intervening like this.”
“I find it interesting that you’ve yet to deny any of the charges,” Renfroe said.
“How can I deny something for which I can’t be charged?” Blunt asked. “It’s almost like double jeopardy. I’m not even eligible to break this law since I don’t work for a government agency.”
“If you want to direct your anger at anyone, maybe you should consider the people who fingered you,” Renfroe said. “I know you’re really upset that you got caught, but you’re not really that angry at me.”
“No one turned me in,” Blunt said. “The people I work with are loyal to me to a fault—every last one of them.”
“Are you sure about that, Senator? Sometimes, it doesn’t take much for someone to roll over on you.”
“I’m as sure about that as I’m sure that I’m sitting here talking with you about your ridiculous theories. Whoever authorized this is overstepping their bounds.”
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