by Angel Vane
A different gunman approached Mena. The one from before, Rahim. Reaching down, he gently lifted her to her feet, then walked slowly with her, matching the pace of her hindered steps until she was standing next to Wangari. He swiped a stray strand of her hair from her face, then turned and walked away.
Mena watched as Rahim and Xirsi connected more wires to the generator, then assisted another armed guard with connecting the wires to several small silver boxes arranged on a table in the corner of the opposite side of the room.
Mena stole a glance at Wangari and received a look clouded with concern. None of them knew what was about to happen. Mena could only hope that by some miraculous turn of events, they would be freed soon. Despite Wangari’s insistence that Okeyo wouldn’t compromise his integrity, she couldn’t imagine that he wouldn’t do whatever it took to save his wife. And by saving Wangari, she and Isaac would also be saved.
Xirsi walked in front of them, a tablet in his hand. Mena stole a quick glance at the surface, noticing the camera app was displayed. Were they going to be recorded? Was Tubeec going to send a video to Okeyo?
“We’ve made contact. Are you ready?” Xirsi asked.
Grabbing the tablet, Tubeec tapped against the screen several times, then handed it back to Xirsi.
Turning to face them, Tubeec made a point to look at each of them in the eyes. Stopping to her right, Tubeec straightened his shirt and swiped dust from his pants, before looking directly into the camera of the tablet.
Xirsi mouthed a countdown, and then Tubeec spoke. “Mr. Lagat, I am disappointed that we could not reach an agreement. I gave you a simple request, which you have ignored, and now your wife and two of her staff are in a very uncomfortable situation.”
Wangari stepped closer to Mena, leaning into her. Mena was grateful for the reassuring touch. A sign of solidarity. They were in this together, and they’d hopefully get out of this together soon. Mena gave Wangari a small smile, then looked over at Isaac. His expression was haunted and stoic, a sadness gripping his features.
Tubeec continued, “Mr. Lagat, there are consequences to your actions. Consequences that will forever be on your conscious. Blood that will forever be on your hands.”
Xirsi walked away from Tubeec and pointed the tablet toward Mena. She looked into the tiny round camera lens and tried to convey courage and bravery, despite the tremor in her legs. She reached her hands around her wrist to feel the charm on the bracelet Julian had given her. Willing herself to be strong, she maneuvered the rose gold loops until she could feel the heart-shaped charm between her fingertips. The guard lingered in front of her for a minute before side-stepping to stand in front of Wangari.
Repeating the same action, he allowed the camera to pause on Wangari’s tear-stained face several minutes longer.
Then he moved to Isaac. Shoulders slumped, his eyes downcast, Isaac refused to look into the camera.
A loud gunshot rang through the air.
Mena watched in horror as Isaac’s head exploded in slow motion, sending a spray of blood across her face. Blood and brain matter coated the back wall as his body fell.
Wangari stumbled backward into Mena, screaming as they toppled to the ground. Dizzy from shock, Mena couldn’t take her eyes off Isaac’s headless body. He’d been alive, and now he was gone. Her mind was blank, unable to process, or comprehend what was happening.
She focused on the words of Tubeec, growing faint as Rahim lifted her, half carrying her out of the room, away from the death and devastation.
Tubeec said, “You have eight hours to reconsider the simple request that we discussed earlier today and meet me at the location we discussed this morning. If you choose to ignore me for a second time, more blood will be shed, and you will know that another death is on your hands.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Staring into the deep brown eyes of Mena Nix, Julian’s heart almost stopped. Her thick lashes were damp with unshed tears as she looked defiantly into the camera.
Her hair was disheveled and dirt-stained the white button-down shirt she wore. The camera moved back, revealing her bound hands. Coarse, thin ropes locked her wrists together, but she could still move her fingers. He watched as she slowly turned her charm bracelet around and around until she found the heart, her fingertips holding on to the small piece.
She didn’t know he was watching, staring into her stunning eyes, prepared to move heaven and earth to get her out of Tubeec’s clutches. He wanted her to feel the full strength of his love through the camera, giving her hope until he could rescue her.
Julian was jolted from his thoughts as the camera cut away from Mena and focused on Wangari Irungu. A slow burn of yearning settled within him. He was desperate to see Mena again. Julian’s eyes drifted across the background of the room where the hostages were, searching for clues or any sign of their location. The plain walls behind them and an open entryway to the side suggested an abandoned house or compound. Tubeec was smart. Keeping the camera view tight from head to waist, ensured that the hostages’ location wouldn’t be compromised.
Tracing the video feed would give the ASF the best chance of finding the hostages. Julian could help the ASF narrow down Tubeec’s location, as long as the video feed continued for several more minutes. Julian took a step toward the IT specialists—
A gunshot reverberated through the air.
Julian stopped in his tracks, staring as Isaac’s head exploded live on camera, staining the wall with chunks of skull, brain matter, and blood. His headless form slid down, out of view. Screams and cries could be heard as the camera focused on Tubeec, issuing new instructions and a warning to Okeyo Lagat.
Honing in on the terrorist's words, Julian looked at Okeyo.
The video feed ended, leaving the room in an eerie silence.
Okeyo shook visibly, a trembling hand raised to his mouth. “I never meant for any of this to happen. I never thought so many lives would be lost …”
“We need the truth if we are going to have any chance of rescuing your wife. It would be unwise of you to withhold any information you have,” Reggie’s voice was calm, but his hands clenched in tight fists near his side.
Nodding, Okeyo stumbled across the room, slumping down into an empty chair. His head partially obscured in his hands, he said, “Do you recall a leak of highly classified documents that occurred about a year ago?”
Reggie said, “Those documents were thought to contain proof of illegal activities perpetrated by Deputy President Kipsang Rono. Your office conducted an investigation that proved inconclusive.”
“It was in my best interest to dissuade powerful forces from knowing what we’d uncovered. My office has been quietly gathering damning evidence against Rono. Evidence that will lead to an indictment on charges of election tampering, conspiracy, and murder. I have definitive proof of Rono’s involvement in organizing and funding attacks on election sites in the last presidential election,” Okeyo explained.
“Hundreds of Kenyans died in those attacks,” Reggie said.
“And I fear that Rono is planning to do the same this year, leading to hundreds of deaths of innocent Kenyans before this election cycle is over,” Okeyo said.
Julian interrupted, “Is that what Tubeec Hirad wants from you?”
“I believe that Rono hired Tubeec Hirad to get the evidence from me. With access to it, he can create a new narrative,” Okeyo said.
Reggie nodded. “One that points the blame away from Rono and onto someone else. Someone they’ve paid to take the fall.”
“That would allow a diabolical criminal to remain in the second-highest post in the Kenyan government. A travesty to the Kenyan people,” Okeyo insisted.
“We’ve already detected plans for more violence at the polls in the upcoming elections, but we hadn’t been able to figure out who is behind it,” Reggie admitted.
“Rono wants to bolster his position and make another run at the presidency. I can’t hand over the one thing that could finally put an end t
o his tyranny. I never thought my refusal would lead to this,” Okeyo said, breaking down into tears.
One of the IT specialists interrupted. “Chief Kamau, we were unsuccessful in securing the location of the video feed. The encryption and complexity of pathways used made it impossible for us to trace before it was disconnected. I’m sorry.”
“Damn it,” Reggie said, slamming a fist onto the table.
Julian glared at the technician, realizing he should have been working with them to trace the feed. Prior to becoming a SEAL, he’d been a cryptology technician in the Navy and still possessed an advanced set of skills in deciphering encrypted communications and monitoring electronic networks.
Julian turned and headed toward the hallway. Staying at ComCentral was limiting the work he could be doing to find Mena’s location. He had to get the hell out of here and back to TIDES HQ.
Footsteps grew louder behind him. He felt an arm clamp down on his shoulder. Julian turned.
“Where are you going?” Reggie asked, stepping into the hallway with Julian.
“I’m going to debrief Tim Irungu and his family on the latest information,” Julian said, which wasn’t exactly a lie. He was going to need access to all of the Irungu’s technology to track Tubeec Hirad, starting with the disturbing video he’d watched.
Reggie stood in front of him, pushing a hand against his chest.
Julian looked down, knocking his hand away. “You should be glad I’m leaving.”
“Who is Mena Nix to you? Why are you really here?” Reggie asked.
The question was a sucker punch to Julian’s chest, disorienting him for a second.
“What are you talking about?” Julian asked, not sure if he should reveal the truth to Reggie or keep his relationship with Mena a secret.
“I saw the way you looked at Mena Nix when she was on the video. I saw your concern and love for her. You have another reason to care about this case. One that has nothing to do with Wangari Irungu,” Reggie said.
“Mena and I are in a relationship, and I’m going to do whatever it takes to rescue her from Tubeec Hirad.”
“Even if that means impeding my investigation?” Reggie countered. “You need to back off and let us handle this.”
“From what I can tell, your hackers are getting their asses kicked by Tubeec’s encrypted technology. Now, I can stay here and try to find what your team missed, or you can let me go. It’s up to you,” Julian said, glaring at Reggie.
“There’s no way you can find something that my agents can’t,” Reggie insisted.
“Watch me,” Julian said, pushing past the chief special agent.
“If I find out that you’ve compromised our rescue mission in any way, I will have you arrested,” Reggie yelled.
The elevator doors opened, and he stepped inside.
“Do what you have to do,” Julian said as the doors closed.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
“Did you get everything set up?” Julian barked, bursting through the doors of the war room at TIDES HQ.
“Hell yeah, motherfucker. We ain’t about to let you down,” Enzo said, slapping a hand against Julian’s shoulder as he walked by.
Sunny said, “Tim Irungu gave us access to his company’s servers, so we have all the computing and bandwidth power needed to figure out where the hell Tubeec is.”
Zale stood up, holding a clipboard. “Simon is performing forensic auditing on the Irungu Shipping Company to figure out how the hell Tubeec stole six of their delivery trucks without being noticed. None of the trucks have been found, which means Tubeec and his crew could still be using them. Shiloh searched the flight manifests to the airstrip and came up empty. Now she’s focused on the radar images for all planes taking off and landing within twenty-four hours of the museum attack. Hakeem is monitoring chatter on the dark web, focused on known members of Tubeec’s militia and allies Tubeec has in al-Harakat.”
Julian nodded his approval, then walked over to Glaze. “Did you get a copy of Tubeec’s video call from the ASF systems?”
“Got it before they detected I was scraping their data and enacted the extra security on their systems. I’m tracing it now. It’s one of the most complex traces I’ve ever had to do, but I’m going to crack it. I will figure out where Tubeec is with Mena,” Glaze said.
“How much time do we have?” Enzo asked, standing over a pile of weapons and equipment littering a side table.
“Eight hours is when Tubeec expects Okeyo to meet him with the evidence against Rono,” Julian said, angling toward a computer monitor in the corner. “Maybe less than that.”
“Let’s make the most of it. We don’t have nearly enough weapons for an attack on Tubeec’s militia. I’m going to have to make a trip to Paul’s warehouse to get what we need,” Enzo said.
“Call it in before you head out so he can have it pulled and ready for you,” Sunny said, following behind Julian.
He glanced over his shoulder, then pulled the cell phone from his pocket.
“What do you have there?” Sunny asked.
Julian twisted the cell phone in the air. “Okeyo Lagat’s cell phone.”
“Clever. I’m not going to ask how you got that,” Sunny said.
Julian connected the small electronic device to several wires extending from the computer. “Tubeec made at least one call to Okeyo this morning and maybe more. I’m going to figure out where those calls were coming from and the last known location of that device.”
“Well, if anybody can do it, I know you can,” Sunny said, squeezing his shoulder.
“No way Tubeec kept the phone he used to call Okeyo. It’s a burner,” Hakeem said, swiveling around in his chair.
“Burners tend to have more clues than people realized,” Julian said, not in the mood to give Sunny’s second-in-command a lesson on how to find those who didn’t want to be found.
“You think you can find Tubeec from the calls made to Okeyo’s phone?” Hakeem asked.
“I know I can. Question is whether Glaze over there will crack the code to the video faster than I can crack the code on this phone. Either way, it’s a win-win situation,” Julian said, although his certainty waned.
“I’m impressed,” Hakeem said.
Julian accessed the phone, noticing two cryptic text messages sent to Okeyo’s phone minutes before the phone call was made and one more sent about an hour after Okeyo had arrived at the ASF ComCentral. Had the bastard been texting Tubeec Hirad when Julian had questioned him?
Checking the messenger app, Julian recognized it as one he’d had little trouble hacking in the past. This was the breakthrough he needed. Wouldn’t be long before he narrowed down possible locations to search for Mena.
“About fucking time! Get in here,” Enzo said, toppling his chair as he stood.
Taye walked through the door, holding two stuffed bags from a local gourmet hamburger joint. The smell of burgers, fries, and onion rings filled the air. Scrutinizing the stickers on each brown bag, Taye called out names and tossed the bags around the room.
Sunny walked to Julian and handed him a brown bag. “I ordered for you.”
Burger, plain/dry, onion rings was scribbled on the outside. She knew what he’d want, even though he had no appetite. He’d have to force himself to eat. It was going to be a long night, and he had to make sure he gave his body fuel for whatever could come next.
He didn’t bother saying thanks, turning to focus on the computer monitors. His fingers tapped quickly against the keyboard as he entered code to get past the defenses of the messenger app.
After an hour, Julian hadn’t found anything on the phone or the messenger app that could give him definitive information on the location of Tubeec Hirad or the hostages.
“Dead end,” Julian said, hurling the cell phone across the room.
“What the fuck!” Enzo screamed, ducking as the phone crashed into the back wall and landed on the floor.
Julian drug his hands down his face, fighting the helples
sness threatening to suck him in.
“Relax, man, we’re going to find Mena,” Enzo said, then turned to Sunny. “Can you call your fiancé and get an update?”
Sunny glared at Enzo as the rest of the TIDES team snickered under their breaths.
Julian looked up. “Fiancé?”
“I do not have a fiancé,” Sunny said, through gritted teeth. “Stop spreading lies and stay focused on the work to find Wangari and Mena.”
“Ain’t no lie. You see, Julian, Sunny, and Reggie were a thing for almost a year until the douchebag fucked it all up by proposing. He wanted to force Sunny to exchange her Beretta for a baby bonnet and be a happy little housewife,” Enzo said.
Julian tensed. “Are you serious? You and Reggie?”
“None of this matters right now,” Sunny said, pinching the bridge of her nose.
“You said no?” Julian asked, an uneasiness settling within him.
“Of course, I did,” Sunny said. “I told Reggie over, and over that, I didn’t want to be a wife. I was fine with things the way they were. We were happy. Why the hell did we need a piece of paper to validate our relationship?”
Julian bristled at her outburst, words he’d heard before … from Mena.
Hakeem walked over and squeezed the back of Sunny’s neck, then said, “Reggie kept pushing, and he ended up losing the woman he loved. Should be a lesson to anyone. When someone says they don’t want something. Believe them.”
“I remember a time when you would have been thrilled to get married … to be a wife. What changed?” Julian asked.
“Don’t,” Sunny warned, anger flashing in her eyes. “You of all people know exactly what changed.”
Instantly, Julian regretted pushing Sunny. He knew he’d gone too far, and apologizing wouldn’t make her feel any better. Saying anything more would only hurt her, and he was done inflicting pain on people he cared about.
The air was thick with recriminations, pain, and guilt. Silence blanketed the room as the members of TIDES ate, returning to their assignments.
