months ago, I got wind that they had something major in the works. I’d paid my dues, and they trusted me by then, so they agreed to let me in. That’s why I’m here, to find out what they’re up to and stop the attack.” And connect the plot to al Kahtani, the bastard who killed his wife.
“What are they going to attack?” she asked, sounding numb.
“That’s just it. We still don’t know. They compartmentalize their information. That’s standard tradecraft behavior. No one person has all the facts, except your father and maybe Manzoor. But whatever they’re planning, it’s going to be big. Internet chatter’s heating up. Governments everywhere are on high alert. We think it’s on the scale of 9/11.”
She pressed her hand to her throat. “And the plane you’re catching?”
“It’s taking us to San Gabriel, the island the drug cartel owns. The cartel is going to fly us into the States on one of their drug smuggling runs. The Rising Light hired them to sneak us in. The CIA is going to facilitate the flight, to make sure we can land.” And hopefully arrest the terrorists, assuming he’d unearthed enough evidence to pin on them by then.
“And you really think my father’s involved in this?”
“I know he is. All our sources tell us so. But I can’t prove it yet. He’s too damned smart. He’s got a firewall around him no one can penetrate.”
He plowed his hand through his hair. “Look. I know I don’t have a right to ask you this. And if you say no, I understand. I’ll get you to the river. I’ll help you get on a boat and escape. But I’d like your help.”
“But I still don’t see what I can do.”
“Stay a captive for a while longer, just until we reach the island. Fill me in on what you know about your family.”
“But I don’t know anything about them. I haven’t seen or talked to them in fifteen years.”
“You might be surprised. Any details you can give me, any bit of background information might trigger a clue. I’m desperate, Nadine. Thousands of people could die if we don’t stop this attack.”
Her face paled. She hugged her arms, her eyes filled with fear. “And my father? What if he catches me?”
“It won’t get that far. I promise. There’s another agent embedded on the island. We’ll help you get away. I only need you to stay with me for a day or two, just long enough for you to brief me on what you know, and then we’ll get you out.”
More doubts clouded her eyes. She nibbled her lush bottom lip, her indecision clear. He knew he was asking a lot. She’d spent nearly half her life on the run from her powerful family. Asking her to trade her freedom—and risk her life—was too damned much.
She lifted her eyes to his. “When is the attack?”
“As soon we get to the United States, I think. We don’t have much time.”
She swallowed, the movement visible in her slender throat. But then she raised her chin. “All right. I’ll do it.”
His breath caught. “You’re sure?”
She exhaled, the sound soft in the quiet room. “My father has tortured me long enough. I can’t keep running forever. And if there’s a chance I can help put a stop to this...”
Staggered by her courage, he moved in close. The afternoon sunlight sifted through the slats, painting silver highlights in her midnight hair. “I’ll protect you, Nadine. I’ll do everything I can to keep you safe. But I can’t lie. There’s no way to predict exactly what’s going to happen. There’s always a risk involved.”
“I know that.”
“And if you want to back out, if you don’t want to chance it, I understand. I can still help you get away. You don’t have to agree.”
“Yes, I do.” A haunted look darkened her eyes. “I’ve built a life now. I have friends, a career. I don’t want to keep starting over every time he catches up. He’s an evil man, Rasheed. Someone has to stop him before more innocent people get hurt. So if I can do my part...”
His eyes
“What are they going to attack?” she asked, sounding numb.
“That’s just it. We still don’t know. They compartmentalize their information. That’s standard tradecraft behavior. No one person has all the facts, except your father and maybe Manzoor. But whatever they’re planning, it’s going to be big. Internet chatter’s heating up. Governments everywhere are on high alert. We think it’s on the scale of 9/11.”
She pressed her hand to her throat. “And the plane you’re catching?”
“It’s taking us to San Gabriel, the island the drug cartel owns. The cartel is going to fly us into the States on one of their drug smuggling runs. The Rising Light hired them to sneak us in. The CIA is going to facilitate the flight, to make sure we can land.” And hopefully arrest the terrorists, assuming he’d unearthed enough evidence to pin on them by then.
“And you really think my father’s involved in this?”
“I know he is. All our sources tell us so. But I can’t prove it yet. He’s too damned smart. He’s got a firewall around him no one can penetrate.”
He plowed his hand through his hair. “Look. I know I don’t have a right to ask you this. And if you say no, I understand. I’ll get you to the river. I’ll help you get on a boat and escape. But I’d like your help.”
“But I still don’t see what I can do.”
“Stay a captive for a while longer, just until we reach the island. Fill me in on what you know about your family.”
“But I don’t know anything about them. I haven’t seen or talked to them in fifteen years.”
“You might be surprised. Any details you can give me, any bit of background information might trigger a clue. I’m desperate, Nadine. Thousands of people could die if we don’t stop this attack.”
Her face paled. She hugged her arms, her eyes filled with fear. “And my father? What if he catches me?”
“It won’t get that far. I promise. There’s another agent embedded on the island. We’ll help you get away. I only need you to stay with me for a day or two, just long enough for you to brief me on what you know, and then we’ll get you out.”
More doubts clouded her eyes. She nibbled her lush bottom lip, her indecision clear. He knew he was asking a lot. She’d spent nearly half her life on the run from her powerful family. Asking her to trade her freedom—and risk her life—was too damned much.
She lifted her eyes to his. “When is the attack?”
“As soon we get to the United States, I think. We don’t have much time.”
She swallowed, the movement visible in her slender throat. But then she raised her chin. “All right. I’ll do it.”
His breath caught. “You’re sure?”
She exhaled, the sound soft in the quiet room. “My father has tortured me long enough. I can’t keep running forever. And if there’s a chance I can help put a stop to this...”
Staggered by her courage, he moved in close. The afternoon sunlight sifted through the slats, painting silver highlights in her midnight hair. “I’ll protect you, Nadine. I’ll do everything I can to keep you safe. But I can’t lie. There’s no way to predict exactly what’s going to happen. There’s always a risk involved.”
“I know that.”
“And if you want to back out, if you don’t want to chance it, I understand. I can still help you get away. You don’t have to agree.”
“Yes, I do.” A haunted look darkened her eyes. “I’ve built a life now. I have friends, a career. I don’t want to keep starting over every time he catches up. He’s an evil man, Rasheed. Someone has to stop him before more innocent people get hurt. So if I can do my part...”
His eyes
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