by Finian Blake
Nabil decided to finish the conversation before he put the car in motion. “The idea answers our big problem. We can move the truck to the sites that have huge crowds and nobody wants to look in a shit truck. The driver can get out leaving it without attracting attention and be far enough away to be safe.” Nabil took great care to try and convince Maalik of the merit of Rajiya’s idea which was the best thing that anyone had come up with so far. Maalik was a Salafi orthodox conservative who would receive a position of authority in the religious police when this mission succeeded. With the right target this bomb would kill thousands. Maalik was his mother’s favorite son and Sabir was her favorite brother. Sabir had promised Nabil a position as manager of the number one oil producing field with a percentage of the profits if he could pull this off. Rajiya was the fourth daughter of Sabir’s brother in law so she was Maalik’s cousin by marriage. Keeping everything together was a major problem for Nabil since Maalik was the official leader and Nabil had no official status.
“You must be at work in a few hours. Why don’t you give it some thought? This will widen our choice of targets since they use those little closets at all of the major events. We may be able to get close to some politicians and that would make the news people go crazy.”
“That would make them understand that they are not safe anywhere,” Maalik brooded.
“Yes, and that would send us all home. I miss my wife and children and I am tired of being someone that I am not.” This was the first time that Nabil let Maalik have the smallest personal hint.
“Nabil, who else would you be?” For some reason this small breach bothered Maalik.
“When this is over I plan on returning home to my family. One of you can deliver the bomb. I will do everything necessary to prepare it but I am not a martyr so someone else will have to deliver it. Maybe you could show Rajiya how committed you are by delivering the bomb yourself. As much as you like the ladies seventy virgins should mean something to you. I am not that committed and I am a married man quite happy with my one wife. Maalik, Rajiya has come up with a workable plan to deliver the weapon to a primary location. Would you push to look in one of those things? I sure wouldn’t.” Nabil let out a muffled laugh, “A turd hearse’ that is a fitting name?” Nabil watched Rajiya fling the door of the restaurant open and stomp out of the restaurant. “I will be right back. Try and think through this.”
Nabil walked over to Rajiya making it a point to approach carefully.
“Rajiya, please calm down both you and Maalik are boiling with anger. He will accept your plan but it will take a while to accept. His ego has been bruised enough for a proud man.”
“Well I am proud too and you two stiffed me with the check. I was short a dollar twenty and the waitress felt sorry for me paying what I could not pay. I was humiliated!” Nabil forced a fifty-dollar bill in her hand as he reached for the door of the restaurant.
“I will take care of the waitress and apologize for both Maalik and myself. Go before you start another argument with Maalik.” When Nabil returned to the car he explained.
“We stuck Rajiya with the check and the waitress gave her the money for what she couldn’t pay. I gave her some money and gave the waitress a very good tip, but it was wrong to humiliate Rajiya like that.” Nabil was surprised to see a broad smile form on Maalik’s face.
“Good, the whore needs a lesson.”
“Rajiya is a good girl with a fine mind and she has done much to help us.” Maalik lost his smile knowing that Nabil is right. Nabil put the car in gear and the trip to Maalik’s house was made in silence. When this mission started he had no feelings one way or the other about him. Maalik enjoyed hurting people weather they were good or bad. Nabil was beginning to regret leaving Saudi Arabia even if it was for his family’s future. He remembered the look of distain on Maalik’s face when Rajiya suggested that he carry out any suicide attack. He knew that Maalik would never do what he suggested of others.
Layla and Edward rejoined their bodies at the same time and were both frustrated by having to reconnect for a few minutes before they could move. Layla was first to move but Edward was not far behind. They both called the others into the room.
“Tom, Maalik and Nabil are planning something dangerous. Rajiya has figured out how to place the bomb and Nabil has talked Maalik into accepting Rijiya’s idea, so it looks like it’ll work. I believe that we should keep a closer eye on this just in case it does work.” Edward could not believe that she had arrived at an idea that was that simple.
“How in the hell did she come up with that idea?” Ted had entered the room and could not believe his ears.
“What idea have they come up with?”
“Rajiya wants to disguise the propane truck as a lavatory truck. They think that they can move the truck into any large event if they do that and I believe they are correct.” Ted nodded his head in agreement. “It is a simple idea, but the simple ideas are the best. In general, nobody wants to look in these vehicles and that means they could load it with what they want without the fear of being discovered. A little bit of paint and a few hoses would easily camouflage the truck.”
“They have the truck, and the fuel, but the one thing that they don’t have is a target. With Rijiya’s idea a broad range of targets become open to them. When do you think we should step in and end this little game? This whole situation is becoming way too real. We are taking a big chance by not ending it now,” said Layla.
“I think we need to consult with Randal,” Edward said. “He is the FBI advisor and we shouldn’t act without him. Remember the big target is the money man, and we don’t have him yet.”
“Edward I see your point, but one little error and we have a full-blown disaster on our hands. If this thing gets away from us thousands of people will die.” Layla was clearly upset. Ted seemed to be in full agreement with Layla.
“Remember that lunatic Felix has been showing up at odd times and doing unexpected things with a wildcard like that floating around I think we should close the whole thing down and bust everybody. Let’s get Randy on the phone.”
Everybody went downstairs to the family room and Ted picked up the phone to call Randy at the temporary service.
“Randy we have a new development. The terrorists are getting close to a success and we need to shut them down now! What do you think about calling off the whole operation and busting the terrorist’s right now?”
“Tom, the boys upstairs want the money man in the worst way. He is funding more operations in addition to this one. If we get him, we closed down several operations and he gets more ambitious with each success. With Edward and Layla, we should be able to keep close tabs on the terrorists, so I think that we have a manageable risk.”
“What about that idiot Felix Owens? He is totally unpredictable and out of control.”
“Shoot him if you feel you need to, but we have thousands of lives at stake. We need to go for the money man or we will have to go through this again.”
“Randy, we won’t do any sweeping. That’s why our group is in this. We specialize in protection not killing.”
“I know that Tom, it’s just that he is the idiot that really gets me going. All that I’m trying to say is that nobody will mind if you do something nasty to him.”
“If that is the direction that you want to take, we will go along with it.” Arnold said.
“Good man, keep me posted of any future developments.” Tom hung up the phone looking at Layla and Edward.
“Well you heard him can I count on your help?”
“It’s your call Tom we are with you all the way.” Edward said shaking his head contemplating the consequences. “I just hope this thing doesn’t blow up in our face.”
“Edward, do me a favor and check on our friend Felix. I gave him a shot, and left them in the passenger seat of his car in a shopping center. That stuff is not kind, so he ought to have one hell of a hangover when he wakes up. I understand the FBI is looking for him but the local polic
e have not gotten the word yet.”
“That was kind of harsh,” Edward said with a smile.
“If that maniac messes with my family I believe I will take Randal up on his suggestion,” Tom said. “For now Edward, I would just like you to check on Felix for me.”
Edward went upstairs to his bedroom and slipped into his meditative state. Within the blink of an eye he was in the car with Felix. Felix was just leaning back in his seat holding his head obviously in pain. Felix looked around himself finding his keys were placed in his lap nothing came clearly to mind. Felix thought about eating but the thought of food revolted him. His next move was to retrieve a firearm from his trunk and upon opening it Felix remembered that Tom had taken all his weapons from his trunk. Felix stumbled over to the driver’s side starting his car, driving to the nearest Motel 6. He crawled in the shower, hoping that it would make him feel somewhat human again contemplating his options while letting the hot water run over him. He desperately wanted to find Betty and the kids, but he was so tired that he couldn’t develop a coherent thought so he stumbled over to the bed collapsing without even pulling the covers over himself. Edward came back to his body taking the normal amount of time to reconnect and went downstairs to report to Ted.
“Tom, Felix is down for the count but he was really pissed about having his guns taken from him. He’ll be out for at least seven hours maybe more. Layla and I have spent too much time out of body and we need to crash for the night, but get us up early because I think Felix may try something stupid.”
Betty and the kids were staying with Ellen’s mother, and she was afraid that Felix would come crashing in on them especially after seeing the security footage from the NSA. She knew that Felix had a violent side, but this was beyond comprehension. That poor woman had a bruise in the shape of a footprint in the middle of her chest. She thought that Felix sometimes went overboard with disciplining Todd and Frances, but this was beyond all reason. The doctors at the hospital had told her that she had been out for seven hours and she was still feeling the effects of a concussion. Todd and Frances would only sleep with Betty, and she could see the fear in their faces whenever they mentioned Felix’s name. Betty felt reasonably safe at Ellen’s mother’s house because she knew that Ellen would never give her away. Ellen had told her earlier this afternoon that Bob had issued an arrest warrant for Felix with the FBI. Betty knew that she would have to deal with that lunatic sooner or later. Felix had a bulldog personality. Right now that personality was in overdrive, but for now the kids were safe.
Felix awoke in the morning with a hangover that would not quit. Felix knew that Bob left for the office early and that Ellen didn’t work so she would be home. He took his time driving over to Bob’s house so that he would arrive around ten AM. He drove past the house parking his Camry several houses down the block on the opposite side of the street so that he would not be spotted. Ellen’s neighbor spotted a man sneaking down her driveway and called her. She dialed 911 and reported an intruder after which she went to the closet pulling out Bob’s 9 mm Glock. Ellen crept quietly down the stairs remaining on the telephone with 911 as she moved. As she approached the kitchen Ellen heard the glass in the back door break and the door start to open.
“They are in the house.” She said to the operator. Bob had told Ellen not to shoot an intruder unless they were in the house. Ellen took a shooter stance in the hallway waiting for a target. A head slowly emerged from around the doorjamb of the kitchen. Ellen took aim and fired one shot at the figure coming around the door.
“Jesus H Christ, Ellen don’t shoot it’s me Felix.”
“Felix, you crazy son of a bitch what the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“I am looking for Betty in the kids. Where in the hell did you hide them?”
“Just step out from behind the wall and I’ll let you know.” Felix started to step out from behind the wall and Betty fired another round.
“Ellen, what do you think you’re doing?”
“You son of a bitch, you broke into my house and attacked me. I am going to present your wife with a 9 mm divorce. An ambulance and the police are on the way. If I have my way you will need the ambulance.” Felix knew that it wouldn’t be long before the police arrived so he left. Ellen was cursing herself for not spending more time at the firing range. Felix bolted out of the back door and down the driveway. Ellen ran to the front door and assumed a shooter stance on the front porch managing to get off two more shots as Felix ran down the street in a blind panic. Felix had just managed to get the car around the corner when he heard the police siren in the distance. Ellen started to laugh so hard that she was in tears. As they pulled up to the house the police spotted a woman in hysterics on the front porch holding a 9 mm Glock. Seeing the tears running down Ellen’s face the officer insisted that she surrender her gun. Ellen insisted on calling Bob before giving her reports to the police.
“Bob, that crazy son of a bitch Felix broke into our house wanting to know where his wife was.”
“I’ll be right home,” Bob said as he slammed the phone down grabbing his car keys.
Edward managed to shake Layla as he started reconnecting from being out of body. He gripped Layla’s arm not managing to wake her out of a sound sleep determining that she was out of body too, so he decided to join Layla who was observing Maalik at coffee with Nabil. The two men were in a heated discussion about Rijiya’s idea.
“Maalik, I tell you that her idea is sound. Tell me my friend would you want to look into a truckload of turds? We need only a few minutes so the driver can get in the clear and it is not uncommon for a driver to leave his truck. If you have a better idea, please tell me about it, but if you don’t we will accept her plan.”
“I am still looking for a target and when I have a new target I will formulate a plan.”
“I will die of old age before you formulate anything. I have a wife and children at home and I would like to be home before my child is out of school.”
“You can’t talk to me like that, I am in charge.”
“Yes you are in charge but you are no longer in charge of me. I am returning home tomorrow and I will tell Rajiya she is crazy if she doesn’t leave with me.”
“You just want to be the leader!”
“No I just want to be with my family. I am leaving no matter what!”
“What will you say to our benefactor?” Maalik was starting to show real panic.
“I will tell Sabir that this project is taking much too long and I need to be with my family. I am sure he will understand Sabir is a reasonable man.”
“Nabil, you can’t leave now we’re so close.”
“We have made no decisions, and we are no closer now than we were when we first got here. Just call Sabir and tell them you need another engineer. I am gone.”
“But you have worked out all the plans for the bomb, what will we do if you leave?”
“I will leave you all the plans and that will detail how to make the bomb. You have Jibril to help you make it, so you don’t need me.” Nabil was completely fed up.
“But what will the benefactor say?” Maalik was starting to panic.
“The benefactor will say whatever he chooses to say. It’s not up to me to tell him what to think.” Nabil was beginning to enjoy tormenting Maalik. “I am going now to book my ticket home I wish you success.” Nabil arose and walked to the door of the coffee shop before Maalik could stop him. Maalik pulled out his disposable phone and dialed the number for Sabir. He slammed the phone down on the table in rage when he received the message that he could not dial internationally on his disposable phone. Maalik pulled out his cell phone and rapidly dialed the number for Sabir in Saudi Arabia.
“Sabir, Nabil is returning home.”
“Wonderful Maalik that means the job is done. When will you return home?”
“When we have finished our mission, it will be sometime before we can finish. Jibril has not arrived yet and we have not built the bomb. There is much to
do yet.” There was a long silence on the other end of the phone before Sabir spoke.
“Then could you tell me why Nabil is heading home?” Sabir was fighting to keep his voice at a calm level.
“Nabil says that he is homesick and is coming home because he can no longer stay away from his family.” That was the most neutral answer that Maalik could come up with on short notice.
“I must discuss this with Nabil.” Sabir looked at the caller ID on his cell phone in alarm. Maalik had called him from his personal cell phone. “Is this your personal cell phone that you are calling me from Maalik?”
“Yes Sabir, my disposable phone will not make international calls. I had to use my regular cell phone.” Maalik’s voice sounded suddenly shaky having realized what he had done.
Sabir’s voice suddenly took on a frosty tone. “I will talk to Nabil about his return home and then I will call you using the procedures that we have arranged for in advance.”
Sabir decided to call Nabil using the new technology Skype. As luck would have it Nabil was working on his computer at the time, and answered Sabir’s Skype.
“Nabil what is going on over there? Maalik just called me on an open line has he lost his mind?”
“I don’t know whether Maalik has lost his mind or he is just taking on the unwelcome ways of the West. Whatever the case may be I am going home. I miss my wife and children beyond belief. You have put Maalik in charge. He will run your operation for you. I am finished with the whole affair and I am telling Rajiya to come home with me. All that Maalik has to do is select a target and park a truck. If he can’t do that much, then the whole operation is lost. I can do nothing about that.” Nabil did absolutely nothing to hide the bitterness in his voice.
“This operation must be a success and I was depending on you to make it so. I want you to see this through to the end or you will not be paid.” Sabir was desperate to have Nabil finished the job.