by Terry Toler
“It infuriates me that women would be involved in sex trafficking,” she continued. “How could they do that to other women knowing what they put them through?”
“Doesn’t make any sense to me,” I said. I had to let Jamie rant, but I didn’t want her to go too far into the abyss. If I let her, that’s all she’d talk about for hours. I knew that fact well. If she got me started talking about Pok, I wouldn’t shut up. Pok was a cybercriminal I’d been tracking for several months. I got close to him once and was determined to get close enough to him again to put him out of business.
“They were from Romania.”
“At least they caught them,” I responded supportively. “Sounds like the Brits are serious about combating it.”
“Thirty-one girls are a drop in the bucket. There are thousands of them in England.”
“I suppose. When we get back home, we’ll get right to work on it. We have a lot more freedom now. We can choose our own missions.”
Ironically enough, yesterday, we’d both been let go from our jobs at the CIA. Not fired as such. Our handler, Brad, had set up a new corporation for us called AJAX. Named for Alex and Jamie. Letters of our name. We were given full operational control. We could set up offices, hire employees, and go on missions. Completely off the books. Funded by money we confiscated from an Arab oligarch named Omer Asaf on a previous mission to Belarus. When we got back, we had a lot of work to do to get operational.
Jamie brought up the knife and acid attacks again. Then she mentioned suspicious guy three or four more times before we got to our stop. Each time, I shot her down. If I didn’t, she’d spend the entire honeymoon scanning every place we visited for threats.
Still… I kept my eye on him.
2
Somewhere in Iran
Gi Man Pok sat in front of a computer screen in a newly constructed cyber warfare lab just outside of Zahedan, Iran, near the border of Iran and Pakistan. A huge smile dominated his face like Big Ben in London dominated the Parliament building.
London.
Alex and his wife Jamie were now in London.
For the last couple days, he’d been having some fun with them. The idea came to him when he inadvertently came across an email from Jamie to her maid of honor, Emily. Through a secured system. Not secure enough for a man of his hacking abilities. The subject matter was an outline of her wedding plans to Alex Halee. Every detail was listed. The florist. The church. The minister.
The date.
It wasn’t hard to hack into the florist’s computer and change the date from Tuesday to Wednesday. The limo wasn’t hard either once he found the company. There were six of them in the area. He had to hack into three of them before he found a reservation for Alex Halee.
He didn’t even know that Alex would hire a limo. It’s just something he’d heard Americans did. When he found the reservation and changed it, he almost doubled over in laughter.
Serves them right. Such extravagance. Didn’t they know there were starving people in the world? Not that he cared about starving people. His bitterness was directed toward Alex. He hated the man.
Changing the reservations were as easy as a couple of keystrokes. Child’s play. For a man of his skills. Pok was considered in some circles as the best hacker in the world. Alex Halee believed he held that title, but Pok was out to prove him wrong.
The only regret he had was that he couldn’t see their faces when they found out about the change in plans. What he’d done was nothing more than a teenage prank, he admitted to himself. Still the thoughts were cracking him up, and he couldn’t stop laughing. He’d stolen billions of dollars from financial institutions over the years, and nothing was as satisfying as this. Ruining Alex’s wedding day. While he wouldn’t normally bother with such frivolities, he did it to prove to himself he could.
Not for payback. That would come later. Alex would have to suffer a lot more than this before Pok would feel like he had avenged Alex fully.
In fact, revenge wouldn’t be complete until Alex was dead.
His hatred for the man ran deep.
When Alex had infiltrated his cyber lab in North Korea and shut it down with a lethal virus, he’d begun to doubt his own abilities. Maybe Alex’s claim of being the best hacker in the world was true. Pok refused to accept it, even though he nearly lost everything. Almost his own life. Halee embarrassed him in front of the Supreme Leader. Now, he would prove to the world that he was the best.
Alex is good. But I’m better.
“I’m the best,” Pok said emphatically even though no one was in the room to hear him. He pounded his fist on his desk.
He’d kicked himself mercilessly for months, for being so careless that Alex could actually infiltrate his lab. A mistake he’d never make again.
Hopefully, their wedding day was ruined. He’d never know, but he allowed himself the satisfaction of pretending it was. Maybe his wife, Jamie, would even blame Alex and start an argument. Pok’s mind was out in left field.
What did they think when they got to the airport and found out they were booted out of business class back to coach?
“And they were in middle seats!”
His handiwork. Pok was laughing so hard his side hurt.
Will they know it’s me?
50-50.
Maybe they will. Maybe they won’t. More than likely, they’ll be second guessing themselves.
Doesn’t matter. If his London plan worked, Alex would definitely know it’s him. He would rain down terror on the British city unlike anything anyone has ever seen before.
Right under Alex’s nose. And Alex would get the blame.
And… there’s nothing Alex Halee can do about it.
***
Pok couldn’t have carried out what he was plotting from his home country—North Korea. His cyber lab was decimated by Alex Halee’s virus and wasn’t yet back to full capacity. Further, it didn’t have the broadband speed, sophisticated computer systems, and access to technology the Iranian lab had. It also didn’t have the one thing he needed most: Men and women willing to blow themselves up. Something vital to his upcoming plan.
When Pok told Iranian leaders that Alex Halee was the one who stole the nuclear codes that Iran had paid North Korea for, they gained a mutual enemy. Iran opened their lab and all their resources to him. Pok now stood at the front of the lab to address their workers and present the plan which became operational as soon as Halee arrived in London.
“Salam,” Pok said, giving them the traditional greeting of peace from a non-Muslim.
“Wa Alaikum,” they responded in unison. And the same unto you.
“Thank you, my friends,” Pok began. “We’re going to make history over the next few days. With your help, we’ll bring the west to its knees and avenge the crimes Alex Halee has perpetrated on your great country. In front of you is our operational plan. You may turn to it now.”
He’d made sure the plan had been handed out to each participant. Pok waited until the rustling of papers died down.
“We’ll carry out this plan over five days, beginning today.”
A bank of televisions was on the wall behind Pok. More than a hundred. He turned and looked at them.
“Pull up the video feed,” Pok said to his North Korean assistant. One of a dozen experts he brought with him from North Korea.
Each television had a different real time view of a street in London.
A murmur went up among the crowd.
“The city of London is the most heavily monitored city in the world,” Pok explained. “The government has installed more than six hundred thousand CCTV cameras around the city. Including private cameras which they have access to. You literally can’t walk or travel to any public place in London without your image being captured. Everything flows through one central location. I hacked into that system and can now see everything they can see.”
He paused for a moment to let that sink in. Actually, to give them a chance to marvel at his capabilities.
He’d been working on infiltrating the system for months. A breakthrough gave him access just a few short days ago.
Pok reached down and typed a few keystrokes, changing the images to various recognizable locations.
“This is the corner of Parliament. Here is Westminster Abbey. London Bridge. The Tower of London. St. Paul’s Cathedral. Trafalgar Square. Piccadilly.”
He hit more keys.
“Here’s the subway system. It’s called the Underground. Or the Tube. There are cameras throughout. All monitored by British authorities.”
He hit another key, and the image of Alex Halee and his wife appeared.
“This man is our target. And his wife. They just arrived in London. Your job is to track their every move and follow them around London on the system of cameras. When they leave the view of one camera, you’ll need to quickly move to the next camera in the direction they’re headed.”
The room was staring intently at the pictures. Some leaned forward in their seats, straining for a better view.
“From the moment they got off the airplane today, we’ve been following them,” Pok said, the bitterness rising inside of him. “Your job is to keep your eyes on them, everywhere they go. Is that understood? It won’t be easy. They could get on buses. Take taxis. Ride the Tube. Go inside and outside of buildings. I’m counting on you not to lose them. Can you do that?”
A chorus of agreement went up among the crowd.
“Turn to page two in your handout,” Pok said. “I’m going to turn the floor over to Adil Niazi.”
Niazi was the assistant to the commander-in-chief of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard—second in command. He would oversee the military aspect of the operations.
“As-Salamu-Alaikum,” he said with the traditional shortened Muslim greeting. Allowed when time was short. A non-Muslim was not allowed to use it. Pok didn’t understand all their religious rules but kept his mouth shut.
“Wa alaikum assalaam,” the Muslim’s in the room responded. And upon you be peace.
Niazi began discussing the plan. “We’ll carry out attacks each day for five straight days,” he said in Persian, the official language of Iran.
“Each day will escalate in scope and intensity. That’s by design. Thirty-five of our brothers are in London and are prepared to launch fury on the infidels.”
“Inshallah,” a chorus resounded. God be willing.
Pok looked down at his copy of the notes.
Day One: Knife attacks.
Day Two: Acid attacks.
Day Three: Suicide vest bombings.
Day Four: Car bombings.
Day Five: Dirty bomb. Launched at the royal wedding.
Niazi explained each day’s attacks even though they were self-explanatory. When he was finished, Pok was called back to the front to explain the coordination of the attacks and what they had to do with following Alex Halee.
“These attacks won’t be random. They’ll be launched in the proximity of Halee. That’s why we’re tracking him. Once we have eyes on him, Commander Niazi will move his men into position. Upon his command, they’ll launch their attacks on targets near Halee.”
Niazi had questioned the plan. Why wasn’t Halee the target? Niazi wanted to kill Halee at the first opportunity. Halee couldn’t be killed in the attacks. Pok had his reasons which he wasn’t ready to divulge. It had to appear that Halee happened upon them. Eventually, he might make the connection that the attacks weren’t random but not until it was too late.
Pok had considered messing with Halee’s hotel reservation and cancelling it altogether. He had resisted the temptation. This way he’d know where Alex was at least twice a day. When he left in the morning and when he came back in the evening. They would always have a starting point. Then they could follow him all day, springing attacks along the way. If they did lose him, the camera system had a face recognition program. If someone was on camera, they had a way of finding them.
Pok marveled at the technology. Also, at his own skills. Alex might suspect Pok was behind the attacks, but he wouldn’t know for sure. He had no way of knowing Pok had hacked into the camera system until later, when Alex hopefully figured it out.
“Halee is on the Tube from the airport to his hotel with his wife as we speak. They boarded the subway to central London about fifteen minutes ago and will get off at the Piccadilly stop. Commander Niazi has a man on that subway car. When they exit in central London, his man will launch a knife attack on a target in close proximity to Halee. Commander Niazi will coordinate subsequent attacks. Your only job is to not lose Halee. Can you do that?”
A resounding yes went up in the room.
Pok put another picture on the screen. The subway platform at Piccadilly station.
“You’ll want to keep your eyes peeled to this screen. In less than thirty minutes, all hell is going to break loose.”
3
Piccadilly Station
The brakes of the subway car screeched to a halt at our stop. By that point, I’d decided that suspicious guy might be a threat, but my mind was focused now on finding our hotel. We’d exit the subway car, go to the top of the stairs, and make the three-block walk to our hotel. To the right at the top of the stairs if I had my bearings right.
Once there, we could check in and get some much-needed rest. If all went well, we’d wake up, make love, take a shower, and begin our sight-seeing. Jamie wanted to be awake in time for three o’clock tea. She insisted that we had to have British tea at midafternoon on our first day. That meant we needed to wake up by one-thirty or two. That would give us a good three or four hours of sleep and enough time to carry out my plans. Not ideal, but we were on vacation. A good sleep would come later. We’d be back to the hotel early enough tonight to get a full night’s sleep.
I was sitting on the aisle seat out of habit. For quick maneuverability. Just because I was on my honeymoon, didn’t mean I could easily ignore all my operational training. Jamie was on the inside seat, so I could protect her if necessary. Truth be known, she could protect me as much as I could her. Still, it made me feel more like the man of the relationship. Her knight in shining armor, so to speak, which was a very British thought to have.
As soon as the car stopped, I stood and immediately walked to the door to get there before everyone else. Not to get off first, but to let the suspicious guy see me. He was hanging back which was fishy to me. I was tall and an imposing figure. Intimidating to most people. Standing at the door, he wouldn’t act with me there. I could also control the order in which people exited.
I didn’t want him exiting after me. No way was I going to let him get behind me. Keeping him in front would allow me to act if he indeed were planning something. While I repeatedly told Jamie to ignore her suspicions, my threat radar was on full alert. I could tell she was still on edge as well.
The older American couple exited first. Suspicious guy motioned for me to go ahead of him. Our eyes met. I could see the hatred in his eyes. Even if he wasn’t planning anything now, he was capable of it. I knew that look. His right hand was still firmly planted in his jacket pocket. He motioned again with his left hand for me to exit the car.
Not going to happen.
“I’m waiting on my wife,” I said sternly. I think that was the first time I’d said that. Called Jamie my wife. My heart warmed as I looked at her.
I motioned for the mother and young boy to go in front of us. Jamie was behind them. She had the same thought as me. Keep the threat in front of us.
The mother thanked me. She seemed nervous as well. Probably because she was on a subway traveling with a small child.
Once she cleared the step off, I motioned for suspicious guy to go. He hesitated. Then went. I followed right behind him. In front of Jamie, so she exited after me. Not in an unchivalrous manner, but so I would be her first line of defense. If the man were planning an attack on us, he’d have to go through me to get to Jamie.
The thought occurred to me that I was being extremely paranoid
. More so than Jamie had been. But… Curly drilled in us that we could never be too careful.
The platform was packed with people coming and going. A throng of people were gathered a few steps back from the door, waiting for us to exit so they could board. The sign for the stairway was to our right. We had about a thirty-yard walk to get to it. I noticed several security cameras in various locations. That made me feel better. Suspicious guy wouldn’t do anything with all those cameras around.
Mother and small child were ahead of us. The man was behind them. We were right behind him. Nothing out of the ordinary was happening. A good configuration from a mission control standpoint. I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding.
Jamie must’ve been starting to relax as well because she said, “Do we go to the right or left at the top of the stairs to get to our hotel?”
Before I could answer, the man sped up around the mother and child. The move startled me. I didn’t like sudden movement. Then I saw it as a good thing.
Get away from us.
Once suspicious guy was a few steps ahead of the mother and child, he suddenly turned and shouted something in Arabic. Now he was facing toward us. The woman stopped walking. We all stopped so fast, I almost bumped into her.
I saw a silver flash.
A knife!
My reaction was instinctive. Quick. Immediate. Curly would’ve been proud of me.
Except… the angle was wrong. The woman was between me and the attacker.
The knife was already speeding toward the woman. She was holding her child’s hand with her right hand. She put her left arm up in the air and cowered back as she saw what I was seeing. The attacker plunged the knife into the side of her opened and vulnerable chest. Just under her raised arm. Near her heart.
She fell backwards into me.
I either had to sidestep her and deal with the threat and push her off of me or catch her.