Enemy Among Us-A Jordan Wright Thriller (32 page)

Aziz walked around, checking on his team’s progress. He was pleased with all of the efforts as everyone was doing their part and not one of the children seemed scared or in a panic. Aziz glanced at his watch. In thirty minutes, he would call the number Mustafa had given him and read the note Mustafa had given him to the police officer who would answer. Aziz hadn’t read the note, but assumed it was a list of demands.

He motioned two of the other members of his team over to join him. “Please take the guard that I shot and put him outside. When I call to give our demands, I’ll allow them to come and take him for medical treatment. He did nothing wrong and we won’t treat him like we may treat the others.” The two nodded and went over to the lobby where the guard still lay. They picked him up by the shoulders and dragged him to the door. Aziz threw the key to the padlock over to them and they unlocked the door.

“Be careful! Push him out, but don’t expose yourselves,” Aziz warned. Both nodded and they used the guard’s body to open the door and passed him out by moving down his body and shoved him out. As they closed the door, they could hear the man moaning in agony, and they notice there was a trail of blood across the floor. They locked the doors and threw the keys back to Aziz.

“Go back and join the others. Keep an eye on the people. Make sure they do not talk to one another.” They nodded as they walked back to the center of the building where the hostages had been made to sit.

Aziz glanced at his watch. Mustafa had been clear that they minimize their use of the radios, since they should expect the police would be able to monitor their communications. The leaders of the teams had developed a code they could use with one another to check the status. They had also designated Aziz as the initiator of any communication, other than in an absolute emergency except to check in at the sixty minute mark after they initially took over the buildings.

“This is One. I’m at the store and have everything we need. How is everyone else?” Aziz released the push to talk switch on his radio.

“This is Two.” Aziz knew Two was in Independence Hall. “We had one small accident, but were able to move it outside. Everyone is cooperating and we’re all having a good time.” Accident was the code word for a wounded hostage.

“Three here.” This was the team in the Visitors’ Center. “We’re in good shape, no accidents, everyone happy.” Everyone was their code for the hostages. “Everything is up and running.” Aziz let a smile show. This was all good news. Up and running was the code that all of the windows were blocked with the canvas frameworks. Independence Hall didn’t have expansive windows and therefore didn’t need to block any.

“Hi, this is four. We’re also good. Also up and running. Not everyone is happy. Two guests not feeling well, but we’re watching closely.” This made the smile leave Aziz’s face. Not feeling well was code for uncooperative hostages. The concern had always been that if a group of hostages felt they could overpower the children a problem might arise. Team four had the most inexperienced leader, but the largest of the teams.

“Do you have a lot of guests?” Aziz inquired.

“Almost forty.” The other leader replied.

“Crap.” Aziz said to himself thinking this could get out of hand quickly. He keyed the mike on the radio. “I would suggest you break up the party into different rooms.” Aziz hoped they would understand he was telling them to divide the hostages up into smaller groups and separate them throughout the facility. Another choice was to let the potential challengers go, but that could encourage others to do the same thing, thinking it would get them freed. The final alternative was to kill one or two hostages at random, which would force the other hostages to control any of their number who wanted to try anything.

“Four, keep me posted on how your party progresses. Everyone — we will talk again soon. I have to make another call.” Aziz walked toward the reception desk and he sat down and stared at the phone. He wasn’t sure who would answer on the other end, but picked up the handset and dialed the number.

It rang.

Chapter Sixty-Five

Mustafa backed his van up to the building and parked by the loading dock. The facility was the most secure facility in Philadelphia, and it still amazed Mustafa how he could just walk in by flashing his picture ID. As he walked up the outside ramp to the enclosed guard station, the guard looked up and waved in recognition to a man he’d seen almost every day for the past three years.

Mustafa pulled the door open as soon as he heard the lock release. He walked in and again flashed the IDs hung around his neck to the guard.

“Hey, Mustafa, how are you doing?”

Mustafa nodded.

“I heard some of the managers talking about your new guys. Sounds like they’re doing a great job.”

Mustafa smiled, thinking, if this man only knew. “Thank you, Jake. I’ll let them know. This is an important customer for us, so I want to make sure the bosses are happy, both yours and mine.” Mustafa kept eye contact as he thought to himself that Jake might think differently in about an hour.

Mustafa continued walking down the corridor until he reached the door lettered “Janitorial Services.” He put his key in the lock and entered. He found his team waiting for him.

“It is good to see you, Mustafa. We take it all is going as planned?”

“Yes, I believe it is. There is much commotion at the Mall. The children have taken the buildings and the Police are mobilized and I believe I have also taken care of our problem with the Feds.”

The three men nodded in relief. Their part of the mission — the most important part – was about to begin.

“Do you have everything ready? Is everything in place?” Mustafa inquired.

“Yes, we have our carts positioned with everything we need. Nothing seems out of the ordinary today. Everyone we want is in today and working in their typical location. I believe, if Allah wills it so, we’re good to go.”

“I’m proud of all of you. Today will be a proud day for our country.”

Mustafa’s phone vibrated in his pocket. “Excuse me. You must all go back to work and undertake our normal activities until I tell you it’s time.”

Each man shook Mustafa’s hand as he left.

“Yes, hello?” Mustafa said into his phone.

“How are things? It sounds like all is going to plan.” The man on the other end was his new employer. Mustafa’s handlers in Iran were not aware of what Mustafa had planned, since Mustafa had long ago planned not to martyr himself today. He, too, had come to enjoy life in America, but couldn’t figure how to get away and disappear from his controllers — until this man approached him.

“Yes, I believe it is. I’m confident of our success.” Mustafa answered.

This man, named Jerome, had uncovered the details of Mustafa’s mission and it fit with what Jerome needed. A distraction of what Mustafa’s nieces and nephews would do created the perfect diversion. Mustafa had, at first, denied the plans for the Independence Mall takeover and refused to listen.

But, Jerome was persistent. He knew too many of the details and too much about Mustafa. He’d shown Mustafa a way out. Jerome could provide a new identity and a new location to live and enough money so Mustafa could live like the former Shah. He would want for nothing.

“Mustafa, tomorrow is going to be the start of a new day for you. I hope you’re excited.”

“I am. I’m looking forward to it. There is still much to be done, but the men are ready. The children have been in place for over a half-hour. The Mall is shut down and I’m sure we will be in lock down here in the next ten to fifteen minutes.”

“Very good. We’ll talk again after you leave and are at the safe house.”

“Yes. I’ll contact you when we arrive.”

“Good, Mustafa. I’m counting on you. Please, do not fail me — as the Libyans did.”

“I’ll not.” Mustafa said to dead air. He realized Jerome had ended the call. As he went to the door to begin his rounds, he could hear the P.A. system activate.

“May I have your attention, please. May I have your attention. This facility is now in lock down. I repeat, we’re now in lock down. All visitors need to be escorted to the visitors’ lobby immediately. All tours are suspended and all participants should immediately proceed to the tour exit. All employees are required to remain in their work area. No one will be permitted to leave or enter the building. Lock down is in effect until we announce all clear.”

It was critical for their success that the building went into lock down. Mustafa had been in the building before when a lock down had been declared and had observed that what was supposed to bring organization and security to the facility tended to do the opposite.

He moved along the corridor. Since he was a contractor and his people were all over the building, he enjoyed the ability to move about and not be stopped. He quickly made his way around, to check on the other members of his staff who weren’t involved with the plot. He found each of them in their proper position and directed them on what they should do. He then sought out his three accomplices. They had much to do and, while time wasn’t the biggest challenge, the quicker they accomplished their task and left the building, the better chance of success.

Chapter Sixty-Six

LIBERTY BELL CENTER, INDEPENDENCE NATIONAL PARK

Aziz spoke into the phone. Mustafa had warned him not to engage in any conversation with who ever answered the phone, just to give the message. He knew he shouldn’t have given him his name, but it had happened too fast.

“We have taken over Independence Mall. We have many hostages. We want America to understand that their liberty is meaningless to us and our intent is to destroy the symbols of this liberty, unless our demands are met in the next two hours. The seven political prisoners of Iranian descent who are to go on trial next week must be released from Fort Leavenworth and flown out of the country by private jet. The President of the United States must fully recognize the country of Iran as the national power it is and unfreeze all monetary assets belonging to it. Finally, the United States must denounce Israel and condemn all of it aggressive actions against its neighbors and must immediately insist Israel disarms. When all of these conditions are met, we will leave these facilities. At the end of two hours, if these demands are not met, we will execute hostages. Also, we have two wounded people whom you may come and retrieve in the next ten minutes. They are outside the door at Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell Center.”

“Okay, Aziz, let’s slow down a minute. How many hostages do you have?

“We have more than enough.”

“That’s not really helpful.” The negotiator looked over to Choufani and Stan.

“It is not important for you to know.”

“You understand this is going to take some time. Two hours is not enough time.”

“Then hostages will start to be killed and blood will be on your hands.”

“Come on, Aziz. You got to help me here.”

Aziz hung up. How could Mustafa know the questions they would ask and what their responses would be? Aziz was, once again, impressed by the intelligence of his Uncle. Aziz was also proud of himself and felt he’d done well. He knew Mustafa would be proud.

“Well those are some demands,” Stan said as he reviewed the list. Everyone was gathered around the conference table in the center of the room.

“He forgot to ask for lifetime tickets to the Super Bowl, though. The kid was definitely scripted. He knew just what to say. Not too much — just enough to get their point across.” Jordan had made some notes during the conversation.

Choufani was handed a message. “My officers confirm the two bodies outside. SWAT is getting ready to retrieve them, as we speak.”

“Let’s hope they’ll be okay.” Jordan always hated when innocents were caught up in these things. “So, he wouldn’t tell us how many hostages.” Looking over at the Rangers, Jordan asked. “Any idea how many people are usually in these areas at this time of day?”

“It’s hard to tell,” the Ranger who was the Homeland Security liason responded. “We had more people today because of the school holiday. My guess would be forty to fifty at the Constitution Center, fewer at the Visitors’ Center and probably thirty in the LBC. Independence Hall is a little easier, because it’s a timed entrance requiring a ticket. There would probably be twenty five people in there.”