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Chapters (88)
  1. Titles by Mark Greaney
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright
  4. Dedication
  5. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  6. CONTENTS
  7. Epigraph
  8. CHARACTERS
  9. PROLOGUE
  10. 1
  11. 2
  12. 3
  13. 4
  14. 5
  15. 6
  16. 7
  17. 8
  18. 9
  19. 10
  20. 11
  21. 12
  22. 13
  23. 14
  24. 15
  25. 16
  26. 17
  27. 18
  28. 19
  29. 20
  30. 21
  31. 22
  32. 23
  33. 24
  34. 25
  35. 26
  36. 27
  37. 28
  38. 29
  39. 30
  40. 31
  41. 32
  42. 33
  43. 34
  44. 35
  45. 36
  46. 37
  47. 38
  48. 39
  49. 40
  50. 41
  51. 42
  52. 43
  53. 44
  54. 45
  55. 46
  56. 47
  57. 48
  58. 49
  59. 50
  60. 51
  61. 52
  62. 53
  63. 54
  64. 55
  65. 56
  66. 57
  67. 58
  68. 59
  69. 60
  70. 61
  71. 62
  72. 63
  73. 64
  74. 65
  75. 66
  76. 67
  77. 68
  78. 69
  79. 70
  80. 71
  81. 72
  82. 73
  83. 74
  84. 75
  85. 76
  86. 77
  87. 78
  88. EPILOGUE

“Mr. Duncan, this is Allen Reynolds with the FBI. I need to make sure everyone in there is safe.”

“Buddy, there’s nobody in here that’s safe, and if you and your friends come in here you’ll be the least safe of all.”

“Is Director Carmichael with you?”

“Yes, he is. He is unhurt.”

“I’d really like to check in with him, if that’s okay.”

Denny sat silently at the table, his hands behind his back and sweat on his brow.

Court said, “Denny, meet Allen. Allen, this is Denny.”

“This is Carmichael. There is one gunman.” He looked at Court with malevolence. “Just one.”

The FBI negotiator said, “I also understand there is a Saudi diplomat present, is that correct?”

Now Court said, “Al-Kazaz, meet the guys.”

Murquin al-Kazaz spoke in a loud and authoritative voice. “Contact Jabar Almlhan at my embassy immediately. Inform him of the situation. Then, notify—”

Court pressed the MP7 to the Saudi man’s temple, and he stopped talking.

Court said, “See, he’s fine. A little bossy, but that’s not my fault.

“Let me tell you what’s what, Allen. Right now your HRT guys are looking at the blueprints of this building, and they are figuring that the attic above the south wing is the best avenue into my location. The roof isn’t steel like the windows and doors, and it’s not reinforced with iron like the walls and the floor. It’s a reasonable assumption to make, but it’s up to you to let your guys know they are wrong. I’ve rigged a rather large explosive to a motion detector, and it will detonate if anyone tries to enter the attic. I really don’t want to blow up a bunch of poor FBI working stiffs, but now that I’ve warned you guys what will happen if you try to come through the attic, my conscience is clear on that matter, so you guys decide what you want to do.”

“I understand, Jeff.”

“That’s all for now. I’m going to talk to Denny a bit, and then I’ll be back with you.”

He heard the negotiator say “Jeff?” right before he pushed the button to disconnect the call, but Court hung up anyway.

He sat down at the table in front of the two men and positioned the MP7 on the table in front of him, the barrel pointed at Carmichael’s chest, six feet away. He said, “So much trouble to get a meeting with you.”

Al-Kazaz said, “I have nothing to do with any of this. I have diplomatic immunity.”

Court smiled again. “I’m not so diplomatic, so you aren’t immune from me. In fact, if you don’t tell me what I want to know, I can guarantee you I will be your proximate cause of death.”

Kaz clenched his neck muscles, but he did not speak.