Enemy Among Us-A Jordan Wright Thriller (38 page)

“Here’s what Max had to say.” Kate spoke from the floor of the backseat. “The hostages are out of the Visitor’s Center. They have most of the kids in the underground parking garage and they are in the process of bringing them out. One of the terrorists — they think the leader for that team — killed himself and two others surrendered. From what they have heard from the hostages, the kids had an argument and most of them decided to leave, once they saw what happened at the Constitution Center. Jon and his team gave some great information on how the kids worked. Stan and Choufani agreed to have Akmed call Aziz at the Liberty Bell Center and see if he can’t persuade him to end the incident. Max and William are headed out to catch up with us. They are also notifying New Jersey State Police.”

“Kate,” Jordan said quietly.

“Yes, Jordan?”

“Did you just see what this mad man did at the toll plaza?”

“No, I was on the floor. Why? What happened?”

Jordan looked at Patterson. Patterson had a wide smile on his face.

“Oh, you wouldn’t believe it if I told you. Anything else?”

“Yes. Patterson’s men confirm the engravers are not at the Mint. The inventory will be complete in about fifteen minutes, but you were right, Captain, a significant number of dies are gone.”

“Let’s just keep looking for a white van. We need to find them.” The smile had left Patterson’s face. He was back to business.

Chapter Seventy-Six

They continued to search in the area where Interstate Highways 676 and 295 converged. Max and William had arrived in the area five minutes ago, so they divided the area between them. But, time was not on their side. As each minute passed, Mustafa put more miles between himself and his pursuers.

Jordan felt Mustafa and his men weren’t purposelessly running, but more than likely moving to a predetermined location. He had bet the plan Mustafa had done so far included backup locations in case their primary destination had been compromised. Jordan figured Belle had said something to Mustafa, which made him feel he couldn’t go back to his home. Jordan bet Mustafa had a backup somewhere in the immediate vicinity of the search area, since it was an excellent location with several major north-south roads, allowing for numerous escape options.

“Hey, stop! There’s one in there!” Kate yelled from the back seat.

Patterson slammed on the brakes as he pulled to the curb.

“What are you talking about?” Jordan turned to look at her in the backseat.

“At the Wawa. There’s a City of Brotherly Love van parked on the side of the building.”

“Are you certain?” Jordan surveyed the parking lot of the regional convenience store found throughout the Philadelphia area.

“I stared at the vans long enough when they were parked at Mustafa’s. I’d know them anywhere.”

Patterson had already spun the car around. There was an empty lot across the street from the convenience store where, indeed, a van was parked.

“Let’s just hope its one of the ones we need to find,” Jordan observed as all three of them focused their attention on the van.

“That may be our guy coming out now.” A good-sized man of apparent Middle Eastern descent walked out of the market with a large soft drink cup and the straw up to his mouth. The other hand held a bag which had the shape of a hoagie.

“I guess moving all those dies and engravers causes you to work up an appetite. What do you think, Kate? You saw these guys the longest. Is that one of them?”

Kate had retrieved a miniature pair of binoculars out of her bag. Not the best, but good enough to get a slightly better view of the man. “Yep, that’s one of them.”

Jordan grabbed the radio. “Max, we’ve got one of the men and a van at the Wawa at six-o-two Blackhorse Pike. He’s just getting ready to leave.”

“We’ll move toward you. Keep us posted.”

“10-4”

Patterson pulled away as the van turned out of the parking lot and onto the road going northeast. Patterson, Jordan and Kate stayed three car lengths back on the heavily trafficked road.

Twenty minutes later, Patterson pulled the car to the curb in a modest but decaying residential neighborhood as the van pulled into the driveway of a home in the next block. Max and William positioned themselves a block to the other side of the house, while additional units would cover the back.

Chapter Seventy-Seven

Choufani looked hard at Stan. “Are you sure that’s our best option? I’m not sure I completely buy the father’s story — so far, anyway.”

“I think it’s the best we’ve got. Give me some slack on this. I think it could work.”

Choufani nodded, exhaled loudly, “You haven’t let me down yet.”

Stan grinned, walked to the door and opened it. “Akmed? Can you join us, please?”

Akmed tentatively entered the room, quickly glancing back and forth between Stan and Choufani. He took the seat that was offered.

“Akmed, I’ve played it straight with you since the beginning. I haven’t lied to you or promised you anything I haven’t delivered.” Stan was bent over the table and looked directly at Akmed, their faces less than a yard apart.

Akmed nodded in agreement.

“Now we need your help. Aziz and his group are the only holdouts. We can end this two ways. First way is to go in with our tactical squads. It will be quick and decisive, but I got to tell you I don’t like Aziz’s chances in that scenario. Here’s what I want to do. I want to get you and your son on the phone and give you a chance to talk him out of taking this any further.”

Akmed’s head slumped down and his body began to shake. “I wish I could help. I want my son safe, but I don’t think he will talk to me. That man he had to call uncle has taken him away from me.” His voice sounded strained, as he choked back tears. “I just don’t know if Aziz isn’t too far gone.”

Stan came around the table and put his arm on Akmed’s shoulder as Choufani sat down beside Akmed.

“Look, ahh, it’s worth a try, huh? He may be finding out that his uncle led them down the garden path and isn’t even with them. We think Aziz is vulnerable and you might be able to use that vulnerability to re-establish a relationship. Can you at least try?”

Akmed was quiet for several minutes before he raised his head up, brushed a tear from his cheek and spoke. “For the honor of my wife, I must do this. I will talk to Aziz.”

Stan and Choufani glanced at one another and Choufani quickly exited the room. Stan turned back to Akmed. “You will do your wife and yourself proud, Akmed. I have a feeling this will work. It will take us a couple of minutes to set up and then we make the call.”

Akmed nodded. If he could get his son back, then all would not be lost. Akmed found his mind filled with images of Aziz as a little boy, growing toward strong manhood, folding the woman he’d thought was his mother into his arms to give her a hug. How she had loved Aziz.

A technician entered the room – Akmed didn’t know how long he’d been lost in memories. He installed the phone and fitted Akmed with the headset. Stan and Akmed were alone in the room.

“When you hit the red button on the phone, it will call the phone at the Liberty Bell Center where Aziz and his group are located. Every time we’ve called, he’s answered; so, I anticipate he’ll be picking up the phone on this call, too. We’re ready whenever you are.”

Akmed took a deep breath and slowly and audibly exhaled, as if he were in a yoga lesson. He’d seen it on television. He looked at Stan and then pressed the button.

He waited. He could hear the phone ringing on the other end.

“Yes. What do you want?”

It was Aziz. Akmed momentarily couldn’t respond. Words would not form in his mouth; his throat went completely dry. He was sure Stan could hear his heart pounding. Hanging up seemed like the best option.

Stan patted him on the shoulder and whispered, “You can do this.”

Akmed straightened up in his chair. “Aziz, it is me — your father. We need to talk, you and I.”

The reply came quickly. “I have nothing to say to you. You raised me for this mission and I must complete it.”

“Aziz, listen to me. This mission is not what was planned. Your Uncle has misled you and the others. You cannot be successful today.”

“I don’t believe you. We will prevail and our demands will be met.”

“Aziz – son. Listen to me. When was the last time you spoke to Mustafa?”

There was silence from the other end.

“Please, Aziz. Answer my question?”

“When he told us to begin taking the buildings and hostages,” Aziz blurted out.

“And nothing since?”

“No.”

“Was that the plan?”

“He was supposed to call every hour.” The words seemed to race from the boy.

“And, he hasn’t?”

“No. We haven’t heard anything from him. We’ve had questions he could have answered. We’ve had things happen we hadn’t planned for. He hasn’t helped us at all.” Aziz was sounding more like the teenager he was and not the terrorist he attempted to be.

“Okay. Okay. It’s all right, Aziz. I’m here to help you. I can give you the direction you need. Your Uncle misled you. He misled me and the other families. He even tried to have Bennie kill me in the store, today.”

“What father? What did you say? Bennie tried to kill you?.”

“Yes, at the direction of Mustafa. Mustafa is not what he seems. He is running from the police as we speak. He won’t be helping you today, Aziz, so please allow me to help you.”

“I don’t know who I can trust. I couldn’t even trust my own cousins today!”

“Trust me. For the sake of your mother, give me a chance? Give us a chance?”

“Father, what is going to happen to me?”

Akmed wasn’t sure how to respond. He looked at Stan.

Stan reached over and hit the mute button. “Akmed, you have to understand. I mean, yeah, he’s a kid, but he’s been involved in a crime and people have gotten hurt. But, given the circumstances and what we know has happened, if we can get him to surrender, I’ll be able to go to bat for him with the prosecutors, to make sure they have the full story and understand.”

Akmed returned to the call. “Aziz, listen. Bad things have happened today, but they were not your fault. There will be some punishment; but, eventually, we will be together. We will have each other. Does that mean anything to you.”

Again there was silence – and it was followed by the sounds of sobbing.

“Mother would be so ashamed of me for what I have done.” Aziz said, his voice little over a whisper.

“Your mother will be proud if you can make all of this end right now. She loves you Aziz. I love you —.son.”

“Yes, father, I know. I, ahh, I love you. Tell me what I need to do? I want to go home.”

“Bless you, my son. I am so proud of you. I am going to let you talk to a man named Stan. He has been of tremendous help to me, Aziz. He will tell you what you need to do. I will see you soon.” Akmed gave the headset to Stan and fell back in his chair, his eyes filling with tears.

Akmed didn’t have any grasp of time. It could have been ten, twenty minutes or a half hour or longer that Akmed found himself standing outside the Liberty Bell Center. Uniformed Philadelphia policemen were leading the children out and Aziz was brought over – no handcuffs – and Akmed was able to hug his son and the words “I love you” spilled from each of them as they held one another. Then Aziz was led away to a waiting car by two Federal agents.

Stan put his arm around Akmed’s shoulder and they turned and walked in the opposite direction.

“You’ll be able to see him tomorrow.” That was all Stan could think to say.

Chapter Seventy-Eight