"Don't worry about it," Holland said.
"What's your idea, Selena?" Nick asked.
"Look at him." She nodded at the glass. "He's having a pretty bad day."
They all looked at Amin. He looked dazed, lost. He looked scared. Flecks of Hamid's blood clung to his face.
"He's not much more than a boy," Selena said.
"He was ready to put on a suicide vest," Nick said. "He was one of the people who planted the gas in the hotel."
"That's true," Selena said, "but right now he's scared out of his mind. He probably thinks he's going to end up in a CIA black site somewhere. We can use that to our advantage."
"How?"
"My idea is that we get an imam in here to talk to him. Someone we know isn't one of the radicals. It's against religious law in Islam to take your own life. It's the extremists who have talked people into believing that blowing themselves up is something that makes God happy. Maybe an imam could convince him otherwise, and that it might be a good idea to talk with us."
Nick looked at his watch. "I don't think we have a lot of time. Let's try it. Let me make a call."
He called Harker.
"Director, I need a friendly imam in New York, preferably Shiite."
Elizabeth didn't ask why. "Wait one," she said.
"Freddie, I need some information."
How can I help, Director?
"I need the name of a Shiite imam in New York City, someone who isn't a radical. It has to be someone who has no ties at all to terrorism."
Processing.
Elizabeth waited.
Ali Zaidi is the imam of a mosque located on 14th St. in lower Manhattan. He is considered a voice for moderation and peace. Would you like his phone number and address?
"Yes, Freddie."
She listened and repeated what Freddie said back to Nick on the phone.
"Got it," Nick said. He disconnected.
Half an hour later, the imam was in the station. An hour after that, they knew what Dayoud was going to do.
CHAPTER 54
Nick called Elizabeth.
"It couldn't be much worse. There's another container of sarin. The prisoner's name is Amin. He doesn't know where the gas is, but he told the imam the third man plans to blow himself up and release the gas in Times Square."
"You're certain about this?"
"As certain as can be. There's no reason for Amin to lie. The cops want to close down the square, but the mayor won't give them permission. He's an idiot politician. He thinks the threat is overrated, and he doesn't want to scare the tourists. He's afraid he'll be accused of being a racist if he lets the cops go after anyone fitting Dayoud's profile."
"Dayoud?"
"Dayoud Sassani. He's the leader of the cell."
"Do we know what he looks like?"
"Amin is working with a sketch artist now, so we'll have a better description soon."
"What do you want to do?"
"Everybody's concentrating on Times Square," Nick said, "but I've got a bad feeling about it. The reason the third man wasn't in the apartment was that he'd gone to the store. We found a bag with broken bottles of juice in it on the stairs, one flight below the apartment. He must've heard the shots and got out of there as fast as he could."
"And?"
"That means he knows he's on his own. He has to figure we'd find that map when we searched the apartment. If I were him, I'd pick another target. He's not stupid. Why go where half the police force, the FBI, and everyone else is waiting for him to show up?"
"I see your point," Elizabeth said. "At least it's Saturday. The financial district is closed, all the banks, the big office buildings are mostly shut down. It eliminates a lot of potential targets."
"He'll pick someplace where there are a lot of people," Nick said. "Someplace like Rockefeller Center."
"You think he'll do it tonight?"
"Yeah, I do. I think he'll go get the sarin and head for wherever he thinks he can do the most damage. I'd say within the next few hours. Much later than that, the crowds start to thin out."
"We have to narrow down the possible targets," Elizabeth said.
"Maybe Freddie can help. He can analyze the possibilities a lot faster than any of us."
"That's an excellent idea. Stay on the line."
Elizabeth put the phone on speaker.
"Freddie, have you been monitoring the conversation?"
Yes, Director.
"Do you understand the situation?"
A terrorist is at large in New York City with a container of sarin and a bomb. Nick's assessment is that he will release the gas and detonate the bomb within the next few hours. You anticipate a significant loss of life.
"That's correct. Our problem is that we do not know what this man will choose for a target. I would like you to analyze possibilities and suggest targets with the highest probability. Can you do that?"
Processing.
"Freddie is working on it, Nick."
"I heard him."
I have analyzed the possibilities. Would you like to know the results?
Elizabeth sighed. "Yes, Freddie, I would."
The most effective use of sarin occurs in a contained environment. It is twenty-six times more lethal than cyanide. Minimal exposure of a few seconds can result in permanent neurological damage. Longer exposure guarantees termination of life.
Elizabeth was impatient. "We know that, Freddie. Please tell us about potential targets with the highest probability."
The subway system of New York presents the best opportunity for effective dispersion. Probability is ninety-six point three percent. Other potential targets fall to less than eighty percent.
"New York has an extensive subway system. Is there a particular location that has a high probability for selection?"
In what part of New York? The system extends through all boroughs.
"Manhattan. We have to make an educated guess."
There are four locations with high probability in Manhattan. Each is a junction where passengers have a choice of boarding several different lines. In order of probability, they are Grand Central Station at 42nd St., Union Square at 14th St., Lexington Avenue at 53rd St., and Times Square at 42nd St.
"Did you hear that Nick?" Elizabeth asked.
"I wrote it down, Director."
The time is now 19:12 hours. Probability of detonation and release of the gas before 21:00 hours is ninety-nine point eight percent.
"That gives us less than two hours," Nick said.
That is correct.
"You'd better get going," Elizabeth said.
CHAPTER 55
"What's the word?" Ronnie asked.
"The best guess is that Dayoud is going to release the gas in the subway system," Nick said. "It's where he can do the most damage. The gas will take a long time to disperse."
"But where in the system?" Selena asked.
"We can't cover it all. Freddie identified four high probability locations in Manhattan."
He ran them by the others.
"I think we can eliminate the 42nd St. stop," Selena said. "There will be plenty of people watching for him to show up anywhere near Times Square."
"I agree. That leaves the other three," Nick said. "Ronnie, you take Union Square. Lamont, you head up to Lexington and 53rd. Selena, you and I will go to Grand Central. It's the highest probability of the three and it's a big space."
"Hey, Carter."
Lieutenant Holland came forward with papers in his hand.
"I've got the new artist sketch for you."