A man walked among the bodies and fired an occasional kill shot. The embassy gates swung open. The terrorists took out black headbands and put them on. They got back in the Kia and drove into the compound. The man who had shot the Marine guards emerged from the gatehouse as the gates swung closed and followed them into the embassy.
Nick said, "They're not covering their faces. That's a bad sign. It means they don't care if they're identified. It could be a suicide mission."
Lamont said, "If they're the ones who blew up the Indian Embassy, they could be planning the same thing here. We need to get in there, get Selena."
"You think I don't know that?" Nick's voice was strained.
"Take it easy Nick, just sayin'."
"Yeah. All right, let's figure out how to get over to that building where the tunnel is."
Nick studied the urban terrain. Beyond the restaurant parking lot was a children's playground, then a building with another parking lot. If they could get through the playground and to the end of that lot without being seen, they'd be right across from where they needed to go.
"We'll move down to the end of the lot behind the cars, then through that playground," he said. "Keep going until we get to the end of the next lot. From there we can make it across the street. We time it right, they won't see us."
"They might not care," Ronnie said. "We're just three civilians trying to get away."
"Or they might want to add a few more to the score," Lamont said.
"Nick." It was Harker. "I'm going to call the president. Don't talk to me unless you need to. But keep the line open."
"Copy that," Nick said. He looked up and down the Boulevard. "Looks like all the bad guys are inside. Let's go."
They got up and sprinted to the end of the parking lot and into the playground. The playground was flat and green, full of mature trees. Big trees, big enough to stop bullets if somebody shot at them. But nobody did. They made it past the playground and into the next parking lot. There was good cover behind the cars. It would be a difficult shot from the embassy.
The lot bordered on a street called United Nations Avenue that formed a T with Roxas Boulevard. Across the boulevard, three long rectangular buildings stretched toward the bay. Their goal was the one in the middle.
They started across the boulevard.
CHAPTER 17
Stephanie and Elizabeth looked at a picture of Omar Steph had found in the international terrorist database.
"He's Abu Sayyaf," she told Harker. "One of their principal lieutenants."
"Look at his eyes," Elizabeth said. "The man's a psychopath. Rice needs to know what he's dealing with."
President Rice was in the Oval Office, where he'd just been informed of the events in Manila. Elizabeth had access to him at any time.
When his phone signaled Harker's ID, he knew what it was about.
"Director. You are calling about Manila."
"Yes, Mister President."
"What can you tell me?"
What Rice needed was a factual briefing with as much as she could tell him in as few words as possible.
"The terrorists are from a Muslim extremist group called Abu Sayyaf. One of my team is a hostage inside the embassy. The rest of them are working on getting into the building as we speak."
"Who's inside?"
"Selena Connor."
Rice knew Selena, had known her since she was a child. Her uncle had been a close friend and supporter. It made the crisis a little more personal.
Harker continued. "The terrorists breached the embassy from the rear. The Marine guards were killed. The ambassador and her staff were taken hostage. A second contingent of terrorists arrived at the front gates, opened fire on the police and the crowd and gained access. There are at least ten hostiles inside the building, possibly more."
"I expect to hear from President Navarro at any moment," Rice said. "We don't get along well and I anticipate problems controlling the situation. He's going to want to go in there and teach the terrorists a lesson."
"Sir, that would be a very bad decision. These could be the people who destroyed the Indian Embassy two days ago and they could be planning to do the same with us. Abu Sayyaf is a fanatical jihadist group. If troops assault the building, the terrorists will kill everyone inside. Dying for Allah is right up their alley."
"You have a way with words, Director. What do you suggest?"
"Sir, it might help to get an American unit on the scene. I realize this will create political problems for you, but we have to keep Navarro from going in there guns blazing. He might be more reasonable if it looks like there could be a confrontation."
"Go on."
"Yes, sir. The terrorists will have demands. They'll want to make a statement of some kind. We have a little time before the end game plays out. You know how good my team is. If you can stall Navarro until they have a chance to get into the building, they may be able to handle it."
Rice considered what Harker had said. President Navarro was a difficult man and Rice did not like him. He thought about assets in the area. The helicopter assault carrier USS Boxer was visiting Subic Bay. On board was a full Marine Expeditionary Unit, with 2200 Marines and the helicopters to take them into Manila. He could have the embassy surrounded within an hour if he gave the order. But if he sent in the Marines it would complicate the chances of reaching an agreement with Navarro about re-opening American bases.
Rice needed those bases to offset the growing Chinese military threat in the region. He needed Subic Bay and the facilities it could provide for the U.S. Navy. The sudden appearance of armed American forces in the heart of Manila would blow any possibility of successful negotiations out of the water. It would probably end the agreement to use Clark as well. Filipino pride and anger would see to that.
There were times when Rice truly wished he had never run for office. He was between a rock and a hard place. Whatever he did was liable to turn out badly. On the one hand, he faced the diplomatic nightmare that would result from putting boots on the ground and criticism from his political enemies for undermining America's future security interests in the region. On the other, American lives had been lost and more were at risk. Rice had decided long ago that he would never let political expediency outweigh what he believed to be the right thing to do.
The embassy was an important symbol of American prestige and power. Failure to respond with everything at his disposal would send the wrong message to terrorist groups everywhere. The attack could not be allowed to pass without immediate American response, whatever the consequences might be. Rice knew the value of decisive action. He decided to give Harker a free hand.
"Director, I don't have troops on the ground but the USS Boxer is visiting at Subic Bay. She has a Marine Expeditionary Unit on board. I could send in a detachment."
"Sir, that would be an excellent choice."
"Wait one, Director." Rice pressed a button on his desk. The door to the Oval Office opened and an aide stepped into the room.
"Get me the captain of the USS Boxer," Rice said. "Call a meeting of the National Security Council and get the National Security Advisor in here. But get me the Boxer first."
"Yes, Mister President," the aide said. He left the office and closed the door behind him
"Very well, Director. I'll send in the choppers and set up a perimeter. Navarro can bitch all he wants. But Elizabeth…"
Rice seldom addressed her by her first name. "Yes, Mister President?"
"You don't have a lot of time. I can only hold Navarro off for so long."