“We need to go.”
“Not without my money. We get Nolan.”
“Forget the money! It’s lost. The rail is back on, didn’t you hear me? The bacteria will start multiplying. Soon you’ll have ten times more than she stole. We need to get out of here. Now.”
Dattar couldn’t believe his ears. “Forget the money? Are you insane? Smith is a microbiologist. He’ll know how to neutralize the bacteria. The plan will fail and I’ll have no money at all.”
“What good is money if you’re dead, I ask you?” Rajiid said.
“What good is being alive without it?” Dattar shot back. “I have to pay back Amir, or did you forget? I’m a hunted man. You are a hunted man. Do you have any idea how much it requires to drop out of sight?”
“Is what she said about the sapphire mine and utility company true?” It was Khalil who asked, and Dattar paused, his mind racing to find the right answer. Finally he decided on the truth. Perhaps if he told Khalil that he needed Nolan to be able to pay his debts, Khalil would stay and assist.
“Yes. The mine is depleted. And the utility company manager is dead.”
“I’m staying,” Khalil said. Dattar felt the tip of Khalil’s gun against his skull. “I expect to be paid.” Dattar knocked the muzzle away.
“You’ll be paid.”
The two crew members were silent through the whole exchange, and for a moment Dattar was concerned that the suicide pills had taken them, but just as he had the thought, one of the men shifted.
“We’ll need to hold this platform if we expect to find her,” Khalil said. “She’s in the tunnel.”
“Rajiid?” Dattar said. “Are you staying?”
Rajiid’s watch lit up as he checked it. “We have twenty minutes. No more. By then the bacteria will have filled this station. There will be no turning back.”
“Who are we facing, do you think?” Khalil said.
“Smith for sure. Probably Howell as well. The third could be anyone. I need to get upstairs and acquire a signal on my phone.”
“Where are the police?” Manhar said.
“That’s what I need to find out. Stay here,” Dattar said. He felt Khalil’s hand wrap around his bicep.
“You take off and I will hunt you down.”
Dattar shook him off. “I’m not leaving without my money.”
Khalil let go and Dattar jogged up the stairs. The air above felt fresh and cool after the humid atmosphere in the subway. Dattar’s phone acquired a signal. He called a number and heard his informer answer.
“I’m under attack at the drop location. Three shooters. Why aren’t the police coming?”
“What are you talking about? I heard nothing about this.”
“What the hell am I paying you for, if you can’t complete the simplest job? I’m being attacked at the location. Three shooters. I think two are Smith and Howell. Are you telling me that the CIA hasn’t heard a thing about this? I thought you had contacts in the New York City police and the FBI.”
“I do. If there were a mission at the tunnel, I would know about it.”
“I’m telling you there’s a mission at the site. Get on the phone and call your contact at the NYPD. Tell him to get some officers here, now. Tell him to kill them. Make up some story that they were resisting arrest. I don’t care what you say, but get them gone. And make it fast.”
“Hold on. I’ll make a call.”
Ten minutes later Dattar’s phone rang.
“My contact knew nothing about it as well—”
“He lies!”
“Wait! I’m not done. He started calling around. Seems there’s been an order, from somewhere, for the police to stand down.” Dattar wanted to reach through the phone and strangle the man.
“Countermand it. We’ll hold them in place until the police come and then get out of sight while they’re arrested. I need the tunnel cleared so that I can track Nolan.”
“I can’t countermand it. The order came from someone powerful in the government, I’m not sure who.”
“You lie! You’re the CIA. If the order came from anyone else, your organization has the power to reverse it. Do it. Now.”
“I’d love to, but I can’t. Listen to me. The order had to be from the top, or as near the top as one can get. You know what that means? If not the White House, then a cabinet member. I’m not going to get that order reversed.”
“Yes, you are or you’re going to die, because if I don’t get my money and get out of this hellhole in the next twenty minutes, I’m going to come after you.”
“I’m coming myself. I’m near and I’ll bring some backup. We’ll do it fast, before the bacteria light up the subway. Whatever happens, we’ll be sure to get our hands on Nolan. We can always bring her to where you are.”
“How long?”
“Ten minutes, no more.”
Dattar switched off the phone and headed back down the stairs. He worked his way through the darkness to where he had left Khalil and the others.
“And?” Khalil said.
“We’re getting some backup. And my contact at the CIA is coming personally. Any movement?”
“None. But they could be upon us, and I wouldn’t know in this darkness.”
Dattar ran the plan down.
“That’s a bad idea. First, if the NYPD comes, there will be some that may recognize you. That means we have to get out of here now. Second, even if they do secure the station, there’s still not enough time to get our hands on Nolan and get away before the bacteria colonizes.”
“My contact’s going to bring her to me. We’ll leave before the twenty minutes are up and be far enough away to be safe until that happens. Good enough for you?”
“Better.” Khalil’s voice sounded grudging. Dattar heard a man from his crew groan, followed by a thumping noise.
“He’s dead,” Rajiid said.
“Great.” Khalil’s voice sounded disgusted. “Why in hell are you giving these men a suicide pill?”
“Dead men can’t turn on me.”
“They can’t fight, either.”
Dattar didn’t bother to respond. In the distance he heard sirens, growing louder.
“Rajiid, time.”
“Twelve minutes.”
The sound of pounding feet came from the stairwell.
“Dattar, it’s me.”
“Just in time,” Dattar said.
49
We can’t let up,” Russell said.
“I agree, but I’m concerned about Howell. I don’t want a stray bullet to hit him.”
“We’ll throw the tear gas first. It’s formulated to create black smoke as well. Once they deploy, we’ll lay down some more fire in the platform’s direction, avoiding the left wall, where he was last.”
Smith slid the pack off his shoulder and took out the bombs. He fished around and removed the masks.
“Put this on.” He shoved one at Russell, donned his own, and removed the remaining pistol. Moving the pack out of his way, he hefted the bomb in his hand. “Howell’s going to hate this,” he said. “He doesn’t have a mask. Ready? One, two, three.” He pulled the pin on the bomb, stepped into the center of the tunnel and threw it as far as he could. There was a clanking sound as it landed on one of the rails, followed by a fizzing. He pulled the pin on the next, tossed that one, and then switched on the flashlight.
Smoked belched upward from the bombs, billowing into a black cloud. Smith jogged forward, his rifle aimed to the right. He began firing and Russell joined in with her Uzi. They were effectively blinded and Smith clenched his teeth on the thought that while they couldn’t see him, he couldn’t see them. One lucky shot and he was a dead man.
They kept moving, foot after foot, getting closer to the beginning of where Nolan said she’d placed the bacteria. Smith kept the outer edge of his left foot against the second rail, using it as a guide to keep him on track. It was all he had. He reached the beginning of where the bacteria should be and was thankful for the mask. He breathed heavily, sucking in air. Russell was near and kept a relentless pace, stalking ahead. Water dripped on his head, and he jumped at the cold contact. A second drop hit his back.