Abuse of Power - Michael Savage [58]
He went at it, working the keyboard furiously, all of his concentration focused on that center screen. Jack and Tony were about halfway through their second beers when he finally came up for air.
“Success,” he said. “It’s only a partial, but at least I’ve got a name and a photo for you.”
He stabbed a key and the file opened up on-screen.
The employee was male, but it wasn’t Sunglasses. Not even close. However, the photo stirred something inside Jack and he felt his heart kick up a notch.
“You say this was purged about a week ago?”
“Give or take.”
Jack stared at the screen. Could it really be who he thought it was?
“What’s wrong?” Tony asked. “You know this guy?”
“No, but I know someone who might.” He looked at Karras. “Can you download this photo and send it to a cell phone?”
He was already maximizing a snip program to copy the photo without leaving a fingerprint.
“Just give me the number.”
Jack did, then dug out his phone and dialed the number himself. After three rings the line picked up and he said, “This is Jack Hatfield. I’m gonna send you a photo. I want you to take a careful look and call me back, okay?”
He got the answer he was hoping for then clicked off.
“Jack, what’s going on?”
“I’ll explain in a minute,” he said, staring intently at the computer screen as he waited for his phone to ring. A moment later it did, and he answered quickly. “Is that the guy? The one you and your brother saw at the Arco station?”
“It’s him,” Leon replied.
“You’re absolutely sure?”
“I’m sure,” Leon said.
Jack thanked him then clicked off, turning to Tony. He gestured to the face on the screen. Dark, Middle Eastern descent. The name next to it read ABDAL AL-FIDA and listed him as a computer maintenance technician.
“He’s the one,” Jack said. “The reason for the cover-up.”
“The Iranian guy?”
Jack nodded. “That’s why they wiped him from the database.” He paused, not quite believing what he was about to say. “The bomber was working for the Brits.”
17
“This has to be a mistake,” Tony said, staring at the screen.
As much as Jack wanted to believe that, the proof was right in front of them. Abdal al-Fida was an employee of the British government. And his previously deleted personnel file had been flagged to indicate that he’d been living here on a G-2 diplomatic visa. He lived at an address in Newham, London, and had arrived in the U.S. less than a month before the carjacking.
“I wish it was a mistake,” Jack said. “But what we have here is a major embarrassment to the Brits, and they’re doing whatever it takes to make it go away. Could you imagine the shit storm they’d see if it came out they had a terrorist on the books?”
“They couldn’t have known what he was up to.”
“Which makes it even more embarrassing. The guy was obviously a mole and that means they’ve had a serious security breach. Not something they’d want made public.”
Tony looked doubtful. “So they send in MI6 to clean up? There’s gotta be more to it than that. They killed a teenager, for God’s sake. And what about Bob Copeland?”
Jack was a strong believer in Occam’s razor, that the most obvious explanation was usually the best one. But Tony had a point. Had Copeland been killed simply because he’d discovered a security breach? Or was there another reason altogether?
Like Operation Roadshow, he thought.
The Home Office was overly sensitive to criticism, but would they go this far to protect themselves?
“Um, what exactly are you guys getting me into here?” Karras said, suddenly looking very nervous. “Maxie never mentioned anything about bombers and dead teenagers. Maybe you two should leave.”
Jack ignored him and got to his feet, started pacing. He needed to think about this.
Tony gestured to the screen. “Whatever the case, this guy’s probably buried in somebody’s backyard by now. And without him, what do we have?”
“More speculation,” Jack said.
“Exactly.”
“Guys—” Karras said.
Jack didn’t seem to hear him.
What if this al-Fida guy isn’t dead? What if he immediately fled for home after botching the bombing? It didn’t seem likely,