Foreign Influence_ A Thriller - Brad Thor [143]
Abdul Rashid straightened his trigger finger and allowed the pistol to roll upside down and hang from it.
Harvath repeated the command in Arabic.
“I’m going to bend down and set it on the ground,” Rashid replied in English.
“Slowly,” said Harvath, his vision and hearing coming back. “Very, very slowly.”
“I’m setting it down.”
Once the weapon was on the ground, Harvath said, “Back up five steps and kiss the ground.”
Rashid did as he was told, and while Rhodes helped tend to Ericsson, Harvath and the rest of the team cautiously advanced.
Harvath kept his weapon trained on Rashid while Casey and Cooper cleared the two rooms on either side of the hallway. Once they were done, he checked the two men Rashid had shot. They were both dead.
“Where’s Jarrah?”
“There’s another room at the far end of the basement. He’s barricaded in there.”
“How many other people in the building?” demanded Harvath.
“There’s nobody else. This is it. Listen, you can’t shoot him. I need Jarrah alive.”
Harvath looked at Casey and Cooper. “Go get him.” Looking down at Rashid, he removed a pair of EZ Cuffs and said, “Put your hands behind your back.”
“My name’s Sean Chase. I’m with the CIA. Ground Branch.”
“Shut up and put your hands behind your back,” Harvath repeated.
Before Chase could respond, Alex Cooper yelled, “Gun!” and all eyes turned to the end of the hallway where Marwan Jarrah had just stepped from around the corner with an AK47 and begun firing.
CHAPTER 72
Marwan Jarrah never had a chance. As the bullets popped and zinged all around her, Alex Cooper stood her ground and returned fire.
Though she wanted to kill him on the spot by putting two rounds right into his head, she focused on his chest and didn’t lay off of her trigger until he laid off of his.
The Iraqi fell back against the wall and left a trail of blood as he slid down into a sitting position. His AK clattered to the ground next to him and Cooper kicked it away.
Chase tried to get up, but Harvath kept his knee in his back as he zipped his cuffs.
“I don’t know who the hell you are,” shouted Chase, “but if he dies, you’re in a lot of trouble.”
Harvath stood up, yanked Chase to his feet, and handed him to Casey. “Let him ask any questions he wants, but watch him.” Harvath then took Cooper to clear the rest of the basement.
“You lied to me,” murmured Jarrah as Chase kneeled next to him.
“Tell me how I can reach Aleem,” he said, knowing full well it was pointless. Marwan wasn’t going to give him up.
The Iraqi laughed and then produced a wet cough as he spat up blood. “I treated you like a son.” His eyelids were drooping and his breath was coming in sharp gasps.
He whispered something further but Chase couldn’t hear it and so leaned in closer. “What did you say?”
“I have something to tell you,” the Iraqi rasped, before his body was racked once more with bloody coughs.
“What is it?”
“I have a secret.”
Chase was inches away from his face. “What is it, Marwan? Tell me.”
As his final breath escaped his body, Jarrah looked at his beloved protégé and said, “I lied to you too.”
After clearing the basement, Harvath came back to interrogate the man claiming to be from the CIA.
“Listen, there’s going to be an attack downtown in two hours.”
“Let’s start with who the hell you are,” said Harvath.
“I told you, my name is Sean Chase. Call Langley and ask to be connected to Kip Houghton. He’s my handler.”
Harvath nodded at Cooper, who removed her cell phone and headed for the stairs.
“Jarrah’s got eight suicide bombers,” continued Chase, “but you don’t need to worry about them. What you need to be worried about—”
“Wait a second,” interrupted Harvath. “Why shouldn’t we be worried about eight suicide bombers?”
“Because their vests don’t work. I made sure.”
Casey looked at him. “How?”
“The circuit’s not complete. The detonators can’t get any electricity.”
“Just like the vests in Nasiri’s apartment.”
“Where are the bombers now?” asked Harvath.
“That’s not important,” replied Chase. “Jarrah has three two-man teams of Mumbai-style