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“I reviewed the tapes every few days,” he said while rubbing his hands together. “We have a man who helps out around here. I saw him on the tape several times and didn’t think much of it, and then earlier tonight…during evening prayer, I noticed he had slipped out, so I grabbed a few men and we went downstairs.”
“The same stairs we just came down?” Karim asked.
“Yes, and we found him back in the hallway.”
Karim and Hakim looked at each other and then Karim said, “He would have heard you coming.”
“I think so,” Aabad said nervously.
“What was he doing?”
“We found him in one of the other storage rooms, moving supplies around. While the other men were talking to him…asking him why he was not at evening prayer…I snuck into the office and reviewed the security tape.”
“And?” Hakim asked, fearing that he already knew the answer.
“He was doing something with the door, so I grabbed my gun and we confronted him. We tied him up and emptied his pockets.”
“Did you find anything?”
“This.” Aabad held out what looked like a miniaturized version of a dental tool and three white pads in a clear Ziploc bag.
Hakim felt his heart sink. “That is a lock pick, and those little pads,” he said as he closed his eyes and his voice trailed off, “are used to test for chemicals…”
“What kind of chemicals?” Aabad asked.
“The kind associated with explosives.” Hakim took a step away and looked back at the stairs, half expecting federal agents to come barreling down with guns drawn. In a hushed voice he asked, “Have you questioned him?”
“I haven’t had time.”
Hakim shot Karim an I told you so look. He had warned him that Aabad wasn’t up to the task. Karim’s response was that the man was simply accident-prone. Hakim had replied that he was accident-prone because he was stupid. He reached out, grabbed Karim by the arm, and said, “We need to get out of here.”
Karim pulled his arm free. “In a minute.” Addressing Aabad, he asked, “Has he said anything?”
“Only that we are overreacting. He says it is his job to keep an eye on things.”
“I don’t like this,” Hakim said.
“I don’t either, but before I throw away this opportunity, I want to make sure. Have you checked for listening devices?”
Before Aabad could answer, Hakim said, “He wouldn’t know where to start. I don’t even trust myself. It is impossible to keep up with their technology.”
Karim thought about that for a second and said, “I want to see him.”
“No,” Hakim said firmly. “He cannot see you. We need to leave.” Pointing at Aabad, he said, “He should have given us the signal. We should have never come here.”
“I am in charge here,” Karim said firmly. “I will not so easily settle for our meager backup plan.”
Hakim let out a sigh of frustration, knowing there would be no changing Karim’s mind. Turning to Aabad, he asked, “Is anyone upstairs keeping an eye out?”
“Yes,” Aabad answered nervously.
Hakim took a step toward the stairs and motioned for Karim to follow him. When the two were alone, Hakim looked at his old friend and said, “You are blind when it comes to him. You killed a man this morning who has three times the brains of that imbecile, a man who had done nothing to endanger your plan. And now you are going to tolerate him yet again.”
It was far more complicated than Hakim was making it, but Karim did not have the time to debate the issue right now. “We will talk later. Go…take the men to the place you have prepared, and I will be in touch.”
“And if I don’t hear from you?”
“If you don’t hear from me by seven a.m., proceed immediately to the secondary target.”
