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“And what does that matter?”
“The CIA will come looking for their agent. We can hardly afford to leave any loose ends.”
“Loose ends,” Hakim said, as he pointed at the bodies. “Is that what we call believers now?”
Karim would not allow his upbeat mood to be diminished. “Come now, Hakim, we have discussed this many times. Many have martyred themselves…millions of our brothers…but American Muslims have given nothing. Those three men have martyred themselves and they will be rewarded by Allah. They are on their way to paradise as we speak.”
They did not martyr themselves, Hakim thought. You martyred them, or more to the point, killed them. He did not say it, for fear of his own life. He looked at his friend’s placid, almost euphoric face and finally realized just how much he had changed over the last year.
“Come now,” Karim said. “We have much to do. I have decided to move our plan up by two days.”
This got everyone’s attention. Karim’s men were too well disciplined to question their commander, but Aabad was not. ?
?Today?” he asked in an unsteady voice.
“Yes, today,” Karim said proudly.
“But I am not ready,” Aabad said with his hands fluttering. “My office needs to be gone through…my apartment…there are final things I must do.”
“It is out of our hands. The CIA will come looking for their man, and we cannot wait for that. Once they have discovered what has happened, they will raise alarms and our job will become extremely difficult.”
“But my plane ticket…I am not to leave until tomorrow. What am I going to do?” Aabad was beside himself.
Karim put a fatherly hand on his friend’s shoulder. “Do not worry. I will take care of you. I want you to go to your apartment right now. Get only what you need. One bag,” he cautioned him, “and come right back here.”
“But…” Aabad started to say.
Karim covered his mouth. “Do not argue. This is a direct order. You must do exactly as I tell you. Now go and be fast.” Karim released him.
With great irritation, Hakim wondered why Karim didn’t simply shoot the imbecile like he shot everyone else. Instead he watched Aabad anxiously hurry toward the door, looking back every few steps. When he stopped at the door, Karim urged him on by repeating his instructions one more time.
“Now,” Karim said to Hakim as he put a gentle hand on his shoulder, “as you can see, my men are ready. Their martyr vests are all but done.”
The men had spent much of morning breaking the C-4 into smaller blocks and pressing ball bearings into the malleable explosive and then placing the blocks in vests that they would put on, and if everything went according to plan, die in.
“Are you sure,” Hakim asked with great concern, “about moving things up?”
“Yes.”
“I’m afraid by rushing we will make a mistake. A mistake that will cost us.”
“No,” Karim shook his head. “My men are ready. This is the right decision. Waiting is risky. This…this is seizing an opportunity.”
“What about the traffic cameras?”
“I was hoping you could call your man.”
“Right now?” Hakim asked as he computed the time difference between the Netherlands and Washington.
“Yes.”
“I can try,” Hakim said without much confidence. This had been arranged months in advance.
“You will succeed, my friend. You have always succeeded. That is why, despite your lack of faith, I have allowed you to be part of this great battle.”
“And if he can’t crash the system?”
“We will proceed with or without him. Is my message ready?”
