Peering through binoculars for the last hour, Sameer knew he must be getting raccoon eyes. At this distance it was the only way he could see those entering and leaving Photon. He could not risk a closer distance. Photon had a perimeter security system which detected reflective optical lenses. Unable to rely on the naked eye to watch for movement, he kept the glasses up, pressed into his eye sockets.
Sameer was glad to get out of the restaurant. Murad was angry, and he did not know how he might bring him back to a calm state, so when Murad asked for a volunteer to watch Photon for any sign of the whereabouts of Dr. Evans, he surprised himself and Murad too when he accepted the task. He had to get away from Murad. He knew Murad hated him, but was it because he had become successful here in the United States, or was it something else? He had done what he was told all these years. First he opened Castle, a perfect cover, then through its operations funded his training facility and finally established a community of support for their causes. He even found out about the camera the Americans now had, the one Photon invented.
So here he would watch and, if fortunate, see something to lead them to Dr. Evans. He wanted also to keep track of Dr. Jarrard. He would recommend they take him instead if Evans could not be found. Putting the glasses down, decided to risk a call to Murad although he was most reluctant to receive another tongue-lashing.
“Hello, yes, out on another delivery. Cannot deliver the order, too crowded at the dorm address you gave me. A big, black truck blocks the way. Yes, there are three students inside, but they have gone into their dorm and have not come out to move their vehicle yet.”
Sameer wasn’t completely sure Murad understood his message, but at least he had given him an idea something was wrong. Ten minutes ago, Craig’s SUV had entered the gates at Photon then parked directly in front of the main entrance. He had never seen any of the men who emerged and went in, but he knew warriors when he saw them. He was relieved when Murad did not beat on him.
“Bring the delivery back; we will get the order out another way, but wait until the students move their car and try to see who they are so we can tell the campus police. Then come back and I will show you how to redeliver the order,” Murad directed.
Sameer kept lookout for ten minutes more when he saw the same three men come out the doors; they had Jarrard! This was not good. Sameer backed out of the parking spot overlooking the Photon grounds and raced back to Castle Pizza. Pulling around back, he parked and removed a stack of pies from the backseat; another four pizzas into the garbage. He hated to discard them as it hurt his profits to make pizzas no one paid for, but he knew if he was ever stopped; it would be hard to explain a pizza delivery guy without pizza.
All of the non-believer employees were gone. The kitchen was empty and Murad and the other faithful were seated on the floor.
“Sit!” Murad ordered.
And Sameer sat with the four pizza drivers/now terrorists, directly opposite Murad. Sameer told them all carefully about the men who had taken Jarrard. He did manage to get a license plate but it was useless. He had already guessed it was CIA or FBI and the tag was a government plate.
“This is not good, but it was good you were there to find this out. Now we have to find Sally Evans and Jarrard. But maybe we will be lucky and Jarrard will continue to make mistakes. This is how we found out about their imaging device, so it could happen again.” Murad paused.
“But there is more news to convey: I will now tell you why I am really here.” Murad began, “You think I have come here because of what you found out from this Jarrard weeks ago. No, it was an excuse. Allah had already inspired and guided my travel here. But now, occurrences have forced me to adapt. This morning it was told to me El Sharrad is either dead or in the devil’s cage in Guantanamo. His disappearance and the death of his family, which we all know is our first sacrifice if we are caught by the infidels, have made time move more quickly.”
Murad paused to look at each. “What I will tell you now shall make your hearts soar and fill you with joy! I came here ready to take the place of El Sharrad if he was unable to fulfill his destiny. El Sharrad has been planning to kill ten times the number we executed in New York City that glorious day. His bombs would have exploded in one of their giant stadiums. The U.S. agencies did not know the target, but El Sharrad chose the new Meadowlands facilities in New Jersey which is nearly in the shadow of our last blessed event. He knew another mass killing in this region would cripple the kafirum’s spirits, knowing they will never be safe.”
Stopping once more, he sat upright and breathed in deeply, then said, “It has been written, if our leader El Sharrad was unable to fulfill the delivery of our next attack on the soil of the heathens, then a surrogate was to take his place to guarantee Allah’s will be done! I am El Sharrad’s second-in-command and it is I, together with you, as God’s chosen who will deliver our hammer blow against the women and children of the terrorists who through history have invaded all the nations of the world, including the lands of our fathers!”
One of Sameer’s men stood and bowed. “Murad, this is a glorious revelation! We will assist you and engulf in flames this arena! We will destroy the blasphemous structure with thousands to surely burn on their way to hell! This is beyond the dreams we prayed for so many years. To so serve Allah is all we have every wished for!”
“It is true and we are indeed the chosen, but there is more. We will choose a different stadium as a precaution in case they have uncovered more of El Sharrad’s design. The facility is already known to me and it will remain this way until the final time. But Sameer, why you asked me here is also of great interest to our cause. You have done well by bringing the new science to my attention. Now that a new sports building will be our target, we have also delayed the attack a few weeks. We will more time and we will use it to find this Dr. Evans. In our jihad against the infidels, we must keep up with their technology. Forget about Jarrard; he is a distraction. Find this Dr. Evans at any cost and bring her to me.