Murad watched outside the airport until he saw the two Agency’s two SUVs head out and travel north. One turned left down a long road, following a sign saying Natural Energy Lab of Hawaii and pointing down the hill. The other SUV continued up the Queen Kaahumanu Highway. He decided to trail the second SUV, reasoning that the road down to the laboratory only went so far. I’ll come back once I know where this second vehicle is going.
Driving alone, he followed the SUV, noting the hundreds, no thousands, of messages on either side of the highway as they head north. Written in white stones against the bleak lava terrain were words of encouragement and names of loved ones: Go Brian!, We love you Mary!, and Don’t stop till you drop Kerry!
Messages like these went on for more than twenty miles until the SUV turned east on Kawaihae Road towards Waimea and the Kohala National Forest Reserve. After turning, the words along the highway disappeared and it was then he remembered: this was the island they ran that Ironman Race he had watched a few times on TV. The writing in coral were words of support from friends and family to the competitors who road their bikes for more than 100 miles in punishing winds and heat. Murad could use some inspiring words now himself. El Sharrad was dead, he was forced to kill the cell leader they had nurtured for many years, and until he met up with his cell members here, he was on his own trying to track down Dr. Evans.
Murad had picked up a disposable phone at the market outside the airport and called into the local leader, Assad.
“Assad, one of the vehicles went to a place called the Natural Energy Lab, do you know it? Good. The other I have followed up to a road which is now heading east. They met with another truck full of men and drove further until they turned onto a very narrow dirt road heading north again. Get up here now. The road is so small; it is not safe to follow any further. If they come back down, we will run into each other and I will be found out. Once you get here, stay near but out of sight. When they come back down call and tell me. I am going back to the Energy Lab. If I am correct, the agents know where Sally is hiding. Let them do our work, and bring her out into the open. Remember; do not forget to call me when they come back down.” And Murad hung up.
Besides the cell phone, Murad had purchased a map, masking tape, and some tourist baseball caps. Assad had told him where to find the weapons cache they had hidden in a nearby apartment on a road along the ocean at a place called White Sands Beach and empty most of the time; they used it only for this purpose. He went there now.
After finding the key where Assad said he would, he parked and entered the apartment. He activated one of the other cell phones and called a local island helicopter charter company inquiring on their hours, location and rates, “Yes, my family are I are visiting from India. What type of helicopters do you fly? My wife gets very queasy if it is one of the smaller ones.” He pushed for information until he found a charter company with the type of aircraft he was looking for. “Thank you, I will call tomorrow and set up a time.”
Murad next unfolded the map and began to make marks on at spots here on this island and on Kauai. He then set his cell phone volume to loud and put his head back for a brief rest before he went back to stake out the Energy Lab.
Twenty minutes later his cell fell vibrated and fell beside the bedside table. He groped down around the floor for it and answered, “Yes, what is it?”
“They did not see me, I am sure. The agents in the same SUV just came out of the road and are now heading back in the direction of Kona,” Assad advised.
“Follow them, do not lose sight. If I am right, they will take you down to the Energy Lab to meet up with the other agents. Contact our brothers and make arrangements as I instructed.” Murad hit End and got up.
He went into the spare bedroom and cut through the carpeting under the nightstand. Beneath was a wooden hatch which he lifted to uncover a locked steel chest filled with automatic weapons, ammunition, radios and explosives. Raising it out of the space and onto the bed, he prepared the bag he would need today. Murad dreamt in his dreams each night a glorious welcome into heaven above. His death would come in battle, he was certain, and his brothers would remember and praise him as a great warrior of Allah.
He replaced the box, lay the carpet back down and made his way to out to the parking lot.
Once he was sure where the agents were bringing Sally, he would bring the merciless fire of Allah to the infidels!